This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah 願他們知道自己不過是人 2 Kings

2 Kings 1:1-18

But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’” So Elijah went. 

“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! See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!”

He told the king, “This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel for you to consult that you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!” So he died, according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken.

Ahaziah reigned for two years, during which time Moab seizes independence. Ahaziah consults the Philistine god after a fall from the roof of his palace and Elijah pronounces God's judgment on his idolatry. It takes three military posses to bring Ekujah to the king. But nothing can alter the sentence.

Why?

Because the King of Israel didn't know the Lord, he sent a messenger to ask Baal-Zebub. Our God is the great Lord in the universe. So we need to deliver this good news to our neighbor!

The Lord interrupted the messenger to Baal-Zebub and send the prophet Elijah to warn the king. God let the people of Israel know that the Lord is still with them.

The king did not humble himself but ordered his captain with fifty men went to bring Elijah to the king.

The third captain with humble altitude so he may execute his mission, bring Elijah to meet the king.

Even working under a non-Christain boss, we still obey his command, but humble ourselves and do the right thing, God is with us. Like the third captain.

Elijah said if I am a man of God... Elijah humbles himself to say if I am a man of God may... It means there is not my power, but it is the power of the Lord. The servant of the Lord is not under the control of the king, but under the Lord in heaven.

Even though Ahaziah can't change his destination before the Lord.  The word of the Lord will be done, the word of the Lord never fails.

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在以色列境內就有許多先知，亞哈謝卻跑很遠去問巴力。我們常常遇到問題，先想到我該怎麼辦?到處求人問什麼意見?我們怎麼沒有來找神?

神給亞哈謝機會悔改！亞哈謝也認識以利亞，卻派人要去帶以利亞下來。以興師問罪的命令口氣來!亞哈謝卻四次機會都沒有悔改，把握機會！

我們不過是人！若不是神，我們什麼都不能做。神是烈火！

詩9:20 耶和華啊，求你使外邦人恐懼；願他們知道自己不過是人。

詩78:39 他想到他們不過是血氣，是一陣去而不返的風。

詩103:14 因為他知道我們的本體，思念我們不過是塵土。

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How?

Trust in the word of the Lord, the word of the Lord never fails. Humble me before the Lord! I belong to the Lord, no belong to this world!