Jehu / 2 Chronicles 25

If you have your Bibles, please turn to 2 Kings chapter 9. Again, my name is Chris, and it is just a privilege and a pleasure to be here with you again.

If you were here last week, we made a pretty sharp turn in this Kings series, didn’t we? We were looking at three good kings, and all of a sudden we got to Ahab, taking a hard right turn. Now we are continuing along that road, looking at some ungodly kings. Today, we are going to look at a king who, early on and from the outside, might seem godly. But as we examine his life closely, we are going to realize that was very much not the case.

The Professional Reformer

In 2006, a man named Eliot Spitzer was elected governor of New York. He received his bachelor’s degree from Princeton and graduated from Harvard Law School—a brilliant guy. He eventually became a tough-minded crusader: a prosecutor who was principled, persistent, and determined to fight corruption at the highest levels. When he became the Attorney General of New York, he was affectionately known as the “Sheriff of Wall Street.” He took on corporate tycoons and fought hard to deal with injustice. Some referred to him as “Mr. Clean.” He liked this Puritan-like behavior where he would even get upset if anything off-color or inappropriate was said; he just didn’t tolerate it.

He was a rising Democrat, nominated as a potential vice presidential candidate, and some thought he might become the first Jewish president in our country. In 2007, after being elected governor, he signed into law the Human Trafficking Law, a bill that reclassified prostitution from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class B felony.

Then, in March 2008, he resigned as governor after being caught on a wiretap arranging a liaison with a high-end prostitute. It turned out he had been patronizing a high-priced escort service called the Emperor’s Club VIP, spending $15,000 on clients. During an FBI sting operation, he became known as “Client 9.” Over his time as Attorney General and Governor, he spent almost $80,000 on prostitutes and escorts. He went from a presidential contender to a nobody literally overnight in one of the biggest scandals in New York state history.

One of his opponents said of him during that time: “Spitzer is a hypocrite. He destroyed reputations of people who had good reputations. He talked today about his standards, but what he didn’t talk about were the standards he held everybody else to, but couldn’t keep himself. He showed one face to the public—a pious and morally righteous face that appeared to do all the right things—but in reality, his life was completely the opposite, full of deceit, lust, and immorality.”

Eliot Spitzer was a professional reformer who lacked personal reformation, and he lost everything as a result. What we are going to look at today in the life of King Jehu is a similar story: a hardened soldier of fortune who honored the Lord with his hands, but whose heart was very far from God.

Mike did a great job last week laying out Ahab’s life and leadership. I am so grateful for his gifting and for having him on our staff team—and I do pray he comes back safely from Guatemala! But as we come to the life of Jehu, we are going to see three phases in his life: the anointing phase (chapter 9:1–13), the avenging phase (chapter 9:14–10:27), and finally, the assessment of his life (chapter 10:28–36).

The Anointing: A Divine Commission

For a quick backdrop, Joram is now king in Israel; he is the son of Ahab and Jezebel. Ahaziah is king in Judah, and he married Ahab’s daughter. So both kingdoms are tied directly to wicked Ahab’s family line. King Joram was injured in battle, so he is in Jezreel trying to recover, and the king of Judah comes down to visit his brother-in-law. That is where our story picks up.

2 Kings 9:1-3 (NASB)

Now Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, ’Gird up your loins, and take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth-gilead. ’When you arrive there, search out Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and bid him arise from among his brothers, and bring him to an inner room. ’Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ’Thus says the LORD, ‘I have anointed you king over Israel.’’ Then open the door and flee and do not wait.’

Elijah has been taken up into heaven in a whirlwind, and Elisha is now the prophet in the nation. God speaks to Elisha and tells him He has a new king for Israel named Jehu. Jehu was the commander of the northern armies, a former bodyguard for Ahab who was likely present during the murder of Naboth, which we covered last week. His name means “Yahweh is He.” Jehu is given a divine calling to be both a leader and a terminator in God’s plan.

Elisha sends a young prophet to anoint Jehu in secret with specific instructions:

2 Kings 9:7-8 (NASB)

’You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. ’For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male person both bond and free in Israel.

Jehu is tasked with executing God’s divine judgment. God had pronounced upon Ahab and Jezebel that they would be punished for their sin against Naboth. God promised they would not get away with it and that justice would come. Jehu is chosen to carry that out.

This reminds me of Paul’s words in Galatians:

Galatians 6:7-8 (NASB)

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

God takes sin very seriously. There are consequences to our sin, and people are held accountable for their choices. As we look at Ahab’s life, we are reminded that God brings justice and judgment, yet He also offers grace. At the cross, we see the beautiful picture of divine justice and divine mercy meeting in Jesus’ payment for our sins.

God appointed this military leader to be an agent of judgment against the house of Ahab. What a calling! I’m not sure I would want the assignment of wiping out an entire royal line. But God knew He had the right man for the job. Jehu was a hardened soldier who had faced the dark realities of war; he wasn’t going to be fazed. He was calculated, cold, meticulous, and precise. When given an order, he executed it.

The Avenging: Fast, Furious, and Unrestrained

Jehu moves quickly into the avenging phase. In chapter 9, verse 14, he rallies his troops, mounts his chariot, and makes a beeline for Jezreel where King Joram is recovering. As his entourage approaches, a watchman sees them and reports it to the king. Joram sends out a messenger on horseback to ask, “Do you come in peace?” Jehu replies, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.” A second messenger is sent, and Jehu does the exact same thing.

2 Kings 9:20 (NASB)

The watchman reported, ‘He came even to them, and he did not return; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.’

Basically, Jehu is Vin Diesel. He is Fast & Furious. Since none of the messengers are returning, King Joram and King Ahaziah hop into their chariots and ride out to meet him. Interestingly, they meet him at the property of Naboth.

2 Kings 9:22 (NASB)

When Joram saw Jehu, he said, ‘Is it peace, Jehu?’ And he answered, ‘What peace, so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?’

Joram asks, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And Jehu essentially answers, “Your mom! As long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel continue, there is no peace.” The kings realize what is happening and try to flee, but Jehu, skilled soldier that he is, draws his bow and shoots Joram through the heart. Then he tracks down Ahaziah and strikes him down as well. He takes Joram’s body and throws it into Naboth’s field. Last week, Ahab wanted that land to plant a vegetable garden; this week, his son’s corpse is dumped in that very soil.

Jehu is just getting started. Next up is the evil queen mother, Jezebel. Ahab has been dead for about twelve years, and she is still reigning as the wicked queen.

2 Kings 9:30 (NASB)

When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard [of it], and she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window.

When I first read that, it struck me as bizarre. She knows Jehu is coming to execute her, and she stops to do her makeup, fix her hair, and paint her eyes? Why would she do that?

I was talking to my wife, Jen, about this, and she said, “Well, you know how when I was going into labor to deliver one of our four daughters, I painted my toenails before we went to the hospital?” I asked, “Why on earth would you do that?” She explained, “Labor is intense and overwhelming. You lose control of your body, and you don’t feel pretty. For two months, I hadn’t even seen my toenails! Painting them was my way of saying: this is going to be messy, but I want to feel in control of something, and I want to feel beautiful.”

I don’t know if that was Jezebel’s exact motivation, but it makes a lot of sense! Thank you, Jen, for that insight.

Whatever her reason, Jezebel stands defiantly at the window. Jehu looks up and calls out, “Who is on my side? Who?” A couple of eunuchs look out, and Jehu commands, “Throw her down!” They toss her out the window, her blood splatters against the wall, and Jehu tramples her under his chariot horses. Then, in total cold-blooded fashion, Jehu goes inside, sits down, and has lunch. Mid-meal, he remembers her and says, “Go bury that cursed woman; she is a king’s daughter.” But when they go outside, the stray dogs have eaten her body, leaving only her skull, feet, and palms.

1 Kings 21:23 (NASB)

’Of Jezebel also has the LORD spoken, saying, ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel in the district of Jezreel.’

It is gruesome and horrific, but it directly fulfilled the word of the Lord spoken through Elijah.

In chapter 10, Jehu heads toward Samaria, the capital and headquarters of Baal worship. Ahab has seventy sons living there. Jehu sends letters challenging the city leaders: “Pick the best man among Ahab’s sons, put him on the throne, and fight for your master’s house.” Terrified, they reply that they will do whatever Jehu commands. So Jehu tests their allegiance: “If you are with me, bring me the heads of your master’s sons tomorrow.” They slaughter all seventy sons, pack their heads into baskets, and deliver them to Jezreel, where Jehu piles them into two heaps at the city gate.

2 Kings 10:11 (NASB)

So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his acquaintances and his priests, until he left him without a survivor.

Jehu was commanded to wipe out the house of Ahab, but in verse 12, he begins crossing the line from executing justice to indulging in bloodlust. On his way to Samaria, he encounters forty-two relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah who are traveling innocently. Jehu takes them captive and slaughters every one of them at the pit of Beth-eked. God never commanded him to kill those forty-two men. We start seeing Jehu take matters into his own hands.

Next, he meets Jehonadab, an ascetic leader who was part of an ultra-conservative community.

2 Kings 10:16 (NASB)

He said, ‘Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD.’ So he made him ride in his chariot.

If someone has to boast about their zeal, that is rarely a sign of humility. Have you ever had a quick, passing conversation with someone and asked, “How’s your day going?” expecting a twenty-second reply, only for them to say, “I’m glad you asked!” and list off all their great accomplishments? That is Jehu. He takes pride in what he is doing, boasting of his religious fervor.

Jehu then devises a deceptive scheme. He gathers the people and proclaims, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much!” He calls for a nationwide assembly of all the prophets, priests, and worshipers of Baal inside their grand temple.

2 Kings 10:20-21 (NASB)

And Jehu said, ‘Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal.’ And they proclaimed [it]. Then Jehu sent throughout Israel and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. And when they went into the house of Baal, the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other.

Once the temple is packed wall-to-wall, Jehu has vestments distributed to identify every worshiper. He stations eighty elite soldiers outside with strict orders: “If anyone lets a single man escape, your life will pay for his.” The soldiers go in with the sword and massacre every Baal worshiper, destroy the sacred pillars, demolish the temple, and turn the site into a public latrine.

2 Kings 10:28 (NASB)

Thus Jehu eradicated Baal out of Israel.

Reading this, you might wonder: where is the God of love and mercy in all of this?

It helps to understand the difference between what is prescriptive and what is descriptive in Scripture. Prescriptive passages tell us how we ought to live—like the Ten Commandments or Paul’s ethical imperatives in Ephesians. Descriptive passages simply record historical events as they happened. This narrative is descriptive. God used Jehu as an instrument of judgment against an intensely corrupt, idolatrous dynasty, but Scripture is not telling us to go out and slaughter people who disagree with us.

The Assessment: Hands Without a Heart

Finally, we reach God’s assessment of Jehu’s life.

2 Kings 10:30 (NASB)

The LORD said to Jehu, ‘Because you have done well in executing what is right in My eyes, [and] have done to the house of Ahab according to all that [was] in My heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.’

At first glance, God says, “Well done. You carried out what was in My heart regarding Ahab, and your descendants will sit on the throne to the fourth generation.”

In our household, we often tell our kids, “If you obey, it will go well with you.” We quote Deuteronomy, reminding them that obedience brings blessing while disobedience brings hardship. On the surface, it looks like Jehu obeyed, and God blessed him. If the story stopped at verse 30, we would conclude that Jehu was a great, godly reformer.

But look at the verses that sandwich that commendation:

2 Kings 10:29 (NASB)

However, [as for] the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin, from these Jehu did not depart, [even] the golden calves that [were] at Bethel and that [were] at Dan.

2 Kings 10:31 (NASB)

But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin.

Jehu had zealous religious actions, but he lacked a humble heart. He possessed external obedience alongside internal self-deception. His motives were selfish and ambitious. He was a professional reformer without a personal reformation.

Jehu served the Lord with his hands, but he never gave God his heart. He missed what Moses laid out as the foundational command:

Deuteronomy 6:5 (NASB)

’You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

True devotion starts with the heart. In Jehu, we see outward behavior without inward transformation. He accomplished great tasks for God, but he never walked with God in a close, personal relationship like David or Josiah did. He tore down Baal, but he kept the golden calves at Bethel and Dan because they served his political interests. He gave the appearance of a righteous warrior, but he lacked genuine spiritual integrity.

The Whitewashed Tomb

Jehu’s story is not unique, and Eliot Spitzer’s story is not unique. Double lives play out around us all the time in business, in politics, and tragically, in the church. It is easy for us to sit back like armchair quarterbacks and criticize them. But God’s Word is meant to be a mirror held up to our own souls.

As I studied this text over the past couple of weeks, the words of Jesus in Matthew 23 kept echoing in my mind:

Matthew 23:25-28 (NASB)

’Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. ’You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. ’Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. ’So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Jesus’ words are fierce. Displaying external purity while harboring internal filth is repulsive to God. Jesus welcomed broken sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes. He ate with them and loved them. But to the self-righteous hypocrites—to the Jehus and Spitzers of the world—His words were: “Woe to you!”

God hates hypocrisy. He hates the performance of being all hands and no heart. Yet the Gospel is glorious good news for broken sinners who recognize their desperate need for grace. The Gospel begins in the heart and works its way out to the hands, never the other way around. What we do for God is never as important as what God has already done for us in Christ. Our obedience is simply a grateful response to Christ’s obedience on the cross.

The Gospel Freedom

This hits close to home for me. When I was in high school at Fresno Christian, I was the quintessential “all-American boy.” I was the valedictorian, student body president, a four-sport athlete, and team captain. Parents loved me, teachers praised me, and articles were written about me. Externally, I looked like I had it all together.

Internally, I was a mess. I was looking at pornography and sexually explicit movies—and this was before the internet! I cheated on tests to keep my 4.0 GPA. I cursed around my friends and tore people down with cruel jokes just to get a laugh. I was ashamed. I was Jehu. I was Eliot Spitzer. Outwardly righteous, inwardly hollow.

By God’s grace, He broke through that hypocrisy. He showed me that Christianity is about the heart, not just the hands. He brought my sin into the light, granted repentance, and continues to shape me into the image of Jesus.

Yet even today as a pastor, I can drift into Jehu’s mindset. I can catch myself studying God’s Word just to give a polished sermon and impress an audience, rather than simply enjoying communion with my Heavenly Father. I can care more about what I do for the Lord than who I am in Christ.

During my prayer time this week, I felt the Lord gently humble my heart. It was as if He said: “Chris, you know I don’t need you to preach this sermon on Sunday, right? I don’t need you to lead marriage ministry or run programs. Brad could fire you tomorrow, and The Well would be completely fine without you. I don’t need you at all.”

That is a healthy dose of humble pie. But you know what? It is incredibly freeing! I don’t have to perform for God; I get to serve Him. God’s grace has rescued me, and out of that grace, I get to be part of what He is doing. Life is not about building my kingdom or seeking my glory; it is about His kingdom and His righteousness.

I suspect I am not the only one in this room who struggles with this. Some of you are exhausted from focusing on your “hands” rather than your heart. You keep a busy list of religious duties, but you feel spiritually dry. Maybe you are hiding secret sins, maintaining an outward mask while living a double life.

Can I remind you of the good news today? You don’t have to fake it anymore. You just have to admit it. You don’t need to try harder or run faster; you need to run to the cross. Jesus hated hypocrisy, but He deeply loves sinners. At the cross, He bore our hypocrisy and paid for our sins once and for all. That is why He declared, “It is finished!”

King Jehu drove ferociously, obeying God with his hands while keeping his heart far from Him. Church, let us not be whitewashed tombs. Let us seek the Lord with all of our hearts, resting fully in the Gospel, and allowing our hands to overflow with genuine thanksgiving and praise.

Let’s pray.

Lord, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for how it cuts straight to our hearts and exposes our self-righteousness. Father, forgive us for the times we have offered You our hands while withholding our hearts. Cleanse us from the inside out. May we rest fully in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, and may our lives overflow with genuine love and worship for You. In Christ’s name, Amen.