2 Kings 10:18-36

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

King Jehu Purges Baal Worship in the Northern Kingdom

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. Partial obedience has its rewards.

  2. Partial obedience has its losses.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Let’s destroy the golden calves as well as the images of Baal.

QUESTIONS

  1. Was king Jehu a godly king? How was he used of God?

  2. What was Jehu’s plan to remove the worship of Baal in the kingdom?

  3. How did the Lord God reward Jehu? But what was the problem here?

  4. On the other hand, how did God discipline Jehu?

  5. Jehu destroyed the images of Baal, but not the golden calves. What does this mean to Christians today?

ANSWERS

  1. Jehu was not a godly king, but he was used as an instrument of God to end the wicked dynasty of Ahab, in accordance with Elijah’s prophecy in 1 Kings 21. Jehu was also used of God to remove the worship of Baal that was going on in the northern kingdom of Israel.

  2. Jehu proposed a national convention of Baal worshippers, pretending he was on their side. All of the prophets and worshippers of Baal throughout the land were gathered together inside the temple of Baal in Samaria. The building was full, and everyone was given a special gar- ment to wear so they could easily be identified. After some offerings were made to Baal, Jehu ordered his military men to go in and execute everyone with the edge of the sword. No one escaped. Then Jehu ordered the destruction of all the images of Baal and the temple of Baal.

  3. The Lord rewarded Jehu for his “partial obedience” (“partial” was the problem here) by promising him that his sons would sit on the throne of Israel until the fourth generation.

  4. The Lord began to cut off parts of Israel’s territory—the land on the east side of the Jordan was taken by the Syrians, to discipline both Jehu and the northern kingdom of Israel. Why? Because Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the God of Israel with all his heart. His partial obedience had both its rewards and its losses.

  5. We are told to keep ourselves from idols (1 John 5:21). It is possible that we destroy the “images of Baal,” the obvious idols in our lives, but we continue to tolerate the golden calves, those things that are less obvious but are not pleasing to God.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Recall times when you have obeyed the Lord, but only with partial obedience. What were the results? If you could have this time over again, how would you change your behavior or actions?

CHALLENGE

  1. Have you destroyed the images of Baal in your life (the obvious sins)? Have you destroyed the golden calves in your life (the “lesser” sins, such as materialism, watching questionable TV programs, wasting time, etc.)?

KEY VERSES

  • “Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel. However, Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam…who had made Israel sin…But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart…” 2 Kings 10:28-29, 31

  • “The Lord said to Jehu, ‘Because you have done well in doing what is right in My sight, and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, you shall be rewarded.” 2 Kings 10:30

2 Kings, Old Testament, TalksRon Reid2 KINGS 10:18-36