"Of the kings of Israel and it may be said in the beginning, and by way of comparison, that, of the kings of Judah many were bad and some were good; while of the kings of Israel many were bad and some were worse." [1]{1904 ATJ, EB 193.1}

Ahab (874-853 BC) died after the Syrian arrow found its way through his armor and pierced his chest. His son Ahaziah became king for one year, followed by Elam for 7 days and Joram from 852 to 841 B.C.

In Judah Jehoshaphat (872-848) was king, followed by Jehoram 853-841, Ahaziah for ca. 1 year (841) and Athaliah, the daughter of Jezebel.

Queen Jezebel

Jezebel had more power over Ahab, King of the people of Israel, than God. Her influence had even reached into Judah. How did she accomplish it?

Through manipulation - encouraging Baal worship, arranging marriages, attracting men's sinful propensities.

That could not go on for much longer. God's patience was tried and the kingdoms were judged and found lacking. They could be in power only for so many years, because God helps His people. While He is waiting on us to come to Him, He can help.

What did the Lord do?

The Lord cut off the source and the residual influence of this evil, that perpetual wickedness. He called His servant Elisha to send one of the young prophets in training to take some anointing oil and go to Jehu to carry out His purposes.

"Then the two of them went indoors, and the young prophet poured the olive oil on Jehu's head and said to him, `The Lord. the God of Israel, proclaims: `I anoint you king of my people Israel. You are to kill your master the king, that son of Ahab, so that I may punish Jezebel for murdering my prophets and my servants. All of Ahab's family and descendants are to die; I will get rid of every male in his family, young and old alike. I will treat his family as I did the families of King Jeroboam of Israel and of King Baasha of Israel. Jezebel will not be buried; her body will be eaten by dogs in the territory of Jezreel. After saying this the young prophet left the room and fled." 2.Kings 9:6-10, GNB, `Good News Bible'.

How was the execution of the verdict over Ahab's House (See 1.Kings 21:19-22) finally carried out?

Jehu, Revival without Reformation

What is the difference between revival and reformation?

Revival is urging the people to do something. The danger is that next time it occurs the response will be less.

After the death of Jezebel, Ahaziah her son and Joram, king of Judah who had befriended Ahaziah, Jehu had to carry out the judgment on Ahab's House, 2.Ki. 10:5; 10:6, 9, 10. Did he do it the way the Lord wanted him to?

God's agents ... are to be His living agencies. He requires their individual service. {DA 191.5]

Lessons we can learn may include,

We have to guard against looking at self instead of truth.

Instead of teaching truth they let their imagination dwell upon that which is new and strange, and throw themselves out of harmony with those whom God is using to bring the people up upon the platform of truth. They cast aside all that has been said in regard to unity of sentiment and feeling, and trample upon the prayer of Christ as though the unity for which He prayed were unessential, and there were no necessity for His followers to be one, even as He is one with the Father. They go off on a tangent, and, Jehulike, call to their brethren to follow their example of zeal for the Lord. {TM 55.2}

Jehu and his troops went to Jezreel to where Jehoram, the son of Jezebel was trying to recover from his wounds in the war against Hazael of Syria. That Judah was in great danger is seen in that King Ahaziah of Judah was with him. Hearing of the approach of Jehu, he sent guards to find out the reason for their coming; they did not return. Alarmed now, Jehoram and Ahaziah went out in their own chariot to reconnoiter the goings on. He was informed by Jehu, that there was no peace among them since the witch Jezebel, his mother's influence, was set against the Lord, 2.Kings 9:14-26.

The apostasy of Israel, had already started to influence the kings of Judah. King Ahaziah of Judah, had no business intermingling the Lord's people - carriers of the promises of the Lord to David - with the pagans of Israel, he too was shot by the bowmen of Jehu and died soon after.

Jehu, not deviating from his mission, was on a fast track to go and find Jezebel.

With her hair made up, her eye shadow put on, she came and stood on that balcony at Jezreel. Instead of repenting of her evil ways and accept the judgment of God, she plies her arts.

Wickedness had reached a point in her, that was irrevocable even in her own estimation.

"Thus Satan used an unconsecrated woman to sway the heart of the king, and through the king to cause all Israel to sin. It is a terrible thing to be an instrument in the hands of Satan. Satan chooses women, for he can use them more successfully than he can men." {10MR 76.2}

Ahab, tying the knot with Jezebel, did great wrong for he played games with what he should and could have known the ways of the Lord were, to raise himself a people who would be true to Him.

All mankind are creations of the great Creator God. As such we are finally and most certainly responsible to Him for our life. We ought to know that without God creating man and all the earth, we would be just the result of purposeless chemical reactions. Such irrational ideas are advanced by those who live in denial of Creation.

To live in a false worldview has indeed great consequences.

This ought to be a great lesson for all those who live their life, denying there is a God who judges us.

Seeing Jezebel on the balcony, Jehu has her thrown down where she died. When they came back to bury her, all they found were

1. her skull - a symbol for where our reason and conscience resides; that is where her thinking continually of doing evil came from; her devising and contemplating to force her Godless worldview on everyone.
   
2. her hands were found - a symbol of how we implement things;
   
3. her feet where found - a symbol of how we carry things out.

Considering these events, we are reminded, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, ** `Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we shall find all precious goods (to steal), we shall fill our houses with plunder; throw in your lot among us - come with us; we all have one purse; then, son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your feet from their paths, for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

For in vain is their net spread to deceive you like they think to catch any bird; but these men lie in wait for their own blood (though they may never know it); they set an ambush for their own lives. Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes the life of the possessors (a high price to pay).

Discerning, wise thinking is not much found in the streets, in the markets wisdom raises her voice; at the corners of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance to the cities she speaks:

`How long, you simple ones, will you love to be simple?'

`How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?' (Insert: Don't you know that even "The thought of foolishness is sin"? Prov. 24:9.)

Remember this, `If you turn (to the Lord) at His reproof,' behold He will make His words known to you!'

Ignoring the Lord, He may say,

`Because I have called and you refused to listen, because I have stretched out My hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and you would not pay attention to my reproof, O foolish men, I will also laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.

But notice, when all that occurs,

Then they will call upon the name of the Lord to save them, but He will not answer (For they ignored him so much before); they will seek the Lord diligently but He says then, `I will not listen.

Why?

Because they hated knowing me and the knowledge only I can give, says the Lord - and they did not choose to honor, respect and obey the Lord, they would have none of His counsel and they despised His reproof, - therefore they shall eat the fruit (the results) of their actions and ways of living, and they shall have their fill of their own devices. For the simple people are killed by their turning away from living decent, God fearing lives, and the complacency of fools (they listen too in their music) destroys them;

But, says the Lord, he who listens to Me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster!** - Proverbs 1:8-33, adopted from the ESV, English Standard Version of the Bible.

So we think back on the life of King Ahab. Was the Lord longsuffering with Ahab and his House, his family?

Was the Lord longsuffering with Jezebel, his queen, wife and mother of his children?

Didn't God send them messages through His prophet Elijah and give evidence of their wicked ways which they never repented of?

And now, turning away from the people in the streets and turning to those who are called to minister to people for the Lord, is it not so that we are not taken by seduction but rather by Satan working through seduction in our lives?

Listen, unless we are individually wide awake to discern the workings of the Holy Spirit, we shall certainly stumble and fall into Satan's pitfalls of unbelief. I call upon our brethren to watch as faithful shepherds and guardians over the inexperienced, who are exposed to the wiles of seductive influences. Keep a continual lookout for rocks and quicksands that threaten to destroy faith in the messages that God has given for us at this time. Watch for souls as they that must give account. . . . We need to search the Scriptures daily, that we may know the way of the Lord, and that we be not deceived by religious fallacies. The world is full of false theories and seductive spiritualistic ideas, which tend to destroy clear spiritual perception, and to lead away from truth and holiness. Especially at this time do we need to heed the warning, "Let no man deceive you with vain words." (Ephesians 5:6). {1SM 169.4-170.1}

Jehoram, Ahaziah, Athaliah of Israel

Well, Jezebel was dead, but in time her daughter Athaliah married Jehoram, the son of King Jehoshaphat of Jerusalem - because they did not follow the ways of the Lord - because they neglected the word of the Lord through Moses and the prophets, but instead regarded the sins of `the Royal House of Israel' as enticing to them, that they became steeper and steeper involved in their sins and increased the wrath of the Lord on themselves so that they destroyed themselves for being so unwise and wicked in their thinking and doing.

King Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat of Judah, became very wicked. `He sinned against the Lord . . . yet the Lord forebore for He did not want to destroy the Dynasty of David through which He had promised that their deliverer (from sin, through Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, John 4:42) would be born (See 2.Chronicles 21:6ff).

And so it came about - probably through Joram's own bad eating habits - that the Lord knew would destroy him, that Jehoram died an agonizing death - he who should have known better, but refused the ways of the Lord.

"... the Lord was not willing to destroy the dynasty of David, because he had made a covenant with David (2.Sam. 7:12) and promised that his descendants would always continue to rule." 2.Chr. 21:7, GNB.

Unlike man, the Lord is always faithful in all things He says and does, for He is a holy God.

Why would the wrath of God be kindled?

After the death of Jehoram, King of Judah in Jerusalem, Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, became king being a member of the dynasty of David. However, Ahaziah, like Jehoram, followed the manners of the `House of Ahab.'

And so, before we condemn these people, do we not also do the some of those general types of errors in how we relate to our Lord God even today?

Are we not easy prey for Satan's devices in so many ways?

But as we already wrote, Ahaziah was killed by Jehu, when he went up to visit Joram, King of Israel who was shot with an arrow by the troops of Hazael, the Syrian.

Seeing that Ahaziah was dead, Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and wife of the deceased King Joram of Judah, became queen of Judah for there was no other to rule.

"As soon as King Ahaziah's mother Athaliah learned of her son's murder, she gave orders for all the members of the royal family of Judah to be killed." 2.Chr. 22:10, GNB.

So we see one wicked deed followed another in increased, calculating wickedness.

But because of the wicked order given by Athaliah (inspired by Satan) to kill all the royal house of Judah, that would mean, if she succeeded, the `House of David' would die and the covenant God made with David could not be carried out.

So what would the Lord do?

"But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were about to be put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, because she was a sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah, so that she did not put him to death. And he remained with them six years, hidden in the house of God, while Athaliah reigned over the land." 2.Chr. 22:11-12, ESV.

Amen. The Lord has faithful, alert people, in all generations to thwart the purposes of Satan. For if the `House of David' would have ended, there would have been no Savior, no cross, no plan of salvation for God does not break His covenant - the world would have probably been annihilated in their sins.

What else took place during the six year reign of Athaliah (841-835)? After killing all the seed of the house of Judah, except one, she built up her temple or temples to Baal, even using the temple implements of the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem apparently without resistance by the Lord's priests or His defenders.[30]

Joash Son of Jehoram King of Judah

As we just read, when Athaliah learned that Ahaziah was dead, "she arose and destroyed all the royal seed of the house of Judah." This left Athaliah, the daughter of Jezebel, in authority over the kingdom of Judah. She, being the true daughter of her mother, forced the worship of Baal upon the people of Judah as her mother had forced it upon Israel. She built a house for Baal, and robbed the house of the Lord of its ornaments and decorations and wealth, to furnish the house of Baal.

But a change was soon to come.

Through generation after generation, from age to age, Satan has gathered human agencies through whom to work out his diabolical purposes, and to bring about the enforcement of his plans and devices in the earth. The great putrid fountain of evil has been continually flowing through human society. Though unable to expel God from his throne, Satan has charged God with satanic attributes, and has claimed the attributes of God as his own. He is a deceiver, and through his serpentine sharpness, through his crooked practices, he has drawn to himself the homage which man should have given to God, and has planted his satanic throne between human worshiper and the divine Father. {RH, April 14, 1896 par. 5}

Although Satan was apparently successful to an alarming degree, God has a few faithful ones, who could carry out His purposes, thus there was preserved Joash of the line of David and the priest of the Lord, Jehoiada, to bring about the reestablishment of the line of the House of David.

... Great changes must be wrought in the hearts and lives of very many before God can work in them by His power for the salvation of others. They must be renewed after the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness. Then the love of the world, the love of self, and every ambition of life calculated to exalt self will be changed by the grace of God and employed in the special work of saving souls for whom Christ died. Humility will take the place of pride, and haughty self-esteem will be exchanged for meekness. Every power of the heart will be controlled by disinterested love for all mankind. Satan ... will arouse when they in earnest commence the work of reformation in themselves. He knows that these persons, if consecrated to God, could prove the strength of His promises and realize a power working with them that the adversary would not be able to gainsay or resist. They would realize the life of God in the soul. {2T 484.2}

When Joash was seven years old, Jehoiada the priest laid plans to proclaim him king.

"But in the 7th year Jehoiada took courage and entered into a covenant with the commanders of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jerhoram . . . And they went about through Judah, and the heads of the fathers' houses of Israel, and they came unto Jerusalem. And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, `Behold, the king's son! Let him reign, as the Lord spoke concerning the sons of David.'" 2.Chr. 23:1-3, ESV; [60] .

Thus there was put something like a cork in the putrid bottle for a minute. There was now no fear of Athaliah left. [64]

"And he set all the people, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about. Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king." 2.Kings 11:4-12; 2.Chr. 12.

What Jehoiada did tells us, that he would leave nothing to chance. He would have a thorough plan to honor the only true God who called Judah His own, 2.Ki. 23:27; Jer. 7:30.

As we read, when Joash was seven years old, Jehoiada took five trustworthy captains of the army and revealed to them the existence of Joash. These five then "went about in Judah" and found such as could be trusted of the Levites out of the several cities, and "the chief of the fathers of Israel," and brought them to Jerusalem. The five captains also brought into Jerusalem their troops, unarmed and singly. When the organization was complete, Jehoiada brought them all together and revealed his purpose of making Joash king at once. They all agreed to it and made a covenant and entered heartily into the project of seating him upon the throne.

Why were the troops unarmed?

If they had not been unarmed, the element of surprise would have been lost.

This was therefore no small task, indeed, because they had Athaliah to meet and to deal with, and she was a second Jezebel. The whole scheme, however, was so well conducted that Athaliah did not discover it until it was crowned with success. The troops had been armed from the armory of the temple, and now with the weapons in their hands, they were arrayed at the entrance of the temple. Then, in the temple -- Joash was crowned, and the priest anointed him and proclaimed, in 835 B. C., "Let the king live." [100]

"Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the Lord; and she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of music, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason." 2.Ki. 11:4-12. Then Athaliah was slain, "and Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the Lord's people. Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars." 2.Kings 11:17,18.

Thus Baal was destroyed out of Judah also and the influence of Jezebel was terminated.

"Then he, the officers, the royal bodyguard, and the palace guards escorted the king from the Temple to the palace, followed by all the people (God's church on earth). Joash entered by the Guard Gate and took his place on the throne. And all the people were filled with happiness, and the city was quiet. now that Athaliah had been killed in the palace." 2.Kings 11:19,20, GNB.

Thus perished the last member of the `House of Ahab'. The terrible evil that had been wrought through his alliance with Jezebel, continued till the last of his descendants. Even in the land of Judah, where the worship of the true God had never been set aside, Athaliah had succeeded in seducing many. {RH, January 22, 1914 par. 15}

God's people, His Old Testament Church on earth, had been seduced for many years and was about to fall.

What lessons can we learn from this today?

How are God's churches administered today?

Are they following the Church Manual, or do the heads of churches follow their own devising?

1. There are sinners even in the ministry.
   
2. They are not agonizing to enter in at the strait gate. God does not work with them, for He cannot endure the presence of sin. It is the thing that His soul hates.
   
3. Even the angels that stood about His throne, whom He loved, but who kept not their first estate of loyalty, God cast out of heaven with their rebel leader.
   
4. Holiness is the foundation of God's throne; sin is the opposite of holiness; sin crucified the Son of God.
   
5. If men could see how hateful sin is, they would not tolerate it, nor educate themselves in it. They would reform in life and character. Secret faults would be overcome. If you are to be saints in heaven, you must first be saints upon the earth.

There is great need that our brethren overcome secret faults. The displeasure of God, like a cloud, hangs over many of them. The churches are weak.

1. Selfishness,
   
2. uncharitableness,
   
3. covetousness,
   
4. envy,
   
5. evil-surmising,
   
6. falsehood,
   
7. theft,
   
8. robbery,
   
9. sensuality,
   
10. licentiousness, and
    
11. adultery,

. . . stand registered against some who claim to believe the solemn, sacred truth for this time. How can these accursed things be cleansed out of the camp (church), when men who claim to be Christians are practicing them constantly? They are somewhat careful of their ways before men, but they are an offense to God. His pure eyes see, a witness records, all their sins, both open and secret; and unless they repent and confess their sins before God, unless they fall on the Rock and are broken, their sins will remain charged against them in the books of record. Oh, fearful histories will be opened to the world at the judgment--histories of sins never confessed, of sins not blotted out! Oh, that these poor souls might see that they are heaping up wrath against the day of wrath! Then the thoughts of the heart, as well as the actions, will be revealed. I tell you, my brethren and sisters, there is need of humbling your souls before God. "Cease to do evil," but do not stop here; "learn to do well." You can glorify God only by bearing fruit to His glory. {TM 145.1-146.1; Isa. 1:16,17.}

The indictment reads like news we are acquainted with from the world, but from within a church? Yes. We know it is part of history; unpleasant history. Only Jesus can help us to become free of these besetting sins so we seek Him, confess, repent and forsake them. Let us cooperate with God in our salvation. Depending if or if we not repent, we may hear the words,

"Why do you call me, `Lord, Lord,' and yet don't do what I tell you? Anyone who comes to me and listens to my words and obeys them - I will show you what he is like. He is like a man who, in building his house, dug deep and laid the foundation on rock. The river flooded over and hit that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But anyone who hears my words and does not obey them is like a man who built his house without laying a foundation; when the flood hit that home it fell at once - and what a terrible crash that was." Luke 6:46-49, GNB.

Consider also the issues we found in the account above to learn how to apply the lessons of the history we studied today,

"It is true that we live in the world, but we do not fight from worldly motives. The weapons we use in our fight are not the world's weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments; we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ." 2.Corinthians 10:3-5, GNB.

The question may be, have similar things occurred in recent history?

During a sort of revival in the days of Jehu, was Baal worship to be wiped out hand in hand without reformation? What lesson ought we to learn?

The truth is to be presented with divine tact, tenderness, and gentleness. It is to come from a heart that has been softened and made sympathetic. We need to have close communion with God, lest self rise up, as it did in Jehu, and we pour forth a torrent of words that are unbefitting, that are not as dew, nor as the still showers, which revive the withering plants. Let our words be gentle as we seek to win souls. God will be wisdom to him who seeks for wisdom from a divine source. We are to seek opportunities on every hand. We are to watch unto prayer, and be ready always to give an answer to every one who asks a reason for the hope that is in us. Lest we shall impress unfavorably one soul for whom Christ has died, we should keep our hearts uplifted to God, so that when the opportunity presents itself, we may have the right word to speak at the right time. If you thus undertake to work for God, the Spirit of God will be your helper. The Holy Spirit will apply the truth spoken in love for the soul. The truth will have quickening power when spoken under the influence of the grace of Christ. {RH, October 7, 1902 par. 5}

Why have we not seen this type of experience? Is it because . . .

"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." Matth. 15:8.

And,

"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Rev. 3:17.

God at times may bring us against something in the areas of `revival' and `reformation' and we may not recognize that these are two different things.

A revival and a reformation must take place, under the ministration of the Holy Spirit. Revival and reformation are two different things.

1. Revival signifies a renewal of spiritual life, a quickening of the powers of mind and heart, a resurrection from spiritual death.
   
2. Reformation signifies a reorganization, a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices. Reformation will not bring forth the good fruit of righteousness unless it is connected with the revival of the Spirit.

Revival and reformation are to do their appointed work, and in doing this work they must blend. {R&H, Feb. 25, 1902; 1SM 128.1}

What other lessons are there to be learned?

We ought to learn to gather rather than scatter - but through whose eyes do we look at things?

"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." Rev. 3:19.

"Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer." Romans 12:12.

Thus, we are reminded to defeat the love of self, each in his own life, as members of congregations, who seek to worship the Lord in truth. We are to be more meek and not easily be swayed this way and that way, but wait upon the Lord in all things - not by doing nothing, but to study His Word in Bible studies, if possible together with other brethren and members of congregations in order not to listen only to our thoughts but to learn from other members who have consecrated their life to live a life based on the truth as it is found in the word of God.

What we studied today shows that the `House of David', the Judahite line of kings was close to be annihilated through the efforts of Satan to cancel the plans of God to have a Savior born through that line. Instead what happened was that all the Lord's words were fulfilled including the total demise of the `House of Jeroboam' and the `House of Ahab.' - Thus we see, that the sermon on the series of battles of Armageddon, may be filled in some more by what you just read above, to add a battle for the success of the promises of God to the patriarchs and David.

King Joash of Israel Short Circuited

Joash/Jehoash, Jehu's grandson, respected the prophet Elisha, who had been serving the Lord already for 65 years. So effectual had been his ministry and so widespread his influence that, as he lay upon his deathbed, even the youthful King Joash, an idolater with but little respect for God, recognized in the prophet a father in Israel, and acknowledged that his presence among them was of more value in time of trouble than the possession of an army of horses and chariots. Having been anointed to be king of Judah, he was concerned about the future.

"The prophet Elisha was sick with a fatal disease, and as he lay dying, King Jehoash of Israel went to visit him. `My father, my father!' he exclaimed as he wept. `You have been the mighty defender of Israel.'" 2.Kings 13:14, GNB.

The young king had no clue how Elisha was able to accomplish his office. He had no real idea about the God of Israel. How affected the six years in hiding his education? So unlike the upbringing of Moses and Samuel? Yes, he was looking for counsel, but he was not prepared for all the reproaches, all the personal attitude corrections needed to serve the Lord.

To many a troubled soul in need of help the prophet had acted the part of a wise, sympathetic father. And in this instance he turned not from the godless youth before him, so unworthy of the position of trust he was occupying, and yet so greatly in need of counsel. God in His providence was bringing to the king an opportunity to redeem the failures of the past and to place his kingdom on vantage ground. The Syrian foe, now occupying the territory east of the Jordan, was to be repulsed. Once more the power of God was to be manifested in behalf of erring Israel. {PK 261.2}

So we ask, how can we make it without spiritual guides in our own life? How can we "redeem" our past of missed opportunities. How can we sweep away our sins - one by one? or all of them all at once? Do we know how that works in the sight of God?

1. Why would Elisha help Jehoash?
   
2. God wanted to put Israel on vantage ground in the history of their time.
   
3. Gad wanted to manifest His power - 2.Kings 13:17.
   
4. Elisha tested the faith of Jehoash.

What kind of a test was it?

13:17 "And he (Elisha) said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
13:18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.
13:19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice." 2.Kings 13:17-19.

The king smiting the ground with the arrows only three times, meant that he, subconsciously, wanted help only for his own set of circumstances. It meant his concern were not his people, his nation, but rather his own selfish safety.

At Elisha's direction the king of Israel aimed an arrow through the open window toward the stronghold of their Syrian foes. This was a declaration of war, and since God, by the prophet, directed the flight of the arrow, it showed that His hand was against their enemies. Elisha then told the king to take the arrows and smite upon the ground with them. He did so thrice and stopped. This revealed to Elisha that only thrice would it be possible for the Lord to lead the armies of Israel to victory, and he was wroth with the king, and told him that if he had smitten five or six times, tie should have smitten Syria till he had consumed it. The sign was of the Lord. It simply indicated the future, but did not control it, and Elisha's wrath was against the spirit of indifference and backsliding that was so easily contented, when it might have had all that was to be desired. Elisha knew from this that the reformation in Israel was only a partial and transitory one, and that there was no prospect of a complete deliverance from the bondage of sin, and all the other forms of slavery thus entailed, because `In their hearts the people loved to have it so'. {August 25, 1898 EJW, PTUK 531.2; Jer. 5:31}

He hadn't learned yet that God will do for us all He can, but He will not change events to make it happen. God's people as well as the wicked have freedom of choice which God does not infringe upon.

The Lord wanted to give total victory, yet Jehoash did not care or grasp that. Jehoash showed no sign of understanding how God had led Israel in the past. His limited action meant that he was only `somewhat' repentant and wanted only right now victories as opposed to total victory.

The truth is always this, God wants to set us free from sin. But, we, when the sense of condemnation is taken away, we do not feel guilty anymore and that is when we might end up under willing bondage to sin.

It seems surprising indeed that a people could be found, so enslaved in heart as not to desire freedom when they might easily have it, but to this day men are displaying the same lack of appreciation of their privileges. God wants to set us free. The Son came at infinite sacrifice to make us free indeed, and sometimes, when the way of transgression becomes especially hard, and the intolerable degradation of spiritual bondage makes the iron enter into our souls, we do rejoice at the offer of freedom, and, for a while, exchange the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Yet, too often, we fail to realize how great a salvation is provided for us in the gift of Christ, and are so easily satisfied. As the sense of condemnation is taken away, it is felt that all is well, and that there is no danger of further subjection. Satan awaits his opportunity and ere long, instead of going on from strength to strength, we find ourselves again led captive. Why should we not smite again and again until our enemies be utterly consumed? {August 25, 1898 EJW, PTUK 531.3}

As we can tell by now, such an attitude of feeling at ease with respect to temptations can get us into a vicious cycle. Why? Because we are short circuiting the power of God.

We become satisfied with the crumbs from the table instead of the full meal.

We fail to realize that iniquity is directed against ourselves.

So it is with every other one of God's requirements. All His gifts are promised on condition of obedience. God has a heaven full of blessings for those who will co-operate with Him. All who obey Him may with confidence claim the fulfillment of His promises. {COL 145.1}

When we work for the Lord and follow only His counsel, we need never fear but work faithfully all we know and trust in the Lord to accomplish what we cannot know. How many times, then, do we trust in methods not according to the counsels of God? Can we mix God's work with mammon?

22:31 "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
22:32 For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God?
22:33 God is my strength and power: And he maketh my way perfect." 2.Samuel 22:31-33.

That faith has the condition of perfect, faithful trust. If we are His, who can be against us?

The Psalmist David wrote,