Almost 300 years of history are presented in II Kings. The narrative begins after Ahab’s death in 852 B.C. and continues until Jerusalem was captured by Nebuchadnezzar (587 B.C.). In fact, the book ends with a brief reference to Jehoiachin’s release from prison which occurred in 561 B.C.
Record of Judah’s history
During this period, 16 kings reigned over Judah. Only two of them, Hezekiah and Josiah, were faithful to God. They did “that which was right as David their father” (18:3; 22:2). Throughout I and II Kings, David is the standard by which other kings of Judah are judged. David was the right standard to use, for as Paul comments, “[God] found David, the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will” (Acts 13:22).
Unfortunately, most of the kings described in II Kings fell far short of David’s pattern. Instead of trying to please God, they spent their lives pleasing themselves. As a result, the phrase, “he did that which was evil” recurs with discouraging regularity.
Record of Israel’s history
If David is the top of the scale, then Ahab’s house is the bottom (cf. 8:18,27; 21:1). His evil influence impacted Judah as well as Israel for his daughter, Athaliah, married into the royal house of David and almost eradicated it.
She wholly subverted the reigns of her husband, Jehoram and her son Ahaziah, both of whom reigned over Judah. Upon Ahaziah ‘ s death, Athaliah usurped the throne and sought to slay the entire house of David. For seven years it appeared she had been successful. Unknown to the populace, only Joash had been spared. He was raised by the high priest who, at the appropriate time, organized a coup which overthrew the reign of Athaliah and restored the house of David to the throne.
Meanwhile, in Israel, Ahab’s son, Ahaziah, set the tone for the record of Israel’s kings. Having been seriously injured in a fall, he inquired of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, instead of Yahweh, the one true God. In disdaining the prophets of Yahweh, Ahaziah was following the example of Ahab, his father. Ahaziah would know of Ahab’s hatred of Elijah and his dislike for the true prophet Micaiah.
As parents, we should carefully assess what we do and say in the presence of our children. Many of their attitudes are formed by observing our example. For example, complaints about brothers and sisters should not be made, especially in the presence of impressionable minds. Such talk will not only prejudice them against the brethren mentioned, but a continual practice of complaining may discourage them from ever embracing the Truth. As difficult as it is to follow, Paul’s advice, “Let each esteem others better than themselves” (Phil. 2:3), should be our daily practice.
The root of evil — Jeroboam
While Ahab’s dynasty was the low point in Israel’s history, the roots of the nation’s disobedience went back to their first king, Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Jeroboam had been given the ten tribes as God rent them from the house of David because of the sins of Solomon. This son of Nebat had a golden opportunity, but he utterly wasted it through faithlessness. He feared that if Israel continued to “go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord” (I Kgs. 12:27). Consequently, he established alternate places of worship in Dan and Bethel, substituted golden calves for the cherubim and set up alternate feast days to those prescribed under the law and a nonlevitical order of priests. This perversion of true worship had a long-lasting and detrimental effect on the northern kingdom.
Even when rid of Baal worship established by the house of Ahab, the people did not revert to true worship but to the apostate system established by Jeroboam. “The children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them” (II Kgs. 17:22).
Fulfilled prophecy
Another interesting aspect of II Kings is the fulfilled prophecy contained therein. After Ahab had stolen Naboth’s vineyard, Elijah prophesied the divine retribution that was to come upon his family. When Ahab repented in abject contrition, God delayed the fulfillment of His judgments until the next generation (I Kgs. 21:21-24,29).
Jehu was selected to fulfill the task. Wholly concurring with the divine edict, he commenced action with great enthusiasm. After being designated by the prophet, Jehu relentlessly pursued the family of Ahab. He hurried to the summer palace in Jezreel where the king of Judah was visiting the king of Israel. At this time, the king of Judah was the son of Athaliah and thus the grandson of Ahab and cousin of Joram, king of Israel. Seeing Jehu driving furiously in their direction, both kings went out to meet him and both were slain (II Kgs. 9:24,27).
Upon entering Jezreel, he convinced some of Jezebel’s own eunuchs to toss her out of a window. When she landed, his horse trod her down and the dogs ate her body, leaving only her skull, feet and palms (9:33-35). Ahab’s 70 sons were slaughtered, their heads placed in two heaps at the gates of Jezreel (10:7,8). Jehu’s zeal seems genuine as he cried to the people, “The LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah” (10:10). Subsequently he slaughtered 42 relatives of Ahaziah and “slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria” (10:14,17).
Religious reform
Yet Jehu did more than wipe out the house of Ahab. Using a clever ploy, he imprisoned the worshipers of Baal in the house of their god and “destroyed Baal out of Israel” (10:28). Having begun so well, it is disappointing to read: “Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them” (10:29). Jehu was quick to deal with the sins of others, but lacked the faith to implement righteousness in his own life.
Jehu’s history illustrates the point that, once ingrained in a people, rebellion is very difficult to root out. Surely, then, it is up to each of us to examine ourselves and purge the evil from our own lives. Our temptation will be to severely criticize others, but our first attention should be to ourselves. Unless we ensure that our own hearts are faithful to the Lord, we, like Jehu, may end up being rejected.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One