2 Kings 1: Who Do You Turn To in Times of Need?

"And [Elijah] said to [Ahaziah], 'Thus says the LORD, "Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die."'"2 Kings 1:16

Where do you turn to in times of need? When you lack wisdom, comfort, or rest, where do you turn to: the King of Kings or another false god? Ultimately, these are our only choices. Ahaziah chose the wrong one, yet I surely hope we won't follow his example.

In 2 Kings 1, we look at a story about King Ahaziah. Ahaziah was Ahab's son, who recently was murdered for his own sin. Unfortunately, Ahaziah followed in his father's footsteps. After falling from a high place, Ahaziah was injured and sought to know whether he would recover from his injury or die because of it. Thus, Ahaziah sent messengers to a foreign god that he might get the answer he was looking for.

However, Elijah meets the messengers on the way to the foreign country and condemns Ahab for seeking counsel from a god other than the God fo the Israelites (see verse above). Thus, the messengers go back to Ahaziah, proclaim this message, and King Ahaziah dies.*

So, what's the point? We see here that those who disregard God will be disregarded by God. Stated positively, God is our only correct source of help in time of need. If we go to some other god for salvation from trials, this is nothing but idolatry. We mustn't go to foreign gods in time of need; we must go to Christ, and Christ alone.

So, who do you turn to in times of need? Yourself? Your friends? Your video games? Your social media? Let me encourage you this morning: these things cannot save you, only God can, and unless you are willing to submit to his saving power, you will be destroyed as well.

*There's actually a bit of the narrative that I am skipping here for sake of brevity. Feel free to read 2 Kings 1 in order to see the rest.