“Looking for a god”
It is Elijah the Tishbite. —2 Kings 1:8
Read 2 Kings 1:1-8
Elijah had pronounced God’s judgment on the house of Ahab. After Ahab’s death, his son Ahaziah, clearly influenced by his mother Jezebel, began to rule. Then Ahaziah fell through the lattice of an upper room in his palace. Death may come to anyone by such a small accident, making it important that we do not live our lives in a careless or reckless way.
Ahaziah’s situation was life-threatening. When he realized this, he started looking for possible information about his future. Baal-zebub, an idol god of health and sickness, was connected to the Baal service that had been instituted by Jezebel. Since Ahaziah did not serve Israel’s God, he looked for help from this Ekronite god.
But when he sent his messengers abroad to seek the idol’s advice, Elijah met them and told them that the advice of earthly kings was contrary to that of the heavenly King. He charged them to go back and tell their king that he would surely die. Just as suddenly as Elijah appeared to the messengers, he departed, which impressed them greatly. They returned to their king in spite of the command he had given them, and submissively bowed before the power of God’s Word.
What is the greatest danger of idol worship?