2Kings 1-2

Thursday Evening Bible Study

January 17, 2013

Introduction

Last week we looked at 1Kings 21-22, so this week let’s turn to 1Kings 23. Oops. I meant 2Kings 1!

After the death of King Solomon, the kingdom of Israel split into two nations.

The northern kingdom would be known as “Israel”.

The southern kingdom was known as “Judah”.

We’ve followed the events in the northern kingdom as one dynasty was replaced by another, and we are now in the time period when Ahab and Jezebel rule the northern kingdom. Ahab was known as the most wicked of the northern kings.

During this time of great wickedness, God has a man that He’s been using – the prophet Elijah.

Now Ahab has died in the battle at Ramoth Gilead, and his son Ahaziah is king.

1:1-18 Ahaziah condemned

:1 Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.

:1 Moab rebelled

Play Moab map clip.

Moab is the land to the east of Israel.

Moab had been brought in subjection to Israel under David (2Sam. 8:2)

Apparently, sometime later they rebelled against Israel.

Then, under the reign of Ahab’s dad, Omri, the Moabites were again brought under subjection.

We know this from archaeology, which has found this fact recorded on the “Moabite Stone” (or, “Mesha Stele”)

When Moab, under the reign of King Mesha (2Kings 3:4), saw how the Syrians had defeated Israel, and that their strong king Ahab was now dead, they took their chance and declared their independence.

This particular story will be picked up when we get to 2Kings 3.

:2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria, and was injured; so he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.”

:2 Ahaziah fell through the lattice

Some suggest he had been drinking. He falls through the roof and is badly injured.

:2 the god of Ekron

Play Ekron and Samaria map clip

It’s forty miles from Samaria to Ekron.

Ekron was one of the chief Philistine cities.

If the messengers ride on horseback, it will take them a day to get there, and a day to get back.

:2 Baal-Zebub (“lord of the fly”)

One of the many local male fertility gods which bore some form of the name Baal (meaning “lord”).

The original spelling in Philistia may have been Baal-Zebul, which means “Exalted lord”

This god was credited with having healing powers.

By Jesus’ day, it was known that Baalzebub was no other than Satan. (Mat. 12:22-28)

(Mt 12:22–28 NKJV) —22 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

:3 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 to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’

:4 Now therefore, thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’ ” So Elijah departed.

:3 the angel of the Lord

This is Jesus (see verse 15)

:3 no God in Israel?

Lesson

Going the wrong direction

God is concerned about where you go for answers.

Ahaziah wasn’t asking to be healed. He just wanted to know what was going to happen.

(Dt 18:10–14 NKJV) —10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. 14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you.

Things like astrology, witchcraft, tarot cards, Ouija boards, séances, etc. are very, very dangerous.

They are an abomination to the Lord, they are totally gross to Him.

It’s kind of like going to the enemy to ask advice.

It can start out as a harmless diversion, but it intrigues you and sucks you in.

There seems to be something real there, and there is. There is an open door to demonic spirits.

When people say, “Gee I wonder what my horoscope says today”, just say no!

(Is 8:19 NKJV) —19 And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?

A Christian has no place in seeking the occult for answers.

There was an old country song – “Looking for love in all the wrong places”

Like many people, Ahaziah is turning to everything else except to God.

Our nation does it

The Newtown shootings – I’m glad our nation thinks we have a problem, but I think we’re looking in the wrong place. I don’t think we’re going deep enough.

The government has stopped to dwell on gun control and mental health, when I think our nation’s problems are much deeper – the heart – the soul – our lack of God.

We as individuals do it

Sometimes we blame everything else or everyone else for our problems when we need to take ourselves to God and say, “We need You!”

God says,

(Je 2:13 NKJV) “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

:4 you shall surely die

Ahaziah wanted to know what would happen. This is what is going to happen.

:5 And when the messengers returned to him, he said to them, “Why have you come back?”

Instead of being gone several days, the messengers are only gone an hour or two.

It’s interesting that Ahaziah is willing to have his messengers go forty miles for an answer, when all he needs to do is turn his life around and call on God.

The answer is much closer than you think.

:6 So they said to him, “A man came up to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go, return 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.’ ” ’ ”

:7 Then he said to them, “What kind of man was it who came up to meet you and told you these words?”

:8 So they answered him, “A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”

:8 hairy man … leather belt

We get a little bit of a description of Elijah. It could be that he was one of those guys with hair growing everywhere on his body. It could be that his garments were made out of goat or camel’s hair.

Ahaziah had seen this guy before, in his dad’s days.

:9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. So he went up to him; and there he was, sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him: “Man of God, the king has said, ‘Come down!’ ”

Ahaziah sends fifty men to arrest Elijah.

:10 So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

:10 If I am a man of God

The captain has called him a man of God.

Elijah now proves it.

It reminds me of the big showdown on Mount Carmel, which was set up to determine who was really God, Yahweh or Baal?

(1 Ki 18:24 NKJV) Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.”

Elijah showed that God was God. Now he is going to show that he is a man of God.

:11 Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he answered and said to him: “Man of God, thus has the king said, ‘Come down quickly!’ ”

:11 Come down quickly!

:12 So Elijah answered and said to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

:12 let fire come down

Why is Elijah calling down fire? Because he doesn’t trust these captains and their men. For all he knows, the order from Jezebel to assassinate Elijah is still in place.

This seems to be a trademark miracle of Elijah’s. It will show up again in history with the “two witnesses”, one of whom we believe is Elijah.

(Re 11:5 NKJV) And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.

Lesson

Don’t try this at home!

(Lk 9:51–56 NKJV) —51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.

Note: Elijah was using this “gift” to protect himself.

James and John wanted to use it to get even with people.

What “manner of spirit” do we have?

Not everyone deserves to have fire called down on them.

There is wisdom in knowing when it is right.

We ought to be more concerned about people’s salvation than trying to destroy them. Don’t you think?

:13 Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: “Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight.

:14 Look, fire has come down from heaven and burned up the first two captains of fifties with their fifties. But let my life now be precious in your sight.”

:15 And 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.

:15 the angel of the Lord

Again, Jesus in His preincarnate form.

The Bible says,

(Ps 34:7 NKJV) The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.

I get the idea that Elijah had been clued in by Jesus as to how to handle each group of soldiers. The humble man gets the okay from the Lord.

:16 Then he 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.’ ”

:17 So Ahaziah died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. Because he had no son, Jehoram became king in his place, in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.

:17 Jehoram became king

Things will get a little bit confusing here.

The new king of the northern kingdom is the brother of Ahaziah, and the son of Ahab and Jezebel.

The king of the southern kingdom is also named Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat.

:18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

:18 the book of the chronicles …

We no longer have a copy of this book.

2:1-18 Elijah’s Wild Ride

:1 And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

:1 Elijah – “my God is Yahweh”

:1 Elisha – “my God is salvation”

:1 about to take up Elijah

We don’t know exactly when this bit of information became available and through whom, but just about everyone in this chapter knows that Elijah is going to be taken into heaven.

:1 from Gilgal –

Play Gilgal map clip.

The old Gilgal is down in the Jordan valley, outside of the city of Jericho.

There is a second Gilgal (this one) up in the hills, about seven miles north of Bethel.

:2 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they went down to Bethel.

:2 Bethel

Play Bethel map clip

Bethel is about 7 miles south of “Gilgal2”.

Bethel is an ancient place, named by Jacob when he had a vision of heaven.

:2 Stay here, please

Lesson

How serious are you?

We’re going to see that there will be a connection with how long Elisha can keep up with Elijah, and the kind of blessing that will be on his life after Elijah is gone.

And yet here is Elijah sounding like he is trying to discourage Elisha.

How bad do you want God’s work in your life?

What does it take to get you sidetracked?

People who were interested in following Jesus had all kinds of excuses to delay them in following Him.

(Mt 8:21–22 NKJV) —21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

You’re going to see that Elisha is not going to allow anything to come between him and following Elijah.

You are also going to see God do amazing things through Elisha.

:3 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”

:3 the sons of the prophets

(1 Ki 20:35 NKJV) Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the word of the Lord, “Strike me, please.” And the man refused to strike him.

This seems to be possibly some sort of “school” for prophets.

Like a “School of Ministry” or “seminary”.

These fellows also were aware that today was Elijah’s day to go to heaven.

Elisha and these “sons of the prophets” had the same source of information – God.

:3 Yes, I know; keep silent!

Or, “Shutteth up!”

Perhaps he doesn’t want to be reminded that Elijah will soon be gone.

:4 Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they came to Jericho.

:4 on to Jericho

Play Jericho map clip.

Jericho is 14 miles east of Bethel, down in the Jordan River valley.

There seems to be another prophet school here as well.

:5 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” So he answered, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”

:6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So the two of them went on.

:7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.

:7 by the Jordan

Play Jordan map clip

Jericho is only about 5 miles from the Jordan River

:7 stood facing them at a distance

Lesson

How close are you going to get?

I find it interesting to compare these “fifty men” with Elisha.

They are willing to stand “at a distance”.

Elisha wants to get as close as he can.

Which one describes you?

How close do you want to get?

Pay attention to what happens in each set of lives.

:8 Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

:8 mantle – ‘addereth – glory, cloak; splendor; mantle, cloak made of fur or fine material

Some have suggested this might have been different from his “hairy garment”, while others think it might have been a goat skin.

The prophet’s mantle, or “cloak” was a symbol of his authority or power with which God clothed him.

:8 crossed over on dry ground

The Jordan is once again parted (first time by Joshua, Josh. 3), and the two prophets walk across on the ground.

I wonder how close they were to Joshua’s crossing, and if they found the stones in the middle of the river?

:9 And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

:10 So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.”

:9 portion of your spirit

If you’re not careful, you might get the idea that the “spirit” was Elijah’s spirit, but it’s not, it’s the Holy Spirit.

And it’s not up to Elijah to give it, but to pray for it.

:9 double portion

Would this make Elisha a greater prophet than Elijah? Seems so.

Some of the Jewish Rabbis taught that this was referring to the right of the firstborn son, who would receive twice as much inheritance as the other sons (Deut. 21:17).

As we look at the record, we can see what it resulted in.

Elisha doesn’t seem to have done twice as many miracles as Elijah, though he did do more. Elijah had eight miracles recorded, Elisha had eleven.

But perhaps Elisha did go through twice as many troubles – Elijah went through 3 ½ years of drought. Elisha will go through 7 years of drought.

Elijah

Elisha

:10 if you see me

In other words, if Elisha will just hang around, he’ll get the blessing.

Lesson

Persevere to the blessing

It seems that there are times when the Lord gives us a chance to take a break.

But I like Elisha’s attitude. He’s not leaving Elijah until he gets his blessing.

It’s kind of like when Jacob was faced with going back to face his angry brother, and he had all his family and flocks to worry about:

Jacob figured out a plan to try and bribe his brother with gifts, and after he got the plan all ready, he went off to be by himself for the night before he was to see his brother Esau. He found a stranger (I think it was Jesus) who wrestled with Jacob all night long.

(Ge 32:26 NKJV) And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

Note that the suggestion came to “let go”.

Jacob wouldn’t let go until he got his blessing.

Persevere for the short-term blessings.

I think there are times when our walk seems dry and powerless.

We need to learn to press in and hold on to the Lord until He blesses us.

Persevere for the long-term blessing:

(Php 3:13–14 NKJV) —13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

:11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

:11 chariot of fire

Angels come to to pick up Elijah for the ride home:

(Ps 104:4 NKJV) Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.

:11 whirlwind

:12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.

:12 the chariot of Israel

This is a difficult phrase. It might sound as if Elisha is talking about the chariot of fire being the “chariot of Israel”.

I think he’s talking about Elijah.

Elijah was better for Israel than any number of chariots or horsemen because of his prayers for Israel.

Pay attention to this phrase, as little as we understand it, because it will come up again when Elisha is dying.

(2 Ki 13:14 NKJV) Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!”

Joash didn’t see any chariots of fire. But he had another amazing prophet before him.

:12 he saw him no more

Elijah was one of the few people who have escaped physical death, at least for now.

He apparently went straight to heaven.

He appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mat. 17).

He will be coming again.

(Mal 4:5 NKJV) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

We believe he will be as one of the two witnesses in Revelation 11.

:12 tore them into two pieces

:13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

:14 Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

:14 Where is the Lord God of Elijah?

Lesson

The real power

The miracle was not accomplished because of the “magic mantle”, but because of the God of Elijah.

Be careful about getting your focus off of God.

He is the one with the power to change things.

Sometimes we get enamored with programs like AA and think that what an alcoholic needs is AA. But a person who has truly learned what AA is knows that this isn’t right. What an alcoholic needs is God. AA can be a wonderful tool (like Elijah’s mantle), but it’s the God of Elijah that has the power to change things.

Also note this from Warren Wiersbe:

It was one thing to cross Jordan with Elijah, but quite another to step out by faith by himself. But when you trust “the Lord God of Elijah,” you do not need Elijah too.

:15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him.

:16 Then they said to him, “Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, lest perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send anyone.”

The “sons of the prophets” are afraid that Elijah has been stranded somewhere and needs their help. They are unwilling to take Elisha’s word that God has taken him to heaven.

:17 But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send them!” Therefore they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him.

:18 And when they came back to him, for he had stayed in Jericho, he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

Or, “I told you so…”

2:19-22 Water Purified

:19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.”

:19 the men of the city

They are back in Jericho

:19 this city is pleasant … but

Jericho is a nice place. But they were having a problem – the water was bad.

:20 And he said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.

:21 Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’ ”

:22 So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

:21 I have healed this water

It was the Lord that healed the waters, not the salt.

I think this is intended to be a lesson to teach us something.

I think it can be a beautiful picture for us to learn from.

Lesson

Healing the waters

God has placed us in places that have lots of needs, and lots of putrid things going on, even though the world we live in can be quite the “pleasant place”. I think of our nation. Perhaps where you work. Perhaps your neighborhood. Perhaps your family.

God requires a new vessel.

God likes to break the mold every once in a while. The Pharisees had a problem with why Jesus seemed to be shaking things up so much with His teachings. Jesus said,

(Mt 9:17 NLT) “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”

Sometimes God wants to do things differently. A new way of going about things.

(Is 43:19 NKJV) Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

God requires salt

That’s us.

(Mt 5:13 NKJV) “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

Maybe all God needs is to have a new vessel filled with salt, and throw the salt into the polluted spring.

Maybe there’s other ways this can be applied, perhaps to your neighborhood or work.

:22 the water remains healed

2:23-25 Bear Attack

:23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”

:23 some youths came from the city

The Old King James has “little children”, which is unfortunate.

The Hebrew word is “na’ar”

Abraham uses it to describe the young warriors in his army (Gen. 14:24)

It is used to describe part of the crowd that tried to rape Lot’s visitors (Gen. 19:4)

It is used to describe Joseph when he was seventeen (Gen. 37:2), and again when he was thirty (Gen. 41:12).

It might be more appropriate to think of Elisha being confronted by a gang.

:23 from there to Bethel

Play Jericho to Bethel map clip

14 miles back up into the hills from Jericho.

Keep in mind that Bethel not only had a “school of the prophets”, but it is one of the places where the “golden calves” of Jeroboam were set up.

This is one of the places where Jeroboam’s twisted religion was being taught.

It’s very possible that these young men are followers of the golden calf.

:23 Go up, you baldhead!

I guess you could say that we have an idea about Elisha’s appearance.

They are taunting him and challenging him to ride his own chariot of fire into heaven.

:24 So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the Lord. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

:24 pronounced a curse

There must have been a decent reason for this curse to come in God’s sight.

(Pr 26:2 NKJV) Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight.

:24 mauled forty-two of the youths

Illustration

Two hunters were in the forest when they came across a huge grizzly bear. One of the hunters raised his rifle and shot, but instead of killing the bear, he only wounded it, making the bear really mad. The bear began to charge the hunters. One of the hunters stopped, took off his boots and began to put on a pair of tennis shoes. The other hunter said, “What are you doing, do you think you’re going to out run that bear?” “No”, replied the hunter, “I only have to out run you!”

These were pretty fearsome bears. Two bears against forty-two young men. None of them ran fast enough. Note: It doesn’t say that forty-two were killed, but that the bears “mauled” them.

Lessons

1. Be nice to bald people.

Like Pastor Chuck and Greg Laurie J

2. Teach your children to respect others.

(Le 19:32 NKJV) ‘You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord.

Parents, I believe this starts by making sure that your kids respect you.

I determined early on that when I heard my kids speak disrespectfully to my wife or myself, it was worthy of a paddle if need be.

Not in anger, but in discipline and instruction.

Note to single parents: It’s not wrong to expect respect for yourself.

You may have problems respecting yourself, but if you allow you children to do the same, it’s not only hurting you, but even worse, you are teaching your children to disrespect authority.

:25 Then he went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

:25 Mount Carmel

Play Bethel – Carmel – Samaria map clip

About 65 miles to the north, then another 40 miles back to Samaria.

Remember that Carmel was the place where Elijah had the showdown with the false prophets proving who the real God was.

Then he’s back to Samaria, where the king lives.

Introduction

Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision Is the church loved?

Last week we looked at 1Kings 21-22, so this week let’s turn to 1Kings 23. Oops. I meant 2Kings 1!

After the death of King Solomon, the kingdom of Israel split into two nations.

The northern kingdom would be known as “Israel”.

The southern kingdom was known as “Judah”.

We’ve followed the events in the northern kingdom as one dynasty was replaced by another, and we are now in the time period when Ahab and Jezebel rule the northern kingdom. Ahab was known as the most wicked of the northern kings.

During this time of great wickedness, God has a man that He’s been using – the prophet Elijah.

Now Ahab has died in the battle at Ramoth Gilead, and his son Ahaziah is king.

1:1-18 Ahaziah condemned

:1 Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.

:1 Moab rebelled

Play Moab map clip.

Moab is the land to the east of Israel.

Moab had been brought in subjection to Israel under David (2Sam. 8:2)

Apparently, sometime later they rebelled against Israel.

Then, under the reign of Ahab’s dad, Omri, the Moabites were again brought under subjection.

We know this from archaeology, which has found this fact recorded on the “Moabite Stone” (or, “Mesha Stele”)

When Moab, under the reign of King Mesha (2Kings 3:4), saw how the Syrians had defeated Israel, and that their strong king Ahab was now dead, they took their chance and declared their independence.

This particular story will be picked up when we get to 2Kings 3.

:2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria, and was injured; so he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.”

:2 Ahaziah fell through the lattice

Some suggest he had been drinking. He falls through the roof and is badly injured.

:2 the god of Ekron

Play Ekron and Samaria map clip

It’s forty miles from Samaria to Ekron.

Ekron was one of the chief Philistine cities.

If the messengers ride on horseback, it will take them a day to get there, and a day to get back.

:2 Baal-Zebub (“lord of the fly”)

One of the many local male fertility gods which bore some form of the name Baal (meaning “lord”).

The original spelling in Philistia may have been Baal-Zebul, which means “Exalted lord”

This god was credited with having healing powers.

By Jesus’ day, it was known that Baalzebub was no other than Satan. (Mat. 12:22-28)

:3 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 to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’

:4 Now therefore, thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’ ” So Elijah departed.

:3 the angel of the Lord

This is Jesus (see verse 15)

:3 no God in Israel?

Lesson

Going the wrong direction

God is concerned about where you go for answers.

Ahaziah wasn’t asking to be healed. He just wanted to know what was going to happen.

Things like astrology, witchcraft, tarot cards, Ouija boards, séances, etc. are very, very dangerous.

It can start out as a harmless diversion, but it intrigues you and sucks you in.

There seems to be something real there, and there is. There is an open door to demonic spirits.

When people say, “Gee I wonder what my horoscope says today”, just say no!

(Is 8:19 NKJV) —19 And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?

There was an old country song – “Looking for love in all the wrong places”

Like many people, Ahaziah is turning to everything else except to God.

God says,

(Je 2:13 NKJV) “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

:4 you shall surely die

Ahaziah wanted to know what would happen. This is what is going to happen.

:5 And when the messengers returned to him, he said to them, “Why have you come back?”

Instead of being gone several days, the messengers are only gone an hour or two.

It’s interesting that Ahaziah is willing to have his messengers go forty miles for an answer, when all he needs to do is turn his life around and call on God.

The answer is much closer than you think.

:7 Then he said to them, “What kind of man was it who came up to meet you and told you these words?”

:8 So they answered him, “A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”

:8 hairy man … leather belt

We get a little bit of a description of Elijah. It could be that he was one of those guys with hair growing everywhere on his body. It could be that his garments were made out of goat or camel’s hair.

Ahaziah had seen this guy before, in his dad’s days.

:9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. So he went up to him; and there he was, sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him: “Man of God, the king has said, ‘Come down!’ ”

Ahaziah sends fifty men to arrest Elijah.

:10 So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

:10 If I am a man of God

The captain has called him a man of God.

Elijah now proves it.

It reminds me of the big showdown on Mount Carmel, which was set up to determine who was really God, Yahweh or Baal?

(1 Ki 18:24 NKJV) Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.”

Elijah showed that God was God. Now he is going to show that he is a man of God.

:11 Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he answered and said to him: “Man of God, thus has the king said, ‘Come down quickly!’ ”

:11 Come down quickly!

The king’s request becomes more urgent. Now it’s “quickly”.

:12 So Elijah answered and said to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

:12 let fire come down

Why is Elijah calling down fire? Because he doesn’t trust these captains and their men. For all he knows, the order from Jezebel to assassinate Elijah is still in place.

This seems to be a trademark miracle of Elijah’s. It will show up again in history with the “two witnesses”, one of whom we believe is Elijah.

(Re 11:5 NKJV) And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.

Lesson