Fire and Peace
2 Kings 1:9-15
Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "Man of God, the king says, 'Come down!' "
Elijah answered the captain, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.
At this the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. The captain said to him, "Man of God, this is what the king says, 'Come down at once!' "
"If I am a man of God," Elijah replied, "may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. "Man of God," he begged, "please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! 14 See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!"
The angel of the LORD said to Elijah, "Go down with him; do not be afraid of him." So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.
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Elijah has to be one of the coolest prophets ever. In my mind, he is literally, the 'fire and brimstone' prophet. Having called down fire from heaven on three different occasions, not to mention being swept up in a whirlwind- if anyone knew about dramatic moments with God- it was Elijah. You would think that having seen all the power of GOd manifested in His life and serving the Living God adn seeing just how mighty and incredible God is in His miracles, Elijah would be a man of iron clad faith.
And yet, we read in the Bible about Elijah's depression, when he sat under the broom-tree and asked to die. When he was hiding in the cave waiting for God to come and minister to him. Elijah too, had his down moments with God, demonstrating that even the man of the strongest faith too, can fall.
In this account, we see Elijah wielding the power of GOd in a truly scary way- with such authority and influence, no wonder the third captain and his men were so completely petrified and afraid of this wild man of GOd. But the thing that strikes me the most is the fact that Elijah was afraid of the captain and his fifty men. How do we know this? THe angel says to him, "do not be afraid of him,"- these words of comfort were directed randomly- they were meant to comfort a man afraid- why do you think he was on a hill- distancing himself sufficiently with a buffer area. In his own way, Elijah too, was afraid. In that sense, Elijah is truly like you and me, and must have been as human as anyone-despite seeing the work of God in his life, he was equally daunted the very real and physical threat. It was hard for ELijah to see beyond his physical eyes and see the armies of GOd protecting him.
But Elijah is equally admirable, for his complete obedience to the SPirit, something that distinguishes him as a true man of god. Despite being afraid, he was quick to obey and heed the angel's instruction- the bible seems to read that his response was immediate and without delay.
Isn't it comforting to know that GOd was sensitive and concerned enough to comfort Elijah first, reassuring him of his own personal safety before giving him instructions? I imagine that GOd could have said anything from "go!" to "trust my plans, and go!" or "i have a higher calling! go!' but he said, do not be afraid. I can only imagine the intimacy and calm and peace that must have filled elijah's heart with that word of assurance, before God commanded him to see the King.
And so it is with us, that when we are afraid, God displays His love in reassuring us that He is our GOD, and that we ahve nothing to be afraid of. What a contrast in this GOd of ours- the infinite power of fire from heaven, and the gentleness of a father's words of assurance.
Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "Man of God, the king says, 'Come down!' "
Elijah answered the captain, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.
At this the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. The captain said to him, "Man of God, this is what the king says, 'Come down at once!' "
"If I am a man of God," Elijah replied, "may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. "Man of God," he begged, "please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! 14 See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!"
The angel of the LORD said to Elijah, "Go down with him; do not be afraid of him." So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elijah has to be one of the coolest prophets ever. In my mind, he is literally, the 'fire and brimstone' prophet. Having called down fire from heaven on three different occasions, not to mention being swept up in a whirlwind- if anyone knew about dramatic moments with God- it was Elijah. You would think that having seen all the power of GOd manifested in His life and serving the Living God adn seeing just how mighty and incredible God is in His miracles, Elijah would be a man of iron clad faith.
And yet, we read in the Bible about Elijah's depression, when he sat under the broom-tree and asked to die. When he was hiding in the cave waiting for God to come and minister to him. Elijah too, had his down moments with God, demonstrating that even the man of the strongest faith too, can fall.
In this account, we see Elijah wielding the power of GOd in a truly scary way- with such authority and influence, no wonder the third captain and his men were so completely petrified and afraid of this wild man of GOd. But the thing that strikes me the most is the fact that Elijah was afraid of the captain and his fifty men. How do we know this? THe angel says to him, "do not be afraid of him,"- these words of comfort were directed randomly- they were meant to comfort a man afraid- why do you think he was on a hill- distancing himself sufficiently with a buffer area. In his own way, Elijah too, was afraid. In that sense, Elijah is truly like you and me, and must have been as human as anyone-despite seeing the work of God in his life, he was equally daunted the very real and physical threat. It was hard for ELijah to see beyond his physical eyes and see the armies of GOd protecting him.
But Elijah is equally admirable, for his complete obedience to the SPirit, something that distinguishes him as a true man of god. Despite being afraid, he was quick to obey and heed the angel's instruction- the bible seems to read that his response was immediate and without delay.
Isn't it comforting to know that GOd was sensitive and concerned enough to comfort Elijah first, reassuring him of his own personal safety before giving him instructions? I imagine that GOd could have said anything from "go!" to "trust my plans, and go!" or "i have a higher calling! go!' but he said, do not be afraid. I can only imagine the intimacy and calm and peace that must have filled elijah's heart with that word of assurance, before God commanded him to see the King.
And so it is with us, that when we are afraid, God displays His love in reassuring us that He is our GOD, and that we ahve nothing to be afraid of. What a contrast in this GOd of ours- the infinite power of fire from heaven, and the gentleness of a father's words of assurance.
posted by leb at 10:38 PM
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