Who do you lean on when overwhelmed or uncertain about your future or a decision on a course of action?
- A parent?
- A sibling?
- A spouse?
- A friend?
- A colleague?
- Other?
Several years ago, my employer asked me to accept a role change I knew was wrong for me. I was so distraught when I saw the initial rough draft of the job description that I fell to my knees in tears.
Instead of getting ready for work, I kept following my now-late husband around the house.
Just as he was about to step out the front door, he realized he needed to pray for me regarding this challenge. As he embraced and prayed for me, I felt a sense of peace blossom. Afterwards, he also told me that, although it would be better if I had another job lined up, he would support me if I quit rather than accept the role change.
Before I share more about this, let’s continue our study Learning About God Through Ahaziah and Elijah | Part Two.
Learning About God Through Ahaziah and Elijah | Part Two
A Study of 1 Kings 22:51-2 Kings 1:18
In part one of this series, we considered how the influence of Ahaziah’s parents affected his decisions in life. Even once injured and concerned whether he’d recover, Ahaziah continued to heed his parent’s influence instead of turning to the God of Israel. (1 Kings 22:51-2 Kings 1:2)
The Lord responded to this by sending Elijah the Tishbite with word that Ahaziah would not recover. (2 Kings 1:3-8)
Then 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.’ ” 10 But 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. [1]
What is the implication of Ahaziah’s action of sending a captain of fifty men with his fifty?
What might Elijah have been doing on top of a hill?
What confirmation occurs when fire comes down from heaven?
Why was fire from heaven a poignant point that Ahaziah, as the son of Ahab, should have understood? (See 1 Kings 18:16-40)
11 Again 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!’ ” 12 But 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. [2]
Describe the attitude of this second captain that is just like the first captain.
What clues do you find to support Elijah’s response to Ahaziah’s command these two times in 1 Kings 22:51-2 Kings 1:8 or Part one of this series?
Again 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. 14 Behold, 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.”[3]
What does this third captain do differently than the first two?
Then the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” [4]
How does this verse shed light on Elijah’s responses to the first two captains?
So he arose and went down with him to the king 16 and 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.’ ” [5]
Why does scripture tell us three times this message from God to Ahaziah? (See 2 Kings 1:3-6 for the other two times.)
So 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. [6]
Write out Deuteronomy 5:6-10 on a notecard or in a journal if you didn’t do it for part one of this series.
Based on part two of the passage studied and Deuteronomy 5:6-10, what is most important to the God of Israel?
Why did Ahaziah not recover from his injury?
18 Now 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? [7]
Review 1 Kings 22:51-53 to explain why this closing verse didn’t include any mention of Ahaziah’s accomplishments.
Learning about God through Ahaziah and Elijah | Part Two
Personal Application
Ahaziah followed his parent’s idolatrous examples and suffered the consequences of his actions even though the Lord gave him multiple opportunities to change his ways.
Whose example are you following? Why?
Elijah listened to the Lord’s instructions before taking any course of action.
Who do you listen to first before taking any course of action? Why?
The third captain assessed the dangerous task before him and approached things differently than the first two captains. He showed obedience to Ahaziah’s orders yet humility before Elijah and the God of Israel.
How do you live out obedience to the rules of your culture or workplace while remaining humble before God?
Continuing My Personal Story
I am so thankful for that moment when my now-late husband realized he needed to call on the Lord for me to have wisdom in how to handle the challenge of navigating a role change I knew was wrong for me.
After some negotiation for some changes to the job description as was first presented, I hesitantly accepted the role change, stating that I still believed it was the wrong direction for my skills and temperament but that I would do my best.
Although I regularly received praise for my efforts to carry the role, the longer I was in the role, the more I talked with God about whether I should look for a new role somewhere else.
I even asked others to pray about it for me.
And my now-late husband continued to assure me he would support my walking away if I needed to do so.
But thankfully, with a change of administration above me, I returned to the previous role that better suited my skills and temperament.
My situation pales compared to the seriousness of Ahaziah’s predicament.
Even though the Lord was angry at Ahaziah’s idolatry, he still gave Ahaziah multiple opportunities to humble himself.
Yet, scripture makes it clear Ahaziah refused to be humble; thus the Lord’s decision not to heal Ahaziah stood firm.
Heavenly Father, enable us to listen to You first as Elijah modeled in the passage above. Equip others around us to remind us to turn to you in times of difficulty. Also enable us to approach the tasks before us with obedience and humility while acknowledging You as our ultimate Lord and Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
What did you learn about God through this series?
Warmly,
Barbra Lynn
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Ki 1:9–10.
[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Ki 1:11–12.
[3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Ki 1:13–14.
[4] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Ki 1:15.
[5] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Ki 1:15–16.
[6] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Ki 1:17.
[7] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Ki 1:18.