Isa. 6:1-4, Isa. 6:5-7, Isa. 6:8, Isa. 6:9-13.

 “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple” (Isaiah 6:1, NKJV).

 When asked by one of his disciples about the ingredients of good government, Confucius answered: “ ‘Sufficient food, sufficient weapons, and the confidence of the common people.’

 ‘But,’ asked the disciple, ‘suppose you had no choice but to dispense with one of those three, which would you forego?’

 ‘Weapons,’ said Confucius.

 His disciple persisted: ‘Suppose you were then forced to dispense with one of the two that are left, which would you forego?’

 Replied Confucius, ‘Food. For from of old, hunger has been the lot of all men, but a people that no longer trusts its rulers is lost indeed.’ ” — Edited by Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 1989), p. 215.
 People do, indeed, want strong, trustworthy leadership. When a soldier was signing up for a second term of duty, the army recruiter asked why he wanted to re-enlist. “I tried civilian life,” he said, “but nobody is in charge out there.”
 This week, we will look at Judah’s crisis of leadership and the sad results that followed.
 Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 9.