Daily Devotional For Sunday, June 14, 2026
Good morning and I hope your weekend with the Lord has been one where the Lord taught you some truth, used you to speak to someone about Jesus, or you simply enjoyed one of your daily quiet times with the Lord. Today, we are going to be in 2 Kings 1. Following the death of King Ahab, a new king comes to the throne named Ahaziah. The text says that he experienced a freak accident in which he fell through some latticework in the palace and was seriously injured.
He sent messengers to go to the temple of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether or not he would recover. While these messengers were on their way there, the angel of the Lord came to Elijah and told him to intercept these messengers asking them a series of questions in verses 3-4, “Is there no God (Yahweh) in Israel? Why are you going to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether the king will recover? (4) Now, therefore, this is what the Lord says: You will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die’” (NLT).
As I read this I thought of some similar questions I would like to ask the agnostics, atheists, skeptics, lukewarm Christians, “Is there no God in America? Why are you turning to your own intellect, your own opinion, to control, to psychics, education, science, medicine, and your idolatrous egos”? Such people remind me of the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 1:22-23. We live in a world and even attend churches where many if not most are basic cultural and practicing theists. They turn to anyone and anything before they turn to God. God is not their first choice; He is the last one of their lists. Spiritually, they are living out Psalm 14:1.
We live in a world and culture that is degrading faster than we can imagine and the more it does, such people say, “Well, all we need is the god of education.” Or, “All we need is the god of more money into social programs.” Or, “All we need is the gods of tolerance, acceptance and understanding.” Or, “What we need is the god of self-actualization.” What we need is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We do not need a what. We need a Who. Who we need is the God revealed in the King of kings and Lord of lords – Jesus Christ.
Ahazaiah was the 8th king in the northern kingdom from the division 70 years earlier. If you are interested in who were the previous kings of Israel were, please send me an email to this link: Pastor Kelly, and I’ll be glad to send these to you. Some quick facts about Ahaziah are:
- He only served for 2 years (1 Kgs. 22:51).
- He followed in the practices of his father Ahab and worse, his mother Jezebel (1 Kgs. 22:52).
- He continued pushing the people of God to worship the pagan idol Baal (1 Kgs. 22:52), thus leading the people of God to rebel against the house of David and the Davidic line (1 Kgs. 12:19).
- He provoked the Lord, whom he did not believe in nor acknowledge, to become his personal enemy (1 Kgs. 22:53).
Our story today shows how God, who he mocked, disobeyed, and ridiculed brought about Ahaziah’s death as well as give proof that Yahweh was the only true God for Israel. In those days they believed gods were regional. Since God has used Elijah to prove that the god of Baal on Mount Carmel was impotent, it probably caused some doubt in Ahaziah the gods of Baal as well as the people, at least temporarily.
But not enough to stop Ahaziah from turning to them. This is why he sent messengers to inquire of his health and recovery to the regional god of Baal in the city of Ekron, located in the enemy territory of the Philistines. Why send messages to the gods of your enemies? “Baal-zebu” is a cut by the writer of 2 Kings on the name of this fake and impotent idol. His name should be spelled Baal-zebul.
What is the difference? Baal-zebul means this: “Baal = “god” and “zebul” means “Master, Lord, Prince.” So, Baal-zebul means “god as Master, Lord, and Prince.” Baal-zebub means this: “Baal” = “god and “zebub” means “flies.” Thus, Baal-zebub means “god of flies.” Even the writer of this text under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit would only call him what he was – “a god of flies, a god of nuisance, a god of annoyance, and a god of diseases.” Sounds like all the idols and gods in America, doesn’t it? Flying all around deceiving people.
The Bible tells us that that when Elijah encountered the first group of messengers, he confronted them in verses 3-4. Elijah told them to return and tell the king he was going to die in his bed. They returned and their abrupt return shocked Ahaziah. They told him what Elijah had said. Then Ahaziah sent a contingent of 50 soldiers to confront Elijah. Elijah warned them. To ignore God’s prophet, was to ignore God and His warning. Fire came down and consumed this whole contingency of soldiers.
Word gets back to Ahaziah, who sends a second contingency of 50 soldiers. The same thing happened again. They say, “A third time is a charm.” Ahaziah is a slow learner. Ahaziah sent a 3rd contingency of 50 soldiers. The captain of this group of 50 soldiers comes and humbly prostrates before Elijah and begs for mercy from Yahweh. The captain called himself and his men, “Servants of God and Elijah” rather than servants of Ahaziah. God told Elijah to tell the captain to go tell Ahaziah he would die. And 2 Kings 1:17 says, So Ahaziah died, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah” (NLT).
The devastating message for King Ahaziah was there was still a God in Israel, Yahweh, who was the only true God worthy of any worship. Ahaziah’s life reminds me of Mickey Mantle’s life as told by Old Testament scholar Phillip Graham Ryken:
“During the summer of 1995, Mickey Mantle lay in his hospital bed with severe cancer of the liver. A lifetime of the drinking that had begun during his days as a center fielder for the New York Yankees had finally caught up with him. Mickey was having chemo, but really there was no chance of recovery. Things that matter when you are a big baseball star do not seem to matter very much when you are just another cancer patient. A career total of 536 home runs, a lifetime batting average of 298, seven World Series Championships, three Most Valuable Player awards, and a Triple Crown will get you into the Hall of Fame. But they will not get you into heaven. Everything a man has done with his life amounts to nothing when he is lying on his deathbed” (Source: Philip Graham Ryken, Reformed Expository Commentary, 2 Kings, p. 5).
Reflection Assignment: As you have noticed, the last several of these devotionals have been about idols that people in the Bible had and we have today. When you have an issue or concern, is God your first choice or does He end up somewhere down the line? Why? Why do you believe the gods in America seem to have a greater appeal and audience than Jesus Christ does? How might you be a voice like Elijah to counteract that with others?
Scripture To Meditate On: Joshua 24:15, “But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, I do not want my life to end like Ahazaiah or Mickey Mantle or so many other idols worshipping and idol-seeking people today, some who claim to be a Christian. I want to love, serve and obey You only. Please help me to do that as well as counteract other’s tendencies to go to the idols of America for their help. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly