Bible Passage:  2 Kings 1

What a poor chap this Ahaziah guy was, wasn’t he?

Falling through the lattice of his upper room and getting injured. Having to deal with someone rebelling against Israel. Ahaziah could not get a break. I guess this is where we can use the saying, “No rest for the wicked”. And what an apt saying this is.

As we know by now, Ahaziah was one of the many wicked kings in the history of the kingdom of Israel. In this chapter, we see him getting his just desserts in the form of all these mishaps.

But while these are obviously punishments against him, we can also see these things as signs from God to Ahaziah to repent…

Here’s Your Chance To Repent…

Like we said earlier, Ahaziah was an evil king, followed in the evil ways of his fathers. And here, we see that he was badly injured and there was peace in his kingdom. If he were wiser, he might have realized his erroneous ways and figure that he should be repenting to God.

But instead, that thought never appeared to cross his mind, and he chose to rely on some god whose name sounds like some alien pirate character from the Star Wars universe. He obviously did not learn his lesson.

But God, who was already so gracious and merciful to give him those opportunities to repent, would again sort give him more opportunities to repent through Elijah.

Clear Chances…

Elijah had already conveyed the message clearly to Ahaziah’s messengers that he would surely die because he had not relied on God with regards to his injuries. And it was not like Ahaziah did not know who Elijah was, or even what he was. I would think that Ahaziah would surely have known that Elijah was a great prophet of God, and because of his reputation, should have put the words in his heart and at least consider about repenting.

But apparently, he was as dense as the Dead Sea. He still sent his captain of fifty and his fifty men to go and get him. And because of this, two companies of Ahaziah’s died by fire from the heavens. Why did Ahaziah need to send so many people to get Elijah in the first place? Did he feel threatened by Elijah and wanted to apprehend him?

In any case, Ahaziah still sent a third group of men. Again, we see that ol’ numbskull here still didn’t catch the hint. Fortunately for the third captain, he was wiser than the second captain and Ahaziah, and spoke cautiously to Elijah, for he realized the power of God. The third captain learned the lesson of the first two captains well, and did not repeat their mistakes, unlike Ahaziah.

Anyway, in the end, Ahaziah died…

Today, God also gives us many signs and chances to repent or to let us know that we are forgetting something. The only thing is whether we actually can see these chances and if we capitalize on them to do the right thing.

Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way, and he who hates correction will die…

– Proverbs 15:10

If we are like Ahaziah, who did not realize nor seize the many opportunities that God gave him to repent but hated correction from God, then the end that we will meet will not be a pleasant one, as said in the verse above.

Also, we can see that God is a God who is extremely patient and forbearing with man. Even someone like Judas Iscariot was given many chances to repent, but he didn’t. The people of Jerusalem were also given many chances, and they failed to do so too.

Do we take this loving kindness and longsuffering of God for granted? Do we just brush His chances aside and carry on with the bad things that we are doing? If we do not repent, then one day, we might never have the chance to do so again, just like Ahaziah.

“Repent now everyone of evil ways and evil doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord has given to you and your fathers forever and ever…”

–          Jeremiah 25: 5

Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

– Romans 2: 4

May we remember to always to pray to God and repent of our sins, seeking his forgiveness, and that we do not turn back to our old ways…

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