Transfer of Anointing

Today we are going to talk about Elijah’s last mission before God takes him away in a chariot of fire. We are going to be reading in 2 Kings 1 and starting with verse 1 and through whole chapter. To set the scene here Elijah has been a little quiet and we have not heard from him since 1 Kings chapter 19. The country has been torn apart in war and now we come to God calling on Elijah His trusted prophet once again to go to Ahab’s son this time…Ahaziah.

Ahaziah is the son of king Ahab, and his mother was Jezebel. Now knowing what we know about these two at this point should leave us with a good impression of how good and reliable Ahaziah can be. He can’t… He is worshiping Baal, and this is what he was taught by his mother and father. His father if you remember was the worst of all the kings.

[1 Kings 16:30 NKJV] 30 Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who [were] before him.

Jezebel was no better.

[1Ki 16:31 NKJV] 31 And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him.

[1Ki 18:4 NKJV] 4 For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.)

Ahab and Jezebel were bad examples of parents. Their legacy will be seen in their son Ahaziah. Weak character, and foolish in decisions letting sin rule his life. Lets begin in 2 Kings 1…

[2 Kings 1:1-18 NKJV] 1 Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. 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." 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?' 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. 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." 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!' " 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. 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!' " 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. 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. 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?

As we begin this chapter Moab is attacking Israel. Ahaziah is not showing his support of his troops because instead of being on the battle field he is pacing on his roof of the palace. More than likely his safe place. And in his pacing, he falls off the roof through the lattice and the fall puts him on his death bed.

Now we see his true colors of his teachings from his wonderful parents come out in his character. First thing he does is call on his messengers to go to Ekron. Ekron was a city which was known for its people that studied the arts of the gods like Baal-Zebub who was the god of Ahaziah. This was his legacy taught to him by his parents.

[1 Kings 22:51-53 NKJV] 51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. 52 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; 53 for he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.

His messengers are given instruction. Go to Ekron, and talk to the god Baal-Zebub and ask him “if I shall recover”. He wanted to know the future. He wanted divination, sorcery to proclaim his destiny. His mentors would be his downfall.

Elijah gets the call from God in verse 3. He gets a specific message to go meet the messengers. Notice that the message is confirming that God is not the covering in Israel with king Ahaziah. “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?” Therefore, the Lord says you shall not leave the bed on which you lie, but shall surely die. Then Elijah leaves them.

They did not know who he was and when they go back to the king in chapter 6 they tell him they met a man and give him the message that was given to them. He asks them to describe this man and they do. He was hairy and a girdle of leather… Ahaziah knew right away who they had met… Elijah!

This description of Elijah is matched with John the Baptist in Matthew chapter 3. This is the reason that many thought that John was the return of Elijah:

[Matthew 3:4 KJV] 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

There is also a tradition even today waiting on the return of Elijah. In the Seder ceremony for Easter there is the Elijah seat vacant for the return of Elijah the prophet.

So, now Ahaziah knows this is the word of God but his sin has warped his mind. His response is one of rebellion, and he sends a group of 50 soldiers and a Captain to seize Elijah. Ahaziah’s sin is irrational and shows poor reasoning. We can align with this in our day.

When we are not aligned with God, and sin is tempting us we can come up with all kinds of excuses how to keep on sinning. Ahaziah shows this in his desire to ignore the message from God, and take matters in his own hands.

Elijah shows Ahaziah the power of God just as he did to his father Ahab in 1 Kings 18. The Captain see’s Elijah on the hillside and says come down man of God. Elijah tells him if I am a man of God let fire come down and consume you. Boom.

Then round two… Ahaziah figures out that his first 51 men did not fair so well, and ended up being bar-b-queued… so he sends a second set of 50 men and a Captain again. Again, we see irrational thinking of sin. The second Captain did not get it either, and now gets mad and says in verse 11 says “Come down quickly!”. How dare you make the king wait for you.

Again, Elijah shows the power of God, and sitting on the hillside says if I am a man of God may fire come down and consume you… boom.

Now you would think at this point that Ahaziah would have some rational thinking. He just lost 102 men in front of Elijah and he didn’t even have to get up. He just sat on the hillside. But, Ahaziah goes for round 3. Perfect example of a fool…

[Proverbs 27:22 NKJV] 22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, [Yet] his foolishness will not depart from him.

But, his Captain in this third round is a believer in the power of God. He is probably looking at a lot of black spots on the ground at the bottom of the hillside where Elijah is sitting… This was a confirmation in his belief! He humbles himself before Elijah. Notice in verse 13… he falls on his knees, and says… “Oh man of God, I pray you, let my life and the lives of these fifty, your servants, be precious in your sight.” This Captain was a wise man… He sees the power of God probably still smoking, humbles himself before God’s prophet Elijah, and then even shows he cares for his men, and says spare us… This guy is like “Elijah… dude. The king ordered me to come here to you… spare me and my men.” The word comes to Elijah to trust this man. Why because his humility was shown and he respected Elijah. The angel says… you can trust him. Think about it. Elijah is going to be before Ahaziah to give a message that you gonna die… This planning was necessary as these soldiers were not going to run Elijah through with their swords. Remember how was Elijah dressed? He had a leather loin cloth and he was hairy… no weapons.

He goes before Ahaziah and Elijah does not mince words. He tells him exactly as the word was given to him in verse 3. Read verse 16:

[2 Kings 1:16 NKJV] 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.' "

This was the judgement for unbelief. Thank you God for Jesus and the Gospel of Salvation. When we compare the judgement we have just witnessed Jesus explains in Luke chapter 9.

[Luke 9:51-55 NKJV] 51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was [set] for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw [this], they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?" 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.

See Jesus was the glory of our salvation. No more fire from Heaven to consume us of our sin. Jesus tells them in the next verse.

[Luke 9:56 NKJV] 56 "For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save [them]." And they went to another village.

Which lines right up with John 3:17

[John 3:17 NKJV] 17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Jesus came to save from the condemnation of sin. What we can take away from this is that sin will lead us to death.

[James 1:15 NKJV] 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

[2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 NKJV] 7 and to [give] you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The desire that Ahaziah had was what he had been taught by his parents. We all have people that we influence every day. We can show and teach people how to be aligned with God. Ahaziah was troubled and pacing his rooftop when we found him in 2 Kings 1. He was not aligned with God, and this misalignment took him to his deathbed. We have been given the Lamb of God who has taken away the sins of the world. This is our Gospel the good news. Choose to be aligned with Jesus…

[2 Peter 3:9 KJV] 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.