Daily Lesson for July 1, 2020

Today's Daily Lesson comes from 2 Kings chapter 9 verses 1 through 13:

Then the prophet Elisha called a member of the company of prophets and said to him, “Gird up your loins; take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. 2 When you arrive, look there for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi; go in and get him to leave his companions, and take him into an inner chamber. 3 Then take the flask of oil, pour it on his head, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord: I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and flee; do not linger.”

4 So the young man, the young prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5 He arrived while the commanders of the army were in council, and he announced, “I have a message for you, commander.” “For which one of us?” asked Jehu. “For you, commander.” 6 So Jehu got up and went inside; the young man poured the oil on his head, saying to him, “Thus says the Lord the God of Israel: I anoint you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. 7 You shall strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord. 8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; I will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. 9 I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah. 10 The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and no one shall bury her.” Then he opened the door and fled.

11 When Jehu came back to his master’s officers, they said to him, “Is everything all right? Why did that madman come to you?” He answered them, “You know the sort and how they babble.” 12 They said, “Liar! Come on, tell us!” So he said, “This is just what he said to me: ‘Thus says the Lord, I anoint you king over Israel.’” 13 Then hurriedly they all took their cloaks and spread them for him on the bare steps; and they blew the trumpet, and proclaimed, “Jehu is king.”

I love this story and think its hilarious -- and also very serious.

At a time when both the Northern and Southern kingdoms were ruled by very cruel and evil persons, the Prophet Elisha sends one of his disciples to go and anoint the army commander Jehu as the new king over Israel.  It is the most unceremonious anointing imaginable, with the young disciple basically dumping a flask of oil on Jehu's head and telling him -- "Now you are king."

Jehu initially dismisses the incident as the antics of a madman.  But when the rest of the commanders take it seriously, Jehu realizes that, indeed, he has been anointed for the moment at hand. He will have to be the one to rise up and take back the throne.

I like this story because it corresponds with my understanding of call.  There are words from the seer Elisha, there is a call event to consider and reflect upon, and then there is confirmation from the community.

An old preacher I know used to say, "God works in MISHCIEVOUS ways."  A surprise visit at the door from a stranger purporting to be a prophet is one way.  There are others. 

And the good news in this text is that God is still working, and calling, and anointing -- even in the most evil of times; and the anointed are still saying, "Yes."

NOTE: We are reading the Bible through this year.  Tomorrow's Lesson comes from 2 Kings 12-13; 2 Chronicles 24.