Jehu in the Bible was the tenth king of the northern kingdom of Israel. The northern kingdom of Israel has had its fair share of evil kings. It all started with Jeroboam, the “chosen one,” God’s chosen one. God picked Jeroboam to rule the northern Kingdom of Israel and promised him everything he could ever wish.
However, Jeroboam turned his back on God, becoming the first one who made Israel sin. As a matter of fact, Christianity refers to him in the phrase “Jeroboam sin.” Most kings who reigned after Jeroboam was just as bad. Such is the case of Jehu.
Jehu ascended the throne after coldly murdering the king at the time, who was Jehoram of Israel. It is mentioned in the Bible that Jehu wanted the throne so badly that he went after Jehoram, who was severely wounded from a failed battle and fled to recover and pierced him with an arrow.
After killing Jehoram, the ninth king of the northern Kingdom of Israel, Jehu threw his body on the property of Naboth, a man that was illegally killed by Jehoram’s parents, Ahab and Jezebel, so that they could steal his flourishing vineyard.
Who Was Jehu for God?
We find out from the Bible that Jehu was chosen by the Lord Himself to take care of the wicked family of Ahab. Ahab in the Bible was one of the worst kings, the one who angered God with his sinful practices and doomed the entire country of Israel. Because of his evilness, Ahab cursed his entire family, and God promised to destroy them.
So, when Jehoram, Ahab’s son, was king, God told one of his prophets, Elijah, to “anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel” and further explained that “Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael” (1 Kings 19:15-17)
Jehu in the Bible was God’s way of taking care of Ahab’s family, the worst of the worst. But Jehu was no better. Although it is mentioned that no other evil king could top Ahab and his evil ways, Jehu could have been a better leader for the northern Kingdom of Israel. It is true that “Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel.” (2 Kings 10:28). However, Jehu in the Bible was not one of God’s followers.
Not many could ever fit the shoes of God’s favorite, David, but most of them did not even try. So, after Jehu dismantled Ahab’s entire dynasty, God rewarded him with four generations.
You might wonder why God would resent Jehu if he did what the Almighty Father wanted. Well, in theory, Jehu did obey God’s wish, and he took care of Ahab’s evil family. But he was also driven by power and used his pride to conduct a business of his own. Humanity’s purpose is to give glory to the Lord. Jehu in the Bible, however, was eventually consumed by power and didn’t seem to have pure motives.
Did Jehu in the Bible Do Anything Good in the Eyes of God?
At first, Jehu seemed to be the one good apple in a field of rotten ones. However, God chose him specifically to carry out the prophecy and destroy Ahab, Jezebel, and their entire line. He did some good on his journey to the throne, killing the sons of Ahab and Jezebel.
He commanded Jezebel’s eunuchs to throw her out of the window of her palace, and most importantly, he rid Israel of Baal shrines. Just as he was asked to, he entered the temple of Baal and cleared it out completely, making sure to end the lives of hundreds of Baal priests and prophets.
Maybe the one good thing that Jehu has done in the eyes of God was that he completely wiped out the worship of the god of fertility, Baal, when he destroyed the temple of Baal and its sacred stone. However, over the years, his obedience started to disperse.
Jehu in the Bible was idolizing Jeroboam, the first king of the northern Kingdom of Israel. Because of this, God made sure to reduce the size of Israel. (2 Kings 10:29, 31; 12:26–30, 10:32-33) The tenth king was not as bad as some evil kings before him, but he was not 100 percent pure in God’s eyes. He did not move with love in his heart and was not a pure follower.
What Can We Learn from Jehu in the Bible?
There is a multitude of things that can be learned from the Holy Book. Although people tend to focus on the good the Saints have done, the miracles that Jesus made happen, and how God has treated His followers, we often tend to forget the bad characters.
Individuals like Jehu in the Bible show us the perfect example of God’s relationships with His children, humankind. God never asks for anything in return, just that we obey him and carry his name through generations, praising His Holiness and Greatness. Even though Jehu wasn’t the worst ruler, he was not the best. At least to God.
The story of Jehu perfectly shows Christians from all corners of the globe that God can be extremely generous. We see at the beginning that God blessed Jehu with four generations. “Because you have done well in carrying out 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.” (2 Kings 10:30) However, it became clear that Jehu was not the most obedient follower of God.
It’s important to read about stories like Jehu’s in order to understand that the path of sin could never bring you or your line peace. God is always in complete control, and He can never be fooled.
You can’t offer God half of your heart, love, and obedience and expect to be rewarded. At the same time, stories like these show Christians how good God can be. And how much He can reward you if you obey Him and you understand your place in His greater plan.
