What I Noticed Today (2 Kings 9-11)
2 Kings 9
Sin is judged, and God’s word is fulfilled. As gruesome as these chapters are, they are all about sin being judged, and God’s word being fulfilled.
In verses 1-10, God had selected Jehu as king (1 Kings 19:16) and now the prophet Elisha sends a messenger to Jehu to ordain him as king over Israel (2 Kings 9:1-13).
Note: Jehu was the commander of Ahab’s army.
- Elisha’s messenger, a young prophet, went to Jehu and privately anointed him king over Israel.
- Jehu was given instructions to strike the house of Ahab to avenge the blood shed by Jezebel.
In verses 11-13, Jehu’s anointing as king is announced:
- Jehu’s officers asked what message the man had, and Jehu said the man had anointed him as king over Israel.
- Jehu’s officers spread their cloaks under him, blew the ram’s horn, and proclaimed him king.
In verses 14-15, Jehu made plans to kill Joram, king of Israel. He told his officers to make sure no one left the city to warn Joram.
In verses 16-29, the new king Jehu set out to establish his reign by killing Joram, king of Israel.
- Joram saw Jehu coming from a distance and with his nephew Ahaziah they went in their chariots to meet Jehu.
- Jehu shot Joram with an arrow killing him.
- He had Joram’s body dumped in Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21:1).
- Then Jehu went after king Ahaziah, killed him near Megiddo, and carried his body back to Jerusalem and buried him there (2 Chronicles 22:7).
In verses 30-37, Jehu turned his attention next to Jezebel (2 Kings 9:30). Jezebel had heard about her son Ahaziah’s death.
- She leaned out her window and called out to Jehu, referring to him as Zimri.
Note: This is a reference Zimri who usurped the throne from his master (1Kings 6:9-20).
- Jezebel’s own servants threw her down into the street where she died and was eaten by dogs fulfilling 1 Kings 21:23.
2 Kings 10
2 Kings 10 records Jehu’s execution of the rest of the house of Ahab.
In verses 1-6, Jehu sent a letter to the rulers of Jezreel and elders throughout Samaria, saying they should prepare to fight. The leaders answered saying they would become Jehu’s servants. So Jehu ordered them to kill Ahab’s sons by the next day.
- The elders killed all 70 of the king’s sons.
- They delivered the heads of Ahab’s sons to him in Jezreel.
Note: This eliminated all those of Ahab’s family, his children, and grandchildren who had led Israel into Baal worship.
- Jehu went overboard though when he also rounded up 42 officials, priests, and friends of Ahaziah and killed them.
- Jehu then rode throughout Samaria and killed all those who remained of the house of Ahab.
In verses 18-27, in his final crusade against the Baal worshippers, Jehu deceived the people into rounding up all the Baal priests for a special celebration. He had all the priests of Baal killed and destroyed the temple of Baal.
In verses 28-37, thus Jehu eliminated Baal worship in Israel, but he did not remove the golden calves nor did he stop the people from worshipping them in Bethel and Dan.
- However, because Jehu did what the Lord asked in wiping out the house of Ahab, the Lord promised that Jehu’s sons would sit on the throne of Israel for four generations.
Note: The four generations of Jehu included Jehoahaz, Jehoash (Joash), Jeroboam II, and Zechariah.
- Despite this promise from God, Jehu did not follow God with all his heart nor did he turn away from the sins of Jeroboam.
- Because of Jehu’s incomplete devotion to the Lord, the Lord reduced the size of Israel. Hazael, king of Aram, seized all of the land of Israel east of the Jordan River (Gadites, Reubenites, and the Manassites.
- Jehu reigned in Samaria 28 years (841-814 B.C.). When he died his son, Jehoahaz, became king.
Some thoughts for additional consideration:
- Jehu displayed great zeal in removing the Baal worship from the land of Israel, but he stopped short of bringing the people into proper worship of the Lord. As leaders, we do not become righteous by simply removing evil; we must also establish godliness. Perhaps much of the criticism of the church today exists because we point out evil, but have yet to establish godliness!
2 Kings 11
1 Kings 11 describes the evil reign of Athaliah and the reforms of Jehoiada.
In verses 1-3, Athaliah, mother of Ahaziah, attempted to kill off all the descendants of the royal Davidic line by having all of her own descendants killed.
- But Jehosheba (King Joram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s sister) grabbed Joash, son of Ahaziah, and hid him away in the house of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled over the land.
Note: Some Bibles refer to Joash as Jehoash.
In verses 4-16, in the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign Jehoiada, the priest and husband of Jehosheba gave orders for military commanders to assemble at the house of the Lord.
- Jehoiada showed the commanders Joash, the king’s son and made them swear an oath to protect him.
- The commanders did everything Jehoiada commanded.
- Jehoiada the anointed Joash king of Judah.
- Then Jehoiada ordered the military to seize Athaliah and kill her outside the entrance to the king’s palace.
In verses 17-20, Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people.
- The people tore down the house of Baal; its altars and images and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal.
- Jehoiada appointed guards to protect the Lord’s temple.
- Joash was then taken to the king’s palace and sat on the throne.
- The people rejoiced because Athaliah was dead.
