Day 105. 2 Kings 1-3

King Ahaziah, Ahab of Israel's son, takes a fall in the palace and lies injured (1:2). He sends to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether he will recover. (The name of the god of Ekron is "Baal-zebul"—which means "Prince Baal." Baal-zebub—"the lord of the flies"—is an insult to the pagan deity.) The prophet Elijah gets wind of this from the LORD and confronts the king's messenger on the way with God's verdict—"You shall not leave the bed to which you have gone, but shall surely die" (1:6). (Note that we are given a description of Elijah in 1:8—"A hairy man, with a leather belt around his waist." In the New Testament John the Baptist will don this uniform to connect himself with Elijah the prophet.) Elijah at first defies the summons of the injured king, twice calling down fire from heaven to consume the soldiers who are sent to bring him (1:9-12). But at last he allows himself to be brought to Ahaziah to deliver in person the message he has received from the LORD (1:16).  And King Ahaziah  does indeed die, and is succeeded by his brother Jehoram, because he has no sons. The time has now come for Elijah to be taken up "to heaven by a whirlwind" (2:1). His disciple Elisha struggles to let his master go in a passage which for pathos is unmatched in all of scripture (2:1-8). Finally when the departure can be delayed no longer, Elisha asks for a parting gift—a double share of his master's spirit (2:9). The double share is the inheritance allotted by Deuteronomy to a firstborn son (21:15-17).  The promise is made on the condition that Elisha be there to see his master go. So the two walk on together like father and son. Suddenly we are told a chariot of fire and horses of fire separate them, and Elijah is carried up into heaven by a desert whirlwind (2:11). Watching him, Elisha cries out, "Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" (2:12), by which he means that the prophet is a stronger defense to Israel than all of its cavalry. When Elijah has gone, Elisha picks up the mantle his master has dropped in his ascent and does wonders with it that prove that he has in fact received the double share of spirit he had asked for (1:14). The "company of prophets who were at Jericho" want to initiate a search for the missing prophet, reasoning that "the spirit of the Lord" may have "caught him up and thrown him down on some mountain or in some valley" (2:16). Elisha reluctantly allows it, but when the search proves futile he says, "Did I not say to you, do not go?" (2:18). The miracles of Elisha may seem strange and a little barbarous to us—especially the mauling of the teasing boys by she-bears (2:23-24)—but they are intended as manifestations of his spiritual power. The message we are intended to draw is that prophets are not to be trifled with, not by anyone. The spirit of the LORD that can give life can also destroy life. We were told in 1:1 that Moab, which had been a tributary of Israel, is in revolt. Now in cooperation with Jehoshaphat of Judah and the king of Edom, Jehoram of Israel undertakes a campaign to bring the King of Moab to heel. The kings consult the prophet Elisha who first gives them water to drink and then used water to win them the victory. The story need not detain us long. But notice that Elisha calls for a musician to help put him a prophetic trance (3:15).   Because of the prophet Elisha the expedition is a success. The utter defeat of Moab seems inevitable, that is until in desperation the Moabite king takes his firstborn son, who is to succeed him, and offers him as a burnt offering on the wall of his city. When they see this act, we are told, "a great wrath" falls upon Israel (3:27).  What this means exactly is uncertain. Perhaps this "wrath" is shock and horror at such a monstrous act.  Perhaps it comes from the LORD, who had forbidden such acts as an abomination. Or possibly the wrath is thought to have come from the god of Moab, acting to save his people. Whatever the case, it works. The siege is lifted and the allied armies return home, and Moab though ravished by war remains unconquered and free.