Tyndale Open Study Notes2 Kings 1

After Ahab died, the Moabites felt confident enough to declare independence from their Israelite rulers (see 2 Kings 3:4–5). This historical note foreshadows the problems Israel faced after Ahaziah's brief rule (see 1 Kings 22:51).

• An upper room or balcony with latticework was common. It allowed air to flow freely and offered some privacy, but lattice was easy to break.

• Baal-zebub (which means lord of flies) might be a mockery of a Canaanite god named Baal-zebul (which means Baal is prince). People later used this god's name for Satan (see study note on Matthew 10:25). Ahaziah worshiped Baal, like his father Ahab.

• The angel of the Lord in the book of Kings does not appear to be a christophany (a special appearance of Christ before his birth), unlike in other Old Testament texts such as Judges 6:11–18.

• Elijah, who had previously confronted Ahaziah’s father, Ahab, delivered a two-part message to the king:

  • he condemned the king for failing to recognize that the Lord, not Baal, is God (see 1 Kings 18:16–18), and

  • he announced God’s judgment of doom (see 1 Kings 21:17–24).

• The proud words of the army captain contradicted themselves. Elijah showed this: If Elijah was truly a man of God (a prophet of God), then his authority came from God. To ignore him was to invite danger (see Deuteronomy 18:15–19).

• Fire often represents God's presence in the Scriptures (see Exodus 3:1–6; 19:18; compare 1 Kings 18:38).

• Fifty soldiers was a typical group size (1 Kings 18:4); here it shows a division in Israel's military organization.

The king had apparently received a report about what happened to the previous group.

Unlike the first two officers, the third commander asked Elijah and God for mercy.

When the angel of the Lord (2 Kings 1:3) told Elijah what to do, he obeyed faithfully.

Is there really no God in Israel: God's message to Ahaziah stayed the same (see 2 Kings 1:3–4).

The second year of Jehoram's rule was 852 BC. During this time, he ruled alongside his father, Jehoshaphat, from 853 to 848 BC.