Essay 2
During the time of the judges, the land was full of corruption and sin. There was no king or legal authority in Israel and the people acted on what they thought was right and wrong. “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Samuel was Israel’s spiritual leader (priest), a prophet, and the last and most effective of the judges. God used Samuel to assist in the change of Israel’s government from a system of judges to kings.
Samuel judged Israel until his death, saved them from the Philistines, and led them back to God. However, when Samuel grew old, he started appointing his sons as judges but they were corrupt (1 Samuel 8:1). All of the elders of Israel
Samuel anointed David as the next king and he was clearly God’s choice. “As a Bethlehemite (16:1), David was from the tribe of Judah and, therefore, in line with the messianic promise. (Hindson & Yates, The Essence of the Old Testament: A Survey, 166). Unlike Saul, David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). David was the greatest king of Israel because he had faith and a heart for God. Although David had his failures, he confessed his sins. His confessions were sincere and from his heart; therefore, he learned from his mistakes and did not make excuses. David was also courageous, kind and forgiving. David’s son Solomon was anointed by the prophet Nathan as the third king. In 2 Kings 3, Solomon prayed to God for wisdom and God made him the wisest man that ever lived; He also blessed him with riches and wealth. Solomon chose to disobey God and his transgressions led to the division of Israel. He married women from foreign nations and tried to appease them by allowing them to bring their false gods to Jerusalem; which lured him into idolatry (2 Kings 11:3-4). Also, the more luxurious Solomon’s court became, the more he taxed the people which caused them to become angry. Solomon had begun his reign by laying the foundation with God but did not follow in the later years. Upon Solomon’s death, the nation divided and became the northern and southern kingdoms. The 12 tribes of Israel were weak and