ROYAL IDEAL AND ROYAL REALITY The Role Of YAHwehs Rulers: In IsraEl the David tradition did not function simply to illuminate a particular, though important, period of its history. As we have seen with the Exodus tradition, David became the model of the Messianic ideal in IsraEl. During the time of kings David served to model the role Which YAHwehs rulers were to play. This idealized David appears in the liturgically influenced portrait of the books of Chronicles where the rough edges of the David story are less in view and the role of David in the religious life of IsraEl is enhanced. He is clearly YAHwehs representative and the chief patron of IsraEls spiritual life. Even in II ShemuEl this movement of the tradition toward a modeling of faithful kingship can be seen. II ShemuEl 21 - 24, usually treated as interruptive appendixes, are actually placed very intentionally to end Davids story with a review of his career that moves away from personal glorification to the glory of YAH Who works through David as the righteous king. It pictures the ideal Ruler of IsraEl as a Righteous One and provides a theological programme for the future of His royal dynasty: The El of IsraEl has spoken, the Rock of IsraEl has said to me: One who rules over people justly, ruling in the fear of Elohim is like the light of morning, like the sun rising on a cloudless morning, gleaming from the rain on the grassy land (II Shem. 23:3-4). These chapters strike some of the same themes as the Song of Hannah which opens the ShemuEl-Shaul-David story. In sum, the final four chapters offer a highly reflective, theological interpretation of Davids whole career as adumbrating the Messianic hope. These chapters in conjunction with the story of Hannah establish an eschatological, Messianic perspective for the whole; Elohim will exalt the poor and debase the proud in His rule of righteousness. Although Davids human weaknesses are not suppressed within tradition, his final role as the ideal, righteous king emerges with great clarity. Growing out of the David tradition is a royal ideal that even under the most sinful and faithless of IsraEls kings kept alive the demand and the hope for kings who are truly the righteous servants of YAH. This ethical emphasis is distinctive of IsraEls ideal conception of kingship.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 21:41:02 +0000
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