Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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2 Kings
Book: 2 Kings
Chapter: 1
Overview:
The revolt of
Moab-Sickness of
Ahaziah,
King of
Israel.
(1-8)
Fire called from
Heaven By Elijah-
Death of
Ahaziah.
(9-18)
1-8 When
Ahaziah rebelled against the
Lord,
Moab revolted from
him.
Sin weakens and impoverishes us.
Man's revolt from
God is
often punished
By the rebellion of those who owe subjection to
him.
Ahaziah fell through a
Lattice, or railing. Wherever we go,
there is but a step between us and
Death. A
Man's
House is his
Castle, but not to secure him against
God's judgments. The whole
Creation, which groans under the
Burden of
Man's
Sin, will, at
length, sink and break under the weight like this
Lattice. He is
never safe that has
God for his enemy. Those that will not
inquire of the
Word of God for their comfort, shall hear it to
their terror, whether they will or
No.
9-18 Elijah called for
Fire from
Heaven, to consume the
haughty, daring sinners; not to secure himself, but to prove his
mission, and to reveal the wrath of
God from
Heaven, against the
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.
Elijah did this
By a
Divine impulse, yet our
Saviour would not allow the disciples to
do the like, Lu 9:54. The
Dispensation of the
Spirit and of
Grace By No means allowed it.
Elijah was concerned for
God's
Glory, those for their own reputation. The
Lord Judges men's
practices
By their principles, and his
Judgment is according to
Truth. The third
Captain humbled himself, and cast himself upon
the
Mercy of
God and
Elijah. There is nothing to be got
By
contending with
God; and those are
Wise for themselves, who
learn submission from the fatal
End of obstinacy in others. The
courage of
Faith has often struck terror into the
Heart of the
proudest sinner.
So thunderstruck is
Ahaziah with the
Prophet's
words, that neither he, nor any about him, offer him violence.
Who can harm those whom
God shelters? Many who think to prosper
in
Sin, are called hence like
Ahaziah, when they do not expect
it. All warns us to seek the
Lord while he may be found.