On the night before he was assassinated in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a prophetic message to the people who needed his help and inspiration. The sanitation workers of Memphis had gathered, along with a church-full of supporters at the Church of God in Christ. Little did they know. . . they would be the last listeners on this earth to hear Dr. King's bold message of deliverance.
As Dr. King spoke boldly, he already understood that he was a target. He had been warned by the murderers themselves, although he did not know how, when, or where it would happen. Yet his continuing mission to deliver his people from oppression was of a higher order than the mere prospect of staying alive. So he persisted in his life's divinely-appointed mission. He told the people who had gathered:
“Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. "
Standing in the prospect of what he knew to be an unjustified death sentence, Martin's reference to the mountaintop clarified the prophetic role that he had undertaken to liberate his people from honky racist oppression. . . even as Moses had stood atop the pisgah of Mt. Nebo, knowing that he had been allowed a glimpse of the Promised Land; but he would not enter therein with his people, the Jews of biblical antiquity.
Fifty-seven years ago, I wrote and recorded a song about the life-work of these two bold prophets. Listen: Mountaintop
The news of Dr. King's death was tragic the next day, after he was shot dead while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. And yet. . . and yet . . . when we look around us today and see the roles performed by so many black Americans in the year 2024 . . . we discern that Dr. King understood fully the significance of what he was doing. And if you don't believe me, well, well . . . go ask Joy Reid, or Barack Obama, or Tim Scott, or Morgan Freeman, or Ketanji Brown Jackson, or millions of other citizens of color, maybe next door or down the street or at the desk next to yours.
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