They replied, “A man came up to us and told us to go back to the king and give him this message. ‘This is what the LORD says: Is there no God in Israel? Why are you sending men to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will recover? Therefore, because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.’”

2 Kings 1:6

• The water from the Lord that filled the valleys and ditches brought life to Israel and Judah, but brought death to the army of Moab. Our perspective of seeing through the lens of honoring God brings a very different result than seeking false hope in a false god.
• The Lord used the common occurrence of sudden flooding in the wadis/valleys to bring water to His people. God often uses ordinary things that provide for our needs. The same provision for their need of water was the same provision that gave victory in battle.
• It was no coincidence that the provision of water came at the time of the morning sacrifice. God provides not only provision but His very presence in the midst of our circumstances.

• “The pagan people of the time thought that the magical power of curses could be nullified either by forcing that pronouncer of the curse to retract the statement or by killing him or her so that the curse would accompany that individual to the netherworld. It appears that Ahaziah shared this view and tried to take Elijah prisoner to counteract his pronouncement of the king’s death.” Archaeological Study Bible
• The storm gods of the ancient Near East were thought to be equipped with lightning bolts that would send fire as a weapon or a way to enter battle.
• Ahaziah looked to another god instead of YHWH.
• Twice men came to take Elijah as prisoner and were consumed by fire. “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” (2 Kings 1:10) Elijah was using Azariah’s pagan beliefs to show him that YHWH was sovereign.
• The third captain showed humility, and an angel of the LORD told Elijah it would be safe to go with him.
• After all the efforts of Azariah to get his way, Elijah still came to him with the same message: You are going to die.

Stay determined to search for and listen to what is good, right, honest, and true.