Jehu and Jezebel
IT is difficult for us in these days to reconcile
Jehu's treatment of the house of Ahab with the fact that he was ' the Lord's Anointed.' But to the Jews of that time Jehovah was indeed a ' jealous God.'
The story is perhaps the most barbaric, and at the samo time the most dramatic, in the Old Testament.
Jehu was first and foremost a mighty man of valour,' and it was on this account that he was chosen of God to be King. The reigning houses of both Israel and Judah had become so decadent that their total extermination was the only way to give the people a chance to reform.
This, then, was Jehu's mission, and he carried it out to the bitter end, leaving terror in his train.
Jezebel, the greatest power for evil in the land, was a King's daughter. She alone was not afraid of this upstart Jehu. Her taunt, Had Zimri peace who slew his master? ' was in the nature of a challenge.
For Zimri, after slaying Elah the King, was himself deposed by Omri after a reign of seven days, and had burnt himself to death in his palace.
Jehu recognized in her a worthy enemy, for he would have her buried as befitted a princess. Her downfall was made the more impressive and complete by the fact that her body was devoured by the pariah dogs that haunted Jezreel, so that they shall not say, This is
Jezebel.'