Ahab, Jezebel and Baal worship

A prophet was sent to anoint Captain Jehu as the new king of Israel. He was also given a charge by the LORD to destroy all the house of Ahab and wicked Jezebel. He had succeeded in destroying the descendants of Ahab and Jezebel was killed as she sought to intimidate him.

 

2 Kings 9:30 When Jezebel, the queen mother, heard that Jehu had come to Jezreel, she painted her eyelids and fixed her hair and sat at a window.

31 When Jehu entered the gate of the palace, she shouted at him, "Have you come in peace, you murderer? You are just like Zimri, who murdered his master!"

32 Jehu looked up and saw her at the window and shouted, "Who is on my side?" And two or three eunuchs looked out at him.

33 "Throw her down!" Jehu yelled. So they threw her out the window, and some of her blood spattered against the wall and on the horses. And Jehu trampled her body under his horses' hooves.

34 Then Jehu went into the palace and ate and drank. Afterward he said, "Someone go and bury this cursed woman, for she is the daughter of a king."

35 But when they went out to bury her, they found only her skull, her feet, and her hands.

36 When they returned and told Jehu, he stated, "This fulfills the message from the LORD, which he spoke through his servant Elijah from Tishbe: 'At the plot of land in Jezreel, dogs will eat Jezebel's flesh.

37 Her body will be scattered like dung on the field of Jezreel, so that no one will be able to recognize her." (NLT)

 

The wicked Jezebel who brought the spirit of fear to oppress the heart of Elijah was dead. May our fears be put to death and may we love and serve the LORD our God with a whole heart. Next Jehu was going to destroy Baal worship.

 

2 Kings 10:19 Summon all the prophets and worshipers of Baal, and call together all his priests. See to it that every one of them comes, for I am going to offer a great sacrifice to Baal. Any of Baal's worshipers who fail to come will be put to death." But Jehu's plan was to destroy all the worshipers of Baal.

20 Then Jehu ordered, "Prepare a solemn assembly to worship Baal!" So they did.

21 He sent messengers throughout all Israel summoning those who worshiped Baal. They all came and filled the temple of Baal from one end to the other.

22 And Jehu instructed the keeper of the wardrobe, "Be sure that every worshiper of Baal wears one of these robes." So robes were given to them.

23 Then Jehu went into the temple of Baal with Jehonadab son of Recab. Jehu said to the worshipers of Baal, "Make sure that only those who worship Baal are here. Don't let anyone in who worships the LORD!"

24 So they were all inside the temple to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had surrounded the building with eighty of his men and had warned them, "If you let anyone escape, you will pay for it with your own life."

25 As soon as Jehu had finished sacrificing the burnt offering, he commanded his guards and officers, "Go in and kill all of them. Don't let a single one escape!" So they killed them all with their swords, and the guards and officers dragged their bodies outside. Then Jehu's men went into the fortress of the temple of Baal.

26 They dragged out the sacred pillar used in the worship of Baal and destroyed it.

27 They broke down the sacred pillar of Baal and wrecked the temple of Baal, converting it into a public toilet. That is what it is used for to this day.

28 Thus, Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal worship from Israel.

29 He did not, however, destroy the gold calves at Bethel and Dan, the great sin that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

30 Nonetheless the LORD said to Jehu, "You have done well in following my instructions to destroy the family of Ahab. Because of this I will cause your descendants to be the kings of Israel down to the fourth generation."

31 But Jehu did not obey the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He refused to turn from the sins of idolatry that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit. (NLT)

 

Jehu was faithful but not entirely faithful to the LORD. He continued to allow the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan. Because his heart was not entirely given to God the whole nation of Israel would eventually be judged for idolatry and scattered among the nations. Our nation has it's Ahab and Jezebels allowing evil practices to take over the land. God will judge our nation as he judged Israel if we do not repent and return to the God of Israel, the God of truth and righteousness, with a whole heart. It starts with the church. Is their a lack of full surrender and commitment to God in your heart and in mine?