Interview with Old Testament Figures – King Jehu: The re-election of Donald John Trump as President of the United States of America has brought the name of our interviewee for today into focus. Many Evangelical and Pentecostal leaders have drawn parallels between the personality traits of Trump and those of one of the kings of ancient Israel, Jehu. In particular, they argue that just as Jehu was raised up by God to purge the land of pollutions resulting from the worship of Baal, God has equally put Trump in office to destroy Wokeism, a glamorous word for Satanism. We trust that our interaction with King Jehu would throw more light on this mystery.
Shepherd Heart: Thank you for honouring our invitation, King Jehu.
King Jehu: I actually looked forward to this day. Thank you for having me.
Shepherd Heart: Before we dig deep into your story, kindly give our readers a brief on your person.
King Jehu: I was king in the Northern kingdom of Israel from 841-814 BCE. I succeeded the son of Ahab, Jehoram. Before my reign as king, I was a commander in Jehoram’s army. God gave me the task of obliterating the house of Ahab, along with the worship of Baal that was pervasive in Israel at that time. The main target was Jezebel, the wife of Ahab and mother of Jehoram, who was responsible for the persistent idolatry in Israel.
Shepherd Heart: As I indicated in the introduction, many people, including those in the secular sphere are now aware of your story, courtesy of its assumed parallel with that of President Trump. Does it excite you that the President of the most powerful nation in the world supposedly shares a mission with you?
King Jehu: (Laughs) I guess that I should be flattered. It means that I share a platform with Elijah, whose spirit returned to earth for an assignment, in the person of John the Baptist. I am glad that God used me to achieve His purpose in ancient Israel, despite my shortcomings.
Shepherd Heart: What challenges did you face in your quest to eradicate the worship of Baal in Israel?
King Jehu: That is a tough question. The truth is that I did not have a deep relationship with God. I was more interested in the religious rituals and ceremonies in ancient Israel, rather than in God Himself. I was not the only person who had that problem. Since the time of Moses, most Israelis related with God from a distance; hence, the foundation of their faith was shallow.
Shepherd Heart: How did this affect the reformation under your watch?
King Jehu: God cannot be mocked because He knows everything about us. He desires sincerity from His worshippers, a quality that was lacking in Israel of those days. Consequently, the reformation was short-lived because the people returned to their idols the moment the novelty of seeing God is action through His prophets diminished.
Shepherd Heart: Are you saying that the success of any spiritual reformation is contingent on the sincerity of purpose of the people? What role does God play then?
King Jehu: God created humans with a free will. At no time does He infringe on this by coercing us into a love relationship with Him. That kind of affection cannot be love because people should freely give their hearts to the Father for this to be meaningful. When God initiates a reformation through a human agent, He expects the people to submit to His will of their own free accord. If they choose to reject Him in favour of idolatry, His only recourse is to bring judgment upon them. That is exactly what happened to the Northern Kingdom through the Assyrian kings; and later to Judah through the Babylonians.
Shepherd Heart: What prevented you from developing a productive relationship with God, if that was what you needed to sustain the tempo of your reforms?
King Jehu: Political power is an intoxicant like no other. Only few kings and emperors since antiquity have been able to submit totally to God’s will. Power makes many people believe that they are invincible. In fact, nothing on earth makes you worry about God’s judgment because you see yourself as a god; after all, you also control the destiny of men.
Shepherd Heart: Was there any time your conscience pricked you about the way you treated God?
King Jehu: (Laughs) I was not such a cad! Of course, I had some moments of retrospection. The truth is that humans find a way of justifying their conduct, just like their forebears, Adam and Eve. When the guilt becomes unbearable, you can find relief in alcohol or whatever addiction takes your fancy. I was never a deep or philosophical person. I was very much action-oriented. That was one of the pit-falls, which prevented me from seeking God in the midst of my depravities.
Shepherd Heart: We are glad that you are not trying to excuse your inadequacies as a king. What counsel would you give to reformers like President Trump to assist them have a more sustainable outcome?
King Jehu: First, let no man believe in his heart that he is indispensable to God. This kind of mind-set has been the undoing of many people. I am happy for Trump that he has God’s mandate to transform America. He needs to understand his assignment and stay close to God’s heart. Second, he must be prayerful because the enemy loves nothing more than using humans to undermine the purposes of God. Of course, he always meets with failure because all things serve God’s purpose.
When people see some of the things satan does, they might believe that he is frustrating God’s plans. Nothing is further from the truth! Satan himself is a servant, though he pretends to be an authority. The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof. Last, but not the least, Trump must desist from taking glory for what the Father is doing through him. God is jealous for His glory, and He will not brook anyone encroaching on it.
Shepherd Heart: Thank you very much, for your sharing your thoughts with us. We appreciate these insights.
King Jehu: The pleasure is mine.