The Consequences of Prophecy-
The Wife of the Royal Clothes Keeper & The King Who Tore His Garments
The Prophetic is often filled with surprises that you will typically fail to notice, until someone more experienced points it out to you, like my beloved prophetic wife did for me. When a young king became distraught over a terrifying prophecy and tore his clothes in anguish, the king did not search for his royal clothes keeper, but the wardrobe minister’s wife. Ironically, it was because the king destroyed the beautiful material that her husband was in charge of, that the king and his administration were spared.
Righteous King Josiah is a favorite of Judah’s kings for writers to extol over, and someone who we’ve already previously written about. His fascinating royal lineage, which ran through to King David, and his complete rejection of his father Amon’s administration re-instituting multi-faith worship in the Temple make for dramatic narratives. Even his birth had been prophesied several hundred years previously, foretelling of how he would tear down the graven images his predecessors had erected for idol worship and even go so far as to exterminate the priests and desecrate their graves and even burn their bones on their corrupt altars.
Despite overwhelming religious reforms that he started when he rose to the throne at eight, King Josiah’s major project during his reign was the reconstruction and restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem. Hilkiah the High Priest found a copy of the Book of the Law of the Lord, who passed it along to Shapham, King Josiah’s scribe. When Shapham the Scribe read the book to King Josiah, the king tore his clothes in anguish over what he heard.
His heart was spurned over the sins of his fathers before him and how they had not kept the words that had been written. Even more, King Josiah recognized that the Lord’s Wrath would justly be poured out on them for their failure to maintain their sacred covenant with Him.
Josiah instructed a small detail of five righteous men, possibly symbolically mirroring the five books of the Pentateuch, which was most likely the scroll found, to go inquire of the Lord. This band of holy travelers included Hilkiah the High Priest, Shapham the Scribe and his son Ahikam, Asaiah, one of the king’s servants, and Abdon the son of Micah.
During the time of Josiah’s reign, two prophetic giants were well known in Jerusalem. Jeremiah, who would later be known as the Weeping Prophet after the destruction of The Temple and Jerusalem, but who had been preaching redemption and a returning of the hearts of Israel back to G3D since before Josiah became King. Jeremiah was also suspected of having been an associate of Shapham the Scribe, due to his extensive list of writings. Zephaniah, who was the mentor to Jeremiah, and one of Josiah fiercest supporters for his religious reforms, is thought to have helped shape Josiah’s insistence on making his entire country follow The Covenant, rather than just making it something done by the aristocracy, whom Zephaniah criticized for their adoption of foreign gods, values, and even wardrobes (Zephaniah 1).
But King Josiah’s party did not contact either of these men, but instead sought out a prophetess named Huldah, who was Jeremiah’s relative and the wife of King Josiah’s wardrobe keeper, Shallum.
While we tend to take it for granted that there are many prominent female prophets/prophetesses today, there are only a few listed throughout the Bible. This is not because they were rare or purposefully excluded, but because they tended to spend their time attending to the spiritual affairs of their fellow women. Huldah the Prophetess was in the college, sometimes translated Second Quarter, where she is traditionally said to have taught the women of Jerusalem.
She did not mince words and quite bluntly declared “Thus says the Lord G3D of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the King of Judah, because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger will all the works of their hands. Therefore My Wrath will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched”.
But despite the prophetic declaration of ruin upon the city, there was good news for the young king.
The Prophetess changed her tone as she addressed King Josiah’s men again, “But as for the King of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, in this manner you shall speak to him, ‘Thus says the Lord G3d of Israel: Concerning the words which you have heard-because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before G3D when you heard His Words against this place and its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you.”
Huldah, ended her prophecy of destruction for Israel, with a one of hope for Josiah, “Surely, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants”.
There is a great sense of irony in the fact that rather than turning to his wardrobe keeper after having torn his royal garments when distressed, Josiah’s men instead turned to Shallum’s wife, Huldah the Prophetess. Further, it is because King Josiah tore his clothes and wept, that G3D chose to hear his prayer from his tender and humble heart. When trouble begins to arise, fools will often turn to the professionals who are filled with human understanding and knowledge, while wise men will instead inquire of the Lord.
Here at PMT, you will sometimes hear Prophet Kent Simpson say “The Gift’s the same, Only the Clothes have changed”. But even thousands of years ago, He wasn’t concerned with the quality or style of our clothes, but the gentleness of a heart turned towards Him. No matter how soft Josiah’s linens, velvets, or silks were, Huldah’s Words from God were an even greater comfort.
Prepared by, Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet & Eric Sepulveda, PMT Administrator
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Apostolic Prophet, Kent Simpson
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