Joel M Bradshaw

1Then Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Tie up your garments, and take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. 2And when you arrive, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi. And go in and have him rise from among his fellows, and lead him to an inner chamber. 3Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says the LORD, I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and flee; do not linger.”

4So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5And when he came, behold, the commanders of the army were in council. And he said, “I have a word for you, O commander.” And Jehu said, “To which of us all?” And he said, “To you, O commander.” 6So he arose and went into the house. And the young man poured the oil on his head, saying to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, I anoint you king over the people of the LORD, over Israel. 7And you shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD.8For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.9And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. 10And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.” Then he opened the door and fled…

…30When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. And she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out of the window. 31And as Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Is it peace, you Zimri, murderer of your master?” 32And he lifted up his face to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked out at him. 33He said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down. And some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and they trampled on her.–2 Kings 9, with emphasis

1. This is a bloody chapter. You may, in fact, struggle with it.
2. But Jezebel was a “bloody” queen who had many of God’s prophets killed.
3. God promised that Jezebel would be punished in a certain way and He anointed a king to uniquely accomplish that plan.
4. A chapter like this reminds us that God punishes His enemies.
5. The reality of Hell is the necessary context to truly understand the Gospel message. Sin must be punished for God to be a just Judge. Salvation therefore is from the wrath of God which must punish sin.
6. This chapter breaks down if you view God like an angry movie villain. You crossed God and now you were going to get your due. But God is not selfish. He does not sin. He does not do vengeance the same way the villain does.
7. If God does not punish sin, then the substitutionary atonement of Jesus on the cross makes no sense. Jezebel was punished for her sin. We are grateful that ultimately, as followers of Jesus, we will not be punished eternally for ours.–JMB