“Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you.”— 1 Samuel 12:3 ESV
The nation of Cameroon recently held democratic elections, in which the incumbent president was declared the winner at the age of 92. This victory gave the president an eighth term in office. Talk about consolidation of power!
There are several countries across Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East where power consolidation is evident, with sons succeeding their fathers as presidents or heads of state. These successions, arising from democratic elections or hereditary or military-backed succession, often evolve into political dynasties lasting for many years.
These political leadership successions remind me of a biblical succession between Samuel and his sons. “As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel…But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.” 1 Samuel 8:1,3 (NLT)
Samuel, as prophet and judge of Israel, nearing the end of his life, appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. No doubt that Samuel must have trained or groomed his sons to take over from him someday; however, was he expressly authorised to appoint his sons as judges?
All the judges who judged Israel, from Othniel to Samson, were appointed or raised by God in response to a specific challenging national crisis and to restore justice. I, however, can’t see any biblical precedent to support the idea that judges were to be appointed by other judges or the office passed down from father to son.
As it turned out, his sons did not walk in his ways. They were corrupt, dishonest, took bribes, and perverted justice. The outcome of the appointment proved that it was an error. His sons’ moral failure contributed to the elders of Israel’s demand for a king, which was grievously displeasing and a disappointment to Samuel.
There’s a lesson the Church can learn from Samuel’s experience. With so many churches set up like a personal or private business empires, leaders will do everything to solidify, safeguard and protect their empire.
We know of some churches, notably of charismatic and evangelical background, that practised pastoral succession by passing the leadership to family members. For example, Lakewood Church and Potter’s House, to mention a few.
Church leaders should desist from making statements like “my church, my congregation”. The Church belongs to Jesus Christ. Church leaders are merely caretakers.
Samuel’s action highlights the danger of church leaders slipping into excessive power and nepotism. Leadership should be a divine appointment to ensure a good testimony. Jesus, Himself said, “…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (ESV)
Stay blessed,
LaraLex
Hills and Valleys 