This course explores the Kings of the Jews--starting with the man chosen by the people, rather than God--than man who stood head and shoulders above everyone else and seemed to have it all together, Saul. But, over the course of time, he proved that his heart was not really with God when he fell into disobedience and people-pleasing. God stripped his kingdom from him and gave it to a man after His own heart--David.
Although David was far from a perfect man, he was a worshiper, warrior, poet, and shepherd-king, from whose line would come the promised Messiah--Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.
The nation of Israel kept returning to disobedience to God and to idolatry, so God kept giving them over to the desire of their foes, and eventually, the nation of Israel was split into two kingdoms--the nation of Judah (comprised of two northern tribes), who would bring forth the Messiah, and the nation of Israel (comprised of the ten southern tribes).
Both nations had evil kings and good kings and ate the fruit of either their righteousness and trust in God, or their wickedness and corruption.
Ultimately, as we learn about the kingdoms and their kings, God shows us a picture of Himself as the ultimate King, of us, as broken humanity that desperately needs a Shepherd-King of our own, and of Jesus, the prophesied Messiah, who not only was returning to rule and reign as King of Israel, but King of Life, King of the Universe, King of Death and Destruction itself.
But, His first incarnation was not as a warrior King, but as the sacrificial Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. The next time He is coming is as a warrior King to defeat Satan and Death forever.