Reading: II Kings 1-3
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. 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 (II Kings 1:9-10).
Respect matters to God. How we approach Him, either directly or indirectly through our treatment of those doing His work on earth, is important. Today’s reading offers us three examples of how the presence or absence of respect for God and His servants influenced the course of events.
The first instance is shown in the three summonses that were sent to Elijah from the king of Israel. The first two were abrupt and commanding, concerned only with the power of the king, and they were swiftly answered with a violent expression of the Lord’s displeasure. Not until after the third summons, which acknowledged the Lord’s power, did God permit Elijah to enter into the king’s presence.
The second was shown through the dedication that Elisha showed to Elijah. And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on (II Kings 2:6). Elisha had pledged himself to serve the Lord’s prophet, and he was determined to fulfill that pledge. Out of love and respect for his master, Elisha stayed with him until God claimed him, and thus received a double portion of Elijah’s spirit (a designation as Elijah’s heir) (2:9-15).
The third example of respect was demonstrated by the boys that mocked Elisha. And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head (2:23). God’s response to this blatant disrespect and cruelty was swift and sure. Before the words had even died on their lips, two bears charged out of the woods and mauled the mockers.
Each of these situations presented different ways in which a man of God was treated. In each case, God's response made it clear that to respect or disrespect His servants was to respect or disrespect Him. This statement is still valid today. The gifts and talents that our spiritual leaders use while ministering to us come directly from God, and when we offer them anything less than sincere respect then we are also disrespecting the Lord whom they represent. Respecting them does not mean that we deify them, nor does it mean that we have to agree with them in all things and follow them blindly. It simply means that we acknowledge their worth and celebrate their relationship with the Lord. God has placed them in our lives to give us the opportunity to grow closer to Him. If we refuse to make the most of the opportunity, then we are denying ourselves access to one of God’s most important resources.
And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves (1 Thess. 5:12-13).
Thought for Today: True servants of God represent His Word and His will to the best of their abilities. They serve in God’s love, and they deserve our respect.
Christ Revealed: In the taking up of Elijah in the whirlwind and the dropping of his mantle – a symbol of the presence and power of God that remained with His faith- ful servant (II Kings 2:8-15).
Word Studies: 1:8 girt with = wearing; girdle of leather about his loins = garment around his waist; 2:19 naught = polluted, bad; 2:24 tare = mauled or mangled; 3:9 fetched a compass = circled around; made a roundabout march
Pray for Staff: Jennifer Palafox • Government Officials: Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO), Rep. Matthew Cartwright (PA) • Country: Malaysia (29,628,392) Southeast Asia • Major Languages: Bahasa Malaysia, English, Iban, Kadazan, Chinese • All Christian witness to Muslims is illegal • 61.3% Muslim; 19.8% Buddhist; 9.2% Christian; 6.3% Hindu; 1.3% Confucianism/ Taoism/ Traditional Chinese; 1.5% Unknown; 0.6% None • Prayer Suggestion: Let the Lord have all your worries and cares; He is always thinking about you and things that concern you (I Pet. 5:7).
Optional ReadingRomans 4.