June 17th
Unfailing Word
2 Kings 10:10
“Know then that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab, for the LORD has done what he said by his servant Elijah."
We live in a world of unfulfilled promises. We live in a land of lies. People will commit to something then fail to follow through with what they promised to do. It happens at the altar, among friends, in business and just about everywhere else. Promises made are not always promises kept. So, this leads us to mistrust those who make promises. We have come to believe there are no guarantees.
But even when earthly promises fail, heavenly ones don’t. There is countless evidence that the promises of God are sure. They are promises made which are promises kept. The word that God foretells always finds it’s fulfillment in the future. The Lord does “what he said”.
God had “said by his prophet Elijah” to tell Ahab “Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and 16will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.” (1 Kgs 21:21). Now twelve years later the prophecy is fulfilled through Jehu as he has the seventy sons of Ahab beheaded, then has Jezebel thrown down from a window to her death to be devoured by dogs, and finally had all the prophets of Baal executed. God was true to His word. He carried out what He committed to do. His were not idle words that fell to the earth and died, but were fulfilled in His time.
The writer of 2 Kings says “know then”. There is important information regarding the providence of God that he wants us to perceive from Jehu’s actions. You see the killing of all of these individuals was not Jehu’s idea. God had spoken to Jehu by another prophet who relayed God’s message telling him, “You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel” (2 Kgs 9:7). Jehu was simply obeying God’s command and administering God’s just judgement upon the Ahab because he “made Israel to sin” (1 Kgs 21:22). He wants us know that Jehu is not evil for his executions. He wants us to realize that God’s word is good and will not fail. He wants us to see that the Lord will do what He says and He will fulfill what He has foretold.
There are several insights that we can gain from our text. First, God clearly makes know what He is going to do. There was no confusion as to what the Lord told Elijah or what He told Jehu. They knew God’s directive and just had to decided whether they would obey or disobey it. God too will bring clarity to what He communicates with us. You will know what He tells you to do. Second, God’s promises will be performed. They will happen. There is nothing that anyone can do to stop Him or stay His hand. He will do what He says, period. This is encouraging for us because we can cry out to Him to do what He says. We are assured that the scriptures are true and God is faithful to fulfill all He has promised. Finally, God’s promises are always purposeful and according to His divine plan. God’s plan was to punish Ahab for his sins and the sins of His family and for leading his people to sin. God has the right to choose how and when he would carry out His judgement. Perhaps the reason He waited 12 years to finally fulfill what He foretold was to give Ahab an opportunity to repent and return to the Lord. I mean it wasn’t like he didn’t hear and see all that God said and did through Elijah. This gives us hope that because of God’s delayed judgment of Ahab that it will allow our hardhearted friends and family time to repent and receive Christ.
Today thank the Lord that “there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the LORD” and that all He has foretold will be fulfilled. Ask the Lord to help you to learn to petition Him with His promises, reminding Him of what He said and pleading with Him to simply do what He has said. Thank Him for His delayed judgement that allows your lost friend or family member to repent and receive Christ. Thank Him that He is a promise keeping God.
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