ELIJAH--THE MAN OF GOD

2 Kings 1:1-6

Morning Meditation 3/22/2014

"Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed. And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die."

Ahaziah, the son of a wicked father, meets with an accident, and is sick, then he desires to inquire of the god of Ekron. His fall might have been a great blessing to him as it made him feel the need of divine assistance; but, instead of calling upon the God of Heaven, he chose to inquire of the god of flies, and thus ignore the Lord God of Israel. But God is not mocked; He thrusts His servant Elijah right in the front of the king's messengers with the sentence of death. The prophet appears before us here as a "man of God," and as such let us consider him. Let's notice first of all--

HE WAS COMMISSIONED

"The angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, Arise, go . . . and say unto them, Is it because there is no God in Israel that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub?" (vs 3). As a man of God, he was called upon to speak on God's behalf. Is there not a great need for definite testimony along this line today? The world needs men of God who have been commissioned to preach the gospel to every creature. In the process sin has to be exposed and a call for repentance issued. Men like this are not popular. Next--

HE WAS BELIEVED

The turning back of the messengers proved they were convinced that this man spoke with more than human authority, then, after describing his appearance to the king, he said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite" (vs 8).

He was believed because God identified Himself with Elijah. Elijah said to two captains each with fifty soldiers with him "If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty." This happened to two captains with their fifty.

When the third captain came with his fifty he said in 2 Kings 1:13-15, "And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight. And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king." It certainly encouraged the faith of the third captain when the two captains with their fifty were destroyed by fire at the command of Elijah. Next--

HE WAS VINDICATED

"Elijah said, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from Heaven" (vss10-12). It happened as Elijah said and God vindicated His man by judgement upon these wicked idolaters.

One of the things that has to happen before the man of God can accomplish anything. His calling and authority from the throne of God must be established. God on this occasion established Elijah as His man. Today a man of God is vindicated through the written Word. Next--

HE WAS FEARED

The third captain, who came with his fifty, came in a different spirit. He had learned, through the terrible doom of his predecessors, that this seemingly meek and helpless "man of God" was not to be spoken against with impunity.. He was a man for whom the Almighty fought, and who had all the forces of Heaven on his side. "He came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him for his life and the life of the fifty." Next--

HE WAS FAITHFUL

"The angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, God down with him, and he arose and went" (vs 15). The third captain prevailed, not by commanding the man of God to "come down," but by casting himself down at the prophet's feet. God had respect unto this man's prayer.

The call of God is upon the people of God and the expectation of the Lord is to be faithful.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White