Theme: COMMENTARY ON HEBREWS 11:32 - 40
Text: “And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words? And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite. Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.” – 2 Kings 1:7-9.
Comment: When Ahaziah the king of Israel fell down from his upper chamber, he sent messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron to find out if he would recover from his injuries. This was contrary to the law of God. (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 18:10-12) Consequently, God Almighty directed Elijah to meet the messengers of King Ahaziah and ask him why him he should seek help from Baal-zebub and not God Almighty. He was also to tell the messengers that the king would die from the sickness. (2 Kings 1:3-6) The message was passed. But the king’s response showed gross arrogance rather than humility. Two captains leading 50 soldiers each came and spoke roughly to Elijah and were destroyed; but the officer leading the third band spoke humbly to Elijah, following which the angel of God asked him to follow them. But despite hearing directly from Elijah, the king did not show contrition and so died from his condition.
The lesson is that people of God should avoid interfaith, else their conditions would be worse. (Isaiah 8:19; Matthew 6:24) The story also shows the benefits of humbling oneself before God, even if one is following orders. Those who sin should take warning and repent thoroughly else they would die in their sins. – Ezekiel 18:30-32.