Solomon replied, “If he shows himself to be worthy, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.” – 1 Kings 1:52

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 27, 2019): 1 Kings 1

The story of Jihadi Jack is an interesting one. Currently Jack Letts, Jihadi Jack’s actual name, is in a Kurdish prison. But the question that has grabbed our attention is what will happen to him if he somehow gets released from his current detention. Jack Letts is a British Citizen and was born in Oxford; growing up in the United Kingdom. But Letts’s father is Canadian, and so Jack Letts actually possesses dual citizenship; he is both British and Canadian. So on August 18, 2019, Britain revoked his British Citizenship, a move that was only available to the British government because Letts was also a citizen of Canada. According to world regulations, no one can be left without citizenship in at least one country. Letts’s dual citizenship meant that his British citizenship could be removed. However, Canada has yet to acknowledge their long lost son.

What Canada has done is make it clear that they are under no obligation to help Jack Letts get to Canada. If he can somehow gain his release from his Kurdish detention, Letts should not expect to find a plane ticket to Ottawa furnished by the Canadian Government. Letts will have to find his own way to Canada, and if he does, that will then force Canada into deciding what to do with him.

If Canada were to let Jihadi Jack into the country, it could be expected that he would be kept on a short leash. Jack Letts has repented of his behavior; he has admitted that he did not understand the Islamic faith and that lack of understanding fed into his actions and his identification with the Islamic State. But if he is granted entrance into Canada, any further transgressions would likely result in additional sanctions being directed toward him in his newfound home.

Adonijah made his move to become the King of Israel, and he failed. As Solomon is crowned as King and the people of Israel accept his rule over them, Adonijah is in a difficult spot. What Adonijah should expect in this situation is his immediate execution at the hands of the new king. And so Adonijah runs toward the Temple hoping that there he can find sanctuary. And word is brought to King Solomon that Adonijah refuses to leave the Temple unless Solomon promises not to harm him. The typical reaction to this situation would have been for Solomon to send in a team of trusted guards to remove Adonijah from the Temple and then have him executed. No leader of this era would have allowed a potential threat to the throne to stay alive.

But Solomon chooses a different path. He exercises mercy with Adonijah, promising him that, in spite of the fact the Adonijah had treacherously tried to steal the throne him, Solomon would allow him to live. But, from this point on, Adonijah was on a short leash. If he proved that he could not be a trusted supporter of Solomon and Israel, then Solomon would have no choice but to end his life, as many of his contemporaries would have already done.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 2