After Ahab died, Moab rebelled against Israel. This is said almost in passing as the rest of the chapter is concerned with Ahaziah. However, it was important in that Moab had been under the domination of Israel since the days of King David, but now was the opportunity for Moab. Ahab had been perhaps, one of the most wicked kings, therefore, they may have thought it was convenient to attack Israel. Israel’s power had declined, and God was judging them. Moab declared their independence and refused to pay tribute to Israel (v1,2)
Ahaziah was the son of Ahab and Jezebel, and he reigned two years from Samaria as his father had done. The author of the book of Kings (1 Kings 22:52) says that he followed the ways of his father Ahab and his mother Jezebel and made Israel to sin in the way of Jeroboam. One writer notes that the phrase “in the way of his mother” (Jezebel) does not occur anywhere else in the Hebrew Bible, thus showing the strong feeling of the writer of the book of Kings to the wickedness of Jezebel.
The chapter moves to Ahaziah, he fell through the lattice of his upper room and was injured, so he sent messengers to Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron as to whether he would recover (v2). This showed he was a worshiper of the pagan god, who, they thought warded off plagues brought on by flies. Beelzebub is a name given to the devil.
The angel of the LORD told Elijah, “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?’ 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.’” (v3,4).
Elijah went immediately and gave him the grave news that he would die from his accident. God could have brought death instantly, but in His mercy, He gave him time to repent. No doubt he sent word to his pagan god because he wanted an answer which he wanted to hear, certainly not one which he didn’t.
The messengers returned and Ahaziah asked them why they had returned. Surely it was obvious, but it seemed that they returned very early. They told the king that they had been met by a man who informed them, “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.’”’” (v6)
Interestingly, the messengers seemed to have not gone any further having met the unknown stranger. Ahaziah was curious about the man, and seemed to have guessed it was probably Elijah, so, Azariah asked them what the man was like who had given them this message. “They answered him, “A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”” (v7,8)
Maybe the grave news convinced him, but now the appearance was the clincher. It is interesting to note that many years later when John the Baptist appeared he is described like Elijah, hence the people asked him if he was Elijah (John 1:19-21).
The king sent a captain with fifty men to find Elijah, and they found him sat at the top of a hill (v9). Surely, they didn’t need to send so many men to capture one man. It seemed overkill! They found Elijah and the captain said, “Man of God, the king has said, “Come down””. He recognised that Elijah was a man of God. Commentators suggest that this was meant as an insult to Elijah, or more to Elijah’s God.
“Elijah answered…. 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.” (v10)
Elijah indicated that only God could bring down fire from heaven, only God could do that. In a way he was saying ‘Let God decide if I am by sending fire from heaven’. God brought judgment on the men for ridiculing God and his servant.
The same thing happened again when Ahaziah repeated his foolish action by sending another captain with fifty men(v11,12). Again, the same request was made, perhaps a little more demanding, ‘Man of God come quickly’, with the same result. God sent down fire and consumed them. Surely, they should have known better, after what happened to the first lot.
The king sent a third party of fifty with another captain (v13-15). This captain fell on his knees before Elijah and pleaded with him and saying, “Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight. 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.” This captain was completely different in that he did recognise that Elijah was a man of God. The request was made humbly and this time God told Elijah to go with them.
It is suggested that there were several reasons why Ahaziah would want to take Elijah. Perhaps he wanted him to reconsider his prophesy that he would die even to the point of forcing him, to silence him from speaking against the kings of Israel. Whatever the reason, God told Elijah that he had nothing to fear.
Fearlessly, Elijah, repeated the words he had previously spoken (v3,4,6,16). The message from God did not change whatever the circumstances, and even if it was not the message Ahaziah wanted to hear.
The prophecy proved that Elijah was the man of God for, just as he had foretold, Ahaziah did not recover and died from his fall through the lattice (v17). Ahaziah had no son, so, his brother, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, became king of Israel. This is confusing but it seemed that there were two by the same or similar name. The king of Judah is also known as Joram.
