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!