列王記下 9:1-13 審判來臨
- 馬克牧師
- Sep 21, 2024
- 6 min read
耶戶被膏立為以色列王
1先知以利沙叫了一個先知門徒來，吩咐他說：「你束上腰，手拿這瓶膏油往基列的拉末去。 2到了那裏，要尋找寧示的孫子、約沙法的兒子耶戶，使他從同僚中起來，帶他進嚴密的屋子， 3將瓶裏的膏油倒在他頭上，說：『耶和華如此說：我膏你作以色列王。』說完了，就開門逃跑，不要遲延。」
4於是那少年先知往基列的拉末去了。 5到了那裏，看見眾軍長都坐着，就說：「將軍哪，我有話對你說。」耶戶說：「我們眾人裏，你要對哪一個說呢？」回答說：「將軍哪，我要對你說。」 6耶戶就起來，進了屋子，少年人將膏油倒在他頭上，對他說：「耶和華－以色列的神如此說：『我膏你作耶和華民以色列的王。 7你要擊殺你主人亞哈的全家，我好在耶洗別身上伸我僕人眾先知和耶和華一切僕人流血的冤。 8亞哈全家必都滅亡，凡屬亞哈的男丁，無論是困住的、自由的，我必從以色列中剪除， 9使亞哈的家像尼八兒子耶羅波安的家，又像亞希雅兒子巴沙的家。 10耶洗別必在耶斯列田裏被狗所吃，無人葬埋。』」說完了，少年人就開門逃跑了。
11 耶戶出來，回到他主人的臣僕那裏，有一人問他說：「平安嗎？這狂妄的人來見你有甚麼事呢？」回答說：「你們認得那人，也知道他說甚麼。」 12他們說：「這是假話，你據實地告訴我們。」回答說：「他如此如此對我說。他說：『耶和華如此說：我膏你作以色列王。』」 13他們就急忙各將自己的衣服鋪在上層臺階，使耶戶坐在其上；他們吹角，說：「耶戶作王了！」
各位弟兄姊妹平安！今天我們繼續來讀《列王紀下》第九章的1到13節。昨天我們提到了以色列拜假神的惡行已經傳到了猶大，而上帝的審判總是來得非常準時。
在這一段經文中，先知以利沙受上帝的指示，派了一個年輕的先知去見耶戶，耶戶是一位以色列王的手下大將。上帝要通過這個少年先知傳達祂的話語，告訴耶戶他將被膏立為以色列的新王，來取代那已經陷入敗壞的以色列王。特別是針對耶洗別王后。她長期崇拜邪神，並引導以色列國陷入深重的罪惡，上帝的懲罰即將臨到她身上。同時，上帝還提到了對猶大王亞哈謝的審判。
這段經文讓我們看到，上帝的公義審判不會遲延，當國家領袖偏離正道，拜假神，犯下罪行，上帝的審判必定會來臨。耶戶的受膏預示著一個新的時代即將開始，並且也是上帝親自介入歷史，來實現祂的計劃和旨意。
這段經文中有一些細節值得我們特別留意。以利沙最初吩咐那位少年先知的話，只是簡單地說耶和華上帝要膏立耶戶作王。然而，當這位少年先知去到耶戶面前時，他卻詳細地傳達了上帝的命令，特別提到耶戶要執行上帝的審判，將亞哈全家滅絕。
這裡特別強調了亞哈家族所犯的罪惡，還詳細提到了他們的祖先，包括他們所行的一切惡行。而最引人注目的，是少年先知特別提到了耶洗別皇后，指出她必定會死於非命，且她的屍體將會無法被埋葬，最終甚至會被野狗啃噬到只剩骨頭。這是一個極為嚴厲且具象的審判，顯示出上帝對耶洗別長期崇拜邪神，帶領以色列陷入深重罪惡的強烈譴責。
這些細節讓我們看見，上帝的審判並非籠統模糊，而是非常具體且針對性的，對每個人、每個罪行都會有明確的懲罰安排。耶洗別的結局也顯示了上帝對那些帶領國家和人民偏離祂道路、犯下嚴重罪行的領袖的審判是多麼可怕。
當那位少年先知傳達完上帝的話後，馬上就匆忙離開了。耶戶在收到這個訊息後，將這件事告訴了他的同僚。令人驚訝的是，他的同僚們立即確認了這個新的命令，毫不猶豫地臣服於他，場面就像是「黃袍加身」的情景一樣，大家立刻認定耶戶為他們的新主。於是，耶戶背叛了以色列王，成為了新的王。
接下來的故事，九章的下半段，將詳細記載上帝如何對亞哈家施行審判，以及耶洗別皇后的結局。我們明天繼續閱讀，感謝各位的聆聽。
Jehu Anointed King of Israel
The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take this flask of olive oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead. When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room. Then take the flask and pour the oil on his head and declare, ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run; don’t delay!”
So the young prophet went to Ramoth Gilead. When he arrived, he found the army officers sitting together. “I have a message for you, commander,” he said.
“For which of us?” asked Jehu.
“For you, commander,” he replied.
Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil on Jehu’s head and declared, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anoint you king over the Lord’s people Israel. You are to destroy the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the Lord’s servants shed by Jezebel. The whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free. I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah. As for Jezebel, dogs will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and no one will bury her.’” Then he opened the door and ran.
When Jehu went out to his fellow officers, one of them asked him, “Is everything all right? Why did this maniac come to you?”
“You know the man and the sort of things he says,” Jehu replied.
“That’s not true!” they said. “Tell us.”
Jehu said, “Here is what he told me: ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.’”
They quickly took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!”
Brothers and sisters, peace be with you! Today, we continue reading 2 Kings 9:1-13. Yesterday, we discussed how Israel's idolatry had spread to Judah, and how God's judgment always arrives right on time.
In this passage, the prophet Elisha, following God’s instructions, sends a young prophet to meet Jehu, a high-ranking commander under the king of Israel. Through this young prophet, God delivers His message, declaring that Jehu will be anointed as the new king of Israel, replacing the already corrupt king. This message specifically targets Queen Jezebel, who had long worshiped false gods and led the nation of Israel into deep sin. God’s judgment upon her was imminent. Additionally, God mentions His judgment on King Ahaziah of Judah.
This passage shows us that God's righteous judgment will not be delayed. When national leaders stray from the right path, worship false gods, and commit sins, God's judgment will surely come. Jehu’s anointing marks the beginning of a new era, and it also signifies God's direct intervention in history to fulfill His plans and purposes.
There are some details in this passage that are worth highlighting. Initially, Elisha’s instructions to the young prophet were simple: he was to anoint Jehu as king of Israel. However, when the young prophet arrived and spoke to Jehu, he gave a more detailed message from God, emphasizing that Jehu was to carry out God's judgment by wiping out the entire house of Ahab.
The text specifically stresses the evil committed by the house of Ahab, and it even goes into detail about their ancestors and all the wickedness they had done. The most notable part of the message is about Queen Jezebel, declaring that she would die a violent death and that her body would not be buried but devoured by dogs, leaving only her bones. This harsh and vivid judgment shows God’s strong condemnation of Jezebel’s long-standing idolatry and her leading Israel into grievous sin.
These details demonstrate that God’s judgment is neither vague nor general; it is specific and targeted, with clear consequences for every person and every sin. Jezebel’s fate reveals the terrifying judgment that awaits leaders who lead nations and people away from God’s path and into serious sin.
After delivering God’s message, the young prophet quickly left. Jehu, after receiving the message, shared it with his fellow officers. Surprisingly, they immediately accepted this new command and submitted to him without hesitation. It was almost like a scene where a royal robe was placed on Jehu as a sign of his new kingship, and everyone instantly recognized him as their new ruler. Jehu then rebelled against the king of Israel and became the new king.
In the next part of the story, the latter half of chapter 9, we will read how God’s judgment is executed on Ahab’s house and the fate of Queen Jezebel. We will continue reading tomorrow. Thank you all for listening.
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