God’s Fiery Answer to Those Who Think They Have Power over Him

David W Palmer

(2 Kings 1:11–12 NLT) So the king sent another captain with fifty men. The captain said to him, “Man of God, the king demands that you come down at once.” {12} Elijah replied, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and destroy you and your fifty men!” And again the fire of God fell from heaven and killed them all.

Obviously, killing people with fire from heaven is not the normal prophetic ministry; and it certainly isn’t part of the normal New Testament way of operating:

(Luke 9:54–56 NKJV) And when His (Jesus’s) disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” {55} But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. {56} For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” …

However, we can learn much from this series of encounters between Elijah and the King’s emissaries who came to get him. King Ahaziah, Ahab’s son, demanded that Elijah appear before him to answer for predicting that he would die. He had fallen in his palace and been seriously injured. For supernatural revelation about his future—whether he would live or die—he sent messengers to enquire of a foreign demonic idol, but God …:

(2 Kings 1:2 NLT) One day Israel’s new king, Ahaziah, fell through the latticework of an upper room at his palace in Samaria and was seriously injured. So he sent messengers to the temple of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether he would recover.

Meanwhile, God spoke to the prophet Elijah through an angel and instructed him to intercept the king’s messengers:

(2 Kings 1:3–4 NLT) But the angel of the LORD told Elijah, who was from Tishbe, “Go and confront the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is there no God in Israel? Why are you going to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether the king will recover? {4} Now, therefore, this is what the LORD says: You will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.’” So Elijah went to deliver the message.

The messengers returned to Ahaziah, and when he heard their message, he deduced that Elijah had given it to them. So he sent an army captain with 50 men to arrest him. This didn’t go as he expected:

(2 Kings 1:9–10 NLT) Then he sent an army captain with fifty soldiers to arrest him. They found him sitting on top of a hill. The captain said to him, “Man of God, the king has commanded you to come down with us.” {10} But Elijah replied to the captain, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and destroy you and your fifty men!” Then fire fell from heaven and killed them all.

Putting aside the gruesome detail of this event, let’s think about how it applies today. First, it shows who has the greater authority—the king, or God and his devoted people. Without doubt, even though the king thought he was sovereign in his nation, God is absolutely higher in authority and far greater in power. This has immediate application for us today. If we, like Elijah did, receive a word from God and speak it in faith, no government or military on earth has higher authority or the power to overcome it. Elijah’s word happened immediately, other words may take longer—like his word about Jezebel and Ahab—but it will surely come to pass.

Next, we learn a suitable, humble and honouring way to approach God’s spokesman and/or God’s representative. We see that the first two captains spoke commandingly to Elijah in the name of the earthly king. This reflects the worldly view that God’s authority is zero. But the third captain had a far more appropriate approach and words to God’s man:

(2 Kings 1:13–15 NLT) Once more the king sent a third captain with fifty men. But this time the captain went up the hill and fell to his knees before Elijah. He pleaded with him, “O man of God, please spare my life and the lives of these, your fifty servants. {14} See how the fire from heaven came down and destroyed the first two groups. But now please spare my life!” {15} Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him, and don’t be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went with him to the king.

The third captain approached humbly in recognition of God’s greater authority—especially over life and death. He pleaded, “O man of God, please spare my life and the lives of these, your fifty servants. … But now please spare my life!” He knew that this was a life or death issue; and he knew that God controlled this and could speak through his prophet to effect what he wanted to happen. This wise captain didn’t try to command God or Elijah; he pleaded for his mercy and cooperation.

We also see that when the humble captain approached God appropriately, that God spoke to Elijah through the angel: “Go down with him, and don’t be afraid of him.” This was an assurance of God’s protection and of the people’s appropriate fear of God who was working through Elijah.

When Elijah arrived safely before the king, he simply reiterated God’s message that he had sent to him through the king’s original messengers: “you will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.”

Many people in positions of power and rulership today believe that they are the ultimate authority over people, not God. Not only do they not believe in God, some think that they are gods themselves. That is a very foolish attitude, and this story shows that despite their grandiose ideas of self importance, authority, and impregnability, they are merely flesh and blood mortals. Jesus holds the “keys” to death; “in him we live and move and have our being” (Rev. 1:18, Acts 17:28 KJV). No one has authority greater than God, and no power, military, regime, or dynasty has power that can anywhere near match God’s infinite power, not to mention his superior wisdom and knowledge:

(1 Corinthians 1:19–20 NLT) As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” {20} So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.

Let’s not be like proud king Ahaziah today; let’s not believe that we or any world system has authority above God. Governments are meant to be God’s servants for good, not their own authority serving their own ends and usurping God’s role in people’s lives. That attitude is ludicrous; and when it comes to a head to head with God, or challenges to his spokesman and what he says through him, they will lose.

We may not see literal fire from heaven burning people up in front of our eyes, but God can move in countless ways to remove or neutralise wicked rulers who oppress his people, counter his will, or try to take authority over his spokesman. Remember, God is the ultimate authority, Jesus is King of kings, and he has all authority and infinite power:

(Psalm 2:1–12 NLT)

{1} Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans?

{2} The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one.

{3} “Let us break their chains," they cry, "and free ourselves from slavery to God."

{4} But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them.

{5} Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury.

{6} For the Lord declares, "I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain."

{7} The king proclaims the LORD's decree: "The LORD said to me, 'You are my son. Today I have become your Father.

{8} Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession.

{9} You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.'"

{10} Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth!

{11} Serve the LORD with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling.

{12} Submit to God's royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities--for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him!