Real power comes from God

As the world watches with unease at the workings of an inclusive government in Zimbabwe and awaits the coming in of a newly elected government in South Africa, it is instructive to examine the character of a Biblical political role model.

David was the second of the kings of Israel, the one who established Israel as a great nation in the eyes of other nations. The first king, Saul, was rejected by God because of his disobedience. David was the youngest of Jesse’s eight sons, and was looking after his father’s sheep when God instructed the prophet Samuel to anoint him. What is it that made him such a great king?

First, Samuel had been impressed by Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, but God said: “Take no notice of his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him; God does not see as human beings see; they look at appearances but Yahweh looks at the heart” (1 Sam 16: 7). God chose David for his heart, for his character, for his values.

The kind of person that David was soon became evident when he confronted Goliath, the huge warrior champion of the Philistines who terrified Saul the king of Israel and all his fighters. Armed with only five stones and a sling, David faced the giant saying: “Today, Yahweh will deliver you into my hand…so that the whole world may know that there is a God in Israel…” (1 Sam 17: 46-47).

David did not trust in his own power, but in the power of God, and it was that faith in God that made him such a courageous fighter. His faith was rewarded, not only by his victory over Goliath, but by all his heroic exploits that eventually earned him the loyalty of the whole of Israel and helped him to defeat the Philistines and other nations.

David was anointed by Samuel while Saul was still king, but he was a loyal and faithful servant who did not seek to usurp the king’s throne. However, Saul became jealous of David’s victories and sought to kill him. Saul’s hatred of David was so intense that David became an outlaw.

David’s loyalty to the king became evident to the king himself. Twice David was presented with an opportunity to kill Saul who was pursuing him, and twice he spared Saul. On the second occasion, David found Saul asleep surrounded by his sleeping generals. Instead of killing the king, David only took Saul’s spear and water jug saying: “Yahweh forbid that I should raise my hand against Yahweh’s anointed!”

After Saul’s death, David ruled Israel as a strong leader and skilful manager who administered justice to all his people (1 Chronicles 18: 14-17). And although he was such a glorious king, he was prepared to come to the level of the people and celebrate with them. When one of his wives chided him for being undignified when dancing with the people, he responded: “I was dancing for Yahweh … As Yahweh lives…I shall dance before Yahweh and lower myself even further than that” ( 2 Sam 6:20-23). Thus David regarded God as real and above all humans, kings included.

David was an inspirational leader who led by example. When he was preparing for the building of the temple which his son Solomon was destined to build, he told the people how much he was prepared to give to the house of God by way of his own gold, silver, iron, bronze and so on. Because of this example all the chiefs, families, commanders and other authorities followed suit and volunteered to offer their personal wealth to the house of God.

Great as he was, David had human weaknesses, made mistakes and committed sins against God. One of the worst of his sins was when he committed adultery with Batsheba, wife of Uriah and then contrived to have Uriah killed in battle (2 Sam 11). And yet this weakness reveals another aspect of David’s character. Many of the psalms he wrote show a true spirit of repentance and humility. An example is Psalm 51 which was written soon after the adulterous affair with Batsheba. Because he was repentant, faithful, righteous and upright in heart, God preserved David and promised that his own son, Solomon, would succeed him as king (1 Chronicle 17).

Leaders are human and make mistakes, but they should be prepared to change for the better.