Huldah: The prophetess who spoke the mind of God

Throughout the history of Judah (Southern Kingdom) and Israel (Northern Kingdom), the sins of the people against the commands of God were repeated from generation to generation. In fact, the Northern Kingdom,  that is Israel, was carried away into captivity or exile in 2 Kings 17. The reason for the exile was given in 2 Kings 17:7-8: “All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods and followed the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced.” The people in the Southern Kingdom (Judah) had their own share of sinful practices until they were also carried into exile. However before the captivity of Judah, there were some kings who were interested in the things of God and did what was right before the Lord. One of such Kings was Josiah. He was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. The name  of Josiah’s mother was Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left (see 2 Kings 22:1‭-‬2).

Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter. (2 Kings 22:14)

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah (when he was around twenty-six years), he commissioned the repairs of the temple of the Lord. As the work was ongoing, Hilkiah the high priest found the Book of the Law in the temple. Thus, even the high priest did not have access to the Book of the Law until they started work on the temple. So one will ask, “what was the high priest teaching the people?” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan the secretary and then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king (2 Kings 22:10). When the Book of the Lord was read, the king  tore his robes (2 Kings 22:11). The people were living differently from the Law of God. The king was sad and commissioned the high priest and a few other people to “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us” (2 Kings 22:13). Thus, Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter (2 Kings 22:14). 

Huldah was the prophet of God, she was the wife of Shallum and she lived in Jerusalem. Thus in the midst of the poignant idolatry and evil, there was a prophet of God. A woman who had the ability to hear the words of God. As long as the people continued their ways, they didn’t hear the mind of God. However,  when the king saw the need for repentance, the mind of God was heard. Huldah didn’t miss words, she went straight to the point. She said to the messengers of the king,
“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made, my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’ Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.”
The messengers took her answer back to the king (2 Kings 22:15‭-‬20).

King Josiah was proactive about the feedback from Huldah. He immediately began a consecration of the nation. He got rid of the idols, the mediums and spiritists. He cleansed the nation and removed all foreign gods. This is how the Bible describes Josiah: “Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses”  (2 Kings 23:25).

From this story, we can learn a few lessons. The wages of sin is death and God was ready to destroy the nation for their sins. We can also see that repentance brings mercy. When Josiah repented, the doom was averted during his reign. We can also learn that the presence of a priest and a prophet does not make an automatic sinless nation. The people must be taught the word of God and the people must be ready to live for God. Further, Huldah teaches us that we can still be in ministry and still be a virtuous wife. Huldah also teaches us that the unadulterated word of God carries power. Even the king was afraid of the words of the prophet. Josiah did not look down on Huldah because she was a woman. God can use both men and women to bring His agenda on earth. Imagine, if Huldah had abandoned her calling because of the evil on the land, no one would have heard from God. It is possible to live right even in the midst of great evil. Be intentional, spend quality time with God and He will definitely speak to you even in the most unlikely situation. Woman, be intentional! You are also a vessel of God!