Incomplete Restoration

In 2 Kings 9, God sent a prophet to abruptly barge into the military council chambers of an Israelite general, Jehu the son of Nimshi, and anoint him the next king over Israel. As the oil poured down his head, he listened to his Creator’s astonishing mandate: strike down the entire family and influence of Ahab (the wicked former patriarch of the current ruling dynasty) and avenge the blood of God’s slaughtered prophets and servants. In the succeeding text, Jehu zealously carried out his orders and systematically destroyed Ahab’s son (King Joram of Israel), his grandson (King Ahaziah of Judah), his wife (Jezebel), his 70 sons, and all his close friends, priests, and associates. In addition, Jehu purged idolatrous Baal worship from Israel by gathering all of its worshippers to Samaria, killing them, and  converting the temple of Baal into a latrine.

As a reward for his obedience, Jehu was told by God that his dynasty would last until the fourth generation after him. But this is where the text of 2 Kings takes a tragic turn. “But Jehu did not turn aside from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin – that is, the golden calves that were in Bethel and in Dan” (2 Kings 10.29). Although Jehu had supported Yahweh worshippers, eradicated a wicked royal family, and wiped out Baal, the restoration of Israel was incomplete. He was not careful to walk in God’s laws “with all his heart” (2 Kings 10.31), a direct contrast to God’s ancient command to “love the Lord your God with all your heart” (Deuteronomy 6.5). As a result, future generations of Israelites continued walking in the sin which ultimately led to the nation’s destruction.

Jehu’s unfinished restoration stands in Scripture as a sober reminder of our own need to radically destroy all traces of idolatry in our lives. Jesus’ gospel demands nothing less than total submission. We cannot be His disciples unless we “renounce all” we have (Luke 14.33). Rather than a one time decision at our conversion, our choice to follow Jesus and take up our cross is a “daily” undertaking (Luke 9.23). Because God’s restoration process in us is life-long, the new self we put on is described as “being renewed” (Colossians 3.10) or “being transformed” (2 Corinthians 3.18) after Jesus’ image.

This long-term restoration process has implications for our attitudes about spiritual growth. Unlike Jehu, one must not halt after successfully waging battles against sin. For example, a conquered struggle with alcohol through God’s grace is a great blessing, but if lust or anger or racism is still in the heart they must be rooted out as well! Christians certainly can (and should) rejoice in the way Jesus is making us more like Him and gradually replacing our darkness with His light. But under no circumstances should we leave our golden calves untouched! Spiritual restoration must always press on to completion.

Nathan