Pastor Marshall Ochs | September 22, 2024
In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from 2 Kings 1-2. These chapters cover the end of Elijah’s ministry and the start of Elisha’s ministry. Within this transition, we see God declare Himself as the rightful king over Israel and start to understand His plan for bringing redemption to the nation. Elisha replays the Joshua conquest of Canaan, but this time shows mercy over judgment and emphasizes the repercussions of breaking covenant with God. These chapters ask the question, who is the true and rightful king — in Israel, among the nations, and in our own hearts?
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As we move from 1 Kings to 2 Kings, we encounter the tragic continuation of a family legacy of wickedness. Ahaziah, the son of Ahab and Jezebel, reigns in Israel after his father’s death. His reign is marked by the same wickedness that characterized his father and mother, as he "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord." The chronicling of the kings of Judah and Israel serves as a sobering reminder of how the sins of one generation can be passed down to the next.
Ahab’s wickedness didn’t just affect him; it carried over into Ahaziah’s life, leading him to follow in his parents' sinful footsteps. As a result, Ahaziah’s reign is short-lived, marked by tragedy and sickness. What begins with Ahab’s disobedience leads to a national trend of abandoning God’s ways.
In 2 Kings 1:2, Ahaziah reacts to a personal crisis. After falling through a lattice in his upper room and becoming seriously injured, he doesn’t turn to Yahweh, the God of Israel, for help. Instead, he sends messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, a Philistine city. This decision is not only a rejection of Yahweh but also an indication of how far Israel had strayed from the true God.
The fact that Ahaziah sought counsel from a foreign god in another country emphasizes the depth of his spiritual blindness. It wasn’t enough that he had turned to Baal—he went out of his way to seek counsel from a false god outside his nation. As Israel’s leaders continually rejected God’s ways, they created a culture where prayer and seeking Yahweh were unheard of, while turning to idols was the norm.
This challenges us to consider how the normalization of sin may influence our societies, families, and lives. When sin becomes commonplace, it desensitizes us to God, His Word, His commandments, His holiness, and His leading. We may begin to seek worldly solutions to problems, forgetting that God alone is our source of wisdom, guidance, and healing. He has given us everything we need for life and godliness!
Reflection Questions:
Are there areas where you continue in sin from previous generations? Will you repent and turn to Christ? He will clothe us in righteousness!
Ahaziah didn’t turn to Yahweh when he faced a crisis; instead, he sought help from Baal in a foreign land. Where do you turn in times of trouble?
Are there areas in your life where you are seeking worldly solutions instead of turning to God for help? How can you shift your focus back to God, the Source of all we need?
The normalization of sin led Ahaziah to consider seeking God as abnormal. Will you ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any sins you have been desensitized to or ways you’ve looked at the world for answers?
2 Kings 1:3-18
At first glance, Ahaziah is a king who wants to assert his power and control, sending soldiers to bring Elijah to him. But below the surface, this passage reveals a much deeper struggle: a battle between two kings—Ahaziah and Yahweh. Who is the true king of Israel? Who holds the authority to govern the lives of the people?
Like many today, Ahaziah had allowed sin to distort his view of power and authority. He thought he could control the situation by sending armies of fifty men to force Elijah, the prophet of God, to bend to his will. But as we see in this passage, Yahweh’s power is supreme. In the face of Ahaziah’s arrogance, fire falls from heaven, consuming the soldiers. The conflict between Ahaziah and Yahweh is about more than just political power—it’s about who has the right to rule.
This story mirrors the earlier confrontation in 1 Kings 18:20-45, where fire fell from heaven in the showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Just as that conflict was about showing who the true God is, the conflict between Ahaziah and Yahweh is about revealing who the true King is.
Just as Ahaziah tried to rule over Israel, we often try to rule over our own lives. We might not send armies, but we often resist God's authority, acting as if we are in charge. Sin distorts our view, making us think we are the kings and queens of our lives. But this passage reminds us that God is the true King, the One who governs and holds all authority. It challenges us to recognize that we are not in control and to surrender to His authority.
In contrast to Ahaziah’s arrogance, we see the humility of the third captain sent to Elijah. After witnessing what happened to the previous two groups, he falls down before Elijah and pleads for mercy. This captain acknowledges that he is not in control and that Elijah’s God, Yahweh, is the true King. His humility saves him and his men from the consuming fire.
This moment invites us to consider our posture before God. Are we like Ahaziah, stubbornly trying to assert our own rule? Or are we like the third captain, willing to bow down, admit our need for mercy, and recognize God as King over our lives?
Reflection Questions:
Ahaziah tries to assert his power by sending troops to capture Elijah. Are there areas in your life where you are trying to assert control instead of surrendering to God’s authority?
What steps can you take this week to surrender those areas to Him?
Are there moments when you’ve resisted God’s authority? How can you learn from those moments?
The third captain falls down and pleads for mercy, acknowledging Yahweh’s power. Are you willing to humble yourself before God and declare His sovereignty?
2 Kings 2
Elijah and Elisha’s final journey together, from Bethel to Jericho to the Jordan River, mirrors the reverse of Joshua’s conquest of the Promised Land. This reversal symbolizes a time of spiritual decline in Israel—a land now polluted with idolatry and rebellion against Yahweh.
As Elijah and Elisha cross the Jordan, they part the waters, just as Joshua did in his conquest of the land. But now, the parting of the waters represents something different—a departure. Prophets are leaving the land, signaling that the people no longer welcome Yahweh's presence. Elisha is tested three times, tempted to “stay back,” but he remains faithful, passing the test to follow his master Elijah to the end.
This transition from Elijah to Elisha mirrors the earlier transition from Moses to Joshua. Elisha isn’t just asking for power; he’s asking for the same authority and responsibility that Elijah carried—the authority to proclaim that Yahweh is King.
Elisha’s success in receiving the “double portion” hinges on one condition: that he sees Elijah taken up to heaven. But what is it that Elisha truly sees? He sees Yahweh’s greater army—the chariots and horsemen of fire, the power and majesty of God far beyond any earthly king or kingdom. This vision is not just about Elijah’s departure but Yahweh’s authority. Elisha understands Elijah’s anointing: Yahweh is the true King, and His rule is unmatched.
Elisha picks up Elijah’s mantle, a symbol of his authority, and crosses back into Israel. Once again, Joshua’s conquest message is proclaimed: Yahweh is King.
Something interesting happens after Elisha crosses the Jordan. Where we expect judgment, we see mercy—at Jericho, a city once cursed, Elisha brings healing to the water supply (2 Kings 2:19-22). And where we expect mercy, we see judgment—at Bethel, the center of idolatrous worship, young boys mock Elisha, and Yahweh sends she-bears in judgment (2 Kings 2:23-25).
The mockery isn’t about Elisha’s physical appearance; it’s about rejecting his authority as a prophet and, more importantly, rejecting God’s authority. Bethel was steeped in Baal worship, and the boys’ mocking words reflected a deep-seated rejection of Yahweh: “God has no authority here!” This act of rebellion recalls the warnings from Leviticus 26:21-24, where God promises judgment for those who break His covenant.
The she-bears symbolize God’s covenant judgment. Elisha’s curse isn’t arbitrary—it’s a response to a people who have long rejected Yahweh’s authority. This is a reminder that while God’s mercy is real, His judgment is also inevitable for those who mock and reject Him.
This passage brings us to a critical question: Who is the true and rightful King over our lives? Is it Yahweh, the one true God, or do we allow other “kings” to rule—whether they are cultural idols, our own desires, or even human authorities who reject God? The people of Israel had allowed idolatry to pollute their land, just as we sometimes allow sin and rebellion to pollute our hearts.
In a world where God is often mocked or dismissed, we have a choice. Will we, like Ahaziah, seek to blame others for our spiritual condition and chase after false gods? Or will we, like Elisha, pick up the mantle of faith, roll it up, and get to work proclaiming the truth that Yahweh is King?
The answer to this question has already been given. At Pentecost, fire fell from heaven, just as it did in Elijah’s day, signifying the outpouring of God’s Spirit and the beginning of the Church’s mission to proclaim the gospel to the nations. The battle over who will be king is over—every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord (Romans 14:11). Our task is to proclaim that truth, bringing healing to cursed cities and warning those who mock God of the coming judgment.
Reflection Questions:
Elisha was tested three times to stay back but chose to follow Elijah to the end. Are there areas in your life where you are being tempted to “stay back” from following God fully?
What can you do to press forward and remain faithful, even when others encourage you to turn away?
Are there areas where you’ve been tempted to let other “kings” take the throne? How can you surrender those areas to God today?
The judgment on the boys in Bethel was a result of mocking God’s authority. Do you see evidence of God’s authority being mocked in our society today?
Elisha picked up Elijah’s mantle and crossed the Jordan, symbolizing his role in continuing God’s mission. Are you ready to “pick up the mantle” and proclaim that Yahweh is King in your sphere of influence?
What practical steps can you take this week to be a voice for God’s authority and truth?
Lord, we acknowledge that You are the One true King. Forgive us for the times we have allowed other “kings” to rule over our hearts. Like Elisha, we want to be faithful to You, following wherever You lead, even when others tell us to turn back. Help us to see Your authority clearly and to proclaim that You are King with boldness and grace. Give us the strength to pick up the mantle of faith and bring healing to our communities, knowing that the fire of Your Spirit empowers us to fulfill Your mission. In Jesus’ name, Amen.