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.

2 Ki. 9: Jehu Cleans House

2 Kings 9:22 "When Joram saw Jehu he asked, 'Have you come in peace, Jehu?'
'How can there be peace,' Jehu replied, 'as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?'"

All riiiiiight. Action! Finally someone does something about this bunch of evildoers. Jehu is anointed king over Israel by a prophet, and is given instructions to destroy the current despots in charge. It was getting kind of tiresome to read about how all these guys in a row were evil, and were deeply into sin. Jehu must have been a man of some reputation or heart to be anointed by God as the king of Isreal. For so long, men have just assumed power, by birthrite or by bloody coup. The last king anointed by God was...Solomon. Long dead.

Jehu then goes about his business in speedy fashion, driving his chariot like a madman. He bumrushes Jezreel, where Joram and Ahaziah were hanging out, recovering from their battle with Hazael. The lookouts see this maniac driving across the plain, pedal to the metal, and send out messengers. He blows by them , bringing his troops straight into Jezreel like a scene out of Lord of the Rings. Joram is Arrowed!! by Jehu himself, and Ahaziah is wounded, dying a short time later in Megiddo.

What happens to Jezebel? She's thrown out of the castle by some eunuchs, and then later when they go to bury her, dogs have eaten her corpse. Tasty. She was unrecognizable as Jezebel. Awesome.