Godly Fear (Contemporary)

Know that fear and respect of God can result in life, sometimes literally!

Here we see a contrast between the captain of the guard and King Ahaziah. The captain is literally begging for his life before Elijah, fearing God’s power, and his life is spared. The king, believing that God was powerless, tries to consult with other gods for advice, and is consequently stricken with sickness and dies. The lesson here is to respect the Lord and to respect His servants as those charged with carrying out His work. In many cases, that can lead to fuller life. Also note that, with the death of Azariah leaving no heir, this fulfilled Elijah’s prophecy against Ahab, and in the days of Ahab’s son as God declared.