Skip to main content

Jehu and Wholeheartedness

 


      Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan. And the Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. 2 Kings 10:29-31

                  When we look at our leaders so many of them claim to be good Christian people, but it is quite evident that few are what the Word of God declares a Christian to be. Some will run on platforms that are things that would be in line with Biblical values; others will attend religious services of their faiths and the cameras will show it. If you recognize the Scripture as the authority for how a Christian must live, you recognize even the ones who say the "right things" and attend "worship" often have not done what God has required, nor are they serving Him in spirit and truth. King Jehu of Israel was certainly a model of this behavior.

                  When it comes to zeal, Jehu did the best job that a northern king did. This is not saying much considering how wicked and idolatrous the kingdom was. When men fail to look at the law of the Lord even the “good” ones perpetuate rebellion. Let us consider the good Jehu did. He eliminated the household of Ahab (cf. 2 Kings 9-10:17). He was responsible for destroying all the worshippers of Baal (cf. 2 Kings 10:18-28). Both of these actions were admirable and certainly within the will of Jehovah.

                  Now for the bad. Jehu would not leave the sins of Jeroboam. The golden calves remained as a memorial to the idolatry upon which this nation was founded.  Even good leaders who serve as ministers of God (cf. Rom 13:4) are still lost without obedience to the Lord in all matters of faith. All are lost outside of Christ, and to be in Christ is to be obedient to His will.  We find that Jehu’s source of sin was that he took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart. We must remember that God requires wholehearted service. We can fool other men with mere lip service, but the Lord knows who are His. Do not be a goodly evil man, be a Christian. The Lord expects nothing more and nothing less.  If we are diligent in this, perhaps we will be able to persuade some leaders to become Christians (Acts 26:28).

      Grace and Peace,

      R.D. Beavers

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can a Christian Celebrate a Secular Christmas?

         Can a Christian celebrate a secular Christmas? This is a good question and one that deserves an honest answer. This week I read the following, “If you don’t talk about Jesus at Christmas time, you miss Jesus. If you do not sing those scriptural songs focusing on Jesus, you miss Jesus. You might have grown up in a church where “Christmas” was a “Jesus-free” day.” These were some accusations leveled against some brethren by a well-known preacher in our brotherhood. In this article, I wish to set the record straight on how it is rather simple to celebrate a secular Christmas and it not be a “Jesus-free” day. I contend that no day is “Jesus free” for a New Testament Christian.            First, this brother accuses the church “of not knowing what to do with Christmas. They celebrate it in their homes, but avoid it at all costs in church.” I contend that the preachers who preach the whole counsel of God know what to do with...
Post a Comment
Read more

Frustrating Pekah

          In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maacah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria. 30 And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.   2 Kings 15:29-30                   I like movies where the villain’s plans are frustrated by the only good guy around. There is something invigorating about the triumph of good over evil. Pekah the king of Israel was evil.   In addition to the account here in 2 Kings 15, we also have some information about him in the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 7:1-9; 8:1-8 tell us of Pekah’s intention to replace Ahaz the king of Judah with another ...
Post a Comment
Read more

I Am So Busy!

       “I am so busy,” I said. I have this habit of letting life push me around with the various things that have to be done. Then I remembered that God has called busy men throughout all of time. I remembered that busyness nor tasks are an excuse to the Lord God.  “Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb” (Ex. 3:1)      God called Moses, who was busy with the flocks of his father in law. It sure would have been easier to keep his eyes to the ground, keep his eyes on only the sheep and not the burning bush.  He could have said, “No, too busy.” However, he looked and listened and the children of Abraham received a great prophet.  “And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send a...
Post a Comment
Read more