Pastor John Stasse SYPC am, 31st January 2010
Elijah (25) Elijah’s Enduring Concern (2 Kings 1)
What do you want to be remembered for? That seems to be a thought common to people as they get older, increasingly wanting to make their last days count.
It is now towards the end of Elijah’s life, and here we find his last recorded public act. There is still a private act to go, but as far as the wider world can see this is the last ting Elijah does, and it is clearly aimed by our inspired author to leave a clear imprint upon the public consciousness.
Yet the emphasis is not on Elijah making a memorable splash as he leaves this world, but on the sameness or constancy of his ministry. He finishes as he started his public ministry. There are a lot of parallels here to those first days, as indeed to the key moments of his public ministry.
I hope you can see them: he proclaims a message of judgment to the king, and then as suddenly leaves. Note the words in v.4 “So Elijah departed”, which draw our minds back to 1 Ki 17. Upon hearing the message and the description of the messenger Ahaziah declares “It is Elijah the Tishbite”, which is exactly the way he is introduced in the opening words of 1 Ki 17. There is the parallel hatred of the king in sending his soldiers to look for him, the difference this time being that Elijah was not being hidden by God. But nonetheless the intent of an angry affronted king was the same. Then in v.16 Elijah is told by God to go to the king, just as he had been told to go to Ahab (1 Ki 18:1). Also the event involving fire from heaven took place with Elijah on a hill top, all of which is reminiscent of the Mt Carmel revelation, and clearly aimed to draw attention to it. As is the example the third captain sent to arrest him, who recognises Elijah as a servant of God and humbles himself before God. In so doing he echoes the declaration of those gathered at Mt Carmel, “The Lord, He is God!”
All of this revolves around one key phrase in v.3 in which the Angel of the Lord gets to the heart of the matter: “Is it because there is no God in Israel” – literally and ore graphically ‘Is it because there is no God, none in Israel’.
It is a different king, Ahaziah the son of Ahab having ascended the throne after the death of his father. But the end of 1 Ki 21 leaves us in no doubt as to the character of this man, that he was no better than his father. And what we have here is a recapitulation in miniature of Elijah’s ministry to Ahab. As with the father, so with the son. Nothing but time has changed. God had been exchanged for the Baals of Canaan, which false gods Ahaziah like his father before him served and looked to in times of extremity.
The abiding lesson of Elijah’s ministry is that each generation faces the same question o the identity of the true God, and but for the intervening grace of God will embrace the Baals of their day. But the Lord’s people, recipients of intervening grace declare and call people back to the true and living God.
And yet, as we read this chapter is it not true that we felt an unease by what we read, a measure of uncertainty in terms of how we are to respond?
1. The Common Issue
How do you react to Ahaziah? This king whose reign had barely begun has been deeply humiliated. His empire is crumbling, for we note in v.1 that Moab rebelled. Moab had for many years been paying ‘tribute’ to the Kings of Israel. Their regaining of independence indicates the weakened state politically and militarily of Israel, to the humiliation of the king; and one with severe financial implications for him and his people as a result. Then on top of this national humiliation comes a personal humiliation as a result of falling through a lattice, his injuries being so severe that he was wondering if he was going to live.
How do you react to the soldiers? One hundred men were killed! Were they not merely following orders, and yet fire from heaven incinerates them.
How do you react to Elijah? Do you see him as an austere even heartless prophet sitting on a hill calling down fire on men only seeking to do their duty, men under orders? Is there not even among Christians a note of uncomfortable concern both about the apparent harshness and bluntness of his message, and at the very least confusion about the almost flippant way he calls down fire resulting in the incineration of the soldiers? Do we sense that there is something out of kilter with the NT emphasis on grace and mercy in all of this; too much of personal affront and not enough compassion and patient endurance?
Human sensitivity to others in trouble however appropriate in most circumstances, can nonetheless blind us to the deeper realities of what is happening. And in this present example it is only possible with a superficial reading of the text. So we need to note, secondly,
2. The Real Issue
We hate it when someone deals with us on the basis of their own or another’s judgements, without at the very least hearing our voice on the issue. In the same way surely in this matter we are not to stand by our or another’s judgements, rather we must listen to the voice of God hearing His estimation of the events. While generally we need to be cautious in declaring God’s judgment in terms of specific providences (eg, what God was doing in Haiti, etc), for we do not know; yet here we are guided by Scripture and hence God’s own interpretation of the providential events. As we noted in v.3, the real concern is the acknowledgment of the Lord God of Israel. This is the interpretive key, or God’s voice, to all that transpires; and which enables us to see correctly and interpret the real nature of the action of the key players.
As to Ahaziah: What happened to Ahaziah is declared by God to be a judicial providence. The Book and Chapter break is somewhat artificial, and it is intended that Moab’s rebellion as well as Ahaziah’s fall are to be seen as a consequence of the wickedness of the king.
Yet instead of turning to God in the face of the providential circumstances Ahaziah turned to God’s enemy. Baal-Zebub was the Lord of flies, and attributed as having some healing powers. Jesus identifies this god with satan (Matt 12:24). In other words this was patent occult involvement. Ahaziah was rejecting God for satan. By this Ahaziah was declaring that God couldn’t meet his needs, that this one was a greater god. The OT declares that regardless of motive or how great the need, dabbling in the occult is sin (Lev 19:31; 20:6).
Instead of humbling before God he rages against God, effectively saying ‘anyone else is better’. He is saying I do not want God, I do not need God; here is another I want to meet my need. He rejects God. He commits spiritual adultery in that his love went elsewhere and spiritual separation in that he turned away and deserted God.
What they reveal is the character of this man as a determined, defiant sinner. His response was not to humble himself before God but to bypass God altogether. Though he was well aware of God and instantly knew the name of Elijah, he would look anyway for an answer but to God, despising His Word and His servants the Prophets. His only concern was for himself, showing total indifference even to the soldiers whom he sent to arrest Elijah. He was self-serving, pleasure seeking, and his only concern was to continue life in those terms. In many ways a model of the modern ungodly people.
But equally we see that the national and personal judgments on Ahazaiah allowed ‘space for mercy’ as Pink describes it. God is so slow to anger!
As to the first 2 Captains and their men, this defiance of the king also underlie their actions. There were not passive bystanders, merely following orders (whether mindlessly or out of misplaced loyalty). The phrase “thus the King says” in that world and time was a means of identifying themselves willingly and boldly with the king and his intent – which was clearly to deal with Elijah, having rejected his office. As soldiers of Israel they should’ve served and honoured God but they were enlisted in the spiritual battle on the king’s side. They were mocking God and His Word as spoken through His servant.
As to Elijah: What we notice is that Elijah communicated the uniqueness of God 2 times. Firstly through the servants in v.3, and communicated by ten in v.6, but then personally to the King in v.16. That it is recorded 3 times indicates that more than mere communication was involved, that it was also his heart-felt desire too. His whole being was conformed to this message. He was so consumed with the glory of God that it was an affront to every part of him to see a king of Israel discharged with the public duty of being concerned for the glory of God in the nation of Israel do this. It is no surprise then out of a concern for God’s glory amongst His own people in particular, that he confronts this king and those who represented him in spiritual battle.
The way that Elijah responded to the 2 captains: “If I am a man of God…” is a response to their mocking disparagement not merely of him but of God whom he represented. The fire from heaven not only vindicating Elijah’s office and ministry, which God would not have done if Elijah was acting sinfully, but revealing God’s reality and judgment.
When we see his message against the background of the glory of God then we see that Elijah brought a God-honouring message both to the King and to His Captains. All he said and did put God forward, highlighting who He is and the absolute criminality of not recognising, worshipping and serving Him.
As to the 3rd Captain: All that had been said and done through Elijah was known to him, and by God’s grace is seen to have greatly affected him as he humbled before God. That it was not merely a wise fear of death is seen by his calling him “Man of God”, but without reference to the king, no declaration of the king’s authority or identification with him. In contrast to the other Captains here he saw the truth and humbled himself not merely before Elijah but God, coming with a proper response of reverence. So his life and that of his men were spared – but the king who had refused such humility and reverence would die.
Indeed do we not also see in this action that God has placed a seal on Elijah’s ministry? But does it not also remind us that we cannot manipulate God like turning a gun onto someone. The Spirit works where, when and in whom He wills. Elijah’s ministry was focused on the king, but it s not the king that is dealt with by grace but in the unexpected quarter of the third captain.
The real issue is our attitude to God, understanding that He is a jealous God, and that this is a NT-revealed truth as much as it is in the OT. Rather than trying to minimise this reality, we should come to grips with the fact that our God is a consuming fire (Heb 12:29; Deut 4:24), who demands that He be worshipped with reverence and awe (Heb 12:28). Listen to Jesus in Rev 2:4,5 where He declares that He is a jealous lover, effectively saying if you continue to divide your loyalties and engage in spiritual adultery, I will come in judgement. This is but a glorious declaration by our God that He who created us redeemed us because He wants us to love Him with all our being. Let us also note 2 Thess 1:7-8. Jesus’ giving a season of grace, a day of salvation, does not alter the fact of the coming judgement for those who despise Him, a judgment that is described in terms of fire.
Sinners need to be made aware of this reality concerning God, yet be encouraged to seek mercy from God as did the 3rd Captain for himself and his men. We must beware of being overly focused on God’s judgement, but equally of being under so which is surely the pressure today. We must honour God as He reveals Himself in Scripture, not remake him in the image we perceive would be more palatable to so-called human sensitivities of the modern day. That does not mean that we gloat over the fact and seriousness of His judgement or become judgemental of sinners, but we understand that true sympathy involves speaking out the real danger they are facing while showing them the provision of grace God still freely offers in Jesus Christ who bore that judgement on the cross for repentant sinners who believe in Him. But even more the glory of our God demands that we so proclaim the full and robust gospel.
3. The Same Issue
One of the challenges of a long term ministry is maintaining a consistency in that ministry from one generation to the next, to not weaken in message not only by the passage of time but when confronted by the sin of the rising generation despite all the ground that had been gained.
How easily it would’ve been for Elijah to think ‘What’s the use?’ and to effectively disengage from the quality of his ministry. Yet we see here that age did not weary this man of God, nor did the succeeding waves of sin. As he was in the beginning so he is at the end of his public ministry and life. He didn’t dilute his message; he didn’t give up. He was strong and resolute but not hard-hearted; standing fearlessly against God’s enemies but compassionate and sensitive to those who humble themselves before God.
As such this passage presents us with a real summary of Elijah’s ministry, bringing to the fore the main thrust of his prophetic ministry. It serves as the Holy Spirit’s testimonial to Elijah, but it is also His challenge to succeeding generations of ministers and their congregations. It highlights what sort of man of God the world still needs. This is the man of God Ahab and his son needed, and all generations need. The generations have passed but the need has not.
But Pastor, you might be thinking, what about Luke 9:53-54 where Jesus rebuked James and John for wanting to call down fire from heaven like Elijah. Some have seen in the words a rebuke of Elijah himself, that Elijah was also too harsh. But that is to fail to recognise the vast difference between the two situations. Jesus is not rebuking Elijah, but James and John.
Apart from the fact that the issues were not the same (Elijah responded to a direct attack of the glory of God; they to a non-reception of the gospel), and the difference in that perverse Israel had had the blessing of God’s truth but the Samaritans were relative strangers to it, there was a difference in driving influence. The key phrase being “you don’t know what manner of spirit you are of”. Jesus is saying that they did not act under the influence of the Holy Spirit, but it was their own spirit which was vindictive and malicious. The point is that Elijah in doing what He did as well as saying what he said was because he was influenced by the Holy Spirit.
Oh for such Spirit-filled men and Spirit filled ministries! Faithful in proclaiming the Word of God, confident in the Lord’s calling, fearless in the Lord’s service, consumed by the Lord’s glory. And for such people in our churches who will stand by them. May God hear our prayers to that end.