From Judges to a monarchy!

Personally, I am not a Republican. I have a deep affection for Elizabeth I of Scotland - also known as Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth!! 

However, the Children of Israel were meant to live under the Kingship of the Creator - YHWH. This they failed to do and, as we saw in the Book of the Judges, that particular form of leadership led to what we would term, today, as anarchy: "... every man did what was right in his own eyes." (Judges 21:25).

The Book(s) of Samuel take the story on to the next stage:

Do remember that these videos are no more than a brief overview. I would encourage you to take the time to read each book fully, and fill in all the missing detail.

Hypocrisy!

The past weeks have revealed the extent of the hypocrisy of the United States of America!

The extradition of both a 65-year-old retired businessman, and a 23-year-old computer science student, to the other side of "the pond", was in order that they be tried for alleged crimes in the country against which said crimes are alleged to have been committed.  Both Mr Christopher Tappin, and Richard O'Dwyer are accused of having committed offences that did not involve their direct taking of any human life (although, in Mr Tappin's case, he is alleged to have tried to buy five industrial batteries, which he claims he thought were for use in the car industry, but that were actually a key component of the US Army's Hawk Air Defence Missile, which were being sought by Iran).

Earlier this week, a soldier of the United States of America, deployed in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, went on what appears to have been a drunken rampage in which sixteen civilians - including women and children - were murdered, in cold blood.   As he was already in Afghanistan, all that the United States of America had to do was turn him over to the local Afghan officials.  That, after all, would have been the end result of any extradition (I confess to not knowing if any formal extradition treaty between the USA and Afghanistan actually exists!).  It is certainly what the Afghanistan authorities are reported as having wanted.

So, what to the USA authourities do?  They transport him out of the country, back to Kansas, via Kuwait.  He will, it is assured, be properly tried there, in his home country, under that country's legal and penal codes.

I have no doubt that he will.  Indeed, it has already been suggested that, if found guilty (and, as he has already confessed, there would appear to be little doubt about that!), he would face the death penalty.  But if only an American trial is good enough for an American citizen, one wonders why a British trial is not considered, by the Americans, as being good enough for a subject of H.M. the Queen!

And some Americans wonder why they are not universally loved and respected!!!!

The King is dead; long live the Queen!

It was, as most folk will be aware, sixty years ago today that George VI died peacefully in his sleep, and his elder daughter, the princess Elizabeth, automatically became Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Commonwealth of nations that had formerly been the British Empire.

I would not class myself, today, as a fervent Royalist (although I also recognise the problems of a Republic!), but I do have a great respect for the person of Her Majesty.  Throughout her long reign, she has consistently displayed the outstanding qualities of dignity, duty, and a strong sense of responsibility.  She made a vow, all those years ago, to serve her people as best she could, for the rest of her life.  "Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.", she promised.  Would that some of our more modern political figures would emulate her, in that respect!

This morning's Today programme, on BBC Radio 4 (which, regular visitors to this blog will already know is as much a part of my early morning as is the having of my breakfast!!) broadcast an interview with two people.

Reg Turnill was a reporter for the Press Association on the day in 1952 when the new Queen arrived back in the UK from a trip to Kenya, on behalf of her father, and where she had learned of his death. He recalled the events of that day when, he said, the new Queen Elizabeth II handled herself with the "composure than never seemed to have left her since".

Sarah Bradford, the author of Queen Elizabeth II, said that the Queen is the "calm centre" of our lives. The world has changed, she added, but the Queen is still the same "composed and dignified figure."

Had I been interviewed, I would also have made mention of the Queen's Chrismas Day broadcast to the Nation and Commonwealth.  In it she said:

"Finding hope in adversity is one of the themes of Christmas. Jesus was born into a world full of fear. The angels came to frightened shepherds with hope in their voices: 'Fear not', they urged, 'we bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

'For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.'

Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves - from our recklessness or our greed.

God sent into the world a unique person - neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.

Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God's love.

In the last verse of this beautiful carol, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, there's a prayer:

'O Holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us we pray.
Cast out our sin
And enter in.
Be born in us today.'

It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord."

Now that's definitely a message that earns my respect, regardless of who it is who shares it.  If, and I have no reason to think otherwise, Her Majesty was being absolutely sincere when she spoke those words, then I can only say: "Long live the Queen.  God save the Queen."