Today's Passage: 2 Kings 1-2
I think the theme of these two chapters is "don't mess with God!" You have the power of God on display in Chapter 2 as the chariots descend from heaven and take Elijah in the power of the whirlwind. You have the power of God on display as the youths jeer Elisha and bears come out and maul them (never jeer a man of God about his hair). You have the power of God on display as Elisha heals the water of Jericho.
But the story I want to focus on today is the power of God displayed by Elijah in Chapter 1. Elijah prophecies against the king, and the king doesn't like what he hears. So he sends 50 men to come bring Elijah to him....but the fire of heaven falls down and consumes them. A second group is sent...and a second group is consumed by the fire.
Then a third group approaches, and the captain of the men is trembling with fear...wouldn't we all be in that moment! He doesn't tell Elijah to come down, but instead begs for their lives. He is convinced of the power of God and is certain that he will be next...so instead of blindly following orders, he begs for change. Fortunately for him, God relents. Elijah goes on to the king, who, of course, dies just as Elijah said.
How many times have we done something that is against the word of God, hurt for it, and then turned around and done the same thing again! How many times does the fire have to fall before we realize once again that we should not mess with the word of God! When will we, like the third captain, fall on our knees and change our ways? How many times must we be burned by sin before we're willing to turn from it?
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