2 Kings 1 (WK) - Bible Truth Library

let fire.Or, rather, as the original literally imports, and the LXX. render, [katabesetai pyr,] fire shall come down; Elijah's words being simply declarative, and not imprecatory.

Num. 11:1• ¹{i}And it came to pass that when the people murmured, it was evil in the ears of Jehovah; and Jehovah heard it, and his anger was kindled, and the fire of Jehovah burned among them, and consumed some in the extremity of the camp.{/i} (Num. 11:1)

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Num. 16:35• ³⁵And there came out a fire from Jehovah, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. (Num. 16:35)

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Job 1:16• ¹⁶While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. (Job 1:16)

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Psa. 106:18• ¹⁸And a fire burned in their company,{HR}A flame consumed wicked ones. (Psa. 106:18)

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Luke 9:54• ⁵⁴And his disciples James and John seeing [it], said, Lord, wilt thou that we speak [that] fire come down from heaven and consume them, as also Elias did? (Luke 9:54)

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Heb. 12:29• ²⁹For also our God is a consuming fire. (Heb. 12:29)

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Rev. 11:5• ⁵And if Anyone desire to hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if Anyone desire to hurt them, thus must he be killed. (Rev. 11:5)

consumed.

Dan. 3:22,25• ²²{i}Forasmuch as the king's commandment was rigorous, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that had taken up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.{/i}
²⁵He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. (Dan. 3:22,25)

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Dan. 6:24• ²⁴{i}And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces ere they came to the bottom of the den.{/i} (Dan. 6:24)

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Acts 12:19• ¹⁹But Herod having sought him out without finding [him] examined the guards and commanded [them] to be led away [to execution] , and he went down from Judea unto Caesarea and stayed [there]. (Acts 12:19)

• {Compare} The Lord’s words to His disciples. They would have liked, like Elijah, to have brought down fire from heaven upon the Samaritans because they did not receive their Master. “Ye know not of what spirit ye are,” He told them, severely censuring them (Luke 9:51-56). In effect, at this moment He was the rejected Christ steadfastly setting His face to go to Jerusalem to be offered up as a burnt offering. Was this the moment to judge, when in grace He was Himself to be slain and for our salvation to endure the fire of God’s judgment? (“Elijah and Ahaziah: 2 Kings 1” by H.L. Rossier)

• But in this passage Elijah is not only a figure of Christ; he is also a type of the faithful, suffering remnant in the end times. Elijah “must come” in the person of those witnesses in the Revelation, of whom it is said: “If any one wills to injure them, fire goes out of their mouth, and devours their enemies. And if any one wills to injure them, thus must he be killed” (Rev. 11:5). (“Elijah and Ahaziah: 2 Kings 1” by H.L. Rossier)

• “A man of God.” “Is it because there is not a God in Israel?” he had said to Ahaziah. God was vindicating His character in the presence of apostasy and had chosen His prophet to be the powerful witness to this. (“Elijah and Ahaziah: 2 Kings 1” by H.L. Rossier)

• While Elijah was yet walking in the midst of Israel, fire from heaven, the judgment of God, was at his disposal, not to destroy sinners but to consume the burnt offering. A sacrifice had then answered for the people, and God’s judgment had fallen upon the victim in order to bring about the deliverance of Israel. From now on this hour of grace was past. Elijah, seated on high, would cause fire to fall from heaven upon his enemies—upon this king who, forgetting all fear, had the audacity to give orders to God! (“Elijah and Ahaziah: 2 Kings 1” by H.L. Rossier)

J. N. Darby Translation

And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, And if I be a man of God, let fire come down from the heavens and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from the heavens, and consumed him and his fifty.

W. Kelly Translation

WK Verse Note

(Note: Words in italics have been inserted from the J. N. Darby translation where the W. Kelly translation doesn’t exist.)