2 Chronicles 34:22-33
September 25, 2023
Huldah Prophesies Disaster
So Hilkiah and those whom the king had sent went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter) and spoke to her to that effect. And she said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book that was read before the king of Judah. Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands, therefore my wrath will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched. But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place and its inhabitants.’” And they brought back word to the king.
Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up to the house of the Lord, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the Levites, all the people both great and small. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. And the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. Then he made all who were present in Jerusalem and in Benjamin join in it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. And Josiah took away all the abominations from all the territory that belonged to the people of Israel and made all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. All his days they did not turn away from following the Lord, the God of their fathers.
Can you envision a leader of any of the powerful nations sending anyone to enquire of God? Have you as a follower of Christ sought the heart of God, have you a tender heart to God’s desires, and have you humbled your heart before our Lord? Do you understand each of us who are in Christ, no matter our social standing, or color of skin, are referred to as priests to our God? Revelation 1:4-6
“Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Now a word to the wise, the King of Kings and Lord of lords has given you and I the title of priest to our God and Father. Would we be wise to do as the eight-year-old king, Josiah who looked to God and destroyed the little gods his dad had worshiped? And when the Law of God was found 18 years into his being king, he humbled himself before God and had a tender heart for His God.
When the word came to Josiah from the Huldah the prophetess, he took action and called the leaders, and the people great and small to the house of God and read the word of God to them. He then enters into a covenant with God and the people.
As priest before our God are you tender in heart to his ways, are you asking for discernment and wisdom in your walk before those whom you encounter, and those in your circle of influence? I have examined myself in this area and was found needed.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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