Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
2 Kings 1:9-15
The King Sends His Guards To Arrest Elijah (2 Kings 1:9).
If fifty assassins had burst in on the king with the intention of killing him, and they had been mown down by his guards, no one would have raised an eyebrow. But because Elijah, who was in equal danger of being executed, called on God for assistance, resulting in the slaying of the would be assassins by God's fire, eyebrows are raised. We need to remember, however, that God was Elijah's bodyguard. And the king would not have rested until Elijah had either rescinded the penalty, or was dead. This was an important part of the battle for the soul of Israel.
‘Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him, and, behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he spoke to him, “O man of God, the king has said, Come down.” '
When Ahab had sent for Micaiah he had sent an official for him (1 Kings 22:9), thus the fact that Ahaziah sent not an official, but a military unit under a commander, in order to bring Elijah indicated his evil intent, and that he was ensuring, knowing Elijah's extraordinary powers, that there could be no resistance. His intention was clearly malign. He intended to seize Elijah and execute him. An arresting party for one man did not usually consist of a whole military unit. We can compare the size of the party sent to arrest Jesus, because His miraculous powers were known.
The commander went to where he knew Elijah would be, and as he approached the hill he spotted Elijah sitting there on its peak. With great officiousness he commanded Elijah in a peremptory fashion (as officer of the arresting party), “O man of God, the king has said, Come down.” The address ‘man of God' was probably intended to be sarcastic.
Both Elijah and he knew what this would mean, and the commander was taking no chances. As far as he was concerned he had to obey orders, and Elijah was expendable. On the other hand he was not in any doubt that he was dealing with a ‘man of God', (a genuine prophet of YHWH), as his method of address makes clear. But as he was no doubt a Baal worshipper, his view was probably that prophets of YHWH were better dead. So there was no mercy in either his heart, or in the hearts of his men. Meanwhile the people would soon be aware of this challenge between YHWH and Baal, and would be very much affected by the outcome. In a sense the whole world was watching in order to see who would prevail.
‘And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty.” And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.'
Elijah, recognising the implications of the situation, and no doubt under divine instructions, determined to let God demonstrate once and for all that he, Elijah, was a true prophet of YHWH, and that YHWH was supreme in Israel. And he therefore cried, “If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty.” This would be the proof that he really was a ‘man of God' of YHWH. He knew that in this case it was him (and Israel's faith) or them. And accordingly just as had happened on Mount Carmel (although this ‘hill' was clearly near Samaria) fire came down from Heaven and consumed the arresting party, just as it had consumed the sacrifice on Mount Carmel previously. YHWH was demonstrating that He was with His servant, and saw the arresting party as a kind of burnt offering from the king. It may in fact have been a bolt of lightning, or it may have been the fire of the presence of the Angel of YHWH. Either way it was equally effective.
The significance of his action was clear. Just as YHWH had accepted his offering on Mount Carmel by consuming it with fire, so now He was manifesting His power in a similar way by accepting this ‘offering up' of the arresting party. It was a grim but poignant reminder of YHWH's victory on Mount Carmel over the forces of darkness, a victory which had only all too easily been forgotten. Now it was being brought back to mind most vividly.
(If a band of prophets had arrived and fought off the military unit in defence of Elijah, slaying them in the process, we would not have done anything but recognise the justice of it. Why then should fire from YHWH be seen as any different? Especially as it was a necessary reminder to the people that YHWH had not been replaced as the God of Israel, and was also a signal that His prophets should not be harmed by the authorities (who would as a result be more careful in future).
‘And again he sent to him another captain of fifty and his fifty. And he answered and said to him, “O man of God, thus has the king said, Come down quickly.” '
When the news reached the king he was no doubt infuriated, but on the basis that lightning never strikes in the same place twice he sent a further military unit, along with its commander, to arrest Elijah. He was not going to allow himself to be thwarted by a few deaths. This time the commander was even more peremptory and unsympathetic, and commanded Elijah to come down ‘at once'. Once again the authority of YHWH was being challenged by a worshipper of Baal, and his servant was being asked to put himself at the mercy of the soldiers, and of the king, neither of whom were reliable. If Elijah turned up with bruises on him it would not concern Azariah. Again YHWH grimly ‘consumed the offering'. It was similar to their being ‘devoted to YHWH'.
‘And Elijah answered and said to them, “If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.”
The result was exactly the same, a complete repetition of the earlier event. The military unit went the same way as the first, consumed by the fire of YHWH. This activity of God in both these cases is a reminder that on the Day of Judgment all who have rebelled against God will be burned with fire. Then those who are consumed will be numbered in billions. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
‘And again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said to him, “O man of God, I pray you, let my life, and the life of these fifty who are your servants, be precious in your sight.” '
The king was clearly convinced that all this was just an unhappy coincidence, and without any regard for his men sent a further arresting party. By this time the job had presumably lost its popularity, but the unit in question would be given no option and knew that they had to obey orders. However, they were fortunate in being commanded by a man who had learned to fear YHWH. Thus when he approached the hill he fell on his knees before Elijah and begged that the man of God would be merciful.
‘Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and consumed the two former captains of fifty with their fifties. But now let my life be precious in your sight.”
He acknowledged that he knew what had happened to the two previous units and prayed that his own life might be precious in Elijah's sight. The indication was that he only wished him well.
‘And the angel of YHWH said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Do not be afraid of him.” And he arose, and went down with him to the king.'
Satisfied that Elijah would now be given a fair deal, and could safely go with the military unit, not as a man under arrest, but as someone who was being courteously escorted, YHWH withheld His fire. Instead the Angel of YHWH assured Elijah that he could go with the military party in safety without fear. Accordingly Elijah rose up and went with the men.