2 Kings 1
Ahaziah, son of Ahab had a bit of an accident - he fell through a roof lattice and seriously injured himself.
He sent messengers to enquiry of Baal Zebub the god of Ekron to enquire of the god if he would live or die.
The word of God came to Elijah and told Elijah to intercept the messengers and give them a message from God, the God of Israel. "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you go and ask a foreign god? Because of this you will certainly die, never leaving your bed".
The King asked why the messengers came back so quickly and they explained that a man gave them a message. Demanding a description of the man - they said he wore a hair coat and leather belt, which apparently was enough for Ahaziah to recognise him as Elijah.
Ahaziah sent a captain and 50 soldiers to arrest Elijah.
Coming to where Elijah was sitting on top of a hill the captain demanded "Man of God, the king says "come down""
Elijah is unimpressed, replying that if he is a man of God fire will fall from the sky and consume the men.
Ahaziah sent another captain and the same thing happened.
The third captain asked Elijah to consider the lives of his men. Elijah gave his message to the king in person and Ahaziah died as Elijah had said.
Ahaziah had no children, so somebody else became king.
I'm not sure what is most disturbing here - is it the arrogance of the military captains or the fact that fire destroyed over 100 people?
It puts me in mind of the old one about a radar signal that was picked up on the radar of an American battleship on manoeuvres with the fleet.
Captain - This is the USS Battleship to the unidentified vessel - you are ordered to alter your course 3 degrees south.
Response - Negative battleship - you alter course 3 degrees to north
The captain got the Admiral -
Admiral - Listen son this is the Admiral of the fleet on board the battleship - I am in command of a battle fleet and licensed to use deadly force to defend myself from possibly hostile forces - this is your final warning - you are ordered to alter course 3 degrees south
Response - I am an able seaman and you are instructed to alter course 3 degrees north, by the way I'm in a lighthouse - your move admiral.
Ahaziah, son of Ahab had a bit of an accident - he fell through a roof lattice and seriously injured himself.
He sent messengers to enquiry of Baal Zebub the god of Ekron to enquire of the god if he would live or die.
The word of God came to Elijah and told Elijah to intercept the messengers and give them a message from God, the God of Israel. "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you go and ask a foreign god? Because of this you will certainly die, never leaving your bed".
The King asked why the messengers came back so quickly and they explained that a man gave them a message. Demanding a description of the man - they said he wore a hair coat and leather belt, which apparently was enough for Ahaziah to recognise him as Elijah.
Ahaziah sent a captain and 50 soldiers to arrest Elijah.
Coming to where Elijah was sitting on top of a hill the captain demanded "Man of God, the king says "come down""
Elijah is unimpressed, replying that if he is a man of God fire will fall from the sky and consume the men.
Ahaziah sent another captain and the same thing happened.
The third captain asked Elijah to consider the lives of his men. Elijah gave his message to the king in person and Ahaziah died as Elijah had said.
Ahaziah had no children, so somebody else became king.
I'm not sure what is most disturbing here - is it the arrogance of the military captains or the fact that fire destroyed over 100 people?
It puts me in mind of the old one about a radar signal that was picked up on the radar of an American battleship on manoeuvres with the fleet.
Captain - This is the USS Battleship to the unidentified vessel - you are ordered to alter your course 3 degrees south.
Response - Negative battleship - you alter course 3 degrees to north
The captain got the Admiral -
Admiral - Listen son this is the Admiral of the fleet on board the battleship - I am in command of a battle fleet and licensed to use deadly force to defend myself from possibly hostile forces - this is your final warning - you are ordered to alter course 3 degrees south
Response - I am an able seaman and you are instructed to alter course 3 degrees north, by the way I'm in a lighthouse - your move admiral.
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