The last paragraph of 1 Kings relates the general tenor of King Ahaziah and his reign over Israel. He only reigned two years, and like his father Ahab before him, “He did evil in the sight of the Lord” (1 Kings 22:52). He like his father was one who worshiped the idol Baal and “provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.” Near the end of Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah, the text of 2 Chronicles 20:35 refers to Ahaziah as a wicked king who Jehoshaphat foolishly allied himself with, thus tarnishing his reign in his final days.
The end of Ahaziah is interesting, and takes up the first chapter of 2 Kings. The chapter reveals how God judged Ahaziah for his idolatry, and took his life. The account also refers to the prophet Elijah, who was such a thorn in the side of King Ahab.
The account, begins with an simple, unheroic injury to the king. The text says that he fell through the lattice in his upper room in Samaria, and hurt himself (2). True to his nature, instead of inquiring to God, Ahaziah turned to Baal; “so he sent messengers and said to them, ‘Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury’” (2 Kings 1:2).
Any attempt to bypass God is doomed to failure. God is always in complete control. There is an end to His longsuffering, and He ultimately is the one who determines the reign of kings and kingdoms (cf. Acts 17:26). This was a truth that Ahaziah either ignored, or did not believe, but it was clearly demonstrated in God’s judgment.
Here God again used his servant Elijah. He told Elijah to go to the messengers that Ahaziah had sent, and tell 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.’” (3-4).
So, God judged Ahaziah, and condemned him to death regarding the injury he sustained. The men returned to the king rather than continuing on to Ekron, and described the great prophet to him. The description is interesting, and supplies the truth that God does not see men like other men do (cf. 1 Samuel 16:7). In this case the messengers of the king said that the man who talked to them was “A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.” (8). Obviously Ahaziah was familiar with the prophet’s interactions with his father Ahab, and said “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
Ahab, face to face, had called Elijah “O troubler of Israel” (1 Kings 18:17). He and Jezebel hated the prophet, and sought his death. He would have been killed if not for the Lord’s protection. And now, he was interfering with Ahab’s son Ahaziah.
Ahaziah would have nothing of it, and sent a cadre of 50 men to bring Elijah to him. Can you believe that after the defeat and execution of 450 prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:40), and the death of his father Ahab and his mother Jezebel, Ahaziah thought he could effectively stop the mouth of the prophet of Jehovah God?
The captain of the 50 men said to Elijah, “Man of God, the king has said, ‘Come down!’” (9). There is such arrogance in the proclamation. The imperiousness of the king is evident. He demanded Elijah to come to him. In response, 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” (2 Kings 1:10).
Here we see the danger of pride. This was the downfall of the Egyptian Pharoah during his contest with Moses. He was king. He was himself as a god. He did not believe he could be defeated. His heart was hardened not only during the plagues, but after as he pursued Israel to the Red Sea.
Ahaziah was the same way. Such a demonstration was not enough, and he sent another captain with another 50 men, who suffered the same fate. Finally, a third captain came with 50 more men, but the captain at least was convinced of God’s power. Rather than saying, “the king has said, Come down” he said, “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” (13-14). The Lord relented, and told Elijah to go to the king.
The judgment did not change. The message was identical. Ahaziah was judged for appealing to Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, and was told, “Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die” (16).
“So Ahaziah died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken” (17). His legacy as a king for two short years was lamentable. He did evil in the sight of the Lord.
His story serves as a warning to any who seek to do evil or to worship another god. It doesn’t matter if it was in his time or in our time, we can’t exalt ourselves against Jehovah! “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble’” (James 4:6). If you want to please Him, be humble, and obey His will for you. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Concerning the righteous, “Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:12).
