Today's theme: God's version of what it means to be a king - which even the best of earthly kings can't deliver. We need Jesus as our king! The period from Saul to Rehoboam marks the rise and fall of Israel’s united monarchy. Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, was anointed as Israel’s first king (1 Samuel 10), but his disobedience led to his rejection by God (1 Samuel 15). David, a man after God's own heart, succeeded him and united the tribes, established Jerusalem as the capital, and received the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7). His son Solomon inherited the throne, known for his wisdom (1 Kings 3) and for building the First Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6–8), but his idolatry later in life provoked God’s judgment (1 Kings 11). Solomon’s son Rehoboam succeeded him, but his harsh response to the people's plea for lighter burdens caused ten northern tribes to break away under Jeroboam, dividing the kingdom into Israel (north) and Judah (south) (1 Kings 12).