Some men are qualified for a place of leadership because of special talents or training, while others, who are not capable of honor, inherit power or position, even thrones. However, God in His government might allow such men to rule because of the people's moral state. This was the case with Ahaziah; years of rebellion and idolatry in Israel had brought upon them just such a king.
God will hold leaders, or those in authority, responsible to rule in righteousness and to give the light of God to their subjects (Gen. 1:14-1814And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:14‑18)). Israel was the nation in which the principles of righteousness, coupled with the light from God, were to be displayed.
If a man in a special position is unable to carry out his responsibility, he can own his failure to God, as King David did in 2 Sam. 23:1-51Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 2The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 3The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 4And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. 5Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. (2 Samuel 23:1‑5).
In the history of Ahaziah (1 Kings 22:51-5351Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. 52And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin: 53For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the Lord God of Israel, according to all that his father had done. (1 Kings 22:51‑53)), there is a summing up of evils of former leaders. Ahab wrought wickedness so that there were none like him before or after; Jezebel, the daughter of the king of the Sidonians, a cursed race, introduced idolatry into Israel in the worship of Baal; and even Jeroboam, who had made Israel to sin long before, was mentioned here.
Ahaziah should have learned from these and taken a different course, but instead he condoned and followed their wickedness, his evil fostering being his downfall. Many mothers of faith were rewarded with sons as Moses, Hezekiah, Lemuel, and Josiah.
Although Ahaziah was bound in the chains of idolatrous religious tradition by father and mother, still he was conscious that he must answer to God. Special responsibility rests with the king of God's people, and he was made well aware of this by the affliction that came his way. The principles of God's government found here are the same today; they change not. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:77Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7)).
Instead of turning to the Lord and inquiring of God's prophet, Ahaziah willfully sent to inquire of Baal-zebub. Because they turn not "to the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isa. 8:2020To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:20)). During the time of the great tribulation, Israel "taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first" (Matt. 12:4545Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. (Matthew 12:45)).
"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 inquire of Baal-zebub 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" (2 Kings 1:3,43But 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 inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? 4Now 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. (2 Kings 1:3‑4)).
To the messengers of Ahaziah Elijah brought the solemn word from Jehovah, "Thou.... shalt surely die." It has been said, "Hope springs eternal within the human breast," but this is man's logic, not God's Word. The day is nearing when the only testimony to be carried to the false king is that of death.
Just before the Son of man comes to take His kingdom, two witnesses will bear testimony in Jerusalem to the fact that God is the God of the earth as well as of heaven, and the apostate rulers who refuse to listen will be cut off (Psa. 76:1212He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth. (Psalm 76:12); Psa. 82).
The fact that there is a God in heaven is rarely opposed, but to speak of the God of the earth or the God of Israel, referring to Christ, irritates man. Man would rather that God remain in heaven and not interfere with earth, man's world, as he calls it.
"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse" (Mal. 4:5,6).
In this passage Elijah is a type of Christ who will replace all prophets, and He alone is able to turn hearts, whether of fathers or children.
God is following His people (Deut. 11:1212A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. (Deuteronomy 11:12)). They may be afflicted, scattered, and peeled; their shepherds may exact and feed themselves of them, but a Shepherd will arise. "Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out" (Ezek. 34:1111For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. (Ezekiel 34:11)). "I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD" (Ezek. 34:1515I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 34:15)).
Had not Israel said at the trial of Jesus, "His blood be on us, and on our children"? (Matt. 27:2525Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. (Matthew 27:25)) Before Israel's history was complete, they not only had slain their Creator but had made it clear that they did not wish for such a Man as Jesus to reign over them (Luke 19:1414But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. (Luke 19:14)).
At the death of Jesus there were present chief priests, scribes, Pharisees, Herodians, and Gentile rulers arrayed against Him (Acts 4:25-2725Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, (Acts 4:25‑27)). "Nevertheless man being in honor abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish" (Psa. 49:1212Nevertheless man being in honor abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish. (Psalm 49:12)).
To slay their own Messiah made Israel more guilty than other nations, though all shared in it. There was never a day guiltier than the day of the crucifixion.
First, however, Israel must become guilty (Hos. 5:1515I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. (Hosea 5:15)), that is to say, they must acknowledge that they are such. When this acknowledgment takes place, it will be on the part of their leaders first (Joel 2:1717Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? (Joel 2:17)).
The two thieves on the outside crosses are also a picture of guilty Israel before their Messiah; one fears God and in tribulation gives testimony to the other who proves to be an apostate. The believing. one asked that he be remembered when the Messiah would come into His kingdom (Luke 23:39-4339And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:39‑43)).
"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 inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die" (2 Kings 1:5,65And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? 6And 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 inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. (2 Kings 1:5‑6)).
For those who will follow the false christ in Israel there will be no hope. "And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord GOD of hosts" (Isa. 22:1414And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord God of hosts. (Isaiah 22:14)). "And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness" (Isa. 8:2222And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness. (Isaiah 8:22)). Such will be the end for those who refuse to repent in Israel.
"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" (2 Kings 1:7,87And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words? 8And 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. (2 Kings 1:7‑8)).
Upon hearing the description, there was no question in the king's mind that it was the prophet Elijah.
We would do well if our dress, deportment, and manner of life told to Whom we belong.
"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. And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, 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" (2 Kings 1:9,109Then 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. 10And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, 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. (2 Kings 1:9‑10)).
In following Baal, Ahaziah had lost all sense of what was proper in addressing the man of God. Little did he realize the greatness and power of Almighty God. This spirit will characterize the leaders of the people of Israel at the end, just before judgment. Arrogance and self-sufficiency will clothe their pride.
The book of Proverbs declares, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased" (Prov. 9:10,1110The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 11For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. (Proverbs 9:10‑11)).
Ahaziah's days were shortened, for he lived out only two years of his reign. He had no sons.
It seems as though there was no understanding with Ahaziah, and the prophet's terrible rebuke had no apparent effect upon him. Ahab, his father, had repented at Elijah's rebuke, but Ahaziah did not repent.
The second request through the second captain and his fifty, which was more urgent, only showed how heartless the king was toward his servants and how irreverent and independent he was toward God. "For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not" (Job 33:1414For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. (Job 33:14)).
When evil reaches its peak and rises up to heaven, God will act. The glory of God is seen in two aspects in Scripture, the glory of His grace (Isa. 60) and the glory of judgment (Isa. 63;66).
"Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly. And Elijah answered and said unto them, If 1 be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty." (2 Kings 1:11,1211Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly. 12And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. (2 Kings 1:11‑12)).
In reviewing these pictures of repentance found in Elijah's ministry, we are impressed with the purpose before the Spirit of God in giving man a foundation for the precious truth which was to be brought in later.
There can be no new birth without repentance as we have seen in tracing the seven pictures in the ministry of Elijah. There can be no salvation without deep heart searchings and self-judgment before a holy God. This golden key is available to all of Adam's race who desire it. May all, as Job, repent in dust and ashes.
"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" (2 Kings 1:1313And 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. (2 Kings 1:13)).
As this humbling took place, the prophet's favor rested upon the third captain and his fifty, the remnant of faith, while judgment was the portion of the first two captains with their fifties, who were apostates.
So with Israel. After the terrible tribulation judgments, called "Jacob's trouble" by Jeremiah, will have brought the people to their knees, they will own the Lord to be their God, and the leaders will plead for mercy. (See Joel 2 and Deut. 32:35-3735To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. 36For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left. 37And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted, (Deuteronomy 32:35‑37).)
Upon repentance and the humbling of themselves before God, one-third of all who will be in the Land at that time will be spared to form the kingdom of Israel again (Zech. 13:8,98And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God. (Zechariah 13:8‑9); Isa. 17:77At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 17:7)). This is illustrated by the three captains and their fifties. In the first two instances a rebellious attitude was seen as the prophet calls fire down from heaven upon them, but the last prefigures a godly remnant of Israel who will be the seed of Jehovah (Jezreel) to again people the Land that was chosen by God to be the center of the new earth, having none other but Jesus, the Son of man, as their King.
Soon the day will be here when the iniquity of Israel will have come to an end.
In the prayer of Moses, the man of God, (Psa. 90:33Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. (Psalm 90:3)) he says, "Thou turnest man to destruction; and sagest, Return, ye children of men."
When the last enemy comes in like a flood and encircles the Land, Israel's power will be gone (Deut. 32:3636For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left. (Deuteronomy 32:36)), and all nations of the earth will be against them (Zech. 12:33And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. (Zechariah 12:3)). At their cry, fury rises in Jehovah's face (Ezek. 38:1818And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that my fury shall come up in my face. (Ezekiel 38:18)), and He shall lop the bough with terror (Isa. 10:3333Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled. (Isaiah 10:33)).
"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. And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. So he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken" (2 Kings 1:15-1715And 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. 16And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. 17So he died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son. (2 Kings 1:15‑17)).
Ahaziah died without any sons to sit upon the throne. He prefigures the end of old apostate Israel whose inheritance will come to a close (Matt. 24:3434Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. (Matthew 24:34)).
In the gospels the Lord Jesus gives us several pictures which set forth Israel's happy future, where faith is in exercise. We notice that a leader is mentioned in two examples.
One striking picture is that of the nobleman's son who was restored (John 4:43-5443Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. 44For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honor in his own country. 45Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast. 46So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 51And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. 54This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judea into Galilee. (John 4:43‑54)).
In Mark 5 we find a sequence of three: the demoniac, a sample of Israel in their last state under the power of demons, as the nation in the time of King Ahaziah, seeking to Baal-zebub rather than to God; next, the woman healed of an issue by touching the garment of Jesus, a glimpse of the calling out of the church; finally, the giving of life to Jairus' daughter.
There is something very delicate and touching in the last account. Only God can raise the dead, and all men will be raised eventually, some to everlasting life, some to be sentenced to their eternal doom. The resurrection of the nation of Israel is typified in the raising of Jairus' daughter, twelve years of age. It is prophetically stated in Psa. 110, "Thou hast the dew of thy youth."
Within a happy house which stood
On Galilean hill,
A little daughter lived whose feet
And tongue were never still;
No lambkin frolicking beside
A running stream's fair water
Could ever be more gay than she,
That merry little daughter.
One day into that happy house
Came sorrow dark and gray,
The little daughter of the house
Lay dying all the day.
And as the dusk of night came down,
And evening breezes sighed
Through flower and tree
And o'er the sea
The little daughter died.
Then to the sad distracted house
So full of dark and gloom,
Came Jesus Light of Life -and stood
In little daughter's room.
"Lambkin!" He said, "Wake up!"
He said; So clear His word and plain
The little daughter heard, and quick
Her spirit came again.
Her little loving spirit ran
To greet the Voice divine;
The busy tongue began to talk,
The merry eyes to shine;
The mischief in them came again
For every one to see;
The dancing feet began again
To jump and slide with glee;
And all the house was gay again,
With happiness aflame,
Because Lord Jesus came, and called
That little daughter's name.
-Fay Inchfawn
This is the glorious end that God has in view for His earthly people, Israel, but only after they have repented in their leaders, as was the case with the last captain and his fifty.
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