2 Kings 1:1 ( ESV )
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Subject to Israel since the time of David. II
Sam. 8:2.
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Saw Ahab as no longer the king and Ahaziah as
weaker king and probably knew of his injury. It’s time for the rebellion.
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Moab’s history:
Lots relationship with his daughter. Known as the washbasin. Place where Ruth came from.
2 Kings 1:2 ( ESV )
2Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in
Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of
Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.”
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Ahaziah-Name means, “Jah has seized.” One of
Ahab’s sons. Reigns for about 2 years. Did evil in sight of the Lord. (I Kings 22:52)
Known for service to Baal. (I Kings 22:53) Dies without an heir.
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Lattice-He fell through these bars that covered
a window or part of the roof as it was used for venting. This was in an upper
story room.
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Inquire of Baal-Zebub-Not Jehovah God but rather, “The lord of the
flies.” Supposedly in charge of healing diseases this name would later be used
for Satan in Matt. 12:24 and Mark 3:22.
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Ekron-The northern most of 5 major Philistine
cities. This is the second place where they took the ark after it was captured
in I Sam. 5:10-12. It would be about 15 miles south of Joppa.
§
Recover-Like his father Ahab wanted a favorable
report. Failed to look for help from Jehovah God.
2 Kings 1:3-4 ( ESV )
3But the angel of the Lord
said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king
of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you
are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?
4Now therefore thus says the Lord,
You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall
surely die.’f” So Elijah went.
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Angel-Gen. 16:9 A theophany or a manifestation
of God. Often the second person of the trinity.
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Messengers-They had to come through here to get
where they were going.
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Is it?-Sarcastically as if he did not exist.
This is how far the king’s apostasy had gone.
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Now-Because of your idolatry and serving other
false “gods” you will die. Death was to have been the punishment for idolatry.
Ex. 22:20. (Make your offerings; God will make an offering of you.)
2 Kings 1:5-6 ( ESV )
6And they said to him, “There came a man to meet us, and said to
us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, Thus says the Lord, Is it because there is no God in
Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?
Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but
you shall surely die.’f”
§
Why-He knew it would have taken more time to
inquire of Baal-zebub of Ekron.
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A man-Apparently they did not recognize Elijah.
How sad.
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Lord-The king would hear God’s message whether
he wanted to or not.
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Is it-By saying these words Elijah was reminding
Ahaziah of his sin in following after other gods.
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Shall not come down..die-The consequences of his
sin.
2 Kings 1:7-8 ( ESV )
8They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of
leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
Ø
What kind-his mind probably already reflecting
back to his father’s encounters.
Ø
Hairy man-Referring to what he wore or maybe to
his Nazarite vow.
Ø
Leather belt-Garment of sheep or goat with the
hair left on them.
Ø
Elijah-The enemy knows his foe.
2 Kings 1:9 ( ESV )
9Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty.
He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “O
man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’f”
Ø
Think about it by doing this he was declaring
war on God. After receiving this message the king was infuriated. Ahaziah shows
contempt instead of treating Elijah as a prophet of God, he treated him like an
outlaw. He would rather hear from the, “lord of the flies.”
Ø
Sitting on the top of a hill-A man who is at peace with his God and
out in the open before his enemies. They should have been reminded of the victory
of Elijah on Mount Carmel and how fire was sent down from God.
Ø
Man of God-Sarcastically as he commands him to
do the king’s bidding, but God had already said what would happen to the king.
Ø
Come down-Threat now made and his power now
brought up. You may be a man of God but you will obey Ahaziah. If he truly saw
him as a prophet he would not demand him to obey.
2 Kings 1:10 ( ESV )
10But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God,
let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came
down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
v
If I am-Who is in charge Ahaziah or God?
v
Fire-Judgment is about to fall. Fire should have
spoken to Ahaziah as this is how his father and mother’s prophets were defeated
in I Kings 18. (Some people never get it.) As already prophesied God was saying
to Ahaziah God was Israel’s ruler rather than him. These men were destroyed by
Fire.
2 Kings 1:11-12 ( ESV )
11Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his
fifty. And he answered and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king’s
order, ‘Come down quickly!’f”
12But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come
down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came
down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
Ø
Another-Ahaziah ignores God and we will do it
again and do it my way.
Ø
Quickly-More insolent than the first one. He
demands now.
Ø
If-Elijah proves that he is God’s man and not
Ahaziah. His prayer is similar to the one in I Kings 18.
Ø
Consumed-God will not be lowered to man’s
expectations.
2 Kings 1:13-14 ( ESV )
13Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty.
And the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before
Elijah and entreated him, “O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these
fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight.
14Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former
captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in
your sight.”
Ø
Third-Ahaziah’s heart is hardend once again.
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Fell-This one shows an attitude of respect and
homage to Elijah and His God. He submits to authority. He took the above
actions and warnings to heart.
Ø
Pleaded-Not for obedience but for mercy. He knew
that it was God’s mercy that allowed him to live. A lesson none of the others
had learned.
Ø
50-He was a good soldier who was concerned about
the souls of his men. He saw them as precious or valuable and rare.
Ø
Behold-He knew the fate of the other 100 men and
their commanders.
2 Kings 1:15-18 ( ESV )
15Then the angel of the Lord
said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and
went down with him to the king
16and said to him, “Thus says the Lord,
‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is
it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you
shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall
surely die.’f”
17So he died according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken. Jehoram became king in his
place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah,
because Ahaziah had no son.
18Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah that he did, are they not
written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
ü
Down-Elijah now goes to the captain after God
told him to do it. Easy for him to do after he saw how God protected him.
ü
Then-Message is now directly given forth. Elijah
confronts him face to face.
ü
Because you-Tells him that he went to a false
god and his life would not be spared.
ü
Israel-King was an ungodly influence upon
Israel. Message of doom remains the same for the king.
ü
Die-No words spared, idolatry was a serious
thing. Incident proved that God was sovereign over Israel.
ü
According-This was what God had stated. Idea is
he died shortly thereafter without an heir as his brother would now reign.
ü
Chronicles-It was recorded in other books.
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