JEHU by Jos. Clarke

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 10, 1877

JEHU

By Jos. Clarke

“Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord.” 2 Kings 10: 16.

Jehu represents in his character a large class of heroes who figure upon the historic page. By his hasty movements, one is reminded of such men as Alexander the Great, and of Napoleon Bonaparte, or of Julius Cæsar. “I came, I saw, I conquered,” was the language they were accustomed to use. Jehu, in his wholesale slaughter of Jezebel’s descendants, and in the haste which he used, no doubt met the designs of the Lord in exterminating the wicked family of Jezebel.

Still there was a mixture of pride and vanity exhibited in the language of Jehu, and in his manner of performing the solemn errand upon which he was sent, which does not correspond with the principles and lives of good men of whom the Bible speaks as examples. Moses, when performing acts of discipline, and executing divine sentence and displeasure, moved with solemnity and evident carefulness and humility. No such feeling or emotion seemed to moderate and sanctify the acts of Jehu. Though perhaps it might be urged that Jehu abhorred the characters which Ahab and Jezebel had developed, and with just indignation had meted out to the wicked queen and her sons the righteous decisions of Jehovah; yet he manifested a brutality and recklessness in his manner of doing this work, which does not accord with the acts of Joshua and Samuel and David, when executing the commands of God under similar circumstances; and it appears from the account we have of Jehu’s character, in 2 Kings 10: 29–36, that he was not wholly free from the sin of idolatry.

Thus we see that God uses in his work of governing the nations special agents, to whom very important points are assigned; and we see that his using such agents does not always prove that they are his children, nor that he wholly approves of their motives, even when doing his work; nor does he always approve of the spirit which his agents manifest while executing the divine will.

It was said of Amaziah (see 2 Chron. 25: 2), that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart; and of Uzziah, that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did (see 2 Chron. 26: 4); and the lives of these two kings clearly show why the qualifying clause is thrown in. So of Jehu, although he executed the will of God in destroying the posterity of Ahab and Jezebel, yet we see (from 2 Kings 10: 31), that Jehu was not right at heart with God.

Shall we not trace all our failures in duty, all our sins and errors, to this source,—a wrong state of the heart? No one can be a consistent Christian who does not keep a close watch over his thoughts. There is much in the constitution and tendencies of the natural heart, which needs to be set right; and he who undertakes this kind of work in good earnest will find it to his great advantage here and hereafter.

To sit as witness, as judge, and as prosecuting attorney, against one’s own thoughts and motives, requires nerve and strength of principle, and the help of the Spirit of God. Amid the stillness of the night, or the hurry and bustle of the day, to keep constant, vigilant watch over the heart, and to sit constantly as an impartial judge to condemn or approve all that passes through the mind,—this is a work that few care to perform; yet, when faithfully performed, it bears the most pleasant and valuable fruit, and when constantly attended to, it becomes from fixed habit a very natural and healthful exercise of the mind. And so far from being irksome and painful, it becomes an easy and often a delightful employment, because it is attended by the help of God.

But when the Christian departs from God, it is because he has lost for the present this power to search his own heart. The court has adjourned, or he has allowed Satan to come in. Perhaps this arch foe himself has occupied the judge’s bench, or the witness’ stand, or the attorney’s desk; or perhaps he has filled all the departments, and is running the court in his own interest altogether. In either case there is trouble. In case the backslidden one determines to return to the Lord, he has now a great work to do. Had he remained faithful, it would have been easy to hold the fort; but to rout the foe will require many bitter and trying conflicts.

This is why it is so hard for many to be Christians. They aim to be Christians, and still hold with the world. This brings the enemy directly into the court we have been speaking of, and all its proceedings are more or less affected by his influences. This it was that spoiled the character of Jehu and others who aimed to serve God. They were not thorough in keeping the heart; they did not see the evil lurking in their hearts. Not seeing this, they did not sense sins of thought and motive; and of course they could not repent of sins they did not see. They were blind. They did not see the necessity of a complete renewal of the heart. They could not cry out with David, “Create within me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (see Ps. 51: 10); because they did not see the necessity of such a renewal.

The fact is, the Christian knows that the more thoroughly his heart is cleansed by divine power, the more easily it is kept. In fact, it is impossible for a wicked heart to submit to this kind of discipline until the grace of God does renew it. Thus it is that a prayerful spirit is the greatest aid in keeping the heart, because that introduces the good Spirit of God into the heart, and Satan is driven out, and all is made quiet and peaceful within. Jos. CLARKE.