Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 8:1–9:29, Mark 16:1–20, Prov 6:28–35

Today’s Theme: Godly Jealousy

Today’s theme is godly jealousy, as we see in the mighty Jehu and is mentioned in the proverbs. We read about the wonderful resurrection of Jesus today, and the associated great commission which we must execute with jealousy for God.

2 Kings 8:1–9:29

God’s providence

And while he was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and her land. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, here is the woman, and here is her son whom Elisha restored to life.”(2 Kings 8:5, ESV)

This was not by chance, it was the providence of God on display.

God restores

And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an official for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now.”(2 Kings 8:6, ESV)

This is what it is like when we approach God in faith, He restores all that we have lost and have a right to.

We must walk in discernment

And he fixed his gaze and stared at him, until he was embarrassed. And the man of God wept.(2 Kings 8:11, ESV)

Elisha had a real gift of discernment and he knew what was in Hazael’s heart. We need that sharpness in the church.

Run from compromise

And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.(2 Kings 8:18, ESV)

We should not be unequally burdened and bound, and we should run from compromise.

The action bible

Again the watchman reported, “He reached them, but he is not coming back. And the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”(2 Kings 9:20, ESV)

This reads like an action film script. Jehu is quite a character!

The theology of place

Joram said, “Make ready.” And they made ready his chariot. Then Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah set out, each in his chariot, and went to meet Jehu, and met him at the property of Naboth the Jezreelite.(2 Kings 9:21, ESV)

Poetic justice, notice the theology of place, it is still called by Naboth’s name, it is like the land belonging to Israel.

The boldness of Jehu

And when Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” He answered, “What peace can there be, so long as the whorings and the sorceries of your mother Jezebel are so many?”(2 Kings 9:22, ESV)

The truth that the prophet had told this man made him very bold in declaring the truth and speaking out against evil.

Use your full strength

And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and shot Joram between the shoulders, so that the arrow pierced his heart, and he sank in his chariot.(2 Kings 9:24, ESV)

This is how we should be as men, working with our full strength.

Jealous for God

When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled in the direction of Beth-haggan. And Jehu pursued him and said, “Shoot him also.” And they shot him in the chariot at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo and died there.(2 Kings 9:27, ESV)

He was not a man who did things by halves, we can learn from this in terms of our attitude toward God and His purposes.

Mark 16:1–20

The first day of the week

And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.(Mark 16:2, ESV)

This is why we worship on a Sunday and not a Saturday.

Jesus rose form the dead

And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.(Mark 16:6, ESV)

The most awesome event and victory in History, Jesus rose from the dead, we are talking about full bodily resurrection.

The call and condition

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.(Mark 16:16, ESV)

The universal call and condition of the Gospel.

Proverbs 6:28–35

Don’t tiptoe around sin… run!

Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?(Proverbs 6:28, ESV)

Tiptoeing around lust will get you burned.

Don’t destroy yourself

He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.(Proverbs 6:32, ESV)

If we commit adultery, we are lacking in common sense, because we are destroying ourselves.

Godly jealousy

For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.(Proverbs 6:34, ESV)

This is one time when jealousy is biblical and right; for your wife (also spiritually, God for us and us for Him).

It is interesting how Jehu is mentioned in relation to Jealousy, and that was our OT reading today too.

The word used for jealousy here, can be used in a positive sense (advocate zealously for someone else benefit) or negative one (labouring resentment or a grudge). In both cases the idea is that the jealous person holds an “intense and energetic state of mind, urging them towards action”.

Our state of mind concerning God and what is right, should be lively, spurring us on to action.

Definition adapted from New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Mark 16