The Extermination Of Ahab’s Household And Baal Worshippers

One thing that we will never understand is God’s will. However, we simply accept it and give Him praise. The verses in 2 Kings 10 may seem hard to understand, based on all the bloodshed, but we know that it was the right thing to see the wicked die because of their unbelief. If they had just repented, then maybe they would not have been spared and not died in this fashion. However, we know that God’s wrath is upon the wicked. Only those who repent and follow the Lord, who is the one true God, will find mercy and forgiveness for their soul. However, for the children of Ahab and the worshippers of Baal, their sentence and judgment were already set in stone, as you will see in this chapter. We learn that King Jehu was the one casting judgment and death by the sword, in fulfillment of what was spoken of him in 2 Kings 9. For some of those who were killed, we have the seventy sons of Ahab, who lived in Samaria. It reads, 1“so Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.” (2 Kings 10:11) What was their crime? It was because of Ahab that even his household was judged because of what he did. Ahab’s sin was severe, in that he caused the people to worship Baal. He even set up prophets and priests to Baal. Unfortunately, God’s mercy was not for these sons or the family of Ahab. And you can relate this to people who bow down to false gods now, like Buddha and Hindu gods. They may not see judgment in this life, but will in death. Lest they repent and come to Jesus before their last breath. This leads us to who else had to suffer death by the sword in this chapter. Along with the house of Ahab, he then went after the false prophets and priests of Baal and also any of the worshippers.

The way Jehu went to exterminate all the believers of Baal was to trick them into believing he was for Baal worship. It is recorded that he said, 1“call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal. And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another. And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.” (2 Kings 10:19-22) Then, after everyone began to sacrifice and worship Baal, a great slaughter began. Even by Jehu’s mouth, it was 1“said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal. And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them. And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. God even said that he did 1“which is right in mine eyes.” (2 Kings 10:30) However, it later says that he did not 1“walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart”. (2 Kings 10:31) Therefore, he fell into sin before his death. It is sad that all this bloodshed had to take place. However, this is an example of God’s wrath upon the wicked. Even in Jesus’s second coming, the wicked will be destroyed with even bloodshed than this. So we ought to repent now before it is too late.

Let us pray:
Oh Lord, I pray that more people in our day will stop making images, statues, people, and things their gods. Every idol worshipper will not inherit Your kingdom, so to these people, we must call them to repentance. That they will worship only You, Lord, as their one true God. Anything else needs to be exterminated out of their lives, lest they experience the second death in the lake of fire. Lord, I pray that Your will, will be done, no matter the consequences upon the wicked. Surely, the wicked will perish in their unbelief, lest they repent and be right in Your sight. I pray that more people will do this and come to You before it is too late. It is my desire to see many more souls be saved and go to heaven when they die. I know that hell is filling up every minute of every day, because of those people who are dying. So I pray that fewer people will have to go there in the near future. Surely, people do not have to experience torment and pain in the life to come, if they would just decide to follow You, Jesus. All that matters is that people begin to seek You and not the world, and then You can do a mighty work in their lives. Even every false belief can be cast out, and Your true teachings of the Bible can bring forth fruit in their hearts. Thank You for dying for our sins. Thank You for making a way for salvation to come to more people. If people of all walks of life would simply call upon Your Name, then they would be saved from death to life. I am saved, because of the sacrifice You made on the cross. You have heard my cries and have had compassion for my soul. I may have been a vile sinner, but You have cleansed me and washed me of all my sins. You have torn from my life all idols and every unclean thing, that I might serve You valiantly. Thank You, Lord. All I desire to do heed Your will from here on out. No matter what it is, I will go forth and do it. Your ways are higher and lead us on the path to eternal life. I love You, Lord. I give You praise and glory, this day and forever. Amen.

Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.

2 Kings 10
12 Kings 10 (KJV)
1 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab’s children, saying,
2 Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master’s sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour;
3 Look even out the best and meetest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.
4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
5 And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes.
6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.
7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.
8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king’s sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.
9 And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?
10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the Lord hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.
11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way,
13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.
14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.
15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord. So they made him ride in his chariot.
17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the Lord, which he spake to Elijah.
18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.
19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.
21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.
22 And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.
23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the Lord, but the worshippers of Baal only.
24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.
25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.
26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.
27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.
28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
29 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.
30 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.
31 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.
32 In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;
33 From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
35 And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.
36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.
Suggested Posts:

Leave a Reply