2 Kings 10:6-10: a reflection

6Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men who are your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time.” Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up. 7When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and killed them, even seventy people, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel. 8A messenger came and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” He said, “Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.” 9In the morning, he went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these? 10Know now that nothing will fall to the earth of the LORD’s word, which the LORD spoke concerning Ahab’s house. For the LORD has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah.”

In the course of Jehu's bloody purge of the house of Ahab, a purge Jehu carried out with his own mixed and violent motives, for which he himself would later be held accountable, one thing is affirmed that stands on its own: Know now that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the LORD which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for the LORD has done what he spoke by his servant Elijah. However flawed the human instrument, the word God had spoken long before, through Elijah, came to pass. God's word did not fall to the ground.

Set aside Jehu's own guilt, for which Scripture does not excuse him, and notice the truth affirmed: not one word of the LORD falls to the ground. What God had spoken through Elijah years before came to pass; his word was certain and reliable, fulfilled in time. This is a truth affirmed throughout Scripture: God's word does not fail; what he says comes to pass. Not one of his words falls to the ground unfulfilled.

That is a steadying truth, even drawn from a dark story. God's word is certain and reliable; what he has spoken, whether promise or warning, will come to pass. Not one of his words falls to the ground; his word does not fail. This is a comfort when we hold onto his promises, for they are sure, and a sober reminder when we consider his warnings, for they too are certain. Trust the reliability of God's word. What he has promised, he will do; not one of his good words to you will fall to the ground unfulfilled. Rest your hope on a word that does not fail, from the God whose every word comes to pass.

Lord, even in a dark story, one truth stands: not one word of the LORD falls to the ground; what you had spoken through Elijah came to pass. Thank you for the certainty of your word. What you have spoken, whether promise or warning, will come to pass; your word does not fail. This steadies me: when I hold onto your promises, they are sure, and when I consider your warnings, they too are certain. Help me trust the reliability of your word. What you have promised, you will do; not one of your good words to me will fall to the ground unfulfilled. Let me rest my hope on a word that does not fail, from the God whose every word comes to pass. Thank you that your word is certain; help me build my life on it.