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God's work will best explain itself, we cannot explain it. We must withdraw our
personality as soon and as completely as may be; do the commission which we feel
to be of God, and eschew in it saluting any man by the way (Luke 10:4). And so the
young prophet would be outside the walls of Ramoth-Gilead, and on his way back to
Samaria, when Jehu rejoined the "servants of his lord."^269
They must all have recognized the garb and appearance of one of "the sons of the
prophets," and inferred that something of supreme importance was about to take
place. For the proper understanding of this history it is necessary to bear in mind that
it was possible to be opposed to the worship of Baal, and in favor of that of the God
of Israel, without any personal or true religion. In point of fact, Jehu exterminated for
the time alike the service and the servants of Baal, although he "took no heed to walk
in the way of Jehovah, God of Israel, with all his heart; he departed not from the sins
of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin" (2 Kings 10:31).
It was the service of Baal which Ahab had initiated, while Jeroboam's worship of
God under the symbol of the golden calf might be represented as the ancient
Israelitish (in opposition to the Judaean and Levitic) service of the God of Israel. We
can readily believe that there might be a large and influential national party in the
northern kingdom, intensely opposed to the anti-Israelitish and foreign policy and
ways in State and Church of the house of Ahab. And both from his antecedents
(comp. 2 Kings 9:25, 26), and his subsequent conduct, we infer that Jehu was a
leader - perhaps the leader - of this national party, which naturally would have many
adherents throughout the country.
Quite consistent with this view is the deep interest taken by the captains in the
mission of the young prophet to Jehu, and their readiness to take up his cause, even
while at the same time the messenger was slightingly spoken of - just as men of the
world might characterize such an one as a "mad" enthusiast. It is difficult to decide
the reason of what seems the evasive answer first made by Jehu. But when
perceiving by their interest the likelihood of their joining the national cause, he told
them at least that part of the message which appointed him king over Israel.^270
If Jehu possessed the ferocity, he evidently had also the cunning of an Eastern.
Perhaps he could scarcely have been prepared for the rapidity with which the military
revolution was accomplished. The assembled captains took off their upper garments,
and spread them, in token of homage, as a carpet "on the platform of the steps,"^271
that is, the steps which led up to a platform or balcony, and then, amidst the blast of
trumpets, the usual signal at a coronation (1 Kings 1:39; 2 Kings 11:14), Jehu was
proclaimed king.
(^)