#DailyDevotion The First Good Samaritans

2 Chron. 28:9-15 ⁹But there was a prophet of the LORD; his name was Oded. He went out to meet the army coming home to Samaria. “You see,” he told them, “how the LORD, the God of your fathers, was so angry with Judah He put them into your hands and you killed them in a rage that reached heaven. ¹⁰And now you intend to put the people of Judah and Jerusalem under you as your male and female slaves. But aren’t you, too, guilty of wrongs against the LORD your God? ¹¹Now listen to me and send back these prisoners you have taken from your fellow Israelites, because the LORD is furious with you.” ¹²Then some leaders of Ephraim, Azariah son of Jehohan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai, got up to oppose those coming home from the war. ¹³“Don’t bring the prisoners here,” they told them. “You mean to make us guilty of this wrong against the LORD and add to our sins and guilt. Our guilt is already so great that the LORD is furious with Israel.” ¹⁴So the armed men left the prisoners and the spoil in front of the leaders and the whole congregation. ¹⁵Then the men mentioned by name took charge of the prisoners and gave clothes from the spoil to all the naked. They dressed them, put sandals on them, gave them something to eat and drink, and anointed them. Carrying on donkeys all who were exhausted, they brought them to Jericho (the City of Palms) near their own people. Then they returned to Samaria.

Even when the LORD uses wicked people to punish other wicked people He still holds those He used accountable for their actions. Here we see through the prophet Oded, it was ok for the northern tribes to have slain their brothers in the south and to plunder them of wealth. This was the LORD’s punishment for the evil things Judah was doing under the leadership of King Ahaz. Apparently, the LORD does not want them to take the women and children captive to be their slaves. We see the reason for this in Leviticus 25 where the LORD commands, ³⁹“When your fellow Israelite gets so poor he must sell himself to you, don’t make him work like a slave… ⁴²They are My servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, and must not be sold as slaves.” An Israelite could sell himself as a slave to another Israelite but he was not to be treated as a slave and he was to be released in the jubilee year.

The LORD here we see is just to the northern tribes by sending them a prophet to warn them about this action they were about to undertake. If they take them as slaves the LORD’s anger would burn against them also. The Israelites were guilty of many sins against the LORD as well. It was good enough for them to be the expression of the LORD’s wrath and to kill and plunder their brothers in the south for their sins.

Now leaders of Ephraim (which is Samaria and Israel also) hearing the words of the prophet believed him and went out to the army returning home with the prisoners. The army listened to their leaders and put the prisoners and the booty in front of them. These leaders then clothed the prisoners from the booty, fed and gave drink to the them and even anointed them. They brought them down close to Jericho, near their own people, carrying on donkeys those too exhausted to make the trip. Then they returned to Samaria. Yes, these men, because they believed the Word of the LORD were the first Good Samaritans. We believing the Word of our LORD Jesus Christ should see their example, and the example of our LORD who was a neighbor to us and do likewise to those in need.

Heavenly Father, grant us faith to believe your Word and to merciful and kind to those needing it. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.