Have you read the newspapers lately? When was the last time you watched television news? Around the world today, the headlines are dominated by political unrest in North Africa. Tunisia is overthrown. Egypt soon followed. Libya is in a civil war. Protests dot the landscape of numerous other countries north of the Serengeti. Though there are differences to the protests from country to country, a common refrain is that a singular ruler with near absolute power was losing his grip on the country . . . and the soon-to-be de-throned dictators were not going without a fight.
Working against the best interest (and wishes) of their country, these decades-long despots had taken money and opportunity out of the hands of their people in order to line their own pockets. As the common people of Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia protested, their leaders protected their own turf instead of looking out for the interests of others. This should not surprise us in a fallen world.
However, what does surprise us, is when we see something happen that is just the opposite of current North African affairs. What would it look like for a ruling family to peacefully concede power to a better man in the best interest of others? Just such a scenario dots the pages of the book of 1 Samuel in the Christian Old Testament.
In 1 Samuel 13:13-14 God spoke through the prophet Samuel to King Saul telling him that his days as king were numbered. Due to Saul’s disobedience, God was going to appoint a new king over Israel who had a “heart like His.” We know that the new king would be David . . . a mere boy when God’s proclamation first came. It would take 17 years for David to go from God’s declaration to his coronation, and the events that make up this 17 year journey are the backbone of a three week sermon series we are currently in at Wildwood entitled, “The Lord of the King.”
This week, we are continuing our trilogy of messages by looking at the “Fellowship of the King” as we look at David’s relationship with Jonathan, Saul’s son. Of this relationship, Old Testament scholar Joyce Baldwin said, “In our political world where power plays such an important role, what would be thought of a prince who voluntarily renounced his throne in favor of a friend whose character and godly faith he admired?” Such a play would look quite different than the current events of North Africa. Such activity is certainly newsworthy. Join us Sunday morning in either our 9:30 or 10:50 service at Wildwood to find out more.