```OBAMA’S EMERGENCE INTERPRETED IN THE LIGHT OF BIBLE STORIES

By: Rt. Revd. G.L. Lasebikan Bishop of Ondo

That Barrak Obama is now the President of the USA is no news. What could have made it news is the knowledge of the antecedents of the man who is now leads the strongest country in the world. The several months that led to his election were spent in suspense by many across the world, in arguing whether Obama had any chance to be what he has now become. he has not only emerged as    destined, he has ruled for almost for years now interestingly, as close as fifteen years ago, Obama was an unknown political figure in American history. Beyond the fact that he became a Senator, he was given little chance of emerging as the president of a country like America. The odds were against him in many facts which included the fact that he is not a clean straight white blood. He is the Son of a Kenyan immigrant. Come to think of it, his election as the President of the United State has broken the jinx of impossibility in a world of clear ratification. This it must be a huge encouragement to any one who has an aspiration.

           

Sometime, the church has been accused on unduly sensitizing; people to seize the opportunities available to them. The church is “accused” of psychologically winding up people to unrealizable dreams by preaching “possibility sermons”. Little did the people realize that the Bible presents pictures political stratification or historical experiences which transcend every generation. The story of Barrak Obama is that of a “tale retold” because of what has happened several times in the historical past and no less in scriptures.

           

Joseph story in Genesis is a classic example. Sold into slavery at an early age by his brothers out of envy, his misfortune multiplied when he landed in prison because of human mischief at the hands of Potiphar’s wife. His willingness to dance to the tunes of the unscrupulous woman who requested his endearment put him once again in the conferment of the prison. However the scriptural influence which say that ‘a man’s gift will make way for him’ (Pro 18:16) was proved right in his life. A gifted man in interpretation of dreams, he soon found himself before Pharaoh who had a dreaded dream which he interpreted. The rest is history today. Genesis 41: 38-45 tell the rest of the story. Joseph became a leader in an unlikely place at an unlikely time in an unlikely disposition.

           

Of course, how would his brothers have sold him into slavery if they ever thought he would become freed? Remember that he was first to be killed but then thrown into a deep well before selling him off. Even if there was any hope for him, it rimmed off with every passing moment.

It is an irony of history more like Obama’s story, that a slave of yesterday will become the Prime Minister of the country.

           

But QUI, CERA, CERA, and that is the hope anyone should plug into, that life is not missed until it ends.

           

Only forty years back, it would have been unimaginable to think that an Obama would be in that post today. The story of Joseph, like that of Obama “keeping hope alive”. Such story is re-enacted time after time to show that our God has the answer to external destiny. Those who today feel frustrated about neither life’s marginasation nor human exploitation need to know that hope for the future can be redeemed by faith in God’s incomparable authority and power.

           

There is another story in the Bible which evolves similar excitement. It is that of Daniel called Betheshazzer (Daniel 1:7)

Daniel was a Jewish slave boy in Babylon who perhaps should have no opportunity beyond serving at the king’s table in Babylon but alas, rose to become a leader in a foreign land.

           

Daniel was a slave twice within the same history. First captured when Babylon invaded Judah and took men bound to Babylon and second time was when King Cyrus of Meda over ran Babylon. Yet, God found Daniel a favour before the kings so much that when Darius divided the empire into three provinces and choose three Presidents for it, Daniel was one of them. Darius preferred Daniel to the others (Dan. 6:1-3).

           

Who would think that Daniel had a chance, being a foreigner? Who would have feel that he could survive human sufferings and not be over by the uncertainties of life? He was thrown into the den of lions in consequence of human hatred, envy and mischief, but he triumphed over all his trials to prosper in his generation (Dan. 6:28).

           

The issue is that against the background of the society in which he grew up, Daniel, like Obama, had no choice of reaching the top. He was limited either by language creed or colour. It was like swimming against the tide. Yet, within that situation, the unusual happened. Why? It was because only God is in control of time and eternity and He ultimately determines a man’s future. His gift like Joseph’s is about dreams and their interpretation. Let’s make it clear. If you would pull through in life, you need a dream which you will pursue. Does it strike you that Obama’s rise to the Presidency of the United States is a fulfillment of a dream?

           

Just listen your ears to the echoes of Martin Luther Jnr’s speech  four decades earlier ‘I have a dream….’ Revd. Jesse Jackson stood there in the crowd that witnessed Obama take oath of office. He was shedding tears, no doubt from the fact that he saw a dream truly fulfilled.

           

In every age, God speaks to his people and every human experience must have been typified before. If only we would search the scriptures, we would find answers to our human problems. Solomon already settled that in his writing in Ecclesiastes 1:9.

           

“The thing that has been is that which shall be; and that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun’.

           

Obama’s emergence is a message that hope must be kept alive; that God keep wide open the doors of possibilities to any and every one. Nothing is unrealizable, nothing is unachievable. If David could be chosen as king over Israel, the least from among his brethren, then, you need not write yourself off. By experience, exposure and expertise. David stood little chance of being elected king over Israel. Not even his father gave him a chance. He was in the bush looking after the sheep.

           

What chance had such a man in the city? Yet, that was God’s choice (1 Sam 16: 11) man looks at the outward appearance, but that’s not God’s way. He does not think as man thinks. David the youngest, the least, the unsophisticated, the unexposed became the leader of God’s people. It was from grass to grace. He was also in another story by divine grace that put an end to the harassment of the Philistines by killing Goliath (1 Sam 17). In the midst of war veterans and against all adds, he provided in the most unexpected manner. Why; David told a dream. A dream that he would do to Goliath and he had previously done to ferocious animals like lions and bears (1 Sam 17:34-37). He pursued the dream and became a victor.

           

Every contemporary human experience can be laid upon a scriptural blue print. It happened before and it can be overcome. Just believe it and you will receive it. Obama is a new reading of old stories in scriptures.