II Kings 6-9  War... famine.. murder.. betrayal.. There was a great darkness that covered Israel and Judah. The family of Ahab had spread from Israel to Judah as Jehoram, Jehoshaphat's son married Athaliah, Ahab's daughter.   Their son Ahaziah became king of Judah after his father died.  His uncle, his mother's brother, Joram was king of Israel.  When Joram was wounded by Hazael, the king of Aram, Athaliah went down to Jezreel to see him. 

It is at this time that the word of the Lord spoken to Elijah years before is completed.( I Kings 19:15-16)  Hazael was now king of Aram, Elisha had already succeeded Elijah and now the final piece in completed.. Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat was anointed to be king of Israel.  It is Jehu who fulfills the prophecy about Ahab's family as he kills Joram, Jezebel, and Ahaziah...Joram was Jehu's brother's brother-in-law; Jezebel was Joram's mother-in-law; and Ahaziah was Jehu's own nephew.  And still the blood shed was not finished.  There are 70 sons of Ahab who were slaughtered by their own keepers.. 

 God's judgements are just and they are completed in His time frame.. through the men and women He chooses to use.  I'm reminded of the Word of God that tells us that His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are far higher than our own.  God deals with those who do evil.  He always has and He always will.  We see those who are currently promoting the ways of evil on our world and we shake our heads and  wonder when the day of judgement will fall on our country.. Some believe it has already, yet it is nothing like what they faced in the days of Elisha.  Only God's mercy  and patience keeps us from the fulness of God's wrath. But.. we know that the day of the Lord is coming. 

Father in heaven, You have been merciful to us, so patient that some wonder if You are coming at all. But we know that the time is drawing ever closer when Jesus will return for us.  We want to be ready and we desire that all will repent and receive the salvation through Jesus Christ, who alone can save.  Thank You for the grace that You have lavished on us.  We praise You for allowing us to have Your Word, to see what judgement looks like.. so that we might truly seek to bring others out of the darkness and into the Light of Your Son.  Work in us and through us to accomplish Your purposes and plans.  We are Your servants.  May Your will be done. amen.