Today’s devotion comes from 2 Kings 15:8-12.
“In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in Samaria for six months. He did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin. Then Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him and struck him before the people and killed him, and reigned in his place. Now the rest of the acts of Zechariah, behold they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. This is the word of the LORD which He spoke to Jehu, saying, “Your sons to the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.” And so it was.” 2 Kings 15:8-12.
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“The LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing what is right in My eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in My heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.” But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin.” 2 Kings 10:30-31.
Even though Jehu received such a wonderful promise from the LORD, Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD. But, the LORD still performed His promise.
As a quick side note, sometimes, we do not see clearly or easily how the LORD fulfilled His word, and we have to trust the LORD’S word that He fulfilled His promise. But, other times, such as this time, His Word shows us the details so that we can more easily understand how He fulfilled His promise. Jehu’s son was Jehoahaz who became king of Israel. 2 Kings 10:35. Jehoahaz’ son was Joash (a/k/a Jehoash) who became king of Israel. 2 Kings 13:9-10. Jehoash’s son was Jeroboam (a/k/a Jeroboam II) who became king of Israel. 2 Kings 14:16. The son of Jeroboam (a/k/a Jeroboam II) was Zechariah who became the king of Israel in the fourth (and last) generation of Jehu to sit on the throne of Israel. 2 Kings 15:8. But, even if we are incorrect on how He fulfilled His promise, we trust the LORD’s conclusion that He did fulfill His promise. “And so it was.” Verse 12.
“So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11.
“… Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:11.
We may care none or little about Jehu and the LORD’S promise to Jehu. We may care none or little about the fulfillment of the LORD’S promise to Jehu. But, Scripture continually builds up our trust that the LORD fulfills His word, even if man does not fulfill his promise or does not fulfill his duty.
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13.
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” 2 Peter 1:2-4.
“For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU.” And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 10:13-20.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 