Scripture Central

Step into one of the most dramatic and transformative periods in the Old Testament as Lynne Hilton Wilson explores 1 Samuel 17 through 2 Samuel 7. In this episode, we examine the legendary confrontation between David and Goliath, the fall of Saul, and the rise of David from shepherd boy to king of Israel.

What can we learn from the women who shaped these events—often quietly, courageously, and faithfully behind the scenes? Dr. Wilson highlights the influence of figures such as Michal, Abigail, Bathsheba, and other women whose stories illuminate covenant faithfulness, wisdom, political courage, and spiritual strength during a turbulent era in Israel’s history.
This episode also explores:
• David’s faith in confronting Goliath
• The contrast between Saul and David’s leadership
• Covenant relationships and kingship in ancient Israel
• The role of women in preserving families, kingdoms, and Faith
• Messianic themes and covenant promises in 2 Samuel 7
• Insights from Hebrew culture, history, and scripture scholarship

In the last episode, we partially answered the question we should all answer from time to time, “Who am I?” Today, we will consider additional aspects of your identity, particularly who you were before this life.

To whatever extent good and evil were present in our first estate, one thing is clear, nothing then and there compares to the prevalence and extremes of good and evil here. For the first time ever, we are out of the presence of God, on our own, without memory of Him. For the first time ever, we are clothed with a physical body. Satan and his minions roam freely and are having their way with the world.

While great wickedness is scattered across the face of the earth, this is also where God sent the “noble and great ones” from among His children. Abraham said: “Now, the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;

Are you among those noble and great ones to be the Lord’s rulers?

Welcome to “Finding Christ in the Old Testament.” To view the resources connected with this episode, visit https://johnhiltoniii.com/findingchrist.
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Whether you're using this course for personal enrichment or to help with "Come, Follow Me," we hope it will be valuable in your studies.

What happens when God’s people trade prophetic guidance for political power? In this thought-provoking episode of Handmaidens, Harems, and Heroines, Lynne Hilton Wilson dives into 1 Samuel 8–16 to explore Israel’s pivotal—and perilous—shift from prophets to kings.

As the Israelites demand a king “like all the nations,” the prophet Samuel delivers a sobering warning about what monarchy will bring: oppression, inequality, and a distancing from God. Lynne unpacks Samuel’s prophetic counsel and examines why the desire for a king represented more than a political change—it was a spiritual turning point rooted in fear, comparison, and misplaced trust.

The episode then follows the rise and fall of King Saul, whose early promise gives way to insecurity, disobedience, and jealousy. As Saul begins to forget God, his fixation on power leads him to see young David as a threat rather than the Lord’s anointed. Lynne explores Saul’s tragic descent and the tension between divine will and human ambition, highlighting the consequences of choosing earthly authority over spiritual guidance.

There is a valuable question we should all answer from time to time. The question is simply, “Who am I?”

“Who am I?” should be addressed from time to time because the complete answer changes as you change, and one way or the other, you are always changing. Getting a fix on who you and where you are is essential to staying on course.

How you view yourself and getting a fix on who you really are, may be more important than where you are. Those few who have a clear definition and vision of who they are, are more settled and usually accomplish more.

If you see yourself as you really are, you will be humble. Humility is the condition of the human spirit when presently aware of who you are and who God is. It is to recognize the gap, recognize your weakness and absolute dependence on God for every good thing, including breath and the beat of your heart.

Joseph Smith said: “There are but a very few beings in the world who understand rightly the character of God…If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves.”