Oded

But then a prophet intervenes because in verse 9 we get introduced to a rather surprising figure.

It says a prophet of the Lord arose and his name was Oded.

Now, this previously unknown prophet arises and confronts the northern kingdom as they're returning to Samaria with their captives.

And he says to them, because the Lord was angry with Judah, he delivered them into your hands.

So here we see some mercy in the middle of all this judgment.

There is compassion in the conflict and there is obedience in the middle of what up to this point has been out and out rebellion.

And it all happened because just one prophet, a guy named Oded, spoke the word of the Lord.

Now, some scholars have suggested that this scene may have been a background source for Jesus's parable of the Good Samaritan that we see in Luke 10.

They also took away a great deal of plunder from them that they brought to Samaria.

But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army on its return to Samaria.

He said to them, Behold, because the Lord, the God of your fathers, was angry with Yehudah, he has given them into your hand, and you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven.

So now you intend to bring into bondage the children of Yehudah and Yerushalayim as your male and female slaves? Are you not also guilty of transgressions against the Lord your God? So now, listen to me.

Check what happens here in verse 9.

It says, "'But a prophet of the Lord was there whose name was Oded.'" That's all we know about that man.

"'And he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, "'Behold, because the Lord, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand.

But you have killed them in a rage that has reached up to heaven.'" And now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves." Have you not sins of your own against the Lord your God? He keeps talking to him here.

And carrying all the feeble among them on donkeys, which obviously the army had made those people walk.

They brought them to their kinsfolk at Jericho, the city of palm trees, and then they returned to Samaria." So even in Israel's great depravity to the north, there were a few men still who feared the Lord.

And when they saw this army coming into their land with these 200 captives from Judah, first the prophet confronted them, and then they confronted them and said, no way you're getting in here with these people.

You're going to bring greater guilt upon us by doing this.

So first we see the prophet appear in verse 1.

It says the Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded.

So, Azariah is a prophet that we only meet here in this chapter of the Bible.

He steps onto the stage for this single moment, but what he says shapes an entire generation.

This is the revelation, the divine message that sets everything else in motion.

And the response we see in verse eight.

It says, when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Isaiah, of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage.

Now this Hebrew word for takes courage means to be strengthened, resolute and firm in purpose.

But I do want to read.

This is the prophecy of Azariah, the son of Oded.

very little known prophecy or a little known prophet and in verse 2 it says Yehovah is with you when you are with him and there's that same play on words from the root I don't know that And if you leave him or abandon him, he will leave or abandon you.

I love this prophecy.

And next up we'll do our portion today from the writings, 2 Chronicles 15.

The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded.

He went out to meet Asa and said to him, Listen to me, Asa, all Judah and Benjamin.

The Lord is with you, as long as you are with him.

Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every kind of distress.

But you, Chazak, do not let your hands be slack, for there is reward for your labor.

When Asa heard these words as well as the prophecy of the prophet Oded, he took courage and removed the abominations from all the lands of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns that he had seized in the hill country of Ephraim.

He also repaired the Lord's altar that was in front of the Lord's entryway.

And so Israel attacks Judah and takes captive 200,000 captives, men, women, and children.

And the Lord sends the prophet Oded, and he goes out before the army.

You've got to imagine him standing there before the army and all these captives.

And he says, what are you guys doing? Are you not sinners? that you don't need to be careful.