Tribute to God’s Word

10 May 2020 PM – 2 Kings 9-10 – Kings20 – Scott Childs

Welcome: Welcome to our Sunday evening online church service.

Prayer

Introduction: A grandmother was looking after her two little grandchildren – a 7-year-old girl, and a 5-year-old boy. They were naughty. When it came time for their mother to pick them up, the little girl said, “Are you going to tell Mummy?” The grandmother replied, “No, I’m not. But if she asks me, I can’t tell a lie.” The little boy looked up to her and said, “Why not? I’m only five, and I can lie great.”

When God says that He will do something, He never lies. He cannot lie. He may mercifully delay, but His promises are sure.

Transition: This evening, as we look at the reign of King Jehu in Israel, I want us to focus on the many fulfilled prophecies that pay tribute to God’s Word, assuring us that God always keeps his Word.

First, we find fulfilled prophecies in

Jehu’s Anointing as King (2Ki 9:1-10)

a. God’s Word

1) Several years earlier, God told Elijah that he was to anoint Jehu as king over Israel. (1 Kings 19:16) “And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel:..“

2) God said that Jehu would slay evil people. (1 Kings 19:17) “And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.“

3) It is possible that Elijah had anointed Jehu years before this event, but it is more likely that Elijah prepared Elisha, who prepared one of the children of the prophets to do the task (9:1-3).

b. Fulfilment

1) Jehu, the captain of Joram’s army, was overseeing the battle in Ramoth-Gilead about 60 km due east of Jezreel. King Joram was in Jezreel recovering from battle wounds. His nephew, Ahaziah king of Judah was visiting him.

2) Elisha’s young prophet found Jehu at Ramoth-Gilead (9:4). He privately anointed Jehu and gave him God’s instructions (9:6-10).

3) Note: He was to “avenge the blood of God’s servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.” (9:7) God will avenge every martyr.

God fulfilled His Word. God waited until Joram was wounded. God’s timing is always right. He is never early or late.

Second, we find fulfilled prophecies in

2. Jehu’s Execution of Royalty (2Ki 9:11-37)

a. God’s Word

1) God promised Ahab that he would cut off his house. (1 Kings 21:21) “Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,” Compare with 2Ki 9:26.

2) God promised also that Jezebel would die and be eaten of dogs. (1 Kings 21:23) “And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.“

3) Also (2 Chronicles 22:7) “And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.“

b. Fulfilment

1) Jehu raced west over Jordan and up to Jezreel, the location of the king’s palace (though Samaria was the capital) (9:16).

2) After king Joram sent two horsemen to discern the coming riders, but they did not return, he and king Ahaziah went out to meet the riders who they thought to be Jehu (9:20-21).

3) Jehu revealed his intent (9:22). Thus, Joram turned and fled but Jehu shot him through the heart (9:23-24).

4) They cast Joram into the field of Naboth as God had predicted (9:26)

5) Ahaziah fled, but he too was killed, being grandson to Ahab as God had planned (9:27).

6) Jehu then went into Jezreel and ordered that Jezebel be cast out of an upper window (9:33). She died and the dog ate her (9:35). This too fulfilled God’s promise (9:36-37).

Rather than focus on the harshness of God’s judgment, focus on the truthfulness of God’s promises.

Third, we find fulfilled prophecies in

3. Jehu’s Extermination of Ahab’s Family (2Ki 10:1-17)

a. God’s Word

1) God promised that all of Ahab’s family would die. (1 Kings 21:22) “And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.“

2) None of Ahab’s family would receive a respectable burial. (1 Kings 21:24) “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.“

3) A key verse is (2 Kings 10:10) “Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.“

b. Fulfilment

1) Jehu ordered the execution of Ahab’s 70 sons that lived in Samaria (10:1-7).

2) Jehu killed all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel (10:11).

3) Jehu headed down to Samaria and on the way, he met the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah. These were close relatives but not his actual brothers for his brothers had been killed earlier by the Arabians (2Ch 21:17). Jehu killed all 42 of them because they were related to Ahab.

When Jesus said, (Matthew 5:18) “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” That is true in every age. God always keeps His Word!

Fourth, we find fulfilled prophecies during

4. Jehu’s Reign (2Ki 10:18-36)

a. God’s Word

1) Years earlier, God had Moses warn His people, (Deuteronomy 8:19) “And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.“

2) God also told Elijah that Hazael would kill the wicked among Israel. (1 Kings 19:17) “And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.“

b. Fulfilment

1) Jehu deceitfully ordered a mandatory nationwide Baal worship service (10:18-21). No worshippers of Jehovah were permitted to enter.

2) In the middle of the service, he ordered the execution of every worshipper with no exception (10:25). This is just what God had promised.

3) Hazael, king of Syria, smote all the land of Israel east of the Jordan (the 2 ½ tribes) because they forsook the Lord (10:32-33). This is exactly what God promised to Elijah.

4) Sadly, after all that Jehu did to obey God’s removal of Ahab and Baal worship, he himself failed to walk in the law of the Lord with all his heart (10:31). Thus, his family only reigned for four generations (10:30).

God always keeps His word!

Conclusion: This evening, as we looked at the reign of King Jehu, we have particularly noted the many fulfilled prophecies that pay tribute to God’s Word, assuring us that God always keeps His Word. Our God is a faithful God. He is always trustworthy. Whatever He says, He will do.

He promised to save all who believe on Him. He promised to forgive those who confess their sin. He promised to give peace if you give Him your burdens. He promised to draw near to you if you draw near to Him. He promised to take us to heaven in a twinkling of an eye. He promised to take vengeance on all who refuse to believe His Gospel. He will keep these and every other promise He has made. God always keeps His Word.

Pray

Tribute to God’s Word

10 May 2020 PM – 2 Kings 9-10 – Kings20 – Scott Childs

Welcome: Welcome to our Sunday evening online church service.

Prayer

When God says that He will do something, He never lies. He cannot lie. He may mercifully delay, but His promises are sure.

Transition: This evening, as we look at the reign of King Jehu in Israel, I want us to focus on the many fulfilled prophecies that pay tribute to God’s Word, assuring us that God always keeps his Word.

First, we find fulfilled prophecies in

Jehu’s Anointing as King (2Ki 9:1-10)

a. God’s Word

1) Several years earlier, God told Elijah that he was to anoint Jehu as king over Israel. (1 Kings 19:16) “And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel:..“

2) God said that Jehu would slay evil people. (1 Kings 19:17) “And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.“

3) It is possible that Elijah had anointed Jehu years before this event, but it is more likely that Elijah prepared Elisha, who prepared one of the children of the prophets to do the task (9:1-3).

b. Fulfilment

1) Jehu, the captain of Joram’s army, was overseeing the battle in Ramoth-Gilead about 60 km due east of Jezreel. King Joram was in Jezreel recovering from battle wounds. His nephew, Ahaziah king of Judah was visiting him.

2) Elisha’s young prophet found Jehu at Ramoth-Gilead (9:4). He privately anointed Jehu and gave him God’s instructions (9:6-10).

3) Note: He was to “avenge the blood of God’s servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.” (9:7) God will avenge every martyr.

God fulfilled His Word. God waited until Joram was wounded. God’s timing is always right. He is never early or late.

Second, we find fulfilled prophecies in

2. Jehu’s Execution of Royalty (2Ki 9:11-37)

a. God’s Word

1) God promised Ahab that he would cut off his house. (1 Kings 21:21) “Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,” Compare with 2Ki 9:26.

2) God promised also that Jezebel would die and be eaten of dogs. (1 Kings 21:23) “And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.“

3) Also (2 Chronicles 22:7) “And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.“

b. Fulfilment

1) Jehu raced west over Jordan and up to Jezreel, the location of the king’s palace (though Samaria was the capital) (9:16).

2) After king Joram sent two horsemen to discern the coming riders, but they did not return, he and king Ahaziah went out to meet the riders who they thought to be Jehu (9:20-21).

3) Jehu revealed his intent (9:22). Thus, Joram turned and fled but Jehu shot him through the heart (9:23-24).

4) They cast Joram into the field of Naboth as God had predicted (9:26)

5) Ahaziah fled, but he too was killed, being grandson to Ahab as God had planned (9:27).

6) Jehu then went into Jezreel and ordered that Jezebel be cast out of an upper window (9:33). She died and the dog ate her (9:35). This too fulfilled God’s promise (9:36-37).

Rather than focus on the harshness of God’s judgment, focus on the truthfulness of God’s promises.

Third, we find fulfilled prophecies in

3. Jehu’s Extermination of Ahab’s Family (2Ki 10:1-17)

a. God’s Word

1) God promised that all of Ahab’s family would die. (1 Kings 21:22) “And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.“

2) None of Ahab’s family would receive a respectable burial. (1 Kings 21:24) “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.“

3) A key verse is (2 Kings 10:10) “Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.“

b. Fulfilment

1) Jehu ordered the execution of Ahab’s 70 sons that lived in Samaria (10:1-7).

2) Jehu killed all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel (10:11).

3) Jehu headed down to Samaria and on the way, he met the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah. These were close relatives but not his actual brothers for his brothers had been killed earlier by the Arabians (2Ch 21:17). Jehu killed all 42 of them because they were related to Ahab.

When Jesus said, (Matthew 5:18) “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” That is true in every age. God always keeps His Word!

Fourth, we find fulfilled prophecies during

4. Jehu’s Reign (2Ki 10:18-36)

a. God’s Word

1) Years earlier, God had Moses warn His people, (Deuteronomy 8:19) “And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.“

2) God also told Elijah that Hazael would kill the wicked among Israel. (1 Kings 19:17) “And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.“

b. Fulfilment

1) Jehu deceitfully ordered a mandatory nationwide Baal worship service (10:18-21). No worshippers of Jehovah were permitted to enter.

2) In the middle of the service, he ordered the execution of every worshipper with no exception (10:25). This is just what God had promised.

3) Hazael, king of Syria, smote all the land of Israel east of the Jordan (the 2 ½ tribes) because they forsook the Lord (10:32-33). This is exactly what God promised to Elijah.

4) Sadly, after all that Jehu did to obey God’s removal of Ahab and Baal worship, he himself failed to walk in the law of the Lord with all his heart (10:31). Thus, his family only reigned for four generations (10:30).

God always keeps His word!

Conclusion: This evening, as we looked at the reign of King Jehu, we have particularly noted the many fulfilled prophecies that pay tribute to God’s Word, assuring us that God always keeps His Word. Our God is a faithful God. He is always trustworthy. Whatever He says, He will do.

Pray