Jehu is taking his job very seriously. While I’m not a fan of killing people, I am a fan of following God’s command. Sometimes God calls us to do things we feel unprepared to accomplish. In Jehu’s case, he had been prepared as an army commander. Death is not foreign to him.
Jehu has been very methodical in his elimination of Ahab’s family. Of course, he had to take out the king first to have authority. The queen would be next because of her approval rating with the people. Now it was time for Ahab’s family. I don’t know about you, but I was surprised to learn Ahab had seventy children tucked safely away. Seventy! Let that number sink in a bit.
Jehu’s plan was working perfectly. He had made such a statement with what he had done up to this point, that even when he offered Ahab’s family the option of fighting to keep control of Ahab’s dynasty, there were no takers. Fear. They may have thought they feared a man, but what they truly feared was the mighty power of God at work in Jehu.
Again, it’s hard to read about the cruel deaths that had to happen for this scene to play out. Sometimes I read past it because I don’t want to imagine God could allow such brutality. Besides the sons of Ahab, bloodthirsty Jehu kills so many more people. Can this all be out of his devotion to the Lord as he claims? Is this just how it was done on those days when a new king takes over? I struggle with the Lord intending for all this carnage.
But then I look around the world today and see all sorts of atrocities. Is what I’m seeing in some way working toward the fulfillment of God’s plan? These are definitely some things to wrestle with and ask God about!
We can applaud Jehu being an action taker, but his actions may trouble us. What was fueling his every move? God had prepared him for this moment and was using Jehu as his instrument to fulfill prophecy. Jehu took his call seriously. He was even inviting others to watch his faithfulness play out when he said this to Jehonadab, “Now come with me, and see how devoted I am to the Lord.” I wasn’t sure if that sounded a bit like bragging. What do you think?
I feel sorry for people who don’t know God or don’t take him seriously. It’s like they can’t wrap their heads around the fact that the creator of the universe could ever care about them. It could be that they never even gave it much thought and are just going through the motions of life.
For me, I’ve been questioning my purpose since I was a teenager. It was very enlightening when I recently stumbled across some poems I had written while in high school. Even at that young, impressionable stage of life, I was asking “why am I here?” Just reading those words transports me back to those late nights sitting at the kitchen table, writing my little heart out. I was hungry for the meaning of life. I was hungry for God.
We all have those moments in life where we’ve cried out to God. Maybe it was a cry for help. Maybe it was a cry for clarity. Maybe it was a cry for forgiveness. I can’t think of a better way to deal with the frustrations and challenges of life than to call on God. Can you remember a time when you have made such a plea to God?
You can trust him. Having a relationship with God means trusting he will provide for you and guide you on your journey through life. We should take his word seriously when it says in Proverbs 3, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Let’s pray …
Lord, again I stand amazed at you, your provisions in my life, and the beauty of the creation around me. Thank you, God for watching over us and having our best life in your hand. Help us to be obedient to you and please you in all we say and do. I trust you with my whole heart and look forward to how you are going to reveal yourself to me today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
