In Monday's study, Jehu the commander of the army of Israel was anointed as king by an unnamed prophet who was sent to him by Elisha. Upon learning that he had been anointed as king, his officers spread their cloaks in his path as a sign of royal respect and blew their trumpets and declared him king in front of all the assembled soldiers at Ramoth Gilead. Jehu knows the army "has his back", so to speak. Knowing this, he is bold enough to conspire against King Joram of Israel. "So Jehuson of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram." (2 Kings 9:14a)
We know that earlier in the Bible the Lord pronounced a judgment against the house of Ahab, the father of King Joram, because of the idolatry of Ahab and his family. Not only did these people make bad spiritual choices for themselves but they encouraged the citizens of Israel to do the same. They are responsible for influencing many people into idolatry by their wicked example, so the Lord said that the dynasty of Ahab would be cut off.
Did He intend for someone to execute the family? Is Jehu doing what is right when he kills King Joram and his male descendants? Based on what the Lord will say to Jehu in Chapter 10 we must conclude that he was indeed carrying out divine retribution against the house of Ahab (and against the prophets of Baal who he will also put to death) and that the Lord was pleased with Jehu's obedience in this matter.
Difficult as it may be for us to understand the slaughtering of the royal family being sanctioned by the Lord, we must keep in mind that the house of Ahab has committed capital crimes. First of all, they have forsaken the living God in favor of idols and have encouraged and even forced the citizens of Israel to do the same. This was a crime worthy of death according to the laws the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. (Deuteronomy 13 deals with this subject in quite a bit of detail.)
Secondly, King Ahab and his wife Jezebel were responsible for the murders of innocent people. Murder was a capital crime as well, which is why a curse was placed upon the family. We don't know whether Joram ever murdered anyone but he didn't order anyone put to death for murder or for idolatry, which it was his duty as the king of Israel to do. (Jehu will read these charges to him farther on in the chapter this week.) Capital punishment for murder was to be carried out by human beings according to Genesis 9:6: "Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind." You'll recall that Ahab and Jezebel caused the innocent Naboth's death because Ahab had a hankering for a plot of land belonging to Naboth. Also we know that Jezebel ordered the prophets of the Lord put to death and Ahab was in agreement with this edict. There is literal blood on the hands of the members of the house of Ahab and there is spiritual blood on their hands too, for they have caused the spiritual downfall of a great number of their people.
The Lord has a right to have the members of the house of Ahab put to death for their crimes against human lives and for their crimes against human souls. According to the laws He provided to the people through Moses, the Lord has a right to ask that Ahab's family be put to death by human hands. Jehu is the Lord's instrument in the carrying out of the death sentence upon the house of Ahab.
You'll recall that King Joram suffered a wound in the battle against the Arameans and had to return to his palace at Jezreel to recover. This is where he is now and King Ahaziah of Judah has come to visit him. "(Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth Gilead against Hazael king of Aram, but King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him in the battle with Hazael king of Aram.) Jehu said, 'If you desire to make me king, don't let anyone slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel.' Then he got into his chariot and rode to Jezreel, because Joram was resting there and Ahaziah of Judah had gone down to see him." (2 Kings 9:14b-16)
Jehu instructs his officers not to allow anyone to slip away from Ramoth Gilead to get a warning to the king. He wants his attack to be a surprise attack. He has the support of his officers and probably the majority of his soldiers but he can't be certain he has the support of all of his soldiers. If one or more of them should manage to slip away or send an armorbearer or servant to Jezreel, the king will have time to bar the gates and place archers to shoot Jehu as he approaches.
In tomorrow's study the watchman on the tower of the wall of Jezreel will announce that he sees a chariot approaching. Two messengers will be sent out to ask Jehu if he's coming in peace but he will provide an answer that causes both men to join with him. Then the king himself will go out to meet him, going out to meet his doom.
No comments:
Post a Comment