Leader to demit office but son will not replace him

Editor: He came in on a wave of popularity. The people clamored for him. They anointed him and may have given him a Spiritual Bath. He appeared to be the long expected leader. He was tall, handsome, and eloquent, one who would stand with the World Leaders. Their urgings and actions were tantamount to a Road Block Revolution. They shouted, “The voice of the people is the voice of God.” Although this was not God’s intention, he let the people have their way.

His early years in power were fairly successful but the power soon got to his head as he tried to assume attributes that belong only to God. He changed long established laws and traditions to suit himself. Rather than relying on God’s prophets for advice he sought comfort and consolation in Obeah, mistakenly thinking that he could consult wizards to know God’s will. He thought he could work Obeah for God, not recognizing that obedience is better than sacrifice. As he grew old and dementia and perhaps senility were appearing, he could not recognize that his contribution to the political landscape was complete.

Rather than bowing out gracefully, he sought desperately to hold on to power. He knew he had to go but wanted to hand over to his son who was not at all suitable for the task of restoring the high ideals to which the country aspired. However, God’s plan was for someone else to rule the country and this is what played out in History. Despite his shortcomings David, son of Jesse succeeded Saul as King of Israel and proved to be a man after God’s own heart. The story is recorded in 1 Samuel. Saul wanted his son Jonathan to succeed him but this was not to be.

Rather than peacefully handing over power to the next Government, Saul chose to fight the anointed successor and eventually dies disgracefully in Office. This was his fate despite knowing that he was rejected by God and the people. His mantra seemed to be to hold on to power by any means necessary and at any cost and this was his downfall.

Anthony Stewart, PhD