Why Study the Kings?

Why should I bother to learn about the kings of Israel? Isn't this just history? And isn't history boring and irrelevant to modern life?

The accounts of the kings, in the Bible's books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, reveal God's expectations for leaders. What does God love in a leader? What does He hate in a leader? The stories of the kings give us the answers.

But why should I care what God wants from leaders? I want to know what God wants from ordinary people, not leaders.

But you are a leader! No matter who you are, you have a sphere of influence! And God cares how you use that influence!

You have neighbors, relatives, friends at work or school. This is your sphere of influence.

If you are a parent, you have a tremendous sphere of influence. You have more influence over your own children than anyone else, even the president of the United States!

Even if you are a child, you are a leader. Have you ever said, “Mom, will you make the little kids stop following me around?” You are a leader!

In the accounts of the kings, we see King Saul, driven by greed and paranoia, on murderous missions to keep himself on the throne, losing the throne not in spite of his precautions, but because of them.

Alongside him we see the future King David — hunted and in constant danger, yet so loyal he refused golden opportunities to rid himself of Saul and make himself king — called “a man after God's own heart,” guided by God to success in every venture.

We see King Jeroboam, propositioned by God with a wonderful promise, reject that promise in favor of bad advice, and as a result not only lose his own kingship, but in the end, doom the entire kingdom as well.

We see King Jehoshaphat, who also had an excellent promise from God, believe that promise completely, and thereby defend his kingdom against three united armies each stronger than his own, without sending a single soldier into battle!

We see kings pleasing to God, and kings revolting to God. And we see what made them pleasing or revolting.

What does God love in a leader? What does He hate in a leader? The stories of the kings give us the answers!