Friday, July 3, 2020

Jehu Need Not Apply


Jehu Need Not Apply

7/3/20




Many times we are amazed at some of the people who hold certain positions who may have at first looked like they held no truth in their application much less their gaining anointed condition.  For those people who we feel do not deserve to be in such a revered position, how do we treat them and their ideas?  Can you imagine being treated in such a manner that every day you rise, your counsel grows dimmer and dimmer?  How do you combat this feeling and how do you know you are even doing the correct thing?  Yet, you continue your pursuit of displaying the truth to those who do not wish to listen, even though they have no idea that greatness is present right in front of them.  Many people throughout history have had such experiences with such actions, not just today either for the greatest rejection that has ever been alive is Jesus.  His persecution still continues to this day and until we figure out exactly what His Life means to our lives, this quagmire of defeats shall continue until there is no “us” that remains.

I am currently fifty-two years old and was born in the late 1960s, so I do not remember much about the slogan I am going to be using here for this article but from what I can gather from newspapers, films, and songs it was a pretty big deal.  To be more specific, one of the phrases that described how not to look when applying for a job was inscribed similar to this “long-haired freaky people need not apply” was a catchy phrase that I have witnessed in my short search for such slogans from that era.  I understand the fact that businesses should resort to a certain decorum and presentation for all areas of their product presentation but sometimes it seems like we forget that there are many other types of people in this world that do not think exactly as you and I do and in order to ensure all is reached, it might just be a good policy to have “differences” amongst our ranks.  I am not saying that we should totally conform to the modern or wanted look of the day, but I know that all ages and groups of people fall into the hospital setting at some point and many of these are nervous enough without having to deal with white coats coming at them with other foreign objects.

The younger crowd of the 1970s might have been looked upon with growls and frowns from the older generations, but these young kids gave us a small glimpse into how people would react to adversity in the future and to be honest, the older generations’ reactions could be foretold today as well.  Did we fool ourselves into believing that every child of the older generation back when would grow up and adhere to the “standard” of the times?  Did we really not see how our hindered alliances would come back to haunt us some point down the road of life?  Did we fail to understand that the mind and heart is created to add to what it already has been shown and it is our responsibility to guide our children into good directions and not force them into anything they might not like to do or to be a part of at that time?  Scripture states that we should train up a child in the way he should go, not force them to be in a specific mold as someone before.  Whether or not we accept this topic or not, we must contend that the subject of it is playing out right in front of our hearts and we cannot ignore it any longer.  It is a subject that needs to be dealt with quickly and thoroughly yet biblically and not secularly; however, just as in times before we are failing to see this foundational origin of ours and how it needs to be rebuilt upon God and not our selfish whims.


1 Kings 16: 29-30

“And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa King of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.”

2 Kings 9:1-3

“And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead: and when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber; Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.”


We will start with this second passage and it is one of the interesting scenarios in that it presents a picture that has not been conducted in Israel or in Judah and that was God actually anointing a king to lead the people of Israel.  Back in 1 Samuel 8, we remember that the people of Israel wanted an earthly king and did not want God to be over them as their sole Leader any longer.  After warnings from God, God allowed this to occur and the saga for earthly kings began.  However, the processes of God showing who to anoint did not cease, and God showed the prophets who to anoint for Israel’s earthly king.  Over time, this practice was discontinued for the people who had ingrained themselves in the worldly art of electing their own kings for purposeful reckonings.  Israel eventually split into two kingdoms with two rulers, both having good kings but the majority of the rulers did not sit well in the eyes of God.  The manner in which Jehu is chosen to be king goes totally against the way that Israel had ordained for herself, ever since she had chosen to walk away from God and it is through this anointing process that throws Israel and eventually Judah into a heaped time of inner turmoil.

In the first passage, we find that Ahab is crowned king due to the death of his father, Omri King of Israel.  There is no question about who was to be king over Israel at this point even though the two divisions of Israel and Judah were about to become further divided due to inner fighting amongst members of the ruling parties.  This passage also displays the process in which Israel deemed it to be necessary to follow, that they would elect kings over them and not God.  Nowhere does this passage state that God was to anoint Ahab as king over Israel, it was an automatic procession just as other nations around them had in place.  There is one specific statement in this passage that says it all when it comes to what humans believe is justified as a leader over them.  That statement is as follows: “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.”  More specifically, the last portion of this statement is the key to the lineage that not only did Ahab inherit but grew as well during his tenure as king.

Ahab did everything in his power and will to displease God and to the foundation of Israel herself, all in the name of selfishness ruling and the drunkenness of power.  Further down in description it says some of the deeds of Ahab and how he did as much as possible to build idols and idol worshiping temples to Israel, all to please his wife Jezebel.  When God makes a statement that someone or some group has done something against Him more than anyone ever has before, it cannot be a light setting or something quite small, but a continual process of worldly acts that even God cannot look upon; kind of like it was a day of Noah comparison.  Yet, from all indications from this passage, the people of Israel accepted these acts as natural and normal and had no problems with the acts that Ahab and Jezebel created and carried out.  This process of worldly or systematic elective gestures had become a normal queue in the status of Israel’s leadership procedures. 

So, when one thinks about it, how long would God allow mankind to set up inferior and sinful leaders in the Kingdom He established for His Leadership and separation from all other groups and nations of the world?  The chapters from 1 Samuel 8 until this passage of ours in 2 Kings and far beyond show even the most doubtful person about the compassion and patience of God that He gives every opportunity for us to change before He must reign in His people.  God shows us this type of reigning in His people in many unique ways and manners and in this article He is saying to us He starts with a supernatural event concerning leadership and how He still has the ultimate authority to place who He desires into offices of royalty and leadership.

Enter Jehu, the person on the center stage for the passage in 2 Kings and when reading this passage one cannot help but notice a change in a systemic and routine pattern that Israel had become accustomed to for quite some time.  The man that God said to anoint, came in with “guns a blazing” and did not take any prisoners when it came down to what his mission was.  Jehu was totally opposite to the established political process and did not fit in with anyone on that level, he was a gruff person that even acted and talked differently from those in political leadership, and this act by God over the people of Israel made them angry and did not care for Jehu at all.  This is evident because when a leader begins to clean house with the enemies of God, who just so happens to be the family of a beloved dead king and the husband of the most powerful woman in the nation.  So, yes, one should expect some uneasy and tense moments each time something that Jehu does to set off the anger vibes of his constituents.  In other words, Jehu upset the political apple cart of Israel and since they did not get their way in the manner to which they believed, they allowed Jezebel to roam and control the actions of others as much as possible.

God allowed this man to be a part of Israel’s leadership for a reason, and it was a reason of the utmost importance.  The people of Israel had grown so cold and selfish that they had lost all of their direction as a nation; you do not believe me?  Then read all of the passages in these three books of the Bible, take meticulous notes and then draw your conclusions, they lived to please their wants and sinful lusts even began to kill their own children as selfish sacrifices to the fire god.  Everything that Israel’s daily society stood for rang out that they did not want a Jehu over them, for he was against everything they wanted in place.  In other words, we can see that those in the majority did not want anyone like Jehu in any type of leadership position, so “Jehu need not apply” was a cry that could have been loudly heard spoken or sang during this period of time.  We can never underestimate the human mind and the human heart, for when societal beliefs have strayed far away enough for working together only far sided beliefs and spiritual legislative measures can be thought about, accepted, passed and implemented onto others around.

The Early Church was fractured in this type of movement and belief, especially when the Gnostics and their cultish beliefs of superior knowledge and “training” came around.  This practice continued in the Medieval Church as popes, archbishops, deacons, parishes, vassals, and other controlling entities believed that their word was the supreme example of God, even when they were physically slaughtering millions of people a century, all in the name of God.  This is not a stable practice by any means, just take a look at those folks who believe they must sacrifice their own children to a dead god who only demands to take away instead of only give.  Every time we submit our hearts to the world we rise higher in the slogan Jehu need not apply for even though Jehu was gruff and rough on all edges he was the one chosen to wake Israel and Judah up so that they may see their sins that cover their lives instead of the True Sacrifice that God instilled.

It is made clear each day that Jehu is not welcome in this land, and it does not matter if you recognize this spirit or not but she is present and grows every day.  If you remember, Jezebel was still alive when Jehu began his reign as king and he was vowed to destroy all of the house of Ahab, in which he did.  This did not sit well with anyone who supported Ahab and Jezebel’s reign, that entire side fought Jehu and his mission 100%.  Jehu was the warning Israel and Judah needed to wake them up, but they ignored it and continued on in their journeys of destruction.  Church, we are on that same path of devastation and destruction, it has been prophesied many times over the past decade or so concerning this manner of destruction; the time is very short and this fulfillment draws nigh, repent, turn your heart around and prepare yourself for what is ahead.  Look to the Lord for strength and guidance for He alone shall save and show the Way through what is arriving.  God loves each and every one of you, stand firm, and gird yourselves in the Word of God.  For, it has been made clear, that the world and this nation along with a good portion of the Church has spiritually and verbally said – and means it – Jehu, need not apply.






DLB

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