Out Our Way: Along the Covenant Trail with Goliath

Out our way, there are some things that are just not going to work no matter how badly we want them to. A Shetland pony is not going to be a good roping horse and even those cute miniature horses are not really good indoor house pets. There are just some things we aren't cut out for.

In the story of Samuel and the three kings of of Israel - Saul, David, and Solomon - we are reminded that even the best of us cannot replace God, and as has been noted by far wiser folk than I, "absolute power corrupts absolutely."

As you may recall the people of Israel demanded a human king like all the other nations had - and though warned that no human, no matter how good and gracious, could long maintain the throne with total integrity, justice, or honesty. At some point, as always happens, the human leader who may be worshipped as a "god" because of the power granted the throne, will prove to be a devil.

Saul was a humble man at first and although a great military leader and warrior, soon began to grow fearful for his crown. He violated God's laws regarding sacrifice and decided to cast himself as high priest instead of waiting for the one God had ordained. He was more afraid of losing his popularity with his troops than he was in obeying God. Later, his jealousy of David's popularity with the army and the nation led him to seek to kill David and divided the army. In the end, he died in defeat and David did indeed become king.

Now, David was also a humble man at the start, a "man after God's own heart." Under David, the kingdom united again, grew strong and not only defeated all invaders but managed to bring many of his enemies under his rule. David's reign was called the Golden Age of Israel, for under his leadership the kingdom stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River in modern-day Iraq. Yet he, too, was unable to handle the power. The story of Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11) is not simply about David's adultery with a married woman, but about his desertion of duty with his army - deciding, like Napoleaon, that the "law is for lesser men," he deserted his army in the field because, although he ordered his army to fight, as king he felt he didn't have to. While they lived in tents and ate poor rations as well as fought a vicious enemy, he went home to his nice comfortable palace and rich feasts. That is when he saw Bathsheba - and having decided as king he could do what ordinary men could not, he went the next step and ordered her brought to him. There is no indication Bathsheba had any say in the matter and so, like many powerful men we read about in the entertainment field today, he used his position and power to have his way.

When Bathsheba became pregnant despite the fact her husband was away with the army for well over a year, David eventually had him murdered and claimed Bathsheba as one of his wives so no one would know the truth. But God knew and David suffered for the rest of his reign as his favorite son sought to overthrow him and replace him on the throne.

Then came Solomon, who like Saul and David started out well, but, again, the power went to his head. Though he built the glorious Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, he also built pagan temples to please his pagan neighbors whose daughters he took in marriage as a means of forming alliances. Sure, he worshipped the Lord - but also Baal and Ashera and many other pagan idols. Like many modern "Solomons" he thought the road to peace was through appeasement and acceptance of all moralities - or lack there of - as equal. " Do your own thing!" was his motto, and he practiced what he preached.

Not surprisngly, when Solomon died, the concept of "One Nation under God" died as well. The nation split and many forms of idolatry rose up and divided the peoples, eventually leading the collapse of the nation and very nearly of the faith itself. Within a few hundred years the majority of Israelites were no longer connected to the Lord and the few who remained steadfast in the faith were persecuted and taken into captivity. For well over 2,000 years the nation of Israel would cease to exist as an independent nation, and by 70 AD, ceased to exist at all, except in the hearts of the few remaining faithful.

The Kingdom of God is eternal, but the human kingdoms of the earth are not. The mighty empires rise up and fall away - only the Kingdom of God is eternal. Where is Pharaoh? Where is Caesar? Where is Napoleon's Empire - Hitlers Thousand Year Reich - Lenin and Stalin's Eternal Soviet? Where will the all powerful United States of America be in a hundred years? In 50? In 10? Who can say? But the kingdom of God will still go on as it has from the time of Abraham to the present.

There will be ups and downs; tyrants within and without shall rise and fall just as the tides of the ocean, but the foundations of God will remain even when only a few remain standing upon them.

Look at the three kings of Israel - each of whom forgot God and believed only in himself failed and sowed the seeds of destruction for the nation of Israel. Yet the kingdom they corrupted and helped tear apart did not die. For the Kingdom of God continued on through the centuries despite corruption, abuse, oppression, prejudice, hatred and evil - both from enemies outside and her supposed leaders and friends within.

Who knows what nations or peoples will rise up to become the dominant people on earth? We only know that regardless, they will also fall in time, but the Kingdom of God will continue.

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John Bruington and Goliath ask your prayers for the nation and for God's leadership in this present time of division. Let those who profit and empower themselves by exploiting the misery and prejudice and hatred of others be cast down and leaders who seek to correct the wrongs and unite the people take their place.