Overview
It is evident from the first verse of this chapter, which properly belongs with 1 Kings 22:51-53, that the books of Kings, like 1 and 2 Samuel, were originally written as one book but have been artificially divided by translators.
Ahaziah's brief reign as king of Israel was characterized by much iniquity (1 Kings 22:51-53), for he was idolatrous like his parents, Ahab and Jezebel. When he was injured by a fall from his roof, he sent messengers to Ekron, the northernmost city of the Philistines closest to Samaria, to discover from their god Baal-Zebub if he would recover or not. Baal-Zebub means "lord of the flies". Believers in God probably changed this name deliberately to mock this god whose actual name Baal-Zebel (found in ancient Canaanite writings) means "Lord the prince". By New Testament times, this name (Greek form, "Beelzebub") came to be used of Satan, and it may have come to mean "lord of the dung" (e.g. Matthew 10:25).
The Lord's anger was stirred against Ahaziah for this act of faithlessness. The idolatrous people of Israel had shut God out of their hearts. To prove there was indeed a God in Israel and that Baal-Zebub was powerless, the Lord sent His prophet Elijah to relay a message of doom to Ahaziah. Intercepting Ahaziah's messengers on their way to Ekron, Elijah spoke the words of the Lord, saying Ahaziah would die. This was not because of the fall (which was only an indirect cause), but because he had openly defied not only the authority and power but the very existence of the God of Israel by going to the pagan god in Ekron. If the heathen saw that the king of Israel sought an oracle from their god, it would give occasion to mock the God of Israel and doubt His power. God would not allow His holy name to be " profaned in Philistia but would answer Ahaziah Himself.
By their early return, Ahaziah knew his messengers had not gone to Ekron. When he heard the message of doom, Ahaziah probably suspected it had come from Elijah, who had prophesied similarly to his father. The description confirmed his suspicions; it was indeed Elijah. That he was "a hairy man" could infer that Elijah was a Nazarite (Numbers 6:5) or that he wore a garment of hair, probably from a camel. It is interesting to note the similar description of John the Baptist, the Elijah of the New Testament (Matthew 17:11-13; he was a Nazarite, Luke 1:15; 1:17; "clothed with carmel's hair...", Mark 1:6).
It must have been with hostile intentions that Ahaziah sent for Elijah, since he sent soldiers to bring him, but the angel encouraged Elijah with the words, "do not be afraid of him" (1:15). Truly the event displayed God's miraculous protection of His servant. After seeing God send the fire upon Mount Carmel, Elijah had the faith that He could do it again. After the first two captains insolently ordered him, on the authority of the king, to come down from the hill, Elijah called down the fire. The main reason he did this was not self-defence but to demonstrate the superiority of his authority as the messenger of God. Jesus, who had all authority, did not use these means, although James and John, the sons of Thunder, had wanted to call down fire, like Elijah, upon the disrespectful people of Samaria (see Luke 9:51-56).
When the third captain came respectfully and humbly pleading for his life, God told Elijah not to fear but to go with him to the king. Face to face, Elijah gave Ahaziah the message of his imminent death.
From this chapter we learn that God's authority is supreme, and it is necessary to honour and respect those whom God calls as His messengers. We see that there is power and protection for God's obedient servants, that the Lord must be acknowledged and honoured by all, and that it is fatal to forsake Him.
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