I guess as Brits we pride ourselves on not being a country racked with warfare - we're a tolerant, laid-back and peaceable people, we like to think - but British politics has got very ugly recently.
I was wondering why David Cameron was keeping quiet for so long. It appears he's been in his garden shed writing his memoirs. And now the knives are out, for Boris Johnson and Michael Gove in particular. Maybe his comments are fair. But it's sad to see a former PM feel he needs to assassinate the character of the current PM - and both from the same party.
The Bible give us a worldview. It helps us to deal with the grief of seeing those in government fight bitterly with one another. And I have been helped by going back to a very grisly episode in the OT when there was a succession of leaders of the northern kingdom of Israel.
Of course, Cameron hasn't been brandishing a pistol or a knife, but words can devastate. Only the Pharisee limits the sixth commandment to the actual shedding of blood.
So, here's my precis of 1 Kings 16: it all begins with a chap called 'Basher', whose name kind of sets the tone for the chapter.
Baasha's son Elah - while he was getting drunk - was struck down and killed by General Zimri, who took over in what we would call a military coup.
Then Israel declared 'Field Marshal' Omri king and he marched to Tirzah and surrounded the city- at which point Zimri committed suicide.
But that didn't settle matters. v21: "At that time the people of Israel were divided" (ring any Brexit bells?)- half followed Tibni and half followed Omri.
Those who must have been crying out for 'stability' and 'unity' got it for the 12 years that Omni reigned. But if he provided a measure of stability, he also promoted sin. He was an evil king. His son Ahab continued in his idolatrous ways. He is justly infamous, and why? Because this truly tragic narrative now moves into more encouraging material as the historian reveals that there was at least a faithful remnant preaching the true and living God. We remember Ahab because...well, Enter Elijah...and let's turn from the BBC headlines, get down on our knees and pray for Elijahs who call our nation back to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who offers grace and peace to all who come not brandishing the knife of character assassination but beating their own breasts and saying 'God be merciful to me, a sinner' (Luke 18:13)
I was wondering why David Cameron was keeping quiet for so long. It appears he's been in his garden shed writing his memoirs. And now the knives are out, for Boris Johnson and Michael Gove in particular. Maybe his comments are fair. But it's sad to see a former PM feel he needs to assassinate the character of the current PM - and both from the same party.
The Bible give us a worldview. It helps us to deal with the grief of seeing those in government fight bitterly with one another. And I have been helped by going back to a very grisly episode in the OT when there was a succession of leaders of the northern kingdom of Israel.
Of course, Cameron hasn't been brandishing a pistol or a knife, but words can devastate. Only the Pharisee limits the sixth commandment to the actual shedding of blood.
So, here's my precis of 1 Kings 16: it all begins with a chap called 'Basher', whose name kind of sets the tone for the chapter.
Baasha's son Elah - while he was getting drunk - was struck down and killed by General Zimri, who took over in what we would call a military coup.
Then Israel declared 'Field Marshal' Omri king and he marched to Tirzah and surrounded the city- at which point Zimri committed suicide.
But that didn't settle matters. v21: "At that time the people of Israel were divided" (ring any Brexit bells?)- half followed Tibni and half followed Omri.
Those who must have been crying out for 'stability' and 'unity' got it for the 12 years that Omni reigned. But if he provided a measure of stability, he also promoted sin. He was an evil king. His son Ahab continued in his idolatrous ways. He is justly infamous, and why? Because this truly tragic narrative now moves into more encouraging material as the historian reveals that there was at least a faithful remnant preaching the true and living God. We remember Ahab because...well, Enter Elijah...and let's turn from the BBC headlines, get down on our knees and pray for Elijahs who call our nation back to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who offers grace and peace to all who come not brandishing the knife of character assassination but beating their own breasts and saying 'God be merciful to me, a sinner' (Luke 18:13)
