Psalm 26 [2]: 1 David oppressed with many injuries, finding no help in the world, calleth for aid from God: and assured of his integrity towards Saul, desireth God to be his judge, and to defend his innocence. 6 Finally he maketh mention of his sacrifice, which he will offer for his deliverance, and desireth to be in the company of the faithful in the Congregation of God, whence he was banished by Saul, promising integrity of life, and open praises and thanksgiving.
1 Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.
2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
3 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.
4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.
5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.
6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord:
7 That I may declare with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.
8 O Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:
10 In whose hands is wickedness, and their right hand is full of bribes.
11 But I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.
12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord.
We saw previously the central theme of this psalm and its kinship to others—whether by doctrinal likeness, as with Psalm 1, or proximity, as with Psalms 24 and 25. For here again, we see David standing fast in his integrity, trusting in the Lord, and separating from the wicked. But now, in verse 1, we must dwell on this: that although David begins with a declaration of integrity and a holy walk, he does not rest upon it as if it were solid ground. Immediately, he shows the cause and anchor of it: “I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.”
This then is the conversation—yea the entire course—of the believer: not to bind ourselves to the inspection of men, seeking their approval, nor to be counted righteous by mortal judgment, but to live—before the face of a holy God, in the secret place of prayer, where all hearts are open, all desires known, and no pretense will be abided.
There, in that hidden place of prayer, we open ourselves before the Lord—confessing our sins, pleading for mercy, and desiring above all that He would search us and know us. This is not presumption, nor a reckless invitation to judgment, but the honest appeal of a heart made sincere by grace. It is a heart that knows its cleanness, not by nature, but by the work of God’s own hand; and trusts that He who hath begun a good work will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6).
For where the knowledge of the Lord is, there is purity. “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3). But how can we know Him unless He first knows us? “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). And if He has known us—called us by name, set His seal upon us—shall He not also transform us by that very knowledge? “The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish” (Ps. 1:6). And again, “The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:19).
David’s prayer, then, is not the boast of a proud man, but the cry of a child to his Father, setting himself apart from his persecutors—chiefly Saul—and saying, as it were: “Behold the work of Thy hands. I am Thine—Thy creature, Thy servant, Thy son. Examine me, and prove me. Search the inward parts and know that I am Thine. Hast Thou not formed me in the womb, and now re-formed me according to Thy righteousness? Hast Thou not breathed life into me, and now shaped me after Thy holy image?”
Such boldness is not arrogance, but fellowship—born of union with God. It is the confidence of one who walks with the Lord, who communes with Him daily, and who longs for His approval more than the approval of men. He does not rest in man’s opinion nor fear man’s judgment, for “he that judgeth me is the Lord” (1 Cor. 4:4).
Thus David becomes our example: first, to be pure and upright in conduct; and second, to seek God’s acknowledgment rather than man’s applause. For if we have truly devoted ourselves to Him—confessing our faults in secret, crying to Him for vindication, and resting in His judgment—then the desire for worldly praise will soon melt away. The love of this world will be quite drained from us. We will seek our justification, our peace, and our reward in Him alone.
This is the beginning of true prayer: to reject the vain glory of men and to seek the favour of God as the greater and only satisfying good. “How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” (John 5:44). To be regarded by God—not only as a servant, but as a friend (John 15:15), even a son (Gal. 4:7), betrothed to Him in covenant love (Hos. 2:19)—this is the estate of firmness and peace, not easily shaken by temptation or the deceit of the enemy.
Therefore, let us come often and earnestly before God in prayer. Let us beseech Him on the ground of our integrity—not as a boast, but as an encouragement to walk ever more carefully before Him. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Ps. 66:18). The man who would speak with God must walk with God. He must walk humbly, and holily.
So let us be bold in this, not in presumption, but in sincerity—that we might say with David, “Try me, and prove me.” For many walk unevenly. They know their duty but falter in it. They sin and draw back from repentance. Yet though we fall short of perfection in this life—indeed, daily—we may yet be a repentant people, upright, pure in heart, and lowly in spirit. These are the sacrifices God accepts.
This is the first lesson of Psalm 26: David was not sinless, but he was sincere. He does not claim moral perfection, but a life marked by humility, truth, and integrity. And this is what the Lord requires of us: “To do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God” (Mic. 6:8).
John Calvin,
Judge me, O Jehovah! I have just said, that David betakes himself to the judgment of God, because he found neither equity nor humanity among men. The Hebrew word which is rendered to judge, signifies to undertake the cognizance of a cause. The meaning here, therefore, is as if David called upon God to be the defender of his right. When God leaves us for a time to the injuries and petulance of our enemies, he seems to neglect our cause; but when he restrains them from assailing us at their pleasure he clearly demonstrates that the defense of our cause is the object of his care. Let us, therefore, learn from the example of David, when we are destitute of man’s aid, to have recourse to the judgment-seat of God, and to rely upon his protection. The clause which follows is variously explained by interpreters. Some read it in connection with the first clause, Judge me, O Jehovah! because I have walked in mine integrity; but others refer it to the last clause, Because I have walked in mine integrity, therefore I shall not stumble. In my opinion, it may be properly connected with both. As it is the proper work of God to maintain and defend righteous causes, the Psalmist, in constituting him his defender, summons him as the witness of his integrity and trust, and thus conceives the hope of obtaining his aid. If, on the other hand, any one thinks that the clauses should be separated, it seems most probable that this sentence, judge me, O Lord! should be read by itself; and then that the second prayer should follow, that God would not allow him to stumble, because he had behaved himself inoffensively and uprightly, etc. But there is a force in the possessive pronoun my, which interpreters have overlooked. For David does not simply maintain that he had been upright, but that he had constantly proceeded in an upright course, without being driven from his purpose, however powerful the devices by which he had been assailed. When wicked men attack us with a view to overwhelm us, either by force or fraud, we know how difficult it is to preserve always the same fortitude. We place our hope of victory in endeavoring resolutely and vigorously to oppose force to force, and art to art. And this is a temptation which so much the more affects honest and steady men, who are otherwise zealous to do well, when the cruelty of their enemies compels them to turn aside from the right path. Let us, therefore, learn from the example of David, even when an opportunity of injuring our enemies is offered us, and when by various methods they force and provoke us, to remain firm in our course, and not suffer ourselves to be diverted in any manner from persevering in the path of our integrity.
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Opening Prayer.
O Lord our God, and the hope of Israel,
We thy people come before thee with upright affections and humble hearts,
Earnestly desiring grace and mercy from thy throne.
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Christ.
But we, thy people, would not cast away thy cords,
But be bound by them gladly.
We would be willingly held in the cords of thy love,
And drawn unto thee by the bands of the covenant.
He that sitteth in the heavens shall take delight in the prayer of His people;
He shall speak, not in wrath unto us—but in mercy.
He shall cause his face to shine upon us,
And shall shed abroad his grace in our hearts.
Behold, the decree is declared:
The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Even now is thy holy King set upon thy hill of Zion.
Therefore we bow before Him and worship.
The Son of God is come, and bringeth salvation unto the ends of the earth.
Thou shalt rule over the Gentile nations;
Thy dominion is from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.
And we, thy people, shall be willing in the day of thy power.
Grant us wisdom, therefore, to submit unto thy holy governance.
We come before thee with a holy kiss of fealty and reverence.
Forget not thy people, O Lord,
Who worship thee in zeal and serve thee in devotion.
For thy anger shall burn hot against thine enemies,
But mercy and truth are stored up for thine inheritance.
Blessed are all they that put their trust in thee.
Therefore bless us, and keep us in thy grace—
That we may live before thee in faithfulness and peace,
Obedient, humble, and meek:
Thy servants, and thy willing subjects.
In the name of the Son of God, Jesus Christ,
Under whose banner we march,
Amen.
Lesson 39. [1.2.16.] The Contents of Holy Scripture. Pt. 16. The Histories: 2 Kings. Part 3.
Westminster Confession of Faith 1.2
Under the name of holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments,
All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.
Intro.
Calvin, 1.7.4-5, Against Modern Apologetical methods.
4. It must be held, as I recently stated ,that we are not established in the belief of the doctrine until we are indubitably persuaded that its Author is God. Therefore, the chief proof of Scripture is taken everywhere from the very person of God speaking. The Prophets and Apostles do not boast of their own sharpness of mind or of anything else that might gain faith for their words, nor do they rely on arguments; rather, they proclaim the sacred name of God, by which the whole world is compelled to obedience.
Now we must consider how it is evident, not by mere probable opinion but by clear truth, that the name of God is not invoked rashly or deceitfully. If we truly desire to provide for our consciences most effectually, so that they may not be carried about by perpetual, unstable doubt, nor waver at every slightest scruple, this persuasion must be sought from a higher source than human reasoning, judgment, or conjectures—namely, from the secret testimony of the Spirit.
It is indeed true that if one wishes to argue by means of reasons, many things could be brought forward that would easily prove that if there is a God in heaven, then the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel have proceeded from Him. Indeed, though learned men, endowed with the highest judgment, may rise up against it and bring forth all the powers of their intellect in this debate, unless they are hardened to utter shamelessness, this confession will be extorted from them: that manifest signs of God speaking appear in Scripture, by which it is evident that its doctrine is heavenly. And soon we shall see that the sacred books of Scripture far surpass all other writings. Indeed, if we bring pure eyes and sound senses to them, the majesty of God will immediately appear, which, subduing all audacity to contradict, compels us to submit.
Yet they pervert the order of things, who seek to establish the solid faith of Scripture through disputation. Indeed, although I neither possess great dexterity nor eloquence, if I had to contend with the most cunning despisers of God—those who seek to appear clever and witty in undermining Scripture—I am confident that I would have no difficulty in silencing their noisy clamors. And if labor spent in refuting their cavils were useful, I could easily refute the idle slanders they whisper in corners.
But if someone asks how the sacred word of God is to be upheld against the blasphemies of men, let him understand that, even if it is defended, yet this alone will not inscribe upon their hearts the firm assurance that true piety requires. Since religion seems to stand only upon opinion in the eyes of profane men, they demand that it be proved by reason before they will believe that Moses and the Prophets spoke divinely. But I reply that the testimony of the Spirit surpasses all reason. For just as God alone is a sufficient witness of Himself in His word, so His word will never find faith in the hearts of men until it is sealed by the inner testimony of the Spirit.
Thus, the same Spirit who spoke through the mouths of the Prophets must also penetrate our hearts in order to persuade us that they faithfully delivered what was divinely commanded. And this connection is most fittingly set forth by Isaiah in these words: “My Spirit which is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, from henceforth and forever” (Isaiah 59:21).
Some good men are troubled because, while the ungodly freely murmur against God’s word, no clear proof seems immediately available. As if, forsooth, it were not for this very reason that the Spirit is called both a seal and an earnest, to confirm the faith of the godly—because until He illumines minds, they always waver amidst many doubts.
5. Let this, then, remain fixed and immovable: those whom the Holy Spirit has inwardly taught rest firmly upon Scripture; that it is autopistos (self-authenticating), and that it is not lawful to subject it to proof and reasoning; yet it obtains for us the certainty it deserves through the testimony of the Spirit.
For although it spontaneously commands reverence by its own majesty, yet it truly takes hold of us only when it is sealed upon our hearts by the Spirit. Thus, being enlightened by His power, we no longer believe—whether by our own judgment or that of others—that Scripture is from God, but, rising above human judgment, we are as certainly persuaded (as if we beheld the very presence of God therein) that it has proceeded to us from His very mouth by the ministry of men. We do not seek arguments or probabilities upon which to lean our judgment; instead, as in a matter placed beyond all doubt, we subject both judgment and reason to it. This is not like those who rashly seize upon an unknown thing, only to discard it once they have examined it. We are well assured that we hold an invincible truth. Nor is it like the blind submission with which wretched men enslave their minds to superstitions; we sense the undeniable power of God working and breathing therein—a power that moves and compels us to obedience, not by mere human will or intellect, but with a force more vivid and efficacious than any human inclination or understanding.
Thus, with the highest right, God proclaims through Isaiah that the prophets, together with the whole people, are His witnesses—because, being instructed by divine oracles, they held with unshaken certainty that God had spoken without deceit or ambiguity (Isa. 43:10).
Such, then, is the persuasion that does not require reasoning; such is the knowledge that stands upon the surest foundation—one in which the mind rests more securely and immovably than in any human arguments; such, finally, is the perception that can arise from no other source than divine revelation. I speak of nothing other than what every believer inwardly experiences, except that words fall far short of fully expressing it.
For now, I pass over further discussion, since another opportunity will arise to treat this matter more fully. It is enough at present to know that true faith is that which the Spirit of God seals upon our hearts. Indeed, the modest and teachable reader will be satisfied with this alone: Isaiah promises that all the children of the renewed Church shall be taught by God (Isa. 54:13). Here, God bestows upon His elect a singular privilege, distinguishing them from the whole race of men. For what is the beginning of true doctrine but a ready willingness to hear the voice of God? And yet, God wills to be heard through the mouth of Moses, as it is written: Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? or, Who shall descend into the deep? Behold, the word is in thy mouth (Deut. 30:12-14). If, then, God has determined that this treasure of understanding should be laid up for His children, it is neither strange nor absurd that such ignorance and dullness is seen among the mass of men. By “the mass,” I include even the most eminent among them, until they are grafted into the body of the Church.
Moreover, Isaiah declares that not only foreigners, but even the Jews—who claimed to be of God’s own household—would find the prophetic doctrine incredible; and he adds the reason: Because the arm of the Lord shall not be revealed to all (Isa. 53:1). Therefore, whenever we are troubled by the small number of believers, let this thought come to mind: none comprehend the mysteries of God except those to whom it has been given.
Lesson.
iv. The Contents of 2 Kings.
2 Kings 9 — The Vengeance of the Lord Against Tyrants and Usurpers.
The chapter opens with the anointing of Jehu by a young prophet—an errand executed in haste, secrecy, and with divine urgency. This is no ordinary appointment of office, but a soveriegn act of war. The prophet pours the oil upon Jehu’s head and proclaims:
“Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel. And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets…” (vv. 6–7).
This anointing is not merely a promotion but the dedication of a sword. Jehu is chosen to carry out the sentence long foretold, held back by the forbearance of God. But now the hour has come. The slow wheel of providence has turned at last, and the house of Ahab will fall—not by the hand of Syria or famine, but by one raised from within, a man of blood to execute the vengeance of heaven.
1. The Judgment of God Is Long Withheld, But Never Slack.
“And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?” (v. 22).
Here lies the heart of tyranny: the presumption of peace while war is waged against heaven, the continuation of rule despite bondage to corruption. Joram rides out confidently to meet Jehu, supposing his authority to be firm. Yet the words of Jehu unveil the rot of the kingdom: fornication, sorcery, and covenant treason. Jezebel—who sits as a queen—is the spirit of apostasy incarnate: a forerunner of all who wield power through seduction, manipulation, and contempt for divine order. She is the prototype of modern feminism, which—like her—seeks power without submission to God.
“But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken… that all these curses shall come upon thee… cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field” (Deut. 28:15–16).
And so it was. Joram is struck through the heart. Jezebel is trampled beneath horses. Their blood stains the walls of their own palace. The judgment is no longer delayed. It is carried out in full.
2. God Judges Houses and Generations.
“And I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall… and I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam… and the dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel” (vv. 8–10).
The Lord does not merely remove individual sinners for individual sins; He destroys dynasties of rebellion. The house of Ahab is obliterated, just as Jeroboam’s was. Children and grandchildren are not spared. For God had said:
“Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Exod. 20:5).
The judgment of God is not rash; it is long in coming and absolutely just. The sins of Jezebel bore fruit in her offspring. The blood of Naboth cried from the ground. The prophets were murdered with impunity. And yet for years it appeared that God was silent.
3. The Delay of Judgment Is No Sign of Favor.
“Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Eccl. 8:11).
Many in today’s church would suppose that Jezebel was blessed—long life, royal dignity, unpunished blasphemy. But this is not grace. It is fattening for the slaughter:
“Thou hast lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton… Ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter” (Jas. 5:5).
This rebukes the modern false doctrine of common grace, which assumes that prosperity signals divine kindness. But for Jezebel, it was a snare. Her painted face, her windowed pride, her last attempt at seduction—these were not signs of dignity, but of decay. Her judgment, when it came, was swifter and more final for having been delayed.
“When the wicked spring as the grass… it is that they shall be destroyed forever” (Ps. 92:7).
4. Authority Is from God, and Usurpers Are Struck Down.
“Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?” (v. 22).
So said Ahab to Elijah once, and now Joram meets the same fate. Tyrants are confident in their office but forget that all authority belongs to God. When that office is abused, and wickedness reigns, God raises up executioners from among their own men.
“He putteth down one, and setteth up another” (Ps. 75:7).
To obey wicked rulers in wicked commands is to hasten towards destruction with them. The captains who followed Joram perished with him.
“Be not partaker of other men’s sins” (1 Tim. 5:22).
“He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 17:15).
5. The Justice of God Is Comfort to the Righteous
In every age, the righteous have been persecuted by wicked rulers and false religious authorities. They cry, “How long, O Lord?” The answer of 2 Kings 9 is this: Not forever. The vengeance of God may be slow, but it is certain.
“Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him?… I tell you that he will avenge them speedily” (Luke 18:7–8).
Let the believer take heart. God is not blind to the sufferings of His people, nor indifferent to the blasphemies of kings and queens. Jezebel’s body was torn by dogs. Her name became a curse. Her blood cried judgment louder than her voice ever cried defiance.
Thomas Watson writes,
“But how does it seem to stand with God’s justice, that the wicked should prosper in the world? ‘Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper?’ Jer 12:2. This has been a great stumbling, and has led many to question God’s justice. Such as are highest in sin are highest in power. Diogenes seeing Harpalus a thief go on prosperously, said, ‘Surely God has cast off the government of the world, and mindeth not how things go on here below.’
Mark
(I.) The wicked may be sometimes instruments to do God’s work. Though they do not design his glory, yet they may promote it. Cyrus (Ezra 1:1) was instrumental in the building of God’s temple in Jerusalem. There is some kind of justice, that they should have a temporal reward. God lets those prosper under whose wing his people are sheltered. God will not be in any man’s debt. ‘Who has kindled a fire on my altar for nought?’ Mal 1:10.
(2.) God lets men go on in sin, and prosper, that he may leave them more inexcusable. ‘I gave her space to repent of her fornication.’ Rev 2:2 1: God adjourns the sessions, spins out his mercies towards sinners; and if they repent not, his patience will be a witness against them, and his justice will be more cleared in their condemnation. ‘That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest”.’ Psa 51:1.
(3.) God does not always let the wicked prosper in their sin. Some he punishes openly, that his justice may be taken notice of. ‘The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth:’ Psa 9:16: that is, his justice is seen by striking men dead in the very act of sin. Thus he struck Zimri and Cozbi in the act of uncleanness.
(4.) If God lets men prosper a while in their sin, his vial of wrath is all this while filling; his sword is all this time whetting: and though God may forbear men a while, yet long forbearance is no forgiveness. The longer God is in taking his blow, the heavier it will be at last. As long as there is eternity, God has time enough to reckon with his enemies. Justice may be as a lion asleep, but at last the lion will awake, and roar upon the sinner. Do not Nero, and Julian, and Cain, now meet with God’s justice?”
Our Confession states:
“God hath appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world in righteousness, by Jesus Christ, to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father: in which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil” (WCF 33.1).
This holy sentence keeps us from two dangerous extremes: the despair that justice will never come, and the presumption that it must always come now. The chapter gives us a foretaste of divine vengeance—a signal that God does not forget. But the confession teaches us that this vengeance, while sometimes displayed in history, is consummated only at the judgment seat of Christ, where every secret shall be revealed.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).
“Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained…” (Acts 17:31).
“Let both grow together until the harvest… at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares” (Matt. 13:30).
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord” (James 5:7).
Let us not envy Jezebel in her palace, nor be dismayed by the long-suffering of heaven. “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry” (Heb. 10:37).
Piety in Practice.
When you see the wicked prosper, do not envy them—they are but ripening for destruction.
When justice is delayed, do not despair—God waits to bring down His enemies in full measure.
When rulers command what God forbids, you must obey God rather than men.
When the righteous suffer, they may rest assured: vengeance belongs to the Lord, and He will repay.
Tyranny shall fall, for Christ must reign till all His enemies are made His footstool (Ps. 110:1).
2 Kings Chapter 10 – The Destruction of the Seed of the Wicked and the Hypocrisy of Jehu.
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
—1 John 3:8
Christ as King over the rulers of the world executes his wrath on his enemies even by those who serve him not willingly.
I. The Seed of the Wicked is Cut Off.
Jehu, anointed by the prophet to fulfill divine vengeance upon the house of Ahab, does not pause or pity. He sends letters commanding the governors of Samaria to deliver up the seventy sons of Ahab—and they do. Their heads are piled at the gate, a certain display of divine judgment.
God had long declared that He “visit[s] the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Exod. 20:5). This is the necessary and just obliteration of a wicked house whose sin infected every branch.
The Lord destroys the seed of the wicked—really and historically in time, and spiritually in His people. As it is written:
“The name of the wicked shall rot” (Prov. 10:7). “The seed of evildoers shall never be renowned” (Isa. 14:20). “Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever” (Ps. 9:5).
So too in the church, the Lord destroys the works of the devil in the soul by grace. He does not merely pardon His people—He purges them. As the apostle Paul wrote:
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth… Fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection” (Col. 3:5).
“That he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people” (Titus 2:14).
Therefore let us not only look outward to the fall of Ahab’s house, but inward to the idols of our own hearts. For every lust is a rebel son, sired by our own flesh, raised in disobedience, and destined to overthrow us if it is not put it to death.
Let each of us therefore cut the head off our seventy lusts that the true King may reign in our hearts without rival.
II. False Zeal: Jehu’s Secret Reform and Inward Idolatry.
Jehu’s reform is ruthless but secretive. He gathers the prophets of Baal under pretense of sacrifice, seals them in, and executes them all. The temple is torn down, Baal worship crushed. On the surface, it is a resounding triumph.
But here is the danger: it was done craftily, not covenantally. Jehu was king—not merely a soldier. His office demanded public reformation, not subterfuge. Compare this with:
Asa, who removed the idols publicly and even deposed his own mother (1 Kings 15:12–13).
Jehoshaphat, who sent Levites to teach the law throughout Judah (2 Chron. 17:9).
Hezekiah, who opened and cleansed the temple (2 Chron. 29).
Josiah, who publicly read the book of the law and led a national repentance (2 Kings 23).
Jehu did no such thing. His zeal was mixed with self-promotion and fear. The zeal of the Lord burns openly and calls the people to repentance. Jehu’s was not zeal for the Lord, but for his own ascension to the throne.
But more grievous still, Jehu destroyed Baal while clinging to the sins of Jeroboam. He executed idolatry outwardly while preserving it inwardly. The golden calves remained, and so did the spiritual harlotry of his heart. So it is written:
“But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart” (2 Kings 10:31).
Jehu is like the preacher who denounces false doctrine—free will, dispensationalism, charismania, Rome—yet never lays the axe to the root of his own pride, greed, and self-will, therefore the root of idolatry remains. Such men are reformers but in pretense, and idolaters in heart and soul. Can they truly promote Reformation in the land?
Jehu’s hand was swift against others, but his heart was unchanged. Many preachers have slain Baal in sermon, but built a calf in secret, and erected other idols in the depths of their soul.
Conclusion: Zeal Must Be Pure or it is not Acceptable.
Jehu executed judgment, and God rewarded him for a time (v.30), yet he is no man of faith. He is a reminder that partial obedience is still disobedience. That outward victory is no proof of inward grace. Like Saul, he slew God’s enemies, yet was himself the enemy of God.
Let us then not boast of great exploits unless our hearts are cleansed. It is no victory to slay Baal throughout the country if we enthrone false religion and idolatry in the heart. God is not mocked.
“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away” (John 15:2).
“If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Rom. 8:13).
Let the fire of God’s zeal burn first in our hearts before it burns Baal’s altar. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
2 Kings Chapter 11 – The Conspiracy of Athaliah and the Revelation of the True King.
When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she rose up to destroy all the seed royal (v.1). This was not only an act of revenge or lust for power—it was rebellion against God Himself, who had sworn the throne to the house of David (2 Sam. 7:16). Her coup was no ordinary sedition. It was a blasphemous attempt to extinguish the covenant line, from which the Messiah was to spring. Such is always the work of Antichrist: to cut off the heirs of promise and silence the testimony of the Church. As the dragon stood before the woman in Revelation 12 to devour her child, so did Athaliah stand in blood and fury.
Yet God preserved a remnant. Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram and sister to Ahaziah, took Joash the infant and hid him in the house of the LORD (v.2-3). One woman, unknown to history except for this act, becomes the deliverer of the covenant seed. She feared God more than the queen. In this she foreshadows those faithful women—like Jochebed and Mary—who protect the promise of redemption in the midst of ruin. Her boldness puts the whole nation to shame.
The shame of the people is not their fear, but their delay. For six years they tolerated this wicked woman on the throne, saying nothing, doing nothing. It took a child—a seven-year-old—to stir them to action. How often the Church languishes in apostasy, waiting for some small and feeble encouragement to rouse it to duty. “And I sought for a man among them… but I found none” (Ezek. 22:30).
But the Lord was at work. At the appointed time, Jehoiada the priest covenanted with the captains and revealed the king. The covenant was not a mere political agreement—it was a revival of the true religion: “And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD’s people” (v.17). True reformation always begins with the renewal of the covenant.
Athaliah’s end was just and final. She cried “Treason!” when righteousness returned, as all usurpers do. But her death was no rebellion—it was the restoration of lawful order. The text says she was slain at the entering in of the horse gate by the king’s house (v.16). Fitting. She who ruled by force and deception met her end outside the house of the LORD, a warning to every tyrant. They are outside God’s favor.
And then the people rejoiced. “And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet” (v.20). When the true king is revealed, the harlot slain, and the covenant restored, the people of God rejoice in peace. This chapter is an emblem of redemptive history:
The covenant seed hidden for a time.
The usurper reigning in pride and blood.
The Church preserved in quiet fidelity.
The revelation of the King.
The righteous judgment of the whore.
The covenant renewed.
The people’s rejoicing.
This is the Church’s hope. For now, Christ—our true King—is hidden from the world. The harlot reigns, and the nations are drunk with her fornications. But the day will come when He is revealed in glory. “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:4). He will cast down the harlot, and the righteous shall shout: “Alleluia; salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments” (Rev. 19:1–2).
2 Kings 12 — The Inadequacy of Borrowed Religion.
Joash, or Jehoash, begins well. The Scripture tells us:
“And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.” (v. 2)
But that phrase contains within it a solemn warning. Joash’s obedience was not of himself; it was a reflection of Jehoiada’s presence, not the fruit of a renewed heart. When Jehoiada dies, the king’s character is revealed—weak, compromising, worldly, and finally apostate (cf. 2 Chron. 24:17–22). Here is the root of the matter: outward service under the guidance of another will not suffice in the Day of Judgment.
The Apostle Paul declares:
“God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” (Rom. 2:16)
The Lord seeth not as man seeth. He does not look upon the outward temple repairs, the gilded bowls, the flowing vestments, or the name of religion. He searches the heart, and where the Spirit has not wrought new life, even devout acts shall be burned as stubble.
The Wedding Garment and the Robe of Righteousness.
Christ taught this plainly:
“Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless… Bind him hand and foot, and take him away.” (Matt. 22:12–13)
What is this garment? (that which Joash was lacking) It is not moral civility, not ecclesiastical formality, not the borrowed wisdom of other godly men—it is the garment prescribed, consecrated and adorned by God Himself.
“He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.” (Isa. 61:10)
It is the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, freely received by faith alone—a covering not made with hands, but fitted by grace for the day of righteous judgment. For verily, those whom He justifies covering with pardon, He also sanctifies purifying their garments. The garment is not a mere covering of filth, but a transforming vesture.
As the high priest wore:
The Breastplate of Judgment over his heart (Ex. 28:29)—so we must be adorned with imparted righteousness, the internal fruit of grace in the heart.
The Mitre inscribed HOLINESS TO THE LORD (Ex. 28:36)—so must holiness crown the very thoughts of our life.
The Girdle of Truth (Isa. 11:5), Cloak of Zeal (Isa. 59:17), and Shoes of Peace (Eph. 6:15)—all must be ours, or we are naked and defiled before the court of heaven.
Add to these moreover the graces commanded in the New Covenant:
“Put on therefore… bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering… And above all these things put on charity.” (Col. 3:12–14)
And again:
“Let us put on the armour of light.” (Rom. 13:12)
“Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Eph. 4:24)
These are not metaphors only; they are the required attire of the justified man. It is a robe without seam, woven by the Spirit, stamped with Christ’s own holiness, and clothed upon those whom He saves. It is a garment washed in blood (Rev. 7:14), and made white.
The Folly of Zeal Without Sincerity.
Joash gave money for repairs, yet when trial came, he turned to compromise:
“And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things… and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.” (v. 18)
He robbed God to save himself. He who once adorned the temple would now disfigure it, proving that religious acts without inward life are but self-preservation in disguise.
Joash’s life therefore is a solemn warning: Jehoiada may guide your hands, but he cannot change your heart. Only the Spirit can clothe a man with the wedding garment.
Let us then do a thorough search and examine our souls in light of the truth: Are we adorned in Christ’s righteousness? Has the Spirit of God formed in us a love of holiness, a love of the ordinances? Or do we serve merely outwardly, under another’s light, hoping to escape with borrowed religion, that of a parent or minister?
“Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.” (Eccles. 9:8)
“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Rev. 16:15)
Let us not stand before the throne without these necessary virtues, naked and ashamed, but in the righteousness of Christ which purifies us and makes us clean, inwardly as well as outwardly.
2 Kings 13 – The Decline of Israel Under Jehoahaz and Jehoash.
In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days. And Jehoahaz besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them. (And the Lord gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime. Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.) Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Elisha dies in this chapter, and though dead, his bones revive a man—testifying that the Word and power of God are not bound to men but endure even beyond the grave.
“And Elisha died… and the man was revived, and stood up on his feet.” (vv. 20–21)
Ecclesiastes 7:1: “The day of death is better than the day of one’s birth.”
Here is a type of Christ: even in death He gives life, and His virtue is a fountain of life.
Doctrine: The Church is never without hope, for the promises of God live beyond the prophets who speak them. God will continue to raise up ministers until He comes again in salvation and judgment.
2 Kings 14 — The Peril of Presumption.
This chapter tells of Amaziah, king of Judah. At first glance, his reign appears commendable:
“And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.” (v. 3)
Yet the Holy Ghost gives us a necessary qualification: “not like David.” For though Amaziah ruled with a measure of outward righteousness, his heart was not wholly perfect. His religion was inherited and deformed. Like many professing believers, he honored God in part, but not from the heart. And the results manifest it clearly.
I. Victory Over Edom—Yet Not according to Humility.
Amaziah keeps the law at first: he does not slay the children of the conspirators who killed his father, in obedience to Deuteronomy 24:16 (vv. 5–6). He then gains victory over Edom at the valley of salt and captures Selah (v. 7). Yet we are told nothing of prayer, fasting, or seeking God before or after the battle. And no sooner is Edom conquered than pride festers.
This shows us that all victory belongs to the Lord, and if we do not give him the praise due to His name, He will bring us down, even by lifting us up. He will grant victory, but only that the pride of our hearts be revealed, and we cast down from it. For all pride leads to destruction. Let every battle therefore be preceded by humiliation. Let every victory end in worship. Let no success breed pride. For if the Lord be not our strength and song, our downfall shall follow quickly upon the heels of our ascent.
Rather than giving thanks, Amaziah grows bold and presumptuous. He sends messengers to Jehoash, king of Israel, and says:
“Come, let us look one another in the face.” (v. 8
The provocation is unnecessary. Judah is small; Israel is greater. The pride of Amaziah blinds him to his death. Though God had granted one victory, the king assumes that any enemy can now be challenged. But what is begun in the Spirit cannot be finished in the flesh.
Jehoash, in mocking parable, warns him:
“The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar… saying, Give thy daughter… and there passed by a wild beast… and trode down the thistle.” (v. 9)
The lesson: You are a thistle, not a cedar. You have smitten one smaller enemy, but do not boast. God opposes the proud.
“For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” (Gal. 6:3)
But Amaziah refuses counsel.
II. Defeat and the Breach in Jerusalem.
“But Amaziah would not hear.” (v. 11)
So many today do likewise. They confuse providential blessing with personal righteousness. They see victory in one place and presume the same in another. They mistake outward gains as evidence of God’s unconditional favor. But Scripture is clear:
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (Prov. 16:18)
“Woe to them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isa. 5:21)
Amaziah is defeated. His army is broken. He is captured by Jehoash, who breaks down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate—a breach of 400 cubits (v. 13). Israel loots the gold and silver of the temple, and Amaziah lives fifteen more years—defeated, and remembered for his pride.
III. The Doctrine: Victory Must Come according to God’s prescription.
“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” (Prov. 16:9)
Even when the enemy is God’s enemy—Edom, Moab, or Israel in apostasy—we cannot presume upon victory unless we walk uprightly before God. The promised land was given to Israel, but when Achan sinned, they fell before Ai (Josh. 7). Likewise, the church may be called to contend against heresy and evil, but if they have secret idols in their hearts or pride in their spirit, the Lord will cause them to fall.
Let us then mark this doctrine: Victory is never secured merely by cause, numbers, weapons, or zeal—it is secured only by true righteousness and devotion to the truth.
Faithless Appeal to Assyria:
When besieged by Syria and Israel, Ahaz did not seek the Lord, but instead sent a bribe to Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, with silver and gold from the house of the Lord (vv. 7–8). This was not political strategy—it was covenantal treachery, trusting in man rather than God.
“Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help… but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel.” (Isa. 31:1)
Desecration of the Temple:
He saw an idolatrous altar in Damascus, sent its pattern to Urijah the priest, and had it built in Jerusalem (vv. 10–11). Then he removed the brazen altar of the Lord, placed his new altar in its place, and offered sacrifices upon it himself (vv. 12–16).
Despising Sacred Ordinances:
He removed the laver, the brazen sea, and the bases—altering and dismantling the holy things that God had ordained in Solomon’s temple (v. 17). and treated God’s holy temple as common, adjusting it to suit his worldly desires and alliances.
Closure of Temple Worship:
As 2 Chronicles 28:24–25 records, he “shut up the doors of the house of the Lord,” made altars in every corner of Jerusalem, and in every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, provoking the Lord to anger.
“Ahaz… did yet more trespass against the Lord: this is that king Ahaz.” (2 Chron. 28:22)
God’s Judgment in the Prophets.
Isaiah’s Rebuke.
Isaiah prophesied to Ahaz directly (Isa. 7–8), offering him a sign from the Lord. Ahaz refused it under false piety (Isa. 7:12), revealing his hypocrisy and unbelief. Isaiah warns him of the coming invasion by Assyria, the very nation he trusted.
Judah Humbled.
God delivered Ahaz into the hand of the king of Syria and the king of Israel, both of whom slew tens of thousands of Judah’s men in a single day (2 Chron. 28:5–6). This is judgment upon a rebellious king and a complicit nation.
The Lord Brings Low the Proud.
“Because judgment is not executed speedily upon an evil work, the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” (Eccl. 8:11)
Yet the Lord delays not forever—Ahaz dies. unrepentant and is not buried with the kings of Judah (2 Chron. 28:27), a mark of judgment and shame.
Reversal of Providence.
The Assyrians whom Ahaz trusted oppressed him instead (2 Chron. 28:20). “The rod of Egypt shall fail” (Ezek. 29:6–7). Thus the Lord shows that all trust in worldly alliances leads to bondage.
Ch. 17, 25.
Conclusion.
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