2Ch 28:14 | KingComments | STEP | Rarely has the admonishing word of a prophet been obeyed so quickly and so radically. The word of God through the prophet strikes four men ( ). They are family heads of Ephraim, whose names the Spirit mentions. He does this because what they do is so valuable to the LORD (cf. ; ; ). In those wicked ten tribes there appear to be men who are open to God’s Word. They are among the “7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal” ( ). They turn against those who come from the army and, following Oded, have the courage to speak to them about their condition toward God. The four men underline what Oded said and supplement it with their confession of guilt ( ). There has already been much sin, there is already much guilt and the burning anger is against Israel. Should they add even more by bringing their brothers as prisoners from Judah to Samaria? The four men find direct hearing. The armed men do not oppose, but give all the spoils out of their hands and give them to the officers and all the assembly ( ). They react in an unexpectedly consenting way that is completely unusual for soldiers who have the spoil in their hands. Such surrender can only be the work of God’s Spirit. It is a bright spot in the history of the ten tribes. The Spirit works even further in the hearts. A number of men, indicated by their names ( ) – certainly including the four men mentioned ( ) – act as true ‘good Samaritans’ ( ). We can safely call their merciful treatment of prisoners of war unique. The naked ones are dressed and shod with clothes and footwear from the booty. They give them food and drink. The wounded are treated with oil (cf. ). Those who are too weak to walk are “led on donkeys” and transported. They treat their prisoners with remarkable gentleness. So all prisoners come back to their brothers in Jericho. Then the ‘good Samaritans’ return to Samaria. We can learn from this. Our mission is to do our enemies well and treat them with gentleness rather than do them evil and hurt them. It is our task to pray for them ( ) and to overcome evil in them with good ( ). If we do, we will be perfect as our “heavenly Father is perfect” ( ). Such a course of action might well go against our feelings. However, it is not about our feelings but about what is right in the sight of the Lord. If we do what is right in His sight, our feelings will join in. He will fill our hearts with His love.