The Facts on Factions

What a stressful day it has been. I had a sonogram this early afternoon and my DVT seems to be gone... or at least it is tons better than it was back in mid-March of last year. I have a class that ends today and a class that ends tomorrow. I really, REALLY need to get more organized... I REALLY do.
Today, I am looking at factions. I think I have studied this out some in the past, but maybe (and prayfully) I will learn something new.

There isn't much in the bible about factions, only three scriptures in the NIV. The scripture in 1st Kings, I think, is a great example of what factions are by the example it provides.

1st Kings 16:15-22

In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned in Tirzah seven days. The army was encamped near Gibbethon, a Philistine town. When the Israelites in the camp heard that Zimri had plotted against the king and murdered him, they proclaimed Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that very day there in the camp. Then Omri and all the Israelites with him withdrew from Gibbethon and laid siege to Tirzah. When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the royal palace and set the palace on fire around him. So he died, because of the sins he had committed, doing evil in the eyes of the LORD and walking in the ways of Jeroboam and in the sin he had committed and had caused Israel to commit.

As for the other events of Zimri's reign, and the rebellion he carried out, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

Then the people of Israel were split into two factions; half supported Tibni son of Ginath for king, and the other half supported Omri. But Omri's followers proved stronger than those of Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri became king.

2nd Corinthians 12:19-21

Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.

Faction (noun):

• A group or clique within a larger group, party, government, organization, or the like.
• Party strife and intrigue; dissension.
• A group of persons forming a cohesive, usually contentious minority within a larger group.
• Conflict within an organization or nation; internal dissension.
• A clique (often secret) that seeks power usually through intrigue.
• A dissenting clique.

Now, I looked at strife yesterday and so we know that dissension and strife are very bad things. And that is the core of a faction, dissension and strife. Not all that cool, really. And I get shivers of high school, which was one clique after another. I am sure just about every high school has all the normal clique's. And being a strange goof-ball nerd, I got the punishing end... well, not really. But I came close. I was really just weird. Oh well... Johnny Out.

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