After the death of King Ahab, his son Ahaziah became king over Israel.

One day something terrible happened:
Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his palace.
He was badly injured.

He lay in bed — sick and weak.

But instead of asking God,
he sent for messengers.

He said:

“Go to Ekron
and ask Baal-Zebub, the god there,
whether I will recover.”

That was an idol.
A false god.
One who could not hear
and could not help.

🗣️ God Sends Elijah

But God saw everything.

He sent His prophet Elijah to the messengers.

Elijah stepped into their path and said:

“Is there no God in Israel
that you are going to consult a foreign god?

Therefore tell the king:
You will not get up from your bed.
You will die.”

The messengers were frightened —
and returned immediately.

👑 The King Becomes Angry

Ahaziah asked:

“Why have you come back already?”

They told him
what the man had said.

“What did he look like?” the king asked.

“He wore a garment of hair
and a leather belt.”

Then Ahaziah knew immediately:

“That is Elijah!”

And he became furious.

🔥 Fifty Soldiers – and Fire from Heaven

The king sent a captain
with fifty soldiers to Elijah.

They found him sitting on a hill.

The captain called out:

“Man of God!
The king commands:
Come down!”

Elijah answered calmly:

“If I am a man of God,
may fire come down from heaven
and consume you and your fifty men.”

Suddenly —
🔥 fire fell from heaven!
All of them were burned up.

The king sent another captain
with fifty soldiers.

Again he shouted:

“Man of God, come down quickly!”

Again Elijah said:

“If I am a man of God …”

And again fire fell from heaven.

🙏 A Humble Captain

But the third captain was different.

He came,
fell on his knees before Elijah,
and said:

“Man of God,
please spare my life
and the lives of these fifty men.

We do not want to harm you.”

Then an angel of God said to Elijah:

“Go with him.
Do not be afraid.”

Elijah got up
and went with him to the king.

⚖️ God’s Answer Remains the Same

Before Ahaziah, Elijah said once more:

“Because you did not ask the Lord,
but a false god,
you will die.”

And that is exactly what happened.

Ahaziah died —
just as God had said.

🟣 Summary

King Ahaziah was afraid.
But instead of trusting God,
he sought help from a false god.

He did not take God’s word seriously —
and even became angry at God’s prophet.

But God showed:
He is the true, living God.
He cannot be ignored.

And humility — like that of the third captain —
is the right way.

💚 Message for Children Today

When we are afraid,
we can come to God.

We don’t need other “substitute gods.”
No lucky charms,
no magic ideas,
no false hopes.

God hears.
God sees.
God lives.

And He is happy
when we trust Him.

💭 Questions to Think About

🔹 Who do you go to first when you are afraid?
🔹 Do you take God’s word seriously — even when it corrects you?
🔹 Why was the third captain different from the first two?

🧒 👧 👦

💌 Invitation to 2 Kings Chapter 2

🌟 When God Takes His Servants Home — and Begins Something New

Sometimes something ends —
but at the same time, God begins something new.

In this chapter we witness a farewell
unlike any other.
One prophet leaves.
A new prophet stands ready.

And God shows:
His power does not stop —
it continues.

Come along on a journey
from Gilgal to Bethel,
from Jericho to the Jordan.

Something mighty is about to happen.

🔔 Teaser for Chapter 2

🌊 A cloak touches the water — and the river parts.
👣 A faithful companion refuses to stay behind.
🔥 Suddenly horses and a chariot of fire appear.
🌪️ A prophet is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.
🧥 A cloak falls to the ground — and with it begins a new calling.

Will Elisha truly receive the power
to continue God’s work?

And what does it mean
to remain faithful to God —
even when everything changes?

📖 In 2 Kings chapter 2 we see:
God takes —
but He also gives anew.
And whoever follows Him
is never left alone. ✨