Huldah: a prophetess who wasn't afraid to speak the truth and deliver a harsh message

Huldah is the focus on my Bible study this month. Her story is told in 2 Kings 22:14-20. Just a few verses with a big impact. Huldah is one of four women with true authentic prophetic ministry mentioned in the Bible. She is a relatively unknown name in the Bible but she played a big role. She was trusted by the king with an important task. She was a prophetess whose word generated a significant religious reform in the kingdom. As a prophetess, she had the great privilege to be a messenger of God; however, she witnessed God’s people refusing to respond to him with loving obedience. She witnessed the people repeatedly ignoring God’s warnings about the consequences of their disobedience. 

King Josiah wanted to know if the word of the Book of the Law, a scroll that the high priest Hilkiah discovered had come to pass or will be a future event. The scroll, which was core material from Deuteronomy, was given to Huldah, who carefully read as the words spawned vision after vision from the past and the future. She has visions of the people’s past sins (2 Kings 17). She also sees destruction to the land (2 Kings 22:16). Huldah tells the king that the prophecy has come to pass and the Lord will punish those deeds. Her words confirmed the king’s fear: that Judah was on the edge of judgment and its infidelities had not gone unnoticed. A hundred years prior, Judah would have witnessed the northern kingdom of Israel being marched away by Assyria (2 Kings 17:5-6). Josiah went into action, purging all paganism from his kingdom. It was one of the greatest religious reforms. Unfortunately, thirty-five years after Huldah’s prophecy, Judah would be taken away in chains to Babylon (2 Kings 24). 

While 2 Kings 22 doesn’t tell us what portion of the Book of the Law was found. A part of the Law is the Ten Commandments In Deuteronomy 5:6-21. Everyone knows the prohibitions against stealing, murder, adultery, false testimony, and coveting (verses 16-21) and keeping the Sabbath and honoring one’s mother and father (verses 12-15). What about the others? First, no other gods before Him (verse 7). A god can be anything you put before God. A spouse, children, job, family, money, power, anything that replaces God’s importance in your life. Second, no worship of idols in the forms of anything in heaven above, on earth, or in the waters below (verses 8-10). A physical idol can be statutes of angels, saints, even of Jesus Himself which are worshiped in place of God. Third, do not misuse the name of God, often quoted as taking the Lord’s name in vain (verse 11). What does it mean to take the Lord’s name in vain? It is using the Lord’s name in a perverse way such as using it as a curse word, using phrases like “Oh my God,” “Good Lord” or as a threat, “I swear to God.” It is using His name in ways that do not honor Him or glorify Him. 

One might look at the Ten Commandments and think there’s no way to follow all of them. It’s too hard, so why try?  However, Jesus wrapped all ten in a few sentences. In Matthew 22:37-40, he states that we are to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our minds and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Our neighbors are the world around us, even those who would be against us. We are to love our friends, family, allies and our enemies. Love takes action and treating someone better than they deserve is grace and mercy. James 1:19 calls us to be like God and be slow to anger just as God is slow to anger. There are numerous verses which tell us that God is slow to anger, quick to forgive and abounds with love. Exodus 34:6, Numbers 14:18. Psalm 103:8 and Nehemiah 9:17 to reference a few. God’s anger is a serious consequence of who He is: just, fair, and good. His love and compassion for us, His mercy and forgiveness, far outweigh His anger when we come to Him in repentance. 

In conclusion, judgment and mercy, law and grace, punishment and salvation that were characteristic of God’s love affair with his people. Huldah was a woman who understood the paradox and was not afraid to proclaim the truth. She cherished the words of God in a time of crisis. The Ten Commandments are about loving God and loving our neighbors. Love is slow to anger and quick to forgive (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Yes, some people make it hard to love and forgive them. How do you love someone who does something unlovable? Always treat them with kindness and pray for them. Ask God to open their eyes and hearts. Acts of kindness can send a message that we may not be friends but we can be friendly.