2 Kings Chapters 8-10

The Sword of the Lord

 

Sometimes the writers of the OT narrative books adopt a style that we sometimes in Movies

A) THE FLASHBACK – The Flashback is meant to fill in some of the blanks or details we have missed

 

B) It is also meant to catch us up to where we need to be in the Story.

 

C) Example 1 Kings ends with the death of King Ahab and Jehoshaphat

 

D) 1 Kings ended with a summary of the reigns of Ahab and Jehoshaphat – Contemporaries

1) They were linked by Marriage – Jehoshaphat’s son was also named Jehoram married Ahab’s daughter 

2) Her name was Ath/al/liah

 

E) Ahab’s Son Ahaziah becomes King in Israel

2) Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram king in Judah

 

But when 2 Kings starts we find that Ahaziah dies and his son Jehoram is king in Israel

A) But Jehoshaphat – is still alive –

 

B) We are given some details concerning some events that took place in his life –

1) We learn that his reign carried over into the reigns of Ahab’s son Ahaziah & Ahab’s grandson Jehoram

 

C) Ch.3 we studied the account of how Jehoshaphat went into battle with Jehoram – against Moab

 

D) Later we will see how his alliance with this ungodly family of Ahab will hurt his nation

1) And affect his heirs

 

The first 7 chapters of 2 Kings pause in the story of the Kings to focus on the ministry of Elisha

A) Ch. 2 the mantle gets passed - and then the focus is on Elisha’s ministry and miracles

 

B) And his influence upon the kings of Israel

 

C) Ch.8 is meant to catch us up!

 

Ahab is dead – his grandson Jehoram is reigning in his place in Israel

A) Jehoshaphat is now dead and his son also named Jehoram is reigning in Judah

 

B) Writer will call the Jehoram in Israel – Joram just to make a distinction

                                      RD V.1-6

 

Now it seems odd that Gehazi – who we saw in Ch. 5 was stricken with Leprosy would be advising the King

A) Israel unlike the Syrians had very strict laws concerning lepers –

 

B) So Chances are that this event actually took place before Ch. 5 – This woman is given back her land

 

C) I think the fact that Jehoram acted kindly toward this woman who was Elisha’s friend also supports and earlier account

1) Because Later Jehoram wasn’t a big fan of Elisha

 

D) So this woman is given back her land

 

RDv.7-9

Now the name Hazel should spark your memory if you were w/ us in 1 Kings Study:

                                    Turn to Ch.19: Rd v.15-17

 

Elijah was told to anoint Hazel King over Syria and Jehu King over Israel – Elisha prophet

A) The anointing of Elisha is the only one that occurs

 

B) So here in the ministry of Elisha these other two scenarios are about to unfold

1) God’s Judgments are not always swift but they are certain! {Back to 2 Kings 8 Rd v. 10-15

 

C) Ben Hadad recovered but was killed by Hazael

1) Who Elisha said would be an even more wicked King toward Israel than Benhadad

 

D) Elisha is given a glimpse into the soul of Hazael

1) Able to see what this man is going to become

            Hazael is offended! I am not a dog!

On a few occasions I have been given insight into something that God was going to do in a life

A) Greg O- Budapest / Other times a Marriage

 

B) But there have also been a few times where the Lord has given me insight into a fall.

1) Warning – Hey this is where you are headed

2) Sad to watch a life fall apart

 

C) We will see later in 2 Kings that what Elisha’s see’s here – unfolds

 

Now in the rest of Ch. 8 – we given a summary of are Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram reign v.16-19

A) He walked in the way of the Kings of Israel – at the influence of his wife – the daughter of Ahab

 

B) So this little compromise on Jehoshaphat’s part to allow his son to marry into this ungodly family

1) Ends up being a blight on the nation of Judah

 

C) V.20-22 we are also told that during this time Edom took an occasion to revolt & break away

 

D) V.23-26 Jehoram dies His son Ahaziah reigns in Judah – and he too follows in the way of Ahab

       

                              {RD v28-29

 

So Ch.8 ends with Joram and Ahaziah both in Jezreel – Then comes JEHU – Rd v. 1-3

Conditions in Israel had reached the point where God found it necessary to appoint a surgeon to remove the cancer of Baalism from the nation

A) Jehu would be that surgeon – a man with a unique story – Great Zeal [God raises him up -

 

a) He founded the longest lived royal dynasty in Israel / 100yrs – 4 sons will reign {Great

 

B) He would become God’s instrument but unfortunately never God’s Servant.

1) Men to be a Surgeon – end up being a Butcher

 

C) So Elisha sends one of the Prophets to anoint Jehu the general King –

1) Anoint him and Run!    {RD V.4-15

 

So Jehu says if you are really w/ me- Keep quiet until I deal with  Ahab’s house     RD V.16-20

 

I like this he is an offensive Driver - Great when the guy on the wall recognizes you for how you drive

A) My truck I am an offensive Driver –

 

B) Jeff Dorman – Most expensive car – blinker

                                               RD V.21

 

AMAZING

This is interesting that they would stop here because back in 1 Kings 21:23 Elijah had pronounced Judgment on the house of Ahab

A) Jezebel had orchestrated the murder of Naboath and the stealing of his land.

 

RD V.22

 

Interesting Question: Is there Peace

A) Jehu illustrates for us that Peace is not a cessation of Problems that we create thru compromise

 

B) Nor is it the cessation of conflicts –

 

C) The Bible declares there is no peace for the wicked

 

See the Peace of God is always accompanied with righteousness – being right w/ God – right place

A) Right mind

 

B) See God’s peace always has an objective – It has an aim

1) It has to do with the well being of man

 

C) It has to do with God’s will and God’s end for a human life

1) Being in that Perfect will of God

 

D) There can be problems / hostility / battles – but there is peace

1) Peace that surpasses all understanding!

 

                         RD V. 23-24

So this first Struggle has to do with getting rid of the wrong King!

A) That is always something that we need to do – there are always other influence vying for the throne in our lives

 

B) Always a battle for the throne – Who will reign

 

C) Again: Reminded the wheels of God’s judgment grind turn slowly, but the grind thoroughly.

1) The arrows of God may tarry but they always hit their mark

 

D) Don’t misinterpret God’s delay for his approval

1) He waits hoping we repent – His arrows will hit their mark

 

Joram survived the battle w/ Hazeal of Syria – but his number is up here.

                                        RD V.25-34

 

So Jehu begins has God’s Surgeon his instrument to extract the cancer from Israel

A) In the first scene he gets rid of the wrong King

 

B) 2nd Scene he gets rid of the wrong influence

 

C) Although Jehoram was King – it was the influences of his grandmother – her harlots and witchcraft that polluted Israel

 

B) After we have gotten rid of the wrong king – 1st step we also need to get rid of the wrong influences

 

C) So after dealing with all this Jehu says I am starved and sits down to eat.   RD v.35-37

 

 

NowAs we move into Ch.10 we find that Ahab had 70 sons living in Samaria {Probably Also grandsons

1) Summarize V.1-14

 

A) Jehu calls to the elders of the city and says pick one of the sons to be King – Lets Rumble

1) They say- He has already killed 2 Kings and the Queen mother – do we stand a Chance.

 

B) So the elders send him a message – we are on your side –

1) Jehu responds by saying Prove it by delivering to me the 70 heads of the sons of Ahab

 

C) So the next day – they delivered

 

D) But Jehu didn’t stop there – the next thing we are told is that he went to Samaria and killed everyone who was in any way connected to Ahab

 

E) Priest – supporter – confidant servant

1) This is where he turns to Butcher exceeding the mandate of the Lord.

                                    Pick up the Story in V.15-17

We will come across JEHONADAB again in the Book of Jeremiah

 

He is an incredibly wonderful man of God. He was a

Man who sacrificed EVERYTHING to serve the

Lord. 

 

Lived in tents - Bedouin to this day {Homes sheep

 

He told his sons to live in tents and told them to never drink wine, lest their minds by clouded by it

    

In the Book of Jeremiah, 300 years later (Jer. 35), Jeremiah is told by the Lord to go to the sons of Jehonadab and say to them: “Come into the house of the Lord and drink wine”, and they looked at Jeremiah and said: “NO”

 

The Lord used that as a monument to OBEDIENCE and COMMITMENT in contrast with the people that Jeremiah was preaching to.

 

This man was so influential that his life made an

impact on his family  for 300 years.... That is older than our country.

 

NOTE: Dad’s, here is a challenge for us. that our ideals will carry on for many generations

 

Jehu knew that Jehonadab was a spiritual giant.

He knew that everyone knew that he was a spiritual giant

That is why he wanted to be seen with Jehonadab in his chariot so that it would strengthen his position as the new king!

 

Come see my Zeal for the Lord he says:

A) We find at the end of all this he doesn’t really have a zeal for the Lord

 

B) What he has is a commission that he has stepped fully into – He killed Joram / Ahazaiah / Jezebel

1) All the sons all the followers

 

C) The thing that was Jehu’s biggest achievement happens next – Exterminates the Baal worshippers

                              RD V. 18-28

 

So Jehu had completed what Elijah had begun – he removed the worshippers of Baal –

A) He took care of the wicked family of Ahab and God was going to reward him for doing so

 

B) BUT - The next verse is tragic     RD V.29

 

 

He wiped out ba-al worship, but he allowed “calf-worship” to be in the nation

 

He felt that it was a political necessity to permit calf-worship to consolidate his influence.

 

 

REMEMBER: Calf-worship was instituted by Jereboam in order to divide the kingdom of Israel.

A) It was meant to provide worship as a matter of convenience.

 

B) He set up altars in Dan and Bethel so that the people would not travel down to Jerusalem.

 

C) Most scholars believe that Jehu did NOT involve himself in that practice, but he felt it politically expedient

 

RD VERSES 30-32

 

Because you have done well in doing what is right in My sight:

A) Clearly, there was much good in the reign of Jehu.

 

B) He was absolutely committed to fulfilling God’s judgment against the house of Ahab and in driving the worship of Baal out of Israel.

 

C) For this, he would be rewarded with a dynasty that would last four generations.

 

D) This was clear praise of Jehu’s actions; yet Hosea 1:4 condemns them.

For in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.

 

We can see that both 2 Kings 10:30 and Hosea 1:4 are true, in that Jehu was both good and bad.

A) Jehu carried out God’s will, but he went too far and executed more people than God intended.

 

B) Jehu carried out God’s will, but he did it for personal glory and out of pride.

 

C) Jehu carried out God’s will, but he only did it partially.

1) He stopped the idolatry of Baal, but he continued the sinful idolatry of Jeroboam.

 

D) He had a chance to bring about TRUE revival, but he was a politically minded man, and did not walk in the ways of the Lord, the nation began to diminish.

 

D) It is the beginning of an irreversible trend that will end in their destruction at the hands of the Assyrians

 

By not taking heed to walk in the law of the Lord God, Jehu showed that he did not live a life of fellowship with God. No real Zeal for the Lord

 

. “How terrible a warning is the story of this man – that it is possible to be an instrument in the hand of God and yet never be in fellowship with Him.” (Morgan)

 

                        RD VERSES 35-36