the greenest grass around

The History Books- 

Like a lot of people, I find reading the New Testament books easier than reading the Old Testament. As I said last week, it is easy to find myself skimming through some of the text because it is not as interesting or easy to read. 

But like most things, you get out of it what you put in. 

If I am skimming through the chapters of the Old Testament, I could be missing out on something God is trying to tell me. There are some amazing people and events in the Old Testament.

There is so much in there that can be applied to our lives. Love, joy, pain, grief, worship, sorrow, faith, and much more. Some of the Old Testament people provided us with so much insight and motivation to trust God completely. 

But again, sometimes, it is hard to read. 

That is why I decided to take a different approach to study the Bible. 

I am an English teacher at heart and by trade. As I was helping my son with his honors English II homework one night, I realized that I was going about reading the Bible in a haphazard way. Here I am, telling my child how to get the most out of old English text and poems, and it makes sense. So why not take that approach to my Bible reading? 

If you read last week, we look at the author, time frame, background, and general purpose of the Bible’s first five books. When we understand the purpose of the writing and have more context as to what was going on at the time, it is easier for us to make connections and life applications. 

This week, we are looking into the History books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Ester. To be honest, this may take two weeks… 

These books (the History books) are written in chronological order (approximate). We will begin in Joshua when Israel finally makes it to the promised land. Then, through Israel’s rough period of Judges and Ruth. Going into King David’s life and monarchy, we conclude with Jews who returned from exile in Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. These texts cover about a thousand years, from 1400 BC- 433 BC.

Joshua

Author: Unknown (According to the Holman Study Bible, someone who likely knew Joshua well wrote the book.) 

Time Frame: Joshua is the first of the historical books in the Old Testament. The events take place between Moses’ death and Joshua’s. 

Quick Summary: Joshua, Israel’s new leader, leads them into the Promised Land and divides the twelve tribes of Israel. 

Background: The book of Joshua is a record of God’s fulfillment of part of his renewed covenant in Deuteronomy. God’s holiness and redemption can be seen throughout this book. 

Major Themes: God’s faithfulness to fulfill his promise to the Israelites and bring them into the Promised Land. 

Purpose: The general purpose of Joshua is to relate the narration of Israel getting into the Promised Land and how they came to settle there. 

Popular Verses:

1. 24:15 “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
2. 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” 
3. 1:8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 
4. 1:5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

What can we learn from Joshua that we can apply in our lives today?

• Wait on the Lord- Joshua was learning leadership skills from Moses for 60 years! 
• Be strong and courageous 
• Be determined 
• Don’t fight your battles alone- Rely on God and others

Judges

Author: Unknown 

Time Frame: approximately 1380 BC – 1050 BC

Quick Summary: Israel goes through a tough cycle of turning to God and away from God, falling captive to other nations, and being guided back to God by leaders (Judges). 

Background: Judges narrates the rise and fall in Israel’s moral and spiritual lives. Many Israelites turned away from God, and it became pagan and corrupt. 

Major themes: Some themes in Judges are unfaithfulness, God’s grace, consequences, lack of leadership, and God being in control. 

Purpose: Showing the consequences of spiritual unfaithfulness to God. 

Popular Verses: 

1. 12:25 In those days, there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever they seemed right to them. 
2. 6:9 I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land.

What can we learn from Judges that we can apply in our lives today?

• Trust and obey Christ
• Leadership Skills (what to do and what not to do)

Ruth 

Author: Unknown 

Time Frame: Ruth takes place during the timeline of “Judges.” 

Quick Summary: Mother and daughter-in-law lose everything, return to Mother-in-law’s home, and God provides a way for them. This relationship leads to King David’s lineage. 

Background: Ruth answers questions that could have been raised about the legitimacy of the Davidic line, given his Moabite roots, and it serves as a demonstration of Paul’s later statement that there is “no distinction between Jew and Greek” when it comes to the gospels (Holman Study Bible, 2017). 

Major Themes: Kindness, Faith, Patience, and God’s Faithfulness. 

Purpose: The general purpose is to solidify David’s lineage. I would like to add that it also shows how God cares not only for Israel but for individuals and families. 

Popular Verses: 

1. 1:16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”
2. 1:17 “Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” 
3. 2:12 “May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
4. 4:14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a family guardian. May he become famous throughout Israel!”

What can we learn from Ruth that we can apply in our lives today:

1. There is always hope, even when we cannot see it. 
2. Doing the right thing takes sacrifice 
3. Always be a “person of character.” 
4. No matter your past or who you are, God has a plan for your life and will use you. 

1 Samuel

Author: Unknown 

Time Frame: End of the period of Judges, around 1105 BC until Saul’s death in 1011 BC. 

Quick Summary: Israel demands another king and the issues that follow. 

Background: 1 Samuel was written at a major time in Israel’s history, a big transition from Judges (no leadership) to demanding a king. Samuel was there to help guide this transition. 

Main Themes: Leadership (both good and bad), God’s sovereignty, and consequences to sin 

Purpose: The purpose of 1 Samuel is to show two major events for Israel. Israel is becoming a king, and the rise of David as king. 

Popular Verses:

1. 16:7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. 
2. 1:27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him
3. 12:24 Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.
4. 17:45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

What can we learn from 1 Samuel that we can apply in our lives today?

• God is in control
• Humility
• Keep your eyes on God
• Be thankful

2 Samuel 

Author: Unknown 

Time Frame: 2 Samuel picks up right after Saul’s death. The book concludes with the end of David’s reign as King. (1011 BC -971 BC). 

Quick Summary: David becomes King of Israel. 

Background: Again, it was a transitional period for the people of Israel. With David as the new anointed King, God renews his covenant with David. 

Main Themes: God’s promises, consequences of sin, and redemption 

Purpose: The main purpose of 2 Samuel is to continue explaining the Israelite monarchy and show how God was able to use David significantly, despite his sins against God. 

Popular Verses: 

1. 5:10 And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him. 
2.  12: 7-8 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more.
3.  7:12-13 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
4. 7:11 The Lord himself will make a house for you. 

What can we learn from 2 Samuel that we can apply in our lives today?

• Keep your eyes on God
• Repent
• Have an accountablilty partner
• Accept feedback

1 Kings

Author: Unknown 

Time Frame: covers 120 years, beginning around 970 BC- 850 BC. 

Background: 1 Kings reviews the rise and fall of King Solomon due to poor judgment. It also looks at the details that caused Israel to decline in later kings when people turned away from God. 

Quick Summary: At this time, Israel is at a time of peace and prosperity with Solomon as king. But after Solomon, the lines of Israel split and turned away from God. 

Main Themes: God’s glory and faithfulness, consequences to sin, 

Purpose: First to record history, but also to teach lessons from those historical events. 

Popular Verses: 

1. 2:3 And observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go
2. 18:37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so that these people will know that you, Lord, are God and that you are turning their hearts back again.
3. 18:39 When the people saw, they fell facedown and said, “The Lord-He is the Lord? His is God! The Lord- He is God!”  

What can we learn from 1 Kings that we can apply in our lives today?

1. Listen for God first
2. Obey God 
3. Our choices and God’s redirection
4. Do not seek to be important. Stay humble 

Wow. That is a lot of information and it’s only have the History texts. We will dig into the second part next week. If you are studying the Old Testament, I would bookmark this page and return for reference.

Resources:

1. Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. 2017. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
2. Christian Bible Reference. https://www.christianbiblereference.org/summary.htm#OT
3. The Gospel Coalition. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/historical-books/