Elijah was a major proponent of punishment by fire.  There was the famous episode with 450 priests of Baal, where those priests could not get Baal to burn up an offering, but Elijah’s God not only burnt up the water-soaked offering when asked, but the altar, the wood and the dust all around!

Later, in 2 Kings 1, the king of Israel is sick and wants to hear what prophet Elijah has to say about his potential recovery.  He sends a captain and fifty men to bring Elijah back. The captain demands, “O man of God, the king says, ‘come down.”  And Elijah answers, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.”  And so it did.  Evidently Elijah was indeed a man of God!

A second captain with fifty soldiers is dispatched.  His imperious command is “O man of God, this is the king’s order, ‘Come down quickly.’” He must not have heard about the first group, because Elijah’s answer and the soldiers’ demise is exactly the same – burnt to a crisp.

The third captain shows admirable wisdom, falling on his knees before Elijah and begging, “O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight.  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.”

The angel of the Lord let Elijah know he was safe with this captain, so Elijah went to the king.  The message was not positive; the sick king would indeed die as a result of his illness.  At least he was not scorched.