Sat.’s Devo - Jehu Rid’s Israel of Baal Worship

Read: 2 Kings 9:14-10:31; Acts 17:1-34; Psalm 144:1-15; Proverbs 17:27-28 Jehu led a conspiracy against King Joram who was at Ramoth-gilead, fighting King Hazazel of Aram. When King Joram got wounded in the battle, he returned to Jezreel to heal. Jehu had given his men orders not to let anyone leave the city or warn Joram about him. Jehu left for Jezreel to kill Joram. The King of Judah, Ahaziah was there visiting King Joram. The watchmen reported that troops were approaching, which were Jehu and his men. They sent out two horsemen to learn if they were coming in peace. Each time, Jehu told the horsemen to join him and they did. The two kings rode out to meet Jehu to ask him if he was coming in peace. He answered, “How can there be peace as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother, Jezebel, are all around us?” Joram shouted “Treason” to Ahaziah. Jehu shot an arrow in Joram’s heart killing him. He had his officer throw his body into the field that belonged to Naboth. Ahaziah was shot also and died in Megiddo. Jehu then went to Jezreel where Jezebel was waiting on her balcony for him. She called down and accused him of being like Zimri who was a captain of king Baasha. Zimri had conspired against him and took over as king. Jehu didn’t let her intimidate him. He asked if anyone up there was on his side. Two eunuchs poked their heads out and Jehu told them to throw her down. I bet they took pleasure in throwing Jezebel off her balcony. She hit the ground and splattered. Jehu went into the palace and ate a meal. Then he told his men to go and bury Jezebel but her body had been eaten by the dogs and the only thing left was her skull, her feet and her hands. This fulfilled Elijah’s prophecy about her. Jehu then sent letters to Samaria asking for the lives of all of Ahab’s sons. The officials feared Jehu and beheaded the 70 sons of Ahab putting their heads in a basket. Jehu had the baskets put at the entrance of the city gate and left there all night. In the morning he went out and met with the people. He explained why this had to happen and reminded them of the words of Elijah. He continued to get rid of all of Ahab’s relatives, his officials, his personal friends and his priests. Ahab was left without a single survivor. If this is a picture of President Trump then he still has some unfinished business to do. God gave Jehu a faithful partner in Jehonadab who helped him complete his mission in cleaning out the swamp of Ahab’s dynasty. Jehu called a meeting of all the worshippers of Baal and slyly told them that he would worship Baal. He had them come to a sacrifice and gave all the Baal worshippers a special robe. Jehu stationed 80 soldiers outside the temple and when he had finished the sacrifice, he ordered his men to kill every one of them. This is how Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal worship from Israel. He didn’t destroy the gold calves in Bethel and Dan which is sad. His descendants were promised to reign for four generations. Baal worship came from other nations but the golden calves were gods that the Israelites made of their own. I wonder if they don’t represent the gods of the church and not the world’s gods. In Acts, Paul and Silas went to Thessalonica and taught in the synagogue but jealous Jews ganged up against them and stirred up trouble accusing them of treason. The believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea for their safety. The people there were more open-minded to their teaching and many became believers. The trouble-makers of Thessalonica heard that Paul had gone to Berea so they showed up to reek havoc there also. Paul and Silas were then sent to Athens. In Athens, Paul noticed all the idols in the city. He went to the Jewish synagogue and spoke but also had many debates with the philosophers and Epicureans. They had him come to the high council of the city to share their philosophy. He was able to address the council and tell them about Jesus. He had seen a monument built for the “unknown God”. He told them that he was there to tell them who this unknown god was. He was the God who made the universe and everything in it. He had sent his son to show man who he was and then raised him from the dead. When he got to this part he lost some of them but others were intrigued to hear more later. Some of them joined him and became believers. Lord, may we not be ashamed or hold back from telling the whole truth even it we lose some and seem ridiculous to them. Your Kingdom is not of this world and can only be understood through the spirit.