Jehu was not a righteous man in the sense that he was dedicated to God's Way of Life. But he should be considered great because of his zeal in obeying God's instruction to avenge the house of Ahab. He was given a commission through the prophet Elijah-a commission that played a major role in the history of the northern kingdom.
The wicked king Ahab had been instrumental in leading the northern tribes into utter ruin. He also influenced the affairs of the southern kingdom-Judah. He persuaded Jehoshaphat to join in an alliance against the Syrians, and even had his daughter Athaliah marry into the royal house of Judah. Athaliah's entry into the high society of Judah introduced pagan abominations into the southern kingdom. God raised up Jehu, who was the commander in chief of the Israelite army at Ramoth Gilead, to execute His wrath upon the house of Ahab.
We first encounter Jehu in 1 Kings 19:16. God instructed Elijah to anoint Jehu to be king of Israel. He was chosen to replace Ahab's ruling house. There is little personal information about Jehu except that he was a long-standing veteran and an effective soldier. God had determined to get rid of Ahab, and to extirpate his wicked house. " . . . There was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up" (1 Kings 21:25).
Ahab coveted a piece of property next to his. When he tried to purchase the land, the owner-Naboth-refused to sell, as he regarded it as family inheritance. Ahab returned to his house and pouted. Jezebel saw this and offered to get the land for him. She trumped up phony charges and had Naboth and his sons executed. Ahab did not hesitate to take the property.
God pronounced a death sentence upon the house of Ahab, but who should execute it? Some years passed. Ahab was slain in battle against the Syrians, and his son Jehoram now ruled. Elisha, whose work was a continuation of Elijah's, had replaced Elijah. Elisha now directed that the punishment upon the house of Ahab be carried out.
Notice the commission given to Jehu.
Jehu was well aware of the sins of the house of Ahab. He knew what he had to do. His soldiers immediately pronounced him king. Vengeance against the house of Ahab was now set in motion. "So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria" (2 Kings 9:14). Earlier, the king of Israel had been at Ramothgilead where a siege was underway, and had been wounded there. He had returned to Jezreel to recuperate. Ahaziah, the wicked king of Judah, and grandson of Jehoshaphat, had gone to Jezreel to visit Joram.
What then happened to Jezebel?
Ahab had 70 sons who resided in Samaria, so Jehu's work had just begun.
Jehu then told the people: "Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah. So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining" (2 Kings 10:10-11).
On his way to Samaria, the capital city of the northern kingdom, Jehu met a number of relatives of Ahaziah, king of Judah. They were on their way to visit the children of Ahab. They had no idea what had taken place. "And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them" (2 Kings 10:14). Because the house of Ahab had intermarried with the royalty of Judah, this execution was a continuation of the vengeance upon the house of Ahab. "And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah" (2 Kings 10:17).
Next, Jehu began a campaign against Baal worship, which had been greatly promoted by Jezebel.
Even though Jehu carried out this vengeance upon the house of Ahab, which included the extirpation of Baal worship, he was really not a zealous and loyal servant for God's Truth.
Jehu was not chosen for this task because he was righteous. He was chosen because he was a man of war, a man who was used to bloodshed. He accomplished God's purpose well. Because of Jehu's actions the national punishment, which had been prophesied upon the northern kingdom, was delayed for some time. "In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel" (2 Kings 10:32). "And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years" (2 Kings 10:36).
In the sense that Jehu carried out this commission against the house of Ahab, he can certainly be considered a man who served God in a great manner.