Don't be a Jehu!!! Jehu represents a cautionary tale of working for the Lord without fully surrendering to him. Instead of leaving a legacy of obedience, and full submission to God, he left a legacy of idolatry. The very thing that God anointed him to destroy he became a partaker of it. As believers, one thing that we ought to keep in mind is that we are one decision away from a fall from grace. No one is exempt no matter how influential and astute. If you do not submit to his will and his ways daily, the very thing you were anointed to overtake will overtake you.
Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, served as a commander in Israel's army before God selected and anointed him as king. His divine commission was to demolish the house of Ahab and eradicate the worship of Baal.
Ahab was the seventh King of Israel and is known as one of the worst kings to reign. "And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him"( 1 Kings 16:30). During his reign, he promoted idolatry and disobeyed God's direct commands; Therefore God's judgment was against the house of Ahab (1King 21:17-29). This way of being was passed down to his sons, who continued to promote idolatry throughout the land of Israel (1 King 22:51-53). It's important to note that Ahab and his sons were not ignorant of the LORD and his standards for his people.
Jehu's connection to Ahab did not keep him from following the Lord's commands. Utilizing his skills as a commander he was able to overthrow and put to death King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah, who were idolaters and participated in witchcraft. He ordered the death of Jezebel, slaughtered all the priests of Baal, and demolished the temples of Baal. So, why not be a Jehu?, he was obedient and his loyalty was to God, not man. He did well to obey the commands of God, therefore God honored Jehu by promising a lasting royal lineage extending to the fourth generation (2 Kings 10: 30). However, he did not honor God. 2 Kings 10:29,31 reveals that despite his obedience he followed the practices of King Jeroboam. Driven by a lust for power, King Jeroboam built golden calves and presented them to the Israelites as the gods that led them out of Egypt, thus causing them to sin, idolatry ( 1 Kings 12:28–30).
King Jehu had already demolished the temple of Baal; his remaining task was to destroy the golden idols. Despite running well, something hindered him. Was it pride, a lust for power, or a desire for recognition? Whatever it may have been, this oversight led him to be known as one of the wicked kings of Israel.
The Encouragement:
Avoid emulating Jehu, although his narrative is centered on warfare and conquest. The takeaway is clear: when tasked by God, see it through to completion. When obstacles arise, seek God's presence in that situation. In this year alone, we've seen many prominent figures exposed due to unresolved sins, compromising their reputations. It is necessary to consistently surrender your desires to the Almighty, so that if there is anything that does not align with His will and way, He can clear it out. God is aware of all, yet it is through your confession and yielding to Him that you will experience deliverance and restoration.
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Great reminder that we can do God's work without possessing God's nature and character. We have many Jehus in the church today who are doing phenomenal work in the Kingdom of God; however, those Jehus will get to judgment after life only to hear "depart from me you workers of iniquity, I know you NOT..." In closing, BEING like Christ is more important than DOING the work of Christ. For what good is doing when your life is void of being like Jesus?!
-Pastor Matt Johnson