INTRO | Broken Kingdoms

Have you ever experienced the thrill of getting what you hoped for, only to realize it wasn’t as great as you imagined, or at least, not for long? Approximately 1000 years before the coming of Christ, the tribes of Israel asked for a king. Badgered and beaten by the armies of the Ammonites and the Philistines, the Israelites’ memories of deliverance from Egyptian slavery and the felled walls of Jericho faded. Disenchanted with God and His prophets, the children of Israel looked enviously at the neighboring nations. They ignored Samuel’s warning and insisted, “Give us a king like other nations have.”

In the years following this demand, king after king demonstrated the disaster of trading God's leadership for the patterns of unbelieving nations. Tempted by this same proposition today, we have much to learn by studying the Old Testament stories and noting the pitfalls of placing our faith in the kingdoms of man.

In this series, as we explore a handful of these biblical kings and their kingdoms, we will absorb the lessons from these “Broken Kingdoms”, and take every opportunity to compare and contrast these flawed subjects with the King of Kings. At every turn, we will find hope, encouragement, and direction as this study shifts from human failing to the invitation of Jesus to follow Him.