Calling Down Fire
Elijah was a “bad dude.” If you were a king and a contemporary of Elijah, you had better watch out. Case in point, 2 Kings 1, where Elijah called down fire on groups of 51 men not once, but twice, in order for King Ahaziah (of Israel) to learn who was boss.
But this story isn’t about Elijah; it’s about Jesus, who had a lot in common with the great prophet of Israel. When Jesus’ crowds witnessed miracles, it reminded them of Elijah. So it’s natural that, as recorded in Luke 9:51-56, the disciples were looking for an opportunity to tap into Jesus’s fire-summoning skills. What better opportunity than on a despised village in Samaria, the same place where King Ahaziah succumbed to the Lord? Jesus was a “bad dude” too, wasn’t he?
Their request would have made sense if Jesus was heading to Jerusalem to take over Herod’s throne. But Jesus’ type of kingship was new, unheard of in the ancient world. Jesus was going to reign over hearts and sacrifice himself for the sins of the world. So no fire this time, boys. James and John earned a stern rebuke, and they had to find a flame-free pathway to the place where Jesus would soon be crucified.
Sometimes we forget Jesus’ instruction when we face mistreatment from unbelievers. I may not go so far as to wish my enemies death by barbecue, but I often wish they didn’t stand in my way. They mangle the Bible with false teaching, and they sometimes call themselves Christians but worship a false God. They reject Christ!
But we have to remember that Elijah’s way, the fiery way, is not our way. Elijah paved the way for Jesus, who had a perfect plan to reunite Israel, restoring peace between Judea and Samaria (and the ends of the earth)—his death and resurrection and our witness to it.
The disciples must have felt awful being in that Samaritan town, ridiculed and insulted. Can we followers of Jesus at least feel a little at home here on earth? Can we take just a little comfort in our worldly responsibilities? Can we tie up loose ends before we obey this hard command? Not if you want to be fit for the kingdom of God.
In the new kingdom, the one who tells us to get lost is who we are to pray for, love, and serve. We are often like lambs among wolves, but those wolves are our mission field. Jesus lamented the people who rejected him, but he did not call down fire on them (Luke 10:13-16). We are not to call judgment down on sinners but instead tell them the good news about the new kingdom.
