2 Kings 1:1-18
Q.1. What did King Ahaziah do that provoked God’s judgment against him? Did the king know Elijah? – (2 Kgs.1:1-8)
King Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper storey palace at Samaria. Though he clearly knew the identity of Elijah the Tishbite, he preferred to find out about his future welfare from Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron (2 Kgs.1:2 & 8). This was an affront to God, since Ahaziah was the king over ten of the twelve tribes of His people. God challenged the king – Is it because there no God in Israel to inquire of His word? (2 Kgs.1:3, 6, 16). Because of his insult to the God of Israel, Ahaziah would not recover, but would die (2 Kgs.1:4 & 6). There were similarities between Elijah and John the Baptist (2 Kgs.1:8 c.f. Mal.4:5-6; Mk.1:6).
Q.2. How did God punish the lack of respect for His prophet? What can we learn from the attitude of the third captain of the king? – (2 Kgs.1:19-15)
Just as his parents did, Ahaziah had little respect for God’s servants. (c.f. 1 Kgs.18:4, 9, 17; 22:8, 27). He had by-passed God’s prophet. His attempts to see Elijah were too late (2 Kgs.1:9). Ahaziah’s command to arrest Elijah was curtailed by the dramatic fiery destruction of a hundred of his best troops (2 Kgs.1:9-12). Why was the commander of the third company of fifty troops spared? Where the king and his troops had trusted in their superior strength, the third captain appealed with complete humility to God’s prophet. He bowed on his knees and pleaded for the lives of his men – O man of God, please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight (2 Kgs.1:13). Not only was Elijah assured that this man knew his proper place … God in heaven responded with mercy (2 Kgs.1:15).
Q.3. What brought about the early removal of King Ahaziah of Israel? – (2 Kgs.1:1 16-18)
Ahaziah had the title of king but was a woeful leader of God’s people – 52 He did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat the one who caused Israel to sin. 53 So he served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done … So Ahaziah died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken (1 Kgs.22:52-53 & 2 Kgs.1:17). The difference between the final departure of the king of Israel, and that of the faithful prophet of the Lord, could not have been more pronounced (2 Kgs.1:17 c.f. 2 Kgs.2:11).