“The Power of One” Chronicles 28:1-15
This is little known passage of Scripture … but what a shame! It is also one of the most startling (in a good way) passages in all of Scripture. It’s about the prophet Oded. Ever heard of him? And it’s about the power of one person to stand up, speak out, and disrupt the patterns of conquest that have been behind some of the most horrific chapters of human history. Want to find out more about Oded?
Come out or tune in on Sunday.
Above Image: This iconic photograph was taken by Jeff Widener of the Assocated Press on June 5, 1989, one day after the Chinese government’s violent crackdown on the student protests in Tiananment Square, Bejing. As the lead tank maneuvered to pass by the man, he repeatedly shifted his position in order to obstruct the tank’s attempted path around him.
Stuart Franklin, who was on assignment for Time magazine, told The New York Times: “At some point, shots were fired and the tanks carried on down the road toward us, leaving Tiananmen Square behind, until blocked by a lone protester.” He wore a white shirt and black trousers, and he held two shopping bags. As the tanks came to a stop, the man gestured at them with one of the bags. In response, the lead tank attempted to drive around the man, but the man repeatedly stepped into the path of the tank in a show of nonviolent action. After repeatedly attempting to go around, the lead tank stopped its engines, and the armored vehicles behind it followed suit. Having successfully brought the column to a halt, the man climbed onto the hull of the buttoned-up lead tank and, after briefly stopping at the driver’s hatch, appeared in video footage of the incident to call into various ports in the tank’s turret. He then climbed atop the turret and seemed to have a short conversation with a crew member at the gunner’s hatch. After ending the conversation, the man descended from the tank. The tank commander briefly emerged from his hatch, and the tanks restarted their engines, ready to continue on. At that point, the man, who was still standing within a meter (yard) or two from the side of the lead tank, leapt in front of the vehicle once again and quickly re-established the man–tank standoff. There is no reliable information about the identity or fate of the man.
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