The transition of power from the House of Saul to the House of David was a messy affair, related in 2 Samuel 2 and 3. There were people in both camps juggling for power; old grievances were being resolved, and often David seemed to be unaware of the wranglings that were going on in the background. Even David’s own attempts to heal divisions were undermined by people in his own camp. There was fighting for pre-eminence.

Rulership was viewed as belonging to the strongest warrior – someone who could win the battle. The death toll in the battles that established the kingdom under Saul, and later David, and recorded in Samuel and Chronicles, is astounding. There was praise for David killing more than Saul, something that initiated the division between them. These rulers were brave fighters who protected the people from their enemies, and it was how David had first proved himself to his own people, with the killing of the feared enemy, Goliath.

In Matthew 20:20-28, speaking with his disciples, Jesus provides another model for leadership. It’s a model he pursued himself in his journey to being crowned the King of kings. He was approached by the mother of two of his disciples. She believed in the kingdom of which he preached, but imagined it to be another change of leadership, another freeing from another captivity, another bad leader overthrown by one chosen by God – similar to David succeeding Saul. She was seeking pre-eminence for her sons, and asked that they would receive favoured status in that kingdom, status above their fellow disciples. The displeasure shown by the other disciples could have developed into another account of betrayal and intrigue written into the history of Israel. But Jesus, using his own self-emptying example of government and power, begins with, “…it shall not be so among you…” (v.26). What follows is a playbook for perfect, God-led rulership: a commitment to total service.

We can see David trying to develop elements of this perfect rulership, and continually being confounded by those around him – often those closest to him. You can hear the disappointment in his voice when he says in 2 Samuel 3:39, after receiving reports of foul play by those supposedly loyal to him, “And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me…”. These were strong warriors, loyal to David, but there was little forgiveness in these men’s lives.They were intent on revenge. When John recounts Peter drawing a sword, to fight alongside his master in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus might well have said similar words. He told him to put the weapon away and immediately healed the damage it had caused. (John 18:10; Luke 22:51) His was a different fight and the sword had no place in that. 

¹ Luke 22: 27

Local congregation:
GCI Market Harborough
9 The Point
Rockingham Road
Market Harborough 
LE16 7QU

Meeting time:
Sunday 4.00 pm

Local congregational contact:
Sinead Henderson 
Email: sinead.henderson@gracecom.church

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church