Living Room Study

2 Kings 9

“So Jehu got up and went into the house.  The young prophet poured the oil on his head and said, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says: “I will anoint you king over the Lord’s people, Israel.  You are to strike down the house of your master Ahab so that I may avenge the blood shed by the hand of Jezebel – the blood of My servants the prophets and of all the servants of the Lord.  The whole house of Ahab will perish, and I will eliminate all of Ahab’s males, both slave and free, in Israel.  I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah.  The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of land at Jezreel – no one will bury her”’.  Then the young prophet opened the door and escaped.”  2 Kings 9

I am writing this at Christmastime, 2008 when my own country is straddled with a “sluggish” economy.  Fox News is broadcasting the endless diatribes of economists and politicians talking about stimulating the economy with various measures, which may make up a “stimulus package.”  Personally, I don’t believe anything can alter the downward course of our nation, apart from Biblical revival.

Sometimes in Scripture, the Lord seems to “jump-start” or stimulate history’s course with His Word.  We see that in today’s passage.  No sooner does the prophet throw open the door and bolt off, no sooner does Jehu report his words to his comrades than a revolt is under way.  What stirred that up?  What was the catalyst?  The Word of God.  It is likely that Jehu and Co. were only too happy to rebel; nevertheless, it was the Lord’s Word that incited them to do it.

We saw the same thing in 2 Kings 8:7-15.  Elisha itemized the disaster Hazael would inflict on Israel: Blazing her fortresses, killing her young draftees in war, bashing her infants to death, and slicing-open her pregnant women.  Elisha wept, Hazael smiled.  But how could he do this?  Elisha informs him that the Lord has shown him that Hazael is to be king of Syria.  It was Hazael’s decision to make, but Elisha’s Word from the Lord was the catalyst behind it.

The Word of God incited Jesus, but to submission instead of rebellion.

“Then Jesus told him (Peter) ‘Put your sword back in its place because all who take up the sword will perish by a sword.  Or do you not think that I cannot cal on My Father, and He will provide Me at once with more than 12 legions of angels?  How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?’” Matthew 26:52-54

What does Jesus mean – “this way”?  He means that the Scriptures have said that Messiah’s work will be accomplished through the weakness of the cross, not by the power of the sword.  Although both plans would have removed the disciples from immediate danger, only one would have provided eternal salvation.  What areas of your life are you weighing the options of faithfully following God’s Word, against formulating your own escape plan?

Blessings.

Steve Wiggins