And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of baal, and said unto the worshippers of baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of baal only. And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him. And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of baal. And they brought forth the images out of the house of baal, and burned them.
(2 Kings 10:23-26)
Jehu continued his house cleaning at the direction of God by encouraging the elders of those places where the sons of Ahab were ruling to overthrow them. After obtaining the heads of the seventy sons of Ahab at the hands of those who joined him, he turned his attention to the prophets and worshipers of the false god, baal and destroyed them and their idols and images. Jehu did not however, remove the golden calves from Israel and the worship of them which Jeroboam had instituted in place of the worship of God.
God’s Law called for the Israelites to be holy and to obey all that He had commanded. The false worship of baal was no worse in its idolatry than the false worship of the golden calf, even if its actual practices were much worse. God had pronounced judgment upon the family of Ahab for their sin and worship of baal, but all who worshiped other gods were equally guilty of sin against the LORD and God did not bless Jehu or Israel because their cleansing and repentance was incomplete and they did not fully turn to Him and walk in His ways. Though Jehu’s descendants were on the throne of Israel for four generations, Jehu’s line did not continue because he was not fully committed to all that God had commanded.
Those under the Law must keep all the Law and even then, the Law does not save anyone, but faith in the Lawgiver who redeems those who repent and put their trust in Him. All of us have broken all of God’s Laws and are guilty before Him. Only through the grace of God can we be saved by faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. God calls everyone everywhere to repent and be saved, not only from willful sin but also from their sin nature which drives all who are not in Christ to sin against our Holy God. Jehu called the elders to stand up and strike for the Lord and today, God calls whosoever will to Himself for salvation, not just in the life to come but from the moment a repentant sinner humbles himself and surrenders unto God. Those in Christ are called to do the work of God, not incomplete as Jehu did but completely and obediently after the example of our Lord and at His command until He comes again to take us Home.
Until that day, while we are here on this earth as His ambassadors and ministers, God has commanded those of us who are His saints and know Him to go out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
God’s Law called for the Israelites to be holy and to obey all that He had commanded. The false worship of baal was no worse in its idolatry than the false worship of the golden calf, even if its actual practices were much worse. God had pronounced judgment upon the family of Ahab for their sin and worship of baal, but all who worshiped other gods were equally guilty of sin against the LORD and God did not bless Jehu or Israel because their cleansing and repentance was incomplete and they did not fully turn to Him and walk in His ways. Though Jehu’s descendants were on the throne of Israel for four generations, Jehu’s line did not continue because he was not fully committed to all that God had commanded.
Those under the Law must keep all the Law and even then, the Law does not save anyone, but faith in the Lawgiver who redeems those who repent and put their trust in Him. All of us have broken all of God’s Laws and are guilty before Him. Only through the grace of God can we be saved by faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. God calls everyone everywhere to repent and be saved, not only from willful sin but also from their sin nature which drives all who are not in Christ to sin against our Holy God. Jehu called the elders to stand up and strike for the Lord and today, God calls whosoever will to Himself for salvation, not just in the life to come but from the moment a repentant sinner humbles himself and surrenders unto God. Those in Christ are called to do the work of God, not incomplete as Jehu did but completely and obediently after the example of our Lord and at His command until He comes again to take us Home.
Until that day, while we are here on this earth as His ambassadors and ministers, God has commanded those of us who are His saints and know Him to go out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
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