2Ki 9:3 | KingComments | STEP | We have come to a turning point in the history of the Israel’s northern kingdom. The house of Ahab was about to be exterminated. To this end God called Jehu for a special calling. It is said three times of Jehu that he was anointed king by the LORD ( ). He was the only one of all the kings of the ten tribes of whom that is said. Not one of the other kings was anointed. His anointing was therefore unique and means that he was called to a special task. At the same time we see that, although God calls someone, He does not approve of everything that person does. God can also use unbelievers and even Satan. In this history we learn how the hand of God is in these things. He leads history, He chooses His instruments and executes judgment through them. Perhaps we can compare Jehu with Nebuchadnezzar who was also an instrument of God and at the same time acted willfully. Another question is, to what extent was the anointed Jehu guided by the LORD, which kind of instrument was he? Was he a believer? We see the evaluation of all Jehu’s actions in Hosea 1 ( ). There is talk about blood debt on the house of Jehu, in which the three following generations were included. But it started with Jehu. He shed the blood of many people without the order from God. Why does God call such a man? Because Jehu was the least bad of all the bad guys. He knew and hated the idolatry of Jezebel. He was very energetic. But whoever has a commission from the LORD has no license to do what he wills. For the execution one has to depend on Him step by step. The energy of Jehu was not that of faith, but of the flesh. One may have a command from the Lord, but yet not always be in dependence on the Lord. This was the case with Jehu. In the history of the church on earth, which we see presented in the seven churches of Revelation 2-3, we meet Jehu in the phase of Sardis. Sardis follows Thyatira as Jehu follows Jezebel. We see great similarities between Jehu and Sardis. The Lord told Sardis that she has a name that she is alive, but she is dead ( ). The expressions of life are seen, but it is only a semblance of life. Also, her works were not found to be perfect ( ). This did not mean that something was missing, but quite the opposite, more was done than had been required. Too much had been done and that is a sin. That is how it was with the emerging Protestantism. Protestantism has dealt with the idolatry of Rome. There is much that is of God. That is the reformation. But there is also a lot of the flesh and that is protestantism. An example of the combination of man’s responsibility in a negative sense and God’s actions, can be seen in the judgment of Ahaziah. In 2 Chronicles 22 we read about the downfall of Ahaziah as a decree by the LORD ( ). There the death of Ahaziah is seen from the side of God. Jehu did not receive the instruction to kill Ahaziah the king of Judah. With that he did more than he should. But that does not mean that God had lost control. It is the problem of the relationship between man’s responsibility and God’s hand. Ahaziah was killed because he had sinned against God. What God uses from the actions of man does not absolve man from the responsibility of his actions. Why did Elisha send a student prophet? Did he have to anoint Hazael himself? What did Elijah do before? Elisha did to Hazael what Elijah was told to do. Here we see that just like Elijah, Elisha followed with regard to Hazael; he passed on the command, putting it in the hands of one of the student prophets. He told the student prophet to gird up his loins. This indicates that he was to walk fast to fulfill his mission quickly. Jehu must be anointed with oil from flask. That reminds us of Saul who was also anointed with oil from a flask ( ), while David was anointed with oil from a horn ( ). A flask represents fragility and a horn strength. Saul and Jehu failed in their task; David served the purpose of God ( ). The anointing must take place behind closed doors ( ). It is not a public matter, but private. In this we can see an indication of God, determining behind the scenes, who comes to power. This also applies to all governments. By Him “kings reign” and “princes rule” ( ).

‏ 2 Kings 9:3

Introduction

We have come to a turning point in the history of the Israel’s northern kingdom. The house of Ahab was about to be exterminated. To this end God called Jehu for a special calling. It is said three times of Jehu that he was anointed king by the LORD (2Kgs 9:3 ; 6 ; 12). He was the only one of all the kings of the ten tribes of whom that is said. Not one of the other kings was anointed. His anointing was therefore unique and means that he was called to a special task.

At the same time we see that, although God calls someone, He does not approve of everything that person does. God can also use unbelievers and even Satan. In this history we learn how the hand of God is in these things. He leads history, He chooses His instruments and executes judgment through them. Perhaps we can compare Jehu with Nebuchadnezzar who was also an instrument of God and at the same time acted willfully. Another question is, to what extent was the anointed Jehu guided by the LORD, which kind of instrument was he? Was he a believer?

We see the evaluation of all Jehu’s actions in Hosea 1 (Hos 1:4). There is talk about blood debt on the house of Jehu, in which the three following generations were included. But it started with Jehu. He shed the blood of many people without the order from God.

Why does God call such a man? Because Jehu was the least bad of all the bad guys. He knew and hated the idolatry of Jezebel. He was very energetic. But whoever has a commission from the LORD has no license to do what he wills. For the execution one has to depend on Him step by step. The energy of Jehu was not that of faith, but of the flesh. One may have a command from the Lord, but yet not always be in dependence on the Lord. This was the case with Jehu.

In the history of the church on earth, which we see presented in the seven churches of Revelation 2-3, we meet Jehu in the phase of Sardis. Sardis follows Thyatira as Jehu follows Jezebel. We see great similarities between Jehu and Sardis. The Lord told Sardis that she has a name that she is alive, but she is dead (Rev 3:1). The expressions of life are seen, but it is only a semblance of life. Also, her works were not found to be perfect (Rev 3:2). This did not mean that something was missing, but quite the opposite, more was done than had been required. Too much had been done and that is a sin. That is how it was with the emerging Protestantism. Protestantism has dealt with the idolatry of Rome. There is much that is of God. That is the reformation. But there is also a lot of the flesh and that is protestantism.

An example of the combination of man’s responsibility in a negative sense and God’s actions, can be seen in the judgment of Ahaziah. In 2 Chronicles 22 we read about the downfall of Ahaziah as a decree by the LORD (2Chr 22:7-9). There the death of Ahaziah is seen from the side of God. Jehu did not receive the instruction to kill Ahaziah the king of Judah. With that he did more than he should. But that does not mean that God had lost control. It is the problem of the relationship between man’s responsibility and God’s hand. Ahaziah was killed because he had sinned against God. What God uses from the actions of man does not absolve man from the responsibility of his actions.

Command to Anoint Jehu King Over Israel

Why did Elisha send a student prophet? Did he have to anoint Hazael himself? What did Elijah do before? Elisha did to Hazael what Elijah was told to do. Here we see that just like Elijah, Elisha followed with regard to Hazael; he passed on the command, putting it in the hands of one of the student prophets.

He told the student prophet to gird up his loins. This indicates that he was to walk fast to fulfill his mission quickly. Jehu must be anointed with oil from flask. That reminds us of Saul who was also anointed with oil from a flask (1Sam 10:1), while David was anointed with oil from a horn (1Sam 16:1). A flask represents fragility and a horn strength. Saul and Jehu failed in their task; David served the purpose of God (Acts 13:36).

The anointing must take place behind closed doors (2Kgs 9:2). It is not a public matter, but private. In this we can see an indication of God, determining behind the scenes, who comes to power. This also applies to all governments. By Him “kings reign” and “princes rule” (Pro 8:15 ; 16).