Elijah Concludes His Ministry

Transcript

GRS 2-100
2/24/2008
Elijah Concludes His Ministry
2 Kings 1
Gil Rugh

We are ready to start the book of Second Kings, as we move through our consideration of the history of Israel. Second Kings, we come to a new book in our lay out of our Bibles, but it's a seamless move from First Kings to Second Kings. We consider the history of Israel under the reign of their kings. There are copies of the – I looked on the paper package, this is cherry and this is green. So if you don’t have a copy or you have misplaced yours they are some at the information center in the south lobby. As we get into these Kings that may help you keep track of a little bit of where we are and also you have the dates there that help you place yourself in the flow of things.

Ahab dies at the last Chapter of Kings. We have ended his reign and so we are ready for his son as his successor. It's a little bit about First and Second Kings again, to refresh your mind, some we talked about when we began First Kings; they are about the reign of the kings of Israel. Now Saul was the first king and he was covered in First Samuel beginning with Chapter 9. So in First Samuel Chapter 9 through Chapter 31, the end of the book, we had the reign of Saul. Then all of Second Samuel was about the reign of David. Then with First Kings we pick up with the reign of David’s son Solomon.

That would have been 970 BC, when Solomon began his reign. So that’s when First Kings record picked up. Second Kings will conclude about 560 BC. So that it gives you an idea where we will be, when we end First Kings we will be down around 560 BC. So it's covered a period of about 400 years the reign of the kings covered in First and Second Kings from the beginning of Solomon’s reign to the close of the book of Kings, Second Kings will be about 400 years, about 560.

When we end Second Kings, Babylon will be controlling the land, will have conquered Israel. The northern kingdom will go into captivity in Chapter 17 of Second Kings, under the Assyrians that will be 722 BC. Then in 586 the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar will conquer Jerusalem and carried into captivity. Thus we come to the end of Second Kings the kingdom has come to an end. We have come to an end of the reigns of Israel’s kings, and they will never have such a position again. When the New Testament opens as we have mentioned before, Herod will be king of Jews, but he has not even a Jew. So the real monarchy will be over not to begin again until Christ comes to reign.

The author of Kings, if you remember we really don’t know, early Jewish writers credited to Jeremiah, and that could be a possibility. Obviously Jeremiah is a prophet; Jeremiah would fit the time period. He was used to record scripture, so he might well have been the instrument that God used to record this facet of Israel’s history. It doesn’t make any difference we know it's the inspired word of God, but Jeremiah was the one credited by early Jewish writers.

Why it was written put it in the period, this may help us appreciate. We are not just going through a history record. But Second Kings we would be around 550, when we’re writing this record of the kings. Some of the Jews have lived in captivity in the Babylonian captivity for almost 50 years, but even though 586 is when they are finally carried into captivity and the kingdom comes to an end, there were prior deportations under the Babylonians before that. Babylon had asserted its authority and control over the region and placed the closing kings on the throne. But the final deportation in the end of the kingdom officially comes in 586. So some of the Jews had been living into the Babylonian captivity for almost 50 years, by the time that we have the record written here of the Kings.

So what is going on is not just a record, so we would have a record of Israel’s history. But these Jews are being told why they are in captivity, why the northern kingdom had to be carried into captivity in 722, why the Babylonians carried the southern kingdom into captivity in 586, why now as you are given this record, there is no kingdom Israel has been deported. So the record given here in Kings and we will note it particularly in Second Kings, explains to them, why this has happened, has God failed, the promises of God failed. One commentator on Second Kings suggested three themes for Second Kings. I just want to note these and look at some of the passages in Kings.

First, it tells why Israel and Judah suffered God’s judgment it was for their failure to repent of their idolatrous ways, and so it was a punishment for that rebellion and pursuit of idolatry they are carried into captivity. Look over in Chapter 17. Chapter 17 is about the captivity of the northern ten tribes under the Assyrians. We are not going to do the details until we get here. But just note the emphasis and you are told in verse 6 that in the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried Israel away into exile to Assyria.

Now this came about verse 7, because the sons of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God who brought them out from the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and they had feared other God’s and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord had driven out before the sons of Israel, and the custom to the kings of Israel which they had introduced. The sons of Israel did think secretly which were not right against the Lord their God. They built the high places, they set up the pillars, and it goes on.

Now you know this laid the background for why the southern kingdom will also go into captivity. Because he carries it back to the deliverance from Egypt, and as this is primarily going to focus on the captivity of the northern kingdom, which was the subject under consideration in Chapter 17. But keep in mind when this record is being put down in writing in 550, the southern captivity is already occurred under the Babylonians as well.

So he talks about their rebellious idolatry down through verse 12, and then we are told in verse 13, yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah. You see, he includes Judah here, even though in the historical unfolding we haven’t gotten to their captivity at. But he wants you to know this applies to Judah as well, because they did the same thing. The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and every seer saying, turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments, my statutes, according to the all the Law, which I commanded your fathers, which I sent to you through my servants the prophets, however they did not listen. They stiffen there neck like their fathers who did not believe in the Lord their God, they have rejected his statutes, his covenants.

Verse 16, therefore so called the commandments of the Lord their God, they made for themselves molten images, two calves. Now you see we are focus carried back particularly to the northern kingdom, because that’s the captivity particularly in view the calf worship at Dan and Bethel. They made an Asherah, worshiped all the host of Heaven and served Baal. That’s going to come up as we look into Chapter 1 in a moment on and on they went.

So verse 18, the Lord was very angry with Israel, remove them from his sight, none was left expect the tribe of Judah. There we have the captivity. The captivity referred to in verse 6, but then note verse 19, also Judah did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, walked in the customs which Israel has introduced. So we have also prepared the way for the coming captivity of the southern kingdom Judah, God spared Judah; you know what Judah did the same thing as Israel did, so preparing the way.

Now as you are Jew, you are reading through this account or hearing it read to you. I want to look at what God reminds them regarding Israel and their suffering judgment the captivity because of their idolatry. Go to Chapter 10, these will refer to Israel the northern ten tribes. Chapter 10, verse 29, and we won’t get in. But here down these references regarding the northern ten tribes Israel what happened under their various kings. For example verse 29, however as for the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin from these Jehu, did not depart, even the golden calves were at Bethel and they were at Dan. So here under another king of Israel they didn’t abandon their calf worship.

Go to Chapter 13, verse 6, nevertheless they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel sin, but walked in them; and the Asherah also remained standing in Samaria. This is under another king, but you see the idolatry continues in Israel. Look down verse 11, we have a new king and he did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel sin, but he walked in them.

Chapter 14, verse 24; now we have another king, but he did evil in the sight of Lord. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin. These are just not sprinkled in, but this is a remainder now. Remember Israel sitting in captivity, northern kingdom had been carried away much earlier. Now, the southern kingdom, they are sitting there; why did that happen, every time they hear this history read they are reminded this is why it had to happen, they continued in their idolatry. Look at this king under king after king, they continued in their idolatry and so we had that summary given in Chapter 17. Same thing though is emphasized about Judah.

Look in Chapter 12, these references all relate to Judah. Now what happened under the kings of Judah; Chapter 12, now remember we are looking at this as Jews sitting in captivity, puzzling how could this happen to God’s people. Chapter 12, verse 3, and now we are under the king in the southern kingdom. So I am not going to draw attention to each of these kings just to mind all these references will relate to what is happening in Judah under their kings.

Verse 3, only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. This is true in Judah even when Judah had a relatively good king. Their faithfulness to the Lord was incomplete. So verse 2, Jehoash did right in the sight of the Lord all his days. But there is problem the high places weren’t taken away, the people still sacrificed, burn incense. So the idolatry is still a problem in the southern kingdom even if you will in the better times.

Chapter 14, verse 3; we have another king, he did right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father. And verse 4, only the high places were not taken away the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. Chapter 15, verse 3; another good king, he had did right in the sight of the Lord, only the high places were not taken away the people still sacrificed burned incense on the high places. Down to verse 35, only the high places were not taken away. Same context previous verse he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, only the high places were not taken away the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. That repeated emphasis Chapter 16, verse 4, he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places on the hills and under every green trees. Now you have a king who acted like the northern kings. I can follow their ways. He wasn’t good a king.

Chapter 21, now we are beyond the captivity of the northern ten tribes, but here concerning Judah Chapter 21, verse 10; now the Lord spoke through his servants the prophet saying, because and Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations; done wickedly, made Judah sin with his idols. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, behold, I am bringing such calamity on Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle and the judgment is coming.

The verse 14, I will abandon the remnant of my inheritance due to his remnant here the northern ten tribes are gone into captivity. I will abandon my inheritance deliver them into the hand of their enemies, they will become as plunder, spoil to all their enemies, because they have done evil in my sight have been provoking me to anger since the day of their fathers, there since the day their fathers came from Egypt to even to this day. Remember we read Chapter 17 in context where we’re having the Assyrian captivity the northern, he took it back to what happen from Egypt this was been an ongoing pattern from day one if you will. Ever since I brought them out of the land of Egypt, their birth as a nation if you will, I have to deal with the same thing.

So these Jews sitting in captivity now wondering how could this happens, what a reminder, this is why it happens, this is why it happened in the northern ten tribe, and this is why it happened to Judah, idolatry rebellion. Another theme of second area of emphasis that ties that is the word of the prophets came true. You understand God keeps his word for good and ill. He keeps his word when he promises good things for obedience.

He keeps his word when he promises judgment for disobedience. And I am not going to run you through the passages for time. But you will find repeated emphasis Chapter 1 verse 17, Chapter 7 verses 17 to 20, Chapter 9 verses 24 to 26, 36 to 37, Chapter 23 verse 16, Chapter 24 verse 2; repeated emphasis the word of the prophets come true. According to the word of the prophets; and that reminder God had spoken, God had spoken. And we have seen it in some of the passages, my servants the prophets. That were J. Young wrote a very fine work entitled My Servants the Prophets.

That God’s word; I mean this didn’t come as a surprise. So again you are sitting in captivity, and you are trying to explain to your children who have been born in captivity what happened; well we committed idolatry. God sent his servants to prophets, but Israel didn’t pay any attention, and God’s word comes true, a third emphasis God has remained faithful to his servant David in his promises. We have the Davidic Covenant in Second Samuel Chapter 7, verses 12 to 16. That he would provide one to sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem.

And you know what’s interesting; turn over to Chapter 23, verse 34; even when you have a foreign power, putting a man on the throne, now over Judah; he puts a descendant of David on the throne, interesting. He hasn’t brought a foreigner and doesn’t bring someone totally out of the line. You see God is to the end of the kingdom here under Israel’s kings, he is faithful. He keeps a descendant of David on the throne. So when Pharaoh Neco dethrones the existing king in Judah and places his man on the throne, it's still a descendant of David. Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah; king in the place of Josiah his father changed his name to Jehoiakim.

Down in Chapter 24, verse 17, now it's Nebuchadnezzar deciding who will sit on the throne in Jerusalem. Then the king of Babylon made his uncle Mattaniah king in his place changed his name to Zedekiah. It's still a descendant of David. So you understand God keeps his promise. Now we don’t have anyone sitting on the throne, but you know we have a pattern God has promised judgment. The word of the prophets comes true. But you understand God always keep his word, the Davidic Covenant is still in force. Someday a descendant of David will once again sit on the throne. So sitting in exile, this history of Israel as discouraging as it could be puts things in place. This hasn’t come if something out of the blue that no one could have expected. I mean this is the punishment God promised for idolatry.

We can go back to the Mosaic Law remember; when I lead you into the land if you are not faithful here is what’s going to happen. And God send his prophets and their word has come true, but you understand God is faithful. He did what he said in judgment, but he said he would still honor and some day someone would sit again on the throne of David. So for us we look at it and sometime we just think well it's just the history moving us along, but this is first, it was a reminder to the Jews of what God had done.

Alright come back to Second Kings Chapter 1, and let’s look into this book. Elijah's ministry has been a bright light in the midst of darkness. I mean he is carrying on his ministry in the northern kingdom. Remember in the northern kingdom they never had a good king, both north and south; if you have your list of kings remember have 20 kings. Israel had some in the southern kingdom; Judah to distinguish it had some good kings. You have 20 bad ones in the northern kingdom, and it's in the midst of this spiritual decay and darkness that Elijah carries on his ministry.

But his ministry is about to come to a conclusion. But God has not done with his people, because Elijah's ministry will be followed by Elisha’s ministry. Elijah's came on the scene in Chapter 17 of First Kings, and he just appears. That doesn’t mean God just brought him out of nowhere, but in the record the record just picks up with Elijah the Tishbite, a recognized prophet in the northern kingdom. He appeared to pronounce coming droughts, because of the sin of the people.

Ahab was king at that time; remember with his wife Jezebel as his co-region, Jezebel is still alive. We haven’t forgotten her. She’s not been in the forefront here. But Ahab is no longer king, but Jezebel is still an influence on the throne as we will see in a moment. For 20 years Elijah carried on his ministry to be God’s messenger to confront Ahab king of Israel, about his sin and rejecting the God of Israel. We last saw Elijah in the vineyard of Naboth were Ahab had gone to take possession after his wife Jezebel had arranged the execution of Naboth. So that Ahab could claim the land of Naboth for himself. So he could develop a garden next to his palace.

At that time God through Elijah had pronounced judgment just back up a page or so to Chapter 21, you pick up with verse 18; where Elijah was told the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, arise go down to meet Ahab king of Israel who is in Samaria, he is now in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession of it and you pronounced judgment on him. The judgment was where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth; your blood will be licked up. We saw that literally fulfilled in Chapter 22.

Ahab’s dead, his son Ahaziah reigns in his place in Chapter 22 of First Kings verse 40. So Ahab slept with his father and Ahaziah his son became king in his place. He’s a godless man who follows in the steps of his godless father, and he is influenced by his godless mother. Look down in Chapter 22, verse 51; Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over in Israel in Samaria in the 17th year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. He reigned two years over Israel. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, walked in the way of his father in the way of his mother. Father Ahab, mother Jezebel, the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin.

You remember Jeroboam was the first king of the divided kingdom over the northern ten tribes. He was the one who established the calf worship, created new centers of worship at Dan and bethel. So you have these constant references back to Jeroboam, because idolatrous worship that he established continued to permeate the northern kingdom till its demise. Elijah is going to conclude his public ministry in Israel. Now with a confrontation with Ahaziah, similar to the confrontation he’d had with Ahaziah’s father Ahab, and in this last of his public ministry, he will announce the coming death of Ahaziah as judgment of God on Ahaziah for his sin.

All right let’s open up Chapter 1 of Second Kings, now Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. We break off that. We don’t have anything more to say about the rebellion and the problem with Moab until we get to Chapter 3. So when we get to Chapter 3, of Second Kings then we deal with Moab and the conflict with Israel. Now this setting though, we are told Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria and became ill. So he is walking in his palace and they have some lattice work and he is not careful whatever he falls, he falls through the lattice work. You fall down of floor or so and you know it's like falling off the roof down and he is injured. And so he is laying there and he wants to know whether he is going to recover. So he sends messengers and said to them go inquire of Baal-zebub.

Remember when God pronounced coming judgment, because of their calf worship, the Asherah the worship of Baal in Chapter 17. So he’s sending to the god of Ekron. Now Ekron is a Philistine city, forty miles from Samaria. He sends there, because that’s part of the Philistine worship system. So he thinks he can get a good word from Baal, by sending messengers to this Philistine city Ekron, and inquire of Baal whether I will recover from my illness.

But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, arise go up meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them. You know God has never taken by surprise by anything, and have to figure a word to get word of mouth to Elijah, he says the angel of Lord go and tell Elijah, to get up and go, go this way meet the messengers coming from king Ahaziah and you 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.

That will be repeated down the middle of verse 6, is it because there is no God in Israel that you’re sending to inquire of Baal-zebub the God of Ekron, Elijah will bring the message just as it's been given to him. It will be repeated in verse 16, the middle of the verse, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word; and this becomes the issue the God of Israel has been greatly offended and for that Ahaziah will die.

So verse 4, thus says the Lord, you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but you shall surely die that’s says Lord, that’s Elijah’s message. Foundational problem is not that you have been too mortally wounded to recover. The foundational message is you fail through the lattice in your upper chamber and are lying in your bed and you are going to die in that bed for your sin.

So Elijah meets the messengers and gives them the message. The messengers will turn and go back to Ahaziah; they don’t even know who Elijah is. But they recognize that he is a prophet and he speaks with the kind of authority that these messengers are willing to short circ at their instruction from their king and go back to the king, which is somewhat remarkable.

So they go back and the kings wants to know what has happened; verse 5, he said why have you returned, what why did you come back here so soon. But he said to him, a man came up to meet and said to us, go return to the king who send you and say to him, thus says the Lord, is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire Baal-zebub the God of Ekron, therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but you shall surely die.

You know Ahaziah a sense of who this man might be. He said to them what kind of man was he who came up to meet you, spoke these words to you now, they answered him he was a hairy man with a leather girdle about his loins, he said; it is Elijah the Tishbite. You know his dad had the kind of meetings with Elijah the Tishbite; maybe Ahaziah had been present with his father on some of these occasions. We are not told, but he knows from the description who it is, it's Elijah the Tishbite.

He never had good thing to say to my father Ahab either. I know who it was. Now he’s called a hairy man and some take from this meaning, Elijah had, you know maybe long hair and long beard, but the reference is probably to the close of Elijah. He had a hairy garment on that’s the description, a garment made of goats hair or camel hair, bound with a leather belt kind of thing that hold it in place and it could be bound up for activity becomes the dress of a prophet.

And the Old Testament economy so mark Elijah off as a prophet and it was the dress that was characteristic of Elijah; so that he knows from the way he is dressed that this is the prophet. Sometimes this can be called sackcloth in the Old Testament. It's more of a common garment. But it was the dress of a prophet. It's identified with mourning, with repentance, you know also people put on sackcloth in ashes; and what was the prophet’s ministry.

Remember any time a prophet appeared in Israel it was a sign of spiritual decay of rebellion against God. They came to pronounce a message of judgment, and have any question about that; all you have to do is read the prophets in our scripture, and it can be you know message of unrelenting judgment, because of sin. So here they dressed in a way that portrays that message.

Turnover to Jeremiah Chapter 6, verse 26, O daughter of my people put on sackcloth and roll in ashes, mourn as for an only son a lamentation most bitter for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us. So you see that sackcloth associated with mourning, lamentation the call to repentance. Turn over to Zachariah Chapter 13, we get to almost to the end of the Old Testament here, next to the last book. Zachariah, the end of the book of Zachariah Chapter 13, verse 4; it will come about in that day that the prophets will each be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies they will not put on a hairy robe in order to deceive.

So you say when the prophet is getting out of his ministry he puts on the hairy robe. But they won’t be going that to give out their false prophecies, coming day when God brings the judgment on the nation. And this carried over to the New Testament the last of the Old Testament, prophets is found in the New Testament John the Baptist come to Matthew Chapter 3. And this is John the Baptist verse 1, who came preaching in the wilderness of Judah saying what, repent; why, the Messiah is coming, Israel the nation is in sin; that sin will become evidence. They are going to crucify their Messiah in and just few years.

This is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Now John himself had a garment of camels’ hair and a leather belt about his waist, sounds like Elijah was described, sounds like the description of the prophets in Zachariah. So come back to Kings. When Elijah is described he has the clothing of a prophet and John the Baptist to Jesus said if you will accept that this is Elijah who was to come is dressed like Elijah in the description of First Kings Chapter 1. It is Elijah the Tishbite.

So what is the king do, and you know he is like his father Ahab in so many ways, like his mother Jezebel. He doesn’t say, as the messenger is send one of the messengers or two of the messengers go and tell, Elijah I would like to speak to him; now he is going to assert his authorities. He sends a military contingent of 50 soldiers with his commander; you go and bring Elijah here. It's an indication of his despising Elijah’s authority as a prophet of the Lord. That he is taking charge here.

I think it would be different if he had a heart to humble himself before the Lord to say, he could have send the messenger and ask Elijah to come. And he says I would repent; I remember my father repented and the Lord delayed judgment even for that wicked man. But now I am going to send the soldiers they will bring him whether he wants to come or not I am in charge here, I am the king. So he sends the contingent of 50 men.

Verse 9, the king send a captain of 50 with his 50. They went up to him to Elijah and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill, he said to him, O man of God, the king says, come down. Man of God is a synonym for a prophet. It's used seven times of Elijah. It will be used over 24 times of Elijah successor Elisha. As we move thorough Second Kings. He gives him a command come down. I mean I am here I have got 50 soldiers. You understand, you are one men sitting on a hill. Now you get yourself down here.

Elijah has a response, if I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 that quick just a pile charcoal on the ground, so much for their power. You know Ahaziah is not impressed at all, word would come back; you know word came back, because it will come up here in a moment. But he sends the other 50 verse 11, so he sent to him another captain of 50 with his 50 and said to him, O man of God, thus says the king, come down quickly.

Elijah replied to them, if I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50. Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50. You know Ahaziah still not impressed. Now we know words got into Ahaziah, because the third captain has heard and knows well what happen to the first 100 and their captains. Ahaziah knows, but you know what he is not impressed at all.

You remember when, I will come back to at Chapter 18; Elijah had a confrontation with the prophets of Baal, and he called down fire from heaven to consume his sacrifice that have been saturated with water and the trench filled with water, and then follows up by having all the prophets of Baal executed. Remember the impact that had on Jezebel, verse 2 of Chapter 19, then Jezebel send a messenger to Elijah saying, so may the God’s do to me and more, if I do not make your life as one of the life of one of them by tomorrow at this time. She is not impressed at all, powerful miracle like that that impressed everyone who observed that as the nation watch this happen, didn’t make any impact on Jezebel. She sends a message to Elijah; you can expect you are going to be dead tomorrow at this time just like the prophets you killed.

The amazing thing you think Elijah send a message back and say, just try you old harlot. But you know Elijah is afraid and ran for his life. Here is a man who can speak the word and fire comes down from heaven, sometimes as we talk about amazing, which how certain things impact us turn our knees to water. Now here Elijah turns and run for his life and he is discourage and he is depressed. Here he can sit on the top of a hill call down the fire from heaven to destroy the contingent of soldiers. He is not running for his life in between the two contingents, you don’t find Elijah running to hide. But in the face of woman he does.

Now he confronts the contingent and if I might say you see the old Elijah. So you have a third contingent coming, how would you be like to be the third captain; he knew what happened. You don’t tell the king, because then you will die at the hand of the king. You are between the proverbial, rock and hard place; by say no to the king, I will get executed on the spot, if I go tell Elijah get down here, I will die on the spot, either way I am dead man, he chooses the best option, cast yourself on the mercy of the prophet, and thus the mercy of the Lord.

So he sends again the third captain of the third 50. Verse 13, with his 50 when the third captain of 50 went up, he came and bow down on his knees before Elijah and begged him and said, O man of God please let my life and the lives of these 50 servants of yours be precious in your sight. Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of 50 with their 50s, now let my life be precious in your sight. You think this man didn’t have word with his 50 soldiers on their way. Now man there is only one hope for us to survive this, when we get there we are going to beg. So nobody is going to get out of the line here and the captain will represent his 50. We will plead for our lives that’s our only hope.

The angel of the Lord said to Elijah, verse 15, go down with him; do not be afraid of him. So he arose and went down with him to the king, isn’t amazing how gracious God is. I mean cast yourself on his mercy, you know why didn’t the first contingent do this, he come and cast himself, I am send as the representative of the king, I need you to recognize I am only a messenger, don’t come here with arrogance before the Lords representative. So he comes to the king. Now he is going to stand before Ahaziah.

Verse 16, he said to him; Elijah speaking to Ahaziah, Thus says the Lord, because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub. And actually I just told you about Baal-zebub he means Lord of the flies. Some take at the Jews corrupted it from the name Baal-zebub which basically means Lord on high. But we are talking about the worship of Baal here, have you send messengers to inquire a 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 where you have gone up, you shall surely die.

So Ahaziah died according to the word of Lord which Elijah has spoken. I mean it's as good as done. You see God is offended. God is still the God of Israel. Israel has rejected him, but you understand God has established a covenant with Israel. And even during the times where Israel has rejected him, he is still the God of Israel. They maybe under his discipline; and they will come under it very severely the northern ten tribes, as we get to Chapter 17. They are under it today, but you understand he stills the God of Israel. He established the covenant with Abraham and Abraham’s descendants. I mean certain things can't change, God is greatly, greatly offended by his people turning from him, and to go to Ekron inquire of Baal is in offense that will not be forgiven, Ahaziah will die.

So he dies according to the word which Elijah had spoken. And if you will now Elijah’s public ministry is over. We will have a record of significant event in Elijah’s life that brings his earthly ministry to a close, but that become a more private matter with the prophets. His public ministry here and representing God in the court of the king is over with his final confrontation with Ahaziah. Ahaziah hasn’t no indication of a desire to repent on Ahaziah’s part, no softening of his heart, nothing. Ahaziah is dead, he has no sons. So his brother becomes king Jehoram. And it's connected to the time in the reign of Jehoshaphat here. And the rest of the acts of Ahaziah they’re written in the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.

So now we are ready to move on it's going to get a little bit confusing, if you have your list of kings, you look at Israel’s kings we will be down to the tenth king; Ahaziah only reigned two years remember. Then we come to Jehoram, he is Ahaziah brother, because Ahaziah didn’t have a son to pass it on. So another son of Ahab becomes king. Now where we get a little bit confusing, if you take your list of Judah’s kings, you note the fifth king of Judah who is reigning even though it's the tenth king of Israel their kings aren’t lasting as long.

We are still in the same period of time the Jehoram who is the tenth king of Israel, who reigned from 852 to 841. The fifth king of Judah reined some 853 to 841, their contemporaries and they have the same name. So you have to keep track of what’s going on with the kings. That’s why I wanted you have a copy of the list there others available. But at least to remind you, because you think say why such a harmless king of Israel, how did he get to be king of Judah, well you have two that have the same name.

Alright let me just summarize sum up what we have looked at here in this Chapter to wrap it up. Being faithful doesn’t mean we will be successful. Now we have to define success. Elijah was successful in the greatest degree. I mean who was greater than Elijah among the prophets. But humanly speaking you understand he made no impact in bringing about change in Israel. We have twenty years of his ministry from First Kings Chapter 17, down to Second Kings Chapter 2, and nothing changes in Israel.

He presents the word of God. He does mighty miracles and nothing changes in Israel. They are just as godless, when he leaves the sin and his ministry is over as there where when he began ties to what we talked about this morning. We need to be careful about measuring our ministry by results. Charles Spurgeon put it well; remember you are only accountable for your labor and not for your success. Elijah was successful, because he went and told the king what God told him to tell; didn’t mean Elijah failed, because Ahaziah didn’t listen. Ahaziah didn’t repent that’s part of plan of God. So being faithful doesn’t mean we will see great results. We can be assured of a large church or whatever.

Secondly we must seek our help from the Lord. It is offensive to God when his people look to the God’s small “g” of this world for help. I don’t want to spiritualize or allegorize a portion. But you know we are repeatedly reminded here that God is, is there no God in Israel; why you are going to Baal, you have to go over to Ekron, you have to go out to a Philistine city to inquire of their God, and there is no God in Israel I take that very personally. And you just want to be careful that we don’t do the same thing. I know God is my God. I know I have his word, but we run everywhere else to find help. This is to tie to what we talked about in our study earlier today, where I guess we have the word of God it is the inerrant word of God, but then they say, it's not sufficient for everything.

Now we go to someplace else. We go to the God’s of this world, and I failed to see how that is any different. Then what Israel was doing here. I mean is our God not sufficient, do we not have the God, who is the one who meets all our needs as provided everything necessary for life in godliness, who has given us his spirit to enable us. David put it well in the 119 psalm which we read earlier today.

When he said concerning the word of God they are my counselors, your testimonies or my counselor, that’s where I go, was the Lord of heaven think of his people running seeking the advice of the world, then how to handle the pressure of life; how to handle sin, now we don’t call it sin, we call it addiction. And so I go to the world, because the Bible doesn’t help me with this and on we go. Understand this is so different we go to the God’s of the world.

We look to the world for their answer, because we don’t think our God can handle it. I am not saying we don’t, you know there is that you know we carry it beyond what I am saying. I thank God for medical doctors. I thank God for what we have been able to #. I am glad for Novocain when I go to the dentist. I avail myself of it. I don’t say just a moment; I will pray I don’t need the Novocain.

If I am going to go have surgery, you know what I want to be fully asleep. I had a kidney stone one time. They gave me morphine; I said give me more. I didn’t say don’t bother I will pray. So I understand there is a difference. But I also want to be careful that we blur the lines and use it as excuses to bring in and now what the Bible call sin we call addictions, we call psychological issues, and we need the help of the world. Now we have moved into God’s territory so to speak want to be very careful that we don’t confuse things.

Even there when I am going to the doctor I am careful to acknowledge God you are the sovereign God. My physical condition is in your hand. You may choose to use this man and his wisdom to help me. But I understand the ultimate outcome is in your hands. So I never want to lose sight of that. Third, ultimate authority rest with God not man, and verses 9 to 15 I recognize I must always treat him with respect; is not the Elijah is so respectful, it is Elijah is God’s spokesman. He is the one bringing God’s word and so it's our God that we are honoring and should be treated and must be treated with respect.

I remind you miracles don’t make any difference. They don’t change fall in men’s hearts. You remember in Luke Chapter 16 verse 31, the rich man send somebody back from the grave to tell my family, and what is he told; if they don’t believe the word of God they don’t believe Moses and the prophets, they won’t believe the one is raised from the dead, miracles great miracles fire coming down from heaven didn’t change Ahab’s heart, didn’t change Jezebel’s heart, didn’t change Ahaziah’s heart, didn’t change the nation Israel’s heart. So we have the word of God and that is what the spirit of God uses to move hearts.

We must be faithful and persistent with the truth. And you know I admire Elijah, his message doesn’t change. When the messengers from the king come, he tells them what God has to say. It's one thing to tell the messengers of the king that message it's another thing to stand in the presence of the king and tells him that message. Remember how intimidated Elijah became when Jezebel spoke a word, but Elijah’s credit he comes and stands before Ahaziah, he gives exactly the same message. And he had done that with Ahab, and Ahab stumbled, but he is a faithful man, faithful with the word in every setting.

I don’t have a different message. We don’t have a message to give to this person; we have the same gospel, the poorest, most insignificant, nobody or the most powerful ruler. We only have one gospel, alright. Would you go share the gospel with his poverty stricken jobless person; okay I can do that, by the way you have an opportunity, would you go share the gospel with the, or I wouldn’t know what to say to the president, well the president in the university or somebody why, I mean it's the same gospel, isn’t it, do I change it according to the audience; did Elijah have a different message, no it's the word of God.

So you know I don’t have to worry. Well would you come down and share your message with this group of scientific scholars; I’d be happy to, boy I don’t know what I said to that group of learned men, same thing you go to a person who never got beyond third grade, right; the word of God, it doesn’t change according to the audience. # the wages of sin is death. For your sin, Ahaziah will die and he died according to the word of God. The wages of sin is death the word of God will always become always be fulfilled and that holds true today. God’s word is always successful.

Last Chapters written the word of God accomplishes its work. Go to Isaiah 55 where you may have it memorized and but it's good to see it you should have it marked in your Bible. Isaiah 55 11, so will my word be which goes forth from my mouth it will not return to me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, without succeeding in the matter for which I send it, God’s word never fails.

You have never shared God’s word that it did not accomplish God’s work. You know sometimes people say did you go share the gospel, yes; what happened, nothing; that’s not true. What happened, what God wanted to happen, where they saved; not at that time, do you think they will be; I don’t know, then you don’t know whether you are succeeded or failed; no I succeeded, I shared God’s word, now what they will do with that I don’t know that’s between them and God.

But once all said and done and if I am given the privilege to read the account as a history I will find out God’s word that went forth from his mouth, they will be through me his servant, you a servant did not return empty, didn’t return without accomplishing what God desired without succeeding in the purpose, which he indented when he send it forth.

You see I predetermine what God’s word will accomplish and that’s not my job, God determines what his word will accomplish, God determined the result of Isaiah’s word Ahaziah will die, Ahab will die, Jezebel will die, the nation will continue in disobedience, wasn’t what Elijah wanted to see happen. So Elijah had to do Elijah’s business, God does his business. We are servants and praise God for Elijah’s ministry. And remember James 517; Elijah was a man of like passions. Now I can't compare myself to Elijah. Well that’s the very thing James says we ought to do, a man of prayer thus a man of power.

Let’s pray. Thank you Lord for Elijah, but above all thank you for your grace in speaking through Elijah, how amazing that you the God of all the creator of all the sovereign of all, one in whose breath each person’s life is health. Lord you speak, you have spoken we have a record of your speaking. Your word it's still alive it's still powerful; what an awesome fact. Lord thank you for the ministry of Elijah. Thank you for the history of your people of Israel. Lord we are impressed with how hard sin makes a heart. Lord may we have hearts that are soft to your word, open to your word, quick to receive it, quick to respond. Lord we thank you that you are a God who keeps your word. You not only punish sin, but you will bring awesome overwhelming blessings to those who experience the power of your saving grace. May that encourage us even in our service for you in the week ahead; we pray in Christ’s name, amen.