God knows the heart

SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 10
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel… Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit. [2 Kings 10:28,31]
Jehu is instrumental in bringing justice to all of Ahab’s victims (and they were many, his family exercised a brutal regime).
Jehu clears the land of the poison of Baal worship, a perverse fertility religion that continually undermined Israel’s spiritual and moral fibre.
Through Jehu, God seeks justice for the victims, and protects the land from spiritual poison.
But is Jehu a hero, a mighty man of God?
Are his actions of treachery and deception consistent with the heart of God?
Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD.” [2 Kings 10:16]

Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ [Matthew 7:21-23]
Jehu claimed to be serving the Lord, motivated by zeal for the Lord.
But the author of 2 Kings reveals that Jehu was not first of all motivated by love for God – though his deeds had the appearance of serving God’s cause.
His motivations are political – remove competitors for his throne (the heirs of Ahab) and the priests of Baal that served Ahab’s family.
He did not keep the law of the Lord with all of his heart, he served himself.

We can hear Jehu saying, ‘Lord, Lord, did I not speak in Your Name, and drive out the priests of Baal, and perform other great deeds for You’?
And God saying plainly, ‘I never knew you, away from Me you evil-doer.’
God is not being harsh or unfair; He knows the heart, He sees beyond our good show to what really motivates us.
Yes, God works through all people, whether they sincerely serve Him or not.
But in the end, only those that sincerely seek and serve Him with their hearts will be honoured and blessed.

PRAYER:
Lord, help me to seek and serve You from my heart, and not just in my public words and actions. Protect me from hypocrisy.