"And the Lord said to Jehu, '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.' But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin."
2 Kings 10:30-31
Jehu was the best of all the kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He started out well, anointed by a prophet of God and aware that he was fulfilling God’s Word in everything he did.
He eradicated the worship of Baal and destroyed the pagan temple that Jezebel had built, and he destroyed the entire household of Ahab, including Jezebel. He seemed to be very much aware that the Lord had put him in place and spoke of the Lord and His Word with reverence.
But even so, his commitment to God was half hearted. He failed to remove the golden calf idols that Jeroboam had set up, leaving the idolatrous “national religion” in place, in competition with the worship of the true God. The people by this time had become so confused that many seemed to believe that they were worshipping God when they worshipped the golden calves.
God’s judgment began to fall on Israel during Jehu’s reign. All the territory to the east of the Jordan River, that belonged to Ephraim and Manasseh - the agricultural breadbasket of Israel - was taken away by Syria. Little by little the Lord began to reduce Israel’s territory and influence until it became a second-rate nation of little power.
We can’t help but wonder, if Jehu had only served God with his whole heart, what could have been accomplished? Could the entire Northern Kingdom have been reconciled to God and together with Judah served Him faithfully until the coming of the Messiah? The Assyrian Empire might not have been brought in to destroy Israel nor the Babylonians brought in to destroy Judah.
Of course...we’ll never know. That’s not how it works. No one is allowed to see what might have been.
Where are the leaders today who will unabashedly serve God with a whole heart? In the nation and in the church we need godly men and women who will not compromise God’s Word - especially in their personal lives - and set the example for others to follow.
What could the Lord do with us if we become those leaders, even on a local level? He promises that He will always honor those who honor Him.
Lord, give us godly leaders who will be faithful to your Word. Make each of us, by Your grace, that kind of leader wherever You have placed us. Help me to be faithful here, where I am and in the sphere of influence You have given me, for Jesus’ sake, amen.
Pastor Dan Giles