II KINGS 1

Challenge from last time:  Who did not support Adonijah to be king? (I Kings 1:8)

BUT THE LORD’S ANGEL SAID TO ELIJAH THE TISHBITE, “GO UP AND MEET THE MESSENGERS SENT BY THE KING OF SAMARIA.  ASK THEM: “WHY ARE YOU GOING TO ASK QUESTIONS OF BAAL-ZEBUB, GOD OF EKRON? IS IT BECAUSE YOU THINK THERE IS NO GOD IN ISRAEL?” (New Century Version)

I and II KIngs are the history of two nations and their 400 year decline and separation from God. These two books are also the story of two great prophets of God: Elijah and Elisha. Under the rule of Saul, David, and Solomon, the nation of Israel had been one nation. Subsequently, it divided into two nations: Israel and Judah. The capital of Judah was Jerusalem, and the capital of Israel was Samaria. Ahaziah was the king of Samaria. He fell through a window and was severely injured. Ahaziah sent messengers to Ekron and it’s god, Baal-Zebub, to ask if he would survive.  God had different plans and sent Elijah with a message to Ahaziah. Why are you going to a foreign god for advice? Doesn’t Israel have God? One hundred and two men lost their lives in obedience to Ahaziah’s commands. And eventually, Ahaziah lost his own life. I’m wondering: Why ask ‘Will I survive?’  Why not ask, ‘Will  you heal me?’ Didn’t he remember God’s great power?

“Is it because you think there is no God in Israel?” This phrase is repeated three times in chapter one, grabbing my attention. Where do I go first when trouble arrives? Google? WebMD? Friends? Family? Self-help books? My own knowledge and experience? Higher education? Others may go to Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, Dear Abby, newscasters, philosophers, politicians, the government, etc…  None of these are intrinsically bad, and may sometimes give good advice. The danger is seeking help from these first or to the exclusion of God entirely.

The existence of God is always questioned. Why do we doubt God? There are many reasons: things don’t go according to my plan, catastrophic circumstances occur, I can’t SEE God, I can’t HEAR God, innocent people get hurt, guilty people go free, and more.

Elijah had very compelling experiences which proved God’s existence. In this story we read of God twice sending fire from heaven to protect Elijah. In I Kings 18, one of my favorite Old Testament stories, God sends fire from heaven to consume 12 stones, wood, a bull, and 12 jars of water which proved to the people gathered around Elijah that GOD DOES EXIST and HE IS ACTIVE IN OUR LIVES. Read I Kings 18:36-39.

That was all hundreds of years ago.  What about now? In 1997, my husband Clayton had open heart bypass surgery.  Through a series of complications, he spent several weeks in the hospital. One Saturday evening the surgeon came to me in the waiting room to say ‘if one more things goes wrong, we will lose him’. I called our pastor to ask for prayer, and I prayed. Sunday morning I was at his bedside. I learned from friends that our pastor called all the men in the Sunday morning service to come forward and kneel before God, asking for Clayton to be spared. I am told it was a moving and inspirational sight to see all those men on their knees before God. That afternoon Clayton’s health dramatically improved, and he started the healing process. God did that in answer to our prayers, I have no doubt.

There are literally thousands of times when God does miracles on our behalf — and we give the credit to luck, to coincidence, to doctors, to other people,  and to our own hard work. Is that because we think there is no God?

 

Further consideration:

*When you recently had questions, who or what did you turn to first?

*Read Acts 12:1-19 for a New Testament example of God’s work on man’s behalf.

*I think Ahaziah not only asked the wrong god, but he asked the wrong question. When we pray, we need to ask the right question.

 

PRAYER: Lord, You are the One True and only Living God. You exist and You are active in my life. Thank you for the many answered prayers through the years. Thank you for working on my behalf even when I was unaware. You are great and greatly to be praised. AMEN.