God's Word Does Not Fail

2 Kings 10:10: "(Jehu said) 'Know then, that not a word the LORD has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail. The LORD has done what he promised through his servant Elijah.' So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his chief men, his close friends and his priests, leaving him no survivor."

This story of the utter destruction of the family of Ahab takes us back years before to the time of God's pronounced judgment against the king (Ahab) and his wife, Jezebel, for their detestable wickedness against the LORD. When God sent his messenger, Elijah, to tell Ahab of the coming judgment, He told his prophet to tell the king that he had, "sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD" (1 Kings 21:20). Ahab had first married a pagan wife from the land of Phoenicia, and she brought into the land of Israel her worship of the pagan god, Baal. She was instrumental in having the prophets of the LORD killed, and she placed her own prophets of Baal in positions of prominence within the kingdom.

The event that occurred in I Kings 21 was the decisive act that moved God to send Elijah to declare divine retribution for the evil ways of the royal family. To be sure, King Ahab was not a true leader. He had all of the choicest land and produce that he could ever want; still, he coveted one of his subject's (Naboth's) vineyards. The king petitioned Naboth to acquire the vineyard; however, Naboth could not release this precious land that had been given to his family by the LORD. The childish Ahab returned to his palace, sulking; he lay on his bed and refused to eat because he did not get his way. This immature response of the king led to his co-dependent wife, Jezebel, orchestrating a plan to have Naboth executed for treason and blasphemy. Once Naboth was murdered for false charges, the queen was able to secure the land for her weak-willed husband. In response, the LORD was quick in sending Elijah to Ahab to pronounce judgment upon the king. The LORD said that He would bring disaster upon the royal family in years to come, even avenging the shed blood of Naboth by bringing the same fate to the king's descendants on the very land where Naboth met his demise.

When we fast forward several years to Ahab's son, Joram, we find that God is ready to enact his judgment for Ahab and Jezebel's wickedness. Ahab had already met his fate at the Battle of Ramoth Gilead, when he was pierced by a random arrow shot into the air by the Arameans. As the chariot was washed of the king's blood in Samaria, the dogs came and licked up the blood, thus confirming the prophecy of the LORD in 1 Kings 21:19.

Now, King Joram, the wicked son of Ahab would see a similar fate as his father, for the LORD raised up a new king, Jehu (an officer of the army), to destroy the entire house of Ahab. After Elisha anointed Jehu at Ramoth Gilead, the new king was sent by the LORD to kill King Joram, his family, and his associates. Jehu would not delay this commandment of the LORD; he quickly found Joram, ironically at the field of Naboth, and shot the king with an arrow. As the king slumped over in his chariot from the mortal wound through the heart, Jehu ordered that the body be thrown into the field of Naboth thus communicating that the LORD was avenged for the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel against Naboth. Jehu would go on to have Queen Jezebel, 70 princes, and a number of royal supporters executed to fulfill completely the Word of the Lord.

This tragic story reinforces God's declaration in Galatians 6:7-8: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction." King Ahab would commit treason against the Sovereign Lord through his utter wickedness against the Will of God. God would not be mocked; thus, He would seek His vengeance at the proper time (Romans 12:19). And God's Word was fulfilled through King Jehu, bringing the utter destruction of Ahab and his entire family.

Often, it is said that the only certainties in life are death and taxes. In reality, the only certainty is the Word of God. As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we can rest in the assurance that God is true to His Word, and if we are obedient to His Will through obedience, we can expect to receive His Divine blessing. Let us press on to be all we can be for His Kingdom through submission to Our Sovereign King!