Saturday, July 19, 2025

 Huldah:  The Prophetic Bride of Christ

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Several biblical symbols represent the church. Among them is the church's calling as the holy, radiant, spotless Bride of Christ, the Lamb of God. Many times women in scripture picture the attributes of the church as that Bride.  Such is the history of Huldah.

We read the context of her story in 2 Chronicles 34.  Huldah the prophetess lived in Jerusalem during the reign of King Josiah, who was one of only a few God honoring kings of Judah.  He took action against the pagan worship in Judah.  However, during this time, the Torah, the Book of the Law, had been hidden and forgotten for many years. The high priest, Hilkiah, found a copy and brought it to King Josiah.

When the scroll was read, King Josiah realized the depth of Judah’s apostasy and the circumstances of that apostasy. In grief and repentance, the king tore his clothing.  With a broken spirit, he called Hilkiah and other officers of the court. He sent his advisers to Huldah the prophetess, asking for a word from the Lord.

2 Chronicles 34:22-28:  “And Hilkiah, and those of the king, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, the keeper of the robes. (And she lived in Jerusalem in the second part.) And they spoke to her about this. And she answered them, So says Jehovah, the God of Israel, Tell the man who sent you to me, So says Jehovah, Behold, I will bring evil on this place and upon its people, all the curses that are written in the Book which they have read before the king of Judah, because they have forsaken Me, and have burned incense to other gods, so that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. And My wrath shall be poured out on this place and shall not be quenched. And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Jehovah, so shall you say to him, So says Jehovah, the God of Israel whose words you have heard, Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before your God when you heard His words against this place and against its people, and humbled yourself before Me, and tore your garments and wept before Me, I have even heard also, says Jehovah. Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, nor shall your eyes see all the evil which I will bring on this place and upon its people. And they brought the king word again.” 


Huldah the prophetess gave the king’s men a message from God: disaster would strike the nation because they had forgotten God and instead had worshiped idols . But God had a different message for Josiah. Despite the absence of the Law, King Josiah had honored God by getting rid of idol worship in Judah and Jerusalem. While Josiah’s actions were admirable, it was his humility and repentance that brought God’s blessing into his life.  As a result of Josiah’s grieving over the wickedness of the people of Judah, the destruction of Judah would not occur during Josiah’s lifetime. Josiah repented, but the people of Judah did not.

We are to be the Huldahs of hope in our world. Our humble, obedient spirits bring peace and refreshing into our lives.

When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.


Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

John H. Sammis

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

 

Forgiving Your Worse Enemy

By Reverend Lonnie C. Crowe

Who is my worst enemy? 

Charles Spurgeon said, “Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us.”

More simply put, we are our own worst enemy.  Praise God! We often preach and practice the forgiveness of God in our lives and the necessity of forgiving those who have wounded and betrayed us.  So seldom do we forgive the enemy within.

Many times, even when we have accepted that God has forgiven us, we continue to torture ourselves for our past failures. We must learn to forgive ourselves and to love ourselves in the Lord.  The greatest commandments:  Mark 12:30-31: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." This is the first commandment.  And the second is like this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” 

Notice, we must forgive ourselves and love ourselves in the Lord before we can forgive and love others.


Give Them All to Jesus

By Phil Johnson and Bob Benson, Sr.

Give them all, give them all, give them all to Jesus
Shattered dreams, wounded hearts, and broken toys.
Give them all, give them all, give them all to Jesus
And He will turn your sorrows into joy.