The Abuse Of Power

The concept of power is relevant in every field of life. Power is the ability to do things or to act with autonomy according to one’s will Max Webber, (1947}.The concept of power thus involves the notions of conflict, struggle, confrontations and force. The word abuse means to put to wrong use, to use badly especially for one’s own advantage. It also implies to treat something or somebody badly.

CLASSICAL BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF POWER ABUSE

THE CHILDREN OF ELI:- Eli was a priest. His sons Hophni and Phinehas misused the spiritual power given to them and treat the sacrifice of God with contempt. Besides they indulged themselves in sexual immorality with the women who assembled at the tabernacle of the congregation.
Consequently Hophni and Phinehas were slain in the battlefield. The shock of their death, among other things, led to the death of their father and Phinehas wife. (1 Sam 2:12-36,4:10-11}.
SAMSON: Samson was a man highly consecrated and anointed with power to deliver the Israelites from the Philistines. He had great physical strength and power but lacked moral and spiritual power. He later became careless with his life and went into sexual immorality with strange women especially the Philistine harlot-Delilah. She handed Samson over to his enemies who immediately pluck out his eyes and brought his glory to ashes.{Judge 16:1,19:21}
DAVID:- He was a shepherd boy whom God raised from nowhere to become the king of Israel. He was a valiant soldier who defeated Goliath the champion and subdued the Philistines. In the process of the time he forgot his humble beginning and allowed his achievement to get into his head.
He then murdered the innocent man Uriah and took his wife with whom he committed adultery. God was so displeased that he brought untold calamity upon David and his entire household [11Samuel11:1-27, 12:1-14]
PHARAOH:- Pharaoh was the king of Egypt who oppressed the Israelites during their exile in Egypt. He was so power drunk that he questioned the authority of the Almighty God to deliver the Israelites out of his oppressive hand. He however learnt his lesson in the Red sea where his plans and his soldiers perished [Exodus 5:1-18,14:26-30]
AHAB AND JEZEBAAL:- Ahab and his wife Jezebaal are well known for their wickedness. Ahab was the king of Israelite whom God blessed with abundant material blessings. Unfortunately, driven by covetousness he used his political power to murder the innocent Naboth in order to have the poor man’s vineyard. God instantly proved to him that he is a God of justice by allowing him and his wife die in a most shameful manner [1 kings 21:1-26
NEBUCHADNEZZAR:- Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon. He had political power such that the fame of his military might was noised in every kingdom. Indeed he was the world power at his time.
Incidentally, he became proud and pompous and in his arrogance he made a molten image for which he demanded worship. Not too long a time, God pronounced judgement on him. This great king was made to eat grass for seven years and made his dwelling with the wild beasts until he realized the greatness to the Almighty God not only in heaven but also in the affairs of men [Dan 3:1-11,4:22-23]

REHOBOAM:- Rehoboam is the son of king Solomon . He was a king who allowed the political power bestowed on him to becloud his sense of good judgement. As a result he rejected the wise counsel of levelheaded elders and yielded to the advice of inexperience young people. This led to the collapse and total disintegration of his kingdom. The children of lsreal scattered and every one went to his own house
[1kings12: 1-11, 16]

LUCIFER:- In the beginning Satan, then Lucifer, was a mighty archangel entrusted with great authority. The scriptures described him with these words: Thou was perfect from the days thou was created until iniquity was found in thee [Ezekiel 28:15] He was the anointed cherub that covert, the sun of the morning,the light bearer of heaven, the crystal of beauty that had special charisma. There was no secret among the angelic host that was hidden from him. Though of the Angelic order, Lucifer at the peak of his glory allowed pride to lead him into rebellion against God’s authority. The evil seed of pride permitted to take root continued to grow. In the end it produced a harvest of misery and woe for himself and for those who followed him. Precisely Lucifer was cast down into the depth of depravity and consequently lost his position [Ezekiel.28: 14-19, Isaiah.14: 12-14]

Others include BELSHEZZAR. Who used the holy vessels from the house of God to serve his concubines and guest in a banquet and Solomon, who used his own power to amass foreign and strange women who later turned his heart away from God and led him into idolatory.[Daniel.5:1-31,1 kings.3,4]
In conclusion abuse of power is not only limited to kings of nations but also cuts across every field. e.g.
Parents and employers of labour to mention but few.
PARENTS:- Parents often abuse their parental powers and privileges.[Ephesians.4:6] A word to you parents. Don’t keep on scolding and nagging your children’s thereby provoking them to anger and resentfulness rather bring them up with the loving discipline the Lord himself approves with suggestions and Godly advice.

MASTER/EMPLOYERS OF LABOUR:- [Deut.24:14] Thou shall not oppress thy hired servant that is poor and needy whether he be thy kinsmen or thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates. At his day, thou shalt give him his pay. Let not the sun go down upon it for he is poor and sets his heart upon it lest he cry against thee unto the Lord and it be sin unto thee,[col.14:1] Master give unto your servants that which is just and fair. Always remember that you too have a master in heaven who is closely watching you.
Dear reader, God is no respecter of persons, [Ephesians.6: 9] what he did to the people of the past he will do to those of this generation.
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom, which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire. Better take heed for, he that is often reproved and yet hardens his heart and persist in his or her sins and wickedness, shall suddenly be destroyed without remedy.

Writen by Wikimor Enugu
Edited and Pblished By Felix Ebago