The evening world., 1920-11-04
Great Warriors
of the Bible
No.6-Jehu, the Mighty Rider
BY Rev. Thomas B. Gregory
Copyrigh,. Ig2O bv the Pres Publishing o.
THE ScW York Evening World.

]
Jehu, the founder Of the ffth dy-
nasty Of the Kingdom Of Israel, was
what We would call in the present
| day vernaculdr a "hustler'
He appears TO have been the organ
izer Of the cavalry arm in warfare
and in the charge, which he always
led in person, he never spared the
steed on which he rode to victory Hs
could out.ride Phil Sheridan or "Jeb'
Stuart. Anticipating by twenty-si1
centuries the belief of Gen. For
rest OF Confederate fame, that the
great thing in war Is getting there
first with the most men," Jehu often
! had the enemy licked before they
fairly realized what was going on.
| Jehu makes his first real break into
| the full daylight of history in the
midst of the crassest Of romance.
| QI. Kings, Chap. 81
| He was at the time Captain OF the
Horse under King Jehoram at the
siege of Ramoth-G 1t may be
| wen to remember that this Jehoram
was the son of JezebeL the terrible
wife of Ahab the fanatical destroyer
of the worship OF Israel
! a
IJehoram's officers wlld-looking man
rushed M to Jehu. uncovered a ves-
: sci of oil, poured IT over Jehu's head,
and declared him King of Israel with
1.-The announcement chat his divine mis-
sion was to destroy the House OF
lAhab." Having done this the strange
messenger disappeared. -.
| In a moment the enthusiasm OF the
| army took fire. Throwing their gar
! ments under Jehu's feet so as TO form
| a rough carpet OF state they placed
| him on the top OF a stairway as on
! an extempore throne, blew the royal
ealute on the trumpets, and pro-
claimed him king.
Immediately Jehu cut of all com
muniCation between Ramoth-Guead
and Jezreel, Jehorams capital, and
set of at full speed with a band Of
horscmen for Jezreel From the
watch tower Of Jezreel the watchman
saw a big cloud Of dust in the dis
tance. 1t was Jehu coming--and he
| came 80 fast and acted so like light
ming that he had them whipped be-
fore they could make any organized
| defense.
Jehoram and his ally the King OF
| Judah, were instantly despatched all
! opposition was crushed and the
miC'hty rider was dc jure and de facto
! King 4 Israel.
1t was the quickest job that war
rior ever performed, and it was as
| com plete as. 1t was swift.
Ahab left seventy sons, and Jehu
beheaded every one Of them. The
/ King OF Judah left forty-twO sons and
nephews. and ,theEc were decapitatcd
at one fell swoop.
OF course, Jezebel. the head and
front of the whole offending was
early and effeCtually disposed Of. The
painted tigress with the demon eyes,
the fanatical worshipper OF Baal and
| NoloCh. would make no more trouble
for Jehovah and His religion. Ground
up under Jehu's chariot wheels and the
fragments eaten by the dogs, the wom-
an from Tyre would never trouble
! Israel again.
And JezebeIs heathcn priests--Jehu
made quick work Of them. Gathering
them together in the vast temple OF
Baal that Jezebel had made Ahab
build i'm Samaria, he pounCed upon
them and left not one OF them alive.
At one terrible stroke he made q
clean sweep Of the whole heather
population Of the country.
Thus the Mighty Rider disappears
forever from the centre OF the stage.
And the time that Jehu reigned over
Israel in Samaria was twenty and
eight years. And Jehu slept with his
fathers, and they buried him in
Samarin. And Jehoahaz resigned I'm
bis stCad