“O Lord, you are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign over all sky and earth! You have dominion and exalt yourself as the ruler of all.”

(King David before the assembly, 1 Chronicles 29:11)

The third major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the United Kingdom Period. These four books—1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, and 1 Chronicles—record the United Kingdom under three rulers, Saul, David, and Solomon. The events reported during this era cover a period of 170 years, from the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20) to the death of Solomon (1 Kings 11:43).

By the end of the chaotic period of the judges, God’s people are crying for a king. Samuel, the last judge and first great prophet in Israel, anoints the people’s choice for their first king—Saul. Though Saul’s political credentials are impressive, his indifferent heart attitude toward God causes him to lose his kingdom to the young king-elect—David. But David, whose heart is dedicated to God, must wait for his kingdom. Saul rebels against God’s will, becoming insanely jealous of the young king to be. David flees for his life and learns many lessons of faith. Finally, Saul and his sons meet death on Mount Gilboa, setting the stage for 2 Samuel and the prosperity of Israel under righteous King David.

The first half of 1 Kings (1-11) reports the life of Solomon, the last king of the United Kingdom era. Solomon reigned 40 years during the Golden Era of Israel’s history. During his monarchy Israel rose to the peak of her wealth and influence in the world. His greatest accomplishment was building the Temple in Jerusalem, and his wisdom and wealth brought him worldwide fame. But his heart for God waned when he disobeyed God’s warning and married pagan wives. God’s wisdom proved greater than Solomon’s. God knew these pagan wives would turn his heart toward their idols. Sure enough, the king’s divided heart left behind a divided kingdom

1 Chronicles provides the divine commentary on the United Kingdom era. Written to the remnant returning to the Promise Land from Babylonia under Ezra and Nehemiah before 500 B.C., the Chronicler (Ezra, Nehemiah or a contemporary) focuses on God’s faithfulness to His promises to Israel in electing and preserving His people (Judah) and His king (David). This selective and theological history is designed “to rally the returned remnant to hopeful temple worship…by demonstrating their link with the enduring Davidic promise.” (Jeffrey Townsend, “The Purpose of 1 and 2 Chronicles,” Bibliotheca Sacra 145:575 (July-September 1987): 99-126.

1 Chronicles: The best way to celebrate the past is by trusting God for the future!

In Ed's Sermons, Grace Works!, Radical Hope 1 Chronicles, regrets, starting over

June 5, 2012 — Leave a comment

bible.cod: 2 Samuel King David–Flawed, but loyal to God!

bible.cod: 2 Samuel

King David: Flawed, but loyal to God!

“Your house and your kingdom will stand before me permanently;

your dynasty will be permanent” (God to David, 2 Samuel 7:16).

The third major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the United Kingdom Period. . These four books—1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, and 1 Chronicles—record the United Kingdom under three rulers, Saul, David, and Solomon. The events reported during this era cover a period of 170 years, from the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20) to the death of Solomon (1 Kings 11:43).

The books of Samuel provide an account of Israel from the end of the 12^th to the beginning of the 10^th centuries before Christ. Picking up the story of Israel from Judges 16:31, they give a prophetically oriented history of Israel’s early monarchy. First Samuel traces the transition of leadership from judges to kings, from a theocracy to a monarchy. Samuel was the kingmaker who anointed the first two rulers. Saul quickly disobeyed God and became a tyrant. David became the first real theocratic king—he allowed God to rule through him.

Soon after the death of Saul, God’s choice David becomes king, first over Judah (where he reigns from Hebron for seven and one-half years) and finally over all Israel (where he makes Jerusalem his capital and reigns for thirty-three years. The first half of David’s reign is marked by success and victory. But following his sin with Bathsheba and murder of her husband, David’s life and his kingdom suffer due to the consequences of his sin. Still, David remains “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22) because of his repentant attitude and wholehearted devotion to God:

2 Samuel: God will use you in spite of your failures—if your heart is wholly devoted to Him.