The world’s governments have experts on everything. But who seeks the Wonderful Counselor?
As we transition between the books of 1 and 2 Kings, we see a continuation of the same saga. What is the overall lesson from these books? It is certainly one of great significance to the nations of the West, encapsulated by the psalmist: “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance” (Ps 33:10-12). History has a fork in the road. There are two national trajectories, and only two. One is the path of neglecting God, if not outright rejection of Him. Its destination is “nothing…no effect”—senseless, purposeless, hopeless existence. The other, taking seriously the “counsel of the Lord…the plans of His heart,” results in heaven’s blessing in the present and a rich inheritance to pass on to future generations. Brought from the national level to the personal in 2 Kings 1, the story of Ahaziah’s fall is both physical and spiritual. When the king doesn’t know what to do, where does he seek help—the counsel of the Lord or nothing? Ah, let’s try nothing. “Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub” (v 1), lord of the flies! Imagine! Far to the southwest, in the territory of Ekron, the Philistines worshiped the fly god. Surely he’d have some insightful advice! But Elijah, instructed by the angel of the Lord, went to intercept the king’s messengers. Then with biting irony he asked them, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?” (v 3). Elijah could save them the trip; Ahaziah was going to die. Let’s pause the story here to ask ourselves: In life’s crises, do we seek God’s counsel first?