The Driving Of Jehu (2 Kings 9.20)

by Archibald, A. | Category: General | Oct 1961

Jehu sat among his fellows, an upright and commanding figure, a captain among the captains of the host, each one a battle-hardened veteran, each conscious of his own capabilities, bearing himself with a proud confidence, begotten of victories in a score of conflicts, yet giving withal unspoken place to the one in their midst. He was girded like the others for battle, for the host kept watch and ward over the coveted city of Ramoth-gilead. The battle for possession had swayed for over twelve years between the contending armies and was eventually crowned by a victory which was marred only by the severe wounds of the reigning king (2 Kings 8.28).

A score of years had passed since a downcast Elijah had been sent to perform a triple anointing, part of which he had not carried out. It was the appointed time to fulfil the prophecy made to him that "him that escapeth from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay" (1 Kings 19.17). For the proud and sinful house of Ahab the day of reckoning had arrived, the stage was set for the fulfilment of the divine prophecy.

Entirely unconscious of the part he was to play, Jehu sat thus among his fellows, and he was unaware, too, that urgent feet, on a mission that could brook no delay, were close to the doors. Suddenly their privacy was shattered by a figure in a strange garb, with a mantle of camel's hair which proclaimed him a prophet of Jehovah, who said, "I have an errand to thee, 0 captain." Jehu, the son of Nimshi, sensing the urgency of the occasion, allowed himself to be taken by the compelling stranger into the inner chamber. There he was startled to see the stranger bring out from his garment a bottle of oil, which he poured out upon the head of Jehu. Then the prophet said, "Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel. And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel".

The messenger; his task accomplished, took abrupt departure, as swift and unceremonious as his arrival, leaving behind a Jehu, whose first bewildered surprise was rapidly giving way to impulsive action, as the realities of his anointing dawned upon his ambitious mind. The footsteps of the retreating messenger had scarcely died away, and the astonished captains had not time to comment, when in the doorway stood Jehu, fresh from his anointing. Immediately a babel of questions broke the silence, but the anointing oil spoke with an eloquence which allowed for no misapprehension. Perhaps the rudely interrupted conversation had centred on their sorely smitten king away in Jezreel, and the intriguing possibilities of royal succession, but there was no hesitation in their immediate acknowledgement of divine election and anointing, as each stripped off his personal garment to make a royal seat for the newly-appointed king and announced, to the accompaniment of trumpets, "Jehu is king."

So Jehu began to fulfil his destiny, to smite and spare not, to vindicate before the thousands of Israel and unseen hosts in heaven, the divine claim, "Vengeance is Mine, and recompense" (Deuteronomy 32.35). The stage had been slowly and meticulously set over the years under the direction of Him whose judgements are unsearchable and His ways past tracing out. Ahab had fallen and now, wicked Jezebel was destined to be cast down and found no more, also Ahaziali and Joram. Naboth and his sons, unjustly silenced in their blood, called for vengeance. Elijah, loud in prophecy against the royal house, and Elisha, all contributed their part in the pattern of judgement.

The watcher too upon the walls played his part as he discerned in the advancing chariot that it indicated the hard driving of Jehu, though he could not know that it was an avenger that was approaching. The stage was set - Jehu, divinely forged and furnished, the brute creation in their appointed places awaiting their prey, the eagles poised in the sky, the pariah dogs snarling at the city gates, for it was ordained that "Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat" (1 Kings 21.24).

Swiftly rode the fiery Jehu, intent upon fulfilling his first objective, to meet and deal with the wounded limb of the wicked house of Ahab, Joram himself. Alerted by the watchman's cry, the man that Jehu sought arose from his sick bed, to see, and finally to cry to his followers, "make ready," and out of the city of Jezreel went Joram to meet his captain, secure in the knowledge of his kingship. They meet, oh! the irony of divine arrangement, in the vineyard of Naboth, and for Jehu fifteen years rolled away and became as yesterday ! A rush of memories must have filled him with a fiercer heat for it was through this very place that he had followed Ahab, who walked where he ought not, and there they had been confronted by Elijah and together they heard of the condemnation of Jehovah for the murder of its innocent owner. What more fitting place to deal out God-inspired vengeance than this! and as the son of Ahab and Jezebel met the fierce eyes of Jehu and heard his searing reply to the erstwhile royal challenge, he realized that judgement was on its way, and he turned to flee the spot. As well might the sparrow seek to evade the downward swoop of the hawk, or the prey to escape the calculated spring of the lion. As Joram turned his chariot to flee, Jehu reached for his bow and proved that his archery was a fitting match for his impetuous skill as charioteer. The bow was bent to its limit, the arrow sped to its mark, and Joram, having escaped from death at Hazael's hand fell to the arrow of Jehu. He fell in the field and the fowls of the air completed their part of the prophecy.

Fifteen long years had passed since Naboth and his sons had been slain, and possibly men had marvelled at the seeming tardiness of heaven's vengeance. How often has that story of violence and rapine been enacted, since Abel fell under the hand of Cain! Now Naboth was avenged!

But Jehu's work was not finished for in Jezreel was waiting one who sat as queen, in whose skirts was the blood of martyrs, infamous for her part in the house of Ahab, but yet to hear the word "cast her down," and the dogs of Jezreel did their part in the fulfilment of the prophecy.

Judgement may seem slow in fulfilment, but the day is surely coming when this sin-stained earth will see a fiercer judgement than that of Jehu executed by One who will bring to every prophecy its fulfilment, and to every shadow its substance.

Judgement is the strange work of God, and His work is done by those who are chosen of Him, whether it be a Jehu or a King of Syria, or a King of Babylon, and such men are not in any sense types of the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the evil doers of the world, though all judgements ordained by God in past days carry the thoughts onward to that last great judgement when He, the Man of Calvary, comes on the clouds of heaven, which coming will be swift as lightning. "Behold, He cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they which pierced Him " (Revelation 1.7). From our point of vantage, through the placing of matchless grace, we join with John the beloved and with countless hosts of witnesses made righteous by faith, "Amen: come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22.20).

Archibald, A. | Oct 1961
General