2 Kings 10:1 says, And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's children, saying, We are told that Ahab had seventy sons, and Jehu wrote letters to those who were bringing up their children. Evidently, Ahab had many wives or concubines in addition to Jezebel. We still hear of people today who have many children, though not seventy, by several different women, but this was never God's plan. Verse two adds, Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour; Jehu continued by stating that they were in charge of many chariots and horses, as well as armor inside a fenced city. It would seem that they were secure, and people still believe if they have enough power in the world today that they are secure, but we can only find real security by putting our faith in God. Verse three continues, Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house. Jehu then told them to select the best of Ahab's sons and put him on the throne as king. There will always be a need to replace leaders when they die, and we need to pray that the best person will be selected to replace them. Verse four states, But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand? The people were afraid, saying that two kings could not stand before Jehu, so how could one. We can be certain that no matter how many people stand against God, they will never be victorious. Verse five adds, And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes. All those in charge sent word to Jehu that they would not appoint a king but would be subject to his rule. One day, people are going to realize that they have always been subject to God's rule, but for too many this knowledge will come too late. We must subject ourselves to God through faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord in this lifetime in order to avoid everlasting punishment. Verse six continues, Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up. Jehu sent a second letter telling them if they would be his subjects, to behead Ahab's sons and bring him their heads. Matthew Henry says that even though Jehu could not bring himself to kill these seventy men that he really didn't expect those he wrote to do so either. Ahab's sons were with the great men of the city, so this could present a problem for those who would behead them. We are called on to cut off all idols when we come to Jesus, just as these men were told to eliminate those who might claim power against Jehu. Still, if we are to follow Jesus Christ, we must do so, no matter how strong the opposition to our doing so might be. Verse seven declares, And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel. When they got the second letter, they did as Jehu had asked them to do and killed and beheaded Ahab's seventy sons. When we are called to salvation through Jesus Christ, the only way to salvation, we must cut off all the things that might come between Him and us. Verse eight adds, And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning. When Jehu was told that the heads had been delivered, he said that they were to be placed at the gate of the city until mourning. He may have done this as a warning to others who would oppose him. We will never be asked to display the head of anyone to show the power of God, but by the way we live, we need to show the world that there is nothing more powerful than God. Verse nine continues, And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these? The next morning, Jehu went to the gate and told the people that he had killed his master but asked who had killed these seventy. God does not call on us to display anything to show His power, but all we need to do is live in obedience to the Holy Spirit as Christians and have faith that He will ultimately destroy all our enemies. Verse ten concludes, Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the Lord hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah. Jehu gave God credit for these seventy men being killed which fulfilled a prophesy of Elijah. God's prophesy had been fulfilled by those who really weren't following His leadership. Whether he directly causes it or not, God can still use the actions of sinners to bring about His will, but He will always prefer to work through the actions of His people.
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