2 Kings 13:20-21 – Living to impact others

If we want to learn how to make an impact both in life and in death, Elisha is one prophet we should emulate. We see him as a prophet who was passionate to educate others about God so as to build faith in Him. He was a man with a solid resolution. Once he had made up his mind to serve the LORD, he pursued that path unwaveringly. He could not be dissuaded until Elijah’s mantle fell on him. Four times in their journey from Gilgal to Jordan, he was told to stop pursuing Elijah, but he would not until he had received the double portion he was seeking.  

Even in his final breath, he was still making an impact. When Joash came to visit him, he was inflicted with a disease he would eventually die from. Even in that stage, he was offering his service to the desperate king who wept over him. He gave him a dramatized prophesy from God. This shows how much he respected his ministry and even in his dying moments, he would not stop doing his duty.  

Now in 2 King 13:20-21, we see how his life continued to make an impact in death. The account tells of how in his grave, he brought life to a dead body. A group of men was interrupted by Moabite raiders while conducting a burial for a dead man. In fear, the man threw that corpse into the tomb which happened to be where Elisha was buried. Immediately, that corpse returned to life and stood on his feet after touching the prophet's remains. Even in his death, he was still bringing life.  

Though none of us can raise another from the dead, we will all leave memories behind. In Hebrews 11 is a whole host of men and women who left rich legacies of how to live for God with unflinching faith. They all died without regrets. What would we want others, especially our loved ones, to think about us? What legacy are we leaving behind? Live for God, do His will and fulfill His purpose. That’s the best legacy we can leave behind.  

 

2 Kings 13:14-19 – Don’t stop praying

When the event of 2 Kings 13:14-19 took place, Elisha would be approximately about 80 plus years old, an octogenarian. Godly as he was, he was like any other man and had to pay his debt to nature. So we are told that he was inflicted with an illness that would eventually take his life.  As useful as he was, his time had come, and he had to return to his eternal home. Like him, our moment of departure from the earth will also come one day, would we depart to our eternal abode triumphantly or with regrets? Hence it behooves us that we should seize every opportunity in life and make the best out of every moment while we still have the breath.

Second Kings 13:14-19 describe what happened when Joash, the king of Israel came to visit Elisha. Ungodly as the king was, a sense of anguish overtook him in that visit, and he wept over Elisha. With his tears falling on the prophet, he cried, “My father, my father the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” This of course was a reminiscence of the time when Elijah was taken to heaven in a whirlwind. But then the older prophet left behind Elisha to continue in the work. This time there was no one in view to succeed him. This could be the king’s way of expressing his feeling of helplessness without the guidance of the prophet. Left without divine guidance, what good would chariots and horsemen do?

So employing two symbolic acts, Elisha offered his last service to the king. He dramatically prophesied through the two acts that Joash would only experience a partial victory over the Syrians. The first symbolic act was described in verses 15-17. Elisha instructed the king to bring a bow and some arrows. He was to take the bow and poise to shoot an arrow.  When the king was in the shooting position, the prophet then placed his own hands over his, told him to have the window opened, and shot the arrow toward the east. Symbolically, this was a message to Joash that he would have victory over the Syrians in the battle at Aphek. And he was to defeat the Syrians until he had destroyed them.

In verses 18-19, we have the description of the second symbolic act. Elisha then told Joash to take the arrows and strike the ground with them. The king took the arrows and struck the ground only three times and stopped. Elisha then chided him for stopping at the third time. He then told the king that had he struck the ground with the arrows five or six times he would have total victory. Since he did it only three times, he would only defeat the Syrians three times instead of destroying them totally.

These two symbols are lessons on prayer. The arrows are like prayers and supplications that God wants us to make. For only in Him and through Him that we will experience victory. We should not cease to pray for every endeavor in life. We must learn to persist in prayer, to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking. If we don’t, we may have victory but only partially. God invites us to pray. When we pray, we are signaling to Him that we need Him and are depending on Him to take us through. Total victory come by staying on our knees for as long as we need till His light shines through. Hear anew the words of Jesus in Luke 11:9-10. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.” Let us never stop praying and connecting with God. This is what will ensure our victory over the enemy! 

2 Kings 13:10-13 – Don’t flow with the tide of evil

So far in our reflection of the Books of 1 & 2 Kings, we have considered the lives of the kings of Israel such as Jeroboam, Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah, Jehoram, Jehu, and Jehoahaz. Now in 2 Kings 13-10-13, we come to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz. He was the twelve king of Israel. He ascended the throne in the 27^th year of the reign of Joash, the king of Judah. And he ruled Israel for 16 years.

The sad refrain about all the kings of Israel was that each did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. The sin they all perpetrated was the sin of Jeroboam. He was the one who had initiated the worship of the two golden calves, one he placed in Bethel and the other in Dan. What he did caused the northern kingdom of Israel to sink into idolatry and compromised on their commitment to their covenant God. 

In 2 Kings 13: 11 we again hear the refrain, “He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel sin, but he walked in them.” Nothing much was said of Jehoash in this passage except that what he had done, including his conflict with King Amaziah of Judah, were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel. When he died, he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel, and his son, who shared the same name as Jeroboam, succeeded him on the throne.

It is easy to flow with the tide because it’s the path of least resistance. Jehoash took the path that all the kings of Israel took. Every one of them flowed with the evil tide of Jeroboam. This is the lesson for us. We must refuse to go with the tide of evil. Know that a godly life invariably will demand discipline that will require us to flow with God and against the tide of evil. It will require that we evaluate the lives of people who influence us. We need courage and a strong resolve to walk away from people and norms that will not contribute to godly development in our lives. It is always wiser to stay on God’s side than on the side of evil. With God even if we are alone, we will always be the majority! 

2 Kings 13:4-9 – Don’t just obey God partially

God is ever willing to lend His assistance when a person turns to Him. All it takes is the willingness to humble oneself and seek His favor in hard times. This was precisely what Jehoahaz did. In the first three verses of 3 Kings 13, we are told he persisted in the ways of Jeroboam and caused the nation to sin. So God disciplined him using Hazael King of Syria and his son Ben-hadad.

Couldn’t take the pressure delivered by the father and son team of Hazael and Ben-hadad from Syria, Jehoazhaz turned to the Lord. In 2 Kings 13:4-5,  we are told that he entreated the Lord’s favor, and his request was favorably answered. The Lord showed compassion and gave Israel an unnamed deliverer to bring relief. What the deliverer did was not specified but the later part of verse 6 said they dwelled in tents as formerly. This is to say that they had some reprieves from the hand of Syria and experience a measure of peace.

But despite God’s goodness, the people of Israel did not appreciate it. They did not make a clean break from the sin introduced  by Jeroboam. They continued in cult worship and allowed Asherah, the sacred place of cult worship, to remain in the land. Second Kings 13:7 suggests that in not returning completely to the Lord, left a harsh consequence. Though not totally decimated, Israel’s incomplete return to God left them threshed by the Syrians. What remained of Jehoahaz’s fighting capability were  “not more than fifty horsemen and ten chariots and 10,000 footmen.”  Second Kings 13:8-9 went on to suggest that Jehoahaz had other acts that were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. He was buried in Samaria when he died. Joash, his son, succeeded him on the throne.

Jehoahaz’s experience described in these verses teaches us that in repentance there must be a radical break with the past. Total obedience to God is expected. Leaving some areas undealt with is not good enough. We will leave behind areas that God will have to deal with. For God, we need to be sure that our commitment is total and complete.  And this requires that we love Him with all that we are – our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Obedience is not just a test of our commitment; it is God’s means to ensure that we receive His best in life. Trust and obey, for there’s no other way!   

 

2 Kings 13:1-3 – Be sure to seize our God-given moment

Second Kings 13:1-3 introduce us to the reign of Jehoahaz. He succeeded his father Jehu and became king of Israel in the twenty-third year of Joash’s reign. Jehoahaz ruled Israel for 17 years. As immediately as he was introduced, He was said to have done evil in the sight of the  Lord by following the sin of Jeroboam that had made Israel sin.

Jeroboam, as we know, led the confrontation with Rehoboam that caused the nation of Israel to split into two. Since then Israel became two nations - Israel in the north and Judah in the south. He then became the first king of Israel in the north. In order to prevent the people from going down to Jerusalem in Judah to worship, he set up two golden calves and had one put in Bethel and the other in Dan. Besides, he also had shrines established in high places. As if that was not enough, he also appointed non-Levites to be priests, installed his own religious festivals, and even made sacrifices on the altars of the golden calves.

 

Jehoahaz had the opportunity to make a clean start with God, but he chose not to. He followed in the footstep of Jeroboam and made Israel sin. Without a doubt, this  was not pleasing to the  Lord.  So Second Kings 13:3 said that “the anger of the  LORD  was kindled against Israel, and He gave them continually into the hand of Hazael king of Aram, and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael.”

From this passage, we learn the importance of seizing the opportunity. Jehoahaz had the opportunity to steer the nation back to God, but he missed it. Opportunities come and go. If we don’t recognize and seize them, we may not have the exact moment again. Opportunities are often God’s kairos moment. Failure to take hold of it will cause us to meander and careen down the road of life and miss God’s purpose. In Ephesians 6:16, we are urged to make every opportunity count, for the days are evil. What is God’s Kairos moment for you? Learn from Jehoahaz, don’t let it slip. Rise up and seize it and make that moment count for yourself and for the glory of God! 

 

 

2 Kings 12:17-21 – Don’t only start well but also to finish well

Many things actually happened in Second Kings 12, in between verses 16 and 17. But here we are not given any information. It is in 2 Chronicles 24:15-22 that we find out what happened during this duration. Jehoiada the high priest died at a ripe old age of 130 years and was honored to be buried in the city of David among the kings. He was said to have done well for Israel and for the house of God. Minus his influence, Joash’s life took a downward turn. He began to listen and pander to the ungodly counsel of his officials. We are told that they abandoned the house of the Lord and the God of their fathers. They began to serve the Asherim and the idols. As a result, the wrath of God came upon Judah and Jerusalem. Despite the coaxing of the prophets to return, they would not listen.

In 2 Chronicles 24:20-22, we see Zachariah, the son of Jehoiada, who succeeded him as the high priest, warning Joash and his cohorts of wicked officials. He rebuked them for forsaking the Lord and warned them that if they would not return, God would in turn forsake them. Not willing to listen to the truth, Joash and his officials conspired and had him stoned to death. Zachariah’s final words to Joash as he died were, “May the Lord see and avenge!” And as the high priest had said, God began to deal with Judah and Jerusalem. This was where 2 Kings 12:17 picked up.

Hazael, king of Syria had all along been the bugbear of Israel. He began to trouble Judah again. To placate him, “Jehoash king of Judah took all the sacred gifts that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah his fathers, the kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred gifts, and all the gold that was found in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent these to Hazael king of Syria.” While he was able to appease Hazael, he could not escape the wrath of God. He was assassinated by his servants. Second Kings 12:20-21 describe how he was assassinated. Though other things he had done were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, he died tragically. He was buried with his fathers in the city of David and succeeded by Amaziah his son.

How could one who had started so well end so badly? Two things he did that we must avoid. Firstly, he forsook godly counsel to embrace godless ones. Secondly, he had no regard for God despite the warnings. The wise thing in life is to surround ourselves with godly people who can provide wise counsel. Don’t listen to people whom you have not been able to ascertain their standing with God. Go with people whose life with God are well attested. And choose to remain faithful to God in challenging times. When we forsake God, nothing can save us from His judgment!

2 King 12:9-16 – Be trustworthy if we want to be trusted

In 2 Kings 12:4-8, we saw how Joash told the priests to repair the temple using the funds collected from the people. But the priests were irresponsible and did not carry out their duty as instructed. They left the house of the LORD in dilapidated condition. There was a hint that they even mishandled the funds collected. So on the 23^rd year of his reign, Joash intervened and relieved the priests from handling the money. Second Kings 12:9-16 then described how the funds collected were being handled.

Second Kings 12:9 said that Jehoiada took a chest and bore a hole on the lid. Though not mentioned here, 2 Chronicles 24:5 said that this was done at the instruction of the king. This chest with the borehole was then placed conspicuously beside the altar of burned offering, on the right side just at the entrance of the house of the LORD. The priest who was guarding the entrance would take the money people would give to the temple and drop it into the chest in the full view of the giver. This evidently was to prevent any mishandling of the contributions.

Verse 10 tells us that when the chest was full, the king’s secretary and the high priest would collect the fund and put them into bags. They would then be brought into the temple and the money would be counted. Evidently, they would also weigh the money.  Why? it was because coins did not exist yet. What they dropped into the chest were lumps of silver approximately about a shekel or half a shekel. These lumps of silver were not all equal in weight. Hence, they would weigh them before handing them to supervisors of the repairing project. The collection, which was placed in bags and weighed, would then be paid out by the supervisors to the respective workers - the carpenters, builders, masons, stonecutters and, etc. None of the money collected for the repair was used for making the gold or silver utensils, snuffer, basins, and trumpets that were needed in the temple. In other words, the funds were used solely for the temple repair. Verse 15 suggests that the supervisors were more honest in their dealing than the priests. Here we are told that these supervisors honestly dealt with the funds handed to them.   

What are the guilt and sin offerings talked about in verse 16? They were money given in compensation by one who was found guilty of injuring another person. This amount to be compensated to the injured, or his family if he was dead, would be valued by the priest. The compensated amount would only be given to the priest if the injured person had died and had no family member.  Details of these funds could be found in chapter 5 of the book of Numbers. Verse 16 tells us that guilt and sin offerings brought to the house of the LORD belonged to the priests, meaning they were not used for the temple repair.  

Without a doubt, the lesson for us is on fidelity and integrity. The Lord values integrity and fidelity, especially when dealing with money. It is needful for workmen of God to be found trustworthy. If we want to be trusted, we must be found trustworthy. People who have no integrity are never honest. Fidelity and integrity are important ingredients to building trust. Be sure to nurture them in life, especially in dealing with money. If we want to be trusted, we need to be trustworthy. If we are faithful in little, we will be faithful in much!

 

2 King 12:4-8– Being responsible priests of God

In 2 Chronicles 24:7, we are told the sons (more likely to be her followers) of Athaliah had broken the house of God. They even used the holy things of the house of the LORD for the Baals. Now in 2 Kings 12:4-8, Joash was said to give instructions for the repair of the house of the LORD.  Evidently, he had now come of age and had control of the nation's administration. For such a project to get going, funding of course was critical. So verses 4-6 describe the instructions on how the funds that had been contributed for the upkeep of the priests and the temple be used for the project.    

No reason was given as to why Jehoiada and the priests did not repair the temple despite the king’s instruction. They apparently did not do a thing about it. The house of the LORD was left in a dilapidated condition till the 23^rd year of Joash’s reign. So in verse 6, we are told that he intervened. He called for an accounting from Jehoiada and the priests. He asked, “Why do you not repair the damages of the house?” Joash then forbade them from collecting any more money for temple repair and literally took the project out of their hands.

It is unsettling to read of the priest’s lack of enthusiasm and responsibility in the restoration work of the temple. Evidently, they had misused the fund for Joash to stop them from handling it and the project altogether. We would have expected the priests to be diligent and actively restore the damaged temple. They had clearly reneged on their responsibility. Of all the people, they ought to be the ones that would have more zeal for the LORD’s house. But alas, it was not! 

What lessons have these few verses for us believers whom 1 Peter 2:9 says are the royal priests of God? He expects us to be people who are responsible not only for the building but also the restoring of the Kingdom. Are we taking our responsibility seriously? Are we enthusiastic about our calling? People who are responsible seek ways to accomplish their assignments, and people who are not, will look for excuses. Realizing that we are accountable to God, let us not be lukewarm in what is expected of us. We must responsibly discharge our duty for Jesus our King with enthusiasm.   

 

2 Kings 12:1-3 – Be consistent in godly living

Joash became king of Judah at age seven and ruled for 40 years. He ascended to the throne in the seventh year when Jehu was king of Israel. His mother was from Beersheba, so she was a native of the south. Her name was Zibiah. In these three verses in 2 Kings 12:1-3, we are given two critical facts about Joash’s life. Firstly, he did well in the sight of the Lord because of the godly Jehoiada. We surmise that being his aunt’s husband and the priest, he was the one who was keeping the king on track. Secondly, we are told that in religious and spiritual reform, Joash did not do as thorough a job as he should. Verse 3 said that he did not take the high places away. High places were shrines located all over the land. The people would go to these shrines to make sacrifices and offer their burnt offerings. Sadly most of these places would have graven images and sacred pillars. Because Joash did not purge the land of these shrines people were still making sacrifices and burning incense there.

Second Chronicles 24:17-19 give us some disturbing information about Joash after the godly Jehoiada died. He pandered to the ungodly advice of some godless officials from Judah. Together with them, he abandoned the house of the Lord and the God whom their fathers served. What’s more unacceptable was that they served the Asherims and idols. As a result, the wrath of God rightly fell on Judah and Jerusalem on their account. Despite the prophets God would send to warn and call them back to Himself, they would not listen.  

The first lesson we learn from what happened to Joash is the need to guard the godly deposits in our lives. According to 2 Chronicles 24:15, Jehoiada lived to a ripe old age of 132 years. That’s quite a long time by any standard. Despite the years of godly influence, Joash would pivot to some godless counsels of his ungodly officials. This suggests that he was not guarding the godly deposits that he had received from Jehoiada. It is therefore important that we guard the godly foundation in our lives. Being faithful in our commitment to God is one non-negotiable in life. This is an area that we must never compromise. The day our allegiance to God shifts will be the day we see the unraveling of our spiritual compass.

The second lesson we learn is not to keep anything that can lure us back to our past ungodly living. Joash allowed the high places to remain. They became the Archilles’ heed of the nation’s allegiance to God. Are there some things in our sinful past that we need to remove so that we will not be enticed to return to them? They would become the weak links to godly living. Don’t let them stand in the way between God and us. They must be dealt with decisively!         

           

 

2 Kings 11:17-21 – Age is no barrier to serving God

Jehoiada's well-thought plan had Athaliah and her followers killed and eliminated. Judah had broken their covenant with God under Jehoram, Ahaziah, and Athaliah. Hence it was needful to renew their covenant with God. So 2 Kings 11:17 talked about the renewal of the covenant. Having restored Joash, the rightful heir to the throne, Jehoiada had the king, and the people renew their covenant with God. Both the new king and the people pledged to be the LORD’s people. And the king and the people also vouched to be loyal to each other.

Second Kings 11:18 tells us that all the people of Judah unitedly went to the house of Baal and had everything destroyed. Not only did they tear down the house, they also destroyed the altars and the images thoroughly. They also killed Mattan, the priest of Baal. In verse 19, the young king was escorted by the captains of the guards and the Carites and their men from the temple to the palace. There Jehoiada sat him on the throne of the kings, his rightful place. Verse 20 said that the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet, meaning it was peaceful. The wicked Athaliah, the troubler of Judah, was put to death at the king’s house. The last verse of 2 Kings 11 said that Joash was seven years old when he became king.

Age is no barrier in the LORD’s plan. Especially when one is well nurtured and groomed. Joash was a case in point. He was young, tutored, and prepared by the godly Jehoiada. And at the right time, he was uncovered. When God ordains a person for a role, age need not be a disadvantage. Think of young Timothy, the protégé of the Apostle Paul. He was not only young but also timid and diffident. But he had a good grounding. Second Timothy 1:3 suggests that he was well taught in faith and in the word by his grandmother Lois, and his mother Eunice. Paul reminded him in 1 Timothy 4:12 to stand his ground and let no one look down on him just because he was young. In this same verse, Paul shows us that our disadvantage is not in our age (physical or spiritual). but in our character and example in life. Our good example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity can be an inspiration, even if we are young in our faith or age. God is no respector of person!

 

2 Kings 11:13-16 – Be careful of the blind spots in our lives

The bravery of Jehoiada brought into fruition the coronation of Joash. As expected, such a moment is not to be mildly dismissed. Everyone who was present must have been overwhelmed with a deep sense of excitement as they proclaimed, “Long live the king!” Second Kings 11:13-16 describe for us the response of the wicked Athaliah and her death sentence. The proclamation coming from the house of the LORD could be heard from where she was. When she heard the joyful sound, she came to the temple to see for herself.  The sight must have shocked her. She saw “the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom, with the captains and the trumpeters beside the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets.”

When she saw that, her immediate response was to rent her clothes and loudly shout, “Treason! Treason!” Jehoiada was just as ready. Not wanting to put her to death within the temple, he immediately ordered the captains of the guards to escort her outside to be put to death by the sword. Jehoiada also commanded that all her followers be put to death as well. She and all her followers were seized and escorted beyond the precinct of the temple. And at the entrance of the king’s horses, she was put to death.

From Jehoiada, we learn that we need to be brave and true to God even in the days of evil. If Jehoiada had a lesser disposition and temperament, he would wilt under the scheme of the wicked Athaliah. It should not be a surprise to us when we encounter people with wicked intentions in this world. But it is important for us not to be intimidated that we will do nothing to deal with it. We must learn to be strong in the Lord and stand in the strength of His might to deal with it. The second lesson we can learn from Athaliah is about blind spots. Imagine her accusing others of treason when she was a key proponent of treason. People are usually blind to their own sin as they accuse others of committing it. We must not look at the speck in someone else’s eyes and be blind to the log in our own eyes. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct His laser beam into our heart and see if there is a hidden sin which we are not aware of!

2 Kings 11:9-12 – The blessing of godly influence

Everything was working as planned. Joash was to be crowned on a Sabbath. Second King 11:9-12 tell us how it all happened. Jehoiada and the captains of the guards swung into action. The captains each took their men, whether those who were going off duty or those who were coming for duty, and met with Jehoiada on the Sabbath. Jehoiada could so smoothly execute his plan showed how much the guards respected him.

When they gathered at the temple, Jehoiada issued to them the hundreds of shields and spears that had been stored in the temple since the time of David. Carrying the weapons, everyone was well stationed. They all stood guard wherever they were assigned. On the right and left, around the altar as well as the entrance of the temple. With everyone in place, Jehoiada then brought Joash forward and crowned him. He was also given a copy of the covenant. It could be the part of the covenant that stipulated what a king should do.

Deuteronomy 17:14-20 has this to say, “When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, and you possess it and live in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations who are around me,’ you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman. Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’ He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself. “Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.”

So we see with the support of Jehoiada, Joash swept into power and was coronated. Everyone present clapped their hands and proclaimed, “Long live the king!” This coronation brought together a combination of the commitment to the house of David, the covenant of Moses, and the people of God in Judah.  In this coronation, we have a combination of both the secular and the sacred.

What a start it must have been for Joash! He had the protection of a godly aunt, the influence of the godly priest, Jehoiada, and the loyalty of the guards. People around him played a key part in his initial success. This account here underscores for us the importance of having godly influence. If we are to make it and end our spiritual journey on a high note, we must surround ourselves with godly people who can influence us. However, we need to know that while it is good to begin well, it will be far better to end well. A good start is an advantage, how we continue to the end is equally important and must not be overlooked. We must run the race to receive the crown at the end!

2 Kings 11:4-8 –Every success requires a plan

Joash was rescued by his aunt Jehosheba from his own grandmother who went on a rampage slaughtering all the royal offsprings in her attempt to seize the throne. Having stolen him from the rest of his siblings, he was kept in Jehosheba’s bedroom. Then from infancy, Joash was hidden in the temple and cared for and protected by Jehosehba's husband, the high priest, Jehoiada. Concerned about restoring the throne to the house of David, Jehoiada planned a coup. He first made a cautious plan to unveil the king to the temple guards. Second Kings 11:4-8 gave a brief detail of the plan he undertook.

When Joash was seven years old, the godly Jehoiada planned a coup to secure the throne for him. He brought the captains of the Carites and the temple guards into the temple. The Carites were mercenary guards. To ensure the safety of the young king-to-be, Jehoiada made a covenant with them and have them take an oath to protect the young boy before he showed them the child. Verses 5-8 then went on to describe his plan to ensure the safety of the child.     

Jehoiada’s actions leave us with a lesson on the importance of having s plan if we expect to experience success in any project. Firstly, we need the right man for the job. Jehoiada was a man who showed himself to be capable and trustworthy and resolute. This is a vital ingredient in any successful plan. Are we such a person? Jehoiada only wanted the rightful heir to have the throne. His whole intention was to restore the house of David to the throne. Only a person of integrity could be trusted for such a job. Secondly, ensuring the success of a plan requires that it be executed at the right time. Estimating that the time was right, Jehoiada acted when the boy was seven years old. It was to be carried out on the Sabbath. Timing is critical to any plan. The right action at the right time would be needed for any plan to succeed. Right actions carried out at the wrong time could backfire. Then, there is a need for the right supporting people. Jehoiada make sure that he had the right people properly instructed and orientated, leaving no loophole for failure. It is said that if we fail to plan, we are planning to fail. Be sure to have a plan for our own success in life. Then be vigilant to execute it!                          

2 Kings 11:1-3 – Standing up and make a difference

Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab. She was married to King Jehoram of Judah, the son of Jehoshaphat. Athaliah was as cruel as Jezebel, her mother. And she was the only woman that had ever ascended the throne. In 2 Kings 11:1-3, we are briefly told how she took possession of the throne and became the first woman to rule Judah.

Verse 1 said that when King Ahaziah, her son died, she had all the royal offspring slaughtered. In other words, she had all her grandchildren killed. Why did she do that? The reason was obvious. She killed them so that she could seize the throne, that would have rightfully gone to the firstborn of Ahaziah.  She managed to kill all her grandsons but one, namely Joash, who was rescued by Jehosheba his aunt, the sister of Ahaziah.  

Jehosheba was also the wife of the high priest Jehoiada. Second Kings 11:2 tells us that she managed to prevent young Joash from being killed by Athaliah, his grandmother, who had all the rest of the royal offspring massacred. She managed to steal him from the rest and placed him and his nurse in the bedroom. So he escaped death at the hand of wicked Athaliah. Being the wife of the high priest, she hid Joash in the house of the Lord for six years where he was raised by Jehoiada.

Here's one person who was not afraid to do what was right. It is easier to run with the crowd than to stand up and be different. This is particularly so when one’s life would be at risk. But Jehosheba was not such a person. She was prepared to risk her life. She did what she could to preserve the king from the line of David. Are we like her? Dead fishes can never swim against the stream only live ones can. Let us not be afraid to stand up and make a difference for God. We can do our part to stand with God, and be His ambassadors to share the good news of salvation in our threatening world.  

 

 

    

 

 

 

    

 

2 Kings 10:28-36 – God expects complete obedience

Jehu was thorough in eradicating the Baal cult. However, we are told in 2 Kings 10:28 that he allowed the worship of the golden calves which Jeroboam had instituted to go on. Those golden calves were allowed to remain in Bethel and Dan. What he did was not quite enough in the sight of Yahweh. Although he rigorously obeyed God and eliminated Ahab’s dynasty, he did not depart from the ways of Jeroboam. This shows that he had some personal motives even in doing what God told him to do. Firstly, he dealt with Ahab, Jezebel, and their family so thoroughly because he wanted to secure his own power. Secondly, his unconcern for the worship of the golden calves, suggests that he favored the false worship instituted by Jeroboam over that of Baal. Both were equally detestable in the sight of the LORD. Jehu did not obliterate idolatry and false worship, he only returned her to the former spiritually deplorable condition before Ahab and Jezebel. The people did not return to worship the LORD.

Second Kings 10:30-31 made it quite clear that God was displeased with him for continuing the worship instituted by Jeroboam. So he said to him, “Because you have done well in executing 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.” For continuing in the worship of the golden calves that Jeroboam introduced, God limited the reign the duration of his dynasty. 

Instead of having a peaceful reign, Jehu experienced a time of turbulence. God allowed portions of Israel to be cut off. He allowed Hazael to defeat them throughout the land of Israel. Verses 33 stipulated it as “from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites and the Manasites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Ammon, even Gilead, and Bashan.” Jehu also did many other things that were recorded in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. After reigning for 28 years, he died and was buried with his fathers and was succeeded by his son, Jehoahaz.

God expects total obedience. Partial obedience is not a befitting response to our great God. If Jehu had been more complete in obeying God, he would have sought to stop the spiritual decline of the nation. But he didn’t. He was right in eradicating Ahab and Jezebel and the worshippers of Baal, but he continued in Jeroboam’s idolatry. In so doing, he did not totally obey the Lord's commandments. We must remember that God expects total obedience from us. Partial obedience is just a euphemism for disobedience. It will bring disaster in the end!

 

2 Kings 10:18-27 – Serving God congruently

Jehu’s God-assigned mission was to destroy everything Baal. He had already gotten rid of Ahab and Jezebel and their household for they were key proponents of the cult. Now in 2 Kings 10:18-27, he set out to annihilate all of Baal’s worshippers. He connived and came out with a deceptive plan. Claiming that he was more fervent than Ahab in his devotion to Baal, he set up a special occasion to honor him. His intention was to annihilate every one of them. So he cunningly invited all the prophets, worshippers, and priests of Baal to that special celebration. He even threatened death to any devotee of Baal who failed to show up. So all the devotees of Baal came from all over Israel. So huge was the gathering that the temple of Baal was packed from end to end till there was no room left. We are told in verse 21 that there was none who did not come. Jehu even had the keeper of the wardrobe bring out garments for the worshippers to wear. All these point us to how far and steep Israel had degenerated in their adherence to the worship of Baal. Then with Jehonadab, Jehu entered the temple to ensure that no worshipper of Yahweh was present. When it was ascertained that all Baal worshippers were there, then they offered sacrifices and burnt offerings.   

In his plan, Jehu had 80 men stationed outside the temple to ensure that none of the devotees of Baal escaped. They were told that anyone who allowed a devotee to escape would have to pay with his life. As soon as the burnt offering was done, Jehu sent the guards and royal officers into the temple to kill all of them. He would not want any of those worshippers of Baal to be let off. Following his order, the guards and the royal officers went into every nook and cranny and massacred everyone that had to do with Baal. Everything within the temple was destroyed. The complete humiliation was that the temple of Baal was turned into a latrine.  The campaign to eradicate Baal worship started by Elijah was completed by Jehu.

Ruthlessly and mercilessly Jehu carried out his assignment. While he was successful in what he was expected to do, his motive and method left much to be desired. He did not give opportunity to those who might want to repent and renounce Baal. Besides, his real intention to obliterate the worshippers of Baal was to eradicate the influence of Ahab and not idolatry per se. He was doing it for himself to get rid of any trace of Ahab which could come against his reign. Why do we say that? Later we shall see that he did not renounce or reject the worship of Jeroboam’s golden calves.

If we are to serve God with honor, there must be congruency. Obedience and zeal for the Lord should be applauded but the motive and how one would go about executing it must be congruent. Attitude and action must be in alignment. If we want to serve God with distinction, we not only must serve him with the right attitude but also the right motive and action. Using deception to execute God’s plan will leave a bitter aftertaste even when the outcome is achieved. We must serve God with integrity and congruency. Wisdom to do His work will be given to anyone who asks for it.

 

2 Kings 10:15-17 – Guard our lives to remain faithful

Earlier, we saw how Jehu met the relatives of Ahaziah of Judah coming to visit Jezebel. There at Beth-eked he killed all 42 of them. Now in 2 Kings 10:15-17, Jehu met Jehonadab. Who was he? Nothing much was said about him in the Bible except that he was the son of Rechab. Jeremiah 35:6-10 suggest that he was a nomad, and lived an ascetic lifestyle. We are also told that he was the one who had instructed his children not to drink wine. From this little information about him, we surmise that he was one who loved the LORD.

Here in 2 Kings 10:15-17, he was seen to be cordial towards Jehu. He seemed to understand the mission Jehu was given by God to rid the land of the influence of Jezebel and all that had to do with Baal. Hence when he met him, he did not reject his friendship. Instead, he extended his hand to him in partnership when he was invited to join him to see his zeal for the LORD. He joined Jehu in his chariot and came to Samaria where he saw the destruction of everyone that had to do with Ahab.  Everything was fulfilled of what the Lord had said through Elijah, His prophet.

The little fact we learned of Jehonadab, we can see that he was God-loving. We conclude that though he went with Jehu to see his purging campaign of Ahab and Baal’s followers, he was not influenced totally by his other unworthy behavior. This was attested to by what we learn from his descendants who lived their lives as instructed by him. So much so that many years afterward we find God through Jeremiah still commended them for their faithfulness and the way they had lived their lives in the wisdom of Jehonadab’s instruction. We can join a good cause but must guard against being negatively influenced. We must maintain our focus on being faithful to God. Let God’s word be the central point of our life!  

 

2 Kings 10:12-14 – Don’t overstep our call of duty

From Jezreel Jehu now made his journey to Samaria to assume power. Second Kings 10:12-14 tell us what took place midway in his journey there. He came to where the shepherds would stop to shear their sheep. The name of the place was Beth-eked, meaning house of the binding. Its name was probably derived from the practice of tying the four legs of a sheep together before it was being sheared.

Here we are told that Jehu met the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. Hence, they were also related to Ahab. Jehu's immediate question to them was “Who  are you?” Without hesitation, they responded, “We are the relatives of Ahaziah; and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.” Remember Ahaziah went to help Joram in dealing with Hazael and was killed by Jehu. Not wanting any of them to escape, Jehu ordered that they be seized alive. He then had all 42 men killed, mercilessly, without leaving any one of them alive.

There was no justification for this ruthless murder. Besides these were people from Judah and Elijah’s prophecy did not include the murder of members of the house of David. Jehu wanted to be sure that nothing would come his way to take possession of the throne. He probably wanted to be sure that anyone who was remotely related to Jezebel must be removed.

Had Jehu overstepped his commission? He seemed to have overstretched the bound of what he was called to do when he killed the relatives of Ahaziah of Judah. Our takeaway from these three verses would be this: it is one thing to do our God-assigned duty but quite another to allow personal interest to be the agenda. The minute we let our selfish interests and agenda overstep what we are expected to do, we lose the capacity to think and act right.  

2 Kings 10:6-11 – Don’t fall prey to betrayers

Having ascertained that those custodians of the 70 sons of Ahab were prepared to ditch their masters, Jehu went into action. Second Kings 10:6-11 describe how Jehu goaded the custodians of those sons of Ahab to ditch them, slaughtered them, and completely destroyed all of Ahab and his. He sent a second letter to the custodians of Ahab's sons ordering that they brought their heads to him by the next day if they were on his side.  They acceded to his request, slaughtered those descendants, and brought their heads to Jezreel, each in a basket. When it was told Jehu that the seventy heads had arrived, he ordered that they be put “in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.” 

Verse 9 tells us that in the morning, he went out and stood presumably over the bodies and addressed all the people. Essentially, he was using an intimidation tactic to discourage rebellion. He owned up to killing Joram, but he claimed that the killing of the 70 sons of Ahab was not his doing. He asked the question, ‘But who killed all of these?” In the question, he was virtually absolving himself of any blame. He was pinning the murder on the custodians of Ahab’s sons without revealing that he was the mastermind behind it all. He was in a sense shifting the blame.

Although he pointed everything to what God had said would happen to the house of Ahab, he, however, did not want to be seen as the main executor.  So he literally pushed the blame for the murder of Ahab’s sons to their custodians. He insisted that all that had happened were according to Elijah’s prediction. Seizing the moment, verse 11 had this to say, “So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his acquaintances and his priests, until he left him without a survivor.”

Haven’t we met people who would push others to do their bidding so that they would not get the blame and look bad? People who would whisper in your ears and make suggestions that you should do something about a certain matter. When things go sour, you get the blame but when things turn out fine, they get the applause. Such people would have no qualm doing a friend or ally in. Be careful who you take a bullet for in life, he or she may be the one that’s pulling the trigger. Remember Proverbs 27:6, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” Don’t nestle a snake in your bosom.

 

 

2 Kings 10:1-5 – Being faithful

Jezreel was in Jehu’s grasps, but Samaria was not yet. Ahab had 70 sons who were still alive in Samaria. Here was a reference to his descendants rather than his sons. In the natural, any of those sons would certainly have more right to the throne than Jehu. Taking care of each of those sons of Ahab were custodians made up of rulers, elders, and guardians, who took charge of them.

Jehu sent letters to them asking them to appoint a new king to fight him to determine if he or the one appointed should be king of Israel. Those custodians of the sons of Ahab were too fearful of Jehu. They reasoned that if the combined forces of Joram and Ahaziah could not stand against him, much less any of the sons of Ahab. So to placate him, they told him to do as he found fit.

The custodians had virtually surrendered to Jehu. They knew exactly what they wanted to do. They would rather serve Jehu than fight him. Hence, they would not crown another king. They would rather have Jehu rule over them. It is obvious that these custodians were unfaithful stewards who acted in fear. They would rather betray their master than remain faithful to the end. In our service to Jesus our King, let us not be like any of those unfaithful custodians. We must not fear men but be loyal to Him to the very end. Let us be named among the called and chosen, and found faithful to the end!

 

2 Kings 9:33-37 – The tragic consequence of sin

God’s word through Elijah concerning Jezebel came to pass in 1 Kings 9:34-37. Jehu was prepared for this moment. In the previous three verses, we saw how he ignored the sarcasm and veiled threat of  Jezebel. He called out asking for someone to join him in his execution of God’s vengeance on the wicked queen mother. The two or three officers who looked out of the window complied and threw her down. Verse 33 suggests that she must have had quite a landing. Some of her blood splattered on the wall and on the horses when she landed. It sounded like Jehu then cruelly rode his chariot over her and trampled her.

Assured that she was dead, Jehu ate and drank before ordering some men to have her buried. But when they went to carry out the order, they could not find much of her remains, except her skull, feet, and palms of her hand. They came to report to Jehu, who recalled that this was precisely what Elijah proclaimed, by the words of the LORD, would happen to her. Jezebel’s flesh was eaten up by the dogs until her remains would be so unrecognizable that none could say, “this is Jezebel.”

What a tragic end! True to the word of God she was unrecognizable. The words of God were literally fulfilled. This is the appalling result that sin will bring.  Sin is offensive to God. How Jezebel had ended reminds us never to harbor any sin. We need to be careful how we conduct our lives and keep short accounts with God. Sin has drastic consequences. Remember we will reap what we sow. Let us not trifle with the word of God but live to honor it. He means what He says!

2 Kings 9:30-32 – God’s vengeance may seem slow but it is sure

Jezebel's cruelty had been unbearable. Her long-awaited judgment had been scheduled and announced by Elijah long before this moment. The instrument to carry out the vengeance of the Lord on behalf of Naboth and the prophets that she had slain was Jehu. He was ordained and anointed for this moment. Second Kings 9:30-37 describe how she was dealt with. Verse 30 said that Jehu came to Jezreel where Jezebel was. She was said to have  “painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window.” Even in the face of impending death, she was still acting defiantly.

As Jehu entered the gates of Jezreel, Jezebel called out to him sarcastically. She called him Zimri. What did she mean by calling Jehu, “Zimri, your master’s murderer?” She was insinuating that he was like Zimri, who rebelled against the Baasha dynasty. Zimri was the one who had assassinated Elah the son of Baasha and annihilated the dynasty of Baasha. Here she was saying that Jehu was acting like Zimri, a loathsome rebel. What she said could also be seen as a veiled threat, because Zimri was eventually killed by Omri, the father of Ahab and her father-in-Law. She was probably suggesting that he would end up like Zimri, being killed.

On hearing that, Jehu immediately lifted up his head and confronted Jezebel. He was deaf to her threat. Instead of cowering to veiled threat, he literally incited a rebellion against her among the people who were serving her. He asked if any of them would take a stand with him in dealing with the wicked queen. It was then that two or three of her men looked out of the window.  

One lesson to take away from these three verses is this: God’s vengeance on evil may not be immediate but it will surely take place. The punishment for Jezebel’s wickedness of promoting Baal’s worship, shedding the innocent blood of God's prophets, and that of Naboth, might seem long coming but it had arrived. Being a gracious God, the time before the axe falls is often the period of grace. Second Peter 3:9 puts it this way, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” We must not take the kindness of God for granted. Learn to keep short accounts with Him. Don’t stall in our repentance when we have committed a wrong against Him. The longer we wait the less desire we will have to want to make it right. So be quick to repent when convicted of a wrong!  

2 Kings 9:27-29 - Bad company corrupts good morals

Ahaziah who was with Joram saw the whole treasonous act of Jehu. He heard the exclamation of Joram and saw how he tried to escape from the grips of Jehu. The next he saw was Joram being shot to death with an arrow. So 2 Kings 9:27 said when he saw what happened, he tried to flee the scene with Jehu pursuing him. Shouting to his men, Jehu asked them to shoot him too. So he was shot at Ibleam which was midway between Jezreel and Samaria. We are told that he fled to Megiddo and died there. His servant then carried him to Jerusalem in a chariot and there he was buried in a grave with his fathers in the city of David. Verse 29 tells us that it was in the 11^th year of the reign of Joram, the king of Israel that Ahaziah became king of Judah.

In 2 Chronicles 22:9, we see another version of the death of Ahaziah. The verse suggests that Jehu and the rebels sought Ahaziah, and caught him while he was hiding in Samaria. When he was  found, they brought him to Jehu, who put him to death and buried him. Here we see the same situation described from another angle. Though Ahaziah was shot, he still managed to make it to Samaria and hid there. The passage in 2 Kings tells us that he died, and the account of 2 Chronicles reveals who had killed him. Whatever the case maybe, we learn that evil association always causes one to end up badly in the end. 

What happened to Ahaziah affirms what 1 Corinthians 14:33 has said. Urging us not to be deceived, Paul here reminds us that “Bad company corrupts good morals.” And in the first Psalm, we are also warned of what can happen if we “walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the path of sinners or sit in the seat of scoffers.”  Then echoing the sentiment of what is said about associating with the wicked in the first Psalm, Proverbs 1:10-19 give reasons why we should not associate with the ungodly. We must be careful  in choosing our companions. Be wise and choose the right company we associate with.  

2 Kings 9:21-26 – Peace cannot be found in the path of evil

The two messengers, whom Joram sent to ascertain the reason for the advancement of Jehu’s approaching force, did not return to report. Instead, they were both recruited to join in Jehu’s revolt. When it was told to Joram that Jehu was furiously riding on a chariot toward Jezreel, he called for a chariot and together with Ahaziah rode out to meet him. It was at the infamous vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that they met.  

It was undeniable that God had set everything for this moment. The punishment for what Ahab and Jezebel had done to Naboth was about to take place. Wanting to know Jehu’s intention, Joram asked if Jehu came in peace in 2 Kings 9:22. Instead of a direct answer, Jehu announced the crime which Jezebel had done. Without hesitation, he retorted asking, “What peace, so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?” The two terms “harlotries and witchcraft” had so aptly described what Jezebel did in enticing Israel into being unfaithful to the Lord. Adultery and harlotries had frequently been used in the Scriptures to refer to Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. Witchcraft points to them pivoting to Baal and what was involved in worshipping it. 

Immediately, Joram knew that Jehu had rebelled. Turing his chariot around to flee, he said to Ahaziah, “There is treachery, O Ahaziah!” Without wasting much time, Jehu took out an arrow, and with full force shot him between his arms. The arrow ripped through his heart and he sank into his chariot. Jehu recalled Elijah’s prediction made years earlier when he and Bidkar were serving Ahab. He remembered what Elijah said about the Lord avenging Naboth's family's innocent blood. He recalled that it would be repaid on the victim’s property. So Jehu commanded Bidkar to cast Joram’s body into the field of Naboth just as it was prophesied.   

J0ram was looking for peace. But how could peace be attained through the path of evil? The path of evil will never lead anyone to peace, pure and simple. This is one lesson in life we need to learn. The real path to peace is the grace of God. If not for the grace of God, our Lord Jesus would not have come. Without Jesus, there can be no peace. A life of peace can only be found in a life with Jesus. If we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, peace will follow us. Jesus is our surest path to peace. Are we pursuing Him?   

2 Kings 9:14-20 – Be swift to obey God

Second Kings 9:14-20 tells us that Jehu was with the army of Israel engaged in dealing with the attack of Hazael of Aram. However, the conspiracy for Jehu to go against Joram was divinely set up. He was anointed to be God’s instrument to punish the household of Ahab and Jezebel for the evil of shedding the blood of His prophets, and that of Naboth. Immediately after being anointed as king of Israel, Jehu swung into action. He was ruthless. Securing the support of the other captains quickly, he had their agreement to seal up the city of Ramoth-gilead. This was to ensure that no one could leave to leak information to Joram. In 2 Kings 8:28-29, we are told that Joram was wounded in the battle, and he returned to Jezreel to recover from his wound. While he was there, Ahaziah King of Judah came to visit him. Besides repeating Ahaziah’s visit to Joram, verse 16 also reveals that Jehu left in a chariot for Jezreel, where Joram was recuperating from his wounds.

Meanwhile, Joram had a watchman stationed at the look-out tower so that they could keep him informed of approaching attacks. Verse 17 said that the watchman saw a company approaching though he couldn’t recognize Jehu.  So he alerted the king who instructed that a horseman be despatched to meet them and inquire if they came with peaceful intention. Jehu told the messenger that there would be no peace and then recruited him to join his band of rebels. And he did. When Joram was told that his messenger met the approaching force but did not return, he sent another one with the same mission. The second messenger approached Jehu just as the first and was also told the same. He was also recruited to join the revolt. The watchman reported to the king again saying the second messenger also did the same as the first. However, this time he could recognize Jehu, for he was riding furiously in the chariot approaching Jezreel.  

The Bible leaves us with no doubt that  God can use anyone to advance His purpose. He would even use godless men such as Jehu to execute His plan. As much as God would use godless Jehu, there was a limit to which God would use him. Though Jehu’s character left us with questions as to why God would use him, we learn how swiftly and obediently he had carried out God’s mission. If there is anything worth emulating from his life it would be this: he swiftly and obediently carried out God’s plan. Are we as swift and obedient when it comes to advancing God’s Kingdom? In John 4:35 Jesus said, “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest"? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.” We must act immediately and obediently to reap the harvest for Him. There’s no time to lose!

2 Kings 9:11-13 – Empowered to serve

As instructed by Elisha, the prophet intern ran as fast as he could after anointing and proclaiming to Jehu the LORD’s assignment for him. Second Kings 9:11-13, then reveal what happened when Jehu came out of the room. The captains who were with him asked him if all was well. Wanting to know what transpired in the room they asked, “Why  did this mad fellow come to you?” The way the anointing was carried out was unusual. Hence the other captains called the prophet intern a mad man.

At first, Jehu did not tell them the entire truth that he came to anoint him as king of Israel. But they could sense that he was hiding something from them. They responded by saying, “It’s a lie, tell us now.” They were literally badgering him for the answers. So Jehu ended by telling them what the intern said to him. The last part of verse 12: ‘Thus says the Lord, “I have anointed you king over Israel”’, indicates that he repeated exactly what was said to him. Hurriedly, each of them took off his own garment and spread them on the higher ground for Jehu to step on in recognition of his new position. Then they blew the trumpet and hailed loudly, “Jehu is king!” We conclude from how quickly they recognized Jehu as king, an indication of the festering dissatisfaction they had with Joram. When the moment arrived, they showed how ready they were to switch their loyalty.

One minute the other captains were calling the prophet who anointed Jehu a madman. Then the next, when told what he had said, they took his message seriously and hailed Jehu as king. One lesson for us to take away: when God calls a person to a task, he ensures that he will be recognized. Jehu was anointed to fulfill the purpose of God. Immediately the people recognized and acknowledged it. When God empowers us to do a thing, our gift will be discernible. We must not underestimate ourselves when we are empowered to fulfill God’s calling in our lives.  God will qualify us for the call. Praise His name!    

 

2 Kings 9:4-10 – Vengeance belongs to the Lord

The prophetic intern went into action at Elisha’s instruction. Second Kings 9:4-10 tell us that he went to Ramoth-gilead to anoint Jehu. Meanwhile, Joram had already returned to Jezreel to recuperate from his wounds. And Jehu with all the other captains of the army of Israel was left to continue dealing with Hazael and the Arameans.  When he arrived where the army of Israel was, he approached Jehu. Addressing him, the prophetic intern said, “I have a word for you, O captain.” Taken by surprise, Jehu responded by asking, “For which one of us?” And he said, “For you, O captain.” 

The two of them then went into the house. Quickly the intern poured oil over his head and prophesied over Jehu saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel.’”  In verses 7-10, he proceeded to tell Jehu what the  Lord expected him to do. He said, “You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel.  For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male person both bond and free in Israel.” 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. The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.’” 

Immediately after he had declared the word of God over Jehu, he opened the door and fled. Notice the reason why Jehu was to strike and annihilate Ahab and Jezebel's household. It was because of the cruelty they had dealt to God’s prophets and His worshippers. As God’s instrument, Jehu was to avenge the blood the cruel couple and his posterity had shed.

There are two lessons that we can pick up from here. Firstly, we know that vengeance is the Lord’s, and He will repay it. The blood of the righteous shed by Ahab and Jezebel did not go unnoticed. From how God had scheduled their punishment, we learn that God had appointed a time of judgment for all wickedness. Hence if we feel that we are being unjustly treated, take heart, God is in control. He has a scheduled time to right all the wrongs we have unjustly received.

Here's the second lesson: The terrible end of Ahab and Jezebel and his household affirmed that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the Lord. How Jeroboam and Baasha’s households ended should have been adequate warnings to Ahab and Jezebel of how terrible it would be to face God’s judgment. But obviously, the wicked pair did not learn. They continued to act godlessly toward the Lord and ruthlessly against His servants and worshippers. Looking at how the wicked pair ended must now be a warning for us not to live life in ways that will set us up for divine retribution. Be wise, live life honorably for the Lord! Blessings will be the reward!