[reaction to One Year Bible’s June 12-14 readings]
Today’s readings have some great stuff. Rehoboam and Jeroboam go at it as Solomon’s kingdom falls apart–punishment for having wives of different religions and allowing them to worship their “detestable” gods in Israel. Also, we have Paul’s road to Damascus experience.
The other thing we have are stories showing the great reach of the earthly kingdom Solomon is bringing about and the faithful kingdom that the Apostle’s are working on. We have readings today that show both reached into Africa. First, the Queen of Sheeba came to visit Solomon and found him even more impressive than what her servants had reported. 1 Kings 10:1-13. Next, we have the apostle Philip bringing the good new to an Ethiopian eunuch who was reading Isaiah. Acts 8:26-40.
I have faint memories of these stories, but wonder if they play a more prominent role in African churches. While at the Regional Assembly of Disciples Churches in Arizona, I learned that the country with the largest population of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) members is Congo. There are 800,000 members in Congo, 100,000 more than in the United States.