<\/p>\n
2 Chronicles 21:8-20; 2 Kings 8:23-29; 2 Chronicles 22:1-7; 2 Kings 9:1-10:17; 2 Chronicles 22:8-9; 2 Kings 10:18-31 <\/strong><\/span> I love Elisha\u2019s final instructions to the young prophet concerning his anointing of Jehu as King of Israel in 2 Kings 9 verse 3 \u2013 \u201cThen open the door and run for your life!\u201d\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Not your typical instructions from a prophet, you wouldn\u2019t think \u2013 but if a prophet gives you instructions like these, you better follow them!\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n Well\u2026 Jehu kills a lot of people in today\u2019s readings.\u00a0 I realize that the violence in the Old Testament can often bring up a lot of questions.\u00a0 Rather than me diving into why there is violence in the Bible \u2013 I\u2019ll defer to a theologian<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>at this link<\/span> \u2013 and I\u2019ll give you 3 images below from a very young theologian.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 Unfortunately, our human history is full of violence \u2013 from Cain and Abel until this very day.\u00a0 The Bible does record human history.\u00a0 There will come a day where there is a new heaven and a new earth, free from violence.\u00a0 That day has not come yet \u2013 but will with Jesus\u2019 Second Coming.<\/span><\/p>\n Most Biblical commentaries agree that Jehu was carrying out justice for the sins of the Kings of Israel and the worship of Baal.\u00a0 Jezebel\u2019s death was predicted by the prophet Elijah because of her sins.\u00a0 A brutal death that it was.\u00a0 I think one thing for us to keep in mind is that sin does bring death.\u00a0 \u00a0As Paul teaches in Romans 6:23 \u2013 \u201cThe wages of sin is death.\u201d\u00a0 Jesus saves us from this deserved death when we come to him in faith and surrender our lives to him.\u00a0 But, let us not forget the severity and risk of sin and the risk of not being in relationship with Jesus.\u00a0 Without Jesus saving us, the wages of sin truly is eternal death.<\/span><\/p>\n 2 Kings 10 verses 25-27 seem to demonstrate Jehu\u2019s initial apparent zeal for God \u2013 \u201cThen Jehu\u2019s men went into the fortress of the temple of Baal. They dragged out the sacred pillar used in the worship of Baal and destroyed it. They broke down the sacred pillar of Baal and wrecked the temple of Baal, converting it into a public toilet. That is what it is used for to this day.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 But we soon learn in verse 31 \u2013 \u201cBut Jehu did not obey the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He refused to turn from the sins of idolatry that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>It is thus thought that Jehu\u2019s action of destroying the idols of Baal was more political than spiritual \u2013 as Baal worship was associated with the dynasty of Ahab, whereas the golden calves had a longer history in the northern kingdom of Israel and were valued by most people.\u00a0 And keeping the golden calves would keep people from Israel traveling to the southern kingdom of Judah to worship God in Jerusalem.\u00a0 Below is an image of a series of images from the life of Jehu:<\/span><\/p>\n Bible.org\u2019s commentary on today\u2019s Second Kings readings titled \u201cJehu Cleans House (Ahab\u2019s House)\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span> and \u201cThree \u2018Birds\u2019 With One Stone\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video:<\/strong> Today\u2019s readings reminded me of the Switchfoot song \u201cMeant to Live:\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \n
~ Click here to read today\u2019s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~<\/span><\/em>
~ Listen to today\u2019s Scripture with <\/em>The ESV Bible<\/em><\/span> ~<\/p>\n