2 Kings 10:18 – 27 “Then Jehu brought all the people together and said, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot. Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. See that no one is missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.”
But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.
And Jehu commanded, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they announced it.
Then Jehu sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; there was not a man who failed to show. They entered the temple of Baal, and it was filled from end to end.
And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them.
Next, Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab entered the temple of Baal, and Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Look around to see that there are no servants of the LORD here among you—only servants of Baal.” And they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and warned them, “If anyone allows one of the men I am delivering into your hands to escape, he will forfeit his life for theirs.”
When he had finished making the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out.”
So the guards and officers put them to the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.
They brought out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it. They also demolished the sacred pillar of Baal. Then they tore down the temple of Baal and made it into a latrine, which it is to this day.
FROM TEMPLE TO LATRINE! Jehu is still carrying out God’s commands, and God wants Baal worship to be eliminated. To that end, Jehu pretends to become a fervent Baal worshiper. Jehu calls for all the men who are Baal worshipers to enter the temple and to wear the ritualistic garments. Jehu also warns the priests to make sure there are no servants of the Lord in the crowd. So the Baal worshipers crowd into the temple. Meanwhile, Jehu has stationed eighty soldiers outside the temple; as soon as the sacrifices are complete and worshipers are concentrating on the priests, these soldiers enter the temple and slaughter everyone. The soldiers throw the bodies of the Baal worshipers out and collect all the sacred items, including the pillar of Baal and burn them. Then Jehu’s men demolish the temple and make it into a latrine! Once the temple grounds have been desecrated by people defecating there, the temple can never be rebuilt on that site.
APPLICATION: God really has a sense of humor. For years, God’s chosen people have prostituted themselves before the demon god Baal. Baal was believed to control rain as well as crop fertility. Baal worshipers indulged in all kinds of perverted worship practices. Finally, God has had enough. God moves Jehu to slaughter the Baal worshipers and priests and to burn all the sacred items so that nobody can keep something privately in their home. The pillar of Baal is destroyed and the temple put to the torch. Then the site of the temple is used for a latrine, clearly demonstrating what God thinks about Baal.
Here Jehu does well, carrying out God’s will. If only Jehu would continue to serve God whole – heartedly, all would be well. Later on, Jehu himself falls into idolatry, but for today, Jehu does the right thing. Avenger #2 is fulfilling God’s assignment.
“But,” you ask, “what if some of those people in that temple were actually innocent?” Good question. That’s why Jehu ordered the priests of Baal to weed out any servants of the Lord who might have wandered in to satisfy their idle curiosity. We must conclude that God knew the hearts of all those left in that temple and that those men refused to repent.
Curiosity in the operations of the occult can be very dangerous. Many years ago, a local chief invited a fetish priestess to come do sooth – saying after several young people had died mysteriously. Our little village was swarming with demons. One of our hospital workers who was on her way to the chief’s palace to witness this event was nearly raped by one of the young men. A watchman at a local school committed suicide, allegedly at the urging of the traditional bush spirits. Church members who were foolish enough to insist on watching the fetish priestess suffered for their lack of judgement.
These days, there are many programs on television, videos, and YouTube channels promoting the occult. We watch these things at the peril of our immortal souls. Playing with darkness is always dangerous. Although we may delude ourselves into thinking that we are strong and can resist any influence, we have no idea what will actually happen to us. Darkness and light cannot exist at the same time in the same place. At any moment we are choosing to walk in the light or to turn away from it. But returning to the light may prove difficult or nearly impossible.
The Apostle John warns us in 1 John 1:5 – 10, “And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.”
John had about as much practical experience as any of the disciples. After leaving his career as a fisherman, John became the disciple closest to Jesus, the one to whom Jesus entrusted his mother Mary at the time of His death. John traveled throughout the known world at that time and was later exiled as a prisoner to the island of Patmos. John lived to be more than ninety years and was one of the most respected elders of the early church for good reason.
God clearly demonstrated His feelings about Baal and the other demons when He moved Jehu to turn the temple of Baal into a latrine. Why should we exchange light for darkness?
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, there are those who are reading these words who may be tempted to involve themselves in the occult for the sake of secret knowledge and power. Open their eyes to see that such games are deadly and that they can lose not only their own souls but those of their family members as well. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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