While Ahab’s youngest son, Jehoram, was ruling the northern kingdom, Ben-hadad of Syria besieged its capital. He surrounded the city so long that the citizens of Samaria ran out of food and a donkey’s head and dove’s dung were selling for a high price. There was even talk of cannibalism. King Jehoram blamed Elisha and threatened to kill him, but Elisha prevented him by announcing the siege would be over in twenty-four hours.

The LORD said to Jehu, “You have done well in obeying what I said was right. You have done to the family of Ahab as I wanted. Because of this, your descendants as far as your great-great-grandchildren will be kings of Israel.” But Jehu was not careful to follow the teachings of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not stop doing the same sins Jeroboam had done, by which he had led Israel to sin. 2 Kings 10:30-31 “My people, listen. I am warning you. Israel, please listen to me! You must not have foreign gods; you must not worship any false god. I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Open your mouth and I will feed you.” But my people did not listen to me; Israel did not want me. So I let them go their stubborn way and follow their own advice. I wish my people would listen to me; I wish Israel would live my way. Then I would quickly defeat their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. Psalm 81:8-14

   

    That very evening four lepers, who were kept outside the city gates, decided to surrender to the Syrians, but when they arrived at the perimeter of the enemy camp, no soldiers could be found. The Lord had covered the camp with sounds of chariots and horses, panicking the Syrians, who abandoned their possessions and ran for their lives. The lepers brought the good news back to the city, and by the next morning the starving people of Samaria were gathering the food and goods the Syrians had left behind.

    Shortly afterward Elisha anointed Jehu as the next king of the northern kingdom. Jehu eliminated all descendants of Ahab in a bloody coup. Then he announced a religious assembly at the temple of Baal to celebrate his accession to the throne. When the ceremony was underway, Jehu commanded his soldiers to massacre the Baal worshipers.

    Although Jehu destroyed Baal worship in the kingdom, he was not careful to follow God’s law. God still did not reign in the people’s hearts.

Reflection: Looking back on all the powerful ways God provided for and rescued his people, we have a hard time understanding how quickly they could forget and become obstinate once again. Even when the outward symbols of idol worship were destroyed, their hearts lagged behind. The prophets constantly warned them of the inevitable discipline of a holy God whom they defied with their rebellion, their worship of false gods, and their self-rule.

    In reality, however, although our “idols” are different, are our hearts any less stubborn and forgetful?

Text copyright © 1997, Multnomah Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Title: "Idols of the Heart"
Author: Ron Rose
Publication Date: June 5, 2001

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