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- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
2 Kings 9
Nobody likes bad leadership except those benefiting from it. Everybody from the commanders of the armies to the messengers, to the eunuchs attending Jezebel quickly fell in behind Jehu as he immediately stepped into the kingship God handed him. Suddenly, all the power and control Ahab and Jezebel thought they had vaporized into nothing. Evil deceives those it controls. And when the time is right, all it takes is one man boldly following God’s word to turn the tide.
As for Jehu, in spite of holding a high position in an evil king’s army, he clearly knew something of God. He was quick to obey God’s declaration and remembered His word against the house of Ahab. Furthermore, he made a very astute statement. He told King Joram, “What peace can there be as long as there is so much prostitution and sorcery from your mother Jezebel?” (2 Kings 9:22b). Peace can never exist where evil reigns.
2 Kings 10
Jehu made the comment, “Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD!” (2 Kings 10:16a). He certainly proved that true as he wiped out everyone associated with evil Ahab, Jezebel and the no-god they worshiped. But then he somehow fell short. Way short. Though he eliminated the house of Ahab and Baal worship in Israel, “he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit”. (2 Kings 10:29a).
When Jeroboam first took the ten tribes of Israel, he was afraid he would lose what God had given him. So he set up an entire religious system to replace God’s truth. He had his own prophets, his own festivals, and his own temples, complete with gold calves. He then convinced his people that this imitation was as good as the real thing. This is the sin that Jehu failed to turn from. Was Jehu so deceived that he could not see the difference? Or was he, too, afraid of losing his position and power? I don’t know. But his selective obedience reminds me that it is easier to have zeal for God when we stand to gain from it than when we fear it might cost us. And it reminds me that those times when obedience costs us the most are the times it matters the most.