“This fulfills the message from the Lord… ‘At Jezreel, dogs will eat Jezebel’s body. Her remains will be scattered like dung on the plot of ground in Jezreel, so that no one will be able to recognize her.’” – 2 Kings 9:36-37 excerpts (NLT)
Have you noticed that despicable villains in most movies seldom die quietly or without fanfare? Movies go through great lengths to give us the gruesome details regarding the demise of evil antagonists.
And we take certain pleasure in scenes that graphically depict the horrid demise of persons who have done horrible things. We harbor a ghastly fondness for the suffering and destruction of the wicked.
The biblical editors of 2 Kings felt such revulsion for Jezebel that they related the gory details of her death with what seems like gusto:
The ground splattered in blood after her body was pushed from a high window. Her distorted corpse trampled under the hooves of horses. Her body dismembered and devoured by wild dogs who leave nothing but the skeletal remains of her hands, feet and head. Images of dung attached to the place of her disembowelment.
The extensive details of Jezebel’s death are meant to remind us of the extensive details of Jezebel’s wickedness:
Many surrendered to the sinister seductions of Queen Jezebel, including her husband King Ahab, who sacrificed his people’s heritage for her manipulations. Furthermore, Jezebel was brutally intolerant of any faith other than her own, as she directed the wholesale slaughter of any prophets who opposed her. Additionally, Jezebel used her political clout as spouse of the king to usurp the vineyard of a man named Naboth after orchestrating his execution.
Sinister seduction. Religious intolerance. Political exploitation.
I feel no guilt in rejoicing in the utter destruction of these assailants of human dignity. May their downfall be spectacularly fatal. May their demise bring them prolonged disgrace. May their corpses carry no higher regard than feces.
Prayer
Lord, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against powers, principalities and spiritual wickedness in high places. Grant us the delight of their utter annihilation. Amen.
