Introduction: Waiting for the King

“He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom.” — Isaiah 9:7

At the end of the last book, God’s people were living in the land He had promised them. But they kept forgetting God, and they kept getting into trouble.

In this book, God’s people ask for a king, and God gives them kings. Some of them, like David, love God with all their hearts. Some of them, like Saul, start well and end badly. And many of them lead the people far away from God.

So God sends prophets. A prophet is someone God speaks through. You will meet Samuel, who heard God call his name in the night, and Elijah, who saw fire fall from heaven, and Jonah, who ran away from God and ended up inside a fish. The prophets warned the people to turn back to God. And they made wonderful promises, too, about a King who was still to come.

You will also meet some of the bravest people in the whole Bible: a shepherd boy facing a giant, three friends who wouldn’t bow down to a statue, Daniel in a den of lions, and a young queen called Esther who risked her life to save her people.

All through this book, God’s people are waiting. They are waiting for the King God promised to David, the King who would rule for ever. When you get to the end of this book, keep watching. That King is coming.

Dear God, thank you that you never give up on your people. As we read about these kings and prophets, help us to love you with all our hearts. Amen.