"But Men"

"And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah. And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master? And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot. And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter. And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: and the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel" (II Kings 9:29-37).


As God had foretold through the prophet Elijah, Jezebel's shattered body was eaten by dogs at the end of her sordid life of wickedness, and her remains became dung of the field rather than resting under a monument of remembrance (II Kings 9:36-37).


The Bible speaks plainly concerning those who reject God, and particularly those who do so in positions of authority, power, and influence. Justice will be served, and one of the best prayers we can pray for rulers is that the terror of the Lord and His impending judgment will be communicated to them. "Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men" (Psalm 9:20). Satan deceives rulers by causing them to view themselves as de facto gods (and some even perceive themselves as literal deities). Their only hope, therefore, is for the living and true God to become known, revealing the wicked insanity of rulers who believe themselves capable of usurping the Lord's place in the lives of people.


Becoming dung of the field was actually the least of Jezebek's worries. An eternal lake of fire and banishment from the presence of God will be her final end, as it will be for all who reject the Lord Jesus Christ (II Thessalonians 1:7-9). Ungodly rulers face an especially terrible consequence for their attempted usurpation of God and misleading of people, and it is a good thing for them to be confronted by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God with impending destruction. As in the Old Testament, only a few may repent because power gravely enshouds the human heart with delusion. We pray nevertheless, and in the larger scheme of things, there may be few more important intercessions.


"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure. Yet have I set My king upon my holy hill of Zion."
(Psalm 2:2-6)