Topical Bible: Call: To Special Religious Duty: Jehu

◄ Call: To Special Religious Duty: Jehu ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi, is a prominent figure in the history of Israel, known for his divine appointment to execute judgment upon the house of Ahab. His call to special religious duty is a significant event in the narrative of the Northern Kingdom, illustrating God's sovereignty and justice.

Divine Appointment

Jehu's call is recorded in 2 Kings 9, where the prophet Elisha, following the instructions of the LORD, sends one of the sons of the prophets to anoint Jehu as king over Israel. This anointing is not merely a political maneuver but a divine commission to carry out God's judgment. The young prophet declares to Jehu, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: ‘I anoint you king over the people of the LORD, over Israel. You are to strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets and all the servants of the LORD at the hand of Jezebel’" (2 Kings 9:6-7).

Execution of Judgment

Jehu's mission is clear: to eradicate the idolatry and corruption that have plagued Israel under Ahab and Jezebel. His zeal for the LORD's command is evident as he swiftly moves to fulfill his duty. Jehu's actions are marked by decisive and sometimes ruthless measures, as seen in his confrontation with Joram, king of Israel, and Ahaziah, king of Judah. Jehu's arrow finds its mark in Joram, fulfilling the prophetic word against the house of Ahab (2 Kings 9:24).

Destruction of Baal Worship

A significant aspect of Jehu's religious duty is the eradication of Baal worship from Israel. Jehu cunningly gathers all the prophets and worshipers of Baal under the pretense of a grand sacrifice, only to execute them and destroy the temple of Baal. "Thus Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel" (2 Kings 10:28). This act underscores his commitment to purging idolatry and restoring the worship of the LORD.

Legacy and Evaluation

Jehu's reign is a complex tapestry of obedience and failure. While he fulfills the LORD's command to destroy the house of Ahab and eliminate Baal worship, he does not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, maintaining the golden calves at Bethel and Dan (2 Kings 10:29). The LORD acknowledges Jehu's obedience in executing judgment, promising his descendants would sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation (2 Kings 10:30). However, Jehu's incomplete devotion serves as a reminder of the importance of wholehearted obedience to God's commands.

Jehu's call to special religious duty highlights the themes of divine justice, zeal for the LORD, and the complexities of human obedience. His account serves as both an example and a caution within the broader narrative of Israel's history.

Nave's Topical Index

2 Kings 9:6,7
And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, Thus said the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed you king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.
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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.
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Library

False Civilization
... and that is money; gain; our interest (as we call it):- not ... God and mammon; that
a man must of course be religious, and belong to some special sect, or ...
/.../kingsley/discipline and other sermons/sermon vi false civilization.htm

God's Gentle Power
... converted during the times of earnest religious excitement ... abide in thy house." The
personal call did it ... thou, Elijah?" And there are some special persons whose ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 62 1916/gods gentle power.htm

Justification by an Imputed Righteousness;
... These expressions therefore comprehend all their religious duties, both ... I say it
is proper to call the works ... Solomon, whom the Lord loved with special love, as ...
/.../justification by an imputed righteousness.htm

Jer. 6:16 the Good Way.
... and ask." I take these words to be a call to thought ... into a groove now, and nothing
but a special miracle of ... Tell them that any religious idea is old, and they ...
/.../ryle/the upper room being a few truths for the times/chapter v jer 6 16 the.htm

Twenty-Seven Articles Respecting the Reformation of the Christian ...
... counter-Christ, whom the Scriptures call Antichrist; for ... letters, and all the other
religious licences and ... his own city of Rome, special permissions, privileges ...
/.../iii twenty-seven articles respecting the.htm

CHAP. II. 4-25 (2-23).
... Hebrew: l] following, is a religious terminus technicus ... sacred assemblies which you
shall call [Hebrew: bmvedM ... gift," but always with the special one, "reward of ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chap ii 25-apr 2-23.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... on the earth: but as a special favour, which He ... due to the purely moral and religious
causes indicated ... over Karduniash entailed on him the duty of safeguarding ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... a god for whom they had a special devotion; some ... inscriptions accompanying the figures
contain a religious formula together ... all his people at the call of the ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... The lords of Babylon had, ordinarily, a twofold function, religious and military ...
native sovereigns or the foreign conquerors could legally call themselves Kings ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

A Discourse
... But that which in special I take notice of is, that ... and this smoke was that which
they call light, but ... and sufficient to guide in all religious matters, others ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse.htm