1Ki 22:45-53, 2Ki 1:1-18  “The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works“

1Ki 22:45  Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 
1Ki 22:46  And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.
1Ki 22:47  There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king. 
1Ki 22:48  Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.
1Ki 22:49  Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not. 
1Ki 22:50  And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

Sin’s dormant power that does not have a hold on us is represented in this story by “the ships [that] were broken at Eziongeber” and by the relationship between Jehoshaphat and Ahab that had come to an end by the death of Ahab who represents our old man of sin (Rom 6:23). That does not mean that this is the end of the struggle, but rather that Jehoshaphat is typical of the overcomer who is learning to deal with sin that lies at the door (2Ch 20:35-37) and wants to constantly rule over us (Gen 4:7).

Rom 6:22  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

1Ki 22:49  Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not. 

2Ch 20:35  And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly: 
2Ch 20:36  And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish (“Tarshish” = she will shatter enemies – PNB-kjv): and they made the ships in Eziongeber

H6100 (“Eziongeber” = man’s counsel – PNB-kjv).

2Ch 20:37  Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

H6100 ‛etsyôn geber  ‛etsyôn geber  Ezion-geber = “backbone of a man”

Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

The rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat “and his might that he shewed, and how he warred” testify to this point that we are not perfected in this marred vessel (Luk 13:32, Jer 18:4, Jas 1:14-15) and all the “chronicles of the kings of Judah” are written for our sakes to let us know that we must fight these powers and principalities all our earthly life (Eph 6:12).

Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 
Jas 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

To this end of warring against these powers and principalities until our last breath, we are to have nothing to do with “the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa“, which is a symbol of a Nicolaitan spirit which is a perverse and pervasive spirit in Babylon that wants to rule over the laity with a negative example of words and works (Joh 14:10), described as “deeds” and “doctrine“, of which spirit we are told to take “out of the land” as Jehoshaphat did (Rev 2:6, Rev 2:15).

Joh 14:10  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 

Rev 2:6  But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans^G3531, which I also hate. 

Rev 2:15  So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans^G3531, which thing I hate.

G3531 Nicolaitans Nikolaites

Thayer definition: Nicolaitans = “destruction of people”

This all sounds like favorable behavior on the part of Jehoshaphat who humbled himself each time a prophet came to admonish him (2Ch 19:2, 2Ch 20:37), and he also sought “a prophet of the Lord” before warring with the nations around him (1Ki 22:7 – Ramothgilead with Ahab; 2Ki 3:11 Moab with Jehoram the son of Ahab; 2Ch 20:3 Moab and Ammon against Jehoshaphat).

Jehoshaphat was also the last king of Judah to have dominion over Edom, from the days of David when he subdued them (2Sa 8:14). This is why we are told that there was “no king in Edom: a deputy was king” at this time, setting the stage for his evil firstborn son Jehoram to deal with “the Edomites [who] revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day…because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.”

2Sa 8:14  And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David’s servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

2Ch 20:34  Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel. 
2Ch 20:35  And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly: 
2Ch 20:36  And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongeber. 
2Ch 20:37  Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish. 

2Ch 21:1  Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead. 
2Ch 21:2  And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 
2Ch 21:3  And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn. 
2Ch 21:4  Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel. 
2Ch 21:5  Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 
2Ch 21:6  And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD.
2Ch 21:7  Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever. 
2Ch 21:8  In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king. 
2Ch 21:9  Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots. 
2Ch 21:10  So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.

Positively, Jehoshaphat ‘fought a good fight of faith’ throughout his life, but this story tells us, symbolically, that if our contentment in God increases we will mature through the trials of our lives. This is what we see in the life of king Jehoshaphat (2Ch 20:30), ready to sleep with his fathers after 25 years reigning over Judah (2Ch 20:31) knowing what he knows, and believing what he believes: “Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram^H3088 his son reigned in his stead“, “howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers” (2Ch 20:32-33).

2Ch 20:30  So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about. 
2Ch 20:31  And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 
2Ch 20:32  And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD. 
2Ch 20:33  Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

As we will see, his firstborn son Jehoram^H3088 was not a good king, but his name does remind us that his father’s way of life, or doctrine, represented by his offspring, exalted Jehovah.

H3088 Jehoram yehôrâm

BDB Definition:  Jehoram or Joram = “Jehovah is exalted”

1) son of king Jehoshaphat of Judah and himself king of Judah for 8 years; his wife was the wicked Athaliah who was probably the instigator for his returning the nation of Judah to the worship of Baal.

2) son of king Ahab of the northern kingdom of Israel and king of Israel himself for 12 years; he was murdered by Jehu on the plot of land for which his father had murdered Naboth thus fulfilling the prophecy of Elijah to the very letter

3) a priest in the reign of Jehoshaphat.

Part of Speech: noun proper masculine

A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H3068 and H7311

1Ki 22:51  Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. 
1Ki 22:52  And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin: 
1Ki 22:53  For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

Ahaziah began to reign in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel, and like his father before him “he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin“. He symbolizes how all flesh will naturally be seduced into doing what we want if not for the power of God, the soundness of His mind, and the love that He sheds abroad in the hearts (2Ti 1:7, Rom 5:5) of His people that helps us rule over all the powers and principalities that we are wrestling against in this life.

Ahaziah did what his father did, “He served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.” While this was going on,  Jehoshaphat king of Judah was trending in an upward direction by faithfully serving God and demonstrating his fidelity by destroying the idols of his heart. The witness of no control over the flesh was symbolized by the two years of Ahaziah’s reign that was of the same spirit as his father, and the seventeenth year that adds up to the number ‘eight’ represents the new man (1+7) that Jehoshaphat symbolizes. The short reign of two years of the young and out-of-control king Ahaziah over Israel is in contrast with the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah who was more mature and circumspect than Ahaziah.

As was noted at the start of the last study, each king simply represents stages of our maturing or stages of our old man’s bondage and inability to overcome. We truly don’t wrestle against flesh and blood (Eph 6:12), and as such we can have every confidence that we can be more than conquerors through Christ who God has dragged us to so we can be saved through his life within us as our hope of glory (Joh 6:44, Rom 5:10, Col 1:27).

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 

I’ve chosen this title for our study: “the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works“, primarily for our study with this first chapter of the 2nd book of kings, which is going to show us in type and shadow via the prophet Elijah what the words and works of Christ in the body of Christ will accomplish for us today as we continue to mature.

2Ki 1:1  Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
2Ki 1:2  And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice^H7639 in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.

Second Kings begins by telling us that after Ahab died, Moab rebelled against Israel. This death of Ahab in a positive light is the beginning of sorrows for Israel who is a type of the Israel of God (Mat 24:8,  Gal 6:16), and so the story takes us in a direction of hope as Elijah, who represents Christ, is coming into the picture to deal with the idolatrous spirit of Ahaziah who has “sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.” Moab rebelling against Israel symbolizes our persistent flesh that must die daily and not just this one-time death of Ahab who does represent one event of our dying daily lifetime journey.

We have discussed this section before in detail regarding what this “lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria” represents, through which Ahaziah fell “and was sick“. The lattice can be positive or negative and represents our spiritual safety in the Lord when it is truly His counsel, His network, His lattice (Pro 11:14, Pro 24:6, Pro 15:22) that we seek and not that of “Baalzebub the god of Ekron“, which represents our former conversation that was guided by deceitful lusts (Eph 4:22).

Pro 11:14  Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

Pro 24:6  For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. 

Pro 15:22  Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established. 

Eph 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 

The positive lattice that keeps us safe in this life is the counsel which is found in the Lord via the multitude of counselors, which is how we are to battle against the powers and principalities against which we war. In time, all of humanity will be saved and learn of these truths that God blessed his little remnant to continue in today, which is the positive lattice (1Ki 7:41-42). The lattice “in his upper chamber that was in Samaria” represents the counsel of this world that will lead to death and was our former conversation (Pro 14:12, Pro 16:25, Eph 4:22-24).

H7639 networks śebâkâh seb-aw-kaw’

Feminine of H7638; a net work, that is, (in hunting) a snare, (in architecture) a ballustrade; also a reticulated ornament to a pillar: – checker, lattice, network, snare, wreath (-enwork).

Total KJV occurrences: 15

1Ki 7:41  The two pillars, and the two bowls of the chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars; and the two networks^H7639, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars;
1Ki 7:42  And four hundred pomegranates for the two networks^H7639, even two rows of pomegranates for one network^H7639, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters that were upon the pillars; [Rev 11:3-4]

Pro 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 

Pro 16:25  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 

Eph 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 
Eph 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 
Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

2Ki 1:3  But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? 
2Ki 1:4  Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.

It’s not every day that someone gets stopped dead in their tracks by a prophet of God, but that is exactly what happened to all of us who were blessed to take heed and to hear the warning of God to come out of Babylon represented by “Baalzebub the god of Ekron” (2Co 6:17). Those words sent to us will accomplish what God has intended them to do (Isa 55:11), and the reluctance we will read about our yet carnal minds to hear the words of Christ is something that has to be burnt out of us.  This action will be typified by the sequential destruction of the messengers that were sent from Ahaziah to bring Elijah down to the king (2Ki 1:9) who sought “to enquire of (Baalzebub – master of the flies) the god of (Ekron – torn up by the roots) (PNB-kjv)”. Ahaziah being told that “Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up,” is the opposite of picking up your bed, or working out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Joh 5:8, Php 2:12-13).

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 

Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Joh 5:8  Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 

2Ki 1:5  And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? 
2Ki 1:6  And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. 
2Ki 1:7  And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?
2Ki 1:8  And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

It is the prophet of God who tells the messengers to turn back^H7725 in the sense of going back the same way you came, bringing to mind the Lord’s command to not “turn again to go by the way that thou camest” (1Ki 13:17) because this is symbolically ‘backsliding’ (Jer 8:5).

1Ki 13:15  Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 
1Ki 13:16  And he said, I may not return^H7725 with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: 
1Ki 13:17  For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again^H7725 to go by the way that thou camest.

Jer 8:4  Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away^H7725, and not return^H7725?
Jer 8:5  Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back^H7725 by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return^H7725.

Elijah already knows there is a death sentence coming for the “king of Samaria” for the abominable act of seeking counsel from Baal instead of “the God of Israel”, demonstrating the hardness of his heart and inability of our flesh (“the king of Samaria”), which is not the true “Israel of God”, to seek the counsel of God (Gal 6:16, Eph 3:10,  1Ti 3:15).

Gal 6:16  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Eph 3:10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

When Ahaziah asked the messengers what manner of man it was who talked to them, he confirmed that he knew who Elijah the Tishbite was. This is significant as Ahaziah would have known of the prophecies that befell his father Ahab at the voice of the same prophet his father sought to kill (1Ki 18:10),  who is now condoning his actions and announcing his impending death (2Ki 1:16).

Elijah is described as “an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins“, which girdle of leather^H5785 represents this administration of death that we are all a part of (Gen 3:20-21, Gen 27:16, 2Co 3:7). Elijah also witnesses to the administration of life God’s elect are part of being ‘girt about’ our loins with Christ, our righteousness, which is what is required for the death of our old man who must die daily (Rev 1:13, Rev 19:8). The “hairy man” in biblical terms can be both negative (Gen 25:25) and positive, Esau representing the first (negative) hairy man and Elijah representing “the second man from heaven” (1Co 15:46-47).

Gen 3:20  And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 
Gen 3:21  Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins^H5785, and clothed them.

Gen 27:16  And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:

Mar 1:6  And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; 

H5785 ore: From H5783; skin (as naked); by implication hide, leather: – hide, leather, skin.

Rev 1:13  And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Gen 25:25  And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.  
1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

2Ki 1:9  Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
2Ki 1:10  And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

Now we see the old covenant witness of how we are to stand on the word of God and destroy those things within ourselves, “every high thing that exalteth itself [“he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down“], against the knowledge of God” (2Co 10:3-6). Elijah is going to obey God and not man in this and every situation where this is required (Act 5:29).

2Co 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 
2Co 10:4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds😉 [“he sat on the top of an hill“]
2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 
2Co 10:6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Elijah is not going to “come down”, but demonstrates through the next words that he is in fact a type of the elect and more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ (Rom 8:37) who is higher than all these powers and principalities we wrestle against, symbolized by the “the captain of fifty“.

The strength in their flesh that is going to be overcome by “fire come down from heaven” which typifies the words of God, represents the grace-through-faith process we go through (Eph 2:8) as the body of Christ, to have all these powers and principalities destroyed within our heavens (Eph 1:21). So, as always, there can be a negative ‘fifty’ and a positive ‘fifty’ or multiple of that number as in the story of the 250 men of renown whose destruction is a repeat story of the one we are looking at with these 3 x 50 false messengers (Num 16:2-3).

2Co 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 
2Co 10:4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 
2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 
2Co 10:6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

Num 16:2  And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 
Num 16:3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

2Ki 1:11  Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.
2Ki 1:12  And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

This repeat of the same thing happening now to the second ‘captain with his fifty’ is a witness to us that God does not change, and as such we are not consumed (Mal 3:6), however our old man is consumed by God’s words which is typified by “the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty“.

Mal 3:6  For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

2Ki 1:13  And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. 
2Ki 1:14  Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.

The third captain in this process of judgment comes with a more contrite heart, much fear, and recognition of God’s power and might that has been working all along in the life of Elijah to destroy these wicked words and works of the fleshly messengers doing what they have been instructed to do via Ahaziah.

This messenger says “therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight“, and indeed, as we are purified through a chastening and scourging process (Heb 12:6) God puts us through, learning to forsake ungodliness and worldly lust (Tit 2:12) to become more precious in the sight of God as a result of our fiery trials that purify our heavens (1Pe 1:7).

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 

Tit 2:12  Teaching^G3811 us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; [Heb 12:1-3]

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 
Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 
Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds [Rom 8:35, the love of Christ within us (Rom 5:5)].

2Ki 1:15  And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king. 
2Ki 1:16  And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

Elijah waits on the Lord and only goes where the Lord would have him go and when he would have him go (Rom 8:14-16, 2Co 3:17), as a shadow for God’s elect of how we are to commit our ways unto God as unto a faithful Creator and wait upon him and not fear what men can do to our flesh: “be not afraid of him” (Heb 13:6-7). We are being told that with God’s love shed abroad in our hearts this process of judgment is going to be completed, and we will go on to perfection on the third day (Luk 13:32).

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 
Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 
Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 

Heb 13:6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me [“Go down with him: be not afraid of him“].
Heb 13:7  Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 

This obedience of Elijah is contrasted against the twice-mentioned statement to Ahaziah who was not going to pick up his bed and walk (Joh 5:8): “Therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.“

2Ki 1:17  So he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.
2Ki 1:18  Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Dying “according to the word of the LORD” is a prophecy of what is happening to each of us as we die daily (1Co 15:31). After the death of Ahaziah the king of Israel, the cycle continues and another king by the name Jehoram comes to reign in his stead. Ahaziah has no son to take over his throne so his brother Jehoram, also Ahab’s son, reigns in his stead. To note, there is also another Jehoram in this story, “the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah“, also significant, and Lord willing, we will delve into in an upcoming study.

1Ki 22:50  And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead. 

2Ki 1:17  So he [Ahaziah] died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram [his brother] reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son. 

2Ki 3:1  Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 

Ahaziah having no son [no sound doctrine] to reign after him is symbolic of his having no inheritance in the saints, and how our old man must be destroyed leaving neither “root nor branch” (Mal 4:1).

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

Mal 4:1  For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

It may seem like a sad ending to this story, but in truth these are all hope-filled events for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear that all things are ‘yes’ in the word of God and written for our sakes (2Co 1:20, Mat 13:16, 2Co 4:15).

2Co 1:20  For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 

2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

All these words and works we are seeing unfold in the old covenant are types and shadows of the words and works that God is accomplishing in the lives of his workmanship that we are in this age (Eph 2:10).

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.