Today's Scripture Reading (September
27, 2022): 2
Samuel 20
The old proverb says that
“Politics makes strange bedfellows.” The idea is that politics can bring us
together on certain issues when we seem to agree on little else. I
recently talked with a gentleman concerned about the convergence of
religions. In his view, there was a move to make us all one. It doesn’t matter if you are
Buddhist, Hindu, or Christian; he believed the time was coming when we would all
worship together under a single banner. He seemed to be equally concerned that the day would come when the
barrier between Catholic and Protestant believers would be erased.
To be honest, I do not see the movement to the extent that my scared acquaintance seems to understand it. Some of our beliefs make significant
differences between
the religions of the world. The Christian insistence that Jesus is
the only way to heaven is one of those barriers. Jesus himself taught us, “I
am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me (John 14:6). There are, and I suspect always will be, substantial differences
between us, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t come together on certain issues
as well. Issues like justice and world hunger should be issues that we can join
together on regardless of our religious affiliation.
But the reverse is also true.
Politics may have the ability to bring us together, but it also presents us with
the probability that it will tear us apart. There are, and likely always will
be, things on which we agree and disagree. I recently tried to meet with a
couple of denominational leaders with whom I had significant disagreements.
Despite being not only from the same religion (Christianity), we were also from
the same denomination or group of believers. But these leaders decided not to
meet with me because our beliefs were too divergent; in fact, they argued that
there was nothing on which we agreed. I was conversing with a friend, lamenting
my failure with these denominational colleagues, when he exclaimed, “you mean
they don’t believe that Jesus is Lord.” My friend’s words brought a smile to my
lips.
Israel’s history had been filled with
division and unity. The nation began as a loose collection of tribes with no
real national leader. Through the leadership of some judges, especially Samuel,
they became a united nation. And then, they chose their first king, Saul. They
were essentially unified throughout Saul’s reign, but after his death, Israel
devolved into civil unrest once again. This time, the conflict between the
followers of Saul and those of David. Finally, David united the nation.
But civil unrest emerged once again
in the country during the rebellion of Absalom. Absalom’s rebellion lasted
about four years, from 976 B.C.E until 972 B.C.E. Once Absalom died, the nation
came back together again. The men of Judah and those from the northern tribes
of Israel even argued over who loved David more.
Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have
ten shares in the king; so we have a greater claim on David than you have. Why
then do you treat us with contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing
back our king?”
But the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully
than the men of Israel (2 Samuel 19:43)
The next verse begins the saga of Sheba’s rebellion.
And suddenly, all these men of Israel who had proclaimed their love and support
for David were leaving him to support Sheba. And 972 B.C.E. began with the last
days of Absalom's rebellion. Following the uprising, Israel united as a Kingdom
for a short time, and the people proclaimed their love for David until Sheba
came along and enticed the people with another idea that caused division one
more time. And David was probably hoping the next year would be a little
better.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2
Samuel 21
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