A Great Sacrifice to Baal

Reading:  2 Kings 10

Before we destroy poor old Baal, let's get a handle on who exactly he was and why he had so many worshippers.  The Encyclopaedia Brittanca explains the erstwhile deity as such...

Baal, god worshiped in many ancient Middle Eastern communities, especially among the Canaanites, who apparently considered him a fertility deity and one of the most important gods in the pantheon. As a Semitic common nounbaal (Hebrew baʿal) meant “owner” or “lord,” although it could be used more generally; for example, a baal of wings was a winged creature, and, in the plural, baalim of arrows indicated archers. Yet such fluidity in the use of the term baal did not prevent it from being attached to a god of distinct character. As such, Baal designated the universal god of fertility, and in that capacity his title was Prince, Lord of the Earth. He was also called the Lord of Rain and Dew, the two forms of moisture that were indispensable for fertile soil in Canaan. In Ugaritic and Old Testament Hebrew, Baal’s epithet as the storm god was He Who Rides on the Clouds. In Phoenician he was called Baal Shamen, Lord of the Heavens.

So there we have the basic bio of Baal and from it we can gain an understanding of why so many people chose to worship him (fertility and all).  Of course there is the tiny matter of, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3). ...

2 KINGS 10:18-19

18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much. 

19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal. 

Sneaky, sneaky, Mr.Jehu!  So he gathered together all of the Baal worshippers; all the prophets, priests, servants, disciples, "...All their wives, and all their children, and all their sheep, and all their cattle, and all their cats and dogs. All of them..." Okay, maybe not all that other stuff but I had to give a nod to Vulcan from the classic film, Baron Munchausen.  Anyway, they were all gathered together in the house of Baal and to ensure a complete tactical success Jehu went as far as to threaten his own men with their lives if the allowed anyone to escape... 

2 KINGS 10:24-25, 28

24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him. 

25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal. 

28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. 

Well done, right?  Uhh...well, umm, yeah, good job Jehu but uh, why did he continue to worship other idols (v.29).  Concerning don't you think?  Oh well, let's not find fault in one so brazen as to accomplish such a heavy task for The Lord.  He did destroy the house of Ahab and he did destroy Baal out of Israel and he did gain a promise from God that his seed would reign for four generations but how much more could it have been if he were but righteous till the end...

~Kipling