The Second Book of Kings
Chapter One

Elijah Burns Up the Soldiers. Ahaziah falls sick and dies.




rose
Publications

Brit-Am
Discussion Group
Contact
Contents by Subject Research
Revelation
Reconciliation


Contribute
Site Map
Contents in Alphabetical Order
Search
This Site

rose
Offerings





To Hear a Talk based on the Text below:

2-Kings. Chapter 1. Elijah Burns Up the Soldiers. Ahaziah falls sick and dies.
(ca. 22 minutes)
Talk includes points not mentioned in the text.






2 Kings 1 (New King James Version)
Elijah Burns Up the Soldiers. Ahaziah dies and is succeeded by Jehoram


 1 MOAB REBELLED AGAINST ISRAEL AFTER THE DEATH OF AHAB.
Ahab King of Israel had been killed fighting against the King of Aram. Ahab was the husband of Jezebeel, daughter of the King of Tyre. Jezebeel was a wicked queen who had encouraged her husband to commit idolatry. Despite his weakness and sins Ahab however had died an heroic death fighting on behalf of the People of Israel against their enemies.
During the reign of Ahab Moab had been subject to Israel.

 
After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel due to the sins of Ahab, i.e. as a result of susceptibility in the organizational system Ahab had been responsible for. Nevertheless, despite his wickedness Ahab did have some virtues and regal qualities of his own.   These were sufficient to delay the outbreak of the rebellion of Moab until after his death.
 

Daat Mikra points out that it was not simply a case of Moab rebelling against Israelite domination. Moab threw off the Israelite yoke and then teamed up with the Ammonites to attack the cities of Israel and Judah. This is indicated in 2-Chronicles 20:1 (onwards) and in the inscription of Mesha King of Moab that was discovered some time ago.  Sometimes it is not simply a matter of keeping other peoples down but rather a simple case of self-protection.
In our opinion the USA is in Afghanistan and Iraq because it has to be for the sake of its own citizens and for the sake of the world. In times of danger however the devil delights himself.  Just because it is a good thing in itself does not mean that it could not turn into a disaster.  One should not usually drive fast but if one has to do so then extra care is needed. We are not necessarily at the highest moral level and our leadership may well be lacking. We all need to strengthen ourselves in Bible belief and draw closer to the God of Israel.


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.
 
ZEBUB (pronounced "Zevuv" in Modern Hebrew) means "fly". Baal" means "master" or "lord" i.e. "Lord of the Flies"? Ekron was a Philistine city.
 
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?
 
TISHBITE in Hebrew "Tishbi" implying from the settlement of Teshub somewhere in the region of Gilead and possibly in the area of what is now Northern Syria. There is a play-on-words here. Tishbi uses the same letters that spell "Tashuv" i.e. return or repent. Elijah exhorted the Israelites to repent.
 
By going to a foreign god you are not only betraying the ALMIGHTY. You are also committing treason against Israel.  The Hebrew people will be subject to foreign influences, thought patterns, and domination whenever they turn to foreign gods.
Our young people and intellectuals who take an interest in Asiatic idolatry or in pagan practices are making a mistake. This mistake is liable to have serious consequences. This is not a new phenomenon but it is perhaps getting worse. In the past the British and American upper classes placed too much importance on Greek and Roman Mythology.  Nationalist elements also tried to play with Ancient Germanic and "Celtic" idolatry.  They still do. This was compounded with Spiritualism and sometimes Demonology.  The climate that gave rise to the Nazis and others did not stop at human sacrifice. This is not something we have picked up from some wacky Conspiracy site but rather a known truth that they themselves admitted.

See:
 Hitler and the secret Satanic cult at the heart of Nazi Germany
 by Danny Penman

http://www.newsmonster.co.uk/paranormal-unexplained/
hitler-and-the-secret-satanic-cult-at-
the-heart-of-nazi-germany.html

Nowadays we are going along the same downward path.
On the one hand, we have:
The left wing with its Mother Earth philosophy, liberal usage of chemical substances,   tolerance of perversion, and easy going attitude to the murder of unwanted babies in their mothers wombs. This attitude contributed to the placing in the Presidency of a Black Muslim Hater of Whites and of Israelites, a nut case, who despises us all.

 
On the other hand we have the Serpent Doctrine People and the Identity Freaks who are infiltrating Ephraimite meetings.  The Ephraimites did not want too much Jewish influence. Fair enough. In its place however they are getting something that reeks of evil and shames all of us in the eyes of others.  The Identity Freaks are as bad or possibly worse than the Pinky-Winkies on the left. The Identity Freaks advocate treason, hatred, and self-destruction.  Under the guise of Israelite Identity they want the Israelite Peoples to deny their true Biblical Heritage and betray Judah. The Jew in popular imagery is sometimes represented by Judas. The irony is that Judah is the one being sold out. It happens every time.
 
Isaiah 8: 18 Here am I and the children whom the LORD has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel.  From the LORD of Hosts, Who dwells in Mount Zion.
Isaiah 8: 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?
Isaiah 8: 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

 
 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.
Ahaziah sent to Baal Zebub, Lord of the Flies. The Fly is the cause and symbol of decay and putrefaction.
 cf.
DEAD FLIES PUTREFY THE PERFUMERS OINTMENT, AND CAUSE IT TO GIVE OFF A FOUL ODOR; SO DOES A LITTLE FOLLY TO ONE RESPECTED FOR WISDOM AND HONOR (Ecclesiastes 10: 1).

Ahaziah turned to the Lord of the Flies. He was going to get what he had asked for.
So too, if we flirt with the friends of Hitler (on the right), may his name be cursed, or Mohamed (on the left and right), the psychopath, we are liable to receive them.


5 AND WHEN THE MESSENGERS RETURNED TO HIM, HE SAID TO THEM, WHY HAVE YOU COME BACK?

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.
 A HAIRY MAN. The Commentators offer different explanations. It would seem the Elijah wore a kind of cloak made of goat skins. Alternately it may be that he let his hair and beard grow to great lengths. It has been suggested that he was under a kind of Nazirite vow but no supportive evidence for this is available.
 
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!
 
He referred to Elijah as MAN OF GOD and then commanded Elijah to obey the King placing the royal order before that of the Almighty. We have this problem today with Government officials, doctors, and people in positions of influence and authority who put official policy or conventional practice before Divine Commandments.

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.
 
The Captain must have heard of Elijah at Mount Carmel where he caused fire to come down from heaven and consume the sacrifices and the altar.
http://www.britam.org/Kings/1Kings18.html

Elijah replied to him that If I am as you say then I should be able to do unto you and those who follow you deeds that prove the priority of Divine Sanction over that of human beings.

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!
This second officer appears to have been even more imperious than the first.
Non-believers are like that. They are arrogant, assume they know everything, and dismiss even obvious examples of Divine Intervention.
They reject the authority of Holiness claiming they wish to be independent. In practice however they quickly give their subservience to the first secular power to assert itself no matter how corrupt it may be.


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.

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.
This third person acknowledged the pre-eminence of the Almighty over that of human rule. He was however an agent of the king and had to perform what he had been ordered to do, or at least make the attempt. He therefore begged Elijah for consideration of himself and the men he was in charge of.
 
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.

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.

Jehoram of Judah and Jehoram of Israel have the same name and their reigns overlapped. This can be confusing.
 
Jehoram of Judah began his reign as co-ruler with his father Jehoshaphat.
 
Jehoshaphat reigned 25 years  (1-Kings 22: 42).
Jehoram the son of Ahab (brother of and successor to Ahaziah) became king over Israel in the second year of Jehoram of Judah (2-Kings 1:17).
 
Ahaziah King of Israel had begun to rule in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat King of Judah (1-Kings 22:52). Ahaziah had succeeded Ahab. Ahaziah ruled for two years when he was succeeded by Jehoram of Israel.  When Jehoram of Israel became king it was already the second year of Jeroham of Judah. The reign of Jehoram of Judah had therefore begun at the death of Ahab.

The co-rulership of Jehoshaphat and Jehoram according to Daat Mikra is hinted at in 2-Chronicles 21:1 :

2-Chronicles 21:1 And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place. 2 He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3 Their father gave them great gifts of silver and gold and precious things, with fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.
 
Daat Mikra quotes from the Tosefta (Sota 12:2) which says that the official end of the reign of Jehoshaphat dates from the time he went to war alongside Ahab against Aram (1-Kings 22:32). It had been decreed that he should die on that day but because he cried for mercy his life was prolonged by seven years but from that time on his son Jehoram was to rule alongside him. These seven years were paralleled in Israel by two years of Ahaziah and 5 years of Jehoram.
The death of Ahab was therefore the occasion of the succession of Ahaziah over Israel and Jehoshaphat appointing his son Jehoram as co-ruler alongside him.


We are told further on (2-Kings 3:1) that Jehoram the successor of Ahaziah became king in the 18th year of Jehoshaphat.

2-Kings 3:1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.

According to our calculations however Jehoram became King in the 20th year of Jehoshaphat. It would seem that for some reason this verse may be reckoning the time of accession of Jehoram to the time Ahaziah his brother and predecessor. We shall deal with this matter in our Commentary to chapter three.

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?

Main Sources Referred to: Me'am Loaz. Daat Mikra.

After the Death of Solomon:
The Divided Kingdom

The Divided Kingdom
Source of Map:
www.ebibleteacher.com/imagehtml/otmaps.html






   2-Kings Contents
harp
2-Kings ch.2