2Ki 10:1 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab’s children, saying,
2Ki 10:2 Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master’s sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour;
2Ki 10:3 Look even out the best and meetest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.
2Ki 10:4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
2Ki 10:5 And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes.
2Ki 10:6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.
2Ki 10:7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.
2Ki 10:8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king’s sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.
2Ki 10:9 And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?
2Ki 10:10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.
2Ki 10:11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
2Ki 10:12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way,
2Ki 10:13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.
2Ki 10:14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.
2Ki 10:15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
2Ki 10:16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.
2Ki 10:17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.
2Ki 10:18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.
2Ki 10:19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
2Ki 10:20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.
2Ki 10:21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.
2Ki 10:22 And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.
2Ki 10:23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.
2Ki 10:24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.
2Ki 10:25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.
2Ki 10:26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.
2Ki 10:27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.
2Ki 10:28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
2Ki 10:29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.
2Ki 10:30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.
2Ki 10:31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.
2Ki 10:32 In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;
2Ki 10:33 From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
2Ki 10:34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
2Ki 10:35 And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.
2Ki 10:36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.
Toward the end of this 1oth chapter we read this disconcerting and seemingly disconnected verse that tells us that even after all that Jehu faithfully did unto the Lord in cleansing the land of the house of Ahab with all its idolatry, he, Jehu, “took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin” (of verse 31). This lukewarm spirit of Jehu is what happens to all Christians in their appointed time, and yet if God is working with us, we will repent (Lev_26:40 , Psa_103:3 , Eze_36:33 , 1Jn_1:9) of those neither hot nor cold ways and by God’s grace (Num_5:6-7) go on to finish the work that God is accomplishing in so very few in this age (Mat_22:14). This reality of being motivated and stirred up by God’s spirit to endure unto the end is the basis of the parable of the five wise and five foolish virgins as well as this section of Kings (Rev_3:16 , Php_1:6 , Mat_25:3-6 , Rev_3:2-3).
Rev 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Jehu is revealed to be more of a foolish virgin near the end of his life, whose Laodicean spirit-like actions resulted in what we read of in (2Ki_10:32-33), “In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan“, and his life therefore was more representative of this verse in Ezekiel (Eze_18:24):
Eze 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
“no power over me“
God is the one who orchestrated all these events in Jehu’s life for our sakes upon whom the end of the ages has come (1Co_10:11) so that we can have very great confidence that He is in control over all the powers and principalities that we war against, and knows the plans that He has for those who have been ordained to endure until the end despite ourselves (Mat_24:13 , Php_4:13 , Mat_24:24 , Jer_29:11). If we are his, there is no power that can separate us from his hand, as the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts (Rom_5:5 , Rom_5:10); and if we are not His there is also no power within ourselves independent of God (Rom_8:9) that can prevent that reality of “a great gulf fixed” from happening (Luk_16:26) as was being typified by the life of Jehu (Php_3:14 , Joh_14:30 , Rom_6:6 , Rom_6:9 , Rev_20:6 , Joh_19:11 , Mat_25:1-4 , 1Jn_2:19).
Joh 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
Joh 14:30 I will not talk with you much longer. The ruler of this world (the devil) is coming. He has no power over me. [ERV]
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:6 We know that our old life died with Christ on the cross. This happened so that our sinful selves would have no power over us. And then we would not be slaves to sin. [ERV]
Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Rom 6:9 Christ was raised from death. And we know that he cannot die again. Death has no power over him now. [ERV]
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Joh 19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. [the one who is doing the blinding has the greater sin and that is Satan who has deceived the whole world and is being used of God “from above” to do His bidding, and the opposite point to that would be our righteousness is not our own but it is from the Lord]
Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: [“no power” (Rom_13:1)]
Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest [“no power“] that they were not all of us.
This section of scripture that we are studying tonight (2Ki_10:1-36) shows us clearly, through the type and shadow events being fulfilled in King Jehu’s life, how God’s anointing in our life can cause “One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee” (Isa_30:17) and at the same time admonishes us to continue to fight a good fight of faith and not grow weary in well doing as Jehu sadly did at the end of his reign, revealing in type and shadow that he was not one of God’s elect “that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us”(Rom_9:28 , 1Th_5:21-24 , 1Co_11:19 , 2Pe_2:1 , Rom_8:38-39).
Rom 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
1Th 5:21Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.[Rev_3:3]
1Th 5:24Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. (Php_2:12-13)
Rom 8:38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels,[2Co_11:13-14] nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab’s children, saying,
Ahab’s “seventy sons in Samaria” is a representation of the preservation of carnal fleshly thinking that typifies the wickedness or day of evil in all flesh that must be destroyed in order to become those symbollic seven thousand [70x10x10] who God has reserved for himself (Rom_11:4). Samaria is the capital of Israel and is also where the complete [7] spiritually corrupt flesh [10] is revealed (7X10 sons in Samaria)(Rom_11:4-8).
Rom 11:4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Rom 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Rom 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
Rom 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
God uses Jehu to write letters that were sent to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab’s children in the false nurturing ways of what typifies Mystery Babylon (Rev_17:5). Those letters sent forth were reminiscent of the letters sent forth from the apostle Paul to the churches of his day that not only bore a heaviness in what they said, but were also followed up with actions as will be revealed in what Jehu does to these seventy sons of Ahab (2Co_10:9-11). That is the inward lesson for us in this first verse, telling us that God ordains that day of evil within us (Pro_16:4), revealed through the brightness of God’s word, Christ, as he comes into our heavens and destroys our old man with his fiery words which we are blessed to read, hear and keep (Rev_1:3).
2Co 10:9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
2Co 10:10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
2Co 10:11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
Jehu’s first letter:
2Ki 10:2 And now, at the coming in of this letter unto you, and with you [are] sons of your lord, and with you [are] the chariots and the horses, and a fenced city, and the armor,
2Ki 10:3 and you have seen the best and the upright of the sons of your lord, and have set [him] on the throne of his father, and fight you for the house of your lord.
2Ki 10:4 And they fear very greatly, and say, `Lo, the two kings have not stood before him, and how do we stand–we?.
2Ki 10:5 And he who [is] over the house, and he who [is] over the city, and the elders, and the supporters, send unto Jehu, saying, `Your servants we [are], and all that you say unto us we do; we do not make any one king–that which [is] good in your eyes do. [CLV]
The letter sent of Jehu proves to be effective as he more or less taunts them into coming out to battle with the existing forces that they have, however like the nations that heard of God’s power working in the camp of Israel (2Ch_20:29), so too these men realize that the Lord has already demonstrated through the death of Joram and Ahaziah that they don’t stand a chance in this battle. As such, the elders and the supporters send unto Jehu this reply, this declaration of their willingness to be obedient to whatever he asks of them: “Your servants we [are], and all that you say unto us we do; we do not make any one king–that which [is] good in your eyes do”
Jehu’s second letter:
2Ki 10:6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.
2Ki 10:7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.
2Ki 10:8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king’s sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.
Jehu’s first letter represents faith which comes from the hearing of the word (Rom_10:17), however it is the second letter that will prove their faith. Faith without works would be dead as a result of taking no action in the matters of ridding the land of these sons of the king (Jas_2:14-19) and that is the spiritual lesson for God’s elect today (1Pe_1:7).
Rom 10:17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. [first letter]
Jas 2:14What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Jas 2:15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.[second letter]
Jas 2:19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
After these sons of the king are beheaded, Jehu instructs them to “Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning”, which was for the people of the time a warning and witness of what would happen to any who would continue to follow the evil idolatrous ways of these dead king’s sons. For God’s elect it symbolizes how we must be dead to sin and alive in Christ and how this ongoing battle in our lives is always at the gate, which represents our hearts and minds that Christ is able to give us the victory over (Gen_4:7). This witness of overcoming continues in our life “until the morning” which is symbolic of the first resurrection, and more specifically it is the king’s sons that represent false doctrines that we are called to overcome throughout our life, and destroy completely (1Co_4:6).
Gen 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
1Co 4:6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
2Ki 10:9 And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?
2Ki 10:10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.
2Ki 10:11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
Jehu comes out to give this pep talk to the people in the morning reminding them that, just like he conspired against his enemies, his master, and slew him, ‘so have you done this deed which was ordained of God’. As such he goes on to say “Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah“. In other words, because of these righteous actions, they have symbolically kept their candlestick from being removed (Rev_2:4-5).
Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Jehu goes on to do some more pruning, “So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining“, on his quest to destroy the whole house of Ahab in Jezreel. He was zealous for the cause but as we know, this zeal that represents our first love will not be long lived and proves to be only a reflection of “first works” rather than a life long journey of obedience unto God (Rev_2:4-5).
2Ki 10:12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way, 2Ki 10:13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.
2Ki 10:14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.
This first group that Jehu encounters on his way to Samaria after leaving Jezreel are the brethren of Ahaziah who are going to Jezreel to pay their respects to Queen Jezebel, Joram’s children and the rest of the royal family. That’s all Jehu needs to know: “And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men;[42] neither left he any of them“. The shearing house (“house of binding” – see BDB) is symbolic of how Babylon fleeces the flock (1Pe_5:2), and the end result of this ‘making of merchandise of the brethren’ is “neither left he any of them“, forty two men killed. Those numbers witness [2] to the fact that the temple of God will be thoroughly purged and the whole [4] of Babylon’s false doctrine will be destroyed as were the forty and two children that insulted the prophet Elisha and were destroyed by “two she bears”(2Ki_2:23-24).
2Ki 2:23 And he [Elisha] went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
2Ki 2:24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
2Ki 10:15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
2Ki 10:16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.
2Ki 10:17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.
The heart of Jehonadab the son of Rechab was ‘right’ as Jehu’s heart was ‘right’, not wanting to partake of the idolatrous ways of the house of Ahab. Jehu wanted him to see his zeal for the Lord in action and Jehonadab “gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot” which symbolized his agreement with Jehu’s principles and as such he would be shown the zeal for the LORD as they “made him ride in his chariot” a symbol of power.
We read about Jehonadab and his refusal to drink wine and making his children to vow to do the same mentioned in the book of Jeremiah (Jer_35:7-8 , Jer_35:14 , Jer_35:16 , Jer_35:18-19), and is symbolic of their willingness to not drink the polluted false doctrines of Babylon that Jehu was on a mission to destroy. His family also never build a house and were nomadic, which is symbolism for the few that God calls to live this peculiar nomadic life in Christ that teaches us that we are sojourners as well who are looking for a country whose builder and maker is God (Heb_11:10). We are all ‘hunkered down’ in the church of our choice at first, not knowing that that was Mystery Babylon that God’s elect had to go into to be called out of her.
Jer 35:7 Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers. [Mat_10:39]
Jer 35:8 Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;Jer 35:14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.
Jer 35:16 Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me:
Jer 35:18 And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you: [KJV]
Jer 35:19 So the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: There will always be a descendant of Jonadab son of Recab to serve me.’” [ERV]Heb 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
silver cup scenario:
2Ki 10:18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.
2Ki 10:19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
2Ki 10:20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.
2Ki 10:21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.
2Ki 10:22 And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.
“But Jehu did it in subtilty” is old English telling us that Jehu lied to accomplish his goal of finding out who was worshipping Baal and who wasn’t. He spared no expense to get to the bottom of this question, proclaiming a solemn assembly for Baal, and said to him who was over the vestry “Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal“, which was used as further enticement to draw the devilish and sensual hearts of Baal worshippers into this trap that Jehu was setting (Jas_3:14-18). All of this is symbolic of what God does to us when he fills our lives with our Babylonish robes that we naturally wear and are drawn to and prefer over the true doctrines of Christ (Isa_4:1). Joseph’s brothers symbolize this process of our being drawn away by the worldly temptations of lust and pride (jealousy, anger, lying etc. Gen_37:2 , Gen_37:4 , Gen_37:11 , Gen_37:18 , Gen_37:31) that only by the chastening grace of God can we come out of as we are brought to appreciate the coat of many colours that Joseph was given and the food and raiment from the Lord’s table which was only made possible by the situation of judgement the Lord used Joseph to bring upon his brothers that brought them to the truth (Gen_44:1-2 , Gen_45:22 , Tit_2:11-12 , Gen_45:4-5).
Jud 1:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Gen 45:22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.
Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;Gen 45:4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
Gen 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
2Ki 10:23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.
Jehu used the worshippers of Baal to identify any who were not of their way, not knowing that this was Jehu’s way of putting a mark on those who were not Baal worshippers and who would then be separated from the others before this great slaughter ensued. Those separated typify the elect who are separated from Babylon first, but the rest of the world in time will be delivered in the great white throne judgement (Eze_9:4 , Rev_18:4).
Eze 9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
2Ki 10:24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.
The fourscore [80] men without represent the whole of the elect of God who put off our flesh by identifying Babylon and destroying it within. This section tells us the nature of the work that God has called us unto and how we must not let any escape, which is accomplished by our wholehearted and faithful service unto the Lord that Jehu was demonstrating at this point in his life: “If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him“. Letting one of these Baal worshippers escape is akin to not blowing the trumpet and warning Israel of their enemies and the consequence of that is that you will lose your own life [spiritual life in Christ], as was the punishment for the one who did not diligently look to keep sin at the door “his life shall be for the life of him“(Eze_3:17-18).
Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
Eze 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
2Ki 10:25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.
2Ki 10:26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.
2Ki 10:27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.
2Ki 10:28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
It is after we present our lives a living sacrifice unto God (Rom_12:1), symbolized by the burnt offering that Jehu made, that we can go in and cleanse this temple of Baal worship. Breaking “down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal” is another way of saying the marred vessel must be destroyed and a new vessel must be made, a new creation (Jer_18:4 , 2Co_5:17). It is through our suffering in this life, that only God can give us the power to endure, that we are made worthy through Him to become God’s threshing instrument that will be used to judge the rest of the world and angels, in time (2Ti_2:11-12).
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2Ti 2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
2Ti 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
The actual destruction of spiritual Babylon is typified by the next few verses, and the disgust that God has for Baal worship, by concluding its previously-thought-of ‘sacred grounds’ to become a public washroom: “Then they smashed the memorial stones of Baal. They also smashed the temple of Baal. They made the temple of Baal into a restroom. People still use that place as a toilet.” [ERV]
2Ki 10:29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.
2Ki 10:30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.
2Ki 10:31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.
As we talked about at the beginning of the study, this inability at this late stage in the game for Jehu to remain faithful demonstrates for us that anyone who does endure to the end of this life remaining faithful, will be doing so because of the faith of Christ that has been granted to us along with the chastening of the Lord that teaches us to forsake ungodliness and worldly lust, and has nothing to do with our own fabled free will (Psa_118:27). We start off ‘zealous for the Lord’, yet it is not our filthy works that God is after (2Ki_10:16 , Psa_14:3 , Mat_7:22).
2Ki 10:16 And he [Jehu] said [to Jehonadab], Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot. (I.e. this is NOT 2Ki 19:31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.)
Psa 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
It’s interesting to note that the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, “who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan” is very reminiscent of the sins of Israel who had come so far and away from the bondage of sin typified by Egypt yet were not able to overcome the idols of their hearts represented by the golden calves that they made (Exo_32:4). Jehu was clearly lukewarm, and although he was given this good word in regard to what he was used of the Lord to accomplish, “And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel” yet he still “took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin“. This is all written for our sakes so that we don’t boast against the root and understand that our overcoming is a complete gift from God (Eph_2:8) that we could not obtain except through Christ (Rom_11:22-26).
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness:[Rom_2:4] otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Rom 11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
2Ki 10:32 In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;
2Ki 10:33 From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
The end result of Jehu’s half-hearted lukewarm service to the Lord, especially in regard to idols of the heart, is the chastening that God brought upon the nation describe with these words: “In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan“. The fruit of the tree called ‘Jehu’ (Mar_8:24) was being revealed for what God had intended him to become for our sakes (Luk_6:43-46).
Luk 6:43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Luk 6:44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
2Ki 10:34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
2Ki 10:35 And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.
2Ki 10:36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.
The things that Jehu did are “written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel” for the sake of future kings and priests who would be given eyes to see what these stories mean and how they apply to the elect’s lives today. Jehu “slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead” tells us, along with his time ruling as a king, that he died as someone who had not overcome the idols of his heart because that witness [2] of idolatry was still connected to his potential new man represented by the number eight [2+8=10 flesh].
Eze 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
In conclusion:
God can use any person He wants to accomplish His will, and He does (Eph_1:11), and that is one of the great lessons we can take from this story of king Jehu, and all of the bible for that matter, seeing it is God who is the one who is sovereign over each story that reveals light and darkness, and over the conditions of peace that are made or evil that abides in the heart of any person to whatever degree he has ordained for His purposes. Each book of every human was written or is being written by his power and to His glory (Psa_139:16).
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Psa 139:16 but with your own eyes you saw my body being formed. Even before I was born, you had written in your book everything I would do. (CEV)
The elect’s books are fashioned out of the weak of the world to the glory of God (1Co_1:27-29 , Rom_11:20-22). He is the one who gives the increase and the extra oil after our lamps are trimmed, which trimming was also accomplished by Christ in us who works this work in us as it was what God had purposed from the foundation of the world (Php_2:12-13 , Rom_8:28 , Eph_1:4). All of this tells us that it is the Lord who is the only one in us who can give us the power to cast out fear with God’s perfect love being shed abroad in our hearts, which is why we can then see these things happen within our lives and continue to be accomplished until our last breath (Mat_24:11-13)”One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee“.
Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.[Luk_12:32]
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Mat 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
"His Branch" 