Study Notes Ed Underwood David Anderson
United Kingdom Period 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, 1 Chronicles
“Now our God, we give thanks to you and praise your majestic name! But who am I and who are my people, that we should deserve to be in a position to contribute so much? ” (King David of Israel, 1 Chronicles 29:13-14)
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).
Except for the Book of Job, which occurs during the time of Genesis, the Books of Poetry—Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon were written during the United Kingdom era. The writings of David, Solomon, and a few others during this time reflect what was going on in the heart of the people. One of the primary lessons of this era is the impact of the heart of the king on the nation. When the king’s heart was dependent on God and not on his own strengths, the nation prospered. When the king’s heart was far from God, the people followed his lead and the nation suffered:
No Heart
Saul (1051-1011) “Man after man’s heart”
Whole Half
Heart
David (1011-971) “Man after God’s own heart”
Heart
Solomon (971-931) “Man after God’s heart then man’s (wives’) heart”
God’s strength is cut off by Saul’s self-confidence.
God’s strength is made perfect in David’s weakness.
God’s strength is forgotten by Solomon’s compromise and abundance.
Almost all that happens during these 170 years occurs in the land of Israel.
I. The History of the Kings of the United Kingdom: Israel was a loosely connected affiliation of tribes with little unity and even less loyalty when 1 Samuel opens. The judges had led her for 350 years, and many of them were weak, ungodly, and ineffective. Surrounded by enemies, Israel had no influence in her world and struggled militarily, culturally, and economically. By the end of Solomon’s reign, 170 years later, Israel was at the apex of her influence as a united people. But Solomon’s failure to follow the Mosaic Covenant faithfully and devote his heart wholly to God, hinted at a coming civil war that ruled out the possibility of sustaining the Golden Age of Israel.
A. Israel Crowns King Saul (1 Samuel): God uses the prophet Samuel to transition Israel from the Judges to the Kings. The nation cries for a king, and God instructs Samuel to anoint Saul. Saul begins his administration well, but due to his refusal to trust God, his personal life and his nation falls apart. Young David becomes God’s king-elect, but the jealous and insane tyrant Saul, pursues David with murderous rage. Finally, in a dramatic conclusion to his life, Saul dies.
1. ThedeclineoftheJudgesandtransitionofleadershiptoSamuel(1-7). 2. ThetransitiontotheKingsbeginningwithSaul,andthenDavid(8-31).
B. Israel Led by Her Greatest King (2 Samuel): David’s reign follows Saul’s demise. David reigns seven years over Judah and another thirty-three years over the twelve reunited tribes. God blesses David mightily as he follows the Lord with all his heart. But then his life and kingdom are diminished by his sins of adultery and murder.
1. DavidtriumphsandhiskingdomprospersashefollowsGodwithallhisheart(1-10). 2. Davidsinsterriblybycommittingadulteryandtryingtocoveritupbycommittingmurder(11). 3. GodjudgesDavidandbothisfamilyandhiskingdomarediminishedbyhissin(12-24)
C. Solomon Rules During the Golden Age of Israel (1 Kings 1-11): The wisest man in history brings the kingdom to its zenith. Israel experiences its political, social, and economic high point. However, Solomon foolishly indulges in multiple marriages with foreign women. Idol worship pollutes the palace and the kingdom. After Solomon’s death the kingdom is divided when the northern ten tribes rebel and set up their own king.
1. Solomonbecomeskingandinitiallyruleswisely(1-2). 2. Solomon’sinfluencerisesintheworld(3-8). 3. Solomon’skingdomdeclinesashemarriesforeignwomenwhoworshipfalsegods(9-11).
D. God’s Editorial on David’s Reign (1 Chronicles): From God’s perspective the most significant person during the United Kingdom Period was David, the one He made a covenant with. Messiah would be a descendant of David. Therefore, 1 Chronicles traces the royal line of David and then reports the spiritual significance of his life and his reign. David was, in spite of his failures and shortcomings, the man after God’s own heart.
-
David’s genealogy (1-9).
-
David’s reign (10-29).
Reference
Saul
I Samuel 13:13-14; 15:22-29
David
2 Samuel 11
Solomon
I Kings 11:3
Sin
Disobedience
Saul did not want to wait for Samuel and thus he offered the sacrifice without him. He also refused to completely destroy the Amalekites.
Adultery, Murder
Not only did he commit adultery with Bathsheba but David killed her husband Uriah. He also involved many others in his sin and the cover up of the sins.
Idolatrous compromise
Solomon forsook his royal responsibilities as guardian of the faith and embraced the idolatrous religions of his wives.
Results
I Sam. 15:26b, “and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
Saul’s sin disqualified him from kingship and marked the beginning of the end for Saul.
David suffered significant decline and his sins devastated his family (2 Sam. 12-24). Bathsheba’s son dies (12), Amnon rapes Tamar (13), Absalom kills Amnon (13), Absalom rebels against David (15-18), Adonijah seizes the kingship from Solomon (I Kings 1) and, David loses his spiritual authority, isn’t allowed to build the temple.
Solomon’s sin reinitiated cultic idolatry in Israel. His violation of Deut. 17 (gold, silver, and horses) also brought heavy taxation upon Israel that eventually divided the kingdom into two separate kingdoms. Disastrous divine judgment inaugurated the reign of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and successor.
II. The Kings of the United Kingdom Period are a study in contrast. In so many ways, Saul, David, & Solomon’s success can be seen in their willingness to be “weak” and “dependent” on God’s gracious strengths.
A.
B.
First, a warning about strengths. In our flesh, we cannot manage our strengths. Left to our devices, our so- called strengths are often disastrous and counterproductive to the mission of Christ. Paul says, they are not only a problem but a hindrance, a liability. They often keep us from the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord (Phi 3:8). Yet don’t disregard your strengths because Christ has made you a new creation and those strengths don’t need to be a liability anymore. The caution is to exercise those strengths in submission to the Lordship of Christ with great humility and in community.
Second, it is important that we know that God typically manifests and magnifies Himself through weaknesses. 1 Corinthians 12 declares, His strength is made perfect in weakness! Our weakness is made full by His strength. In that, God shows Himself most powerful in weakness. Christ’s glory is the most spectacular against the backdrop of all of our short-comings, failures, and brokenness. His strength is sufficient and complete.
