2 Samuel 19-1 Kings 16: The "half-life" of leadership, the "full-life" of worship

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way..." - this first paragraph from Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities aptly sums up the the beginning of the end of the kingdoms in Israel. What a glorious beginning, what a tragic ending! 

Yet, the meta-narrative from God's covenantal perspective still marches on through all the leadership messiness of 2 Samuel and 1 Kings. If you read 2 Samuel 19 to 1 Kings 16 without the bookends of Genesis and Revelation, it is a going to be depressing read indeed. However, do not discount your feelings of despair and discouragement when you read through these passages because the Bible is an honest record of history that should invoke an emotive response from us but because of the flow of redemptive history, it is not just pure emotions alone but emotions leading to faith. If the reading of Samuel and Kings invoke sorrow within you, let it be a godly sorrow which draws you to the throne of grace. What is recorded in history is often a reflection of what resides in the depravity of man's heart and should cause us to be in an attitude of repentance and humility - "Now these things happened to them as an example, and there were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." (1 Cor 10:11,12). 

Connecting the dots
While it took roughly 1000 years from the time of Abraham to the peak of King David's reign (2000 BC to 1000 BC), the fall from Solomon all the way to Zedekiah, before the Babylonian exile took approximately 500 years (1000 BC to 500 BC). I call this the half-life principle of leadership - it takes only half the time spent building a legacy to destroy it. It took 500 years to decimate what was built over 1000 years in the case of the nation of Israel. The ride downhill is always faster that the climb upwards. Instead of climbing up the hill of holiness, the kings of Israel fell prey to the gravity of idolatrous leadership.

It is interesting to note that Saul, David and Solomon each ruled for 40 years and there were the only trio which ruled over a united kingdom. Post-Solomon, there was a civil war and the nation was divided into the north (ten tribes) and the south (two tribes). It was as if God instituted the 40-year period thrice to test the first three kings - "And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not." (Deut 8:2). The people had rejected Yahweh as their king (1 Sam 8:7) - "Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chose for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day." (1 Sam 8:18). 

However, the thread of God's redemptive intervention will not be thwarted and Yahweh's covenantal promise to David to establish an enduring kingdom through him (1 Sam 7:16) remains a miracle of covenantal faithfulness on God's part. The King of Kings sits enthroned - "the king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes." (Prov 21:1). 

Activity idea
What are the first words a parent would utter at the birth of a baby? Usually, "it's a boy" or "it's a girl" - however, it was customary in Israel to proclaim "David, David" when a baby boy was born - with the expectation that perhaps this could be the son that will restore them to the glorious days of the Kingdom of Israel under King David. The birth of a baby boy heralded a deeply in-grained hope for a coming king who will restore the Kingdom of Israel - back to the united kingdom again.

Consider reviewing the meaning of your children's name with them - let them know the expectations linked to their names. We have all have an innate desire to "live up to our name" and instilling this when they are young may is a precious reminder. For you older ones, maybe you may want to ask your parents the reasons behind your name. It could open up a treasure of memories!

Christ in Scripture
When Jesus Christ came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, multitudes who followed Him were crying out, "Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!" (Matt 21:9). "Hosanna" is an Aramaic term, a shout of praise literally meaning, "help" or "save, I pray." As Jesus approached the great city, the cry was primarily a cry of for help - "save us!", be our deliverer! We need another David! How we long to see the re-birth of the Kingdom of Israel.

Yet, how the hearts of men change - from "Let him be crowned" to one week later, "Let him be crucified" (Matt 27:23). Jesus answered Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36). Instead of the "half-life" of leadership, Jesus through his life, death, burial and resurrection now offers a "new life", transforming us into a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), "delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Col 1:13,14). There is a new King in town and His name is Jesus Christ. 

What is even more amazing is this - He who entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey will one day return as a triumphant King in judgment and this time round, He will restore the whole cosmos, bringing the consummation of a new heaven and a new earth. We will then be able to proclaim once again, "Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!" What a glorious day that would be!

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