Then,
the LORD said, “Call his name Jezreel,
I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the
house of Jehu,
And bring an end to the kingdom of the house
of Israel.
God doesn’t’ waste words. He speaks volumes with few. After
all, He is The Word. The Master Craftsman of words. He formed and created the
world, with His Word. It’s no wonder, His Word, has and always will be, the
best of best-sellers.
These few words spoken to Hosea, paint a prophetic picture of
His plan for the planet. Perfectly.
Many times, prophecy
has interpretation, near and far; spiritual and natural. Here we see all of this
and (at least) three timeless lessons:
- Blood Speaks.
- There is a Divine Reckoning
- There is a Holy Reckoning
Blood speaks. God set that precedent, right away, in the
beginning, when He said to Cain, “What have you done? The
voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.” Genesis 4:10.
Jezreel is a bloody place. A LOT of blood cried out from the
ground of Jezreel.
Jezreel is where at least thirty-four battles have occurred,
and one more big one is on the horizon.
At Jezreel, Crusaders fought four separate battles in the 12th
century. Napoleon called the Jezreel Valley the most natural battleground of
the whole earth.
It’s where King Josiah & King Saul were killed. Where
dogs licked Ahab’s blood and ate Jezebel’s flesh.
For fear of Jehu, the leaders of Samaria killed all seventy of
Ahab's descendants, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at
Jezreel.
Fueled by bloodlust birthed in Jezreel, Jehu slaughtered
forty-two brothers of King Ahaziah of Judah (2 Kings
9:30-10:36).
The blood of this place cried out, God heard, and exacted
vengeance. Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord, (Deuteronomy 32:35).
That can be a daunting thought, since
we all are guilty. We all have blood on our hands. We all took part, by our
sin, in the shedding of innocent blood, in the nailing Jesus to the tree…which
is exactly where we find the remedy.
Blood speaks, either, justification or
condemnation.
Which will it be?
It’s up to thee.
Do we accept and receive the healing, cleansing blood of Jesus?
(1 John 1:7). (Hebrews
9:14).
What can wash away my sins?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh! precious is the flow That
makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Or, do we reject Him, and receive the just recompense of reward?
There is a Divine Reckoning.
Although, Jehu was commissioned and positioned by God to
execute judgement on Ahab and family. The motives of his heart were laid bare,
when after taking the throne, he continued in the evil ways of the kings who
had gone before him.
In God’s Divine Justice, he promised Jehu that his sons would
sit on the throne of Israel for four generations; because of his obedience—in
spite of his disobedience, (2 Kings
9:30-10:36).
And it came to pass, when the fourth generation of Jehu, (Zechariah),
was seated on the throne, Hosea and Gomer had their first son.
The LORD told Hosea to
call his son, Jezreel. For in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of
Jezreel on the house of Jehu (Hosea 1:4).
Zechariah had reigned only six months when he was struck down
(publicly assassinated) by Shallum, (Shallum means: retribution), (2 Kings
15:8-10).
Thus, ended the dynasty of Jehu just as the LORD had spoken.
Every jot
and tittle of the Word is always fulfilled.
If anyone was paying attention back then, that would’ve been quite
a story. A wake-up call. Front page news. But, alas, most folks weren’t (and
still aren’t) paying attention.
From that day to this, it stands as a sign, permanently planted:
God Remembers. His Word is True. Justice is Served.
God likes posting signs.
Now, that was a sign.
Yet, very few saw. Fewer still recognized. Nevertheless,
multiplied multitudes, celebrate that Sign, to this very day. It was and
is, a powerful, pivotal, point in HIStory.
But what about new born baby Jezreel, and long-time dead, Jehu?
It too was and is a sign, but we are foolish
and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken (Luke 24:25).
The death of Zechariah wasn’t much more than a footnote to
most folks living back then. It hardly seems relevant to us, here and now. So, what’s
the big deal? Why go to the trouble of naming a baby to memorialize it, and
recording it in the Bible, to immortalize it?
An even bigger question is: how was justice served, when
judgement wasn’t enforced until four generations after the offender
(Jehu) was dead?
God doesn’t waste words, or time.
He does nothing out of frivolity.
This event wasn’t simply a matter of, prophecy made—prophecy kept.
It was: A sign for those living then. An eternal message of hope and justice for us living now. An unending, Divine Reckoning for Jehu, then, and now.
At first glance it looks
like Jehu got away with murder, and then lived like a king. Because, well, because,
he did. He slaughtered many, then reigned as king of Israel for twenty-eight
years, and then died of natural causes.
It’s easy to think the wicked do wickedly without consequence.
They murder, lie, cheat, and steal, then rise to power in their ivory tower. Untouchable
from golden throne, dictator from House Chamber dais, executioner from Oval Office.
But the Truth is, nobody gets away with anything.
The truth is, justice is served.
God doesn’t miss a thing. There is a Divine Reckoning, and
Jehu, knew.
What? What do you mean, Jehu knew? How? He’d already been dead
for about a hundred years before Zechariah was killed.
Jehu’s body died. He didn’t. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,
once to die and then the judgement, (Genesis
3:19; Hebrews 9:27).
Just like the rich man in Hades and Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom (Luke
16:19-31).
Jesus taught us that even though they died, yet, they lived.
They still remembered their former life, their family, their
friends.
They could feel. The rich man felt, thirst and pain, and regret.
Lazarus felt, joy and peace and rest.
Justice was served. And the rich man, mournfully, knew it.
Jehu did too.
Thus far, we have seen, how God has shown; Blood Speaks and There is a
Divine Reckoning, but there’s more. It’ deep. It matters most to you and
me.
A Holy Reckoning
God’s Divine Reckoning, may balance the scales of justice on
earth, and propel His Divine purpose for the planet; however, His Holy
Reckoning, balances the scales in eternity; and forever echoes His Divine
purpose.
Here we need to stop and pray.
LORD, we ask for Spiritual discernment, eyes to see and ears
to hear.
The original text, as written, holds the key, to open a hidden
treasure. Hidden for us, not from us.
I
will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu,
And
bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
For in a little while calls to
remembrance the familiar words from Hebrews:
“For yet
a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry”
(Hebrews 10:37).
Take heart, lift up your head, for His redemption draws nigh. In
a little while, He (Jesus) will come. His visitation is sure and certain, and will
not be delayed.
Look deep into the original text and hear The Voice echoing His
plan, to defeat the kingdom of darkness, and bring an end to the strife between
God and man.
I will avenge (paqad: to attend to, visit, muster, appoint)
the bloodshed of Jezreel (yiz-reh-ale'
- God sows)
on the house of Jehu (Yehu:
"the LORD is He)
and bring an end to the kingdom of the house of
Israel (Yisrael, God strives).
Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear:
I will visit; the blood I sow, is Mine, to end the kingdom that strives against Me.
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