This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in 2 Kings 1, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
A long time ago, after King Ahab died, the country of Moab rebelled against Israel. Meanwhile, King Ahaziah of Israel fell through the roof of his room and became very sick. He sent messengers to ask a false god named Baal-zebub if he would get better.
But the angel of the Lord appeared to a man named Elijah and told him to go and meet the messengers of King Ahaziah. Elijah was to ask them why they were seeking the help of a false god, instead of the Lord God of Israel, who was the only true God. Elijah warned the messengers that King Ahaziah would die and not get out of bed again because he had disobeyed God.
When the messengers returned to King Ahaziah, he asked them what had happened. They told him that a man named Elijah stopped them and told them that the King would die and not get out of bed again because he had disobeyed God. The King asked the messengers to describe Elijah, and they told him Elijah was wearing clothes made of hair and a belt of leather around his waist.
The King then sent a captain of fifty soldiers to bring Elijah to him, but Elijah refused to go with them. The captain called Elijah a “man of God” and asked him to come down, but Elijah refused again. The captain then demanded that Elijah come with him, and Elijah warned him that if he was truly a man of God, fire would come down from heaven and consume him and his soldiers. Fire then came down and consumed them.
The King sent two more groups of soldiers to get Elijah, but the same thing happened each time. The third group of soldiers, however, approached Elijah differently. They came humbly and respectfully, and their leader fell on his knees before Elijah, begging for mercy.
“O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight,” he pleaded. “Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.”
Then the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So Elijah arose and went down with him to the king.
When Elijah met the King, he told him that he would die because he had disobeyed God and turned to a false god for help instead of seeking God’s help. Sadly, King Ahaziah died, and Jehoram became king after him.
Biblical Lessons
- Only worship the one true God.
- Don’t turn to false gods for help or guidance.
- God will punish those who disobey Him.
- God protects those who follow Him and do what is right.