He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went. – 2 Samuel 8:14

Today's Scripture Reading (July 10, 2025): 2 Samuel 8

Hawaii is one of two U.S. states that were independent kingdoms before they became part of the United States. The other independent kingdom was Texas. The Kingdom of Hawaii was an independent nation from 1810 until 1893. However, in 1893, capitalist landowners from the United States and Europe led a revolt against the monarchy, controlled at the time by Queen Lili'uokalani. As a result of the end of the monarchy, the Republic of Hawaii began its rule, which lasted from 1894 to 1898. In 1898, Hawaii was annexed by the United States, and on August 21, 1959, it became the 50^th State. However, its troubled past has been largely ignored.

It wasn't until 1993 that the U.S. Congress apologized for any role the United States may have had in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii. The resolution was signed by President Bill Clinton and acknowledged that the Native Hawaiian people never directly relinquished their claims on the land. The resolution also recognized the need for reconciliation between the United States and the native Hawaiian people.

Sometimes, the underdog wins. I wish it happened more often, but then I guess if the underdog always won, they would no longer be underdogs. Perhaps, in a perfect world, the aggressor would always lose, but that is not the way the world works, and it certainly did not happen in Hawaii. In Hawaii late in the 19^th century, the bully won the day, even if we argue, over 100 years later and long after the death of Queen Lili'uokalani (who died on November 11, 1917, at the age of 79 after living for two decades as just another average citizen), that we had no part in what happened on these Pacific Islands during the last decade of the 19th century.

David is recognized as the premiere king of Israel. He established the borders of the nation and secured those borders in a way that had never been done before. The neighboring nations were subdued and ended up providing a buffer zone between Israel and its enemies. It was the height of Israel as a kingdom and the time that Israel would nostalgically remember through the centuries that would follow. However, the author of Chronicles emphasizes that it was not just David's leadership that was remarkable. All the success David enjoyed was due to the team gathered around him, and it was also a result of God's blessing.

We have mentioned that Chronicles was most likely written as Israel was getting ready to return home after their exile in Babylon. The book was written as a word of encouragement to a nation that thought its time on the world stage was over; that all its best days were now behind it. And the writer wants to remind the returning exiles that all that David had done was because of God. David had some good days, but he also had many bad days. However, David's reality was that even on his worst days, God was with him.

Bad days are a consistent part of life. However, the secret to surviving the bad days is being part of a team or community (in Christian circles, we recognize this as the role of the church) and, like David, depending on God's blessing for victory. Those are the elements that are necessary for true success, regardless of the problems you might be facing today.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 60