Have you come in peace, you Zimri, you murderer of your
master? (2 Kings 9:31).
Jehu was doing the Lord’s work, purging the house of Omri
from the nation of Israel, and Jezebel was next. Some manuscripts state
Jezebel’s question like this: Was there peace for Zimri who murdered his
master?
However Jezebel originally framed her question, her intent
was the same. She was reminding Jehu that many years earlier a similar coup had
been engineered by a man named Zimri. Once the gate was cracked open, no one
could hold back the floodwaters of rebellion. Zimri sat on the throne only
seven days before lighting his own palace on fire – committing suicide to save
himself from death at Omri’s hand.
If Jezebel was going to die, she would at least do what she
could to curse her killer. She attempted to sow doubt in Jehu’s mind: “Zimri
only lived seven days after he seized the throne. How long do you think you’ll last?”
Watch your back. Recipe for paranoia.
Even when we’re confident our mission is from God (it was
Elisha who ordered that Jehu be anointed king) enemies will do their best to
fill our heads with fear. But when God is on our side, though our foes taunt us
with songs of destruction, we can know peace. Despite Jezebel’s warning, Jehu’s
purge was effective and his son succeeded him as king of Israel when Jehu died
in his sleep 28 years later.
TODAY’S MEDITATION
Is your enemy taunting you
with thoughts of fear and failure? What does God’s Word say?
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