To Not Care Is To Be Careless

From: January 3-9, 2012

TOPIC: “To Not Care Is To Be Careless” 2 Kings 10:31 Jehu was king in Israel at the end of the ministry of the prophet Elijah. I Kings 19:16 says that God told Elijah, "Anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, king over Israel." So Jehu is separated by God to do what God wanted. It is certain that this man had the capacity to accomplish what God asked. But, how bad is when there is laziness because of fear! How bad it is when one decides to follow others because it is easier! At the beginning of his reign, Jehu had done what God had sent him to do. He exterminated the idolatry of Israel as it was commanded. He was promised a reward for obeying. His children would sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation (2 Kings 10: 30). But, Jehu neglected his heart. It is a big problem when we start doing things according to our own thoughts and not according to what God thinks. God’s thoughts are very high and we have to maintain communion with the Lord, otherwise we start doing things the way we think they should be. Imagine what a big mistake we make when we don’t do what God commands us to do. If we were living for ourselves, but no, we live for God. The danger is when we mix what we want with what God wants. In this mixture we set aside what God wants and we put in first place what we want. That was Jehu’s carelessness. There were still things to do for God and Jehu fell asleep. Be careful not to neglect what you still need to accomplish. Let us be careful! Many times we disagree with God because we persist on our own things, with our feelings. We want God to act as we please because we want things easy and pleasant to look good. When we’re ready to do what God wants maybe, in that moment, we are not going to look good before those who are close to us. Careful! When the heart is not right with God we will do things partially, only a part of it, we'll do something incomplete. In thousands of occasions we know what to do, but, we can’t do it! Because of all that God commands us to do we do only one part, not because we can’t, but because we do not agree with everything that God wants. What a great rebellion! And the worse is, we have it so hidden as good fakers. As king, Jehu had to do a complete reform in Israel; he had to form again, to restore. But, he was determined to do it half way (2 Kings 10:29). He ended all the evilness of King Ahab, but he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, the one who made Israel sin with the idolatry. He left standing the golden calves that were at Bethel and at Dan. Jehu had to have done everything that God wanted, exterminate the worship of the calves, etc. Because if he didn’t, then God could not bless an idolatrous nation. Finally, Jehu was not capable of removing all the evil in Israel; he was not faithful to God who had called him. Jehu finished off Baal, but became attached to the golden calves of Jeroboam. The statues of calves was something that belonged to the state, because this was a political sin by Jeroboam in order to prevent the subjects from the northern kingdom to wish to rejoin the house of David. Politically, this also did not suit Jehu, so he loved his position as a king more than to obey God and to care for a nation with God's favor and not with his own strength. He was a man with a call, so he had to be capable of obeying what God had spoken.

Isaiah 30:9 speaks of a rebellious nation, because they did not want to hear God's law. When one does not want to obey the Word of God, that is the law which teaches us how to lead our lives. When we ignore God’s law we put our life first, which is mixed with feelings, conveniently, and we plan everything well for ourselves. Hosea 4:6 The people of promises, blessings, abundance, came to be destroyed by their enemies. The reason: they rejected the knowledge, the knowledge given by God; this is how the priesthood was lost. Lacking the knowledge of God, they forgot the light of God, and their children paid. God would forget them. Instead of honor now it is a disgrace. Jehu had to do all the good that was necessary. Our interests are momentary and we shouldn’t satisfy it, we should put God above all even if everything is lost, even life. Jehu neglected to walk by the law of Jehovah God of Israel with all his heart. He had too much of himself. We believe that our heart is better than the law of God, this can happen to you. Jehu did not show true zeal as Jesus showed in the temple. Jehu seemed to be a man of little mercy, although God used him as an instrument of the reform that had to be done in Israel. God punished Israel in his reign. There was no pity, they desecrated the holy. They were punished by all their enemies. Their great apathy to the law of God was forgotten. He did not bother to serve God. When what God has commanded is not done, it is to not serve him. God commands us with His word and to not obey it is to not serve him. Be careful! Amen.