This is the third installment in the series I am teaching this fall on the “Rise and Fall of Israel’s Monarchs”, which is a study on the Kings of Israel and Judah. In this portion of our study we are introduced to a young man who will eventually become the most renowned and most respected king of Israel – King David. The Scriptures do not provide any detail of his birth and early childhood years. We are introduced to him when he is a young lad and although we are not completely sure, he was probably just entering his teenage years at the time he faces Goliath the Philistine. This portion of our study focuses on David’s defeat of Goliath the giant and David’s early days in King Saul’s army. David quickly moves up the ranks and having already been anointed by Samuel as the next King of Israel, he will eventually win the hearts of the people and become their second king. David will work hard to unite all the tribes of Judah and Israel with a focus on following God wholeheartedly. David is far from a perfect man but he was regarded as a man after God’s own heart which means to me that his heart was in the right place. I am glad the Lord understands the heart of man and though our outward actions have consequences (some good and some bad) – the Lord knows the intent of our hearts and judges accordingly. David was no exception and being a man of faith in the Lord, his motives and actions were for the most part, guided by that faith.

Lesson 3 – King David (Student Copy)

Lesson 3 – King David (Teacher Copy)

Lesson 3 – King David Part I – PPT

This time in Israel’s history represents a shift in which they will no longer be recognized by their loose tribal affiliations with a Judge as their leader, but will experience a more centralized government that will have a king on the throne. By the time Samuel was born, the Israelites (as a whole) were extremely idolatrous and immoral and the need for a strong “spiritual leader” was more evident than ever. Samuel became that leader but the peoples desire for a king to rule continued to drive their demands to be like all the surrounding nations. In spite of Samuel’s warnings as to what this king would represent and how he would treat them….they wanted him anyway and God granted them their wish as He gave them Saul.

Lesson 2 – From Samuel to Saul (Student)

Lesson 2 – From Samuel to Saul (Teacher)

Lesson 2 – From Samuel to Saul (PPT)

I will be teaching this new series beginning this week (Thursday evening – September 19). This study “The Rise and Fall of Israel’s Monarchs” is my newest study that covers the period in the Old Testament known as the Kings. It covers approximately 440 years of Israel’s history and encompasses approximately 22 out of the 39 books of the Old Testament. It will last approximately 10 weeks. The first lesson provides the Biblical and historical background to the overall period of the Kings from the days of the Judges up to and including the final king of Judah before they were conquered by the Babylonians and taken into captivity.

Lesson 1 – Kings and Queens Overview (Student)

Lesson 1 – Kings and Queens Overview (Teacher)

Lesson A – Kings and Queens Overview PPT