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Lesson #9 Chapter 9 The End of the Dynasty of Omri.
：
Theme Obedience to the Lord is the beginning of blessedness for individual,
family, nation and the church
8:25-29
9:1-13
9:14-29
9:30-37
Ahaziah became king of Judah
Jehu was anointed as king of Israel
Jehu killed the two kings
Jehu killed Jezebel
Spiritual Principles:
P1: Everything happened in our life is new trust, new obedience and new joy.
A. Last week…
God is unchanging, including His holiness. In the chaotic international political
stage, God reigned and judged all nations with unchanging standards, particularly the
rulers of nations.
Today, we shall see God’s prophecy regarding Ahab’s household began to fulfil:
“where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your blood-yes, yours!' (1Kings
21:19) and
“And also concerning Jezebel the Lord says: 'Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of
Jezreel.” (1Kings 21:23)
With that the darkest dynasty of Israel ended.
B. 8:25-29 Ahaziah became king of Judah
It was about the year 841B.C. Israel was defending Ramoth Gilead from Aram.
Ramoth had been seized by Benhadad during the reign of Ahab but was later taken back
by his son Joram. Now Hazael, king of Aram attempted to recapture Ramoth from the
hands of Joram.
Ahazaih was the son of Jehoram. He became king of Judah at the age of 22. Instead
of choosing the way of his grandfather Joash to serve the LORD, the young king chose the
way of Ahab. Verse 26 drew our attention to the fact that his mother Athaliah was the
daughter of Ahab, granddaughter of Omri. In 2Chronicles 22:3-5, we are told that
Ahaziah’s choice to walk in the ways of the house of Ahab was influenced by his mother
and his relatives in Ahab’s house, “his mother encouraged him in doing wrong” and also
“for after his father's death they became his advisers, to his undoing.”
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Note that even though Ahaziah’s mother and the advisers from the house of Ahab
needed to be accountable for their wicked advice, the choice to heed the wicked advice
and walked on the apostate path was a personal choice of Ahaziah. Therefore he had to
bear the consequence for this choice and received divine judgement for it.
We all have to choose a path for our life. But there are always wrong advices, bad
influences and seemingly irresistible temptations around. Nonetheless God still holds us
responsible for the path we chose. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of
the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the
law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:1,2) The day will come
when each of us need to will stand before the judgement seat of God to give an account
for the path we chose. At that time, like Ahaziah, we cannot blame it on the wicked
people around us.
Have you made the choice of the path for your life? Is it the narrow path of eternal life with
full devotion for the Lord Jesus, or a broader path of eternal death with half your heart in the
world?
Joram, the king of Israel was wounded in the battle. He went to Jezreel for
treatment and recuperation while his commander Jehu and his army was still encamping
at Ramoth. Ahaziah, being his nephew-in-law, made a trip to Jezreel to visit him. It
proved to be a fatal trip.
C. 9:1-13 Jehu was anointed as king of Israel
Anointing Jehu as king of Israel was one of the last three missions God gave to
Elijah. Obviously Elisha was completing the unfinished mission for his master. Elisha
sent a junior prophet to anoint Jehu with oil at the battlefield at Ramoth.
The young prophet was one of his disciples. Elisha gave him very specific
instruction to complete the task:
“get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room.” (v.2) The
anointing must not be carried out in public, perhaps because God did not
intend for Jehu to revolt against Joram at this point in time, much less to do it in
God’s name. We are reminded of King David who refused many opportunities
and justifications to kill his king and claimed the throne even after he was
anointed by great prophet Samuel. He went by the righteous way and waited
patiently for nearly 10 years before becoming king of Israel.
“Open the door and run; don't delay!'” (v.3b) the prophet was not to even stay a
little longer after the anointment. He was to flee (ESV) immediately. This was
because Elisha foresaw the ambition and the brutality of Jehu who might kill the
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prophet in order to conceal the usurpation (v.15) Indeed Proverbs 4:15 says that
“Avoid it(the path of the wicked), do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.”
The young prophet knew that it was a life-threatening task; yet he boldly obeyed
Elisha, went to the camp of Jehu at Ramoth and stood unflinchingly in front of the army
officers. Though he was young and unarmed, he pronounced the message complete and
clear with spiritual authority from God.
Are you hesitating at a task that God has summoned you to do? Remember, “For God did
not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2Ti 1:7) We
as children of God have the ever-presence of indwelling Holy Spirit, all the more we should have
courage and humility to do what pleases our Lord.
God commissioned Jehu to uphold justice for Him. This is the basic expectation God
has for every leader in power. What did God require of Jehu:
You are to destroy the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge the blood of my
servants the prophets and the blood of all the Lord 's servants shed by Jezebel. The whole
house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel-slave or free.
(verse 7,8)
As for Jezebel, dogs will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and no one will
bury her. (verse 10).
As Elisha expected, Jehu announced to his soldiers that God had anointed him king
of Israel immediately. The army enthroned Jehu as king in response to the
announcement, as Jehu expected, “They hurried and took their cloaks and spread them under
him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, 'Jehu is king!'” (v.13) Jehu
could not wait to take over the throne. He formulated a plan immediately. The first thing
he did was to conceal the news of his revolt at Ramoth. No one was allowed to leave
Ramoth. Then he led a troop personally to Jezreel to kill Joram.
D. 9:14-29 Jehu killed the two kings
Joram was recovering from his wound at Jezreel. Ahaziah was also there when Jehu
came for Joram (v.15,16).
The detailed narrative in this passage showed us that Joram had complete trust in
Jehu. Even though the two horsemen he sent out did not return, and Jehu was driving
“like a madman” (v.20), he was unsuspicious of Jehu at all. He went out to meet Jehu
personally. Ahaziah went with him. They met Jehu at the plot of ground that belonged
to Naboth the Jezreelite and Joram was killed there, as God prophesized.
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Ahaziah was implicated too. Though he fled but was pursued and eventually was
killed. Ahaziah’s body was brought back to Jerusalem and buried in the graveyard of his
palace. 2Chronicles told us that Ahaziah received a burial while Joram’s body was
thrown in the field and eaten by dogs was because people remembered that “He was a
son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart.' (2Chr 22:9) Ahaziah not only
implicated himself by holding on to the ungodly relationship with Ahab’s house, he had
also brought disasters to those around him, “While Jehu was executing judgment on the
house of Ahab, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's relatives, who had been
attending Ahaziah, and he killed them.” (2Chr 22:8)
Ahaziah and his relatives might seem to be ‘unfortunate’ to be there on that day of
revolt, but 2Chronicles 22:7 tells us that this was no fate at all, “Through Ahaziah's visit to
Joram, God brought about Ahaziah's downfall. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to
meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab.”
Because Ahaziah ‘cherished’ his relationship with Ahab’s house, he attacked Jehu
for Joram without knowing that he had stood in the way of the execution of God’s justice.
The marriage alliance did not bring about stability for Judah as Joash (Ahaziah’s
grandfather) had hoped. On the contrary it brought about destruction to the king, the
royal family and the kingdom of Judah! What a grave damage an ungodly relationship
could bring about!
The Bible reminds us: “It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and
to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,” (Titus 2:12) and “Avoid
godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” (2Ti 2:16)
Dear brothers and sisters, Christ has set us apart by His precious blood. Let us be firmed
to cut off all ungodly relationships, mark a clear line between us and ungodly things so
that we will not fall from the position of grace.
Reflection: O Lord, I want to set myself apart from all ungodly
leisure, habit, speech, emotion and thoughts. Please give me
wisdom to discern and courage to resist all ungodly allure and
invitation. Amen.
E. 9:30-37 Jehu killed Jezebel
Before Jehu entered the gate of Jezreel, Jezebel had heard of what he did to her son
Joram because of her idolatry and witchcraft, throwing his body into the field of Naboth
(9:22). She was well aware that Jehu was coming for her. She did not run away, instead
she “painted her eyes and arranged her hair”, trying to maintain her identity as a queen.
“Zimri, murderer of your master” was an idiom to mock at the infidel as Zimri killed the
whole household of King Baasha only to be king for seven days. Jezebel was implying
that Jehu too would not be king for long (1Kings 16:9-15).
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Jehu ordered that Jezebel be thrown from her window. Her blood spattered the
wall and the horses trampled her underfoot. When they tried to recover her body, they
could not find a complete one. As the Lord prophesized: “On the plot of ground at Jezreel
dogs will devour Jezebel's flesh Jezebel's body will be like refuse on the ground in the plot at
Jezreel, so that no one will be able to say, 'This is Jezebel.' '” (v.36,37) Dear brothers and
sisters, God’s plan as well as curses cannot be thwarted.
Following the death of Joram and Jezebel, the reign of Omri dynasty finally ended.
Nonetheless, the dark age of apostasy continued in Israel.
F. Closing and Prayer
1. God’s Justice will prevail
You are to destroy the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge the blood of my
servants the prophets and the blood of all the Lord 's servants shed by Jezebel.” (v.9:7)
“
God says that “It is mine to avenge; I will repay.“ (Romans 12:19) God’s justice will
prevail, though it may not take place during our days on earth. This is because life is not
just time on earth but continues after ‘death’. So let us not pursue or insist on avenge or
repay. Instead let us imitate the example of our Lord Jesus, “When they hurled their insults
at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to
him who judges justly.” (1Peter 2:23)
2. Who was Jehu?
Jehu’s usurpation was not from God but had grown out of his personal ambition
because “When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by
evil, nor does he tempt anyone;” (James 1:13) When man acted out of evil desires it was not
of God. However God is able to work some good out of the wicked acts of man. “The
Lord works out everything for his own ends- even the wicked for a day of disaster.” (Proverbs
16:4)
Jehu claimed to act on God’s behalf as he was serving his own agenda. Do you
serve God with a personal agenda as well? Such as creating a godly impression, or taking it as an
opportunity to enhance a particular skill, or even as a free ‘healthy’ leisure?
What then was God’s purpose of anointing Jehu? It was to give him a second
chance to experience God’s power and sovereignty and be blessed as God’s people’s
king.
Dear brothers and sisters, we do not live in a flux of random powers or chances.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been
called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) everything happens in our life is in the
mighty hands of God, all for our spiritual and eternal riches. From this perspective,
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every thing that happens to you is a brand new experience of a greater trust, a deeper
obedience and a higher joy, “Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his
compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentation
3:22,23)
P1: Everything that happens in our life is new trust, new obedience and new joy.
Ahab, Jezebel and Joram died without peace because of their own sins. But as the
leaders of the nation, they brought along the people of God in their downfall. Let us be
vigilant and reflect our roles as parents, elder siblings, teachers…etc. Take heed of the lessons of
these kings and let not our weakness stumble the people who watch us or follow us,
“These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us,
on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful
that you don't fall!” (1Cor 10:11,12)
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