Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Kings 9:1, 3, 6-7

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Kings 9:1, 3, 6-7

"And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead:

Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.

And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.

And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel."

This chapter left me with questions. Why did Elisha send a younger prophet to anoint Jehu the next king of Israel instead of going himself? Why did he tell this young prophet to flee after doing this? Jehu is given one real assignment, to cause the whole house of Ahab to perish, including Jezebel. This was something prophesied by Elijah, and Elisha was now fulfilling that prophesy with the anointing of Jehu as king of Israel. This wasn't the choosing of a righteous leader. This was the choosing of a man that was wicked enough to naturally take this course. This made me think about how the wicked will destroy the wicked.

"But, behold, the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished; for it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto bloodshed."

(Mormon 4:5)

With Elisha not going in person, and the young prophet being told to flee afterwards it shows they did not want to remain in Jehu presence. They only wanted to fulfill the prophecy that now was the time of the end of the house of Ahab. They were on the Lord's errand because they did this in the name of the Lord. Sometimes as a people we just get the leaders we deserve.

Day 2481