Prayer: Father, may You always be the first to whom I call. May You always be the first which I seek. Amen.
2 Kings: The Bible Project Books of 1 and 2 Kings Summary | Watch an Overview Video (bibleproject.com)
Reading: 2 Kings 1 key: vs. 2-4 “Now Ahaziah fell down from the balcony of his upper chamber in Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers and instructed them, “Go inquire of Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury.” But an angel of Adonai said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them: ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron?’ Therefore thus says Adonai: ‘You will not leave the bed you are lying on, for you will surely die.’” And Elijah departed.” TLV
Attention: It is a pretty common thing to request prayer for our recovery from illness or accident. To ask God (Adonai) is appropriate if you embrace Adonai as God. If you do not embrace Adonai, it is understandable that you would seek other avenues to discover your fate.
Ahaziah had learned from the spiritual waywardness of his father Ahab, so he sought out the false god of Ekron, Baal-Zebub. His allegiance was not toward Adonai by his actions.
Adonai intervenes by sending an angel to Elijah and declaring a message which he is to deliver to the messengers being sent to him by Ahaziah. In a demonstration of power, Elijah calls down the fire of God upon the messengers twice. A third group of messengers are sent, but the captain humbles himself and pleads for his life and the life of the men accompanying him. Adonai relented and the angel of Adonai directs Elijah to go down to the king, delivering the message of the king’s eminent death.
The fear of God is a necessity for those who follow Him. Adonai displayed His power multiple times throughout the Old Testament. He showed Himself as God and disappointingly the children of Israel possessed short memories.
Unless we guard ourselves against having a short memory, we too can lapse into sinful behavior. We must maintain an appropriate, healthy fear of Adonai.
Action: I choose today to embrace Adonai and maintain a healthy fear of His Supremacy.
Yield: I choose to humble myself under the mighty hand of God.
Engage: I choose to engage with the Holy Spirit as my mentor.
Relationship: I choose to live in intimate relationship with Adonai.
Prayer: Father, I embrace You as the Sovereign ruler of my life. Reign as King of my heart and life. Establish within me a healthy awe and fear of Your Sovereignty. Amen.
Memory Verse: Proverbs 1:7a “The fear of Adonai is the beginning of knowledge.” TLV
Music Video: Bob Fitts—I Stand In Awe https://youtu.be/snTLIewl5Io?si=dEdB3HYWrWUVg2LI
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”