62. JUDGMENT ON THE HOUSE OF AHAB

"There was none like Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up."

Aim

To show how God raised up Jehu to destroy the whole house of Ahab and all the worshippers of Baal.

When Elijah fled \q Mount Horeb, God sent him back to Israel with further work to do. One of his tasks was to anoint Jehu to be king over Israel. God had chosen Jehu to destroy completely the wicked house of Ahab. Ahab and Jezebel had done so many terrible things in Israel, that there was only one way to get rid of their evil influence € the whole family must die. Elijah prophesied of their horrible deaths, but it was left to Elisha to anoint Jehu to be king.

2 Kings 9; 10:18-28

JEHU IS ANOINTED: 2 Kings 9:1-15

King Ahab was killed in a battle with the King of Syria, and his evil son Joram reigned over Israel. Jezebel, however, was still alive, as wicked as ever, and still turning the hearts of many in Israel away from Yahweh to worship Baal.

Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets to him, and gave him a message. He was to take a box of oil that Elisha would give him, and go to look for Jehu the son of Nimshi, one of the captains of the army of Israel. He must call him aside and go alone with him into an inner room; then take the oil, and pour it on Jehu's head, and say, " Thus saith Yahweh, I have anointed thee king over Israel. " Then Elisha warned him, "Open the door and flee, and tarry not" (v 3). Such a star tling event, while Joram still reigned, would instantly cause trouble in Israel. The young prophet went as he was told and, having anointed Jehu, prophesied of the work that God had chosen him to do. "Thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Yahweh, at the hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish" (vv 7-8). Then the messenger fled.

The other captains of the army were waiting for Jehu to appear, and when he came out they could tell that he had heard some astonishing news, "Is all well? " they asked. When he told them the young proph et's message, they were quick to proclaim him king. They took off their cloaks and laid them under his feet on the top of the stairs and blew their trumpets, shouting "Jehu is king!" (v 13).

THE HOUSE OF AHAB DESTROYED: 2 Kings 9:16-29

Jehu was ready straight away to set about the task that God had given him. He told the captains to let no-one leave the city to spread the news, while he would go immediately to Jezreel, where he knew he would find King Joram.

Joram was resting in Jezreel recovering from the wounds he had received in a battle against the Syrians. Ahaziah, king of Judah had come down to visit him. The two kings were related, both belonging to the house of Ahab (Joram was Ahaziah's uncle).

On the watchtower of Jezreel, the watchman saw a band of men speeding across the plain towards the city. Joram told him to send out a horseman to see if they came in peace. The messenger raced off to meet the horsemen but did not return with an answer. A second messenger was sent out, but he did not return either. Instead, the band of men gal loped on toward the city. The watchman could by now recognise the man out in front, for no-one drove as hard as Jehu.

Joram was beginning to feel alarmed. His chariot was made ready and he and Ahaziah went out to meet Jehu. When he came near, he called out to the captain of his army, "Is it peace, Jehu? " "What peace," Jehu replied, "so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? " (v 22).

Suddenly, realising what Jehu was up to, Joram turned and fled, calling out to Ahaziah, "Treachery, O Ahaziah" (v 23).

Jehu took up his bow and with all his might shot an arrow at Joram. The arrow hit him between the arms, so that he sank down in his chariot and died. Ahaziah fled for his life, but eventually Jehu caught up with him and he too was slain.

JEZEBEL IS KILLED: 2 Kings 9:30-37

So Jehu came into Jezreel. He was now the king and the news had reached Jezebel. She was not the sort of person to flee. Instead she dressed herself carefully and "painted her face" (v 30) and looked out of the window of her palace. She called out a challenge to Jehu as he en tered in at the gate of the city. He looked up and saw her there, and called out to those inside the palace, "Who is on my side? Who? " (v 32). Two or three men looked out of the window at Jehu and he said, "Throw her down" (v 33). So they threw her down and she died and he trod her underfoot with his horse. Later, he called for the men nearby to bury her, "for she is a king's daughter, " he said (v 34). But when they came to bury her the scavenging dogs of the city had been there first. All that was left of Jezebel were her skull, and the palms of her hands. When the men came and told Jehu he said, "This is the word of Yahweh," for Elijah had prophesied, "In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel" (v36).

JEHU AND THE PROPHETS OF BAAL: 2 Kings 10:18-28

Jehu went on to destroy all the seventy sons of Ahab and Jezebel. Then he made a plan to destroy the prophets of Baal, who had served Jezebel, together with all those who had worshipped Baal. He tricked them into coming together for a great sacrifice to their idol. "Ahab served Baal a little ", Jehu said, "but Jehu shall served him much " (v 18). He made sure that they all came; anyone who stayed away would die. So Jehu sent throughout all Israel and all the worshippers of Baal came. They gathered together in the temple of Baal, that Jezebel had built, "full from one end to another" (v 21). Jehu ordered them to bring out the black robes that the Baal-worshippers always wore and each one put them on. "Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of Yahweh" commanded Jehu, "but the worshippers of Baal only" (v23).

Meanwhile he had chosen eighty soldiers to guard the temple, so that none escaped. Then, when the people were inside sacrificing to Baal, Jehu gave the signal. "Go in and slay them; let none come forth" (v 25). So all the worshippers of Baal and the false prophets were put to death in one day. They brought out the idols and burned them; they broke down the altars and the temple of Baal as well. "Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel" (v 28).

LESSON FOR US

In the Law, Israel were taught to love Yahweh their God with all their heart, with all their strength, and with all their mind. They could not worship Yahweh and Baal. They were taught on Mount Carmel that Yahweh was the true God, but Ahab and Jezebel still taught the people to worship Baal. So they were only fit to be destroyed. If we love God and His ways, we will hate the things He hates. The Psalmist wrote: "O how love I Thy law! It is my meditation all the day" (Psalm 119:97). When he thought of how good and right God's laws were lie wrote: "Therefore I hate every false way" (v 128).

Of the Lord Jesus Christ, who loved his Father perfectly, it was said, "Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wicked-ness" (Psalm 45:7).

That is the lesson for us. We must love God with all our heart and hate all the ways of wickedness.

God will destroy all wickedness when He sends the Lord Jesus Christ back to the earth to reign for ever.

QUESTIONS

Short Answers

1. How did Ahab die?

2. Whom did God raise up to destroy the house of Ahab?

3. Who was Jehu?

4. Who anointed Jehu?

5. Why did Jehu go to Jezreel?

6. How did King Joram die?

7. What did Jezebel do when she heard that Jehu was coming?

8. What did Jehu tell the men in the palace to do with Jezebel?

9. Who had prophesied that Jezebel would die like this?

10. Whom did Jehu invite to a great sacrifice to Baal?

1. What lesson do we learn from the way Jehu destroyed the whole house of Baal?

Detailed Answers

12. Tell how Jehu was anointed.

13. Tell how Jehu slew the king of Israel.

12. Tell how Jehu tricked the worshippers of Baal and destroyed them all.