The King Who Fell Out a Window
The life and reign of King Ahaziah.
We now come to Ahab’s first son to follow him on Israel’s throne. Regrettably, Ahaziah is just like his Momma and Daddy.
God’s promise to destroy Ahab’s family (1 Kings 21:21-24) begins with this son of Ahab and Jezebel.
The Overview of King Ahaziah’s Reign.
Ahab’s son, Ahaziah, became king of the northern kingdom during Jehoshaphat’s 17th year on the throne of Judah. His reign lasted only two years (1 Kings 22:51).
Ahaziah continued to commit the same sin as his parents.
He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; for he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done. (1 Kings 22:52-53)
Significantly, the Scripture mentions Ahaziah walking “in the way of his mother” since the mother’s influence is not usually mentioned - only the father’s. This continues to show the massive amount of influence Jezebel exercised over her husband, Ahab, and their children (1 Kings 16:31; 19:1-2; 21:1-25).
Ahaziah’s Fatal Mistake.
After Ahab died, Moab rebelled against Israel (2 Kings 1:1). During this foreign relations crisis, Ahaziah somehow fell out of a lattice-covered window from an upper floor and was badly injured. He sent messengers to inquire of “Baal-Zebub,” the Philistine idol god in Ekron, whether or not he would recover (2 Kings 1:2).
The Lord sent Elijah to meet the king’s messengers with His own message - a message which called out the king’s foolish decision to inquire of an idol god instead of the Lord God of Israel and announced the king’s death (2 Kings 1:3-4).
When Ahaziah heard the message from the Lord and realized it came from Elijah, he sent soldiers to seize the prophet of God. However, the first two groups were consumed by fire from the Lord (2 Kings 1:5-12). When the third group of soldiers humbled themselves, Elijah went with them and came before the king with the Lord’s message (2 Kings 1:13-16).
Ahaziah died just as Elijah had spoken the Lord’s word (2 Kings 1:17). While Ahaziah did other things during his reign (2 Kings 1:18), this is all we are told of this wicked son of Ahab and Jezebel.
Because Ahaziah had no son, his brother Jehoram became king of Israel.
Crowning Principles.
Your idols cannot save you.
The Lord rebuked Ahaziah because he inquired of an idol to see whether or not he would recover from his injuries. The foolishness of Ahaziah is highlighted in Scripture - first of all, who falls out of a window? Somebody who’s careless, clumsy, or intoxicated - or some combination of the three.
And then, to compound his embarrassment, Ahaziah inquires from a piece of wood or stone to see if he would recover?!
The Lord spoke through Jeremiah about the folly of idolatry (Jeremiah 10). People cut down a tree, a craftsman carves the wood, it’s covered with precious metal and jewels, and then it’s fastened with nails so it won’t topple over (Jeremiah 10:3-4). An idol cannot speak, walk, or do anything at all (Jeremiah 10:5).
Those who turn to idols are “both stupid and foolish” (Jeremiah 10:8 - ESV).
Humble yourself before the God who is a consuming fire.
The third captain Ahaziah sent to Elijah approached God and His prophet with humility and fear - knowing his life and the lives of his men were in God’s hands.
It’s a sobering picture of what it means to reverence the Lord, the one the Hebrews writer says “is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
James reminds us that humility is required to approach the Lord.
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4:6-10)
