2 Kings 1:9

2 Kings 1:9 says, Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.  Ahaziah sent for Elijah, who was sitting on a hill.  He had delivered God's message and simply gone on his way.  When we share God's message, all we can do them is go on with our life.  It is up to them whether they believe it or not.  Yet, if they do ask us to come and share more, we should go.  Verse ten adds, And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.  Elijah offered them proof that he was a man of God, but it wasn't proof that they wanted or would ever really know for long.  One day, the proof that we as followers of Christ are speaking the truth will come, but it will be of no benefit to those who see that proof, since they will come to acknowledge God too late.  Verse eleven continues, Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.  Ahaziah did not accept what happened as proof the Elijah was a man of God but sent another fifty men to get Elijah to come to him.  God has been sending people to witness to others for centuries, and they still do not believe and instead of going to God, they still expect Him to be at their beck and call.  Verse twelve states, And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.  Once more, Elijah said if he was a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume this fifty as well.  We might say that this was unfair to these men who were dying since they were simply doing their job, but none who believed in God suffered a spiritual death and this is all that really matters.  Verse thirteen adds, And he sent again a captain of the 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 unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.  Ahaziah sent a third group of fifty to Elijah.  He really wasn't suffering personally for his actions, and people today may be willing to continue to see others suffer before they will come to God themselves.  The leader of this group fell on his knees before Elijah. acknowledged that he was a man of God, and asked him to have mercy on them.  We should never want or allow people to fall down worshipping us as Christians, but we do need to pray that they will recognize us a people of God and believe the gospel when we present it.  Verse fourteen continues, Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.  Thís man acknowledged that he knew what had happened to the first two groups.  One day, everyone will know what will happen to all those who do not put their faith in Jesus Christ, and hopefully it will be before it is too late to do them any good.  Verse fifteen declares, And the angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.  This time, an angel of the Lord came to Elijah and told him to go with the men and to not be afraid.  We as Christians, whether an angel appears to us or not, should never be afraid to share the gospel with people nor to stand for His truth.  Verse sixteen adds, And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.  The message for Ahaziah was that because he was looking to false gods for answers that he would surely die.  Those who are looking for answers from false gods while rejecting the true God will one day surely suffer a spiritual death, which is everlasting separation from God.  We need to be willing to tell them this, guided by the love of God.  Verse seventeen continues, So he died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.  Ahaziah died according to the word of God, as people always will unless Jesus Christ returns first.  Jehoram, his brother, then reigned in his place since he had no son.  Verse eighteen concludes, Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?  We are told that the rest of the acts of Ahaziah were written in the chronicles of the kings.  One day, those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord will be held accountable for all their actions.