SCRIPTURE: 2 KINGS 9
JEHU ANOINTED KING OF ISRAEL (vs. 1-13)
Elisha summoned a prophet and told him to take flush of oil and go to Ramoth Gilead and anoint Jehu king over Israel. So the young prophet went there and poured oil on Jehu’s head and said: “:This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “I anoint you king over the Lord’s people Israel. You are to destroy the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the Lord’s servants shed by Jezebel. The whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel – slave or free. I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah. As for Jezebel, dogs will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and no one will bury her” Then he opened the door and ran.
JEHU KILLS JORAM AND AHAZIAH (vs. 14-29)
Jehu got into his chariot and rode to meet Joram who was resting in Jezreel to recover from the wound the Aramean had inflicted on him in the battle with Hazael, king of Aram. While Jehu’s troops were approaching, the look out standing on the tower in Jezreel sent alert. So Joram ordered to get a horseman to ask: “Do you come in peace?”. But Jehu told him to fall behind him. So the king sent another horseman but he also fall behind Jehu. So Joram ordered to hitch up his chariot and rode out with Ahaziah, king of Judah. They met at the plot of ground that belonged to Naboth. Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram. He died and Jehu told his chariot officer to pick him up and throw him on the field that belonged to Naboth.
When Ahaziah, king of Judah saw what had happened, he fled up but Jehu told his men to kill him. He was wounded and died at Megiddo and was buried in the city of David.
JEZEBEL KILLED (vs. 30-37)
Then Jehu went to Jezreel as Jezebel was looking out at the window. Jehu told the eunuch to throw Jezebel down. So they throw her down and some of her blood splattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot. Only her skull, feet and hands were left. This fulfilled the prophecy of the words of the Lord spoke through his servant Elijah: “On the plot of ground at Jezreel, dogs will devour Jezebel’s flesh. Jezebel’s body will be like refuse on the ground in the plot at Jezreel, so that no one will be able to say, ‘This is Jezebel.” (vs. 36-37)
THOUGHTS:
God severely judged Joram, Ahaziah and Jezebel because those leaders had turned people away for the Lord and had polluted the nation. Jehu had Joram, Ahaziah and Jezebel killed just as the prophet had predicted. Then Jehu also wiped out all of Ahab’s family and Ahaziah’s relatives and the followers of Baal.