Podcast 73, Story of Elijah, Pt 7

Elijah prophesied the gruesome deaths of Ahab and Jezebel. Now Ahaziah, the son of Ahab and Jezebel, because of his wickedness suffers a similar fate. Following the idolatrous reign of Ahab, Ahaziah, c. 853-852 BC reigned only 2 years.  

2 Kings 1:1-2

Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.

Both Ahab and Jezebel worshiped Baal. The capitol of the northern tribes was Samaria. The capitol of the southern tribes was Jerusalem. Ahab reigned in Samaria for 22 years, c. 874-853 BC. In a spectacular scene, before the eyes of all Israel and Ahab, Elijah destroyed the altar of Baal and he had 450 priests of Baal killed, but that did not end idol worship. Ahaziah followed in his father’s footsteps or probably his mother’s. Just as with Ahab, the Lord sent Elijah to warn Ahaziah.  High drama always appears to follow anything done by Elijah. When the Lord calls, Elijah, who spent most of his time in hiding from the king, regardless of the danger, always immediately responds.

2 Kings 1:3-4

But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.

Elijah intercepts the messengers of Ahab. Elijah delivers the message to the men who were sent to inquire of Baalzebub. They return to the king.

2 Kings 1:5

And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? 

They deliver the awful message to king Ahaziah.

2 Kings 1:6

And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

We get a curious physical description of the rugged Elijah.

2 Kings 1:7-8

And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words? And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

In his arrogance and pride the inexperienced king Ahaziah defies God and his prophet Elijah. Rather than send an ambassador humbly inviting Elijah to his throne, he sends fifty armed soldiers to arrest Elijah and bring him by force. It was foolish. Surely Ahaziah was old enough to remember what happened on Mount Carmel when the Lord sent fire down to consume the burnt offering and what happened afterward to the priests of Baal. Perhaps, being the son of the king, he was even there to observe it for he knew Elijah. He would also have had firsthand evidence of the horrible deaths of his father and mother, but, being a protected king, he had learned nothing of the power of God. Also observe the arrogance of the soldiers.

2 Kings 1:9

Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.

The upstart king, through his army, ordered Elijah to report to the throne where undoubtedly Elijah would have been killed. The poor soldiers learned a harsh lesson.