Biblical Prophets - Bible Study Online

We now find that God was pleased with Jehu and all that he had done up to this point:

"Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation," (2 Kings 10:30)

So what does this mean exactly? Well for starters, let's take a look at the House of Ahab, a family dynasty that opposed God.

We find that there were four kings that ruled within this house. You had Omri (Ahab's father), Ahab, Ahaziah and Jehoram. But keep in mind, that Ahaziah and Jehoram were brothers who ruled in the same generation.

So this means that the House of Ahab ruled for only three generations which came to about forty-five years in all: with Ahab himself ruling for twenty-two of those. Now when we take a quick look at Jehu's dynasty we will find that his house will rule for four generations, which will end, in about one-hundred and twenty years. Out of this reign, Jehu would rule for twenty-eight of them.

But the Scriptures would confirm: that after Jehu had done all that the Lord had commanded him to do, when it came to destroying the House of Ahab and all that it stood for: we find that Jehu struggled with his own idolatry. For Jehu practiced the "Golden Calf Religion." This was the pagan religion that the first Northern Israel king Jeroboam son of Nebat had instituted.

Now this calf religion had some sort of political influence, for we must remember that Jeroboam had instituted the religion -- so he could keep the ten tribes that God gave him, separate from the House of David -- who ruled the other two tribes. And although the Lord had promised Jeroboam the ten tribes, this move alone: would speak volumes on his insecurities.

Understand, that the House of David had just been divided after king Solomon had passed and Jeroboam feared that after he had assumed the throne: some continued alliance between the two kingdoms might still exist.

We must also keep in mind, that the House of David followed in the ways of the one true God, and Jeroboam did not want his newly acquired Northern Kingdom to be influence in any kind of way, especially through religious associations.

Now although Jeroboam had been given the Northern Kingdom from God, the Israel king did wrong in the Lord's eyes by setting up this idolatrous calf religion. So God would send the prophet from Judah to deliver a message to the Israel king:

"O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: 'A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, On you he will sacrifice the priest of the high places who now make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.' That same day the man of God gave a sign: "This is the sign the Lord has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out." (1 Kings 13:2-3)

So this means, that the "Golden Calf Religion" will remain active until the days of king Josiah.

By Jehu taking part in the practice of this calf religion for whatever his reasons were, the House of Jehu would not be in God's perfect will, but in God's permissive will. Because of this, the Lord will allow the House of Jehu to reign just as He had promised -- but He would reduce Jehu's kingdom in size because of his idolatry.

For we must not forget, that God will use whoever He so chooses, when it comes to carrying out his master plan. It was at this time, He used Jehu to remove the idolatrous House of Ahab. And now he will use Hazael to reduce the size of Jehu's house.

"In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory east of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh), from Aroer by the Arnon Gorge through Gilead to Bashan." (2 Kings 10:32-33)

Elijah the Fire Prophet

Elisha the Apprentice

Elisha the Master Prophet

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31) The Demise of Jezebel

32) The Royal Seventy

33) The Baalism Deception

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35) Athaliah the Evil Queen Mother