Leadership Challenges Part 7

     Jehu was separated from his companions to be anointed King of Israel in private.  It was not necessarily safe to be a king.  He mission was to destroy King Ahab's home and all of his family.  Jezebel's death would be a particularly gruesome death.  He was to act as the hand of God to enact vengeance for all the blood they had shed.

    King Jehu had the support of the people to kill King Joram when he was bedridden in Jezreel from his wounds.  King Ahaziah was in Jezreel visiting King Joram.  Both the kings rode out together to meet King Jehu.  King Jehu shot King Joram between the shoulders when he was running away.   The shot pierced his heart.  When you choose to engage in a fight, you can never stop and run.  You have to finish or you leave yourself open for the kill.

    When King Ahaziah of Judah saw King Joram die, he fled.  King Jehu had no choice but to pursue.  If he did not clean house completely, then this battle would never end.  King Ahaziah was wounded, but did not die immediately from his wound.  He managed to make it to Megiddo first.  

    Jezebel was prepared herself to meet King Jehu looking fierce.  She had on makeup and an attitude when she looked down upon him when he entered her city.  She called him out, but no one took her serious at this point.  She was pretty much hated by everyone.  When King Jehu ordered her eunuchs' to throw her out the window and they did.

    Her body hit the ground and splattered which scared the horses,  In their fear they trampled her.  None of this phased King Jehu.  He went inside to eat.  Her body was not even attempted to be retrieved until after they had all eaten.  When they finally went to bury her all that was left was her skull, hands, and feet.  The dogs had devoured her flesh.  This was even more gruesome than King Jehu could have imagined, but it fulfilled what God said would happen.

2 Kings 9