" WORD of TRUTH Lighthouse ": "Is There Not a GOD in Israel ?"

2nd.Kings 1:1-8 "Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said 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 shall surely die. And Elijah departed. And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are you 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 enquire of Baalezbub the god of Ekron ? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shall surely die. 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 a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite."

Ahaziah, Ahab's son, needed to learn a crucial lesson. Because he wanted to know if he would recover from his illness (v.2), he sent inquiry to Ekron where "the gods" were notoriously favorable in their answers. He knew he would hear a positive message from the prophets of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, even though they would be lies. But the King of Israel should have known that the GOD of Israel was, in fact, the only true GOD, as the Angel of the LORD made abundantly clear through Elijah (v.3). King Ahaziah paid the price for ignoring the word spoken by the faithful prophet of GOD. His arrogant disregard for the ONE TRUE source of help for GOD's people resulted in his death (v.4b cf. v.17).

Although man's spiritual needs today are great, not many desire what the LORD says will suffice those needs: sound doctrine, straightforward warnings, and solemn exhortations (1st.Timothy 4:1-2 pictured above; 2nd.Timothy 3:1-5 pictured above; 2nd.Timothy 4:1-4 pictured below). Few want what is essential for a faithful fellowship of believers: sincere love for the true WORD Of GOD. Supposed "miracle services" and religious self-help programs are nothing more than contemporary "gods of Ekron." "Strange fire," like that offered by Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1-3, abounds where superficial experiences and fleshly entertainment draw the crowds; these man-made religious "fires" by charismatics and compromisers are not from on HIGH (Isaiah 50:10-11 pictured below). Fidelity to the WORD is the only valid demonstration of the power of GOD.

Ahaziah thought his antagonist was Elijah, but, in reality, it was the word of the LORD delivered by the prophet (vv.7-8). Keep in mind - when we faithfully warn against that which does not square with Scripture, we, too, will be considered "the enemy." DWC

Your servant in CHRIST,

Julie

Used with permission. www.featoday.org