Now this promise, it says there
in verse 12, this is the word that, the word of the Lord, which
he spake unto Jehu, saying, thy son shall sit on the throne of
Israel unto the fourth generation, and so it came to pass. Now this
promise was made to Jehu in 2 Kings chapter 10, if you'll turn back
a couple of chapters there, several chapters to chapter 10. Let's
read from verse 30 of chapter 10. 2nd Kings 10 30 and the Lord
said unto Jehu because thou has done well in Executing that which
is right in mine eyes and has done unto the house of Ahab according
to all that was in mine heart Thy children of the fourth generation
shall sit on the throne of Israel but Jehu took no heed to walk
in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart and
For he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made
Israel to sin. Now, maybe you're thinking, like
I did, why would God make a promise to an evil man that refused to
follow his law with all of his heart, concerning his evil sons
being kings unto the fourth generation, What good is any of that if Jehu
went to hell and his sons went to hell? And I think it's important we
answer that question first of all we're assuming That really
to some extent because It seems like that that's what happened
He refused with all of his heart to follow the law of the Lord
But who among us does follow the law of the Lord with all
of their hearts? Sounds like he was not a believer But we're not told every detail
of any of these men's lives and so we can't make a judgment like
that Even if we did know every detail of their lives, it still
wouldn't be our place to pass any judgment on them That's that's what we don't know
there's a lot we don't know but there's a lot in this story that
we do know and that's We always want to talk about we don't want
to assume anything in the scriptures But learn by God's grace from
that which is clear crystal clear in the scriptures What we know
for certain here is that God used an evil man Jehu To eliminate
the family of Ahab and man Ahab so evil that generations suffered
because of him and We learned from that as Citizens
of a nation ourselves that's just as corrupt and evil as Israel
was at that time That God can use anybody To save us from the
evil those words are if you read the life of Jehu he saved Israel
from a lot of misery and a lot of Evil that they otherwise under
Ahab Were committing and would have continued to commit that
evil Influence of Ahab was upon the whole nation and it says
Jehu saved Israel from that Now I've said this to you before
the most important the only thing really in a sense of eternal
consequences, being saved from our sins, being saved from God's
wrath by the precious blood of our Savior. But I kind of like
being saved in any sense of the word at the same time. You know
what I mean? If I can be saved from somebody
like Ahab, I like that too. I'm for it. This country doesn't need a knight
in shining armor of righteousness and godly magnificence to save
our nation. And people get confused about
that. If there's not going to be a godly believer over our
nation, then we just don't care. I've been told many times that
I shouldn't care anything about politics. I kind of care about
the country I live in. Don't you a little bit? I don't hold out any hope that
we'll ever have a godly believer ruling our nation. I think the
days of men doing that which is right in the sight of the
Lord, as David did, are pretty much past us. A long time past
us. God may just use, according to
our text, a godless man to save us from the consequences of great
evil in our land. He can do that. I'd be okay with
that. Like I say, the only reason I
even mention this, I've been told so many times, don't care
about politics. I always ask people that one
question. Was King David concerned with politics, you reckon? Did
he care about his country? Did he care about his nation? He said, whenever I call for
peace, they're all for war. He lamented. the condition in
many respects of his country. And I'm encouraged
by the fact that God can use anybody or any event, anything to save his people as he saved
us from our sins, as he saved us eternally. We could use a
little salvation down here right now. And it's fine if he doesn't,
isn't it? It's fine. I sure would like to see it. We're not supposed to care about
corruption and injustice around us and over us that affects our
lives every day. And y'all know what the burden
of my heart is more than probably anything in our country. We're
not supposed to care about babies being slaughtered by the millions. Am I supposed to care about that?
And you're paying for it. We're paying for it. That's evil. I don't care who's in office.
That's evil. And that's real evil. We just
kind of say, yeah, I don't agree with that and get on with our
life. That's real evil. That's bad. That's really bad
evil. And I know that you are as well
as I am aware that by God's grace. It's only his grace and his gospel
that can transform sinners into men that Truly do that which
is right in the eyes of the Lord When those words are used in
the scriptures like like for example King David he did that
which was right in the eyes of the Lord with all of his heart
all of his days except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite He was a believer. He believed
God. And that's why he was able. And that's the only way that's
going to happen. But I'm glad that God can use just about anybody.
It's this whole world to God is his sheep. And we remember
that. It's it's easy to remember that
here, but when you're reading the news, it's easy to forget
it. It's all about his sheep. God
loves the world because the world is his garden that he planted,
and that's his people. I'm not holding my breath for
a leader of our country that knows God and worships God, and
I don't suspect you are either. But I am greatly encouraged that
God can use anybody he pleases to make things tolerable, to
make things equitable, to preserve some of the virtues of this,
that we enjoy in this country. Not the least of which by far
is freedom. Freedom, freedom. Every iota
of freedom that we lose is priceless. I'd much rather spend out my
remaining years studying and preaching the gospel as I do
now, and when I'm not doing that, maybe catch a few fish, do a
little gardening outside, making stuff out of wood, than I would
fighting for my life and liberty and shooting at bad people. How
about you? I have a preference. You may have noticed where it
says in verse 9 that Jeroboam made Israel to sin. That's you and I paying for people
to kill their babies. We are made to sin. That's a lot of things. That's
one example that always Above all else, it seems like
just sticks in my heart. Now, this is all under the auspices
of God's sovereign decree and will. We know that. We don't
have to speculate about that. I don't know whether, you know,
Jehu went to heaven or hell. I don't know for sure. I don't
want to assume either way, but I know this. All of this, all
of this, and all of this is under the auspices of God's sovereign
decree and will. And can you though at the same
time pray with me that our nation is not made to sin by corrupt,
openly corrupt, dictatorial, incompetent, utterly godless
wretches, and that rather God would raise up a man, even a
godless man, that will do that which is right in his eyes, as
Jehu was said to do in the matter of Ahab and his family. In that
matter, it says he did that. God said to him, you did exactly
what was in my heart. I'd love to see some of that,
wouldn't you? Let's pray for that. We also know in this passage
of scripture and because it's taught in all of scripture That
god sets up one and he puts down another one That's god only he
can do that i'm so thankful for that Psalm 75 4 if you want to
turn there or just listen carefully psalm 75 4 Psalm 75 for I said unto the
fools deal not foolishly and To the wicked lift not up the
horn that word horn means power don't lift up your horn like
you're somebody Don't act like you're somebody lift not up your
horn on high verse 5 speak not with a stiff neck In other words
your your words are or rebellion against God. It's just like an
ox bowing its neck or a mule rebelling against its owner.
Don't talk like that. Don't think like that. For promotion,
if you have it, any kind of a title, any kind of a responsibility,
any kind of a leadership role at all, In a family, in a business,
in a city, in a church, I don't care where it is, promotion cometh
neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south,
but God, but God, God. God is the judge. He's the one
that decides. He putteth down one and setteth
up another, and that's what's gonna happen in November. That's simply what's gonna happen. People say, well, I'm worried
about what's going to happen in November. Well, I am, too, in
a sense, but I'll tell you what is going to happen. I know what's
going to happen. God's going to put somebody down and he's
going to set somebody up. That's what's going to happen.
And he doeth all things well. So maybe your president doesn't
get elected, whoever you vote for. Considering that we don't
live in the new heaven and the new earth yet and everything's
not going to be perfect, No matter what happens, people
aren't gonna start all bowing to Christ and worshiping Christ
after this election, no matter who wins. So we're making a judgment
simply on right and wrong. Not on who we like more, but
right and wrong. Say that maybe you think that
if one of the candidates is elected, it means disaster for our country. And maybe that candidate is elected.
What does our text tell us about that? And again, believe me when I
say I care about things like that. I care. And you can't defend
not caring. You cannot defend it. But I'll
tell you a reason that is not the reason I care. I don't care
because I think that we're not going to be square in the hand
of the sovereign God when it's all said and done. That's not
the reason I care. We will be. If my president loses, that won't
be one of the reasons it matters to me, that all of a sudden we're
not in God's hand anymore. I care because I would love for
my children to grow up in a country that's kind of like the one I
grew up in. I would love to see that. With great freedom and safety
like exists nowhere else in this world. Thank God. Thank God for
that. But I'll tell you something else
that's not one of the reasons I care. I don't care because
I think that if the wrong thing happens, according to me, that
all things aren't going to work perfectly together for my good
and the good of those that I love, who the Lord loves. If it doesn't
go my way, that's not one of the reasons it matters to me.
And I think that's not going to be true anymore. It is going
to be true. It's going to be for our good. The grace of God is not forfeit
either way. The love of God is not lessened
either way. The eternal security of God's
sheep is not compromised either way. The glory of God is not
diminished either way. We will by God's grace bow and
rest in that glorious truth that Christ is on his everlasting
throne. We're in his almighty hand and
his almighty love for his precious sheep will win the day every
day He's the king of kings and the
Lord of Lords the government The government is on his shoulder
I'm so glad about that. I'm so glad about that One more thing that we do know
from our text, without a doubt. Notice in verse 12 again, the
phrase, the word of the Lord. Notice two phrases in that text. The word of the Lord. And then notice this phrase, the
last phrase of the verse, and so it came to pass. Word of the Lord came to pass Listen to Psalm 119 89 forever. Oh Lord thy word is settled in
heaven Thy faithfulness is unto all generations Thou hast established
the earth and it about it They continue this day according
to thine ordinances and all Are that servants? All of them are all of us everybody
in this world They serve him now not in the sense of being
bond servants not in the sense of being willing servants what
made willing in the day of his power not in the not in the sense
of serving his will as far as being a follower of him and and pledging our allegiance and loyalty
and love for him, but in the sense that everyone is subservient
to him, and everything they do, think, and say is gonna serve
his perfect purpose in his love and salvation of his elect, all
are thy servants. Satan is his servant. All the angels and forces of
hell His servant. Every dictator in this world,
his servant. Every decent person in this world,
saved or lost, his servant. His people, in a unique sense,
his servants. You know why I'm so glad that
Jehu's sons reigned unto the fourth generation? As the Lord
said they would. I'm so glad of that. You know why that matters to
me? Because that same Lord also said, he that believeth on me
shall not perish, but have everlasting life. That same Lord said, come unto
me and I'll give you rest. And so it has come to pass by
his grace. That same Lord has this word
for sinners like us. Come now and let us reason together,
saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow. The God whose word the scripture
says is as sweet as the honeycomb. Made a covenant of grace. And
the Lord Jesus Christ covenanted to redeem all of his elect by
his one offering for sins forever. And so it came to pass. Turn with me to Acts 4.26, we'll
close. Acts 4 26 the kings of the earth
stood up and the rulers were gathered together against the
Lord and against his Christ for of a truth against thy holy child
Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate
with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together. Can you imagine 11 disciples that weren't devils
in the sense that Judas was can you imagine the 11 disciples? We think we hate government The
government killed their Savior killed their Lord killed the
one that That taught him the words of God that had that had
the words of eternal life. I Things didn't go the way they
wanted it to, and it was the government. It was those in power that took from them that which
was most precious. But they didn't understand, though
our Lord comforted them and spoke precious words before he left
this earth, that it wasn't man that took him away from them. And if things don't go the way
we want them to in this world, it's not man. Man doesn't have
that power. Yeah, man is at fault. Man is
sinful. Man is wretched. And that's why this world is
a disaster. But they didn't understand, I
wonder if we do, that it's God, it's Christ that sitteth upon
this circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as
grasshoppers. Whichever grasshopper runs this
country or any other is still a grasshopper. You may vote for a grasshopper
with an R next to his name or one with a D next to his name,
but he's a grasshopper when it comes to who's sitting on the
circle of this earth running things. That's a great comfort. That's
a great comfort. There is a whole lot. We didn't
read the last verse there. For to do whatsoever thy hand
and thy counsel determined before to be done. His hand is a mighty hand. His
hand is a gracious hand. His hand is the one that we live
in. There's great comfort and peace
in those words, and so it came to pass. I'm glad that Jehu's sons reigned
under the fourth generation, because if they hadn't, and God said, you come to me
and I'll give you, I'll save you, I'll save you, then we couldn't believe that. But the word of the Lord always
comes to pass. And the one who runs the affairs
of men is judge over the hearts of men. And he saves whom he will, and he
delights to show mercy towards sinners. He said, I'm going to
have mercy. I'm going to have mercy on everybody
I want to have mercy on. And that's very comforting. Our
citizenship is in heaven. God give us grace to remember
that. Our citizenship is in heaven, whatever our lot is on this earth.
And we look to him even now. We're already citizens of heaven,
even now. And we look to the one who reigns
in heaven and earth. And worketh all things after
the counsel of his own will. He may use an evil man to do
great, wonderful good. He may use a decent man to bring
about terrible catastrophe. It's still going to be for our
good either way. He worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will. All of it. Heaven and earth shall pass away,
the book says, but the word of our God shall never pass away. Many things matter. One thing
is needful. God, give us grace to embrace
that truth in our hearts every hour. Let's pray.