Wrap-Up

Well, what grabbed your attention in this lesson? Was it the superstition of Israel and their “god in a box” theology—or maybe the way God upended the pagan religion of the Philistines? Or maybe it was how God used the faithless request for a king to start one of the most important threads in the tapestry of Scripture—the messianic line?

As usual, it will be easy to criticize ancient Israel for their lack of confidence in their divine King. After all, God brought them out of Egypt and then gave them miraculous victories in the promised land. But before we get too critical, let’s look into our own hearts to see how hard it is for us to keep God, alone, on the throne. No competitors. No back-up strategies. The kind of trust that makes us feel vulnerable is also the kind that sets us up for God’s glory.