From those who did evil in the sight of the Lord, worshiping other gods and leading the people astray, to those who did what was right in His sight, the Old Testament provides many colorful accounts of the kings of Israel and Judah.
Though he failed to eliminate the high places, Asa, King of Judah, removed idols throughout the land and had a heart that “was wholly true to the Lord all his days” (1 Kings 15:14). There was also Ahab, who served and worshiped other gods, and “did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him” (1 Kings 16:33).
In light of all these earthly kings, we see the King who was to come and who will one day return for His people. Throughout the lives of these flawed rulers, there are lessons for all of us as we grow to follow the Lord faithfully and wholeheartedly, submitting ourselves to the true King who loves us, and ridding our lives of anything that lessens our love for Him.