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T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
November 1924
( 8 ) JEHU, the AVENGER, 9:14-10:29. “ Throw her down. So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall.” v. 33. Justice and judgment are God’s ordained means and method of dealing with the children of men. Iniquity had reached its climax in Israel as it had in the days of Sodom. The cup of Ahab was full. It is a true and important say ing of God’s Word (Eccl. 8:11). “ Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” “ The Lord is not slack.” God’s edict had been issued. Judgment must come upon the house of Ahab. Sin must be punished or atoned for. We have Jezebel as an illustra tion of the exact fulfillment of God’s Word (1 Kings 19:16; 21:19, 20; 22:38; 2 Kings 10:10; 10:35). Retribution, justice and exact reward. God chooses His own way. He chose Jehu twenty years before and fitted him for his bloody service.. He has always done this. It was so with His choice of Abraham, of Joseph, of Moses, of Daniel, of Paul and the apostles, and so it is today. We do not know how and when His prophecies will be ful filled, nor just what He is working out today, nor what part of the plan we are destined to perform, but we do know that they will be fulfilled. Jehu was a fit instrument for meting out just judgment. “ To every man his work.” Elijah and Elisha are types, respectively, of justice and mercy. The Bible tells us of the blood of the Lamb, but it also tells us of the wrath of the Lamb. Jehu was a man of action-—in every sense, a driver, a leader. He was bold, quick, thorough. He was a soldier, accustomed to obey orders. God had given him his orders. Every man of Ahab’s house was to be put to death. Only a soldier wbuld.be equal to such an emergency. How just was the sentence against this wicked king! How swift the judgment when God unsheaths His sword! Speedy punishment follows. Immediately, Jehu issues a decree and martial law is declared in Ramoth-Gilead. No one is to break the news to Jehoram but himself. Accompanied by his staff, in a furious drive, his own hand delivers the stroke that puts Jehoram to death, and into the field of Naboth his body is cast. Ahaziah, king of Judah, nephew of Ahah by marriage, is put to death. Jeze bel, the foul sinner, the enemy of God and His people, fol lows and her body becomes food for the dogs. The seventy sons of Ahab are beheaded and the next day the kinsmen and followers of Ahab are slain. The forty-two cousins of Ahaziah are destroyed. Thus, Jehu, wading in blood because of the slaughter of the royal family, is seated upon the throne. Was all this in accord with God’s program? Yes. We are living under another dispensation now, but, remember, God is the same yesterday, today and forever. (4) JEHU, the APPROVED, 10:80, 81. “ Thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes.” We are facing two verses which are seemingly contradic tory— “ commendation” (v. 30) and “ condemnation” (v. 31). Israel was God’s people. The land was given them that they might be a separate people, to keep them from the idolatry of the surrounding nations and to bring about His plan of salvation for them. Other nations were to be taught, through their separate life and holy-worship, of the majesty of the one God. God used Jehu to punish the leaders for their sins. This, of course, involved the sacrifice of human life. Jehu car ried out the commands of God and God approved. On the other hand, it was evident that Jehu followed God’s order
Benhadad, whom he had put to death. In a war between Israel and Syria, in which Ahaziah, king of Judah, assisted Jehoram, the king of Israel was BESSON wounded. He retired to his palace in EXPOSITION Jezreel for healing and Ahaziah was T. O. Horton visiting him. Here, twenty years before, Jeho- ram’s father, Ahab, had coveted Naboth’s vineyard, and Jehoram’s mother, Jezebel, had brought about Naboth’s death through deceit. Ahab, accompanied by his two cap tains, Jehu and Bidkar, rode into the vineyard when the dastardly deed was done (9:25) and was faced by God’s prophet, Elijah, who pronounced judgment upon him (1 Kings 21:19). “In the place -where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood» even thine.” (1 Kings 21:23). “And of Jezebel also spake the Lord, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.” This gives us the opening scene of our lesson, which thrills with bloody evidence of the retributive justice of God. (1) JEHU, the ANOINTED, 9:1-10. “ Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel.” v. 3. Elisha is designated by Jehovah to carry out His will in the selection of a man whose career is to be marked by a political revolution. Elisha calls a son of one of the prophets and commissions him to anoint Jehu. A box of ointment and definite instructions were given him (v. 3). “ Then take the box of oil» and pour it on his head» and say» Thus saith the Lord» I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door» and. flee, and tarry not.” How simple and yet how tremendous the results that fol lowed this procedure. Contrast it with the sound from heaven and the anointing of the waiting, watching disciples in the second chapter of Acts, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit for service. God is choosing a man and equipping him for service. His ways are never man’s ways. He is saying to us, “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” The command given to Jehu was definite, yet difficult, and the prophecy of what« was to follow was direct and was fulfilled to the letter. A careful, thoughtful study of these facts will help us to understand God’s way in our own experience, and in the life of the church. (2) JEHU, the ANNOUNCED KING, 9:11-13, “ and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.” v. 13. It is no wonder that Jehu’s captains who had been wit nesses of the strange proceedings and who heard the mes sage, “ I have an errand to thee, O captain,” should be filled with wonder when Jehu returned with the oil stream ing from his head, and that one should, say, “ Is all well?” and another, “ Is it peace?” or, as we would say, “ Is it all right?” They lived in days of constant excitement and strange occurrences. Jehu told them of his anointing and immedi ately they made preparation for the announcement. Steps led to the roof garden and on these steps they spread their garments as they did for Jesus in Matthew 21:7, 8 . There was a spiritual fervor in this proceeding. Possibly the building was on a hill, with a tower overlooking the city— a place of prominence—and when the trumpets were blown and the people gathered to see what was doing, the announcement was made, “ Jehu is king.” His call was sudden and his anointing was strange, and the announcement a surprise, and we can use our own imagination as we picture the stir among the people. Wars, bloodshed, judgment await king and people, and so it must be until the prophecy of Psalm 98 is fulfilled.
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