Dullness of Hearing - 2 Kings START

The book of 2 Kings opens with a familiar refrain. The kings of Israel are refusing to listen to the voice of the Lord through His chosen prophets. Now the name "Kings" is really ironic because the kings are not great at all. It is the prophets, those who speak for the Lord that carry Israel along through these tumultuous times.

The book begins with King Ahaziah, the son of the wicked King Ahab having an accident and seeking the god of "Baal" for notice on whether he would recover. At this time the word of the Lord comes to Elijah:
2 Kings 1:3–4 (ESV) 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 went.

When Ahaziah hears that Elijah has told his men this news he demands Elijah's presence most likely to snuff him out once and for all. This is where things get interesting. The king sends three bands of men. The first two interact with Elijah in the same disastrous way:

2 Kings 1:9–10 (ESV) Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’ ” 10 But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

The second group is sent and they meet the same fate. Ahaziah will not get the message.

2 Kings 1:11–12 (ESV) Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king’s order, ‘Come down quickly!’ ” 12 But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

Elijah is well known in scripture for calling down fire from heaven. It's his special skill. Here he calls down the fire to destroy those who would seek to intimidate his message with the importance of the king. Scripture records history well to ensure that future generations will learn that God does not speak through human power but according to His own purpose and plan.

The third detachment comes with the same request but a different spirit.
2 Kings 1:13–14 (ESV) Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before Elijah and entreated him, “O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.”

This third captain humbles himself before Elijah and saves the life of himself and his men. Elijah obliges, goes to the king and delivers his message of certain death.

2 Kings 1:16 (ESV) “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 is now the third attestation to Ahaziah's judgment from Elijah. He does die and judgment is rendered with the word, "therefore". It's a lesson for us in how important it is to guard our ears for the voice of the Lord.

Elijah asks three times if it's because there is no God in Israel that the king consults the false god of Ekron. The problem with Israel's kings is the problem many American Christians have. We get prosperous and successful, we rise to a place of power and importance and we stop listening to the God of Israel. No matter how high we climb, we are still in need of his voice. And when we turn to the wisdom of this world, the standards of our culture, the advice of the unspiritual or the spiritually darkened we threaten our own lives most of all. 

In an age when everyone seems to seek to be their own "King" according to their own "rules" let the Christian humble themself, submit to the Word of God and live.