The first chapter of 2 Kings centers on King Ahaziah. It doesn’t focus much on his reign but rather on God’s role. The main concern is God’s place in the royal house of the northern kingdom.
Ahab’s son was just as wicked as his father. He faced God’s judgment in many ways. Politically, Moab started to rebel against Israel. Economically, God blocked the king from business ventures with the southern kingdom. Lastly, Ahaziah’s life was endangered when he fell through the latticework of his house (2 Kings 1:1-2).
Like his father, Ahaziah turned away from Yahweh and worshiped Baal. So, it made sense that he would seek Baal’s guidance about his health.
He sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury” (2 Kings 1:2).
It’s interesting to note that the author of Second Kings may have altered Baal’s name. By changing the letter “l” to a “b”, Baal-zebul changes from “Baal is prince” to Baal-zebub, “Baal is dung.”
The king sought a deity that was as worthless as what is flushed down the toilet. God had a message for Ahaziah, and he communicated it to Elijah.
But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Get up, go 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?
Now therefore thus says the Lord: You shall not leave the bed to which you have gone, but you shall surely die.” So Elijah went (2 Kings 1:3-4).
It’s easy to view the study of Ahaziah as just a history lesson or something unrelated to us. But let’s take a moment to consider where we get our information and how we make decisions.
- Do we rely on social media for how we understand life?
- Do we listen to news sources that only give us the information we want to hear?
- Do we trust our gut feelings alone?
- Could it be that the advice we’re getting about how to live our lives no better than what we flush down the toilet?
- Are we choosing these over seeking guidance from God?
The messengers sent to inquire of Baal returned quickly. When the king asked why they came back so soon, they said they had met Elijah.
The king then wanted an answer from Elijah and sent two teams of 50 men to meet him. Each time, God sent fire from heaven to consume those men.
The third captain of 50 soldiers approached Elijah with humility and respect.
Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. So 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.
Look, 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” (2 Kings 1:13-14).
This time, an angel told Elijah to meet with the king and deliver a message from God.
Then the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he set out and went down with him to the king and 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 leave the bed to which you have gone, but you shall surely die” (2 Kings 1:15-16).
Baal-zebub Vs. God
You might know the term Beelzebub as the lord of the dung or the lord of the flies. Later in Jewish history, this term was used for Satan.
In Elijah’s time, there was a conflict with someone who claimed to be a prince but was just the owner of flies on dung.
God showed his power through the prophet, making it clear to all of Israel that there is only one true God, not Baal-Zebub, but God himself.
Can you imagine God sending a prophet to you today and asking, “Where are you getting information on how to live your life?”
I hope our answer will be, “I prayerfully read the Bible and look for where God is at work. Then, I do everything possible to align my life with His direction for me.”
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 