How can we discern true prophetic messages, as seen in 2 Kings 22:15? Setting the scene Josiah’s officials have discovered the long-neglected Book of the Law. Alarmed by its warnings, they go to Huldah the prophetess for confirmation. 2 Kings 22:15 records her opening words: “She said to them, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me…’” In a single sentence she: • Claims direct revelation (“This is what the LORD says”) • Speaks with covenant authority (“the God of Israel”) • Addresses the right audience (“the man who sent you”) Why this verse matters Huldah’s response helps us see how genuine prophecy operates. Josiah needed to know if the newly found scroll and its warnings were truly from God; Huldah’s words settled the question. From her example—and the rest of Scripture—we gain reliable tests for discerning whether a prophetic claim is authentic. Core principles for discernment 1. Agreement with previously revealed Scripture • Deuteronomy 13:1-3 and Isaiah 8:20 insist that any message contrary to God’s written word is false. • Huldah’s prophecy echoed Deuteronomy’s curses and blessings, confirming, not contradicting, the scroll. 2. Centered on God’s character and covenant • True prophecy magnifies the LORD’s holiness, mercy, and justice (Jeremiah 9:23-24). • Huldah underscores God’s covenant name and His righteous judgment on Judah’s idolatry (2 Kings 22:16-17). 3. Fulfillment of foretold events • Deuteronomy 18:21-22: accurate prediction proves a prophet genuine. • Huldah foretold both Judah’s coming disaster and Josiah’s peaceful death—events that unfolded exactly (2 Kings 23:29-30; 2 Chronicles 34:24-28). 4. Fruit in messenger and listeners • Matthew 7:15-20: healthy fruit reveals a good tree. • Huldah’s words stirred repentance and covenant renewal in Josiah and the nation (2 Kings 23:1-3). 5. Witness of the Spirit to God’s people • 1 John 4:1-3 calls believers to “test the spirits.” • Josiah’s conscience, awakened by Scripture, resonated with Huldah’s confirmation. Practical checkpoints today Use these questions whenever a prophetic claim arises: • Does it line up—word for word—with the Bible? (Acts 17:11) • Does it exalt Christ and uphold His gospel? (Revelation 19:10) • Is it spoken in godly character, free from manipulation or self-promotion? (2 Peter 1:20-21) • Are there accountable witnesses and leadership who can weigh it? (1 Corinthians 14:29) • Does it produce repentance, faith, and obedience rather than fear or confusion? (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22) Walking it out today Hold every modern “word from the Lord” to the unchanging standard that validated Huldah: fidelity to Scripture, integrity of messenger, accuracy of fulfillment, and fruit that honors God. When those marks align, we can receive the message with confidence—just as Josiah did—and respond with wholehearted obedience. |
    |