A monarchy is a governmental system in which the head of state is a single person.

Typically, the position is hereditary, as is the case with famous monarchies like that of
the United Kingdom. Originally, the term was used to refer to a system of government in
which the monarch had absolute authority, but the term has evolved to encompass any
country with a hereditary head of state, regardless as to how much power is vested in the
head of state.

DAVID
Very young, David devoted his life to God. As a shepard, he spent a great deal of time
alone in the fields with his sheep. He used this time wisely, praising God and learning to
hear God’s voice. The majority of the Psalms are written by David and express his deep
commitment and willingness to discuss everything with God. David used this time to
become attuned to God.

DAVID WAS NOT PERFECT BEACAUSE HE COMMITTED A SIN/MURDER

⇒ But David was far from perfect. When he sinned, he sinned big. David became
infatuated with Bath-sheba, a woman married to David’s soldier, Uriah. David
had an affair with Bath-sheba and she became pregnant. He compounded his sins
by trying to cover them up. He arranged for Uriah to be sent into a particularly hot
battle where Uriah was killed.

he Lord sent Nathan to David with a story about a man wronged. David decreed the
wrongdoer should be killed and the wronged man should be restored four times over.
Then Nathan says that David is the wrongdoer and David confesses to his sin. Without
hesitation, David asks for forgiveness and accepts the consequences of his sin. “So David
said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan said to David, "The Lord
also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 However, because by this deed you have
given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born
to you shall surely die."

David’s sins were severe and so were the consequences of his sins. Yet, he didn’t try to
hide from them or blame God for their consequence. He accepted responsibility for his
actions and dealt with the pain they caused. Many of us try to hide from our sins, too and
even when confronted with them we deny them. We get angry at the hardships that are
brought on by our own choices instead of accepting the responsibility for them and doing
better.
ISRAEL AT THE CLOSE OF THE PERIOD OF THE MONARCHY

 the period ,the material remain of whose culture is described below opens w/
assyrian conquest beginning in 734 B.C. and closes w/ destruction of the first
temple in 586 B.C.