Patterns in 1 and 2 Kings

 1 and 2 Kings – Prophecies for our Day?

D. P. Weary – August 2023

 

Is the story of Elijah and Ahab told in 1 and 2 Kings a prophecy of events in Israel and even perhaps in the world today? In this study, we will look at the characters and the storyline primarily from the perspective that it is related to and about Israel. However, as the story unfolds it might have a much broader application to the world today.

First, let us look at the characters in the story -

Elijah – Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead. Elijah was a foreigner who lived in Gilead. He was a God-fearing man who knew the scriptures and listened to and obeyed the Holy Spirit as a prophet of God.

We will look at Elijah as God-fearing people who know the Holy Spirit, listen to Him, and obey Him.

A widow and her son – A very poor Jewish woman and her son who felt they were desperate and felt that they were about to die.

They represent downtrodden, poor, and desperate people.

Ahab – Ahab was the seventh king of Israel, the son and successor of King Omri, and the husband of Jezebel of Sidon. Ahab was a wicked king, particularly for condoning Jezebel's influence on religious policies. Ahab's reign was about 871–852 BC.

Ahab represents the wicked, evil, political leaders, especially those that condone demonic religious policies and beliefs.

Obadiah – Obadiah is said to have been a convert to Judaism from Edom. In some Christian traditions, he is said to have been born in "Sychem" (Shechem). He was in the service of Ahab and was said to be "in charge of his house". Obadiah was a brave man who stood for God and His prophets in a difficult time.

Obadiah represents people who stand for God but find themselves in the service of wicked leaders. They are in ways, beholding and controlled by the evil leaders but their good efforts are primarily to "hide" God's people, from the wicked leaders.

Jezebel – Jezebel (died c. 843 BCE), the wife of King Ahab, who ruled the kingdom of Israel. By interfering with the worship of the Hebrew God, Yahweh, by disregarding the rights of the common people, and by defying the great prophets Elijah and Elisha, she provoked the internecine strife that enfeebled Israel for decades. She has come to be known as an archetype of the wicked people.

She was the daughter of the priest-king Ethbaal, ruler of the coastal Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon. When Jezebel married Ahab (ruled c. 874–c. 853 BCE), she persuaded him to introduce the worship of the Tyrian god Baal-Melkart, a nature god. A woman of fierce energy, she tried to destroy those who opposed her; most of the prophets of Yahweh were killed at her command.

Jezebel represents the hidden satanic leaders who are empowered and led by Satan himself. They hate God and God's people and are actively trying to destroy all those who oppose them, especially God-fearing people. They disregard the rights of the common people, defy prophets, and provoke strife and disunity wherever and whenever they can.

Obadiah's prophets – Prophets of the LORD in Israel who were saved by Obadiah during a time when Jezebel was massacring the prophets of the LORD.

Obadiah’s prophets represent God's people, especially prophets who are "in hiding" (keeping a low profile, being politically correct).

Jezebel's prophets of Baal – Jezebel's prophets who worshipped Baal.

These are people serving Satan, knowingly or unknowingly, especially the very high-profile and vocal voices in the land.

Hazael – One of the most powerful of the kings of Syria (Aram), ruling from c. 843 b.c. to c. 796 b.c. He reigned contemporaneously with Jehoram (the last few years), Jehu, and Jehoahaz, kings of Israel; and Jehoram, Ahaziah, Athaliah, and Joash, kings of Judah.

Hazael represents people used by God to execute His commands, whether they know it or not.

Elisha – Elisha, whose name means "God is salvation," was the successor of Elijah in the office of the prophet in Israel. He was called to follow Elijah, and he spent the next several years as the prophet's protégé until Elijah was taken into heaven. At that time, Elisha began his ministry, which lasted about 60 years, spanning the reigns of kings Jehoram, Jehu, Jehoahaz, and Joash. He instigated and directed Jehu's revolt against the house of Omri, which was marked by a bloodbath at Jezreel in which King Ahab of Israel and his family were slaughtered.

Elisha represents Spirit-led people who are instrumental in finally dealing with the wicked leaders. Primarily they are disciples of the "Elijah" people.

Jehu – Jehu was the tenth king of the northern Kingdom of Israel, noted for exterminating the house of Ahab. His reign lasted 27 years from about 871 to 852 B.C.

God chose Jehu as one of three men who would enact His judgment upon Ahab's family; Jehu, Elijah, and Elisha.

God also chose Jehu to be the king of Israel. After he was anointed king, Jehu took steps to secure the throne. Ahab died in battle. During the reign of Ahab's son as king, Jehu went to Jezebel's palace in Jezreel, where the queen stood watching for him at her window. At Jehu's command, eunuchs surrounding Jezebel threw her down from the window.

Jehu left no man standing who was in alliance with King Ahab, as God had commanded long before through Elijah. Entering the temple of Baal, Jehu slaughtered all the priests of Baal and destroyed the temple and its sacred stone, thus eradicating Baal worship in Israel.

The Lord blessed Jehu for his obedience, granting him a dynasty that would last to the fourth generation. Jehu reigned over Israel for a total of twenty-eight years.

Jehu represents God's chosen leaders who are instruments of God for dealing with wicked spiritual and human leaders.

Ben-hada – Ben-Hadad seems to have been the title of the reigning king of Aram (Syria). Ben-Hadad attacked the northern kingdom of Israel, and although he had 32 kings helping him, he was defeated by King Ahab and the army of Israel. About three years later, Israel and Syria renewed their conflict, leading to Ahab's final battle and death.

Ben-hada again represents leaders, not necessarily God-fearing believers, used by God in dealing with evil and evil leaders.

Naboth – Owner of the field that Ahab wanted and Jezebel had killed to get the field for Ahab.

Naboth represents the victims of the wicked and evil.

Now the story -

The story begins with Elijah [God-fearing people who know the Holy Spirit, listen to Him, and obey Him] confronting Ahab [the wicked, evil, political leaders, especially those that condone demonic religious policies and beliefs] declaring that there will be no rain in the land because of his evil and wicked ways (natural harmful or destructive events that are warnings of coming judgments). (about 870 B.C.)

Our prophecy begins with Spirit-filled and obedient servants of the Lord being bold and confronting the evil and wickedness in the land around them. As they do the judgments, or at least warnings of coming judgments come in the form of unusual natural disasters or events in form, intensity, or frequency.

This might be likened to the Charismatic Messianic believers in the land (the new "Elijah's") and the developing exposure of the demonic evil and wickedness in the land today. The unusual natural disasters around the world could be likened to the lack of rain and resulting famines in the 1 Kings story.

God then sends Elijah into the wilderness where He supernaturally takes care of him in preparation for the tasks God gives him.

During the season of natural disasters, there seems to be a season of retreat for the new "Elijahs" where they are cared for and prepared for a coming new assignment by God.

After this season of preparation, God sends Elijah to a Jewish widow and her son [downtrodden, poor, and desperate people] to take care of them. (About 869 B.C.)

At the word of God, the widow responded by obeying Elijah and miraculously her flour and oil did not run out for many days.

Then the son of the widow became ill and died. Her reaction was to think that Elijah and God were punishing her because of her sin. Then Elijah prayed for the boy and the LORD answered and brought the boy back to life. It was this great act of God that convinced the widow that Elijah was indeed a man of God and that the word of the LORD was in his mouth. Even though God supplied the basic needs of the widow and her son it took a great miracle of raising her son from the dead to convince her that Elijah was indeed a representation of God and spoke His words.

The first assignment for the new Elijahs is to care for the poor and downtrodden. This is being manifested in food pantries, pregnancy centers, groups helping human trafficking victims, and many other works to help the poor and downtrodden. The problem has been that these efforts have not produced a great revival. The rising from the dead of the widow's son seems to foreshow a more significant supernatural, God event that will cause many to believe in and trust God's Spirit-led people and God and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

After many days, like 2 to 3 years, God Commands Elijah to directly confront Ahab. Fanine was severe in the land but God told Elijah that this would initiate a season where He would once again send rain to the land. It is at this point that Obadiah enters the story (people who believe in and stand for God but find themselves in the service of wicked leaders. They are in ways, beholding and controlled by the evil leaders. Their good efforts are primarily to "hide" God's people, from the wicked leaders). (About 867 B.C.)

When Jezebel (the satanic evil spiritual force behind the wicked leaders) was killing the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah began hiding them in caves and providing for them. It is at this point that Obadiah meets Elijah. Elijah tells Obadiah to go to Ahab and tell him that he, Elijah is here (in the land). Obadiah is afraid thinking that Elijah will not show up and Ahab will kill him. But Elijah promises to meet with Ahab that very day and Obadiah does what Elijah requests and goes to Ahab. Elijah confronts Ahad directly calling him a troubler of Israel for forsaken the commandments of the LORD and following the Baals. This sets up the great confrontation between Elijah and Jezebel's prophets of Baal and Asherah on Mount Carmel (people who are serving Satan, knowingly or unknowingly, especially the very high profile and vocal voices in the world).

Here we see the new Elijahs confronting nominal, fearful believers and encouraging them to begin to stand up to the evil and wicked leaders in the land. This sets up a great spiritual confrontation between the new Elijahs, God, and the demonic servants of Satan).

On Mount Carmel, With the people of Israel looking on, Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to a spiritual contest. First, the prophets of Baal called on their god to consume a sacrificial bull but to no avail no matter how hard they tried. But, at the time of the evening sacrifice (about 3 p.m.) Elijah repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down, had the sacrificial bull covered with water, and then called on God to consume the sacrifice. When the people saw God consume not only the bull but the altar and the water around and covering the sacrifice, they fell on their faces and cried out, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!" Elijah then called upon the people to seize the prophets of Baal and execute them.

The prophetic picture here is of a great spiritual contest or battle between believers and their God and Satan and his people or servants. It is an event seen by the people of the world. God does something supernaturally to defeat and destroy the servants of Satan so great and spectacular (like a Red Sea event) that the people believe and cry out, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!" And there is some revival in the land.

Elijah then announces that the drought is over and a season of abundance of rain is coming. As the rain began Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel to tell Jezebel all that had transpired. Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. Then Jezebel threatens to kill Elijah. Elijah realizing that all His efforts and victories over the prophets of Baal have not changed or even discouraged Jezebel or effected the conversion of the court and country, runs away into the wilderness discouraged and possibly in fear.

With the defeat of the servants of the Jezebels, the warning events of coming judgments end and the Elijahs move to directly confront the Jezebels. When the new Elijahs realize that their efforts have not resulted in a change at the wicked leadership level and the revival was not as great as they expected, they retreat in discouragement and even fear.

After The Angel of the LORD (Jesus' pre-incarnation) feeds and ministers to him, Elijah takes a journey too great for him to take in naturally to the mountain of God. Here on the mountain in the midst of a great storm and an earthquake, God meets Elijah with a still small voice. Then God gives Elijah his last assignments. Elijah is to go to Damascus and anoint Hazael (people in the land used by God to execute His commands, whether they know it or not) as king over Syria, and Jehu (God's chosen leaders who are instruments of God for dealing with wicked spiritual and human wicked leaders) as king over Israel, and Elisha (Spirit-led people who are instrumental in finally dealing with the wicked leaders. Primarily they are disciples of the "Elijah" generation) as prophet in his place. God then tells Elijah that Hazel, Jehu, and Elisha will complete the destruction of the wicked and evil people in the land. God also tells Elijah that He has reserved seven thousand in Israel, all who have not bowed to Baal and worshipped him.

In a place of discouragement (retreat) Jesus ministers to the new Elijahs directly. Then He gives them their last assignment. This is a season of establishing new anointings for the days ahead and the Elijahs transferring their anointing to the new Elishas but in double portion. These new Elishas are the reserved remanent in the land that God told Elijah about. This begins the judgments of the final "Jehu," Jesus.

During the reign of Jehu as king, Elisha followed Elijah as his disciple until Elijah was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire (about 842 B.C.) after anointing Elisha with a double portion of his anointing (about 865 B.C.). During the reign of Jehu and Elisha, Ahab was killed in a battle (about 851 B.C.), and at Jehu's command, eunuchs surrounding Jezebel threw her down from the window and killed her (about 842 B.C.). Jehu left no man standing who was in alliance with King Ahab and Jezebel, as God had commanded long before through Elijah. Entering the temple of Baal, Jehu slaughtered all the priests of Baal and destroyed the temple and its sacred stone, thus eradicating Baal worship in Israel. This all occurred at or shortly after Jezebel’s death.

As the new Jehu, Hazels, and Elishas take their places and begin to carry out their assignments, the Elijahs are supernaturally taken to Heaven by God just as Elijah was taken to Heaven. At this point, the new Jehus becomes the Lord Jesus himself and Jezebel is manifested as the Antichrist. It is Jesus who finally destroys the Jezebels, the Antichrist, and all those who served them and imprisons the demonic spirit that controlled and empowered them (Satan).

As we consider these scriptures from the point of view of being a prophecy of our day, it is apparent that they apply not only to Israel but to the entire world as well. Where are we in this scenario? We have seen the renewed awareness of, belief in, listening to, and obeying the Holy Spirit. The new Elijahs have risen. We are experiencing a great rise in lawlessness, wickedness, and evil in our world today. We are experiencing serious and unusual natural disasters and events. We are seeing God's people ministering to the poor, downtrodden, and abused people of the world. We are seeing the clashing of the new Elijahs with the nominal believers. We are seeing the evil in the world being exposed and confronted. What we are waiting for is an Act of God to deal with all the wickedness and evil in our world today.

It seems that we are at a place leading to a great spiritual battle between God and the new Elijahs and Satan and his servants. We are looking for a great "supernatural God event" to deal with the great evil and wickedness manifesting itself in our world today. This event will occur. But it will not result in the eradication of all evil leaders and Baal (Satan) worship. It will produce some revival but not the very great revival so hoped for. What it does set up is a time of intimacy and refreshing with the Lord for the discouraged Elijahs and a season of new anointings. These anointings will release a new Jehu (the Lord Jesus as His wrath is released on the wicked world), new Elishas (the 144, 000 Jewish witnesses of Revelation 7), the Elijahs being taken to Heaven, the new Hazels, (the king of the north and the kings of the east), and the release of the Antichrist and his 10-nation coalition of nations. It all ends at the end of 7 years of tribulation as the Lord Jesus returns to the earth to completely defeat the Antichrist and all his servants, imprison Satan in the abyss, and establish His Kingdom here on the earth as King of kings, and Lord of lords!