Sermon Central
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Why Is The Ot So Violent? Series
Contributed by Allan Quak on Mar 5, 2016 (message contributor)
Summary: Jehu's action seem to condone violence against an unfaithful enemy … how do we understand this?
Note:- most of the messages in this Kings series have been recorded ... unfortunately this one didn't record.
You can listen to the rest of the series here:-
http://www.nec.org.au/listen-to-a-sermon-series/kings-series/
Message
Why Is The Old Testament So Violent?
If I was to ask you what are some of the really big differences between the Old and New Testament what would you say?
Get some answers. Might include:
- Jesus
- More inclusiveness of people.
- Easier to understand.
- One answer I want is – OT seems more violent.
In fact it seems like the God of the Old Testament is much more violent than the God of the New Testament. And this really comes out in the book of Kings.
Open up to the chapters we are going to focus on today.
Read 9:1-13
If you have been regularly attending church you might remember the name Jehu.
We read about him a few weeks ago in 1 Kings 19:16-17. Jehu was one of the people Elijah needed to anoint to help in a grand plan that God had in mind. What we are reading about now is the grand plan unfolding.
At this time in history the spiritual situation of the whole nation is very bad. Jehoram the son of Ahab has been on the throne for 8 eight years and he has continued the extreme idolatry of Ahab – no-one in the land is following the true God. Not only that the current king of Judah – who was supposed to follow in the ways of David, had also introduced extreme idolatry into that nation. Basically the rule of Ahab had completely tainted the whole land—all under the sinister shadow of their Jezebel the foreign wife of Ahab who had been so crutial in introducing Baal worship into the land.
Something needs to change. The one who will bring the change is Jehu. Jehu is going to be the answer to many prophecies including:-
Destroying the household of his master … who is the son of Ahab.
Annihilating all of Ahab’s descendents.
Removing Jezebel from the picture.
Even though this is told in secret there is obviously a lot of hate towards the current queen and his mother Jezebel. Because it doesn’t take long to make him king.
Let’s read what happens:- 1 Kings 9:14-29
That is a big section, and we can’t cover everything. But you notice there don’t you a recurring phrase. IS THERE PEACE?
Let me tell you what the question sounds like in Hebrew:-
Hashalom.
Shalom.
You might be familiar with the word.
It means well-being, stability, contentment, unity, reconciliation … real peace.
The question identifies the real issues.
Hashalom … is there peace?
How can there be peace when the house of the king has formed an alliance with the house of Baal?
God’s anointed leaders don’t follow God’s law and they are leading people astray. Indeed both kings are standing in defiance of the promises God made to David.
When the divine house and the royal house stand together against God there is no peace.
Hashalom … is there peace?
How can there be peace when everyone is following Baal and acting worse than the people which God removed from the land so that the Israelites could live there?
God’s people have completely turned their back against the covenant God made with them.
The relationship between God and His people is broken … there is no peace.
Hashalom … is there peace?
How can there be peace when Jezebel continues to fund and support and encourage the anti-Yahweh religion of the Baal cult? Her idolatry and witchcraft continue to lead the people astray and cause them to prostitute themselves to Baal
Jezebel she has the dubious distinction of being the new standard by which evil is judged even while she is alive. While she is around there is no peace.
There is no peace in the nation. It is spiritually ruined.
How is peace going to be restored?
The answer becomes one of the most difficult aspects of the Old Testament to understand.
Peace comes through violence.
It starts with the death of Joram and then it builds.
Read 2 Kings 9:30-37
Many people because of the make-up she put on Jezebel was try to tempt Jehu into including her in his new harem. Even today, when you call someone a “Jezebel” you are making a comment about their sexual promiscuity.
What they forget is that by this time Jezebel was a grandmother.
She is not interested to submitting.
The real fact is that Jezebel was a queen mother with enormous power and influence. Jehu cannot even begin to think about reforming Israel until Jezebel is out of the way.
As he deals with her she defies and taunts him “You will be just like Zimri” – Zimri’s rule lasted for seven days.
