Placing our faith in God ought to change our perspective. If we believe God created all things seen and unseen, if everything has been made by Him which has been made, then He has authority and control over it all. Things which appear impossible to us are possible with God, and insurmountable obstacles for us are no hindrance at all to our great God. Every man and woman of God can be assured of God's protection, help, and power in every situation of life.
I was reminded today of when king Ahaziah sent a captain and his 50 to arrest Elijah and bring him before the king. The backstory is the injured king had sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub (god of Ekron) if he would recover. God took exception to this and sent a message by Elijah to condemn the king's act and inform him he would not recover but die. The king was not pleased with God or Elijah speaking to him in this manner. 2 Kings 1:9-10 says, "Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. So he went up to him; and there he was, sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him: "Man of God, the king has said, 'Come down!' " 10 So 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 men." And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty."
The captain addressed Elijah as "Man of God," and given the situation this is most ironic. If Elijah truly was a man of God, then there was indeed a God in Israel. And if there is a God in Israel, why didn't the King inquire of Him - the One who was revealed to Amaziah's father Ahab and all Israel through Elijah calling fire down from heaven to consume the sacrifice on Mount Carmel? God's wisdom and insight was displayed in knowing when, where, and why Amaziah sent messengers. Why didn't Amaziah honour God? It seems Amaziah had forgotten that at the request of Elijah rain did not fall in Israel for three and a half years, and at his request God caused the rain to fall in torrents. Since the king nor his men feared God, God gave the king an awesome display of His power by consuming his captain and fifty men in fire.
Undeterred, Amaziah sent a second captain with his 50 to Elijah, demanding he go with them. Can you guess what happened? They too were consumed with fire from heaven as the previous group. Amaziah stubbornly sent a third group to fetch Elijah, but the demeanour of the captain was different than the previous two. 2 Kings 1:13-15 reads, "Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: "Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight. 14 Look, fire has come down from heaven and burned up the first two captains of fifties with their fifties. But let my life now be precious in your sight." 15 And the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, "Go down with him; do not be afraid of him." So he arose and went down with him to the king." The third captain went in obedience to his master, but he came humbly before Elijah and his God. He begged for his life, acknowledging what God had done to the previous captains and their fifties. God responded graciously by sparing the captain and his 50 and guided Elijah to go with the men without fear.
How fitting it is for us to acknowledge all God has done and humble ourselves before Him! God already knew why the third captain had come and the orders he had been given by Amaziah. The God who can withhold rain and cause fire to fall from heaven is worthy of honour and greatly to be feared. Imagine a man demanding anything of God! Are we in any position to make demands of God or to think we must inform Him of what is going on as if He didn't know? What do we know? As men and women of God we ought not to think it is our place to call fire down from heaven upon others, even upon those who hate or oppose God. When the disciples James and John suggested they do this upon Samaritans who did not receive Jesus Luke 9:55-56 states, "But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village."
It is not for man to avenge himself or even to try to avenge God's honour, as if God needed any assistance from man to do so. God has said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." He is King and will execute justice and judgment in the earth. God's heart of love is seen in Christ who came to save lives, not destroy them. He does not kill first but allows opportunity for men to humble themselves and repent. Our God is love and also a consuming fire. Those who humble themselves and acknowledge His sovereignty will experience His love and grace, but those who vaunt themselves against Him and proudly make demands will have another experience entirely - and those flames will never be quenched.
I was reminded today of when king Ahaziah sent a captain and his 50 to arrest Elijah and bring him before the king. The backstory is the injured king had sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub (god of Ekron) if he would recover. God took exception to this and sent a message by Elijah to condemn the king's act and inform him he would not recover but die. The king was not pleased with God or Elijah speaking to him in this manner. 2 Kings 1:9-10 says, "Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. So he went up to him; and there he was, sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him: "Man of God, the king has said, 'Come down!' " 10 So 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 men." And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty."
The captain addressed Elijah as "Man of God," and given the situation this is most ironic. If Elijah truly was a man of God, then there was indeed a God in Israel. And if there is a God in Israel, why didn't the King inquire of Him - the One who was revealed to Amaziah's father Ahab and all Israel through Elijah calling fire down from heaven to consume the sacrifice on Mount Carmel? God's wisdom and insight was displayed in knowing when, where, and why Amaziah sent messengers. Why didn't Amaziah honour God? It seems Amaziah had forgotten that at the request of Elijah rain did not fall in Israel for three and a half years, and at his request God caused the rain to fall in torrents. Since the king nor his men feared God, God gave the king an awesome display of His power by consuming his captain and fifty men in fire.
Undeterred, Amaziah sent a second captain with his 50 to Elijah, demanding he go with them. Can you guess what happened? They too were consumed with fire from heaven as the previous group. Amaziah stubbornly sent a third group to fetch Elijah, but the demeanour of the captain was different than the previous two. 2 Kings 1:13-15 reads, "Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: "Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight. 14 Look, fire has come down from heaven and burned up the first two captains of fifties with their fifties. But let my life now be precious in your sight." 15 And the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, "Go down with him; do not be afraid of him." So he arose and went down with him to the king." The third captain went in obedience to his master, but he came humbly before Elijah and his God. He begged for his life, acknowledging what God had done to the previous captains and their fifties. God responded graciously by sparing the captain and his 50 and guided Elijah to go with the men without fear.
How fitting it is for us to acknowledge all God has done and humble ourselves before Him! God already knew why the third captain had come and the orders he had been given by Amaziah. The God who can withhold rain and cause fire to fall from heaven is worthy of honour and greatly to be feared. Imagine a man demanding anything of God! Are we in any position to make demands of God or to think we must inform Him of what is going on as if He didn't know? What do we know? As men and women of God we ought not to think it is our place to call fire down from heaven upon others, even upon those who hate or oppose God. When the disciples James and John suggested they do this upon Samaritans who did not receive Jesus Luke 9:55-56 states, "But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village."
It is not for man to avenge himself or even to try to avenge God's honour, as if God needed any assistance from man to do so. God has said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." He is King and will execute justice and judgment in the earth. God's heart of love is seen in Christ who came to save lives, not destroy them. He does not kill first but allows opportunity for men to humble themselves and repent. Our God is love and also a consuming fire. Those who humble themselves and acknowledge His sovereignty will experience His love and grace, but those who vaunt themselves against Him and proudly make demands will have another experience entirely - and those flames will never be quenched.
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