1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,440 Speaker 1: Let us pray, And the Angel of the Lord said, 2 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 1: unto Elijah, go down with him. Be not afraid of him. 3 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: And he arose and went down with him unto the 4 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: King Second Kings one fifteen. As I humbly come before you, God, 5 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:22,959 Speaker 1: I will fix my attention and set my gaze to 6 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: your command to trust and rely on you. When I 7 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: fall and make a mistake, Let the broken state of 8 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 1: my heart and spirit look to you to be my 9 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 1: physician and healer. No longer will I look to others 10 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 1: to heal the areas in my life that only you 11 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: can restore. No longer will I put my trust in 12 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: man made traditions and outcomes. But instead I will pray 13 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: to you, Lord and wait in faith as you move 14 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: on my behalf. I declare that pride an ego will 15 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: not have a seat at the table of my heart. 16 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: I will not let a his eye as behavior become 17 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 1: my reality. So as I stand in integrity and deliver 18 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:15,919 Speaker 1: the message you desire for me to give to the world, 19 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 1: I can stand confident knowing that when others rise up 20 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,759 Speaker 1: against me, I will be like Elijah. You will send 21 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 1: a fire of justice to speak on my behalf and 22 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: protect what you've placed inside of me in Jesus' name. Amen. 23 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:40,679 Speaker 1: Thanks for making prayer a priority in your life. To 24 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 1: hear the Bible come to life. Stay tuned for the 25 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:46,680 Speaker 1: Bible in a Year brought to you by Bible in 26 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: a Year dot. 27 00:01:47,480 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 2: Com, A fallen king and falling fire. In our last story, 28 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 2: we witnessed the faithful rule of King Jehosaphat and Judah. 29 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 2: His desire to seek God and his peace fueled many 30 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 2: victories for Judah. Under his leadership, God provided a hedge 31 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 2: of protection and prosperity over them. Now we learn about 32 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 2: King Aoziah's fall from God literally and spiritually, and we 33 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 2: witness the return of Elijah to once again bring difficult 34 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 2: truths to a corrupt king. Inspired by the Book of 35 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 2: Second Kings. 36 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 3: Hello, this is Jack Graham with the day's episode of 37 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 3: the Bible in a Year podcast. In our last episode, 38 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 3: we heard about the rule of Jehasaphat, the King of Judah, 39 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 3: who guided his people back to God and established justice 40 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 3: and worship of the Lord throughout the Southern Kingdom. He 41 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 3: was much like his ancestor David, earnestly seeking the Lord 42 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,640 Speaker 3: and being open to correction by God. God's prophet today 43 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 3: will return north to a kingdom in shambles. After the 44 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 3: death of they have, Israel's new king, a Haziah, will 45 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 3: suffer a great fall, and in his moment of despair, 46 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 3: his cries will reveal where his trust really is. We'll 47 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 3: also see the return of Elijah, who will speak God's 48 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 3: heavy judgment upon a dishonorable king. So let's listen to 49 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 3: God's word today. 50 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 2: The troubled king Ahab had fallen as arrows flew and 51 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 2: pierced his flesh on the battlefield, the tides of power 52 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 2: in the north began to turn. Israel was kingless for 53 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 2: a short while, and the land of Moab tossed and 54 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 2: turned with unrest. Moab had been under the rule in 55 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 2: protection of Israel since King David. However, once Ahab was killed, 56 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 2: the land that settled on the coast of the Dead 57 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 2: Sea saw opportunity to rebel. So the new king of Israel, 58 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 2: a Isaiah, took over during a time of incredible strain 59 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 2: and unrest. One evening, Aasiah was pacing in the upper 60 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 2: room above his palace in Samaria. The warm summer breeze 61 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 2: only made him more anxious. His nervous stomping rumbled the 62 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:21,279 Speaker 2: floor below him. He paced to and fro on his balcony, 63 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 2: worrying over his kingdom. Lost in thought, Aosiah paid no 64 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 2: attention to the lattice work slowly cracking beneath his feet. 65 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 2: All of the sudden, his troubled thoughts were interrupted by 66 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 2: the floor giving way from underneath him. The king fell 67 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,919 Speaker 2: more than a dozen feet through the floor of the 68 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 2: upper room, slamming on to the palace floor below. The 69 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 2: fall took all the breath out of him. His ears 70 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 2: were ringing from the impact to his head. Slowly, he 71 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 2: began to feel the sting of several broken bones coursing 72 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 2: through his body. King Asia laid there motionless for what 73 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 2: seemed like days. The pain was intense, and his already 74 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 2: muddied mind began to panic. It took everything in him 75 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 2: to scream to his servants for help. After several cries 76 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 2: for help echoing through the silent chambers, he finally found aid. 77 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 2: His servants tended to his broken bones and fractured skull. 78 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 2: His lungs were beginning to recover more of the air 79 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:27,839 Speaker 2: they once lost. However, the injuries to his body and 80 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:33,720 Speaker 2: head seemed beyond repair. Heaziah sat in despair. He had 81 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 2: only been king a few weeks, and he feared he 82 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 2: would never recover. His paranoid mind began to wander into 83 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:46,839 Speaker 2: dark places. He wanted answers to questions not worth asking. 84 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 2: He desired for hope in his dark and painful state. So, 85 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 2: in a moment of weakness, Heeyaziah sent his messengers to 86 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 2: find priests in the temple of Boozebub, the god of Ekron. 87 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:02,919 Speaker 2: He sent them to ask if he would ever recover. 88 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 2: In so doing, Aasiah revealed where his hope truly was. 89 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 2: His heart was attached to the philistine god of plagues 90 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:15,480 Speaker 2: and flies. His request revealed how far his heart was 91 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 2: from the true God of Israel. Elijah was walking the 92 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 2: fields of Tishby, enjoying the peace of a mild summer day. 93 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 2: The wind blew slightly from the west. Elijah had enjoyed 94 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:31,719 Speaker 2: peace since Ahab's death. No longer pursued by a witch 95 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 2: queen and her puppet king, Elijah could now fully set 96 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 2: his mind on the things of God. In a moment 97 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 2: of prayer, the Lord spoke to Elijah, saying, go and 98 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 2: confront the messengers from the king. They are on their 99 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 2: way to Balzebub to ask Ekron for wisdom. Elijah was 100 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 2: disturbed at the news. Not only did this reveal the 101 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 2: wicked state of King Aziah's heart, but it also showed 102 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 2: that Philistine influence had crept into his counsel. King Aziah's 103 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 2: mind and heart were compromised. God spoke clearly again, saying, 104 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 2: go and tell them that he will never leave his bed. 105 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 2: He will surely die where he lies. Elijah knew not 106 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 2: to waste any time when it came to matters of God, 107 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 2: so he left where he was and ran to intercept 108 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 2: the king's messengers. He found them almost at the temple 109 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 2: and told them of all God had said. Disturbed and afraid, 110 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 2: the messengers turned around and ventured back to the palace. 111 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 2: King Ayesiah was alone in his chambers. Just within sight 112 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 2: past the entrance to his door, he could see the 113 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 2: hole in the ceiling where he fell. It tormented him, 114 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 2: and he longed for a day where he could walk again, 115 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 2: to be rid of the view. The king looked to 116 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 2: his left out the window. Feeling an intense pain in 117 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 2: his chest, he coughed and covered his mouth with the 118 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 2: cloth in his hand. He looked down at the cloth 119 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 2: blood a grave, sighing for the king, He sighed deeply 120 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 2: and closed his eyes. Then a sudden echo of footsteps 121 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 2: could be heard from the halls. His messengers had returned. 122 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 2: They bowed before his bed. They had just left that morning, 123 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 2: so the king was confused at their arrival. Why have 124 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 2: you returned so soon, the king asked. A man intercepted 125 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 2: us and told us that he had a message from God. 126 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 2: Isiah's eyes widened. He had seen King Ahab's war with 127 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:37,319 Speaker 2: the God of their forefathers. As a child, he witnessed 128 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 2: his father's constant turmoil with the God of David. At 129 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 2: one time, he considered following the God of David, but 130 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 2: decided not to, for the Philistine gods offered him more 131 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 2: room for sin and lutness. He knew that no good 132 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 2: news awaited him. The servants delivered the message from God, saying, 133 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 2: is there no God in Israel? Why have you sent 134 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 2: messengers to Baalzam? Your request reveals much. You shall never 135 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 2: leave your bed. You shall die on the bed you 136 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 2: are lying on. What sort of man was he? What 137 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 2: did he look like? The king whispered, for he had 138 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 2: an idea of who it was. His father's sworn enemy. 139 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:18,840 Speaker 1: Was still alive. 140 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:22,319 Speaker 2: They replied. He was a hairy man who wore a 141 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 2: leather belt to hold his robes together. Ayaziah sat up 142 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 2: in his bed. His lungs began to strain, and his 143 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 2: chest swelled up with coughing. Blood spattered all over his sheets, 144 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 2: and his chin was dripping with blood and saliva. Elijah, 145 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 2: he yelled, His blood flung across the room. Take my army, 146 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 2: captain with fifty soldiers, go and arrest him. The king's 147 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 2: coughing filled the room, and his servants came in the 148 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 2: room to attend to him, while the messengers sent word 149 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 2: for his captain. Elijah was sitting on top of a 150 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 2: grassy hill overlooking the city below when the captain and 151 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 2: his fifty men approached. He remained sitting as the captain 152 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 2: drew his sword and pointed it at Elijah. Man of God, 153 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 2: the King has commanded for you to come with us. 154 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 2: Elijah looked at all the men closely. He observed their 155 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 2: angry scowls and violent eyes. He closed his eyes and 156 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 2: gave a brief sigh. He opened his eyes and looked 157 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 2: to the skies. The sun was still high in the air, However, 158 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 2: the clouds were shifting slightly, and it looked like a 159 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 2: storm was possibly approaching. Elijah replied nonchalantly, if I am 160 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 2: truly a man of God, perhaps fire should come down 161 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 2: from heaven to destroy your small army. As Elijah said this, 162 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,559 Speaker 2: a flash from the sky pierced downwards and sent all 163 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 2: fifty men flying through the air. Immediately they were consumed 164 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 2: with flames. They were dead almost instantly. Word reached the 165 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 2: king of this incident, so he sent fifty more men 166 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 2: to pursue and arrest Elijah. The other captain pointed his 167 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 2: spear at alia and said, Man of God, you must 168 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 2: come with us. It was a foolish mistake, for Elijah 169 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 2: gave the same reply he did before, and fire from 170 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 2: heaven consumed him and his men. The king heard of 171 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 2: this and was insistent on sending another group of fifty 172 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:20,120 Speaker 2: men to pursue Elijah. Only this time the captain fell 173 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 2: at Elijah's feet and said, please, O, Man of God, 174 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 2: spare us. We are following orders, but do not want 175 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 2: to be consumed like the others. Elijah smiled at the 176 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,560 Speaker 2: men for the humility. At the very least, they had 177 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 2: learned their lesson unlike their king. Elijah could hear the 178 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 2: slight whisper of God comforting him. 179 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 3: He said, do not. 180 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 2: Fear the king, go down to him. So Elijah sat 181 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 2: up and willingly walked down with the soldiers to the palace. 182 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 2: He stood before the broken king. Eyasiah could barely say 183 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 2: a word, for his body was failing him. Elijah once 184 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 2: again delivered the message of God, and with those words, 185 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 2: King a Isiah breathed his last and died. Hey Isiah 186 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 2: had no sons to succeed him. His brother Juram became 187 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 2: the next king of Israel. Aiah's death was not a 188 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 2: result of injury. Rather, it was the result of a 189 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:18,559 Speaker 2: generational sickness in the kings of Israel. Their corrupt and 190 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 2: selfish hearts were slowly killing the integrity of their nation. 191 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 2: The passion of King David had disappeared in the land 192 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 2: of Israel. What replaced it was a lineage of kings 193 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 2: determined to seek their own glory above the children of God. 194 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 2: Their imperfection only made them more vulnerable to attack and corruption. 195 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 2: One day there would be a king to humbly into 196 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 2: the Kingdom of Israel, a king that would not be 197 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 2: self serving or evil. He would be a king that 198 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 2: would enter in humbly, lying in a manger. He would 199 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:52,319 Speaker 2: come to serve the people and lay down his life 200 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 2: for them. He would bring peace, love and truth to 201 00:12:56,280 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 2: a people far off and lost. Yet for now, the 202 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 2: ups and downs of kings continued. 203 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,559 Speaker 3: We begin today's passage in the aftermath of King Ahab's death. 204 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 3: With the king dead, Moab rebelled against Israel. It was 205 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 3: a time of great turmoil in the Northern Kingdom, which 206 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 3: is no big surprise given the corruption and the wicked 207 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 3: rule of Ahab and the wicked queen Jezebel. It is 208 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 3: also no great surprise that a Haziah, the new king, 209 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 3: son of Ahab and Jezebel, would follow in his parents' 210 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 3: footsteps and seek out idols, pagan gods, and deities. One morning, 211 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 3: King a Haziah fell through the lattice in his bedroom 212 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:47,359 Speaker 3: and plummeted to the hard floor below. He was seriously 213 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:51,440 Speaker 3: injured and became sick confined to his bed. But rather 214 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:53,880 Speaker 3: than call out to God for help, what did he do? 215 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 3: He turned to false gods, just as his parents had 216 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 3: done throughout their lives. A Haziah, he sent messengers to 217 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 3: seek answers from Beelzebub, the philistine god of plagues. He 218 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 3: wanted to know if he would recover from his injuries, 219 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,560 Speaker 3: and what a Haziah failed to recognize was that his 220 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:14,680 Speaker 3: real sickness was not in his broken body, but in 221 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 3: his broken soul. But God saw the king and was 222 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 3: grieved because of his unfaithfulness. So God sent an angel 223 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 3: to give his prophet Elijah a message to Ajziah. Because 224 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 3: the king had turned to a foreign God, acting as 225 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 3: though there was no God in Israel, he would never 226 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 3: leave the confinement of his bed, but would die there. 227 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 3: Elijah set off to find the messengers who were headed 228 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 3: to Akron to seek out Beelzebub. He told them all 229 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 3: the angel had said, and they returned to Ahziah with 230 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 3: bad news. Bad news from the strange man on the road. 231 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 3: When Ahziah asked what the man looked like, the description 232 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 3: confirmed what surely he already knew. Elijah, the same man 233 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 3: who had troubled his father a have was at it again. 234 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 3: God's man was being God's man. A Haziah sent a 235 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 3: captain with fifty men to bring Elijah. In no doubt, 236 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 3: the king had a mind to make him pay for 237 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:16,360 Speaker 3: his words. But when they found Elijah, they called him 238 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 3: a man of God and told him to come quickly, 239 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,880 Speaker 3: because the king had ordered it. But Elijah answered to 240 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 3: a much higher king, the Lord God. So he replied 241 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 3: that if he was indeed a man of God, then 242 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 3: fire would come down from heaven and consume the men. 243 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 3: Just then God sent fire from the skies and wiped 244 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 3: out a Haziah's men. This sign would deter any reasonable 245 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 3: and wise king. But a Haziah was far from reasonable 246 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 3: or wise, so he sent a second captain with fifty men, 247 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 3: the same order, the same response from Elijah, and the 248 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 3: same outcome fire from heaven that consumed the men. A 249 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 3: Haziah sent a third contingent of men, but this time 250 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 3: the captain did not demand that Elijah come with him. Instead, 251 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 3: he humbled himself before Elijah, saying, as recorded in Second 252 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 3: Kings one thirteen old Man of God, please let my 253 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 3: life and the life of these fifty servants of yours 254 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 3: be precious in your sights. In other words, please don't 255 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 3: kill us, Please don't take us out from the power 256 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 3: of your God. So this man had a different attitude 257 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 3: and a different request, a different response. Therefore, God told 258 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 3: Elijah to go with a man and deliver his message 259 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 3: personally to a Haziah. So Elijah went to the king 260 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 3: and again told him that because he turned to the 261 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 3: philistine God, his very life would be taken from him 262 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 3: in that bed, And just as the Lord said, a 263 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 3: Haziah died then and there a short reign marked by 264 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 3: idolatry and foolishness and death. Today's passage reminds us that 265 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 3: our God is the one true God, and that he 266 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:06,160 Speaker 3: is a jealous God who deserves our full focus, attention, adoration, 267 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 3: and affection. Let there be no other gods before him. 268 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:14,400 Speaker 3: Like his parents before him, a Haziah gave his heart 269 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:16,959 Speaker 3: to false gods, and it cost him not only an 270 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:20,919 Speaker 3: abundant and peaceful life and a beautiful reign among the people, 271 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 3: it cost him everything. It cost him his life. Because 272 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 3: God will not be mocked. The Bible says, whatever a 273 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 3: person sows, he will also reap. So let's pray, Dear God, 274 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:37,679 Speaker 3: thank you for this story that teaches us that you 275 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 3: are a great God, a glorious God, and you and 276 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 3: you only are God. And we pray that we would 277 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 3: never turn to the world and the idols of this 278 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 3: world and the things of this world to find relief 279 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 3: or rescue or comfort in any false God. We thank 280 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 3: you that you are jealous for us, that you love 281 00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 3: us because we are yours and us deeply and dearly, 282 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:06,160 Speaker 3: and you always want our best. Remind us God today 283 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:11,240 Speaker 3: that our hearts are to be completely yours in Jesus's name. Amen. 284 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. 285 00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 3: I'm pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Let me encourage 286 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 3: you to go ahead right now and download thepray dot 287 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:26,679 Speaker 3: Com app and make the Word of God and prayer 288 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:30,640 Speaker 3: a huge priority in your life. Let me also encourage 289 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 3: you to tell others about this podcast because you can 290 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 3: pass the word to others. And if you want more 291 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:40,679 Speaker 3: resources on how to tap into God's power for living 292 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:44,640 Speaker 3: the Christian life, be sure to visit Jack Graham dot org. 293 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 3: That's Jack Graham dot org. We would love to connect 294 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:49,920 Speaker 3: with you right now.