The summer sermon series begins this Sunday (there will be occasional interruptions, but it will continue until at least Labor Day). It will focus on the beginning of the Jewish monarchy, under Kings Saul, David, and Solomon.
Looking back, especially as Christians, it is important to understand how central these years are to Jewish identity. In the two centuries before the life of Jesus Christ, the kingships of David and Solomon were seen as "the good old days," when all was right with the world. And when these people imagined a Messiah, a chosen one, who would come to restore justice on earth, they expected that such a restoration would look like "the good old days" of King David, especially, and King Solomon.
Historically, this time period is very interesting, as the tribes of Israel coalesce into a single kingdom, which is militarily strong, politically influential, and fairly wealthy. It was a time of peace (mostly) and prosperity after several generations of fluctuating tribal fortunes -- including some times when some of the tribes of Israel were actually at war with each other. After these first kings, the kingdom would splinter into factions and then into two kingdoms. By the time of Daniel, the last of the Jewish kings would be defeated by the Babylonians.
In some ways, it might seem that this period bears little relevance to our lives today -- after all, we do not live in a kingdom. However, as we explore these stories and understand them better, I think we will find many correlations about the influences -- positive and negative -- of religion, military power, politics, money, etc. on our lives, and where God is among these influences. In many ways, as we'll begin to explore Sunday, this long story is a "be careful what you wish for" story -- at the outset, God warns against this course of action, but then accepts it and makes the best of it, yielding to the wishes (the "free will") of the Israelites. There were benefits for the Israelites -- there would have been no Temple in Jerusalem if there hadn't been a kingdom -- but there would be costs.
And before God suggested the blessings, God laid out the costs of a monarchy through the prophet Samuel in 1 Samuel 8, which is where we'll begin our story Sunday.
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4 comments:
Will the coverage of David's reign include his human failings as well as his victories, for example, that episode involving Bathsheba, Uriah and the role of Nathan? :)Jim N.
By all means, Jim. I'm not sure how you can talk about David without covering his failings. And frankly, how can you talk about Solomon without talking about Bathsheba?
Is anyone surprised that I must ask, who the heck is Uriah, Nathan and Bathsheba? Although, if David has human failings, he must be my kind of guy.
Maybe the Church fathers should have done a yearbook.
Heretically,
R
Roger,
Nathan was King David's court prophet, who told him not to do it. Uriah was a military man and the husband of the lovely Bathsheba; David ordered him to lead a charge that would certainly lead to his death. And Bathsheba was the object of Uriah's and then David's affections, and ultimately the mother of King Solomon.
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