Readings for today: 2 Kings 9-11, 2 Chronicles 22:10-12, 23
“I have designated you…” “I have chosen you…” “I have called you…” Over and over again, throughout the Scriptures, God makes it clear that the primary instrument of His will is the human being. The creature made in His image. The creature to whom was given the mandate to “be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and exercise dominion over all God had made.” God never wavers from this commitment. It’s why we see Him coming back to humanity time and again to renew His covenant. Noah and his family. Abraham and Sarah. Isaac and Rebekah. Jacob and Leah and Rachel. Joseph. Moses. Joshua. Gideon. Deborah. Samuel. David. To name a few. Many of them are instruments of His grace and mercy and love. Many of them are instruments of His righteous judgment and wrath. Many of them are both. Jehu stands in the long line of those called by God for a particular purpose. He is to execute God’s judgment on the family of Ahab. The sins of this particular family have been piling up and the bill has now come due. Just as God promised.
Jehu is a terrifying figure in Scripture. A man of war. A man accustomed to violence. A man capable of terrible brutality. His commitment to destroy the family of Ahab and the Baal religion is total and absolute. He starts with the two kings of Israel and Judah and works his way down to Jezebel and Ahab’s sons. He calls every prophet and priest of Baal to attend to him and then slaughters them in the very temple where they worship. Finally, he goes after Ahab’s supporters. His nobles and close friends. He offers no mercy. No quarter is given. No one escapes. The destruction is so complete that the people of Samaria begin to use the former site of Baal’s temple as a latrine. This kind of holy war is deeply unsettling to a 21st century reader and yet it foreshadows the final judgment of God. It’s a sobering reminder that when God truly does intervene in our world to put an end to evil and sin, the destruction will be complete. At that moment, for those who have not yet bowed the knee to Jesus Christ, no mercy will be offered. No quarter will be given. No one will escape.
Thankfully, God is patient, not wishing any to perish in the final judgment. It’s why He delays His 2nd coming. He wants to see everyone be saved and come to a knowledge of His truth. And it’s why He calls His church - you and me and all those who follow Jesus - to share the gospel. We are God’s chosen instruments. Set apart for His great Kingdom work. He has designated us to accomplish His purposes in our world. If you are reading this devotional today and do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I plead with you with all my heart to make that commitment today. And if you are reading this devotional and have given your life to Christ, I plead with you with all my heart to make Him known to those around you today! Don’t wait! Don’t delay! We do not know the time or the hour Jesus will return and we want everyone to be ready to meet Him with open arms.
Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 12-13, 2 Chronicles 24