Feasting is a major theme of this book: there are ten recorded banquets, and many of the events were planned, plotted, or exposed at these banquets. Although the name of God is never mentioned in this book, it is apparent that the Jews of Susa sought His intervention when they fasted and prayed for three days (Esther 4:16). In spite of the fact that the law allowing their destruction was written according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, rendering it unchangeable, the way was cleared for their prayers to be answered. Esther risked her life by going not once uninvited before the king but twice, (Esther 4:1-2; 8:3). She was not content with the destruction of Haman; she was intent on saving her people. The institution of the Feast of Purim is written and preserved for all to see and is still observed today. God’s chosen people, without any direct mention of His name, were granted a stay of execution through the wisdom and humility of Esther.

If the Deuteronomic law is the standard of judgment in 1 and 2 Kings, then the Priests Code is the standard in 1 and 2 Chronicles. Chronicles’ history appears to have been written later than Kings’; the date usually given is approximately 300 B.C. The authors of the two books have the advantage of using the Deuteronomic history, as well as the many other documents that appeared prior to 300 B.C., as source material. Apparently, they accepted the older histories’ idea that personal suffering and national disasters are punishments for wrongdoing, while long life and material prosperity are rewards for righteous conduct.

This conception of punishments and rewards adequately explains some historical events, but other events contradict this view. For example, King Uzziah, whose reign preceded Isaiah’s becoming a prophet, was regarded as one of the ablest and best kings of Judah, yet he was smitten with leprosy and died in a leper colony; King Manasseh, judged by all the accepted standards of both priests and prophets, was a wicked man but reigned for more than half a century and died a natural death; and Josiah, the good king who started the Deuteronomic reformation and followed as closely as he could the teachings of the great prophets, was slain on the field of battle, and his son was taken to Egypt as a prisoner. The chronicler felt it necessary to explain these events. Believing as he did that Yahweh orders the course of events, he interpreted the entire course of Hebrew history from the point of view of the laws and regulations embodied in the Priests Code.

The introduction to Chronicles consists of a brief sketch of the period from Adam to David, whom the chronicler idealizes — in contrast to the record preserved in 1 and 2 Samuel. The law of the Central Sanctuary is projected back into this early period by identifying it with the tabernacle that the Israelites carried with them in their march through the wilderness. The Priests Code, too, is presumed to have been in force during the early periods of Hebrew history. No mention is made of the kings of northern Israel: The assumption is that the people in that kingdom were no better than heathens and, as a consequence of their behavior, were no longer to be counted among the true people of Israel.

The book of kings is a continuation of the record that we see in the books of Judges and Samuel. The consistency with the books is that they are all seeking to show the relationship between the nation and the Law. Kings is all about consequences of obeying the Law or not, and each king is judged by that standard. Any king who failed to destroy the high places of worship or permitted the people to offer sacrifices at any place other than the Temple in Jerusalem was said to have performed evil in the sight of Yahweh and was responsible for the disasters that fell upon the nation.

If you want more details on a parts of this book, Pastor Stephen did a sermon series through the books. You can find them here:

1 Kings 1-The Death of the King

1 Kings 3-4-Choosing Wisdom

1 Kings 5-7 Building the Temple

1 Kings 8-10-Wisdom is not Enough-

1 Kings 12-Heavy Labor, Golden Calves…Big Mistakes

1 Kings 13-14-Discerning the Voice of God

1 Kings 15-16 Good Kings, Bad Kings

1 kings 17-Elijah

1 Kings 17b-Resurrection proves Authenticity

1 Kings 18- Elijah’s showdown

1 Kings 19: Praying for Rain

1 Kings 19b-The Let Down

1 Kings 20 – How not to Rule

1 Kings 21 – Ahab: Sin against a Brother

1 kings 22-Ahab: A Bad Finish

1 Kings 23 – A Father’s Legacy

The books of Samuel are the beginning of the monarchy in Israel. The first chapters explain the transition from the period of the judges. The primary figures in the books are Samuel, Saul, David, Nathan, and the children of David. A basic outline is:

I. The Story of Samuel – 1 Sam 1-7

A. Samuel’s birth and call (1-3)

B. The Ark Narratives (4-6)

C. Samuel, the last judge of Israel (7)

II. The Reign, and Failure, of Saul – 8:1-16:13

A. Israel demands a king (8)

B. Saul’s appointment as King (9-11)

C. Samuel’s farewell (12)

D. Saul’s rejection as king (13-15)

III. The Rise of David – 1 Sam 16:1-2 Sam 5:10

A. The anointing of David (16:1-13)

B. David in the court of Saul (16:14-21:1)

C. David the fugitive in the wilderness (21:2-26:25)

D. David and the Philistines (27-30)

E. David becomes King (1 Sam 31-2 Sam 5:10)

IV. The Reign of David – 2 Sam 5:11-20:22

A. David’s achievements (5:11-9)

B. David’s sins (10-12)

C. The aftermath of sin in David’s house (13-14)

D. Civil War (15-20:22)

V. Appendix – 2 Sam 20:23-24

A key Passage from  Deuteronomy 17:14–20 will be fleshed out in the se books or Samuel & Kings.

When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” be sure to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite. The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

Thus we have in this brief passage, images of the king’s rule connected to the promise for the land. Further, the king must be an Israelite of God’s choosing. He shall not depend on his military for success, and he must not gain great wealth or numerous wives; he must trust wholly in God. His trust in YHWH is to be expressed in obedience to God’s Law and as one under the authority of YHWH he is to regard himself as equal to his fellow Israelites. There may also be the notion that he is to pursue his brothers’ well being in that he prohibits them from ever being sold as slaves again and that there is a recommitment to the Law at his succession to the throne.

After the book of Deuteronomy is finished, the books of history that flesh out the Law begin. Joshua is about the conquest of the land, and the establishment of obedience to the Law in the land. The narrative portions (that which is not about allotments and borders) are all about fleeing idolatry. Rahab forsaking her gods and siding with Israel, Aachen’s greed that cost others their lives and makes people wonder if the Lord had abandoned them (in the fight against Ai), victories through obedience, deception because of the idolatry of Human Wisdom, and an incredible story of willingness to go to war against brother for the sake of purity of the nation.

Judges is all about the failure of the people, and their inability to follow the Law. If you want to talk about total depravity, Judges is a great support to your argument because it details the human condition of desiring a relationship with God only when we need to be bailed out of a jam.  See the cycle:

It’s pretty pathetic and authentic to our own  walk with God sometimes.

At the same time, there are some awesome people in the book of Judges, who allowed the Lord to raise them up for powerful battle and effective leadership. The book reads a whole lot like the line-up from the Bad News Bears movie (or Mighty Ducks for the next generation).

1. THE TALENTED KID WHO IS AMONG MISFITS- Othniel (3:7-11)

a. brother of Caleb
b. defeated the Arameans; the spirit of the Lord was on him

2. THE SOUTHPAW-Ehud (3:12-30)

a. left-handed
b. killed Eglon, king of Moab, by trickery

3. OK MINOR CHARACTER ON THE TEAM- Shamgar (3:31, 5:6)

a. fought against the Philistines

4. THE GIRL ON THE TEAM WHO IS BETTER THAN THE BOYS- Deborah (4-5)

a. woman tribal leader, both military and legal
b. campaigned against Sisera, Canaanite general under Jabin, the King of Hazor
c. Barak was military leader under Deborah
d. Jael, a Kenite woman, killed Sisera as he fled

5. THE GEEKY WIMP- Gideon (6-8)

a. came from a family of Baal worshippers
b. afraid to trust God, portrayed as an arrogant coward
c. God gave him a plan to defeat the Midianites
d. ended up worshipping Baal

6. THE CAPABLE KID WHO LEADS THE TEAM ASTRAY THRU THE MIDDLE OF THE MOVIE- Abimelech (9)

a. not a judge, attempted to make himself king but failed

7. Minor Judges: Tola and Jair (10:1-5)

8. THE BAD BOY WITH THE GOOD HEART (AND GREAT ABILITY)- Jephthah (10:6-12:7)

a. illegitimate child and an outcast
b. fought against the Ammonites
c. made a rash vow that led to the sacrifice of his only child

9. MINOR TEAMMATES: Ibzan, Elon, Abdon (12:8-15)

10. BAD BOY/LOVER BOY WHO IS IN IT FOR HIMSELF THE WHOLE TIME, BUT REDEEMS HIMSELF AT THE END OF THE MOVIE- Samson (13-16)

a. born to a barren woman by promise
b. was a Nazarite, but broke his vows
c. was a womanizer and a drunk
d. God helped him bring relief from the Philistines
e. his fatal attraction to Delilah

And then there is Ruth,set in the period of the judges, but stands out as against it. Interesting that great faith is found outside Israel, with a Moabitess. This strain will be seen over and over in the books of history.  See if you can count how many non-Israelites have greater faith than the chosen people themselves.

Deuteronomy was written by Moses as a preparation for the second generation to face the decision of entering the promised land. They would need to know how to conduct themselves, and know how to live in relationship to Yahweh. The name of the book is “second law” because it is a restatement to the people, what they have already received.  Does that mean that much of what you read will be familiar…yes.  But like the gospels that tell the same story with different details because of the needs of the audience…this restatement of the law will help us know why the Lord desires certain things of us.

Key themes of the book are:

Choosing Obedience

The inevitable Fall into Sin

The great love of the lord for his people

The offer for Life in the Lord

A simple outline of the Book  in seven divisions:

1. Summary of the history of Israel in the wilderness, 1:1-3:29
2. A restatement of the Law, with warnings and exhortations, 4:1 -11:32,
3. Instructions, Warnings, and Predictions, 12:1-27:26,
4. The great closing prophecies summarizing the history of Israel to the second coming of Christ, and containing the Palestinian Covenant, 28:1-30:20,
5. Last counsels to Priests, Levites, and to Joshua, 31,
6. The Song of Moses and his parting blessings, 32,33,
7. The Death of Moses, 34.

Purpose of Writing: The message of the Book of Numbers, is universal and timeless. It reminds believers of the spiritual warfare in which they are engaged, for Numbers is the book of the service and walk of God’s people. The Book of Numbers essentially bridges the gap between the Israelites receiving the Law (Exodus and Leviticus) and preparing them to enter the Promised Land (Deuteronomy and Joshua).
Key Verses: Numbers 6:24-26, "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."
Numbers 12:6-8, "When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"
Numbers 14:30-34, "Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. But you — your bodies will fall in this desert. Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the  desert. For forty years — one year for each of the forty days you explored the land — you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’"
Brief Summary: Most of the events of the Book of Numbers take place in the wilderness, primarily between the second and fortieth years of the wandering of the Israelites. The first 25 chapters of the book chronicle the experiences of the first generation of Israel in the wilderness, while the rest of the book describes the experiences of the second generation. The theme of obedience and rebellion followed by repentance and blessing runs through the entire book, as well as the entire Old Testament.
The theme of the holiness of God is continued from the book of Leviticus into the book of Numbers, which reveals God’s instruction and preparation of His people to enter the Promised Land of Canaan. The importance of the Book of Numbers is indicated by its being referred to in the New Testament many times. The Holy Spirit called special attention to Numbers in 1 Corinthians 10:1-12. The words "all these things happened to them for examples" refers to the sin of the Israelites and God’s displeasure with them.
In Romans 11:22, Paul speaks about the "goodness and severity of God." That, in a nutshell, is the message of Numbers. The severity of God is seen in the death of the rebellious generation in the wilderness, those who never entered the Promised Land. The goodness of God is realized in the new generation. God protected, preserved, and provided for these people until they possessed the land. This reminds us of the justice and love of God, which are always in sovereign harmony.
Foreshadowings: God’s demand for holiness in His people is completely and finally satisfied in Jesus Christ, who came to fulfill the law on our behalf (Matthew 5:17). The concept of the promised Messiah pervades the book. The story in chapter 19 of the sacrifice of the red heifer “without defect or blemish” prefigures Christ, the Lamb of God without spot or blemish who was sacrificed for our sins. The image of the bronze snake lifted up on the pole to provide physical healing (chapter 21) also prefigures the lifting up of Christ, either upon the cross, or in the ministry of the Word, that whoever looks to Him by faith may have spiritual healing.
In chapter 24, Balaam’s fourth oracle speaks of the star and the scepter who is to rise out of Jacob. Here is a prophecy of Christ who is called the "morning star" in Revelation 22:16 for His glory, brightness, and splendor, and for the light that comes by Him. He may also be called a scepter, that is, a scepter bearer, because of his royalty. He not only has the name of a king, but has a kingdom, and rules with a scepter of grace, mercy, and righteousness.
Practical Application: A major theological theme developed in the New Testament from Numbers is that sin and unbelief, especially rebellion, reap the judgment of God. First Corinthians specifically says—and Hebrews 3:7-4:13 strongly implies—that these events were written as examples for believers to observe and avoid. We are not to “set our hearts on evil things” (v. 6), or be sexually immoral (v. 8), or put God to the test (v. 9) or gripe and complain (v. 10).
Just as the Israelites wandered in the wilderness 40 years because of their rebellion, so too does God sometimes allow us to wander away from Him and suffer loneliness and lack of blessings when we rebel against Him. But God is faithful and just, and just as He restored the Israelites to their rightful place in His heart, He will always restore Christians to the place of blessing and intimate fellowship with Him if we repent and return to Him (1 John 1:9).

This well-put together summary of Numbers comes from gotquestions.org. I think it gives a good start for the book.

Whatever else the professing Christian church may be known for today—great crowds, expensive buildings, big budgets, political clout—it’s not distinguished for its holiness. Bible-believing evangelical Christians make up a sizable minority in the United States, but our presence isn’t making much of an impact on society. The salt seems to have lost its saltiness, and the light is so well hidden that the marketplace is quite dark.
Eight times in Scripture, God said to His people, “Be holy, for I am holy!” This is one of the major themes of Leviticus, a book that teaches us how to avoid sin and how to grow in holiness. My prayer is that the study and application of the spiritual principles in Leviticus will make us all more like Jesus Christ and better able to impact this present evil world. -Warren W. Wiersbe

A Suggested Outline of the Book of Leviticus
Theme: The holiness of God—“Be holy, for I am holy”
Theme verses: Leviticus 11:44–45
I. Holy Offerings—1–7
1. Laws for the worshipers—1:1–6:7
2. Laws for the priests—6:8–7:38
II. A Holy Priesthood—8–10, 21–22
1. Consecration—8–9
2. Admonition—10
3. Qualification—21–22
III. A Holy Nation—11–17
1. Clean and unclean food—11
2. Childbirth—12
3. Diseases and defilement—13–15
4. The Day of Atonement—16–17
IV. A Holy Land—18–20, 23–27
1. Immorality—18
2. Idolatry—19
3. Capital offenses—20
4. Annual feasts—23
5. Blasphemy—24
6. Sabbatical Year—25
7. Blessings and cursings—26–27

According to Wiersbe, the Book of Leviticus explains five basic themes that relate to the life of holiness: a holy God; a holy priesthood; a holy people; a holy land; and a holy Savior.

1. A holy God
What is “holiness”? Contrary to what you may hear today in some sermons and popular religious songs, the emphasis in the Bible is on the holiness of God and not on the love of God. “Love is central in God,” wrote American theologian Augustus H. Strong, “but holiness is central in love.”2 God’s love is a holy love, for the Bible states that “God is light” (1 John 1:5) as well as “God is love” (4:8, 16). Love without holiness would be a monstrous thing that could destroy God’s perfect law, while holiness without love would leave no hope for the lost sinner. Both are perfectly balanced in the divine nature and works of God.

2. A holy priesthood
The Jewish priesthood belonged only to the tribe of Levi. Levi, the founder of the tribe, was the third son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:34; 35:23) and the father of Gershom, Kohath, and Merari (46:11). Since Kohath’s son Amram was the father of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam (Num. 26:58–59), Aaron, Moses, and Miriam belonged to the tribe of Levi.

3. A holy people
God’s purpose for Israel was that the nation be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:6, NKJV). Everything in the life of the Old Testament Jew was either “holy” (set apart for God’s exclusive use) or “common,” and the “common” things were either “clean” (the people could use them) or “unclean” (it was forbidden to use them). The Jews had to be careful to avoid what was unclean; otherwise, they would find themselves “cut off from the people” until they had gone through the proper ceremony to be made clean again.

4. A holy land
The people belonged to the Lord, because He had redeemed them from Egypt to be His very own; and the land belonged to the Lord, and He gave it to Israel with the stipulation that they do nothing to defile it. A holy God wants His holy people to live in a holy land.
In Leviticus 18–27, the word “land” is used sixty-eight times. In these chapters, Moses named the sins that defile the land and invite divine judgment: immorality (chap. 18); idolatry (chap. 19); capital crimes (chap. 20); blasphemy (chap. 23); and refusing to give the land its rest (chap. 25). Unfortunately, the Jewish people committed all these sins and more; and God had to chasten them by allowing Babylon to destroy Jerusalem and take the people captive (2 Chron. 36:14–21).

5. A holy Savior
To study the Bible and not see Jesus Christ is to miss the major theme of the book (Luke 24:47). The law was “a shadow of good things to come” (Heb. 10:1). Especially in the levitical sacrifices and the priestly ministry do we see the person and work of Jesus Christ vividly portrayed.
No amount of good works or religious efforts can make a sinner holy. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse us from our sins (1 John 1:7), and only the risen glorified Savior can intercede for us at the throne of God as our Advocate (2:1) and high priest (Heb. 8:1; Rom. 8:34). What the Old Testament Jews saw only in shadows, believers today see in the bright light of Jesus Christ.

The title “exodus” comes from ἔξοδος,greek – the way out. The story of Exodus is the story of God’s people being saved/rescued from the bondage of the Egyptians. In Exodus we will see God doing two huge things – 1) God saving His people. and 2) The giving of the Law. It’s important to think about the order in which God acted. First he saves then he gives his law. – Even in Exodus we see God’s grace through the keeping of the promises he made in Genesis.

Exodus is a tight sequel to Genesis. In the Hebrew Bible, the name of Exodus is “The Names” – coming from the first two words of the Book (וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמֹות) Scholars point out the strangeness of a Hebrew book starting with “and” without a verb. But in this book it seems to intentionally point to a connectedness to the story of Genesis. The first six words of 1:1 are an exact repetition of Gen 46:8. We find the Israelites in Ex 1 doing exactly what God wanted them to become – “fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous.”

We’ve already seen what Abraham’s family looks like – dysfunctional. How will this family function when they become a nation?  Will the powerful nation of Egypt and their values and their gods be able to keep YHWH’s people in slavery? – What is it like to be a nation that God chooses to lead and protect?  How should people saved from slavery by God act toward God and toward others? These are questions raised and answered by the story of Exodus. -

What other questions have you found? What answers have you discovered?

Genesis is one of the most familiar books of the Old Testament because we start to read here, because we are interested in our origins, because there is are intriguing stories.  This book has come under fire in the past 200 years, from scholars who have tried to undermine it’s authority, and scientists who find Genesis incompatible with their research. For the former group, much of their scholarship has been overturned through archeological evidence that demonstrates the existence of nations mentioned, the common struggles with infertility mentioned, the prevalence of writing in the ancient world, and a universality of the flood story across cultures.  This changes our questions about the text from “Were these historical events?” to “What is being said about those historical events, so that we can know God better?” The latter group, the scientists, who struggle with the creation narrative, and the age of the earth, and the genealogical lists need to focus on the whys of it all. Why did God create us? Why did the flood come? Why were languages confused? Why did God call a people unto himself?

For your reading, note God’s great love for humankind, but his desire for moral purity that is expressed in his judgments upon sinners.   It explains the actual events of one of the most debated subjects of our current day…the origin of life.  Genesis describes God, who is infinite and all-powerful, creating everything that exists, by the power of His spoken Word, out of nothing.  He essentially creates material matter out of non-material nothing.

See the constant reminder that God has called us into relationship with himself.