JEHU

A DEVIDED HEART LESSON 3

Presented by: BEC/CDO PHILIPPINES

In this book are two charts on the Kings of Israel and Judah. Find the answers

to the following questions from these charts.

OR Play the game "Snake" with your Kings of Israel and Judah card pack.

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KNOW YOUR KINGS

THE HOUSE OF AHAB

In our last lesson, we learned about Jehoshaphat, King of Judah. During his reign, he allied with the wicked King Ahab who was ruling in Israel simultaneously. Today we will see how King Ahab's dynasty came to an end. But first, let us look a little closer at the detailed chart of the kings of Israel and Judah on pages 172 and 173.

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The twenty kings of the kingdom of Judah are all direct descendants of King David, except Athaliah (see 2 Kings 11). They all belong to one royal family, one dynasty. The twenty kings of the Kingdom of Israel are from ten different families. Ten of the kings inherited their crown from their fathers. The other ten became king in a more violent way, usually by killing the previous king.

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JEHU is known as being the man who eradicated the house of Ahab from Israel. He had

risen to a prominent position in the army, being the chief captain, serving King Jehoram (or

Joram), Ahab's son. Jehu was chosen by God to succeed Jehoram as king and destroy all the

males in Israel who belonged to the royal line of Ahab. King Ahab and his family were to be

judged because he not only continued in the sins of Jeroboam but through the influence of

his wife, Jezebel, had introduced idolatry into Israel (1 Kings 16:29-33), despite the many

warnings to them to repent sent through the prophets Elijah and Elisha.

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THE ANOINTING OF JEHU

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Go and anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel

1 Kings 19:16

Go to Ramoth Gilead and look for Jehu. Take him to an inner room.

2 Kings 9:1-2

I have a message for you, commander...

For you, commander.

I anoint you king over the Lord’s people Israel. You are to destroy the house of Ahab

I see some troops coming. Send a horseman out to meet them and ask them if they come in peace... It must be Jehu; he drives like a madman.

Make sure you kill Ahaziah, king of Judah, who is fleeing up the road as well!

Have you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?

THE HOUSE OF AHAB DESTROYED

As we have read, Jehu was to become king of Israel and his instructions were to destroy the

household of Ahab. Let's follow his trail of destruction:

➡ He slew King Jehoram with an arrow. Joram's body was thrown onto Naboth's field, fulfilling a prophecy of Elijah (see 1 Kings 21:17-19) As Jehu entered the city of Jezreel, Jezebel, Ahab's wife, looked out of a window and Jehu commanded his servants to push her out so that she fell and was trampled by horses. When Jehu's men went to bury her they only found her skull, feet, and palms of her hands because the dogs had eaten the flesh. Once again Elijah's prophecy was fulfilled. (see 1 Kings 21:23) Jezebel was probably one of the worst influences in the family of Ahab. Until Jehu arrived, she had a son on the throne of Israel, and a grandson on the throne of Judah. Note that in 2 Kings 9:31, Jezebel is referring to Zimri, a previous captain who had murdered a king to take the throne and then lost it after seven days.

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→ Jehu slew the king of Judah, Ahaziah who was the grandson of Ahab. We can see how close this descendant of David had come to being taken over by the wicked influences of the family of Ahab in 2 Kings 8:25-29. Jehu then went on to kill seventy sons of Ahab who were in Samaria. He then killed forty-two relatives of the king of Judah who had ventured into Israel.

➡He also slew all the rest of Ahab's family who were in Samaria.

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Jehu is an example of a person who could not commit himself fully to God's service. Although he began by doing God's will in destroying the worship of Baal in Israel and destroying the family of Ahab, Jehu continued to encourage the idolatrous worship introduced by King Jeroboam.

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"Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, nor did he turn away from the golden calves that Jeroboam son of Nebat had set up in Bethel and Dan. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit."

2 kings 10:28-31

Jehu went on to reign in Israel for twenty-eight years and he established a royal line in Israel

which consisted of five kings:

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MEMORY VERSE

NOT

WORD

DECEIVE

SAYS

BRAIN STRAIN

QUESTIONS

A. Elisha

B. Elijah

C. Ahab

D. Jezebel

Who anointed Jehu as king?

ANSWER: A. Elisha

A. To unite the Israelite kingdoms

B. To rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem

C. To eradicate the worship of Baal

D. To expand the Israelite empire

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What was Jehu's primary

goal as king?

ANSWER: C. To eradicate the worship of Baal

A. Ahab

B. Jehoram

C. Joram

D. Ahaziah

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Who did Jehu kill to take the throne?

ANSWER: D. Ahaziah

A. It marked the end of Baal worship in Israel

B. It strengthened Jehu's power

C. It angered the neighboring kingdoms

D. It was a religious sacrifice to the Lord

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What was the significance of Jehu's massacre of Baal's prophets?

ANSWER: A. It marked the end of Baal

worship in Israel

A. He died peacefully in old age

B. He was overthrown by his son

C. He was assassinated by his servants

D. He was exiled from Israel

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How did Jehu's reign ultimately end?

ANSWER: C. He was assassinated by his servants

THANK YOU!