2 Ki. 10: Jehu's Cleansing Continues

2 Kings 10:25 "As soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and officers: "Go in and kill them; let no one escape." So they cut them down with the sword. The guards and officers threw the bodies out and then entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal."

Jehu continues his vendetta against those who did evil in the sight of the LORD. He wipes out the entire line of Ahab (70 men), in accordance with Elijah's prophecy. He then wipes out the line of Ahaziah (42 men). God keeps his word with Jehu in numerous ways. His warnings that those who do not listen to him will face consequences, and Jehu delivers them. And its always death. Bloodshed. Idolatry, while not a blood-shedding action, breaks the first commandment. And as idolatry ran rampant, the other commands and laws fell away. This is why it was really important to kep the first commandment.

He even inspired that scene in The Patriot where all the people are burned in that church, you know? He assembles all the priests of Baal under the guise of offering a sacrifice to him. None of the priests see through the ruse, despite the reputation Jehu must have had at that point. Jehu did exactly what he said he would do. Not so here. He has all of his guards rush in and slaughter all the priests of Baal. I guess it was one convenient way to wipe them all out.

Jehu wasn't perfect, and even he caved into the sins of Jeroboam. But because of Jehu's initial zeal, God promises his line would sit on the throne to the fourth generation. It would suck to be Jehu's great-great-grandson. He gets nothing. That is, if God's word comes to fruition, which I assume it will.

I gotta get my hands on the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.