As we continue the 1 and 2 Samuel narrative into 1 and 2 Kings, we need to remind ourselves of something from Eugene Peterson’s introduction as it appears in The Message. He’s talking about the sovereignty of God, which is sometimes hard to see in what quickly devolves into a messy narrative of multiple kings ruling over two different kingdoms. Here’s a quick overview:

Human beings, no matter how well-intentioned or gifted, don’t seem to be able to represent God’s rule anywhere close to satisfactorily. The books of Kings, in that light, are a relentless exposition of failure—a centuries-long documentation proving that the Hebrew demand of God to give them a king was about the worst thing they could have asked for…[But] God continues to work his purposes and uses them in the work. They are part of his sovereign rule, whether they want to be or not, whether they know it or not… – From Introduction to 1 and 2 Kings, The Message

And that’s not a bad word for us in the midst of the chaos of an election year: God continues to work his purposes and our leaders are part of his sovereign rule, whether they want to be or not, whether they know it or not.

The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. (Proverbs 21.1, NKJV)