May 13 Daily Devotional

2 Kings 1

After Ahab died, Ahaziah, his son, became king of Israel. He fell down through a lattice in his palace at Samaria. Finally he sent messengers into the land of the Philistines, saying 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.”

The messengers decided not to go on to Ekron, but returned to king Ahaziah. Seeing them, he enquired why they were back so soon. They replied, “There came a man up to meet us, and said to 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.” The king enquired, “What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?” They answered and said, “He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins.” This information was sufficient for the king, for he knew “it is Elijah the Tishbite.”

As he was greatly displeased with the message of the man of God, Ahaziah desired to capture him. So he sent a company of soldiers to bring the prophet to Samaria. They found him sitting on the top of a hill. When the captain asked him to come down, Elijah replied, “If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty.” And so it came to pass, fire came down, consuming the men. When this company of soldiers did not return with the prophet, the king sent a second company. This company was destroyed just like the first was. Then the ruler, being enraged, sent a third company.

The captain of this company knowing what had happened to the two companies, went up to the top of the hill and fell on his knees before Elijah, saying, “O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.” At this time the angel of the Lord advised the prophet not to be afraid and go with the captain. So Elijah came to the palace and boldly entered into the room of the king. He told Ahaziah the same words that had been told the messengers. These words became true.