The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 161

Jehu), but promised to do anything else that might be required. Accordingly Jehu direc~ them to bring the ~eads of Ahab's sons the next day to Jczreel, and they were sent m two baskets. He directed them to be emptied out in two heaps at the gate of the city, and to remain there over night. The next morning he ordered a general slaughter of all Ahab's family and adherents in the town of Jezreel. He then set out for Sa.maria, and, meeting on his way a party of forty-two persons, all of the family of Ahaz1ah, he seized and slew them (eh. x. 1-13). Pursuing his malignant cruelty, on his arrival at Samaria, he cuts off every'branch of the house of Ahab that he can find (eh. x. 17). To effect this, with an infernal craftiness, he ordered all the worshippers of Baal throughout the land to assemble, as if he desired to join them in united worship. All having assembled, wilhout the absence of a single man, he caused every one to be put to death (eh. x. 20-28). Here is a fiend in human form; and, alas I he is but a specimen of those monsters in human history who, in almost every age and land, have rernlled in the blood and slaughter of their fellow-men. Such characters as these declare in thunder that men have fallen from their normal state. For who can believe that Infinite Purity and Benevolence would create characters of this class? All sin is an apostasy. 11 A DISTRESSING MYSTERY IN THE GOVERNMENT OF GoD. That a just God should allow such men to become kings, and should even place them on a throne over the destinies of millions, is a mystery at which we stand aghast. That the merciful Father should permit men to be murderers one of another confounds us with amaze- ment. Yet this has been going on everywhere through the millenniums of human history. Verily "clouds and darkness are round about him." "His way is in the sea, and his path in the great waters," etc. III. A :MIGHTY ARGU][ENT FOB FUTURE RETRIBUTION. Were we to believe that this state of things is to continue for ever, that there is no retributive period before us, when there will be a bala.ncing of human accounts and a settling of human affairs, religion, which is supreme love to God, would be out of the question. He who could prove to me that there is no future state of retribution would destroy withiu me all the possibilities of religion. But the concurrent belief of mankind, the universal cries of conscience, and the declarations of the gospel assure us that there is a reckoning day to come. "We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ." "I saw, and behold a great white throne," etc. IV. A PROOF OF THE SUPREME NEED OF A MORAL REGENERATOR. What can alter the character of such men as this Jehu, and put an end to all the cruelties, tyrannies, frauds, and violence, that turn the world into a Pandemonium? Philosophy, literature, civilization, legislative enactments, ceremonial religions? No; nothing short of a power which can change t,ie moral heart. "Marvel not that I say unto you, Ye must be born a.gain." The gospel is this regenerating power. '.l'hank God, One has come into this world who will "create a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteous- ness."-D. T. Vers. 1-14.-Jehu made king. The word of the Lord to Elijah, that Jehu should be anointed king (1 Kings xix. 16), was now to be fulfilled. The delay in the fulfil- ment is perhaps to be attributed to Ahab's repentance (1 Kings xxi. 29). God .bore long with this wicked house, and did not cut it off till the cup of its iniquity was full, The execution of God's threatenings may be long postponed. but, like his promises, his threatenings never fail in the end to be fulfilled (2 Pet. iii. 9). L THE MESSENGER DESPATCHED. 1. He was sent by Elisha. On Elisha had fallen tne mantle of Elijah, and to him belonged the task of executing Elijah's unfulfilled commissions. We must distinguish throughout this history between the motives which actuated Jehu in his conspiracy against Ahab, and the providential purpose which, as God's instrument, he was raised up to fulfil. That is to be read from the standpoint of the prophet. Israel was a people called into existence for the purpose of being a witness for the true God amidst surrounding heathenism. It owed its existence and possession of the land of Canaan to Jehovah. From him it had received its polity; to him it was bound in solemn covenant; the fundamental laws of its constitution required undivided allegiance to him. The penaltie11 which would follow from dis- obedience were but a counterpart of the blessings which would .ll.ow from obedience. OIi. IX, 1-87,] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. 203