The Lord will raise up instruments to judge the wicked, even if those instruments are not filled with the Spirit of the Lord at a heart level. Such was the case with Jehu - the Lord’s anointed.
2 Kings 9: Jehu Anointed King of Israel
1 Then Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, "Tie up your garments, and take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead.
2 And when you arrive, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi. And go in and have him rise from among his fellows, and lead him to an inner chamber.
3 Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, 'Thus says the LORD, I anoint you king over Israel.' Then open the door and flee; do not linger."
4 So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead.
5 And when he came, behold, the commanders of the army were in council. And he said, "I have a word for you, O commander." And Jehu said, "To which of us all?" And he said, "To you, O commander."
6 So he arose and went into the house. And the young man poured the oil on his head, saying to him, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, I anoint you king over the people of the LORD, over Israel.
7 And you shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD.
8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.
9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.
10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her." Then he opened the door and fled.
11 When Jehu came out to the servants of his master, they said to him, "Is all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you?" And he said to them, "You know the fellow and his talk."
12 And they said, "That is not true; tell us now." And he said, "Thus and so he spoke to me, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, I anoint you king over Israel.'"
13 Then in haste every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, "Jehu is king."
Jehu Assassinates Joram and Ahaziah
14 Thus Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram with all Israel had been on guard at Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Syria,
15 but King Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) So Jehu said, "If this is your decision, then let no one slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel."
16 Then Jehu mounted his chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to visit Joram.
17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came and said, "I see a company." And Joram said, "Take a horseman and send to meet them, and let him say, 'Is it peace?'"
18 So a man on horseback went to meet him and said, "Thus says the king, 'Is it peace?'" And Jehu said, "What do you have to do with peace? Turn around and ride behind me." And the watchman reported, saying, "The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back."
19 Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, "Thus the king has said, 'Is it peace?'" And Jehu answered, "What do you have to do with peace? Turn around and ride behind me."
20 Again the watchman reported, "He reached them, but he is not coming back. And the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously."
21 Joram said, "Make ready." And they made ready his chariot. Then Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah set out, each in his chariot, and went to meet Jehu, and met him at the property of Naboth the Jezreelite.
22 And when Joram saw Jehu, he said, "Is it peace, Jehu?" He answered, "What peace can there be, so long as the whorings and the sorceries of your mother Jezebel are so many?"
23 Then Joram reined about and fled, saying to Ahaziah, "Treachery, O Ahaziah!"
24 And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and shot Joram between the shoulders, so that the arrow pierced his heart, and he sank in his chariot.
25 Jehu said to Bidkar his aide, "Take him up and throw him on the plot of ground belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. For remember, when you and I rode side by side behind Ahab his father, how the LORD made this pronouncement against him:
26 'As surely as I saw yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons---declares the LORD---I will repay you on this plot of ground.' Now therefore take him up and throw him on the plot of ground, in accordance with the word of the LORD."
27 When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled in the direction of Beth-haggan. And Jehu pursued him and said, "Shoot him also." And they shot him in the chariot at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo and died there.
28 His servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the city of David.
29 In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab, Ahaziah began to reign over Judah.
Jehu Executes Jezebel
30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. And she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out of the window.
31 And as Jehu entered the gate, she said, "Is it peace, you Zimri, murderer of your master?"
32 And he lifted up his face to the window and said, "Who is on my side? Who?" Two or three eunuchs looked out at him.
33 He said, "Throw her down." So they threw her down. And some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and they trampled on her.
34 Then he went in and ate and drank. And he said, "See now to this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king's daughter."
35 But when they went to bury her, they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands.
36 When they came back and told him, he said, "This is the word of the LORD, which he spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, 'In the territory of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel,
37 and the corpse of Jezebel shall be as dung on the face of the field in the territory of Jezreel, so that no one can say, This is Jezebel.'"
2 Kings 10: Jehu Slaughters Ahab's Descendants
1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of the city, to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying,
2 "Now then, as soon as this letter comes to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, fortified cities also, and weapons,
3 select the best and fittest of your master's sons and set him on his father's throne and fight for your master's house."
4 But they were exceedingly afraid and said, "Behold, the two kings could not stand before him. How then can we stand?"
5 So he who was over the palace, and he who was over the city, together with the elders and the guardians, sent to Jehu, saying, "We are your servants, and we will do all that you tell us. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever is good in your eyes."
6 Then he wrote to them a second letter, saying, "If you are on my side, and if you are ready to obey me, take the heads of your master's sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow at this time." Now the king's sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were bringing them up.
7 And as soon as the letter came to them, they took the king's sons and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.
8 When the messenger came and told him, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons," he said, "Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning."
9 Then in the morning, when he went out, he stood and said to all the people, "You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him, but who struck down all these?
10 Know then that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab, for the LORD has done what he said by his servant Elijah."
11 So Jehu struck down all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, all his great men and his close friends and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
12 Then he set out and went to Samaria. On the way, when he was at Beth-eked of the Shepherds,
13 Jehu met the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah, and he said, "Who are you?" And they answered, "We are the relatives of Ahaziah, and we came down to visit the royal princes and the sons of the queen mother."
14 He said, "Take them alive." And they took them alive and slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two persons, and he spared none of them.
15 And when he departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. And he greeted him and said to him, "Is your heart true to my heart as mine is to yours?" And Jehonadab answered, "It is." Jehu said, "If it is, give me your hand." So he gave him his hand. And Jehu took him up with him into the chariot.
16 And he said, "Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD." So he had him ride in his chariot.
17 And when he came to Samaria, he struck down all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, till he had wiped them out, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke to Elijah.
Jehu Strikes Down the Prophets of Baal
18 Then Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much.
19 Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers and all his priests. Let none be missing, for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Baal. Whoever is missing shall not live." But Jehu did it with cunning in order to destroy the worshipers of Baal.
20 And Jehu ordered, "Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal." So they proclaimed it.
21 And Jehu sent throughout all Israel, and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. And they entered the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other.
22 He said to him who was in charge of the wardrobe, "Bring out the vestments for all the worshipers of Baal." So he brought out the vestments for them.
23 Then Jehu went into the house of Baal with Jehonadab the son of Rechab, and he said to the worshipers of Baal, "Search, and see that there is no servant of the LORD here among you, but only the worshipers of Baal."
24 Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and said, "The man who allows any of those whom I give into your hands to escape shall forfeit his life."
25 So as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the officers, "Go in and strike them down; let not a man escape." So when they put them to the sword, the guard and the officers cast them out and went into the inner room of the house of Baal,
26 and they brought out the pillar that was in the house of Baal and burned it.
27 And they demolished the pillar of Baal, and demolished the house of Baal, and made it a latrine to this day.
Jehu Reigns in Israel
28 Thus Jehu wiped out Baal from Israel.
29 But Jehu did not turn aside from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin---that is, the golden calves that were in Bethel and in Dan.
30 And the LORD said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel."
31 But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin.
32 In those days the LORD began to cut off parts of Israel. Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel:
33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, that is, Gilead and Bashan.
34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
35 So Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.
36 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
Things to think about…
1. Jehu is anointed as king, 2Kings 9:1-15. His anointing is immediately accepted by his men as they pay homage and blow the trumpet sounding the occasion. We are anointed as the Lord’s ambassadors in no less regard. Let’s do his work in slaying the spiritual enemies of our day.
2. Jehu knew what a good example of faith was, “Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi”, 2Kings 9:2. His father Jehoshaphat loved the Lord. Sometimes we can act in the way of righteousness, but not have a heart that seeks after it. Such was the case with Jehu. He clearly knew the word of God quoting it many times when prophecy was being fulfilled under his reign. Even though his heart was not stirred by grace he did much outward good for the nation of Israel.
3. Not one of the Lord’s words will fall to the ground. Jehu fulfills the Lord’s word regarding the vineyard that was stolen from Naboth, 12 Kings 9:21-26. Ahab’s line is about to be completely wiped out. Jehu begins with Ahab’s son Joram.
4. Jehu begins his campaign of slaughter in the name of the LORD. When we read passages like this, it is hard to reconcile so much blood being spilled with the God of mercy and grace we see in Jesus in the gospels. But also as we consider the ministry of Paul in the NT. As we know, ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever’ Heb 13:8. So what do you think the Lord (think of the Son - Jesus) was doing here through the sword and arrows of Jehu? Jesus is a Lion as well as a Lamb, make no mistake.
5. The prophecy over the wicked Jezebel comes to pass with great clarity and Ahab’s (her husband) household is about to be destroyed, 2Kings 9:30-37. Do you think the Lord is looking at all this zeal in Jehu and is applauding it? 2Kings 9:30 seems to think that He is. He even says Jehu carried out ‘all that was in My heart’. Is this destruction from the heart of God? The answer is yes and no. It does not mean the Lord is pleased with a heart bent on slaughter. Have a look at Hosea 1:4 for further clarification. Jehu would certainly be judged for his misguided zeal.
6. Not one word of the Lord will fall, 2 Kings 10:10, 17. Even Jehu is amazed at the ‘zeal’ of those who slaughtered the 70 sons of Ahab, vs 9. He is now convinced that the Lord’s word is being fulfilled that was spoken by Elijah the prophet all those years earlier, 1Kings 21:21-24.
7. Baal worship is also wiped out by Jehu, 2Kings 10:18-27. This is not done like Elijah and the 400 prophets of Baal with the Lord getting all the glory through his direct intervention of what sacrifice were accepted and what were not with the prophets being destroyed afterwards. This was done by coercion and deceit. One could really say, murder, not justice. Do you agree? But false religion and it’s influence was removed from the land.
8. It is interesting that while Jehu was deceiving the prophets of Baal he commands to “Search, and see that there is no servant of the LORD here among you,”, 2Kings 10:23. Often the church can be caught up with the world. It is a mercy that the Lord spares us even when we are acting in folly against him. May we never fear man and join with the world and ensure that “no servant of the Lord” is among the worlds ways or influence. What a tragedy it is when the world enters the church. Sadly this is too evident in our day.
A sad testimony regarding the spirit of Jehu is found in 2 Kings 10:31 ‘Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord…’. Our Lord will use fleshly instruments to bring about a divine purpose. Along with Jehu we see other such examples in Balaam, Saul and Judas. While these men were used by the Lord, they were also judged by the Lord. May we all have tender hearts towards the Holy Spirit and exhibit fruit of the Spirit
