The Grands Letter (II Kgs/GLJ)
Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D. on April 18, 2026 7:00 am (CST)
Dear Grands,
II Kings 9:1-3, “Now Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, ‘Gird up your loins, and take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth-gilead.
2 ‘When you arrive there, search out Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and bid him arise from among his brothers, and bring him to an inner room.
3 ‘Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says the LORD, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and flee and do not wait!”
Some things are so urgent there is no time to loiter! Just get in! Do it! Get out! And there are times when we just don’t want to do it! We just want out before anything starts!
This occasion demanded quickness! Ahaziah was 22 years old when he became king, but he “walked in the way of the former kings of Israel. He reigned for only one year and did evil in the way of Israel’s previous kings, just as Ahab had done.
Elisha knew the occasion was right for a change. He summoned one of the prophets and hurried him to Ramoth-gilead with the message to Jehu. “Go in,” Elisha said, “bid him arise from among his brothers, and bring him to an inner room. Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says the LORD, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then get up and get out of there as fast as you can!
Running away is not always wrong. In this case, it was firmly ordered by the LORD’s prophet, Elisha. It was indeed the safest response to an orderly task that would only be understood by those who walked closely with the LORD.
Sometimes, walking away from something looks and even feels cowardly. At other times, it’s the safest and wisest thing to do. We must always be certain that what we’re doing is what the LORD has ordered us to do. He understands the nuances that are beyond us. Besides, He is our Commander-in-Chief!
Heartily in Christ,
Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
United States of America
“We will never know that Christ is all we need, until He becomes all that we have.” –Corrie ten Boom
