The Lion of War Podcast

Cliff Graham | Kavod Press
  • 5.0 (28)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Daily

The Lion of War Podcast with Cliff Graham is an epic narrative of the life of King David through Scripture and history, as well as the Mighty Men who fought beside him. Drawing from Graham’s Lion of War novels and years of research into the world of ancient Israel, each episode brings listeners into the landscapes, battles, and spiritual struggles that shaped David’s rise. Through narrative storytelling and thoughtful conversations, the show examines courage, leadership, faith, failure, and the hard road by which God forms men.

  1. 4d ago

    15. A King Cursed

    We walk through one of the darkest and most decisive chapters in Saul’s tragic reign: 1 Samuel 15. Yahweh sends Saul against the Amalekites, the ancient enemies of Israel, with a clear command to devote them to destruction. Saul wins the battle, but spares Agag the king and keeps the best of the spoil, disguising disobedience as religious sacrifice. This episode introduces the Amalekites, and wrestles honestly with the moral weight of divine judgment. It also follows Samuel’s grief, Yahweh’s sorrow over Saul, the famous rebuke that “to obey is better than sacrifice,” and the final tearing away of the kingdom from Saul himself. FREE - LISTEN TO DAY OF WAR

    30 min

  2. May 28

    14. The Battle of Michmash

    In this episode, we climb the cliffs of Michmash with Jonathan and his armor-bearer as one of the great acts of faith and courage in Scripture explodes into battle. Israel is outmatched, underarmed, and trembling beneath Philistine power, but Jonathan believes what the frightened nation has nearly forgotten: nothing can hinder Yahweh from saving by many or by few. This episode follows the sudden assault on the Philistine outpost, the panic of God that sweeps through the enemy camp, Saul’s delayed response, and the rallying of Israel’s scattered fighters. It also traces the darker turn of the day, as Saul’s rash oath weakens his men, Jonathan unknowingly violates it by tasting honey, and the people are forced to ransom the very prince through whom God has worked salvation. The Battle of Michmash becomes both triumph and warning: Jonathan shines, Saul darkens, and Israel learns again that victory belongs to Yahweh.

    37 min

  3. May 21

    13. Perhaps the Lord Will Be With Us

    We return to the tense days before the Battle of Michmash, when Israel stands outmatched, underarmed, and spiritually unstable beneath the shadow of Philistine power. Saul has been rebuked by Samuel. His army has dwindled to six hundred frightened men. The Philistines control the heights and all of the roads. But in the early morning darkness, Jonathan son of Saul begins to move. This episode examines the terrain of Michmash, the strategic importance of the pass, the fear inside Israel’s camp, and the ordinary farmers and tradesmen who have answered the trumpet call with little more than tools in their hands. It also sets the stage for one of the great acts of faith and courage in the biblical story, when Jonathan and his armor-bearer step toward impossible odds with the words, “Perhaps the LORD will be with us.” Day of War, the first novel in the Lion of War series, is available for free for a limited time on all podcast platforms. Download it today and share with a friend.

    29 min

  4. May 14

    12 . A Prince of Israel

    In this episode, we slow down and step away from the battlefield for a moment to meet Jonathan. Before he is David’s friend, he is Saul’s son, the crown prince of a brand-new kingdom, raised in the shadow of a father who once seemed larger than life.  This episode explores what Jonathan may have seen, learned, and loved in those early years, and why his loyalty to Saul later in the story is so much deeper and more painful than it first appears. Along the way, Cliff reflects on fathers and sons, memory, hero worship, disappointment, and the way a young man’s heart is shaped by the example set before him.  As the Philistine threat continues to hang over Israel, and Saul’s early promise begins to darken, Jonathan emerges as one of the brightest and noblest figures in the entire narrative: a prince formed for war, righteousness, and heartbreak.

    23 min

  5. May 7

    11. Shadows Gathering

    In this episode, the early promise of Saul begins to darken. After Israel’s first taste of victory under its new king, Samuel delivers a solemn address reminding the nation that even now, both king and people remain under the authority of Yahweh. Grace is still present, but so is warning. Eventually, the period of peace between Israel and Philistia ends. The Philistines gather in terrifying strength, Israel begins to panic, and Saul finds himself facing the kind of moment that reveals a man’s character. Instead of waiting on the word of the Lord, he takes matters into his own hands, and the result is the first great fracture in his reign. This episode traces the shift from triumph to foreboding, from public hope to the first signs of collapse. And as the shadows begin gathering around Saul, another figure steps more clearly into view: Jonathan, the prince of Israel, whose courage and faith will soon shine all the brighter against the darkness.

    27 min

  6. Apr 30

    10. Interview with Neil Dyer, retired Navy SEAL and founder of Warriors Rise

    In this episode, Cliff sits down with retired Navy SEAL Neil Dyer to talk about why men follow strength, competence, and courage when danger is near. Drawing from Saul’s victory over the Ammonites, they explore what makes a leader trustworthy in extreme situations, why visible strength can be so compelling, and how quickly men rally around someone who proves he can keep them alive. Neil also shares from his own background in the SEAL Teams, the challenge of following Jesus with a tender heart while still being dangerous in combat, and what he learned about good leadership, bad leadership, and the kind of competence that earns loyalty. The conversation also highlights Neil’s ministry, Warriors Rise, and why the stories of Saul, David, and Jonathan still speak so powerfully to men today. For listeners who want to find Neil and his ministry: Warriors RiseWebsite: WarriorsRise.orgInstagram: @warriors_rise_training

    38 min

  7. Apr 23

    9. A King Victorious

    In this episode, we move through the early rise of Saul, Israel’s first king. From a private anointing and Spirit-empowered signs to his public selection at Mizpah, Saul begins with real promise. He looks the part, wins a decisive victory over the Ammonites, and briefly appears to be exactly what Israel hoped for. He is tall, striking, and publicly impressive, the kind of man a frightened nation would naturally want to rally behind. Yahweh arranges Saul’s path, empowering him for battle and granting Israel real deliverance through him. This episode follows Saul from obscurity to acclaim, tracing the early hope of his reign and the reasons so many would have believed he might become the answer to Israel’s fears. -- Learn more at lionofwarseries.com and lionofwar.substack.com, and follow Cliff on Instagram @cliff.t.graham.

    27 min

  8. Apr 16

    8. A King Demanded

    Israel finally does the right thing. Under Samuel’s leadership, the people repent, put away their idols, and cry out to Yahweh alone. Yahweh answers with thunder, driving back the Philistines and giving the nation peace. For one brief, shining moment, it seems like Israel has learned the lesson. But it does not last. When Samuel grows old and his sons prove corrupt, the elders demand a king. They want to be like the nations around them, with visible power, military strength, and a man they can point to as their idol. In this episode, we walk through Israel’s demand for a monarchy, the sadness in Yahweh’s response, and Samuel’s solemn warning about what kings always take.  It is the heartbreaking story of a people rejecting the God who has protected them.

    23 min
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About

The Lion of War Podcast with Cliff Graham is an epic narrative of the life of King David through Scripture and history, as well as the Mighty Men who fought beside him. Drawing from Graham’s Lion of War novels and years of research into the world of ancient Israel, each episode brings listeners into the landscapes, battles, and spiritual struggles that shaped David’s rise. Through narrative storytelling and thoughtful conversations, the show examines courage, leadership, faith, failure, and the hard road by which God forms men.

Information

  • Creator
    Cliff Graham | Kavod Press
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Cliff Graham | Kavod Press
  • Show Website
    The Lion of War Podcast

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