Were the election results the will of God?
Saul, the first king of Israel, initially showed promise, but we don’t get very far into his story before he loses favor with the LORD. So Samuel, who thought he was retired, is again called into service as judge, prophet, and priest of Israel. The LORD sends him to Bethlehem to anoint a new king.
Samuel invites Jesse and seven of his sons to a religious ceremony, which gives him the opportunity to discern who will be the next king. But none of them — not even the tall firstborn — is the right pick. They have to retrieve Jesse’s unlikely eighth son, David, from tending the sheep so he can meet Samuel and, ultimately, be anointed as the next king of Israel.
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But the transition from king to king is long and dramatic, and begins with an ironic arrangement. The spirit of the LORD has withdrawn from Saul and been replaced by an evil spirit that torments him. The cure for such ailments at that time was music, and when Saul’s servants are asked who might be able to provide treatment, David’s name comes up. He is described not only as a skilled musician, but also as a man of valor, a warrior, and prudent in speech. So David and his lyre are summoned, and the relationship between the present king and future king of Israel begins with great affection.
Following last Tuesday’s election results, I wonder if anyone is optimistic enough to believe the relationship between the new group of legislators and the current administration will begin with a level of regard like David and Saul’s. I know it is perhaps more realistic to anticipate an adversarial relationship, but might it be worth hoping for something more productive?
Some people attribute shifts in power to the ebb and flow of history. Others, like the authors of Samuel, attribute them to God’s will. My issue with the latter is that if you attribute Tuesday’s “Bluenami” to divine intervention, then you should do the same with the 2024 election. If you believe God meddles in American elections, then the same hand that pulled the lever for Donald Trump and George Bush did the same for Joe Biden and Bill Clinton.
I don’t think it’s worth spending a great deal of time engaging in such arguments. Election Day is a finish line, but the important work begins in January. Will these new legislators repeat the mistakes of Saul, clinging to power at any cost, regardless of what is best for those they represent? Or will they arrive offering a new song to quell the spirit of divisiveness that plagues us? In either scenario, it’s our job to hold them accountable; our work doesn’t end in the voting booth.
References
Jensen, David H. 1 & 2 Samuel: A Theological Commentary on the Bible (Belief: a Theological Commentary on the Bible). Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2015. Kindle Edition.
