The King in your Heart – Samuel and the story of Israel’s worst choice.

Around a thousand years before Christ, following the spiritually turbulent days of the judges, Israel asked for a king. The royal and holy nation desired one man to act as their figurehead and champion, instead of the LORD God. And the spark for this request was that the nations around them already had one.

This moment was a pivotal point in the history of Israel. The books of Samuel present it from all angles: we are told how the request comes about, what problems the new king creates, why God responds with an alternative, and where the two incompatible kings clash. This story is so relevant to disciples too, since we face a similar choice. We must decide whether to let sin have dominion over us, ruling as a king in our hearts, as Paul says in Romans; or to enthrone God there instead. This book considers our choice in the light of Israel’s and encourages us not to follow in their footsteps.