Winners and Losers: Part 19 - JEHU

Jehu: A Man Whose “Zeal” Disguised Ambition, not Fervor

Kathy's Sunday School Lessons - Written for Young Boys and Girls by Kathryn Capoccia

© Copyright Kathryn Capoccia 2001. This file may be freely copied, printed out, and distributed as long as copyright and source statements remain intact, and that it is not sold.

Jehu holds the place in history as being the man who eradicated the house of Ahab from Israel. He was the commander-in-chief of Israel’s army, serving King Joram (or Jehoram), Ahab’s son, when he was anointed to succeed the king and commissioned to destroy those males in Israel who belonged to the royal line. King Ahab was to be thus judged because he had not only continued in the sins of Jeroboam but through the influence of his wife, Jezebel, had introduced Baal worship into Israel (1KI 6:30-34) and persecuted the true Church. So, Jehu slew every male of Ahab’s family in Israel and even went so far as to kill Ahaziah king of Judah, who was the grandson of Ahab and Jezebel, and 40 of his relatives. He was commended by God for his obedience in slaying Ahab’s descendants, yet he fell into God’s condemnation for the “massacre at Jezreel” (HOS 1:4). What does that mean? Let’s look at Jehu’s life and see.

I. Who Was He? 1KI 19:16,17; 2KI 9:1-10:35; 2KI 15:12; 2CH 22:8,9; HOS 1:4.

A. What was his name? Jehu means “it is Jah [who is God]”.

B. Where and when did he live? He lived in Israel and reigned from 841 B.C. to 813 B.C.

C. Who were his people?

    1. His father was Jehoshaphat (no other Scriptural information is given about him).

    2. His grandfather was Nimshi (no other Scriptural information is given about him).

II. What Did He Do?

    A. He was commissioned (1KI 19:16,17; 2KI 9:1-13).

        1. He was anointed (by Elisha’s pupil in fulfillment of Elijah’s commission).

        WHY?

            a. To reign as king in place of Joram, Ahab’s son (in fulfillment of God’s curse upon Ahab for murdering Naboth; 1KI 21:19-29).

            b. To avenge the blood of the prophets and the blood of all the LORD’S servants shed by Jezebel (see 1KI 18:4; 19:10).

            HIS MISSION: Destroy the house of Ahab (2KI 9:7-9).

                1) Cut off every male from Ahab in Israel.

                2) Make the house of Ahab be like Jeroboam’s (whose dynasty ended with the death of his son, Nadab by Baasha) or Baasha’s (whose dynasty ended with the murder
                of  his son, Elah, by Zimri).

                3) Kill Jezebel.

                4) [Implied eradication of idolatry]

        2. He was crowned (2KI 9:13).

            a. His officers paid him homage by laying down their garments for him on a make-shift throne.

            b. They proclaimed him king.

                1) They shouted.

                2) They blew trumpets.

B. He was zealous (2KI 9:14-10:28).

    1. He slew Ahab’s royal family

        a. Joram (2KI 9:14-26).

            1) Jehu restricted the army from leaving Ramoth Gilead and warning the king.

            2) Jehu traveled to Jezreel with a small contingent to kill Joram, where he was recovering from war wounds suffered against the Arameans at Ramoth (2KI 8:29).

                a) He came unannounced and captured 2 messengers sent to ascertain his intentions.

                b) He shot and killed the king at the field of Naboth when he had come out of the city to meet him.

        b. Ahaziah (2KI 9:27-29).

            1) The king had come to Jezreel to see Joram because they had an alliance against Aram (2KI 8:28; 9:16).

            2) Ahaziah came out of Jezreel with Joram and was pursued and killed by Jehu after Joram’s death (2KI 9:27-29).

        c. Jezebel (2KI 9:30-37).

            1) Jezebel, the Queen mother, was in Jezreel (probably the whole court was there while Joram recovered).

            2) Jezebel greeted Jehu and sought to reassert her authority by calling for opposition to this “Zimri”.

WHO WAS ZIMRI?

Zimri was an Israelite army commander who assassinated King Elah and whose coup lasted 7 days until Omri entered the capital (1KI 16:9-20).

                a) Jehu ordered her to be killed by throwing her from an upper window (2KI 9:33).

                b) Her body parts, except for her skull, hands and feet, were devoured by dogs in accordance with the Scriptures (1KI 21:23).

        d. 70 sons of Ahab (2KI 10:1-11).

*To secure his throne Jehu had to eliminate all rivals and avengers of blood so all 70 sons of Ahab were put to death (which fulfilled 1KI 19:17).

        e. the 42 relatives of Ahaziah who had come to Beth-eked (about 16 mi. NE of Samaria: 2KI 10:13).

        f. the remaining members of Ahab’s family (2KI 10:17).

            1) Samaria, the capital of Israel, was where the rest of the royal family resided so Jehu traveled there to kill them.

            2) Jehonadab, son of Rechab, was witness to the slaughter.

            WHO WAS JEHONADAB?

            HE WAS “THE FOUNDER OF A STRICT SECT OF NOMADIC ISRAELITES WHO PROTESTED THE CORRUPTING INFLUENCES OF THE
            CANAANITES” (CHARLES C. RYRIE, “THE RYRIE STUDY BIBLE, MOODY PRESS, PG.570.)

            WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE HIM ON JEHU’S SIDE?

            JEHU WANTED NO GODLY OPPOSITION TO HIS REIGN.

    2. He destroyed Baal worship in Israel

        a. He executed the priests of Baal (2KI 10:18-25).

            1) He deceived the priests of Baal so they would gather together in one place and then clothed them in distinctive clothing so they would be marked.

            2) He slew all the priests after a false worship ceremony.

        b. He destroyed the temple of Baal (2KI 10:26-28).

            1) He had the pillars of the temple of Baal burned.

            2) He had the sacred pillar of Baal and the temple walls broken down and turned into a latrine.

C. He was dealt with

    1. He was rewarded (2KI 10:30).

        “Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in My eyes…” (2KI 10:30).

        a. He was promised a dynasty of 4 generations (2KI 10:30).

        b. He was allowed to reign 28 years (2KI 10:35).

    2. He was judged (2KI 10:31; HOS 1:4).

          WHY WOULD JEHU FALL INTO JUDGMENT ?

           JEHU WAS JUDGED, NOT BECAUSE HE FOLLOWED GOD’S COMMANDS, BUT BECAUSE ALL THAT HE DID WAS FOR HIS OWN BENEFIT, NOT
           FOR GOD’S GLORY; AND THE OUTCOME OF THE BLOODSHED WAS NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS BUT CONTINUED IDOLATRY.

            Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the Law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to
            commit” (2KI 10:31).

        a. He continued in Jeroboam’s sins.

            1) The golden calves remained as worship centers (2KI 10:29).

            2) The other sins of Jeroboam were continued (high places, false priests, false feast days).

        b. He was penalized.

            1) His [Israel’s] borders were reduced by Hazael (2KI 10:32).

            2) His house and Israel would be punished for idolatry, i.e. would be destroyed (HOS 1:4).

WAS HE A WINNER OR A LOSER?

III. What Can We Learn From Him?

    A. Man cannot deceive God; He knows our hearts and will judge our sins.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "Kathy Capoccia's Sunday School Lessons for Young Adults" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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