Then Came Jehu

There is a strong and increasing undercurrent of anger and incivility in the United States, and many believe it could eventually lead to civil war.

It’s difficult to fathom another civil war with local militias and armed clashes in the streets, States rising against other States. But the division, anger, and hatred in the United States are deepening.

The warfare that takes place in the spiritual realm plays out between people. President Trump reminds us of a composite of the wild and indignant King Jehu (1 Kings 9:30-37), King Josiah, and the Persian King Cyrus. From our perspective, President Trump has been taking on the ruling spirits in our country like no other President in our lifetimes. 

Israel’s King Ahab took as his wife the Phoenician Princess, Jezebel. Jezebel worshipped the demonic idol, Baal, and persuaded Ahab to allow for that idolatry in Israel. Jezebel had surrounded herself with eunuchs… men she controlled who had been voluntarily or forcibly castrated. Jezebel intimidated everyone… including the man of God, the Prophet Elijah. Does that imagery bring anyone to mind?

But then came Jehu.

Jehu wasn’t a paragon of virtue. He didn’t have a stellar and unblemished character. His only redeeming accomplishment as the King of Israel was his defeat of Queen Jezebel, the power behind the house of Ahab, and the utter destruction of Baal worship in Israel. The Lord said to him, “Because you have done well in carrying out 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.”

When Jehu rode into town, he looked up at the men with no balls… the eunuchs that surrounded Queen Jezebel and asked, “Who is with me?” He somehow either appealed to or found allies among the castrated men who probably longed for a chance to redeem their manhood. Maybe he caught a smile across their faces or a look in their eyes… because the next thing out of his mouth was, “Throw her down”…. And they did… and she was trampled under the feet of horses. Then the dogs ate her, leaving only her skull and the palms of her hands.

I might add that the Spirit of Jezebel in this country has intimidated and controlled many within our government and in our pulpits.

But then came Jehu. We have eyes and ears, so we’re not saying President Trump is a picture of elegance or self-control. However, President Trump still has his manhood. That much is clear, and it’s entertaining to watch Jezebel and her eunuchs squirm.

In his best-selling book, God’s Chaos Candidate: Donald J. Trump And The American Unravelling, our friend Lance Wallnau has written and taught about the Persian King Cyrus and the similarities with President Trump.

It’s too early to tell. Still, President Trump could also be like King Josiah, who experienced a personal and vicarious awakening after the Torah was rediscovered (2 Kings 22 & 23). It turns out Mr. Trump has a Godly heritage. It appears to many that are close to him that President Trump could be experiencing a similar personal awakening. If he’s not, we should be praying that he does because, as our President, it could be the beginning of a spiritual awakening in our country.

King Josiah said, “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us”. (2 Chronicles 34:21)

King Josiah was a great King… and we’re not saying Trump is a Josiah… but there are strong similarities. And btw… lest you get judgmental regarding President Trump, as many are prone to. Reality check: God doesn’t use or save us because of our stellar characters. (Romans 5:8-10)

God has always used object lessons to inform us about His character and to advance His purposes on earth… the foolish things confound the wise.

Let me highlight three similarities between King Josiah’s anointing and President Trump.

1. Re-establishing borders. (Acts 17:26-27)

2. Moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem (Psalm 122)

3. Defunding Planned Parenthood (2 Kings 23:10)

There is a lot to say in defense of sovereign Nations and their borders and the significance of supporting Israel, even now in their current condition. For the sake of space and attention spans, Nations were established by our Triune God, and recognizing God’s ongoing dealings with his covenant people is significant. A critical marker that distinguished the ancient Kings from one another was how they dealt with idolatry and practices associated with false gods.

King Josiah destroyed the “high places” that had been dedicated to the worship of idols… in particular, he conquered “Topheth,” which was in the “Valley of the sons of Hinnom,”… AKA Gehenna… the place cursed by the Prophet Jeremiah who called it “The Valley of slaughter.”

What was Topheth? It was the place used to murder children… also known as sacrificing children to idols.

President Trump has continued to work behind the scenes to follow through on his promise to defund Planned Parenthood. I think it ultimately falls on State Governments to decide because The Supreme Court refuses to hear cases regarding States that want to defund Planned Parenthood. This means the lower Federal Appeals Court rulings will stand. 

The Federal Appeals Court in Ohio recently ruled that it can defund Planned Parenthood. In total, at least 24 states have attempted to defund Planned Parenthood since July 2015, and 15 have succeeded. Who knows how many lives of unborn children have been saved.

David N. O’Steen, executive director of National Right to Life, an anti-abortion group, said, “From our perspective, it seems that the administration has done everything it could to defund Planned Parenthood.”

On a final note, there seems to be an epidemic of “Low Testosterone” in American men and American politics and, sadly, in our Churches. To those among us who have been seduced by Jezebel and spiritually castrated, especially those in government and our pulpits, we believe in a God who heals and who raises the dead. 

So rise up, Church, and throw her down!