Jehu anointed

1The 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 olive oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead. 2When 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. 3Then 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!”

4So the young prophet went to Ramoth Gilead. 5When 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.

6Jehu 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. 7You 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. 8The whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free.^a 9I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah. 10As 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.

11When Jehu went out to his fellow officers, one of them asked him, “Is everything all right? Why did this maniac come to you?”

“You know the man and the sort of things he says,” Jehu replied.

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.’ ”

13They quickly took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!”

Thoughts: Elijah was told by God to anoint Elishah as a prophet to succeed him; to anoint Hazael as King of Aram; and to anoint Jehu as king of Israel.  All three, by their actions of reform would restore the worship of the Lord to Israel.  Jehu was too young and inexperienced when Elijah was alive, but the time had come and Elishah fulfilled the work and the Word of the Lord to Elijah.  Jehu was zealous to reform.  He did it with a bloody vengeance.  But he also continued in the sins of Jeroboam that kept people from worshiping in Jerusalem.  Nevertheless, God used Jehu as God uses us.  

Prayer: Lord, let me be wholly devoted to you, and answer the call you have for me in life.  

By the way, there are two archaeological pieces in Assyria and Aram that confirm Jehu as king of Israel.