SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 1
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. “Man of God,” he begged, “please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!” [2 Kings 1:13-14]
Wow, fire from heaven, and 100 innocent men…
Why did the king not come to his senses – first when Elijah warns him, and then after he loses his soldiers, twice?
One thing is for sure, God seems to work very differently today.
He does not send fire by my word – and I am glad that He doesn’t.
This would be a scary power.
Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them–do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” [Luke 13:1-5]
God is not less holy or less powerful.
And the need for repentance is just as real today, as it was in Elijah’s day.
Jesus brings about a whole new way of relating to God – not as fire but as friend.
And yet, we must still repent.
To repent is to admit that there is a problem in us, that we need God’s mercy and help.
To repent is to recognize the truth about God and ourselves, and to seek Him out in humility and hope.
Ahaziah did not recognize God; he was more confident in Baal-Zebub.
The first one hundred soldiers did not recognize the man of God, or the God behind him.
The last 50 soldiers and their captain did – and they repented.
The message is the same for EVERY person: God is great, God is good!
Humble yourself before Him, and He will have mercy on us!
PRAYER:
Lord, I sense Your gentle whisper (the Spirit in me), compelling me to repent. May I heed Your voice today.
Our God is a consuming fire! Forgive my flippant attitude at times. Your compassion is new every morning but do I fear You? I haven’t seen too many people experience your wrath in such a dramatic way but Your omnipotence is still able to do so. But in Christ I know that mercy triumphed over justice. I deserve the same fate as the 100 soldiers but Your love sees me as a child redeemed by the blood of Jesus. Thank you Lord.
As the leader goes, so go the people. God presence was not recognized in the land. And those in authority have the great responsibility to walk in His way.
God speaks, and I must hear His voice. God spoke to the king with the death of the soldiers but the king did not listen. His heart was hardened like that of pharaoh. No repentance. The last group of soldiers did see and hear the voice of the Lord. They saw the presence of God.
Where will I see Jesus today? Whom do I serve? May it be evident thatas I live this day for Jesus, it is through
God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down.
He is my All in all.
All that I am I owe to Thee,
Thy wisdom, Lord, has fashioned me;
I give my Maker thankful praise,
Whose wondrous works my soul amaze.
Ere into being I was brought,
Thine eye did see, and in Thy thought
My life in all its perfect plan
Was ordered ere my days began.
Thy thoughts, O God, how manifold,
More precious unto me than gold!
I muse on their infinity,
Awaking I am still with Thee.
Search me, O God, my heart discern,
Try me, my inmost thought to learn;
And lead me, if in sin I stray,
To choose the everlasting way.