Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 9
At peaceful times, the ceremony to appoint a king was a great public occasion. People would come from across Israel to show their support for the new king. It was a very joyful event, and the people considered it a special holiday.
The ceremony to appoint Jehu was very different. It happened in a private room, and only Jehu and the young prophet (holy man) were present. The ceremony took just a few moments – but it changed Jehu’s life completely.
Jehu did not expect it or arrange for it to happen. In fact, he seemed hardly aware of what was happening to him. The prophet simply took his oil and he poured it on Jehu’s head. That was to show that God’s Holy Spirit was coming upon Jehu, to give him the power to rule as king.
Then the prophet declared his message from God. It was a message of judgment against Ahab’s family. This proud, cruel and evil family had ruled over northern and central Israel for almost 50 years. So, God declared that he was appointing Jehu as king in order to end their rule. Jehu must start a revolution against their government; it was his duty to punish them for their crimes.
This was a dangerous message for a prophet to declare. A person who was loyal to the present king might not hesitate to kill that prophet (compare 1 Samuel 16:1-2). Jehu himself had been completely loyal to Ahab and his sons until that time. However, now God was giving Jehu a new task to complete. This, now, was Jehu’s great work in life.
Next part: Jehu must carry out God's judgment against Ahab's family (2 Kings 9:7-8)
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