II Kings 1-2
Dear RTB’ers,
Leaving John’s gospel, returning to Kings. Ahab is gone and his son, Ahaziah succeeds him. Again, the pattern in the Northern Kingdom, “like father, like son”. Ahaziah follows false gods the same as Ahab had. And he gets the same results that his father had gotten – it would be the prophet, Elijah who would speak to his condition, not the prophets of the false god, Baal. Ahaziah thought that he could use his royal power to force Elijah to change his prediction, but to no avail. In fact, the Lord speaks directly to Ahaziah, through Elijah: So he [Elijah] arose and went down with him to the king 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.’” (vv. 1:15b-16)
Then, finally, in today’s second chapter we see the end of Elijah’s time on earth. We have seen the Lord’s work (Mt. Carmel) and words (that “still small voice”) abounding with Elijah, but he now passes his ministry on to Elisha. And we will now see many more of the Lord’s words and works through Elisha. We are introduced to two today – the blessing of the purification of the waters at Jericho and the cursing (in the name of the LORD, v. 2:24b) of the lads who were taunting him. It seems as if the Lord is indeed honoring Elisha’s request for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit!
Blessings.
See also: