Jehu Introduction About 12 years prior to 2

Jehu: Introduction • About 12 years prior to 2 Kings 9, Elijah had been given instruction to anoint Jehu king of Israel (1 Kings 19: 15 -18). • Jehu had served as an army officer under Ahab & Jehoram (cf. 2 Kings 9: 20, 25). • At the direction of Elisha, one of the sons of the prophets anointed Jehu as king over the northern kingdom of Israel (2 K 9: 1 -6), and he reigned for 28 years (2 K 10: 36). • Upon his anointing, Jehu was given his charge to “strike down the house of Ahab” (2 K 9: 7 -10), as promised by God (1 K 21: 17 -26). • Jehu served as the judgment of God coming upon the house of Ahab (not necessarily an indication that God considered him a righteous man).

Jehu: When His Will Matched God’s • Task 1: Jehu killed King Joram/Jehoram, king of Israel, son of Ahab (2 K 9: 14 -26). • Task 2: Jehu killed King Ahaziah, king of Judah, son-in-law of the house of Ahab (2 K 9: 27 -29; 8: 25 -27; 2 Chr. 22: 1 -4). • Task 3: Jehu killed Jezebel (2 K 9: 30 -37). • Task 4: Jehu killed 70 sons of Ahab (2 K 10: 1 -11). • Task 5: Jehu killed 42 bros of Ahaziah (10: 12 -14). • Task 6: Jehu killed all left of Ahab (2 K 10: 15 -17). • Task 7: Jehu killed all prophets, servants, priests & worshipers of Baal and destroyed the worship of Baal (2 K 10: 18 -28). • His own dynasty established as a result (10: 30).

Jehu: When His Will Would Not Yield 2 Kings 10: 29 However Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin, that is, from the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan. 30 And the LORD said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in doing what is right in My sight, and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation. " 31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin.

Jehu: When His Will Would Not Yield • Jehu was used by God to punish evil, but that does not prove that God approved of Jehu as a person. – The actions against Ahab’s house show that God will not and cannot tolerate evil. – The use of Jehu shows that God is in control. • From Jehu we learn that partial obedience will not suffice in God’s eyes (“however/but” ≠ obedience). • Jehu obeyed God when it was useful to do so and when God’s will matched his will. – Jehu opposed one form of idolatry (Baalism) but not another (Jeroboamism). – Jeroboam had also chosen to make “obedience to God” a more useful and convenient matter by providing “alternate” places of worship, forms of worship, etc. • Personal interests/desires were placed above God’s.