What is true? We live in a world abundant with half-truths and misleading information; those in authority are expert at ‘bending’ the truth.  What of the truth about God?  We suspect that underlying all the ‘denial’ by academics, &c, people still have in their hearts an underlying concept of God. Is not this concept ‘fed’ when they hear sung such things as Handel’s Messiah and watched the Diamond Jubilee of the Queen with its references to God; it was also,‘fed’ to some degree when the Monarch was laid to rest and then the subsequent Coronation of Kind Charles.

Our thoughts on this were triggered today by reading 2 Kings ch. 9.  It was an evil time with the godless sons of Jezebel reigning on the thrones of both Judah and Israel.  The first verse tells us that “Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets … take this flask of oil … go to Ramoth-gilead … look there for Jehu.” [v.1,2]  We learn in v. 5 that he is a commander in the army.  This son of the prophets is told to “lead him to an inner chamber.  Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say , ‘Thus says the LORD  … I anoint you king over Israel.’  Then open the door and flee ..” [v.3]

This task is carried out and “when Jehu came out (of the chamber) to the servants of his master, they said to him, ‘Is all well?  Why did this mad fellow come to you?’  And he said to them. ‘You know the fellow and his talk.’  And they said, ‘That is not true: tell us now.” [v.11,12]  So despite calling Elisha’s messenger a “mad fellow” they did not really mean it. When Jehu admits he has been anointed king “they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, Jehu is king.” [v.13].

Jehu then carries out God’s will in destroying both the bad kings, the sons of Jezebel – and then Jezebel herself.   He gets King Joram’s body thrown “on the “plot of ground” that had been Naboth’s “in accordance with the word of the LORD” [v.26] which he remembers the prophet uttering.

So despite the spiritual darkness then – and now – many in our world will call God’s word’s to mind as the drama of God’s actions start to happen.  We read in 2 Corinthians today, “the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ …” [4 v.4]  “For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness, has shone into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God …” [v.6] Is that light shining in your heart?  Do you say to the “darkness” – “That is not true!”  Are you trying to spread the light?