Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
2 KINGS 1
The Lord’s Judgment on Ahaziah
1 After Ahab’s death, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, “Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury.”
3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ 4 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’ ” So Elijah went.
5 When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you come back?”
6 “A man came to meet us,” they replied. “And he said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, “This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!” ’ ”
7 The king asked them, “What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?”
8 They replied, “He had a garment of hair and had a leather belt around his waist.”
The king said, “That was Elijah the Tishbite.”
9 Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down!’ ”
10 Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.
11 At this the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. The captain said to him, “Man of God, this is what the king says, ‘Come down at once!’ ”
12 “If I am a man of God,” Elijah replied, “may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” Then the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
13 So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. “Man of God,” he begged, “please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! 14 See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!”
15 The angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.
16 He told the king, “This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel for you to consult that you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!” 17 So he died, according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken.
Because Ahaziah had no son, Joram succeeded him as king in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. 18 As for all the other events of Ahaziah’s reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
Application Notes
1:1 Because 1 and 2 Kings were originally one book in the Hebrew Bible, 2 Kings continues where 1 Kings ends. The once great nation of Israel was split in two because the people had abandoned God. The book begins with Elijah, a prophet of God, being carried away to heaven. It ends with the people of Israel and Judah being taken into captivity. In 1 Kings, we read about how the beautiful temple of God was built. In 2 Kings, we read about its desecration and destruction.
Our world is strikingly similar to the world described in 2 Kings. National and local governments reject God and his laws, and countries are tormented by war and terrorism. Many people esteem the false gods of technology, materialism, sensuality, and war. True worship of God is rare.
In this chaotic and corrupt world, we can look to examples such as David, Elijah, and Elisha, who were devoted to worshiping God and keeping his law and who brought about renewal and change in their society. More important, we can look to Jesus Christ, the perfect example. For nations to do God's will, individuals must do God's work. When your heart is committed to God, he can work through you to accomplish the work he has called you to do.
1:2 Baal-Zebub was not the same god as Baal, the Canaanite god worshiped by Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 16:31-33). Baal-Zebub (which means Lord of the flies") was a Philistine god whose temple was located in the city of Ekron. Supernatural power and mystery were associated with BaalZebub. Because this god was thought to have the power of prophecy, King Ahaziah sent messengers to Ekron to learn of his fate. Ahaziah's action showed the king's disrespect for the God of Israel.
1:8 For more information on Elijah, see his profile on page 543.
1:13-15 Notice how the third captain went to Elijah. Although the first two captains called Elijah “man of God,” they were not being genuine and were disrespectful of both Elijah and God. The third captain also called him “man of God,” but he humbly begged for mercy. His attitude showed respect for God and his power and saved the lives of his men. Living well begins with submission to God. Before you try to say what you think is right, humble yourself, and let respect, humility, and servanthood characterize how you relate to God and others.
1:18 The book of the annals of the kings of Israel and the book of the annals of the kings of Judah (8:23) were history books. The inspired writer of 2 Kings selected facts from these books to retell the story of Israel and Judah from God's perspective. God directed the writer's thoughts and selection process to make sure that the truth, God's Word, would be written.
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)