A prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded.
The story of the prophet Oded
Probably few will recognise this name. It is associated with no book of perpetual instruction, with no course of heroic action. No mighty deeds like those of Elijah or Elisha adorn his story; no length of stately service like that of Daniel is rendered by him. He is a man of one achievement; his prophecy only an argument to brotherly kindness and affection, and yet few men have ever rendered a nobler service to their fellow men than that recorded of him. It exhibits the possibility of finest usefulness as lying more near and within our reach than we had thought. The circumstances are soon told. Already the shadow of the great Assyrian monarchy had fallen on more western lands, and Damascus, Israel, Judah were threatened by it. Their policy would have been union for mutual defence; national contrition and development of those virtues which would have engaged theapproval of God. Unfortunately, instead of uniting with each other, Damascus, Samaria, Jerusalem alike forget the impending danger which ultimately overtakes them; and, as if there was no foe to be feared, by their conflicts with each other destroy their power of saving themselves. One campaign had just ended. Israel and Damascus had united, and between them had inflicted a crushing blow on Judah. A hundred and twenty thousand slain is the enormous register of Judah’s loss, and in addition Israel has taken captive of women and children two hundred thousand more. With the bitterness that belongs to a feud between kinsmen, no compunction enfeebles the elation of their victory. It has not entered any mind that any other course should be pursued but simply to use or sell the captives as slaves. They will indulge their lust, they will increase their wealth. With such purposes they bring all their spoil and all their captives to Samaria. When as they are about to enter in unbrotherly triumph, a prophet of the Lord went out to them; of no great importance, as men generally would have judged; single-handed, with none to back him. He goes forth, and addressing not the chiefs alone with whispers of policy, but the host great and small, calls on them to forego their pleasure and their wealth, and as brethren to abstain from reducing to slavery their brethren whom the fortune of war had put into their power. His argument is striking. There is no mention of Assyria, as there might have been, and of the importance of a united front; no flattery or appeal to desire for generous fame. Solemnly he points out that Judah’s defeat is the penalty of Judah’s sin. That in the slaughter of such multitudes as they put to death they have already committed crimes enough. That to enslave their brethren would be to provoke the anger of their Father God still more, and therefore they should liberate those whom they intended to enslave. The single voice avails. Alone in making the suggestion, he is not long left alone. “Certain heads of the children of Ephraim” stand up stoutly against the more violent that oppose the prophet’s word. “Ye shall not bring in the captives hither,” they say, with the courage of their nobler mood. When lo! with that openness to generous and noble appeals that sometimes marks a multitude, the whole host suddenly catch the glow of nobler feeling, and at once theresolve to set the captives free is framed and put in execution. The treasure of the spoil is taken to relieve their wants. An incident of a kind too rare, but one which yet indicates to us how much of noble service might be rendered if all did their part towards making the world a little brighter and better than it is.
I. The responsibility of leaders. A prophet worthy of his calling, and the chief men of Israel having the courage of their position, together sway the whole people with a generous impulse. No greater mercy comes from the Father of lights than leaders whose worth adorns their eminence. The tendencies to good and evil hang on so fine a balance, that let the leaders appeal to the nobler part, and it will respond. Let them appeal to the baser, and it will respond, unchecked by any scruple. If you are in any position of leadership in Church, or world, or lowly home, minister or layman, remember grand things are possible if you are faithful. Do not fall into sin of rulers, assuming a waywardness in the people which you thenceforth do nothing to control. Give those around you a clear keynote of noble duty or generous wisdom, and you will always find some to back you, and sometimes sufficient backing to achieve a grand success. An heroic leader in war will infuse his courage into feeblest followers. A generous leader in peace may win victories no less noble. Let leaders study Oded, till they learn, like him, to forego all flattery and all care for popular acceptance, and find the stately courage which can urge the worthy course upon their fellow men.
II. The importance of individual action. How utterly hopeless must it have seemed to dream of turning the people from their purpose. Their blood was heated with their triumph, their passions all inflamed, their self-interest involved. What could one man do to stem such forces? But let him stand alone, or find plentiful support; let his testimony be resented with contempt or accepted with humility, Oded feels his business is to utter what seems to him to be the will of God. And uttering it, lo, he is not long alone. His generosity infects others. Try to count up the service then rendered. Two hundred thousand captives set free, and their dismal fears changed into restful gratitude. His nation saved from the guilt of a great crime. His people ennobled by a generous deed. One man did this, or rather was the occasion of its being done. One man set the bail a-rolling. Learn hence that there is no limit to what, God inspiring and using him, one man may do. Athanasius, Augustine, Luther, Knox, Wesley, their lives are but variations of this story. The conviction of the one to-day becomes that of the many to-morrow.
III. The importance of presence of heart. So many, when the occasion of rendering great service rises, finding themselves with confused feelings, with heart unequal to the demand made on it. There were other saints in Samaria, doubtless, grieved over this civil war, and shrinking equally with him from idea of their brethren being made their slaves. But Oded was not confused, perplexed, overawed by concurrence of a vast multitude in a great wrong. Nor did he need a week to think what it would be best to do or say. There and then, in all calmness and self-possession, he saw what it was best to do and say, and he did and said it. That calmness comes not because the nerve is cool; it has a higher origin. It comes from walking with God and talking with Him; the sight of His throne, the knowledge of His providence; the habit of asking instructions and waiting for them, and acting when they come. (Richard Glover.)
