Jehu Anointed King of Israel
May 11, 2020
Commentary
The last official act of Elisha was to be of great significance for both Israel and Judah. Jehu’s accession to the throne of Israel was predicted by Elijah (I Kings 19:16). Elijah had been commissioned by God to anoint Jehu king over Israel. This assignment fell to his successor Elisha, who delegated one of his disciples to do the actual anointing.
Jehu was one of the captains of the northern army (9:5). His inaugural commission was to carry out a fulfillment of God’s predicted judgment on the house of Ahab (I Kings 21:21-24). When the prophet anointed Jehu, he explained to him the purpose for which God had chosen him. He was to destroy Ahab’s household. This would avenge the blood of the Lord’s prophets and servants which had been shed as a result of Jezebel’s influence. Jeroboam’s and Baasha’s dynasties had ended violently and so would Ahab’s.
After the young prophet had anointed Jehu, he ran away as Elisha had told him to do (v. 3). Seeing this the officers referred to the prophet as a madman (v. 11). Jehu tried to change the subject when his friends asked him what the prophet had said. However, these friends would not be put off and pressed to know what had happened. At this point Jehu explained that the prophets had anointed him king over Israel. Immediately the officers arranged a little ceremony, blowing the trumpets and shouting, Jehu is king!
Application
Is it costing me anything to be a Christian? If it isn’t then I am probably not doing anything that is meaningful or lasting for the Lord.
Philippians 2:09– 16 (NET)
9 As a result God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow —in heaven and on earth and under the earth—
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
12 So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, 13 for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort—for the sake of his good pleasure—is God. 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world 16 by holding on to the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.