Jehu: The Inconsistent King (2 Kings 10:28-36)
“Jehu: The Inconsistent King”
2 Kings 10:28-36
And this morning we come to the summary of Jehu.
• We read promises concerning his sword a long time ago,
• We have recently seen him rise to power,
• We have seen in detail the judgment that he so thoroughly executed.
He was prophetically chosen by God as one of the weapons
He would use to completely remove Ahab and Baal from Israel.
• He first killed Jehoram (The son of Ahab and king of Israel)
• He then killed Ahaziah (The grandson of Ahab and king of Judah)
• He then killed Jezebel (The widow of Ahab and wicked influence)
• He then killed Ahab’s heirs (His seventy sons that fled to Samaria)
• He then killed all who belonged to Ahab at Jezreel
• He then killed Ahab’s allies (the friends of Ahaziah’s sons)
• He then killed all who belonged to Ahab at Samaria
• He then gathered all the Baal worshipers together and killed them too
AHAB IS NO MORE.
And now, after 3 generations of the house of Omri,
It is time for the house of Jehu to begin to reign.
And this morning we take a brief look at the overall summation
Of Jehu’s reign as king of Israel.
After all that we have seen,
One might expect that Jehu was a devoted follower of God.
For indeed he began the race well.
But what we will find of Jehu is that he proved to be
Extremely inconsistent in his life and therefore
His reign left some to be expected.
And as we study his reign, there are three points that the text makes about Jehu.
#1 HE WAS INCOMPLETE IN HIS MISSION
2 Kings 10:28-29
The text begins were we left off last week,
And that is “Thus Jehu eradicated Baal out of Israel.”
Certainly that was true.
Jehu pretended obedience to Baal, and called for a sacred sacrifice.
• He gathered the followers…
• He killed the followers…
• He smashed the sacred pillars…
• He tore down the house of Baal…
• He turned it into the village bathroom…
“Thus Jehu eradicated Baal out of Israel.”
Jehu did well.
Baal worship was a slap in the face to God,
And Jehu completely removed him from the northern kingdom.
But then we see a huge word in the text: “However”
While Jehu was extremely thorough in removing Ahab,
Part of his mission was left undone.
(29) “However, as for the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin, from these Jehu did not depart, even the golden calves that were at Bethel and that were at Dan.”
And of course you remember Jeroboam.
• Servant of Solomon
• When the kingdom was ripped from Rehoboam, it was given to him
• He had a political problem (temple was in Jerusalem)
1 Kings 12:26-27 “Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. “If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.”
Jeroboam was afraid that if they obeyed God’s law to the letter
That he would lose his kingdom.
So he came up with a plan.
1 Kings 12:28-33 “So the king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.” He set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. And he made houses on high places, and made priests from among all the people who were not of the sons of Levi. Jeroboam instituted a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast which is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; thus he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made. And he stationed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. Then he went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised in his own heart; and he instituted a feast for the sons of Israel and went up to the altar to burn incense.”
• Jeroboam changed the corporate worship site…
• Jeroboam rewrote the calendar for feasts and sacrifices…
• Jeroboam disregarded the Levitical priesthood…
For that God eventually ripped the kingdom from Jeroboam’s line.
IT IS APPARENT THAT JEHU DID NOT LEARN A THING.
For while he was faithful to fully remove the immorality of Ahab,
He was content to leave the immorality of Jeroboam.
WHY?
In a political sense,
It was beneficial to remove Ahab (that would secure his kingdom)
It was not beneficial to remove the worship sites.
On one hand the people might return to Judah,
And on the other hand, those worship sites were a landmark.
Consider this:
Jeroboam became king in 931 B.C.
Jehu reigned from 841 B.C. to 814 B.C.
That means that Israel had experienced
100 years of those golden calves.
We currently know a little something
About having a worship spot for 100 years.
Imagine if it were revealed to us that God did not approve of our worship site, would we be willing to just up and move?
But God, we’ve been here for 100 years…
But God, I’ve always gone to that church…
But God, we just remodeled…
And so you get the picture.
Jehu was also up against 100 years of tradition, and he folded.
“from these Jehu did not depart”
Listen to me.
There are some traditions that are good,
And Biblical, and absolutely necessary.
In fact Paul said:
1 Corinthians 11:2 “Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.”
2 Thessalonians 2:15 “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.”
But, there are some traditions that people tend to hold sacred
That have nothing to do with obedience to God’s word,
And these are very dangerous.
Isaiah 29:13 “Then the Lord said, “Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,”
It was that verse that Jesus quoted to the Pharisees:
Matthew 15:1-9 “Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? “For God said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.’ “But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,” he is not to honor his father or his mother.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'”
The Pharisees were masters at inventing traditions
And then enforcing them as though they were the word of God.
I don’t intend to go on some sort of WITCH HUNT this morning seeking to list bad traditions, but I do hope you understand my point.
They can be fine and well,
But you had better make sure it is Biblical,
Because you might just be clinging to Jeroboam’s golden calves.
It seemed like worship to all the people…
It seemed like worship to Jehu…
BUT IT WASN’T ACCEPTABLE TO GOD
You cannot honor tradition above the word of God.
Jehu caved in, and he was incomplete in his mission.
#2 HE WAS INCONSISTENT IN HIS WORSHIP
2 Kings 10:30-31
Here we find another interesting appraisal of Jehu.
It begins with a commendation from God.
(30) “Because you have done well in executing what is right in My eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in My heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.”
Based on Jehu’s removal of Ahab,
God was pleased and therefore God gave Jehu a reward.
His descendants to the fourth generation would sit upon the throne.
This would be the longest tenure of any king in Israel
Since the kingdom was divided.
(Omri’s line made it three generations, but Jehu was promised four.)
JEHU STARTED OUT WELL
“BUT”
(31) “But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin.”
And there is a very revealing statement.
“Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD”
I have told you many times before that faithfulness to God
Is not something that will automatically happen in your life.
There are many who assume that they can go through life
Without any real focus or try
And that they will somehow, someday end up in heaven.
That is not true.
No one in heaven will be surprised to be there.
There will however be scores in hell who are surprised to be there.
Becoming a Christian is a conscious decision.
Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”
BUT THE SAME IS ALSO TRUE
FOR LIVING A FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN LIFE
Ephesians 5:15-17 “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
Faithfulness to God is not automatic,
Nor is it a person’s natural tendency.
The natural tendency of mankind is to drift away from God,
To exalt self, to gratify the flesh, and to fall into temptation
And ultimately disobedience.
If you are to remain faithful to God, you have to consistently and purposely determine not to sin, but to remain faithful.
And that is why the Bible frequently uses that word “careful”
In regard to obedience and the word of God.
Deuteronomy 6:3 “O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Deuteronomy 6:24-25 “So the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today. “It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the LORD our God, just as He commanded us.”
Deuteronomy 8:1 “All the commandments that I am commanding you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your forefathers.”
Deuteronomy 11:22-23 “For if you are careful to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you to do, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him, then the LORD will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than you.”
Deuteronomy 12:28 “Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God.”
Deuteronomy 12:32 “Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.”
Later when Joshua would rule:
Joshua 22:5 “Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Even years later when David was dying, notice the advice he gave Solomon:
1 Kings 2:3-4 “Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, so that the LORD may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘ If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’”
And I hope you get the idea.
Obedience to God is not our natural inclination,
We have to focus on it, we have to strive for it,
We have to be devoted and dedicated.
• You won’t just naturally love others more than yourself…
• You won’t just naturally choose holiness over sin…
• You won’t just naturally bear witness of the Lord Jesus…
But Jehu was not.
“But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel with all his heart;”
And that really opens to us the root of the problem.
HIS HEART WASN’T IN IT
Friend, it is extremely difficult to obey God if your heart isn’t in it.
In fact, it is impossible.
That is the reason that the greatest command
Is the greatest command.
Matthew 22:37 “And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’”
If you don’t love God with all your heart,
Then you won’t obey Him with all your life.
To put it another way, Jesus said:
John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
Jehu’s heart was not right and so neither was his walk.
He didn’t obey right because he didn’t love right.
He obeyed for a little while, but then he stopped.
That is inconsistency, and it is unacceptable to God.
You and I have to first love God with all heart,
And then be careful to walk in all His ways.
Listen to what Jesus said:
Matthew 5:17-19 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
The issue there isn’t salvation, for both enter the kingdom,
But if you want to be great in the kingdom,
You have to be careful to obey all of God’s commands,
Not just the ones that come easy.
Jehu did well, God even commended him,
But he could have done better if he had been careful
To follow all of God’s commands.
He was Incomplete in his mission He was Inconsistent in his worship
#3 HE WAS INCORRIGIBLE IN HIS CORRECTION
2 Kings 10:32-36
Here we find that because of Jehu’s disobedience,
God began to try and get his attention.
(32-33) “In those days the LORD began to cut off portions from Israel; and Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel: from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites and the Reubenites and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.”
If there was one lesson that all of Israel should have known
It is that peace in the land was a sign of God’s favor.
When the people strayed from God, God raised up adversaries…
When the people trusted God, He overthrew them…
But Jehu refused to listen to the displeasure of the LORD.
He just didn’t want to learn from the punishment at hand.
And we see some like him other places in Scripture.
(some lost, and some saved)
Isaiah spoke of them:
Isaiah 30:15 “For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” But you were not willing,”
Jesus spoke of them:
Matthew 23:37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.”
We saw some a few weeks ago in the Corinthian church:
1 Corinthians 11:29-31 “For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.”
The book of Revelation speaks frequently of them.
Revelation 2:20-22 “But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. ‘I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. ‘Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.”
Perhaps you remember those locusts we spoke of recently.
Apparently even they will not be enough.
Revelation 9:20-21 “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.”
Scripture is full of those who persist in sin even in the midst of judgment.
Some are non-believers who will not be saved.
Some are believers who refuse to become more faithful.
Jehu was like them.
He would not learn from the judgments around him.
Although he did a good thing in fulfilling God’s judgment on Ahab:
He was Incomplete in his Mission
He was Inconsistent in his Worship
He was Incorrigible in his Correction
Jehu started strong,
But his poor attention to detail and inconsistent faithfulness
Caused his reign to be much less than it could have been.
We should learn from his mistakes.
You may have served well in the past, but it is gone,
And God is looking for faithfulness from you today.
None of us desire to be known as “the least in the kingdom of heaven”.
None of us want to be there,
And be the most unrewarded there is.
Paul warned about this.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?
To be saved, “yet so as through fire”?
To be saved by the skin of your teeth?
Do you want to be the poorest in heaven?
Then we cannot sit back on our past accomplishments
Or our past faithfulness.
Faithfulness is always measured in present tense.
Don’t let your history be written like Jehu’s:
“Well one time they did this, but they didn’t finish their mission, and they weren’t careful to fully obey, and even though God tried to correct them, they wouldn’t listen.”
I’m reminded of that famous church in the Revelation.
Revelation 3:1-3 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. ‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. ‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.”
They had a great history and pathetic ministry.
We are about to celebrate 100 years here in this church.
There is a lot of good that can be said
About the past 100 years, and that is fine.
But our faithfulness is not judged
By what we did in 1967, or in 1932.
Our faithfulness is judged by August 23, 2009.
That is what God is looking at.
• Let us be found as those who complete our mission…
• Let us be found as those who are consistent in our worship…
• Let us be found as those who are willing to accept the correction of God…
So that we will not be saved so as through fire.
Jehu was the inconsistent king.
He could have been so much more
If he had only been careful to be obedient.
How about you?
