2 Kings 9 (Part 1) Bible Study (Jehu Anointed King of Israel) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Second Kings chapter nine. I'm curious to know if anyone here saw the recent Wall Street Journal article about Bible sales recently. Anybody read that? If you have, lift your hand. Nobody read it?

Yes? One? Couple people? Well, if you haven't read it, it was a December report, and it was a review of Bible sales in The United States. In 2024, there was a 22% increase of Bible sales in comparison to 2023.

And so the first ten months of 2024, there were 13,700,000.0 bible sales in this country. And the report also said that, from one particular bookstore manager, she expressed by way of personal testimony that she's she has seen so many first time buyers coming into her store primarily looking for the scriptures. And when asking about why they were buying the Bible, there was a large number of people who were admitting that they were on a quest for something. Can you guess what that quest is for? Truth is a good answer, but more specific, hope.

People are looking for hope. And that shouldn't surprise us in our age. Right? With the growing global chaos and the cultural confusion that's surrounding us, people are desperately looking for some answers. And a lot of those sales are coming from Gen Z, which is so encouraging because so many people have written them off and just thought that they're a lost cause.

Well, even secular reporters and analysts are saying otherwise. People are hungry. They're looking for answers and they're not getting answers from gurus or celebrities or secular prophets. And I wanted to say, if you are here today listening or in person and you're starting out on that quest, know that this church is dedicated to explaining and expounding the Bible. And we hope and pray that what you hear week after week will guide you through the truth, and it will provide you greater clarity and confidence.

And the Lord has been faithful to us week after week, hasn't he? He has been so good to us. And tonight, as we come to this book, as we usually do, we continue in our study of Elisha's efforts to complete what Elijah granted him and passed on to him, particularly in the area of appointing specific leaders who will be God's instruments of judgment against the people of Israel. And we read and studied last week that Elisha crowned Hazael to be the next king of Syria. And tonight, as we approach this chapter, we will witness how this man named Jehu will become the new king of Israel.

So if you're there, meet me in verse one of second Kings chapter nine. Let's read the first three verses together. Then Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, tie up your garments and take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth Gilead. And when you arrive, look there for Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi. And go in and have him rise from among his fellows and lead him to an inner chamber.

Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, thus says the Lord, I anoint you king over Israel. Then open the door and flee. Do not linger. Lord, we come to this word but we ask yet again that you would help us understand this word. As you open the minds of the disciples in Luke chapter 24, we pray that you would give us that same gift.

Open our minds. And as we sang, surely you make the woeful heart singing. We pray that what we discover here will only add to our praise and also add to our worship as living sacrifices dedicated and consecrated to the person of Jesus Christ. We trust you now. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen. Hazael has been anointed. He has already occupied the throne in Syria and began his work to harass the people of Israel. But that is not all that God has in mind in dealing with this stubborn people. There is a king to arise from among the brethren, Jehu, who will occupy the throne and do the bidding of the Lord in terms of discipline.

Now interestingly, Elisha, though he was in Syria to proclaim Hezael as king, does not do the same concerning Jehu in Israel. He delegates that task to one of his students and we're not given an explanation. We're not told why he dispatches one of his pupils to perform this awesome responsibility. And though there isn't immediate explanation, there is a great clue within this chapter that can help us understand why Elisha is doing it this way. We didn't read it, but let's turn to it quickly.

It's in the same chapter, but look at verse 15 of second Kings nine. What you have here is what Jehu tells those who learn of his anointing, accept it and celebrate it. Right? And so this is what we read in second Kings nine nine verse 15, but king Joram, now pause, Joram is just another name for Jehoram, who is the current king of Israel. But king Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that the Syrians had given him when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.

Pause again. That's what we learn in the last few verses of chapter eight, that the king of Israel went to war with Hazael. He was injured and so he retreats to Jezreel to recover. But notice what we read here the second part of this verse. So Jehu said, if this is your decision Pause yet again.

Sorry. In other words, because the people learned of his anointing in his immediate context and they said, yes, you are our next king. He goes, okay. If this is your decision, notice his instruction, then let no one slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel. In other words, let let's make sure that this isn't get to who?

Who's in Jezreel? The king of Israel who's recovering. We can't let him know. We can't give him any inclination that his government is threatened, though in reality is ready to be toppled. And so he tells his group, listen, keep it to yourselves.

We have to plan strategically and carefully in order for us to be successful. So he wants to keep this discreet. And I am persuaded that Elisha sending one of his students is for the same purpose. He wants to ensure that everything is under the radar. Now, we saw in chapter eight how Elisha was very well known.

Not just among his own people but even even among the neighboring nations. When he arrived in Damascus, what did we learn? The king of Syria heard of it very quickly and tried to summon him. Though he did not come for the king of Syria, Ben Hadad. Remember that?

This man could not go anywhere without being recognized and noticed and knew spreading that he was in the neighborhood. And so in understanding this, he is wise. I'm not gonna personally go to Jehu and anoint him. That would be too suspicious. That would invite a quick investigation.

Instead, I'm gonna take one of my students to do the job for me. And here we have one of the rare occasions where we learn that being so well known has its disadvantages and how God looks for unknown servants to do great things at times. You and I should be comforted by the fact that we don't need large followings and we don't need so many people to acknowledge us in order to be recruited by God to do notable things for his kingdom. Here you have this unnamed student who will go out and do an awesome thing. It is a great responsibility to appoint and anoint somebody into a specific office, And this young man is going to do it.

And I know that there are some people this is mainly for those who want to be used by God. There is always that temptation that in order for me to do something effective and worthwhile, I have to try to make myself known. I have to try to gain notoriety or some attention. I I need to be recognized in some way. But instead of being preoccupied with that, be preoccupied with knowing God.

Just know God. Love Him. Seek Him. Honor Him. Whoever you are, wherever you are, let God take care of the rest.

Let the Lord take care of the rest. We don't know anything about this student. But I think that there are insights in these first three verses, specifically with Elisha's instructions to him that give us some kind of idea of his qualities. That made him a candidate to go and do this specific work. So I want you to consider at least two things that I think are applicable to us if we long to be summoned by the Lord to serve him in any way he sees fit.

The first thing that I notice is that this young servant was available. He was available. Look at verse two. It says here verse one rather. In the initial command, Elisha says, tie up your garments.

In other words, stop what you're doing, get your shoes on, and get going. This required this young man to do what? To prioritize the purpose of God. To abandon whatever he was doing at this moment and to make sure that he did what God called him to do. And so what I see here is something so important.

I see here that there must be a willingness to sacrifice for the Lord in order for us to be a significant impact for the Lord. If we wanna be positioned, if we wanna be prepared to make any impact, we have to be willing to make any sacrifice. This is a small sacrifice, but small sacrifices count. And in this case, this man had to stop what he was doing, stop what he had planned and to make this priority number one. That's what I mean by availability.

Making God's purposes in your life ultimate priority, preeminent above everything else. And That's what this young man does here. So let me say this as kindly as possible. God does not seek people who view serving him as an inconvenience. God does not recruit people who see anything connected to his kingdom in terms of service or ministry as an inconvenient thing.

He looks for those who see it as the greatest honor and joy in their lives, to please him in any way that he sees fit for your life. That's who he looks for. And there's another quality here that I see about this man, not just his availability, but something equally important, his dedication. Notice in verse one, he says, tie up your garments and take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth Gilead. And the follow-up command is quite striking.

And when you arrive, look there. Look there for Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi. This is not King Jehoshaphat, by the way. This is a different Jehoshaphat. This is not the one who ruled in Judah.

This is just a a different individual with the same name. So Jehu is not of royal descent. This is different Jehoshaphat, but notice the instruction. He's in Rheinath Gilead, young man, but you have to look there for him. When you get to this town, it is your duty to be discreet, diligent, and patient to locate him and then anoint him.

He could not afford to give in to any fear because it was a dangerous thing to anoint somebody as a king while there was a king. And you couldn't give up due to any frustration. God looks for committed men and women. And it is only through commitment will any person in God's kingdom taste of the full fruit of their labor and dedication. People give up too easily these days.

I've seen many over the years who get excited about starting a new thing or heading in this direction or starting this project, but very few stick with it. So I wanna counsel you to cultivate a certain mentality and here's the mentality that we all need. That whatever God has called you to do, you do it with all your might and the only way you would stop doing it is if he tells you to stop doing it. If he clearly closes the door and you realize that he is leading you elsewhere. Cultivate that mentality.

This young man needed it. When you get there, look there. Be loyal to this cause. Loyalty in our day is becoming weaker and weaker in every sphere. May not be so in the church of Jesus Christ.

So he was supposed to go and look. Go look. You have work to do. Go investigate the scene. And though there can be more said about these instructions, I think the most impressive thing about this young man is not necessarily found in these first three verses.

They're found in the fourth verse. Look at the fourth verse with me. So the young man, the servant of the prophet went to reign with Gilead. Saying, what's there? He was a young man.

That blesses me. Because it informs me that God not only is willing to recruit obscure individuals, he's willing to enroll young people as well. Now as much as that's an encouragement, it's also a challenge. What's the challenge? The challenge is this, that this example, among many, leaves young people no excuse to strive to be fit for God's service.

There's no excuse. It's possible. It's possible to be available, prioritizing God above all other things and dedicated. This young man did. Why can't you?

And there are many young people within Christendom who love to quote first Timothy four twelve in defense of their youth in connection to ministry. Right? Let no one do what? Despise your youth. It's a powerful verse.

But I rarely hear people quote Philippians two twenty and twenty one that highlights Timothy's credentials. Can we turn that together in the new testament? Philippians two twenty. Look what Paul says about the same young man, Timothy, that he told to not let anyone despise him for his youth. People believe that Timothy was in his late thirties, early forties, so that gives many people hope to be considered young at that age.

Philippians two twenty twenty one, notice what Paul says, for I have no one like him. Wow. I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare for they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. I love this passage for many reasons. Cause it not only shows me that Timothy was fit for God's service, it shows me that he excelled in character and dependability.

He excelled in it. And what was the secret according to Paul's words? That all of his interests were aligned with those of Jesus Christ. All of his interests. Whatever Jesus wanted, Timothy wanted.

Whatever Jesus longed for, Timothy longed for. Whatever Jesus loved, Timothy loved. Whatever Jesus hated, Timothy hated. And notice, this character trait, this, devotion to Christ was so real in Timothy's life that out of all the partners that Paul had, he selected the young man to go and minister to the Philippians. The young man.

It's not difficult to see how availability and dedication open doors for this young man in second Kings nine and with Timothy. It's no different for any of us. Your job is not to open doors. Your job is to open your heart to the degree that Jesus is everything to you. And those are the best kinds of servants in his kingdom.

This young man would go let's read it now from second Kings nine four down to verse six. So the young man, the servant of the prophet went to Ramoth Gilead. And when he came, behold, the commanders of the army were in council. And he said, I have a word for you, oh, commander. And Jehu said, to which of us all?

And he said, to you, oh, commander. Oh, this young man has authority. Respect but authority. I have a word for you, oh commander. Which one of us?

To you, oh commander. So he arose and went into the house and the young man poured the oil on his head saying to him, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, I anoint you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Now he he's gonna continue on, but I can't help but underscore something that he says in this initial prophecy. I want you to get another glance of how the young prophet describes the people of God in verse six. What does he say?

I anoint you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. He could have said the people of Israel, but he said specifically the people of the Lord. Saying why is that important? Aren't they the people of the Lord? You wouldn't think so if you watch how they lived at this time.

What was their spiritual condition like? They were idolatrous. They were ungrateful. They were stubborn. Despite that, God was still willing to acknowledge this group at this time of history as his people.

Why? Because he is a God who keeps his word. Why? Because he is a covenant keeping God. And it wasn't because of their faithfulness.

They didn't even meet the base requirement of faithfulness. It's because he promised. He promised Abraham something. And he promised Isaac and he promised Jacob and he promised David something. And what you find from Genesis to Revelation is that God is constant.

He is the same. His people are not. They deviate. They're fickle. They're inconsistent.

And yet though we are disappointed with the people, we are to be inspired because periodically, the scriptures by the spirit reminds us that in spite of all of this, God is going to keep his word. God is gonna be faithful. God is going to complete what he promised. That's what we're confronted with. That's the beauty of reading your Bible through and through.

You're spanning thousands of years and you're still seeing the same God. The same conviction, the same heart. He doesn't change. We change. Even though we're in covenant with him, we change.

He doesn't. And one of the strongest statements I believe that solidified the incomparable constancy of God is in the writings of Jeremiah. I want you to see what Jeremiah says of the same people, hundreds of years after this time. Look at Jeremiah 31 and I want you to see verse 37. Thus says the Lord, if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the Lord.

Wow. What a verse in a book that is primarily about judgment. Jeremiah being one of the final voices before the people of Judah go into exile. And with all these warnings and all these scathing things being said, somewhere in between we read that through Jeremiah, God says, can you measure the heavens? Take a measuring tape and go up into space and figure out the span of it.

Can you explore the depths of the earth and figure out the mysteries below? If you can't do that, then I will cast off my promises to this people Israel. And notice he says something at the end, for all that they have done. It's despite it, all that they've done, all the corruption, all the evil, all the abominations, I will keep my promise to this people. Say, well that's the old testament.

No. That's what Paul says in the new testament. And why does he say in the new testament? For many reasons including this reason, to tell a people who are being introduced to this God through the gospel of Jesus Christ, hey, you can trust the God of this gospel because look how he is with this people called Israel. You new covenant believers, you can be anchored in your security and the salvation and the promises and the blessings of God.

Why? Because look how he has been throughout history. And look how he's still the same towards his people even to this day. He said something to them and he kept his word. He still has his word for them.

And so you can trust him for your life in this covenant as well. So no matter what, the people of Israel both in the past and still today remain the people of the Lord. If you have a problem with that language, then you have a problem with Romans 11. But the statement in context of Jehu's anointing has another meaning. This is the people of the Lord.

Right? That that says something about God's character but it also says something about Jehu in what sense. Jehu had to learn immediately, right off the gate as a new leader of this people that this people don't belong to him. They belong to God. And you see a similar thing in the context of the church concerning leaders.

What they leaders, what they're supposed to have before them at all times. I'm reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul to the elders of the church in Ephesus. And in his departing words, he says the following in Acts twenty twenty eight, lean in and pay attention. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock. I love that.

All the flock, not just some of the flock. All the flock. In which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Pause. The word overseers, bishops, pastors are all synonymous.

Elders included. Those all mean pastors. I just have to say this. Elders in the church are not an advisory board to the main pastor of the church. Every elder is a pastor.

Every elder is a pastor. I know many many churches don't function that way. You have a pastor who usually teaches every week and then you have the elders who are kind of They're obviously Christian but they're not really shepherding and they just kind of help out and keep the pastor accountable. Wrong. Every elder according to the Bible is a pastor and they share equal authority.

I don't know know why I had to say that, just had to get that out there. In which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. Well, I spoke about pastors, so let me stay there a little bit. I am so moved by this truth that it is the Holy Spirit who is the agent that calls, identifies, and raises up pastors in a local church. Don't you see that?

In which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Who's the one that positions elders in a church? God himself. God himself. So, the position of a pastor is not something you necessarily pursue as much as it pursues you.

It chooses you. You don't choose it. I don't know why anybody would choose it without God's approval and leading. He chooses you. That's beside the point.

I want you to see how Paul speaks of the church to these elders who are called to oversee it, to care for what? Not the church of Ephesus, the church of God. Wow. Viewing the church in this way, Paul is being very intentional, should revolutionize the way leaders minister in their churches. If properly understood, it will revolutionize the way you preach, the way you counsel.

It will do something to your humility. It will strengthen and anchor your commitment. It will inspire a reverence. Elders, this is the church of God. Now, I know most people here are not pastors.

So does this relate to you? Absolutely. It should. It should transform all of us in the way we view the bride of Christ. In what way?

This is not just a gathering of people who have nothing to do on a Friday night. This is a gathering of people who have been purchased by God with his blood. Think about that every time you come through those doors. Think about that when there's conflict. Think about that when there's ministry opportunities.

Think about that when you greet one another and you fellowship. I am with a people who have been purchased by the blood of God. Jehu, you're gonna be the new king, but remember, this is the people of the Lord. So let's come back because he's not finished with that. Verse seven of second Kings nine.

Jehu, though he would be a leader to care for this people, is under a unique dispensation because though a leader, he is called to be an instrument of judgment. And we see that in verse seven. And you shall strike down the house of Ahab, your master, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants, the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab's every male, bond or free in Israel. And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah.

And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her. Then he opened the door and fled. So what's the essence of this prophecy? Utter destruction is coming to the house of Ahab. He is going to be rooted out and he is going to be disintegrated, him and his descendants.

There will be no one left. And not only will this people, this group, this house know an end, Jezebel specifically will know a disgraceful fate. Though a queen, she will not have an honorable death or recognition for her life. She will be eaten by the dogs. We haven't seen Jezebel for a while.

Right? At least the mention of her name. This might surprise you. She's still alive at this point in our study of second Kings. She's a bit a little quiet.

But things, are gonna change for Jezebel very quickly. And though we might have forgotten of her, God didn't. And you would think here, right, that as he gives this indictment, that the indictment against the house of Ahab is caused by what? This family institutionalizing Baal worship. But that's not what he says.

Look back again at verse seven. For the reason why judgment is coming to this house. The second part, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the Lord. God feels a very special way about his servants and how they are treated. Whether they are treated with favor or with injustice, God cares deeply about how his servants are treated.

And in in case you mistake this for how God feels about his spokesman, that's not what verse seven says. He does distinguish the prophets of the Lord, but he also includes what? All his servants. All his servants. So every single one of us.

Preacher or not a preacher, God keeps in mind what people do to his servants. What does that teach you and I? It reminds us that when we are not treated well to leave vengeance to God. That's what it teaches me. Leave it to the Lord.

And I believe this observation among others was preserved in the scriptures to bring hope and encouragement to persecuted believers in Jesus Christ. Believers who may feel like their tormentors evaded justice because after they did what they did, they seem to go on with life without consequence. You know what this teaches us? Teaches that the Lord does not forget. He doesn't forget even though he does not execute his justice immediately.

There was delay between Jezebel's persecution and her ugly fate. But what's so fascinating is how this young man who expands on what Elisha said, echoes what Elijah said to Ahab when he confronted him at Naboth's vineyard. It's so similar when you compare second Kings nine with first Kings 21, it's almost word for word. The the general idea is there. What's gonna happen to the house of Ahab?

What's gonna happen to Jezebel? So all the way back from first Kings 21 to this point, God didn't forget a thing. He remembers how every single one of his prophets were murdered, were chased out of their homes, were living in caves because of this woman. And so God would bring about justice on their behalf. You will inevitably be mistreated.

Sometimes from professing Christians, sometimes to those who hate Christians and are outside of the church. In any case, leave even the idea, the meditation of what should be done to him to the Lord. He'll take care of it in due time. Verse eight. I want us to look at a couple more things from the latter portion of this prophecy.

For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male bond or free in Israel. And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Niban, like the house of Asher, the son of Ahijah. In other words, there extinction. Those houses no longer exist. That will be the same for Ahab.

And what I love about this before we move on is how this exchange ends. So Jehu is there with these other commanders, because remember they're at war with Syria. Says, you oh, commander. I got a word for you. He summons him, they go into a private room, he pours oil on his head, he gives him this word.

Look at verse 10. This this made me smile. The last part. Then he opened the door and fled. What does that tell you?

Here's what it tells me. He obeyed. He obeyed everything Elisha told him. He went right away. He searched for Jehu.

He found Jehu. He gave him the word that he's supposed to give him, and he paid attention to where he fled the moment he finished. Now, in the same way we are not granted explanation for why Elisha sent this man to begin with, we are not granted any clues necessarily for why he told this young man to flee immediately after he gave this prophecy. Was it because it was dangerous? Yeah.

That's a that's a good answer. Because in first Samuel 16, when Samuel was told, listen, stop crying about Saul. I have another king in mind. Fill your horn with oil and go down there. What was Samuel's protest?

If Saul hears of this, I'm a dead man. So again, it it was dangerous, even if you were a prophet, to anoint anybody to be a king when there was a king still occupying the throne. So it could be that Elisha was saying, look, you need to you need to flee right away. Or it could be for another undisclosed temptation. We are not certain, but you know what we are certain about?

This theme here of a young man who is commanded by a man of God who represented the word of God, how in a certain context to flee. Young man, flee. Flee. Don't linger. Don't stay.

Don't entertain. Run. That sound familiar? It should. Because another young man that we talked about earlier in this bible study was also told to flee, but in a different context.

Do you remember the command? At least one of them, there's two, but I have this one in mind, second Timothy two twenty two. So flee what? Youthful passions. Youthful lust in some translations.

Which means what? Any idea what youthful passions mean? What's the popular answer? Sexual morality. Right?

Is that what Paul meant in that context? It could definitely include that. I think it's appropriate to use that to say flee from sexual sin. But if you look at the context of second Timothy two, it includes something else. So let's turn to second Timothy two.

If you haven't noticed, much of what we discover in our bible study is when we look at very well known passages in light of their context. Have you noticed that? I've noticed it. Second Timothy two. If you wanna know where Timothy is, it's with all the other epistles that have the letter t.

Titus and Thessalonians. But look at second Timothy two twenty two. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Now people interpret youthful passions as sexual indulgences or temptations, because we equate youthful impulses with that, which is not wrong. But the word passions or even lust is brought in that.

All it really means is the cravings of the flesh. The desires of the flesh. And when you look at the surrounding commands that Paul gives to this young man who is it in the context of a pastor, who is occupying the pastorate, you see something interesting. Look at verse 14. Remind them of these things and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good but only ruins the hearers.

Look at verse 15. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. So, so far we're we're told here that Timothy was to tell his congregation, don't get involved in in arguments about words. We'll talk about that in a moment. Right after he says, Timothy, it's your job to rightly handle the Bible.

You know, people quote and preach the Bible, it doesn't mean that they're rightly handling it. You understand that. Right? You have to be careful how you interpret things. Now look what he says in verse 16, but avoid irreverent babble.

He's on it again. Irreverent babble. What does he mean? For it will lead people to more and more ungodliness and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hemeneus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth.

So we have an idea here that this irreverent babble are conversations that lead people away from the truth of the scriptures. But it's not not just that. We quoted second Timothy two twenty two, but but look at verse 23. Right after he says flee youthful passions, notice what he says. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies.

You know that they breed quarrels. So we see this pattern. Timothy, don't get into these arguments. Timothy, rightly handle about Timothy, don't get into these conversations that are unfruitful. Timothy, don't get into this foolish, ignorant controversies and conversation.

It leads to arguments. And in between that, we have this command, flee youthful passions. Here's what I think youthful passions primarily means. That Timothy was to one it means many things, I believe. One, was to resist the temptation to adopt trendy teachings that were false and contrary to the Bible.

Timothy was to flee from the urge perhaps of, seeking to develop new theology, and to be inventive in his doctrine. To look for something quote unquote fresh, and different, and secretive. Codes to uncrack, so to speak. Yeah? Timothy avoid getting into unfruitful debate about things that lead to no conclusions.

Conclusions that are clear in the Bible. Veer away from these people that are devoted because they find pleasure in arguing about matters that don't even really deal with the truth or twist the truth or find some basis in the truth but lead elsewhere. Resist that youthful passion of one, trying to make more than what the word of God tells you to make of it. Right? Do young pastors face that temptation?

They look out on YouTube, they look out on podcast and they see what's popular, they see what's gaining the clicks, they see what filling up stadiums and and they look over into their church and they don't see it's barely filled. Maybe I can maybe I can bring in some of these controversies or discussions or ideas. Maybe maybe that will make me a little bit more successful. Flee. Stick with the Bible and rightly handle it, Timothy.

Yes, sir. But not just that, even if that's not a problem for you, to get into these conversations that people are are addicted to and spend all their time and energy in. He's not saying don't get into fruitful constructive conversations of theology. That's not what he's talking about at all. He's talking about things that lead you away from the truth.

In other words, Timothy, if you can generalize it, this is the broader application, flee from distractions. Flee from unfruitful, harmful distractions. Youthful passions. Does it include sexual sin? Sure, it does.

But the context suggests something else. And why is this important? Why is it important for Timothy not just to flee sexual sin, but to flee things that would deviate him from his call, his purpose? Look at verse 21 of second Timothy two. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

Verse 22, so flee youthful passions. You wanna be better positioned to be used by God? Flee these things, Timothy. See, we've limited this to flee pornography. Flee a flirtatious woman.

No. No. It's deeper than that. Flee harmful distractions, because God wants to use you. I'm not talking about hobbies.

I'm not talking about fun things. Please, I always have to give that warning because people mishear what I'm saying. Talking about things in the Bible here that are issuing warning about. God wants to use you young man, so flee these things. But here's the problem too with many Christians, they only hear flee flee flee and they don't know where to flee to.

Okay. I'm running for this. I'm not doing this, but that's not what he said. He finishes. Look at verse 22 again.

Flee you with passions and pursue. Pursue things. Don't just Most of people in in their understanding of Christianity and their discipline says, no. No. No.

No. No. Don't go. Don't do. Don't say.

Don't hear. No. No. No. No.

No. No. Yeah. Do that but also pursue other things. Be occupied with good things, holy things, constructive things, edifying things, spiritual things.

Right? Righteousness, faith, love, peace. And look at this, pursue what? Genuine Christians along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. It's possible to call on the Lord from an impure heart.

Right? And some people who should be used by God are not being used by God because of the people that they're with. They're not with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart, so they can't hear the Lord as they should. All of that just from the little observation of this man being told to flee. Young men flee.

But it's not it. Let's come back to verse 11 as we finalize this bible study. It says here in second Kings nine eleven, when Jehu came out to the servants of his master, they said to him, is all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you? And he said to them, you know the fellow and his talk.

And they said, that is not true. Tell us now. And he said, thus and so he spoke to me saying, thus says the Lord, I anoint you king over Israel. Then in haste, every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare steps and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed Jehu is king. It's very easy to wrap things up at this point, but I wanna note with you how these fellow governors, leaders in the army refer to this young prophet.

What did they call him? Yes. Who is this mat translation, who is this crazy guy? What is this crazy guy doing here? It's not like they didn't know who he was.

I'm sure that the sons of the prophets were recognizable. You know, some people view people who serve God as crazy. Right? And it was not just here in the old testament. Let me remind you of what somebody told Paul when he was on trial.

I know we were just in the new testament. Let's go back again in acts 26. When he stands before Festus on trial, falsely accused by the Jews. And Paul, typical Paul, no matter where you put him, he's preaching the gospel. Put him on a ship, he's preaching the gospel.

Put him in a jail cell, he's preaching the gospel. He goes out to pray in a forest area by the river, he's preaching the gospel. Wherever you find him, he's gonna preach the gospel. And here he is standing before Festus and he's wrapping up things with his testimony or at least he's interrupted. And we read here in verse 24, and as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, you are out of your mind.

Your great learning is driving you out of your mind. Okay. So if it happened to the prophets of old, if it happened to Paul, if it happened to our Lord Jesus who was what? Falsely accused of being crazy and demon possessed, why do you get all worked up when people say something about you? It's the common testimony of the people of God from old to new.

But you know what I also take from this? I take from this that we shouldn't give any people a legitimate reasons to be labeled as out of our minds. We can't control what people say, but may we be Christians who don't give people legitimate reasons for us to be labeled as strange. Because I want you to see what Paul says in response to Festus in verse 25. But Paul said, I'm not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.

Weird should not be synonymous with spiritual. Christians must be rational. Rational in how they articulate themselves. Let me add to that. They should be socially sensitive.

They should be presentable. They they should be upstanding citizens. They should be excellent in their work. They should be approachable. They should be kind.

They should be respected and respectable. In in other words, if unbelievers must criticize us, let it be because of what we believe and not because of how we behave. Right? Let's not have people peeking into the church and saying, you guys are crazy. Or seeing how we interact with them in the culture and say, you guys are out of your mind.

If they will criticize us, let it be because of what we stand for and what we believe, not how we misrepresent the truth. Because unfortunately, there are many good hearted believers who think that all that matters is reading the bible and studying it, and being able to quote verses. As important as reading the bible is, people are gonna read you as a representative of Christ. So take every part of your life seriously and keep in mind, I am an ambassador of Jesus. Let that frame how you talk to your neighbors.

How you engage with a frustrating person at the cash register at the grocery store, how you handle yourself at a restaurant with waiters. I've mentioned this many many bible studies ago. I've read and I've heard even from people that their worst work day as waiters in restaurants is Sundays. Do you know why? Because when all the Christians leave church and go into those restaurants, and they're so demanding and rude, How did that happen?

That shouldn't be the case. Sunday should be the best day for for restaurants. Because we Christians go in there with the fragrance of Jesus Christ. So if anybody's gonna call us anything, let it be for the convictions that we have. We stand for righteousness, we believe the gospel, not because of our poor attitude.

Amen? So we come back now to the end of this. Verse 13, then in haste every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the barest steps and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed Jehu is king. It didn't take much time for them to say, you're the king. You're the king.

What does that indicate? It indicates that they're very much not pleased with their current king. There was no fight. There was no objection. Unanimous decision of these top governing leaders, that prophet said you're the king.

You're the king. You're the king. And you see this swift shift of allegiance. When they realize in that moment that Jehu surely will be a better option than Jehoram. Certainly Jehu will be able to do something to make this country better, more specifically our lives better.

That's how they register this moment. And here's how I wanna end. If it's true that you see these men willing to give themselves over to this newly appointed king, though it was so dangerous to do so. Right? In essence, this would be a coup.

What they're about to do would be rebellion, technically recognized as rebellion. But they're willing to put their lives at risk because of their dissatisfaction with the current regime and their desire of the promise of a better ruler. If they're willing to do it at such speed and such sacrifice, how much more? Do you know where I'm going with this? How much more with the news of the arrival of the true king who came two thousand years ago to die for his subjects, to rescue us from eternal hell, to deliver us from the power of sin.

Can I ask this? How did you respond to the news of King Jesus making himself known and making the claim that he is the ruler of the heavens and the earth? How did you respond to that? Did it move you to this degree like it did with these men with Jehu, a far inferior king? Less promising.

He was able to provide temporary reprieve. He can't compare with the Lord Jesus Christ. What did you do in response to him being king? Are you still even after all these months or years, are you still reluctant to bend your knee and to say you are my king? You say, where is he?

I say he came two thousand years ago again to die for the sins of his people, but now he is resurrected and he ascended on high, is seated at the right hand of God ruling all things. You say what has he done? And I already mentioned but let me say it again. He came to be the propitiation. He came to be the sacrifice.

He came to be the substitute. He came to fix what the world has always known. Sin and the consequences of sin. And not only will he come one day to expel sin and the consequences of sin from our universe, but he is able to do such a work in your heart right here, right now. This king that we are anticipating to return to bring a completion to his redemption can right now, right here change you.

Once you submit your life to his governance and allow him to guide it into the life that you always long for but were searching in all the wrong places. And you ask perhaps, what do I do to make him my king? And I'm here to tell you with the authority of the Bible before me that this king commands you to repent and to believe on his name, that he is the true king who laid down his life for all who are willing to recognize his sacrifice on your behalf. And from there this king promised his spirit, the Holy Spirit, to move into your life, to change and to rearrange and to transform absolutely everything. And to not just rescue you from a different domain, a domain of darkness, but to then send you back into this broken world to represent him and to enjoy the shared opportunity of seeing people experience the love of this king.

That's what this king is all about. That's what we are reminded of time and time again in the book of kings. There's a better king coming, but But I'm here to say he already came. He already came. And every Friday we come to sing to him and to learn about his ways.

And I invite you if you're here today or listening, if you've not yet submitted to him, that today would be the day where he becomes your king. Let's pray. Your word is wonderful, Lord. It never fails to feed us. It always satisfies.

What is this sensation that we are experiencing? Where when we learn the truths of this book, it burns in our hearts and it causes us to rejoice. It inspires us onto holiness and it makes us want to know you more. What is this? Surely every time we come to this place to open this word, we are we are swimming in the supernatural.

This is your gift to us. We ask, Lord, that the widening of our appetite tonight would not return to that place of being so small and inconsistent. Stretch our souls and help us long for it more and more in our own lives beyond these meetings and our personal walk with you. Thank you, Lord, that we can go to second Kings and yet second Kings sheds light on second Timothy. This book is your book and we acknowledge that together.

Lord, as we sing to you, receive honor and praise. Be blessed by the sound of our voices. We are blessed because of your voice and we honor you for it. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen and amen.

Amen. The praise team will come and help us sing about this king.