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Huldah: The Power of Influence

2/23/2020

 
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Huldah was an exceptional woman. If you don’t recognize the name, don’t feel too badly, however – there is only one discussion of Huldah in the whole Bible. But that story was considered important enough that it was included twice – in the two virtually identical accounts of 2 Kings 22:14–20 and 2 Chronicles 34:22–28. Huldah lived during one of ancient Israel’s most pivotal times – during the reign of King Josiah who restored the worship of God after a disastrous period of national decline and idolatry.

Considering the role this woman played at such a crucial point in Israel’s history, it is amazing that we know so little about her. The Bible simply tells us that Huldah was a prophet who lived in the “New Quarter” or “Second Quarter” in Jerusalem and was the wife of Shallum, who was the keeper of the royal wardrobe under Josiah (2 Kings 22:14).

But Huldah’s reputation as a leading prophet can be seen in what happened when an ancient copy of a book of the Law (probably the book of Deuteronomy or the whole Pentateuch) was found in the temple during Josiah’s reign. This biblical book led Josiah to realize that his people had forgotten the law of God and broken the covenant they had made with him. The king then sent to Huldah to ask God’s guidance.

Josiah had other options. He could have asked one of the great male prophets, Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Nahum, or Habakkuk – all of whom prophesied during the king’s reign. But the biblical account shows that Josiah specifically commanded his officials to approach Huldah rather than any of the other prophets. Clearly, her influence was great enough to warrant the king seeking her opinion as opposed to that of the other servants of God.

Second Chronicles 34:23 shows that Huldah began her response by saying, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me …”. There was no polite formality, just a command to “Tell the man ...” rather than “Tell the king …”. Huldah then proceeded to prophesy national ruin (a prophecy that was fulfilled some 35 years later) because of Israel’s turning from the law of God. There was no leniency in the message she gave, except in saying that Josiah himself would be spared because of his righteous attitude. This direct and unapologetic portrayal of the truth doubtless influenced the events that the Bible tells us then occurred. Josiah assembled the people of Jerusalem and then: “He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant … and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord–to follow the Lord and keep his commands …” (2 Chronicles 34:30-31).

This was no small reform – it figures prominently in the history of ancient Israel – but Huldah’s influence upon the king and his reform cannot be minimized: she ranks among the greatest biblical figures who led by influence rather than by position.

According to Jewish tradition, Huldah, along with Deborah, was regarded as one of the principal female prophets of the Hebrew Bible. The Huldah Gates in the southern wall of the temple enclosure are often said to have been named for her, and there is another tradition that Huldah was not only a prophet, but also taught publicly in the Jerusalem school or “college” (Targum to 2 Kings 22:14); but we have no way to verify these traditions.

What we can know for sure is that Huldah’s influence clearly helped propel Josiah into action in accomplishing a huge national reform. Her leadership through influence is clear to see, and we can learn an important lesson from it.

Huldah’s reply to Josiah is a perfect illustration not only of the power of influence, but also of the leadership principle that bases responses to situations on the attitude and intent of those involved. Huldah made no blanket message of condemnation or of acceptance. She spoke kindly to Josiah because his attitude was right before God, but she unequivocally spoke out against the actions of the majority of people in Jerusalem and Judah who had turned from God. For those who lead in family and work situations, it is often much easier simply to hand out universal criticism or credit, to react overly harshly in some cases or without the firmness needed in others. Huldah’s reply to Josiah shows the kind of balance for which we should aim.
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Above all, Huldah’s story reminds us of a vital leadership lesson: that influence can be just as important as position, and that the greatest changes are sometimes brought about by the combination of the two factors. Even when we have no power to lead, we can often lead through influence.

* Extracted from our new free e-book, Lessons From Old Testament Leaders. You can download a copy without registration, email, or charge, here.

The New and Improved MannaBooks Christian Book App

2/9/2020

 
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MannaBooks –  the free mobile phone app that offers the ability to both read and publish Christian books and devotionals.

A couple of months ago we ran an article on MannaBooks, the relatively new Christian e-book app for smartphones. Although it was a preliminary version of the program, we highly recommended the app for a great many reasons (read our full report here).

Now, Mannabooks has released an anticipated new version that corrects earlier issues, streamlines the user interface, and improves the app in many ways.  The app now has a pleasing welcome screen and quickly loads its home page with clear categories and fast access to the e-books offered. A search bar also makes searching by specific title or author possible.

New books are frequently being added to the MannaBooks catalog so if you already have downloaded this great app., be sure to update to the new build. And if you haven’t tried it yet, you should.  This is a great Christian e-reader and publishing app that belongs on your phone –  read our earlier review to see why. The current app is available for Android phones only, but an iOS version for iPhones is almost ready for release.
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You can download the free MannaBooks e-book app directly to your phone from the Google Play Store, here, and from the Apple App store soon.

ANOTHER FREE E-BOOK FOR YOU!

2/1/2020

 
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​LESSONS FROM OLD TESTAMENT LEADERS:                          
PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP FOR EVERYDAY LIVING 
 

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By R. Herbert             
 
The Bible is a book about leaders. More than 95 percent of its stories are about individuals who were leaders or who took the initiative when leadership was needed. This is especially true of the Hebrew Scriptures, and our new e-book looks at case studies drawn from the lives of numerous men and women of the Old Testament who displayed great leadership abilities and from whom we can learn much today.

Like all our titles, Lessons from Old Testament Leaders is available in three formats so you can read it on any computer, smart phone or e-book reader. And, of course, like all our e-books, this one is free and free from advertising. There is no need to register or give an email address to get a copy – simply download it here and you are ready to start reading!

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    Unless otherwise stated, blog posts are written by R. Herbert, Ph.D.,  who writes for a number of Christian venues – including our sister site: TacticalChristianity.org
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