July 9, 2024 • 19 mins
In this Bible Story, Elisha anoints Jehu as the next king of Israel. Jehu embraces his role as God’s cleansing instrument. Jehu kills King Joram and King Ahaziah, and begins his mission to rid Israel of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel’s evil influence. This story is inspired by 2 Kings 8:28-9:29. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.
Today's Bible verse is 2 Kings 8:13 from the King James Version.
Episode 138: Riding towards the gates of Joram’s former palace, Jehu confronts the wicked king's mother Jezebel. As she yells curses at him, her servants, following Jehu’s lead, throw her out the window. Next were Joram’s seventy sons. Their caretakers slew them in allegiance to Jehu and in accordance with the word of God spoken about Ahab’s line. Finally, he gathered all the prophets and followers of Baal in Israel for a feast, closed the door, and killed them all. Thus eradicating the sins of the line of Ahab from Israel. But all this killing would take a toll on him as well.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray. Then they hasted and took every man
his garment and put it under him on top of
their stairs, and blew the trumpets, saying YEAHU is King,
Second Kings eight thirteen. There is no greater honor than
to be anointed and chosen by God to rule and
(00:23):
reign in my life. With your hand on my life
and your anointing on my mind, I will approach my
purpose with the confidence of Yahoo, and I will declare
war on anything that is in opposition to your heart's desire.
Quicken my heart's passion. As I prepare to take over
(00:46):
all of the territory assigned to me, May my arrows
of faithfulness and kindness protect those around me from others
whose hearts are set on evil. I declare that as
I step into my rightful place as an heir to
the Lord, that peace and assurance will follow me and
(01:09):
my household all the days of my life. In Jesus's name, Amen,
thanks for making prayer a priority in your life. To
hear the Bible come to life, Stay tuned for the
Bible in a year brought to you by Bible. In
a year dot com.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Jee, who becomes king in our last story, we learned
about Elisha's interaction with the future king of Syria. Elisha
was able to see in him a deep darkness that
would cause death and destruction to many in Israel. Now
love and about Jiehu. God anoints and raises up Jiehu
(02:04):
to be a minister of justice for all those who
had suffered under King Ahab and Jezebel. Inspired by the
Book of Second Kings.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Hello, this is Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of
the Bible in a Year. In the last episode, we
saw how God brought famine to Israel, a consequence for
their self reliance and forgetting that He was their provider.
In that time, God protected the Shunamite woman and her son,
and after the famine, he restored all she had lost.
(02:38):
We also witnessed the murder of the Syrian king and Haddad,
killed by the servant Hazel, who then ascended to power.
He would be a cruel king and wreck havoc and
devastation on Israel in the ensuing years. Today we hear
how God anoints a new king to bring justice to
a kingdom that had suffered greatly under King Ahab. His
(03:00):
evil wife Jezebel and their family. Let's listen now to
the word of God.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
The reign of King Ahab had come to an end.
The corrupt and volatile king had passed into the dust
along with his forefathers. To take his place was his son, Joram.
God saw Joram's heart as soil for the seeds of
his father and mother to grow. The corruption of Ahab
and the wickedness of Jezebel had dug its roots deeply
(03:30):
into him. The Lord would not have their line continue.
He would not allow the compromising spirit of Ahab to
sicken the children of Israel any longer. So God spoke
to Elisha, as he once did before. He decided he
would rise up Jehu, the commander of Israel's army, to
(03:50):
lead his people. So Elishah called one of his students
to him, a young and promising prophet who studied and
ministered under him. Prepare for travel, Elishah said, in a
hushed tone. The young man saw Elisha stuff a flask
of oil into a knapsack and hand it to him.
(04:10):
Take this flask and anoint the new king of Israel.
The young prophet gasped at the news. He knew that
proclaiming a new king was risky. Elisha looked intently at
him and said, go to Ramoth Gilead. There you will
find Jehu, son of Jehosaphat. Take him into a private
(04:31):
place away from people, then anoint him. The young man
took the oil and loaded up his horse. Before he departed,
Elishah spoke once more, once you anoint him, open the
door and run for your life. The prophet nodded and
departed with haste towards Ramoth Gilead. The young prophet rode swiftly,
(04:54):
taking no breaks for food or water. He did not
desire to draw any attention to him himself or speak
with anybody but je Whu. When he made his way
into the city, the young man placed his hood over
his head, partially covering his face. The king's men filled
the streets. People loyal to the crown of Ahab and
(05:15):
Juram would notice a prophet of Elisha. The prophet knew
ji Who would be found at the barracks where the
men of Israel gathered and trained. He approached inconspicuously and
found je Who sitting among his men and other army officers.
The young prophet cleared his throat and said, I have
an urgent message for you. Commander Jehu stood to his feet.
(05:39):
He was taller than the prophet had imagined. His face
was rough from years of war. However, his eyes were different.
They were kind, warm. They were the eyes of a
man determined to serve others. Which one of us do
you need to speak with? Jihu asked, with you, my lord,
the prophet said, with a slight bow. The two of
(06:01):
them left the others into the safety of Jehu's house.
The young man revealed himself to be a prophet of
God and pulled the oil out of his knapsack. Without
a word, he began to pour the oil over Jehu's head.
The oil had no fragrance as to not draw any
unwonted attention. However, the symbolism was clear. Oil was a
(06:23):
symbol of anointing. God's spirit had chosen je Who as
he had with David so many generations ago. The old
songs of King David resonated in Jehu's mind. You anoint
my head with oil, and my cup runs over. Surely
goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of
my life. After the young prophet anointed Ji, who he
(06:46):
spoke saying, you have been chosen by God. I anoint
you as king over Israel. By you, the wicked line
of Ahab and Jezebel will be cut off. In this way,
the Lord of venge all the evil and murder done
by Ahab and Jezebel, as promised, dogs will feast on
(07:06):
Jezebel's corpse, and her descendants will be forgotten forever. With
those last words, the young prophets smiled, bowed, and ran
for his life back to Elisha Jee, who paused for
a moment. His heart began to beat faster. He had
just been anointed king over Israel, king over God's people,
(07:27):
as David once was so many years ago. Was he
worthy of such a calling? How would it come to pass?
So many questions swelled in his mind. However, he decided
it would be best to not linger for much longer.
He did not want to raise suspicion. Jee, who came
back to his men, What did the madman want with you?
(07:49):
One of the mast je who casually poured some wine
and broke off a piece of bread and began to eat.
You know how men like that are, he said, with
a wave of his hand, they babble on with nonsense
and then vanish. A small chuckle filled the table. However,
one of the men was not convinced Ji Whu was
being forthright. Something is clearly bothering you, he said, tell
(08:15):
us what he said. Ji Whu felt uncomfortable, but decided
he would be truthful about what had taken place. If
it truly was nonsense, his men would say so. He
told me I was to be anointed as the next
king of Israel, Ji Whu said, with a jovial smile,
Ji who fully expected a laugh to roar from the table. Instead,
(08:37):
there was silence. The men sat for a while. Then
they all stood to their feet and walked to the
bare steps beside them. One by one, they removed their cloaks.
After this, they led Jihu to the top of the steps.
Ji Whu watched as all the men in the barracks
began to bow before him. Je Who's heart was overwhelmed
(08:58):
with amazement. When the men blew their rams horns, the
sound echoed for the whole city to hear. Ji who
is King? They shouted, Ji who is King? They chanted?
The sounds of their chance filled the city streets. The
lord had primed the hearts of every citizen to desire
(09:18):
a new king, and now they all gladly joined in
the singing of Jihu's praises. Their voices shook the city.
The young prophet was on his way out of the
city gates when the chanting reached his ears. Without looking back,
he smiled and continued to ride. Meanwhile, on the battlefield
of Raymoth Gilead, King Joram fought alongside the Kingdom of
(09:41):
Judah against Syria. The battle was fierce and both sides
were struggling to gain any ground. The sun had begun
to set and both armies were ready to retreat to
fight another day. However, in a final push of the
Syrian army, Juram was slashed on his chest. Juram retreated
back to his tent to heal from his wounds. They
(10:03):
were not deep or deadly, but they would take some
time to heal. The next day, Jihu traveled to the
battlefield to face King Joram. A righteous intensity had come
over Jihu. All the witchcraft, idle worship, and murder that
had happened under Joram's watch would not go unpunished. In
that moment, Jihu knew he was a vessel of God's justice.
(10:27):
Jihu rode till about fifty yards away from Yuram's tent.
My Lord, I see a company of troops approaching. The
king's servant told Juram send a rider to ask if
they come in peace. The king said, holding his chest,
Joram did not want any surprises. The King of Judah
was also there with him. The two kings were aligned
(10:50):
by blood since the King of Judah, Ahaziah, was Ahab's grandson.
The horsemen rode quickly to Jihu. The king wants to
know if you come in peace, the horseman asked. Jihu
looked at the man with a white heart intensity. He
stood on his chariot and pointed his spear towards the
young horseman. What do you know of peace, ji Whu said,
(11:14):
if you truly want peace, stand behind me. The horseman
was no fan of the king and knew Jihu well,
so he stayed with Jiehu instead of returning. My lord,
the messenger has met the man but has not returned.
The watchman said, so the king sent another horseman. Do
you come in peace? The second man asked. Jiehu remained
(11:38):
upright and strong. What do you know of peace? If
you desire peace, come join me, he said. So the
horseman did as he was asked and joined Jie Whu.
The watchman was confused as he watched the men join
jee who. This one has not returned either. My lord,
it must be Jeu, for he is driving his chariot
(11:59):
like a madman. King Joram lifted his sore body out
of his bed and put on his armor. Get my
chariot ready quickly, he shouted. So the King of Israel
and Judah went out to meet Jihu. The men stood
only a dozen yards apart from one another. King Joram
did his best to come off kingly. He did not
(12:20):
want Jihu to see his wounds. Do you come in peace, Jihu?
Jehu scoffed for a moment and opened his arms. How
can there be peace, he asked? How can there be
peace when idolatry and witchcraft spreads across our land like
a plague. How can there be peace when the blood
spilled by your mother has not yet been avenged. King
(12:42):
Joram knew what it was about to take place. He
did not respond to Jihu. Rather, he turned his chariot
around to run. It is treason, Ahaziah. He shouted to
the King of Judah, treason run. Jihu watched as the
king rode away. He drew his bow slowly. The arrow
(13:02):
was placed firmly in his right hand. He closed one eye,
honing in on his cowardly target. He drew a deep breath,
then released the arrow whistled through the air, hitting Joram
directly in between his shoulder blades. Blood splattered across the
front of the king's chariot. Slowly, Joram sank down dead
(13:24):
in his chariot. Throw him on the plot of land
where Ahabin Jezebel murdered Nabath in Jezreel. God promised that
he would avenge the blood of that innocent man and
his family, Jihu ordered. On the corner of his eye,
Ji Whu saw the King of Judah running away. His
partnership and Yuram's wickedness would not go unpunished either. Shoot him,
(13:47):
Ji Whu yelled as he pointed. A storm of arrows
shot from behind Jihu into the air. The King of
Judah fell to the floor and was taken away to
be buried with his ancestors.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
As we begin today's passage. God's spirit is moving again
to bring justice and righteousness back to Israel. God instructed
Elisha that a new king was to be anointed. So
the prophet called one of his students and send him
to Ramuth Gilead to find Jehu, the son of Jehasafat,
who had been King of Judah. Like his father, Jehu
(14:23):
walked righteously with the Lord, and God hand picked him
to lead the people of Israel out of the mare
in darkness King Ahab had plunged the kingdom into for
many years. Elishah instructed the young prophet to take a
jar of oil to the place where Jehu was training
with other soldiers in order to call Jehu to a
private place and anoint him with oil. Then he was
(14:47):
told to flee quickly. Naming a new king was a
dangerous business, as anything that threatens the power of the wicked.
When the young prophet arrived, he called Jehu to a
quiet place alone, and in Second King ninety six we read.
So he arose and went into the house, and the
young man poured the oil on his head, saying to him,
(15:08):
thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, I anoint
you king over the people of the Lord over Israel.
We can only imagine the thoughts going through Jehu's mind
in that moment. As he continued to listen, the man
told him he would put an end to the House
of Ahab, avenging the blood of the prophets Jezebel had
struck down. It was a heavy calling, and one Jehu
(15:30):
did not take lightly, for he desired to see worship
of the Lord returned to his people, just as his
father had led Judah to turn back to God. Sadly,
under the reign of Ahaziah of Judah, the southern kingdom
had once more turned to idolatry as well. But now
God was about to deal with both kings, Joram of
Israel and a Haziah of Judah through one man, the
(15:54):
newly appointed and anointed Jehu. Jehu was at first reluctant
to tell his soldiers what the prophet had done, but
when pressed, he revealed that he had been chosen as
the next king of Israel. His men quickly rose and
laid their garments under his feet and cried out, saying,
Jehu is king, Jehu is king. He would need the
(16:16):
support of strong and loyal men as he was about
to lead a difficult nation. Jayhu wasted no time. He
knew God desired for his people to abandon their idolatrous ways,
so he set off to find Joram, who was on
the battlefield with a Haziah, King of Judah, fighting Syria.
Jorham was wounded in the battle and vulnerable. When Jayhu arrived,
(16:38):
he sent a messenger to ask if Jehu came in peace.
Jehu rightly called Jorham out, saying he knew nothing of peace.
The messenger could tell Jehu was a different man, more
honorable and righteous, so he stayed with him. Joram sent
another man, and this one too gave his loyalty to Jehu. Finally,
(16:59):
Jorham and a Haziah went in person to see Jehu.
Jorham asked if he sought peace. Don't miss what Jehu said.
He told the king that there could be no peace
as long as the people were led astray, given over
to idolatry and its evil. There could be no peace
as long as Jezebel's witchcraft poisoned the land. When we
(17:22):
seek peace, we must be willing to turn to God,
whether it is personal peace. As we turn to God
through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, or or peace
with others. We must abandon all things that bring disobedience
and dishonor to God in our lives. We make peace
to God through our Lord Jesus Christ and what he
(17:44):
has done for us on the cross. So Jehu saw
through Joram's words and rejected him. Joram then tried to flee,
but Jehu shot him as he fled, an arrow piercing
his chest. Joram was buried symbolically and enables vineyard, the
very one Jezebel had murdered the man to give the
vineyard to Ahab, thus aveinging the man's blood, just as
(18:07):
God had promised. A Hasiah also fled, but was caught
and killed as well. Jayhu still had work to do,
and the next time we'll hear how God finally brings
judgment upon the wicked queen Jezebel. Dear God, we thank
you that you raise up righteous service in your time,
a righteous service like Jehu, to bring justice and righteousness
(18:31):
back to your people. Help us, like Jayhu, to be
filled with righteous passion to do what you have called
us to accomplish in our lives. Thank you for your
anointing and appointing and your calling in each of our
lives to share the good news of Jesus Christ. And
it is in his name that we pray. Amen. Thank
you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
(18:53):
This is Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download thepray dot
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(19:14):
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Jack Graham dot org. God bless you
Let us pray. Then they hasted and took every man
his garment and put it under him on top of
their stairs, and blew the trumpets, saying YEAHU is King,
Second Kings eight thirteen. There is no greater honor than
to be anointed and chosen by God to rule and
(00:23):
reign in my life. With your hand on my life
and your anointing on my mind, I will approach my
purpose with the confidence of Yahoo, and I will declare
war on anything that is in opposition to your heart's desire.
Quicken my heart's passion. As I prepare to take over
(00:46):
all of the territory assigned to me, May my arrows
of faithfulness and kindness protect those around me from others
whose hearts are set on evil. I declare that as
I step into my rightful place as an heir to
the Lord, that peace and assurance will follow me and
(01:09):
my household all the days of my life. In Jesus's name, Amen,
thanks for making prayer a priority in your life. To
hear the Bible come to life, Stay tuned for the
Bible in a year brought to you by Bible. In
a year dot com.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Jee, who becomes king in our last story, we learned
about Elisha's interaction with the future king of Syria. Elisha
was able to see in him a deep darkness that
would cause death and destruction to many in Israel. Now
love and about Jiehu. God anoints and raises up Jiehu
(02:04):
to be a minister of justice for all those who
had suffered under King Ahab and Jezebel. Inspired by the
Book of Second Kings.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Hello, this is Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of
the Bible in a Year. In the last episode, we
saw how God brought famine to Israel, a consequence for
their self reliance and forgetting that He was their provider.
In that time, God protected the Shunamite woman and her son,
and after the famine, he restored all she had lost.
(02:38):
We also witnessed the murder of the Syrian king and Haddad,
killed by the servant Hazel, who then ascended to power.
He would be a cruel king and wreck havoc and
devastation on Israel in the ensuing years. Today we hear
how God anoints a new king to bring justice to
a kingdom that had suffered greatly under King Ahab. His
(03:00):
evil wife Jezebel and their family. Let's listen now to
the word of God.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
The reign of King Ahab had come to an end.
The corrupt and volatile king had passed into the dust
along with his forefathers. To take his place was his son, Joram.
God saw Joram's heart as soil for the seeds of
his father and mother to grow. The corruption of Ahab
and the wickedness of Jezebel had dug its roots deeply
(03:30):
into him. The Lord would not have their line continue.
He would not allow the compromising spirit of Ahab to
sicken the children of Israel any longer. So God spoke
to Elisha, as he once did before. He decided he
would rise up Jehu, the commander of Israel's army, to
(03:50):
lead his people. So Elishah called one of his students
to him, a young and promising prophet who studied and
ministered under him. Prepare for travel, Elishah said, in a
hushed tone. The young man saw Elisha stuff a flask
of oil into a knapsack and hand it to him.
(04:10):
Take this flask and anoint the new king of Israel.
The young prophet gasped at the news. He knew that
proclaiming a new king was risky. Elisha looked intently at
him and said, go to Ramoth Gilead. There you will
find Jehu, son of Jehosaphat. Take him into a private
(04:31):
place away from people, then anoint him. The young man
took the oil and loaded up his horse. Before he departed,
Elishah spoke once more, once you anoint him, open the
door and run for your life. The prophet nodded and
departed with haste towards Ramoth Gilead. The young prophet rode swiftly,
(04:54):
taking no breaks for food or water. He did not
desire to draw any attention to him himself or speak
with anybody but je Whu. When he made his way
into the city, the young man placed his hood over
his head, partially covering his face. The king's men filled
the streets. People loyal to the crown of Ahab and
(05:15):
Juram would notice a prophet of Elisha. The prophet knew
ji Who would be found at the barracks where the
men of Israel gathered and trained. He approached inconspicuously and
found je Who sitting among his men and other army officers.
The young prophet cleared his throat and said, I have
an urgent message for you. Commander Jehu stood to his feet.
(05:39):
He was taller than the prophet had imagined. His face
was rough from years of war. However, his eyes were different.
They were kind, warm. They were the eyes of a
man determined to serve others. Which one of us do
you need to speak with? Jihu asked, with you, my lord,
the prophet said, with a slight bow. The two of
(06:01):
them left the others into the safety of Jehu's house.
The young man revealed himself to be a prophet of
God and pulled the oil out of his knapsack. Without
a word, he began to pour the oil over Jehu's head.
The oil had no fragrance as to not draw any
unwonted attention. However, the symbolism was clear. Oil was a
(06:23):
symbol of anointing. God's spirit had chosen je Who as
he had with David so many generations ago. The old
songs of King David resonated in Jehu's mind. You anoint
my head with oil, and my cup runs over. Surely
goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of
my life. After the young prophet anointed Ji, who he
(06:46):
spoke saying, you have been chosen by God. I anoint
you as king over Israel. By you, the wicked line
of Ahab and Jezebel will be cut off. In this way,
the Lord of venge all the evil and murder done
by Ahab and Jezebel, as promised, dogs will feast on
(07:06):
Jezebel's corpse, and her descendants will be forgotten forever. With
those last words, the young prophets smiled, bowed, and ran
for his life back to Elisha Jee, who paused for
a moment. His heart began to beat faster. He had
just been anointed king over Israel, king over God's people,
(07:27):
as David once was so many years ago. Was he
worthy of such a calling? How would it come to pass?
So many questions swelled in his mind. However, he decided
it would be best to not linger for much longer.
He did not want to raise suspicion. Jee, who came
back to his men, What did the madman want with you?
(07:49):
One of the mast je who casually poured some wine
and broke off a piece of bread and began to eat.
You know how men like that are, he said, with
a wave of his hand, they babble on with nonsense
and then vanish. A small chuckle filled the table. However,
one of the men was not convinced Ji Whu was
being forthright. Something is clearly bothering you, he said, tell
(08:15):
us what he said. Ji Whu felt uncomfortable, but decided
he would be truthful about what had taken place. If
it truly was nonsense, his men would say so. He
told me I was to be anointed as the next
king of Israel, Ji Whu said, with a jovial smile,
Ji who fully expected a laugh to roar from the table. Instead,
(08:37):
there was silence. The men sat for a while. Then
they all stood to their feet and walked to the
bare steps beside them. One by one, they removed their cloaks.
After this, they led Jihu to the top of the steps.
Ji Whu watched as all the men in the barracks
began to bow before him. Je Who's heart was overwhelmed
(08:58):
with amazement. When the men blew their rams horns, the
sound echoed for the whole city to hear. Ji who
is King? They shouted, Ji who is King? They chanted?
The sounds of their chance filled the city streets. The
lord had primed the hearts of every citizen to desire
(09:18):
a new king, and now they all gladly joined in
the singing of Jihu's praises. Their voices shook the city.
The young prophet was on his way out of the
city gates when the chanting reached his ears. Without looking back,
he smiled and continued to ride. Meanwhile, on the battlefield
of Raymoth Gilead, King Joram fought alongside the Kingdom of
(09:41):
Judah against Syria. The battle was fierce and both sides
were struggling to gain any ground. The sun had begun
to set and both armies were ready to retreat to
fight another day. However, in a final push of the
Syrian army, Juram was slashed on his chest. Juram retreated
back to his tent to heal from his wounds. They
(10:03):
were not deep or deadly, but they would take some
time to heal. The next day, Jihu traveled to the
battlefield to face King Joram. A righteous intensity had come
over Jihu. All the witchcraft, idle worship, and murder that
had happened under Joram's watch would not go unpunished. In
that moment, Jihu knew he was a vessel of God's justice.
(10:27):
Jihu rode till about fifty yards away from Yuram's tent.
My Lord, I see a company of troops approaching. The
king's servant told Juram send a rider to ask if
they come in peace. The king said, holding his chest,
Joram did not want any surprises. The King of Judah
was also there with him. The two kings were aligned
(10:50):
by blood since the King of Judah, Ahaziah, was Ahab's grandson.
The horsemen rode quickly to Jihu. The king wants to
know if you come in peace, the horseman asked. Jihu
looked at the man with a white heart intensity. He
stood on his chariot and pointed his spear towards the
young horseman. What do you know of peace, ji Whu said,
(11:14):
if you truly want peace, stand behind me. The horseman
was no fan of the king and knew Jihu well,
so he stayed with Jiehu instead of returning. My lord,
the messenger has met the man but has not returned.
The watchman said, so the king sent another horseman. Do
you come in peace? The second man asked. Jiehu remained
(11:38):
upright and strong. What do you know of peace? If
you desire peace, come join me, he said. So the
horseman did as he was asked and joined Jie Whu.
The watchman was confused as he watched the men join
jee who. This one has not returned either. My lord,
it must be Jeu, for he is driving his chariot
(11:59):
like a madman. King Joram lifted his sore body out
of his bed and put on his armor. Get my
chariot ready quickly, he shouted. So the King of Israel
and Judah went out to meet Jihu. The men stood
only a dozen yards apart from one another. King Joram
did his best to come off kingly. He did not
(12:20):
want Jihu to see his wounds. Do you come in peace, Jihu?
Jehu scoffed for a moment and opened his arms. How
can there be peace, he asked? How can there be
peace when idolatry and witchcraft spreads across our land like
a plague. How can there be peace when the blood
spilled by your mother has not yet been avenged. King
(12:42):
Joram knew what it was about to take place. He
did not respond to Jihu. Rather, he turned his chariot
around to run. It is treason, Ahaziah. He shouted to
the King of Judah, treason run. Jihu watched as the
king rode away. He drew his bow slowly. The arrow
(13:02):
was placed firmly in his right hand. He closed one eye,
honing in on his cowardly target. He drew a deep breath,
then released the arrow whistled through the air, hitting Joram
directly in between his shoulder blades. Blood splattered across the
front of the king's chariot. Slowly, Joram sank down dead
(13:24):
in his chariot. Throw him on the plot of land
where Ahabin Jezebel murdered Nabath in Jezreel. God promised that
he would avenge the blood of that innocent man and
his family, Jihu ordered. On the corner of his eye,
Ji Whu saw the King of Judah running away. His
partnership and Yuram's wickedness would not go unpunished either. Shoot him,
(13:47):
Ji Whu yelled as he pointed. A storm of arrows
shot from behind Jihu into the air. The King of
Judah fell to the floor and was taken away to
be buried with his ancestors.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
As we begin today's passage. God's spirit is moving again
to bring justice and righteousness back to Israel. God instructed
Elisha that a new king was to be anointed. So
the prophet called one of his students and send him
to Ramuth Gilead to find Jehu, the son of Jehasafat,
who had been King of Judah. Like his father, Jehu
(14:23):
walked righteously with the Lord, and God hand picked him
to lead the people of Israel out of the mare
in darkness King Ahab had plunged the kingdom into for
many years. Elishah instructed the young prophet to take a
jar of oil to the place where Jehu was training
with other soldiers in order to call Jehu to a
private place and anoint him with oil. Then he was
(14:47):
told to flee quickly. Naming a new king was a
dangerous business, as anything that threatens the power of the wicked.
When the young prophet arrived, he called Jehu to a
quiet place alone, and in Second King ninety six we read.
So he arose and went into the house, and the
young man poured the oil on his head, saying to him,
(15:08):
thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, I anoint
you king over the people of the Lord over Israel.
We can only imagine the thoughts going through Jehu's mind
in that moment. As he continued to listen, the man
told him he would put an end to the House
of Ahab, avenging the blood of the prophets Jezebel had
struck down. It was a heavy calling, and one Jehu
(15:30):
did not take lightly, for he desired to see worship
of the Lord returned to his people, just as his
father had led Judah to turn back to God. Sadly,
under the reign of Ahaziah of Judah, the southern kingdom
had once more turned to idolatry as well. But now
God was about to deal with both kings, Joram of
Israel and a Haziah of Judah through one man, the
(15:54):
newly appointed and anointed Jehu. Jehu was at first reluctant
to tell his soldiers what the prophet had done, but
when pressed, he revealed that he had been chosen as
the next king of Israel. His men quickly rose and
laid their garments under his feet and cried out, saying,
Jehu is king, Jehu is king. He would need the
(16:16):
support of strong and loyal men as he was about
to lead a difficult nation. Jayhu wasted no time. He
knew God desired for his people to abandon their idolatrous ways,
so he set off to find Joram, who was on
the battlefield with a Haziah, King of Judah, fighting Syria.
Jorham was wounded in the battle and vulnerable. When Jayhu arrived,
(16:38):
he sent a messenger to ask if Jehu came in peace.
Jehu rightly called Jorham out, saying he knew nothing of peace.
The messenger could tell Jehu was a different man, more
honorable and righteous, so he stayed with him. Joram sent
another man, and this one too gave his loyalty to Jehu. Finally,
(16:59):
Jorham and a Haziah went in person to see Jehu.
Jorham asked if he sought peace. Don't miss what Jehu said.
He told the king that there could be no peace
as long as the people were led astray, given over
to idolatry and its evil. There could be no peace
as long as Jezebel's witchcraft poisoned the land. When we
(17:22):
seek peace, we must be willing to turn to God,
whether it is personal peace. As we turn to God
through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, or or peace
with others. We must abandon all things that bring disobedience
and dishonor to God in our lives. We make peace
to God through our Lord Jesus Christ and what he
(17:44):
has done for us on the cross. So Jehu saw
through Joram's words and rejected him. Joram then tried to flee,
but Jehu shot him as he fled, an arrow piercing
his chest. Joram was buried symbolically and enables vineyard, the
very one Jezebel had murdered the man to give the
vineyard to Ahab, thus aveinging the man's blood, just as
(18:07):
God had promised. A Hasiah also fled, but was caught
and killed as well. Jayhu still had work to do,
and the next time we'll hear how God finally brings
judgment upon the wicked queen Jezebel. Dear God, we thank
you that you raise up righteous service in your time,
a righteous service like Jehu, to bring justice and righteousness
(18:31):
back to your people. Help us, like Jayhu, to be
filled with righteous passion to do what you have called
us to accomplish in our lives. Thank you for your
anointing and appointing and your calling in each of our
lives to share the good news of Jesus Christ. And
it is in his name that we pray. Amen. Thank
you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
(18:53):
This is Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download thepray dot
com app and make prayer a priority along with Bible
study in your life. And if you enjoy this podcast,
share it with someone you love. If you want more
resources as to how you can live the Christian life
in fullness and in victory, be sure to visit Jack
(19:14):
Graham dot org once again for free resources as to
how you can begin living the Christian life. Go to
Jack Graham dot org. God bless you
Host
Jack Graham
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