2 Kings 1

 

1 Then, after the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers and said to them, Go, inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron to see whether I will recover of this disease. 3 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 to them, Is there no God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? 4 Now the LORD says this, You will not come down from that bed on which you have gone up, but will surely die. And Elijah departed.

 

  • Ekron was a Philistine city.
  • Imagine the king of God’s nation on earth asking advice of the devil.
  • Ahaziah had only ruled for two years when judgment was pronounced against him for idolatry. God is actively sovereign over mankind.
  • 1Kings 22:52 And 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: 53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.


5 And when the messengers turned back to him, he said to them, Why have you returned? 6 And they said to him, A man came up to meet us and said to us, Go, return to the king that sent you and say to him, The LORD says this, Is there no God in Israel, that you sent to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not come down from that bed on which you have gone up, but will surely die.

 

  • God sent a death sentence on Ahaziah because he was leading his people to eternal death.
  • Jeremiah 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to abide his indignation.
  • Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
  • 1Corinthians 8:4…we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

 

7 And he said to them, What was the appearance of the man that came up to meet you, and told you these words? 8 And they answered him, He was a hairy man with a leather belt around his waist. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite. 9 Then the king sent to him a commander of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and behold, he sat on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him, Man of God, the king has said, Come down.

 

  • Ahaziah sent a company of soldiers to arrest and probably execute Elijah.
  • The commander called Elijah a man of God.
  • Do you see the irony? If he is a man of God, why have they come to arrest him?

 

God’s power and protection are vastly superior to man’s

 

10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty. And fire came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Again he sent to him another commander of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, O man of God, the king has said, Come down quickly. 12 And Elijah answered and said to them, If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume your and your fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. 13 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 begged him and said to him, O man of God, I beg you, let my life, and the life of these fifty your servants, be precious in your sight 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in your sight.

 

  • Our life is precious in God’s sight and He spares us though we are unworthy.
  • 1Peter 1:18 you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

 

The angel of the LORD guided and comforted Elijah


15 And the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, Go down with him: do not be afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him to the king. 16 And he said to him, This is what the LORD says, Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, is there no God in Israel to inquire of his word? Therefore you will not come down off that bed on which you have gone up, but will surely die. 17 So he died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

  • Notice that there are two kings named Jehoram at this time.
  • One is a son of Ahab, ruling the northern kingdom of Israel and one a son of Jehoshaphat, in Judah.
  • Isaiah 41:10 Fear not; for I am with you: do not be dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
  • Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that is what he will reap.

 

 

                                               2 Kings 2

 

God took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind

 

1 And when the LORD would take Elijah up into heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, Please wait here; for the LORD has sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said to him, As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from your head today? And he said, Yes, I know it; keep silent. 4 And Elijah said to him, Elisha, please wait here; for the LORD has sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho. 5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said to him, Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from your head today? And he answered, Yes, I know it; keep quiet. 6 And Elijah said to him, Please wait here; for the LORD has sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. And the two went on. 7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood far off to watch: and the two stood by Jordan.

 

  • Elijah knew that God was going to come take Him to heaven that day.
  • It seems he wanted to go off to some quiet place for the event to occur.
  • Elisha would not leave him.
  • Elisha’s steadfastness was displayed.
  • The sons of the prophets in Bethel and Jericho also knew what was about to happen. They found a good place to watch.

 

God divided the waters of the Jordan River for Elijah

 

8 And Elijah took his mantle, wrapped it together, stuck the waters, and they were divided here and there so that they two went over on dry ground. 9 And when they had gone over Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken away from you. And Elisha said, Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me. 10 And he said, You have asked a hard thing: if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be so to you; but if not, it will not be so. 11 And as they continued on, and talked, behold, a chariot of fire appeared, and horses of fire, and separated them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

 

  • God’s armies of angels drive chariots of fire.
  • God was in the whirlwind.
  • 2Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I ask you, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round around Elisha.
  • Job 38:1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind…

 

12 Elisha saw it and shrieked, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and its horsemen. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and ripped them in two pieces. 13 Also He picked up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back and stood by the bank of Jordan; 14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? And when he also had struck the waters, they parted here and there: and Elisha went over.

 

  • The parting of the water showed that the Spirit of God that rested on Elijah was now with Elisha.
  • God answered Elisja’s request.
  • Scripture records that he did twice as many miracles as Elijah.
  • Luke 1:37 with God nothing shall be impossible.

 

15 And when the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

 

  • Due respect and courtesy is to be given to our leaders, but never worship.
  • God alone is worthy of worship.
  • All others beings were created and are sustained by God.
  • Men are not to be worshipped. Angels are not to be worshipped.
  • Revelation 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel that showed me these things. 9 Then he said to me, See that you do not do it: for I am your fellow servant, and of your brothers the prophets, and of those who keep the sayings of this book: worship God.


16 And they said to him, Behold now, there are with you servants fifty sons of valor; please let them go and seek your master: lest perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up, and cast him on some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, You shall not send. 17 And when they urged him until he was ashamed he said, Send. So they sent the fifty men; and they searched three days, but did not find him. 18 And when they came again to him, (for he waited at Jericho,) he said to them, Did I not say to you, Do not go?

 

God healed the waters

 

19 And the men of the city said to Elisha, Please behold, the site of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the ground barren. 20 And he said, Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it. And they brought it to him. 21 And he went out to the spring of the waters, and threw salt in there, and said, The LORD says, I have healed these waters; there will not be any more death or barren land here. 22 So the waters were healed to this day, according to the saying of Elisha that he spoke.

 

  • God will also heal the waters that have been turned to blood during the tribulation and everything in the seas will die.
  • Revelation 16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
  • Revelation 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
  • Ezekiel 47:1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. 8 Then said he to me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought out into the sea, the waters will be healed. 9 And it will come to pass, that every thing that lives, which moves, wherever the rivers come, will live: and there will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters will come there: for they will be healed; and everything will live where the river comes.

 

23 And he went up from there to Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out of the city, and mocked him, and said to him, Go up, you bald head; go up, you bald head. 24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she bears came out of the wood, and tore 42 children of them. 25 And he went from there to mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

 

  • Remember God’s first curses were when man partook of evil in Eden.
  • God commands respect for those older than we are.
  • Disobedient teenagers were to be stoned under the law.
  • How much more must we respect the one who speaks His word?
  • Children who die go to be with God (2 Samuel 12:23). —all who die before the age of accountability—age of twenty (Numbers 1).
  • Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
  • Psalm 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

 

                                             2 Kings 3

 

1 Now Jehoram, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he did not depart from them.

 

  • Jehoram got rid of the worst of the false gods, Baal.
  • The sin of Jeroboam was the 2 golden calf idols one in the north part of his territory and one in the south.
  • Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

 

Now Mesha, king of Moab, was a sheep breeder, and paid to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand rams, with the wool. 5 But when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

 

  • He didn’t send the livestock or wool to the king of Israel.

 

So king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and mustered all Israel. 7 He went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me: will you go with me to battle against Moab? And he said, I will go up: I am as you are, my people as your people, and my horses as your horses.

 

  • They mobilized their troops to march against the king of Moab.
  • Notice that neither king asked God what they should do.
  • Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and do not lean to your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.

 

And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The road through the wilderness of Edom. 9 So the king of Israel went, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they made a circuit of seven days’ journey: and there was no water for the army, and for the livestock that followed them. 10 And the king of Israel said, Oh no! The LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! 11 But Jehoshaphat said, Isn’t there a prophet of the LORD, that we may ask of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah. 12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went down to him. 13 And Elisha said to the king of Israel, What do I have to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother. And the king of Israel said to him, No: for the LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. 14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, if it were not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, I would not look toward you or see you.

 

  • God’s people are not to associate with evil (2 Corinthians 6:17).
  • Two of these three kings were following evil.
  • Elisha stood before the LORD of the armies of the angels of heaven.
  • God is commander in chief of all the armies of the heavens.
  • Elisha reminded them at a desperate time how great God is.

 

God’s hand came upon Elisha as the music played

 

15  But now bring me a minstrel. And when the minstrel played, the hand of the LORD came upon him. 16 And he said, The LORD says this, Make this valley full of ditches. 17 For the LORD says, You will not see wind, neither will you see rain; yet that valley will be filled with water, that you may drink, both you, your cattle, and your animals. 18 And this is but a slight thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. 19 And you will strike every fenced city, every choice city, chop down every good tree, stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.

 

  • God foretold and provided a deliverance that they did not deserve.
  • This deliverance is like our deliverance from sin and evil.
  • We also trust false things at times. That is idolatry.
  • God’s hand is mighty to deliver if we will obey.

 

20  And in the morning when the grain offering was offered, behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. 21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood in the border. 22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: 23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely killed, they have struck one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.


God set a trap

 

24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them: they went forward striking the Moabites, even in their country. 25 They beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land every man cast his stone, and filled it; they stopped all the wells of water, and chopped down all the good trees: only in Kir-haraseth they left its stones; however, the slingers surrounded it, and struck it. 26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom: but they could not. 27 Then he took his oldest son that would have ruled in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

 

  • This verse shows that God was just to strike down these people.
  • They practiced human sacrifice.
  • Their king sacrificed his son to gain favor of their false god to deliver them.
  • They killed people for nothings.
  • 1Corinthians 8:4 we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
  • Genesis 9:6 Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood is to be shed: for in the image of God he made man.

 

 

 

 

SUMMARY:  2 Kings 1-3

 

  • God's power and protection are vastly superior to man's.
  • The Angel of the LORD guided and comforted Elijah
  • The LORD took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind
  • God divided the waters of the Jordan River for Elijah
  • He healed poison water
  • His hand came on Elijah as the music played
  • He set a trap for evil kings