2 Kings 8:16-9:37 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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I Will Avenge the Blood of My Servants
Comments for Study 7

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MAPS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH
A MAP OF THE DIVISION OF CANAAN
A MAP OF JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE
OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS TIMELINE
A LIST OF ISRAEL'S KINGS AND PROPHETS
A TIMELINE OF ISRAEL'S HISTORY
A TIMELINE FROM BABYLON TO ROMAN CONTROL OVER ISRAEL

SORRY, THE COMMENTARY FOR THIS BOOK HAS NOT BEEN FINISHED.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF BOOKS THAT ARE COMPLETED.

I. Jehoram and Ahaziah Kings of Judah (8:16-29)

>1. When did the next events take place? (16-17)

* 2 Kings 8:16-17 "In the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat began his reign as king of Judah. He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years."

* This study is about 2 kings of Judah. Both did not have faith in the Lord God. They followed the evil practices of the past king of Israel, Ahab who though he was shown many evidence that the Lord is God, followed Baal and his horrible religious practices. So did his wife Jezebel.

The Lord spared Judah because David's love of and faith in the Lord God.

Two men made an impact, David and Ahab, way after their deaths. David a very good impact. Ahab a very evil impact. My actions will have impact for generations to come. Make good decisions. Not evil.

* 2 Chronicles 21 also records Jehoram's reign.

* "Jehoshaphat" -Jehoshaphat was king of Judah from 873 to 849 B.C. This is the only place all his sons are listed.

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>Why might Jehoram reign while his father was still alive?

* "Jehoram" -Jehoram was king of Judah from 849 to 842 B.C. His father Jehoshaphat had him reign as regent from 853 to 849. (16-17) During his reign Joram (Jehoram) was king of Israel from 853 to 842 B.C. The two established stronger ties between their two countries than previous generations.

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>What kind of king was Jehoram?

* 2 Kings 8:18 "He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD."

* Jehoram was one of the worse kings of Judah. He followed the ways of Israel's terrible king and queen, Ahab and Jezebel because his wife was their daughter and he listened to her. Men can be lead away from God because of a woman of ill repute or they can be led to a closer relationship with Jesus because a woman of God.

Elijah sent king Jehoram a letter from the Lord. (2 Chron. 21) He not only warned him. He told him what bad events would come. Jehoram did not repent as David did when he sinned. When he died no one regretted it. They didn't even bury him with other kings.

When I sin, I can repent or resist rebuke.

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>What shows God's love and faithfulness at this time? (19)

* 2 Kings 8:19 "Nevertheless, for the sake of his servant David, the LORD was not willing to destroy Judah. He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever."

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>2. What happened during Jehoram's reign? (20-24)

* 2 Kings 8:20-24 "In the time of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against Judah and set up its own king. So Jehoram went to Zair with all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night; his army, however, fled back home. To this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah. Libnah revolted at the same time. As for the other events of Jehoram's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? Jehoram rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David. And Ahaziah his son succeeded him as king."

* 2 Chronicles 21:8-10a also records Edom's rebellion.

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* "Zair"

* "through by night"

* "fled back home"

>How might this have happened because of Jehoram's lifestyle?

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>3. What kind of person was Ahaziah? (25-27)

* 2 Kings 8:25-27 "In the twelfth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. 26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother's name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. 27 He walked in the ways of the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for he was related by marriage to Ahab's family."

* 2 Chronicles 22:1-12 also records Ahaziah's reign.

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>Why did Ahaziah and Joram go to war against the Arameans? (28-29)

* 2 Kings 8:28-29 "Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram; so King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramoth in his battle with Hazael king of Aram. Then Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to see Joram son of Ahab, because he had been wounded."

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>Was their plans a success?

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II. Jehu Anointed King of Israel (9:1-13)

>4. What hard task did Elisha give one of the junior prophets? (1-3)

* 2 Kings 9:1-3 "The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company of the prophets and said to him, "Tuck your cloak into your belt, take this flask of oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead. 2 When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room. 3 Then take the flask and pour the oil on his head and declare, 'This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.' Then open the door and run; don't delay!"

* God's people, especially men and women called for a ministry like being a prophet, are seen as being manic. Though inside others hearts they are often secretly honored and the peace they have is desired. When the army commanders found out what the prophet said, they immediately accepted it as true even though shortly before he was called a maniac.

Elisha told the prophet to immediately run because of the havoc that would follow.

Ahab and Jezebel's sinful influence would now be diminished. God would not allow the pain they inflict to increase any more.

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>Did he obey? (4-5)

* 2 Kings 9:4-5 "So the young man, the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. When he arrived, he found the army officers sitting together. "I have a message for you, commander," he said. "For which of us?" asked Jehu. "For you, commander," he replied."

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>Why did he anoint him in private? (6)

* 2 Kings 9:6 "Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil on Jehu's head and declared, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anoint you king over the LORD's people Israel."

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>5. What was the first thing the new king of Israel was to do? (7-9)

* 2 Kings 9:7-9 "You are to destroy the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the LORD's servants shed by Jezebel. 8 The whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel--slave or free. 9 I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah."

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>What did the Lord promise would happen to evil Jezebel? (10)

* 2 Kings 9:10 "As for Jezebel, dogs will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and no one will bury her.'" Then he opened the door and ran."

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>Why might this be a comfort to Jehu? (1 Kings 18:4, 19:2, 21:9-11)

* 1 Kings 18:4 "While Jezebel was killing off the LORD's prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.)"

* 1 Kings 19:2 "So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."

* 1 Kings 21:9-11 "In those letters she wrote: "Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death." So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth's city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them."

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>6. What was the Israelites opinions of the Lord's prophets? (11)

* 2 Kings 9:11 "When Jehu went out to his fellow officers, one of them asked him, "Is everything all right? Why did this madman come to you?" "You know the man and the sort of things he says," Jehu replied."

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>What did Jehu reluctantly tell his fellow officers? (12)

* 2 Kings 9:12 ""That's not true!" they said. "Tell us." Jehu said, "Here is what he told me: 'This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.'"

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>Why did they respond the way they did?

* 2 Kings 9:13 "They hurried and took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, "Jehu is king!"

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>Why are some people repulsed by God until they hear what they want to hear? (2 Tim. 4:3-5)

* 2 Timothy 4:3-5 "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry."

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III. Jehu Kills Joram, Ahaziah, and Jezebel (9:14-37)

>7. What had Joram been doing?

* 2 Kings 9:14 "So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth Gilead against Hazael king of Aram,"

* God sends people here and there. He knows all - past, present, & future. When I do something, anything, there are results to what I do, even drinking coffee or visiting a friend or relative, there are results. God is in charge and as such he gives me a choice, his will, or my will in all actions. Who is in control depends on my choices? Do I choose to let God's will be or mine? Do I submit to God's control?

The king of Israel and his father and mother did not let God's will be done. They did their own things. Yet God is in charge. He directed actions and people and overruled the kings. God sent Jehu here and there. He killed one king as God ordered, but God did not say kill the king of Judah.

Jehu obeyed because it worked in his favor. Jehu disobeyed because it worked in his favor.

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>What did Jehu want to keep secret? (15)

* 2 Kings 9:15 "but King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him in the battle with Hazael king of Aram.) Jehu said, "If this is the way you feel, don't let anyone slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel."

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>Where was at Jezreel? (16)

* 2 Kings 9:16 "Then he got into his chariot and rode to Jezreel, because Joram was resting there and Ahaziah king of Judah had gone down to see him."

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>8. What does the desertion of Joram's messengers tell us? (17-20)

* 2 Kings 9:17-20 "When the lookout standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu's troops approaching, he called out, "I see some troops coming." "Get a horseman," Joram ordered. "Send him to meet them and ask, 'Do you come in peace?'" 18 The horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said, "This is what the king says: 'Do you come in peace?'" "What do you have to do with peace?" Jehu replied. "Fall in behind me." The lookout reported, "The messenger has reached them, but he isn't coming back." 19 So the king sent out a second horseman. When he came to them he said, "This is what the king says: 'Do you come in peace?'" Jehu replied, "What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me." 20 The lookout reported, "He has reached them, but he isn't coming back either. The driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi--he drives like a madman."

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>What can be learned about the men from their exchange in verses 21-23?

* 2 Kings 9:21-23 ""Hitch up my chariot," Joram ordered. And when it was hitched up, Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah rode out, each in his own chariot, to meet Jehu. They met him at the plot of ground that had belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 When Joram saw Jehu he asked, "Have you come in peace, Jehu?" "How can there be peace," Jehu replied, "as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?" 23 Joram turned about and fled, calling out to Ahaziah, "Treachery, Ahaziah!""

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>Why did Jehu say Joram's body should be thrown in a field? (24-26)

* 2 Kings 9:24-26 "Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart and he slumped down in his chariot. 25 Jehu said to Bidkar, his chariot officer, "Pick him up and throw him on the field that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember how you and I were riding together in chariots behind Ahab his father when the LORD made this prophecy about him: 26 'Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, declares the LORD, and I will surely make you pay for it on this plot of ground, declares the LORD.' Now then, pick him up and throw him on that plot, in accordance with the word of the LORD."

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>9. Why might Jehu want to kill the king of Judah too? (27-29)

* 2 Kings 9:27-29 "When Ahaziah king of Judah saw what had happened, he fled up the road to Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him, shouting, "Kill him too!" They wounded him in his chariot on the way up to Gur near Ibleam, but he escaped to Megiddo and died there. 28 His servants took him by chariot to Jerusalem and buried him with his fathers in his tomb in the City of David. 29 (In the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab, Ahaziah had become king of Judah.)"

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>Had the Lord told him to do this?

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>10. What was Jezebel's intentions? (30-31)

* 2 Kings 9:30-31 "Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she painted her eyes, arranged her hair and looked out of a window. 31 As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, "Have you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?"

* Jezebel did many wicked things for selfish gain. Did she love anyone but herself? So many dies at her command. Even her eunuchs hated her and when they had the chance, they through her to her death. No one mourned for her. It is better to be poor in money and rich in love and friends, then the other way around.

Elijah was remembered well after death. His words were remembered. He often lived a hard life. Yet all knew his conscience was clean. God blessed him too.

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>How did Jehu respond?

* 2 Kings 9:32-33 "He looked up at the window and called out, "Who is on my side? Who?" Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. 33 "Throw her down!" Jehu said. So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot."

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>How was the word of the Lord fulfilled concerning Jezebel?

* 2 Kings 9:34-37 "Jehu went in and ate and drank. "Take care of that cursed woman," he said, "and bury her, for she was a king's daughter." 35 But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing except her skull, her feet and her hands. 36 They went back and told Jehu, who said, "This is the word of the LORD that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs will devour Jezebel's flesh. 37 Jezebel's body will be like refuse on the ground in the plot at Jezreel, so that no one will be able to say, 'This is Jezebel.'"

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>What can be learned about how the Lord works?

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