In ch.9 Jehu was in Jezreel, - he had triumphed over Joram (who had married the daughter of Ahab) and Jezebel.

He knew the whole house of Ahab must be destroyed, so he got all seventy sons of Ahab beheaded … all at once! Jehu didn’t do things in half measures!

But it just wasn’t as straightforward as that. Jehu didn’t take a great army with him to Jezreel but instead he left it with the guardians of these seventy sons to carry out the executions.

These guardians weighed up the situation and wisely replied to Jehu, v.5 We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes.

When the separated heads were brought to Jehu, he had them set out in two large piles, just outside the city gate.

He gathered all the people together and told them, v.10 the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.

He proceeded to destroy all that remained of the house of Ahab, not only those that descended from him, but those that were in any relation to him, all the officers of his household, ministers of state, and those in command under him, (v. 11).

Having done this in Jezreel, he did the same in Samaria (v. 17), And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.

So you see how Jehu is carrying out a purge against the royal house of Ahab.

Now … v.18 Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much. He was being underhand here.

He had all the worshippers of Baal throughout the whole land of Israel and he invited them to the temple of Baal in Samaria.

All these priests and worshippers of Baal were thinking that Jehu was going to further stabilise Baal worship, v. 20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. 21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.

So, Jehu had them all in the one place and they were all in the house of Baal engaged in idol-worship and Jehu told his men, v.25 Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword.

And he told them there had to be a clearing out. Get rid of all that belonged to Baal. Nothing was to be stored away, - it had to be destroyed. There was a clearing out.

When you become a Christian there has got to be a clearing out, - there are certain things that you can’t hold on to.

If the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary to take away your sin He has given you a new life and it cannot include all the old ways you used to hold dear.

And you cannot be a contented and victorious Christian and hanker after the world for when God saves you one of the first things you have to do is a clearing out.

Anything that you know would be an affront to Him you’ve got to leave behind for Jesus gives you a brand new life.

All the old desires … you’ve got to take your eyes off them and look to Him.

What you used to be involved in – if it is not glorifying to the Name of God - … you’ve got to clear it out! They brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.

You see, if you don’t deal with them - and deal with them decisively (!) – they’ll keep attracting you until they get you again … because that’s the way sin works. … I know that’s the way sin works!

There’s got to be a clearing out. Here’s something else …

Notice where the images had come from, … from inside the temple of Baal, - that image of Baal needed to be dealt with once and for all.

That image was ‘the daddy’ of them all. They couldn’t afford to leave it behind for there had to be a complete clearing out!

“I’m willing to come to the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved but don’t tell me I’ve got to give up everything for Him.” Well, when Jesus saves you and when He comes into your life that’s exactly what you’ve got to do.

There’s got to be a complete clearing out, for if it’s not complete it won’t work. Someone has said, “If He is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all”. Paul said, Phil. 3:13 this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

It’s a big choice, but if you want to know Jesus Christ as your Saviour you have also got to be prepared to know Him as your Lord as well.

You’ve got rid of so much in your life that you know was an offence to Him … but you are finding it so difficult giving it all up … you’ve got to know … for you won’t know victory in Christ until you do.

There has got to be a complete clearing out. Jesus looked at the young man who was so prepared to give up so much … almost everything … but not quite!

Lk. 18:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

Our passage this morning teaches us so clearly what it means to be saved, that not only does it have to be a clearing out but it has to be a complete clearing out of all things that are offensive to the holiness of God.

Do you see how important it was that Jehu got rid of the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them. 27 And … brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal.

It was a big job but it needed to be done, v.28 Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

And it’s a big job becoming a Christian, - it’s hard, it’s difficult. There are always the reminders trying to pull you away from Christ and back into the world.

But you can’t succeed as a follower of Christ if you have a foot in both camps, … if you try to hold on to ‘the images of Baal’.

This was a completed clearing out, Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. It was hard work, it took a lot of energy, but it was done.

It’s hard work battling against old sins, but – you know – the Lord Jesus Christ did the hardest work when He went to the cross of Calvary and there to shed His own precious blood to take away all your sin.

Just imagine if He only took away some of you sin and He left the rest of it for you to deal with …! No, when He – the Lamb of God – was lifted up on to the altar, and when His blood was poured out for you it washed all your sin away.

Why then hang on to that which undermines His work, - there’s got to be a clearing out, a complete clearing out.

You see how important it was what Jehu did.

I’m speaking from personal experience: if you hold on to that which is not glorifying to God it holds on to you and keeps you back from being the kind of child of God He desires you to be.

I’ve drawn a picture of Jehu that he was a fairly good man. He got rid of the worship of Baal in Jezreel and in Samaria … but look at v.29, Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.

There’s a warning. Sin isn’t a toy to be played around with … and Jehu played around with it.

He had done so much that was glorifying to God, v.30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.

God blessed him, and God’s favour was upon him … but Jehu continued to hold on to those things he should have completely let go off, v. 31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

Do you see those words, with all his heart, - what we’re thinking about is no ‘easy believism’, no merely ‘making a decision for Christ’ and living whatever way you choose.

*         What it means to be saved … it means you recognising the holiness of God, and you understanding the awfulness of the character of your sin, and you accepting God’s one and only way of salvation and you seeking to bid farewell to your sin.

It’s hard being a Christian. It’s hard standing up against that which has had such a strong hold upon you since you were born … but you’ve got to seek to forsake it.

	And maybe you are able to stand up against it this week, but on next week it gets the better of you, … don’t give up, get up!
	As long as you are serious about clearing it out God will give you the grace and the strength to keep on battling against it; Paul said, Rom. 7: 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

There is a way through. Many have made the profession but didn’t have the possession because they didn’t continue with Jesus.

When you trust Him as Saviour the Holy Spirit comes to live inside you, you have the instruction of God’s Word and you’ve got the fellowship of God’s people, … keep going on with Jesus!

Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.