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by Raquel Rodriguez

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY’S POST: “Go to the Temple and speak to the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah. Inquire about the words written in this scroll that has been found.” So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went Huldah the prophetess; the wife of Shallum, the keeper of the Temple wardrobe. She said to them, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken! Go back and tell the man who sent you, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this city and its people. All the words written in the scroll that the king of Judah has read will come true. For my people have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to pagan gods, and I am very angry with them for everything they have done. My anger will burn against this place, and it will not be quenched.’ “But go to the king Josiah who sent you to seek the Lord and tell him: ‘This is what the Lord says concerning the message you have just heard: You your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I said against this city and its people—that this land would be cursed and become desolate. You tore your clothing in despair and wept before me in repentance. And I have indeed heard you, says the Lord. So I will not send the promised disaster until after you have died and been buried in peace.” (2 Kings 22:13-20)

Did you catch that? The priest did not go to Jeremiah or Zechariah, who were active prophets with very public ministries at the time. They went to Huldah, a woman.

What is the role of a prophet/prophetess? Prophet defined: An interpreter of the times and of people’s hearts; one who issues divinely spoken or inspired revelations from God. Huldah was, in simple English, a messenger filled with God’s words. She wasn’t the only prophetess we read in scriptures; there was Miriam, Deborah, Anna and the daughters of Philip, to name a few.

No where in scripture do we read that she was better equipped than the men to fulfill this role. Each prophet lived lives worthy of the ministry to which each was called to. I admire that Huldah was confident in the spiritual gift and ministry she received from the Lord. She was not pre-occupied with desiring the ministry of the public prophets. Nor did she usurp their roles. She remained in the Second Quarter of Jerusalem and led her God-given gift and ministry peaceably. She didn’t try to be anyone else but herself. Her small act of service paved the way for King Josiah to ravish all idol worship from the land and usher the people back to their God. Jeremiah, Zechariah and Huldah were used by God to prophesy and bring about revival.

As a prophetess, Huldah led a respectable life. Had she murmured against the Lord or been a gossiper, busy body, a meddler, she would have been disqualified to even hold the sacred lost scroll. The priest would not have sought her. And God surely would not have used her. She was however, a woman of wisdom. Her wisdom was not the world’s wisdom, but wisdom that can only be found in God’s Word. Her time was not marked by a lifestyle of worldliness. She was set apart because her life as a prophetess was (1)filled with the Word of God, (2)prayerful, and (3)available for God’s use.

Huldah was a courageous woman. Let’s strap her sandals on and imagine having to speak this curse. It takes bold courage to stand for the truths written in God’s Word. And though it can be terrifying, 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us that we were not given the spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind. We too can be gutsy women for God, when we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit.

Huldah’s life and legacy is of great relevance to us 21st Century women. The prophet Joel spoke of a generation that, when equipped by the Holy Spirit, would prophesy. I believe that we are the present-day Huldahs. But that will not happen as we lose vision of the gifts and calling God has given us, by desiring the lives of others.

May we be as Huldah: She did not covet the position of others, did not fear the ministry of God, and did not do more than God asked of her. Within her sphere of influence, in the quietness of the Second Quarter, Huldah accomplished more for the kingdom of God than she could have ever imagined. I pray that similar stories be told of us.

How has Huldah inspired you today?

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