DBG - April 28 - II Kings 7-9

In this chapter, God miraculously delivers Samaria as Elijah predicted.

vs. 1-20 – Elijah declares that the siege will be lifted, and food will be abundant again. He proclaims that one seah (7 quarts) of fine flour and two seahs (14 quarts) of barley be sold for one shekel, or roughly $8.34.42.   A doubting aristocrat is told that he will see it happen but will not taste it. Outside the city gate, four lepers make a desperate move to seek mercy from the Syrians. As they leave at dusk to go to the camp, God makes the Syrians hear an approaching army. The Syrians flee for their lives, and the lepers find the camp empty. When the lepers return with the news, scouts are sent out to verify. The doubting aristocrat is killed in the stampede of people rushing out to find food in the abandoned camp.

In this chapter the evil influence of Athaliah is introduced into the Kingdom of Judah.

vs. 1-6 – I think that this famine was during  the final years of the of Jehoram’s reign (~885 B.C.?) and the king here is Jehu.  God arranged it so that the woman’s request was made just as Gehazi was telling the king their story. The king is moved to grant her request and restore her property.

vs. 7-15 – Elisha travels to Damascus where Benhadad II is sick. Hazael (“whom God sees”) is sent to inquire of Elisha if he will recover. Elisha tells that Benhadad will recover but that Hazael will become king. He also prophesies about the atrocities that Hazael will commit as king. Hazael takes matters into his own hands and assassinates Benhadad.

vs.16-24 – Yes, we have a Jehoram/Joram on the throne of Israel and a Jehoram/Joram on the throne of Judah. Two different kings, same name. This Jehoram was not a good king and walked in the ways of the wicked Ahab and not those of his good father, Jehoshaphat.  Jehoram weakened Judah. Edom revolted and could not be quelled. Libnah, an independent city-state near Philistia, also rebelled.  One of his wives is Athaliah (“afflicted of the Lord”), daughter of Ahab, king of Israel. This marriage was presumably made to solidify the alliance between the houses of Omri and Jehoshaphat. Jehoram died after a reign of only eight years and was succeeded by his son Ahaziah (“sustained by the Lord”). He appears to have been a co-regent for the first years of his reign (vs. 16).

vs. 25-29 - Ahaziah’s mother is Athaliah, who undoubtedly had a major influence on the boy. He was not a good king and followed the wicked pattern of Ahab. He will meet his end while visiting his cousin, king Joram of Israel, who is recuperating from a battle wound at Jezreel.  There are huge debates over reconciling II Kings 8:26 and II Chronicles 22:2 concerning the age of Ahaziah when he took the throne.  My theory is that Ahaziah was 22 years old when he became a prince/coregent, possibly with connections to the Northern Kingdom. Ahaziah was 42 years old when he became king of Judah. The writer of II Kings chose to include the time as prince/coregent, and the writer of II Chronicles did not.  If you are interested, I have an article where I explain this conclusion: https://www.baptistbasics.org/2023/10/14/was-ahaziah-22-or-42/

In this chapter Jehu sweeps onto the scene and ends the house of Omri’s rule over Israel.

vs. 1-13 – The armies of Israel were still at the disputed Ramothgilead. There like a whirlwind one of the prophets arrives and anoints Jehu (“Jehovah is he”), general of the army, to be the new king over Israel. Like a tornado he sweeps through the nation of Israel and changes everything in his path. Jehu’s commission is to end the house of Omri/Ahab.  The soldiers of the army hail him as the new king.

vs. 14-26 - Jehu knows Jehoram is at Jezreel. He speeds his way there before his target can be warned of his coming. Messengers are sent out, but they join his band. Finally, the two kings (Jehoram and Ahaziah) rode out to meet him, still not sure of what is happening. Jehu kills Jehoram with an arrow through his heart while Ahaziah flees. Jehu’s lieutenant Bidkar (“son of stabbing, i.e, one who stabs”) takes the body of the king and throws it in the vineyard that was formerly Naboth’s, completing the prophecy of I Kings 21:19. Jehu sends his men after Ahaziah, who is killed while trying to flee.  Ahaziah is given a decent burial at Jerusalem.

vs. 27-37 - When Jehu arrives at Jezreel to deal with Jezebel, she calls out, “Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?”. This taunt about the ill-fated usurper in II Kings 16:15-20 was meant to dissuade him in his quest, but there was no stopping Jehu. He calls out for an ally in the city and some servants respond. They cast Jezebel from the wall or possibly a tower. Jehu and his men run their horses over her body then celebrate within the city. When they came later to bury the body, only her skull, feet, and hands remained because the dogs had eaten her corpse. Thus was the prophecy fulfilled of I Kings 21:23.

While much of the focus has been on stemming the decline of the Northern Kingdom through the ministries of Elijah and Elisha, the Southern Kingdom is now in dreadful trouble.  The close ties between the families of Jehoshaphat and Ahab will almost destroy Judah and end the Davidic line.  While it may have seemed like a good idea for the two kingdoms to start to reunite, what happens is the poison of idolatry is injected into Judah through Jezebel’s daughter Athaliah.  It is dire warning for us today.  Unity for unity’s sake rarely improves the situation.  For Christians, we must focus more on fidelity than fraternity in our partnerships and relationships.  Otherwise we will be dragged down by those whose hearts are not as pure as our own.

Our hymn today is “The Successful Resolve” by Edmund Jones, a Baptist pastor who introduced singing into his church in 1759.  This hymn appears in John Rippon’s 1787 A Selection of Hymns.  It is in part inspired by the resolve of the lepers in 7:3-5.

Come, humble sinner, in whose breast,
A thousand thoughts revolve,
Come, with your guilt and fear oppressed,
And make this last resolve.

I’ll go to Jesus, though my sin
Like mountains round me close;
I know His courts, I’ll enter in,
Whatever may oppose.

Prostrate I’ll lie before His throne,
And there my guilt confess,
I’ll tell Him, I’m a wretch undone,
Without His sovereign grace.

I’ll to the gracious King approach,
Whose scepter pardon gives;
Perhaps he command my touch,
And then the suppliant lives.

Perhaps He will admit my plea,
Perhaps will hear my prayer;
But, if I perish, I will pray,
And perish only there.

I can but perish if I go;
I am resolved to try;
But if I stay away, I know
I must forever die.

But, if I die with mercy sought,
When I the King have tried,
This were to die (delightful thought!)
As sinner never died.