Are You Serious? (Lesson 3)

Exploring God’s Judgment

2 Kings 9:30-37 NASB

(30)  When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window.

(31)  As Jehu entered the gate, she said, "Is it well, Zimri, your master's murderer?"

(32)  Then he lifted up his face to the window and said, "Who is on my side? Who?" And two or three officials looked down at him.

(33)  He said, "Throw her down." So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her under foot.

(34)  When he came in, he ate and drank; and he said, "See now to this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king's daughter."

(35)  They went to bury her, but they found nothing more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands.

(36)  Therefore they returned and told him. And he said, "This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 'In the property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel;

(37)  and the corpse of Jezebel will be as dung on the face of the field in the property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, "This is Jezebel."'"

You cannot run from God’s Judgement.

This week, we continue to explore the extent of God’s Judgment.  When Jezebel designed her scheme take Naboth’s land for Ahab, Elijah told her that the dogs would eat her flesh.  Now we see in these verses that Jehu comes for her and persuades her own guards to throw her from the balcony.

As she lay dead on the ground, Jehu goes in to eat.  He then tells his men that she is a King’s Daughter and sends them out to get her and to bury her.  When they go out, they find that God had executed his judgment to the letter.  The dogs had indeed eaten her and the only thing left was her skull, feet and hands.

Jezebel faced judgement like she did everything else in life, with arrogance and pride.  The Bible teaches that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.  It is only through the blood of Jesus we are saved.  If we fail to accept Jesus, we will certainly face God’s Judgement.  You cannot run from God’s Judgement.

Are You Serious? (Lesson 2)

Exploring God’s Judgment

2 Kings 9:21-28 NASB

(21)  Then Joram said, "Get ready." And they made his chariot ready. Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him in the property of Naboth the Jezreelite.

(22)  When Joram saw Jehu, he said, "Is it peace, Jehu?" And he answered, "What peace, so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?"

(23)  So Joram reined about and fled and said to Ahaziah, "There is treachery, O Ahaziah!"

(24)  And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and shot Joram between his arms; and the arrow went through his heart and he sank in his chariot.

(25)  Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, "Take him up and cast him into the property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when you and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that the LORD laid this oracle against him:

(26)  'Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,' says the LORD, 'and I will repay you in this property,' says the LORD. Now then, take and cast him into the property, according to the word of the LORD."

(27)  When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu pursued him and said, "Shoot him too, in the chariot." So they shot him at the ascent of Gur, which is at Ibleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there.

(28)  Then his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his grave with his fathers in the city of David.

God’s judgment is sure

We will continue our study of Jehu.  You will remember from last week that Jehu is heeding God’s call.  Here we see Joram the present King of Israel and Ahaziah the King of Judah riding to meet Jehu the commander of Joram’s army.  As they get closer, they see things have changed and they try to run.  Jehu kills Joram himself and orders that Ahaziah be killed as well.

Now for God’s judgement in this lesson, Ahab who was Joram’s father took Nabath’s land.  He did this with his wife Jezebel planning and lying.  She had men falsely accuse Naboth and as a result, Naboth and his entire family was executed. 

You can read God’s judgment in verse 26 above. You can also read the entire story of Naboth in 1 Kings, Chapter 21.  This is by no means all of God’s judgment against Ahab.  We will cover more as we go through this series.

God asks for our obedience and as a result, he has promised to bless us in everything we do.  How much more does out heavenly Father want to give us every good thing?  God would that we were obedient.  When we are not we must face God’s judgment.

Ahab felt he was above God.  He did what he wanted and God promised His judgment even to his sons. 

Seeing that God’s judgment is sure, it just makes good sense to be obedient to God.

Are You Serious? (Lesson 1)

Exploring God’s Judgment

2 Kings 9:1-4 NASB

(1)  Now Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, "Gird up your loins, and take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth-gilead.

(2)  "When you arrive there, search out Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and bid him arise from among his brothers, and bring him to an inner room.

(3)  "Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, 'Thus says the LORD, "I have anointed you king over Israel."' Then open the door and flee and do not wait."

(4)  So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead.

God’s judgment may be closer than we think

God has anointed Jehu as King of Israel and he did not waste time.  He went to Jezreel where Joram the present King of Israel had retreated to take care of wounds he had received. 

Ahaziah the King of Judah, Joram’s nephew had come to Jezreel to check on his uncle.

Jehu, and his men rode toward Jezreel and the watchmen reported that he saw a company approach.  They sent out a horsemen but Jehu prevented him from returning.

This was done twice and after that, both King Joram and Ahaziah rode to meet Jehu who was commander of Joram’s Army.

When God came to Jehu, he heeded the call.  He made arrangements and plans to move forward as God had directed.  He could have very easily denied the call and stayed in his current position as commander of Joram’s Army.

We must realize that God equips us for service in His army.  It is up to us to move forward when God calls.  God on one hand is using Jehu to take out Ahab’s family from the throne.  On the other hand, God is rewarding Jehu for his obedience, service and preparation.   

God’s judgment is just and based on how we live.  Good for some (Jehu), not so good for others (Joram) and it may be closer than we think.

A Hundred Proof - How to Pray With Confidence (Lesson 3)

1 Kings 19:9-10 NASB

(9)  Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

(10)  He said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."

Trust God to Answer Wisely

How did Elijah get to the cave?  Jezebel vowed to kill him.

Elijah ran to Beersheba, which was part of Judah and then went a day’s journey into the wilderness and rested under a juniper tree.  The angel of the Lord woke him up and told him to eat.  He found a cake and water waiting on him.

The Bible says he traveled 40 days on God’s meat, to Mount Horeb.  You can rest assured that when God feeds you, it will take you all the way to your Mount Horeb.

So Elijah is convinced he is the only one left.  See, Elijah is just like us and he had bad days just like us.

God tells him to go to the top of the mountain. 

Then there is a strong wind, then an earthquake, then a fire, then a gentle blowing.

God speaks in a still small voice and tells him that he has 7000 in Israel that has never bowed a knee to Baal and he still has work for him to do.

Why can you trust God to do what is best?

Matthew 6:8 NASB  "So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

That makes God “A Hundred Proof”