Wed.’s Devo - Promises Fulfilled

Read: 2 Kings 9:14-10:31; Acts 17:1-34; Psalm 144:1-15; Proverbs 17:27-28 Jehu had just been announced as king to the army but he warned not to let anyone go to Jezreel and report what they had done. Jehu left in a chariot to go to where King Ahaziah of Judah was visiting the wounded King Joram of Israel. *** Their watchmen reported someone coming and sent out a messenger to find out if they were coming in peace. Jehu told the messenger to get behind him, he didn’t know about peace, he was a warrior. A second messenger was sent out and he told him the same. *** King Joram and King Ahaziah rode in their chariots out to meet Jehu. They asked if he came in peace and he responded, “How can there be peace as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother, Jezebel are all around us?” They knew they were in trouble and turned to run but Jehu shot Joram with an arrow and he died. Jehu told his officer to throw his body into the plot of land that belonged to Naboth of Jezebel to fulfill the prophecy. *** King Ahaziah was shot and killed at Megiddo and died there. His body was taken to Jerusalem and buried in the City of David. *** When Jezebel heard that Jehu had come to Jezreel, she painted her eyelids and fixed her hair and sat at a window. When Jehu approaced, she shouted down calling him a murderer - which was what she was. Jehu looked up and asked who was on his side. Two or three eunuchs looked out. He told them to throw her down, so they threw her out of the window and her blood spattered against the wall. Jehu trampled her body under his horses hooves. *** Later, Jehu told his men to go and bury her body but the only thing left was her hands and her skull, so Elijah’s prophecy about Jezebel came true. *** Ahab had seventy sons living in Samaria. Jehu sent letters to their guardians telling them to select the most qualified of the sons to be their king and prepare to fight him. They were too afraid to fight him, so they surrendered. Jehu asked for the heads of all the sons by the next day. They were presented in a basket in Jezebel. He had them piled by the city gate so all the people could see that there was nothing left of Ahab’s dynasty. *** Jehu set out for Samaria and met some relatives of King Ahaziah on there way to meet their cousins who were Ahab’s sons. There were 42 of them and Jehu had them all killed. Jehu then met the priest, Jehonadab and asked him if he was loyal to him and he said he was. *** Jehu told him to come with him and see how faithful he was to the Lord. He called a meeting in the city of all who worshipped Baal and told them Ahab’s worship of Baal was nothing compared to the way he was going to worship Baal. He was so right about that! *** Once he had gathered everyone, he had them put on a robe. He made sure only those who worshipped Baal were there. He offered the burnt offering then he commanded his 80 men he had standing outside to go in and kill them all. He then went into the temple of Baal and tore it down, burned its temple and replaced it with a public toilet. Jehu had destroyed every trace of Baal worship in the land but he didn’t take down the golden calves when ended up being his downfall. God promised that four of his descendants would be kings of Israel. *** Many prophets of today have said that Donald Trump is a type of Jehu who would rid our nation and other nations of the Deep State evil which is characterized by child sacrificing and worship of Baal. I believe he is. *** In Acts, Paul and Silas ended up in Thessalonica where they stayed teaching in the synagogue about how Jesus was the Messiah and teaching them how to be saved through his name. Many believed causing the Jewish leaders to be jealous. They stirred up a riot and went to Jason’s house where Paul and Silas were staying and when they couldn’t find them, they took Jason and his family. They accused them of treason against Caesar since they were claiming to worship another king - Jesus. *** Jason and his family posted bond and they sent Paul and Silas on to Berea. The people there were more open-minded and willing to research the scriptures to find the truth. Some of the Jews from Thessalonica came to Berea to stir up trouble for them. Silas and Timothy stayed there while Paul went with some believers to Athens. They came back to get Silas and Timothy. *** While Paul was waiting for them to come he walked the streets and saw all the Greek idols. He tried to convince a few to believe in Jesus. They brought him to the high council of the city and wanted him to debate his new religion with them. He stood before them and began. He had noticed that they were a very religious group. He commented on one of the altars he had seen that was inscribed with, “To an Unknown God”. This God was the one he was there to talk to them about. He was the one who made the world and everything in it. the Lord of heaven and earth. His purpose was for all the nations to seek after him and find him. God had in the past overlooked their ignorance of him but was now calling all to repentance and to turn to him. One day he would judge the whole earth by the man he sent to earth and rose from the dead. When he mentioned resurrection the crowd was split. Some rejected him and some wanted to hear more and eventually became believers. *** Lord, thank you for doing what you promise you will do. Your words never fall to the ground but they go forth and accomplish what you sent them forth to accomplish. We put all our trust in You.