ERa 6: ROYAL KINGDOM

Introduction: 

The NARRATIVE BOOKS in this era are 1 Samuel 9-31, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11. The Supplemental books are 1-2 Chronicles.

• 1050 BC to 930 BC

• Israel asks for a king

• We will see three kings

• Saul for 40 years

• David for 40 years

• Solomon for 40 years

• David is the most important one

• David makes a COVENANT with God

• Why would Israel want a king at this point?

• Back in Judges:  Sin--->Servitude--->Supplication--->Salvation--->Silence

• The iniquity by the leaders of Israel lead to this constant spiral

• We have heard 4 times Israel did not have a king and every man did what was right in his own eyes

• Many of us didn’t realize how horrible Judges was

• Now, we pick up in 1 Samuel there is a division in the country taking place

• Samuel was asked to appoint a king so Israel could be like ALL OTHER NATIONS

• Samuel was upset at this request at first

• God told him that the people were upset AT GOD, not at SAMUEL, so give them what they want

• The people had warnings about this back in Deuteronomy

• A king should not have many horses

• A king should not have many wives

• A king should not have much gold

• If the Israelites want a king, God warns them that the king will take their sons and daughters as soldiers

• The king will tax them and take their fields

• The Israelites wanted a king in spite of all this

• So the first king is Saul, of the Tribe of Benjamin

• Remember back in Genesis 12 God promised LAND, A ROYAL DYNASTY, AND WORLDWIDE BLESSING

• Now, the Israelites are IN THE LAND

• Now there will be a ROYAL DYNASTY

• Could it start with Saul?

• No because he was DISOBEDIENT

• 2 Sam 7: God makes a covenant with David

• “I am going to make your name great.”

• That’s another way to say, “I’m starting a ROYAL DYNASTY”

• Who ends up on the throne of David one day? JESUS!

• Chronicles was written after the Babylonian Exile

• It points out David as the prototype appointed one who will reestablish the Kingdom and Temple Worship

• Chronicles was a recap of how unfaithful the Israelites were

• At the end of the UNITED KINGDOM era, we have the DIVIDED KINGDOM

• Israel to the north

• Judah to the south

• David is always linked to the Kingdom of Judah

• Chronicles is a RE-VISITING of HISTORY that focuses on the Southern Kingdom of Judah

• Even though these men are chosen by God and are ANOINTED, they are not perfect

• This is a recurring theme throughout the Bible

• If you want to know the whole story of the Bible, there are lots of bad stories in it

• Saul’s job was to UNITE THE TRIBES

• He disobeyed twice

• The Kingdom was given to David who expands it and makes a covenant with God

• Now, they are a HOLY KINGDOM 

• Solomon will be the BUILDER

• Solomon was known for his wisdom

• But he disobeyed what was told earlier that a king should not do

• NO HORSES OR CHARIOTS

• NO MANY WIVES

• NO MANY GOLD

• All three of these things are related to FOREIGN ALLIANCES

• In God’s Kingdom that is established, the King of Israel should reflect HOW GOD RULES AND REIGNS

• Solomon does not rule the way God wants

• In 1 Kings 10 and 11, the people have had it with Solomon and want some changes

• Solomon’s wives turned his heart AWAY FROM GOD

• Then we enter the DIVIDED KINGDOM ERA

• Solomon started SO WELL

• Solomon ended SO BAD

• Even David got into trouble with Bathsheba

• Solomon got into trouble but showed no repentance

• David got into trouble and showed repentance (READ PSALM 51)

• This era is the story of the struggle to RULE AND REIGN LIKE GOD

• Every one of these kings, their downfall was DISOBEDIENCE

• Christ is FULLY OBEDIENT and is exalted by that

• All of the books we are reading are CHRISTOCENTRIC

• Read them and think about them through the lens of Jesus

• WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?

• Then compare that to what Saul, David, and Solomon do

• You will get an idea of how Kings SHOULD and SHOULD NOT RULE

• You can apply those ideas to your daily life in being a father, mother, leader, etc.

• Let God show you his Fatherly Heart

• The day to day decisions the people in this narrative make affect their relationship with God

• As part of the Church, we are part of the WORLDWIDE BLESSING

• So many details are not neat and not clean

• BUT THEY ARE STILL PART OF THE STORY

• THEOLOGY IS FAITH SEEKING UNDERSTANDING

• SO ASK QUESTIONS, IT’S OK!!!