10:7 This fulfilled Elijah’s prophecy that not one of Ahab’s male descendants would survive (1 Kings 21:17-24).
10:11 In his zeal, Jehu went far beyond the Lord’s command with this bloodbath. The prophet Hosea later announced punishment upon Jehu’s dynasty for this senseless slaughter (Hosea 1:4, 5). Many times in history, “religious” people have mixed faith with personal ambition, power, or cruelty, without God’s consent or blessing. To use God or the Bible to condone oppression is wrong. When people attack Christianity because of atrocities that “Christians” carried out, help them to see that these men and women were using faith for their own political ends and not following Christ.
10:15 Jehonadab was a man who, like Jehu, was zealous in following God. Jehonadab, however, demonstrated his zeal by separating himself and his family from the materialistic, idol-worshiping culture. He founded a group called the Rechabites (named after his father, Rechab), who strove to keep their lives pure by living apart from society’s pressures and temptations. Jeremiah 35 gives us an example of their dedication to God. Because of their dedication, God promised that they would always have descendants who would worship him.
10:24 Israel was supposed to be intolerant of any religion that did not worship the true God. The religions of surrounding nations were evil and corrupt. They were designed to destroy life, not uphold it. Israel was God’s special nation, chosen to be an example of what was right. But Israel’s kings, priests, and elders first tolerated, then incorporated surrounding pagan beliefs, and thus became apathetic to God’s way. We are to be completely intolerant of sin and remove it from our lives. We should be tolerant of people who hold differing views, but we should not condone beliefs or practices that lead people away from God’s standards of living.
10:28, 29 Why did Jehu destroy the idols of Baal but not the gold calves in Bethel and Dan? Jehu’s motives may have been more political than spiritual. (1) If Jehu had destroyed the gold calves, his people would have traveled to the Temple in Jerusalem, in the rival southern kingdom, and worshiped there (which is why Jeroboam set them up in the first place; see 1 Kings 12:25-33). (2) Baal worship was associated with the dynasty of Ahab, so it was politically advantageous to destroy Baal. The gold calves, on the other hand, had a longer history in the northern kingdom and were valued by all political factions. (3) Baal worship was anti-God, but the gold calves were thought by many to be visible representations of God himself, even though God’s law stated clearly that such worship was idolatrous (Exodus 20:3-6). Like Jehu, it is easy for us to denounce the sins of others while excusing sin in our own lives.
10:30, 31 Jehu did much of what the Lord told him to do, but he did not obey him with all his heart. He had become God’s instrument for carrying out justice, but he had not become God’s servant. As a result, he gave only lip service to God while permitting the worship of the gold calves. Check the condition of your heart toward God. We can be very active in our work for God and still not give the heartfelt obedience he desires.
10:34 Jehu is mentioned on an ancient stone monument called the Black Obelisk, inscribed by Shalmaneser III of Assyria. Foreign rulers often recorded their military exploits on stone monuments for everyone to see. Jehu is pictured kneeling before Shalmaneser III, in a gesture of submission. He paid tribute to the Assyrians near the beginning of his reign (841 B.C.) to avoid destruction. The Bible does not record Jehu’s dealings with Assyria, a nation soon to become a world power.