Sermon Tone Analysis

Lesson 33: The Potential of Zeal

UNREALIZED POTENTIAL

Let’s turn to 2 Kings 9.

8670 There is a potential hero in every man—and a potential skunk.

Oswald Chambers

E‌ven in this study tonight, we are going to be able to see this truth illustrated in two different kings.

We are going to cover four kings tonight, and they were are all kings of the Northern kingdom of Israel.

I. 10TH NORTHERN KING – JEHU – A KING WITH POTENTIAL

God has made us all for something great - that is a relationship and purpose of life in Him.

Sin is a poor unfulfilling replacement for those things.

Men may pretend today like never before that they are fullfilled and happy - but the truth is that they are putting on a front - living a lie - when they miss out on God’s plan for their lives.

In everyone of us there is potential.

Jehu - The Lord is He

A. The anointing of and prophecy concerning Jehu

1.

This was the Lord’s doing

1 Kings 9:1-3

No matter how you read it, it was God’s will to anoint Jehu king.

He may not have been the first born, it was not required even by the evidence we have already seen the lives of other kings of Israel to have the firstborn to be king.

Even if it is the kings will, it may not happen.

But Scripture 2 Kings 9:1–10:36; 2 Chronicles 22:7–12

Dates 841–813Duration 28 years

2.

An unusual anointing

2 Kings 9:4-6.

It was unusual in the sense that the prophet was sent in to do it quickly and then to basically run for his life - the way it sounds here.

a.

An impromptu coronation

But no crown would be placed on anyone’s head, no pomp and circumstance - this was the captains of the host meeting together for dinner by a fire most likely at what was likely the military encampment of the Norther kingdom in Ramoth Gilead.

b.

An unplanned opportunity

Jehu did not know what was coming

God instigated this, by His will and prophecy.

3. A violent prophecy

vv.7-

He was anointed by a messenger from Elisha.

The general destruction of Ahab’s family

Like the house of Jeroboam.

Like the house of Baasha

The specific death of Jezebel v.10

B. Why Jehu?

His zeal

The Benefits of zeal

1. Zealousness pleases God

Dare I say, He is impressed by it.

In Numbers 25:13

2. Zeal is beneficial toward repentance

3. Zeal moves us to action

Zeal motivates others to action

Zeal helps with repentance

Zeal without knowledge is dangerous

Paul said of Israel.

It has cost many a person the way of salvation because they caught on to the ride

Even Paul was so zealous for religion that he was persecuting and imprisoning Christians:

Concerning Epaphras:

C. The Prophecy fulfilled and then some

Some of these were ordered by God but others were assassinations out of unbound zeal of Jehu.

1.

The northern king Jehoram

2. Judah’s King Ahaziah

(not to be confused with Ahab’s oldest son), grandson of Jehoshaphat

3. Jezebel

4. Ahab’s seventy sons, relatives, and friends

5. Forty-two royal princes of Judah

6.

The Baal-worshipers

II.

11TH NORTHERN KING – JEHOAHAZ - Jehovah has seized

Dates 814–797 Duration 17 years - the only Scripture about his reign is in 2 Kings 13:1–9

A. He did that which was evil in the sight of God

He was the son of Jehu, a zealous man for God when it came to doing but not being.

Therefore, his son was not going to do well either.

God chastised them all their days in verse 3 from Benhadad and Hazael of Syria.

B. He showed humility but not repentance

By the way, think about how ready God is to forgive and to show mercy to us.

You can show humility without repentance, but you cannot have repentance without humility.

He did just like as Ahab had once done, see 1 Ki.

21:27–29

C. His army was almost wiped out by the Syrians

He was oppressed by the Syrian king Hazael during his entire reign, and his army was finally reduced to fifty mounted troops, ten chariots, and ten thousand infantry men.

III.

THE 12TH NORTHERN KING – JEHOASH - Jehovah fired

2 Ki.

13:10–14:16; 2 Chron.

25:17–24

Dates 798–782

Duration 16 years Scripture 2 Kings 13:10–14:16; 2 Chronicles 25:17–24

A. Another evil king of the Northern kingdom

B. His lack of zeal in dealing with the Moabites

2 Kings 13:14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died.

And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows.

And he took unto him bow and arrows.

16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow.

And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands.

17 And he said, Open the window eastward.

And he opened it.

Then Elisha said, Shoot.

And he shot.

And he said, The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.

18 And he said, Take the arrows.

And he took them.

And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground.

And he smote thrice, and stayed.

19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.

C.