Elijah
“Changing your image of God”
This is a story which raises a lot of questions and no doubt assaults the sensibilities of some today.
How do you reconcile this part of Scripture in the light of Christ?
What is its message for a disciple of Jesus today?
What image of God does this present?
Can you live with that image?
When you read this episode of the life of Elijah – you could be forgiven for thinking that the detail given does not really add much to an obvious point.
King Ahaziah is seriously injured and sends messengers to enquire of Baal concerning his future.
The messengers return to the king unexpectedly quickly.
On their way to Baal – a “hairy man with a leather belt around his waist” had intercepted them and given them the answer.
“The king will not recover”.
But more to the point – his message contained the denouncement that Ahaziah was acting with no reference to the God of Israel.
He was rejecting God and His Word.
Based on the aforementioned brief, yet distinctive description of the man, Ahaziah realises it was Elijah.
So – he sends a captain with fifty troops to Elijah who was sitting on top of a hill.
And then begins this dramatic and seemingly senseless destruction of these men who were just doing their job.
The first captain and 50 men arrive and say the king says “Come down”.
And fire from heaven consumes them.
The next ones approach it in the same way – although a bit more forcefully; “Come down at once”.
Same result.
The third group learn from the previous two – and approach with a decent amount of fear and caution and Elijah accompanies them to the king and nothing has changed.
The message is still the same.
“You will die”.
In the telling of this story there are some features.
One of them is that the writer of Kings is having a bit of fun at the expense of Baal worshippers.
The name is more likely meant to be Baal-zebul – Chief Baal; or exalted lord.
But instead he records it as Baal-zebub – Lord of the Flies.
It is likely he is deriding anything to do with Baal.
Yet – the overarching theme is that this is a story of rejection of God and His Word – and the resultant judgement that comes with that.
How does this aspect of the story of God and the nature of God sit with you?
What do you make of it?
How does it affect how you follow Jesus?
You might say – “never read that part of Scripture before so it doesn’t affect it”.
Thing is – you’ve read it now.
Now what?
Are you left thinking God is stern? Or that these guys had it coming to them?
It is important that we make sense of this perplexing incident in 2 Kings 1 and work at seeing how it can make a difference in our lives as disciples of Jesus.
Because – it is connected with the image that we build of God.
And our image of God is never just a passive thing. The way we view God will affect the way we view others; our expectation of what does and should happen to others; and our expectation of what does and should happen to us.
So – what place does this incident in Elijah’s life have in the creation in our understanding and knowledge of God and what this means for how we live?
The Gospel of Luke has an answer.
Luke is divided into several sections as the story of Jesus is told.
The longest section is called “The Travel Narrative” or “The Journey to Jerusalem” and it covers nearly 40% of the Gospel.
It is a crucial part of Luke’s telling of the story.
During this part of the story – Luke is at pains to reveal particular themes which help us to understand Jesus and what it means to follow Him.
As one commentator puts it – this section shows “need for the journey, a central emphasis of which is the formation of a people who will hear and obey the word of God”. (Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997), 406).
Green highlights several key themes that emerge in the journey to Jerusalem:
1. the coming salvation in all of its fullness to all people
2. Jesus will be the cause of division
3. Jesus must suffer rejection and be killed
4. The stubbornness and slowness of the disciples
5. Jesus’ impending “exodus”
The journey to Jerusalem begins in Luke 9:51 and it ends at Luke 19:44.
And how does the story about Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem begin?
It begins with an incident.
An incident which sets the scene and shows the need to the disciples to literally journey with Jesus so that they will hopefully “get it”.
So that they will come to understand how it is He plans to save the world; how it is He will relate to people; how it is He will challenge their image of God; how it is He will teach them about Himself and what will be required in the lives of those who choose to follow Him.
It is a journey that we would be well served to take.
Let’s read the beginning of the Journey to Jerusalem.
It will seem familiar.
[Read Luke 9:51-56]
There is a real sense of déjà vu isn’t there!
This whole incident heavily draws on the incident from Elijah’s life.
Both incidents occur in Samaria.
Both involve rejection of God and His Word (remember – Jesus is the Word made Flesh).
Both involve judgement by way of fire being called down from heaven.
Nearly.
James and John say to Jesus “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” (Lk 9:54)
(You might note that in your bible there is a footnote at the end of that verse saying that some manuscripts add “as Elijah did”).
James and John; you and me.
All trying to work out and apply 2 Kings 1 to our lives today.
On that day, for the disciples especially, it was history repeating.
For them it was the Day of Elijah – rejection of God at Samaria; one solution – judgement!
(And in fact the whole journey is marked by rejection of Jesus by the Jews also. Do you know what they call Jesus in Luke 11? “Beelzebul”!!! Luke 11:22 (aka Baal-zebub).
They had an image of God and an accompanying expectation of what that meant.
This then – the opening event of the Journey to Jerusalem.
The beginning point of how they/we view God and how they/we expect He will deal with the world.
Call down fire from heaven?
As a response to people rejecting God and His Word?
Is that your view? That people deserve judgement for that?
Here in Luke – Jesus rebuked James and John for holding such a view.
And then they began their journey to Jerusalem which took place on the road and in the heart.
On that journey they were taught by Jesus.
That this is a time of grace not judgement.
Of compassion not condemnation.
This story in 2 Kings 1; its companion version in Luke 9 position us.
It draws from our heart the image we hold of God.
Our feelings about Him.
“The God of our guts” as Joyce Hugget says.
It is the beginning point of our journey to Jerusalem with Jesus.
It is the beginning point of our current understanding of Him.
It is the beginning point where Jesus might need to rebuke you for the attitude in your heart.
The point when He declares to you that He is not declaring judgement at this time – but grace.
Judgement will come – but grace comes first. In Him.
This journey – as told in Luke – begins and ends with very important insights.
The story ends at Luke 19:44 with Jesus weeping over Jerusalem.
Because judgement is coming.
He says:
“If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.” (Luke 19:42-44)
It begins – as mentioned – in Luke 9:51.
"When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem." (Luke 9:51)
Again this is a deliberate reference to Elijah.
Being “taken up” refers back to 2 Kings 2.
Elijah is taken up to heaven and Elisha asks for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. When Elijah is taken up this happens.
Here in Luke 9:51 – Jesus is preparing His disciples for a similar, yet gloriously more significant event.
His eventual ascension and His Spirit being given to His disciples.
This incident of Elijah and what it does to us; what it reveals about us and our view of God.
This incident at the beginning of the Journey to Jerusalem with Jesus – this Elijah-like happening – is an invitation to journey with Him.
Who knows what He wants to reveal to you on the road?
What He wants you to weep over?
What He weeps over about you?
Who knows?
Maybe He is preparing you for a new giving of His Spirit.
Presented By: Rev Geoff New