And the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,
Baasha had seized Israel's throne by wiping out the house of Jeroboam. Then he walked in Jeroboam's own sins. Now a message arrives. It does not go to the palace first, but to a prophet. It is a word against the king who thought his power was his own.
A kingdom not written off
Israel had turned its back on God. Yet He kept speaking, and one writer shows how long His love for them lasted:
Eugene P. Vedder Jr.Israel had turned away from the Lord. But the Lord did not write them off. Though rebellious and wayward, they were still His people. Many years later He uses the prophet Hosea. Through him He expresses His feelings and describes His dealings with them in a touching way. "How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel?" He laments. He goes back to Israel's earliest history. He recalls Jacob's struggle with Esau in their mother's womb, and his wrestling with God at Peniel. Again and again His people's sins had provoked Him to anger. Yet they were His people. He still loved them.
Jehu the son of Hanani
Jehu followed his father Hanani as a prophet. His work reached both kingdoms, and one writer draws out why the same man could confront two very different kings:
H. L. RossierAfter Hanani there appears Jehu, his son. He is a prophet in Israel as well as in Judah. He prophesies against Baasha, the king of Israel, Asa's enemy. But he also prophesies against Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, the friend of Ahab. These two things — the world's hatred for the children of God, and the friendship of God's children for the world — are equally sinful in the eyes of the Lord.
A throne received, not taken
The message tells Baasha that God had lifted him "out of the dust." Baasha would have told the story of his rise very differently:
Leslie M. GrantThe Lord had another servant to bring a solemn message to Baasha. Jehu, the son of Hanani, was the messenger at this time (v.1). The history records that Baasha had murdered his master to take his place as king. Yet God tells Baasha that He had lifted him out of the dust to make him ruler over Israel. We may be sure Baasha had not considered God at all in taking the kingdom. But now he must face this: God required something of him, because God had given him the place of rule.
The phrase "out of the dust" points to where Baasha started. It also exposes how little a change of ruler achieves:
C. Knapp"Out of the dust" implies his lowly origin. How often revolutionaries think the trouble is that the hated ruler is of noble birth or royal line! So they imagine the remedy is to put one of their own class and rank into power. And how soon they learn that "a servant when he rules" is the very worst type of tyrant known. No, it is not a question of natural birth, whether high or low, but of new birth and "ruling in the fear of God."
The executioner now under the same sentence
Baasha had been the hand that carried out God's sentence on Jeroboam's line. That history now turns back on him:
Eugene P. Vedder Jr.Baasha, God's instrument of judgment to wipe out the house of Jeroboam, was now to face the same judgment he had handed out. It is easy, we find, to condemn others and deal harshly with them for their sins. How serious it is when we then go ahead and repeat the same sins ourselves! This is no trifling matter before God.
His motive matters too. One writer notes that "his motive was not one of righteousness, for he was no better than those he murdered, and continued to walk in their sin" (C. Knapp).
The word carried out
The word given to Jehu was not left hanging. Years later Zimri reigned for seven days. In that time he destroyed Baasha's family, and Scripture ties the act back to this word:
Arno C. GaebeleinHe reigned only seven days. Besides his terrible death, the only deed mentioned is the killing of all the house of Baasha "according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet."
Summary
- Word. God did not go silent over a wayward Israel. He sent Jehu the son of Hanani. Israel was still His people, and He still loved them.
- Gift. Baasha grabbed the throne by murder. But God says He gave it: He lifted him out of the dust. A place of rule received from God carries a claim from God.
- Reach. Jehu spoke to Baasha of Israel and later to Jehoshaphat of Judah. The world's hatred for God's people, and God's people's friendship with the world, are both sin in His eyes.
- Mirror. Baasha carried out judgment on Jeroboam's house, then repeated Jeroboam's sins. So the same sentence fell on him. Condemning others never excuses us.
- Fulfilment. Zimri's seven-day reign ended Baasha's house, "according to the word of the LORD… by Jehu the prophet." What God speaks against evil, He carries out.