Useful Bible Studies > 1 Kings Commentary > chapter 19
God was appointing three men to positions of great power and authority. There would be a new king, Hazael, in Aram (also called Syria) who would have power across the whole region. A new royal family, the family of Jehu, would rule over northern and central Israel. A new prophet (holy man), Elisha, would declare God’s messages in Israel as Elijah had done.
However, God had not chosen these men to bring peace and comfort to the region. The time for peace was not now. The people’s wicked deeds had increased greatly, and so the time for judgment had come. These three men were the means by which God would bring his judgment against the people’s evil deeds.
Two of the men, Hazael and Jehu, were not good men. They were evil and cruel men. They would fight bitterly against those people who supported the former rulers of their nations. In that way, they would bring God’s judgment against the powerful and wicked people in their countries.
Elisha, however, would use his power in a very different way. As the prophet, he would declare God’s word against all that was evil. God’s word is much more powerful than physical force or acts of cruelty. Elisha was not, like the other men, a king. However, his words would achieve much more than the commands of those two powerful kings. Nor would his words only bring judgments and death, like the words of those kings. Rather, his words would also offer hope and goodness to those people who truly turned back to God.
Next part: 7000 people who were loyal to God (1 Kings 19:18)
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