Everyone has a concept of who they think God is. This concept, right or wrong, regulates what we say of God and how we relate with Him. The trouble some have is directly tied to their concept of God. The gentleman in this verse was not an atheist, he believed in the existence of God. Notwithstanding, he perished despite believing in God. He died because he had a faulty concept of God. He believed that the resources of heaven are not enough to meet the needs on earth. That made him despise prophecy, and he died for it.
You must believe right; and to do this you must be conversant with the Bible and master the art of interpreting it.
We have another instructive story in 1 Kings 20. At the first call, the Syrians lost a battle to Israel. They then concluded that Israel had an edge over them because their God was God of the hills. They imagined that taking the battle to the valley would turn the tide. Their concept of God was that He was limited to certain terrain. They failed to realize that the God on the mountain is still God in the valley. They suffered a second defeat in quick succession. What you believe about God matters. It will either lead to victory or setback. Sometimes, your belief could make the difference between life and death. You must believe right; and to do this you must be conversant with the Bible and master the art of interpreting it.