Week 32

Jeremiah 26 and Habakkuk

During the reign of Jehoiakim, the Lord sends Jeremiah to the temple in Jerusalem to preach a message of judgement towards Judah, and to plea with the leaders and the people to repent, and return to God.  The priests appeal to the king’s princes, arguing that Jeremiah should be put to death for speaking against the nation.  Jeremiah tells them to do as they please, but they will be guilty of shedding innocent blood before God if they kill him.  Ultimately, Jeremiah is not executed, but Jehoiakim does arrest and kill another prophet of God named Urijah.

The book of Habakkuk is short, and little is known about this prophet.  It is generally accepted that he was a priest, since the 3rd chapter is a prayer of Habakkuk, which is written after the likeness of a psalm of David, and with instructions to be sung with stringed instruments.  Habakkuk probably lived as a contemporary of Jeremiah, as the message of God is one of imminent judgement against Judah, which will be fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem in around 587 BC.

In chapter 1 Habakkuk is complaining to the Lord about the unchecked wickedness among the leaders and people in Judah.  God responds by telling him that He is raising up the Chaldeans (Babylon) to bring judgement upon Judah.  The prophet is dismayed, and asks why God would use an even wickeder nation to judge His people, but the Lord tells him that every proud and evil man will suffer His judgement.  This is called out in chapter 2.

In Habakkuk 2:4 we also have a foundational declaration by God, that “the just shall live by faith”, which is greatly expounded on by the New Testament apostles, including Paul and the writer of Hebrews.

Chapter 3 is a prayer of praise and trust towards God, and Habakkuk says that no matter how bad things get, the Lord will always be trustworthy and faithful.

Jeremiah 46-47 and 2 Kings 24:1-4,7 and 2 Chronicles 36:6-7 and Jeremiah 25 and 35

The Lord speaks through Jeremiah of the destruction of the Egyptian army that is led by Pharaoh Necho, which happened in 605 BC when Nebuchadnezzar defeated them at Carchemish.  He also prophesies of the destruction of the Philistines in Jeremiah 47, which was accomplished by Pharaoah Necho on his march from Egypt to Babylon, along the coasts of Judah.

In Jeremiah 25 the Lord speaks through the prophet around the same time that Nebuchadnezzar defeated Pharaoh Necho, prophesying that Nebuchadnezzar was going to eventually come up against Judah, destroy the city and many people, and take the remainder of the people as slaves back to Babylon.  Jeremiah also wrote that this Babylonian captivity would last for 70 years, and then God would judge Babylon and return His people to Jerusalem and the land of Israel.  It is this prophecy of Jeremiah that Daniel will read at the end of the 70 years of captivity (Daniel 9), and pray that the Lord bring it to pass.  In Jeremiah 25 the Lord shifts His focus in the latter half of this chapter, speaking of His plans to judge all the nations of the world that have come against His people, speaking of the time when Jesus will come to judge the earth at the end of the great tribulation.

In Jeremiah 35 the Lord commands Jeremiah to call the family of the Rechabites, and sets them up as an example of the type of behavior that He was looking for by the rest of His people in Judah.  For generations the Rechabites had obeyed the orders of their forefather Jonadab, yet the majority of people in Judah refused to obey the commands of God.  The Lord blesses the Rechabites, and again calls for Judah and the leaders to turn to Him in repentance, before He brings about their destruction.

Jeremiah 36, 45, and 48

Again, around the same time that Pharaoh Necho is defeated by Nebuchadnezzar at Carchemish, the Lord speaks another word to Jeremiah, telling him to write down all He had previously spoken to him on a scroll.  Jeremiah calls his disciples Baruch to do this, and then instructs him to go into the temple and read it aloud when there are many people there for a holy day of fast to God.  The next year such a fast occurs, and Baruch goes and reads the scroll, with many of the kings servants astonished that he would say such things.  They take the scroll to king Jehoiakim, who hears a few lines before cutting it up and throwing it into the fire.  Baruch and Jeremiah go into hiding, as the king issues an order for their arrest.

In chapter 45 the Lord speaks through Jeremiah to Baruch, telling him that God will protect his life in the future, even though he will not realize wealth or position.

In chapter 48 the Lord speaks a prophecy of judgement against the nation of Moab, who were persistent enemies of Israel, and the descendants of Moab, the son of Lot by his eldest daughter (Genesis 19).  Yet, at the end God promises to restore Moab, probably for Abraham’s sake.

Jeremiah 49:1-33 and Daniel 1-2

In Jeremiah 49:1-33 the Lord speaks against Ammon, who were the descendants of Lot’s second son, and also promises to restore them in the end.  Then He prophesies destruction on Edom (the descendants of Esau), on Syria, and also Hazor.  All of these nations will be cast down when Nebuchadnezzar invades the region and also destroys Jerusalem, and takes the survivors away as slaves to Babylon.

In Daniel 1 and 2 we are introduced to him and his 3 friends, who were all taken as captives to Babylon during the reign of Jehoiakim, which was about 8-9 years before Nebuchadnezzar goes back and completely destroys Jerusalem.  Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah, and Meshiel (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) were young men, who were probably among the royal families in Judah, who Nebuchadnezzar would have taken hostage to prompt Jehoiakim to behave himself.

Daniel and his friends are chosen to be trained and educated in Babylon, and God gives them good favor with their master, and blesses them for being faithful to Him in all that they do.

God gives king Nebuchadnezzar a dream, and none of the wise men and sorcerers in Babylon could tell him the dream, or the interpretation.  Yet God told Daniel what the dream was, and what the interpretation was, which provided a birds eye view of history.  The Babylonians would be succeeded by the Medes and Persians, who would be conquered by the Greeks (Alexander), who would then be conquered by the Romans.  A remnant of the Roman empire would eventually be completely destroyed by God, and Jesus will reign thereafter on the earth.

Nebuchadnezzar promotes Daniel to very high office in his kingdom, along with the other 3 Hebrew friends of Daniel, and Daniel will have position and influence even until the days of Cyrus, more than 70 years later.

Jeremiah 22:18-30 and 2 Kings 24:5-20 and 2 Chronicles 36:8-12 and Jeremiah 37:1-2, 52:1-3, and 24 and 29

When Jehoiakim dies, his son Jeconiah reigns for just 3 months and 10 days, until Nebuchadnezzar comes and besieges Jerusalem, takes him captive, and sets up his uncle as his vassal, and renames him as Zedekiah.  Zedekiah would hold that position in Jerusalem for 11 years, but he was an evil king, and ends up rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar.  Ultimately, Nebuchadnezzar comes back (again) and completely destroys Jerusalem and the temple, killing Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes, and then putting out his eyes and taking him back to Babylon in chains.  Only a small number of Jews will remain in Israel, with some also hiding in Egypt.

In Jeremiah 29 the prophet sends a letter to the exiles in Babylon, telling them that the Lord will bless them in their captivity.  He tells them to build houses and raise families in exile, and to actually seek the welfare and good of Babylon during the time God will have them living in Babylonian captivity.  He says “don’t listen to the false prophets among you, who say this is just a short thing”, as the Lord will only visit to restore them to Jerusalem after 70 years have passed in captivity.  Conversely, the Lord promises to utterly destroy the pretenders who did not go into captivity, and stayed back in Israel and Egypt, as well as the false prophets who lead the exiles astray.

Jeremiah 27-28, and 23

The word of the Lord speaks against all of the false prophets in the land, who claim that they declared the words of God, but who are lying to all the people.  Jeremiah sends letters to the kings of all the surrounding nations, telling them willingly submit to Nebuchadnezzar, and ignore the words of their false prophets who say that they will prevail against him.  The Lord promises to bless each of those nations that will submit to Nebuchadnezzar.

There was a false prophet in Jerusalem named Hananiah, who claimed that the Lord told him that Nebuchadnezzar’s authority and rule will be broken after 2 years, however Jeremiah confronted him with the true word of God.  The Lord told Hananiah that he had not be sent from Him, and that because of his lies he would die that same year (which he did 2 months later).

In Jeremiah 23 the Lord speaks against all of the false prophets and shepherds in Judah, but promises that in the last days He will raise up The righteous Branch, Who will be a descendant of David, and reign as king with justice and righteousness.

Jeremiah 50-51

These two chapters in Jeremiah foretell the future destruction of Babylon, which we see in scripture completely fulfilled in Revelation chapters 17-18, and which is also prophesied in two chapters in Isaiah 13-14.

Babylon is first mentioned in Genesis 10:10, which was founded on the plain of Shinar in the days of Nimrod.  With the exception of Jerusalem, there is no other city mentioned more often in the Bible than Babylon, and it is clearly presented throughout as the earthly Capitol of satan’s kingdom.

Throughout world history, the city of Babylon has been conquered and overthrown many times, however it has never been destroyed in the ways that both Jeremiah and Isaiah described, which is compared to the apocalyptic annihilation of Sodom and Gomorrah, where no one will ever live again.  The ruins of Babylon still exist about 50 miles south of Bagdad, in Iraq, and it has the residence of small desert tribes even today.

Whether the destruction of Babylon in Revelation 17-18 is literally speaking of the city in Iraq, or more specifically focused on the spiritual kingdom of satan is a matter of theological debate, however all of these prophecies combined make it clear that God is going to permanently judge it’s ruler, and it will never rise again.

Week 31

Jeremiah 4-6

It has been more than 350 years since Judah was exalted under the

leadership of king David, and they have been in steady decline ever since he

died. The Lord speaks against the pride of the false prophets and priests in

Jerusalem, who persist in leading the people astray, and calls for all to humble

themselves and return to Him. Yet, they will not do that, and the Lord tells them

that their enemies from the North will be coming to sack Jerusalem, and no one

will be able to declare their power and riches afterwards.

Jeremiah 7-9

God sent Jeremiah to the temple in Jerusalem to declare the Lord’s words

against Judah, saying that no one should think that they will escape His

judgement for their pervasive idolatries and disobedience. Just like God judged

Israel, and Shiloh, the first place in Israel where His presence dwelt, Jerusalem

and the temple will become a heap of ruins, and the people will be scattered in

the nations.

Even from the beginning, in the days of Moses, the Lord was only looking for

obedience and love from His people, and none of their sacrifices are pleasing to

Him when they refuse to obey Him.

The Lord continues to call Judah and Jerusalem to repentance, but promises

desolations to come when they refuse to hear and obey.

Jeremiah 10-13

What foolishness is demonstrated by all who form their own gods, and who

refuse to serve and obey the One God Who made everything!

In chapter 11 the Lord speaks through Jeremiah to condemn His people for

disobeying His covenant with them. In Deuteronomy 28 the Lord spoke through

Moses, telling Israel of all the blessings they would enjoy if they simply obeyed

God’s laws, and all the curses that would come upon them when they refused to

obey them. The Lord is putting His people on notice that they have persisted in

disobeying His covenant with them, and He was preparing great disasters upon

them for what they were doing.

In chapter 12 Jeremiah complains to the Lord about the treachery and

wickedness of the people, and asks how long they will be allowed to persecute

him. The Lord responds in verse 5, saying “if you have become worn out in

struggling with the footmen, how will you be able to run with horses?” In other

words, God told him that there was much worse to come, and that he needed to

prepare himself for the long run against them in Judah.

The Lord tells Jeremiah in chapter 13 to take a new wrap and travel to the

Euphrates river and bury it there, which was a one-way trip of around 500 miles.

After some time the Lord tells him to go back and dig it up, and he finds it almost

completely destroyed by the water and dirt. God uses this imagery to speak of

His plans for Judah, who will be taken away by the Babylonians (located on the

Euphrates river), and they will suffer punishment and slavery for their persistent

refusal to obey God.

Jeremiah 14-16

For the sins of the people, as well as the horrible sins fostered by the wicked

king Manasseh, the Lord tells Jeremiah He is going to first send a great famine in

the land of Judah, and then it will be followed up by an invasion of Israel’s

enemies with even greater disasters to come. He says “repent now, and you can

avoid these things.”

In chapter 16 the Lord tells Jeremiah not to take a wife, and not to have

children in Judah, as they will be killed when He brings about these disasters,

and they are going to happen in his (Jeremiah’s) lifetime.

Jeremiah 17-20

The Lord said that the hearts of men are desperately wicked - He knows what

is in the heart of every person. He also said “cursed is the man who trusts in

man”, and “blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord”. We cannot trust even

ourselves, but only Him! It’s interesting that God sends Jeremiah to the gates of

Jerusalem to preach against those who violate the Sabbath, and says that He will

bless them if they just do this one thing (honor the Sabbath by ceasing from their

labors) - yet, no one listens.

In chapter 18 the Lord uses the example of the potter to tell Judah that He is

sovereign, and that even though He has designed disasters for His people, He

will relent if they would just repent and turn back to Him.

Jeremiah tells the priests and leaders in Judah that the Lord is going to bring

great destruction and devastation upon them and Jerusalem. Many will die, and

many more will be taken as slaves to Babylon. The leaders in Judah arrest and

do violence to Jeremiah in response to the word of the Lord that he spoke, and

he bemoans the day of his birth.

2 Kings 22-23:28 and 2 Chronicles 34:8-35:19

Josiah was 8 years old when his father Amon died, and he reigned as king in

Judah for 31 years. Josiah was the most faithful and godly king in Judah since

David. He instituted a program of eliminating all of the places of idol worship in

Israel, which even included Bethel, in the (former) northern kingdom. He initiated

a temple restoration project, to clean it out, and to bring back the worship of

Jahweh in that place.

It’s an amazing thing to consider that during this temple renovation project,

the priests stumbled upon the book of the law, which had apparently been lost in

the previous 50+ years of the reigns of Manasseh and Amon. There were

apparently none who remembered God’s laws until His Word was discovered in

the temple, and when Josiah read what was written there, he was devastated.

He sought the Lord, and started a revival in Judah that would last until his death,

some 12-13 years later, and God promised that He would not bring about His

judgement on Judah until after Josiah died.

Josiah died in battle with Pharaoh Necho, and all Israel mourned him,

including Jeremiah the prophet.

Nahum and 2 Kings 23:29-37 and 2 Chronicles 35:20-36:5 and Jeremiah

22:10-17

The prophet Nahum speaks the word of the Lord against Nineveh, the capital

of Assyria, as God plans to bring them down from their position of rulership in the

middle east. During the days of king Josiah, the Lord sends Pharaoh Necho to

execute war on Assyria, which is when Josiah is killed because of

presumptuously challenging Necho to fight.

After Josiah is killed, his son Jehoahaz becomes king in Judah for 3 months,

however Pharaoh Necho takes him as captive to Egypt, where he will die. Necho

sets up the brother of Jehoahaz, Eliakim to be his vassal king in Judah, and

renames him Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim is an evil king, and will reign for 11 years in

Jerusalem.

On a side note, king Nebuchadnezzar will conquer Pharaoh Necho at the

famous battle of Carchemish in 605 BC, and he laid siege to Jerusalem about 20

years later, when the city and temple were destroyed, and the survivors taken

captive to Babylon.

Week 30

Isaiah 44-47

God challenges all false gods to step up and declare themselves before Him,

but there are none. The Lord describes the foolishness of the man who cuts

down a tree and burns one part to stay warm, another part to cook his meal, and

then forms another part into an image that he will worship. The hearts of such

people are blinded to how ridiculous this is.

About 150 years before Cyrus is king in Persia, the Lord calls him by name,

and declares that he will be anointed, and he will serve the Lord’s purpose in

releasing the Babylonian exiles, and also funding the rebuilding of Jerusalem. All

of this happened following the Persian invasion of Babylon, which is described in

Daniel 5. Babylon was considered to be unconquerable, and Belshazzar partied

in the face of the Medes and Persian armies outside the gates of the city. The

Persian general in charge of the siege managed to divert the Euphrates River,

and their army walked into Babylon under the walls of the city, and overthrew

them without a fight, just as Daniel predicted.

Tradition has it that Daniel met with Cyrus after this, and showed him the

prophecy of Isaiah from 150 years earlier, and he was so amazed that he set

about the process of releasing the Israelites in exile, and he provided all of the

money necessary for the people to return to Jerusalem, and to start rebuilding.

In Isaiah 46 we get a brief contrast between the One True God and false

gods, who can actually do nothing.

In chapter 47 the Lord foretells of the judgement He will bring upon Babylon

for the way they treated His people in exile. This was written about 100 years

before the Babylonian captivity first started, and long before Babylon was a major

world power.

Isaiah 48-51

The Lord continues in telling Judah what lies ahead, and how He tells them

the future so that they cannot deny Who He is when everything happens just as

He foretold. Israel and Judah are kept in the Lord’s hands for His own Name’s

sake, and not for their sake, as He will not go back on the things He promised to

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

In the first 7 verses of chapter 49 we have another promise of the coming of

Jesus Christ, Who it is said will bring the Lord’s salvation to the ends of the earth.

He goes on to say that Jacob will not be utterly forsaken, just like a mother

cannot normally forget her nursing child, and He will restore them from among all

the nations of the world in the latter days.

Chapter 50 is an incredible description of the humiliation that Jesus will

endure, and the faithfulness of the Lord in guiding and helping Him.

In chapter 51 the Lord declares His faithful protection over the children of

Israel, even though they have not been faithful to Him.

Isaiah 52-57

The Lord will fight for Israel. The Lord will bring Salvation to Jerusalem. At

the end of chapter 52 we see the beginning description of Jesus, the Lord’s

servant, Who is disfigured more than any other man, and will sprinkle the nations

with His blood. Chapter 53 is the most vivid of Messianic prophecies, picturing

Jesus as the suffering Messiah, Who was slain like a sheep going to slaughter,

and by Whose stripes we are saved.

54 - Even though the Lord has been angry with Israel for a while, He will

restore her as His bride, and will never keep His Mercy from her again.

55 - The ways of the Lord are infinitely higher than the ways of man, and

everything He does accomplishes His purposes.

56 - Blessed are all who love the Lord and His justice, and who seek to walk

uprightly before Him. All people in the world are welcomed by Him, when they

come to Him on His terms.

57 - Merciful men and women enter into the Lord’s peace, but the wicked

persist in their evil ways in defiance of the Lord.

Isaiah 58-62

The people in Israel were trying to find ways of appeasing God, and they

thought that fasting and self-denial were ways to please Him. Yet the Lord tells

them that He will be far more pleased with their fasts if they show mercy upon

those who need help, provide food for the hungry, and share with those who

have less. The fast of the Lord is to break oppressions.

59 - The Lord will turn a deaf ear to the prayers of the wicked, and those who

persist in harboring sin in their hearts towards other people. The Lord saw that

there was no righteousness in the earth, and He therefore put on righteousness

for men in Jesus Christ.

60 - This chapter describes the glorious reign of the Messiah in Israel, and

how the whole world will bless Him and Israel in that day. We know from

Revelation 21 that this prophecy will be fulfilled after the judgement of God upon

satan, yet in the days of Jesus everyone was looking for Him to fulfill it in their

day.

61 - In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus quotes the first verse, and half of the second verse

of this chapter, telling those in the synagogue in Nazareth that they were

witnessing the fulfillment of this prophecy. He did not quote the second half and

beyond, which tells of the Day of the Lord, when He will judge the earth, and

bring restoration to Zion.

62 - There is a future glory coming in Israel, when all things will be restored.

God says in verses 6-7 that He has placed His watchmen to pray day and night,

who will not be silent before Him until all He has planned is accomplished.

Isaiah 63-66

63 - However, before all is restored, Jesus alone will execute the judgement

of God upon the earth, against satan and all who hate Him.

64 - This chapter is a prayer of Isaiah for God to rise up and show Himself

powerful against the enemies of God, just like He did in the days of Moses, and

He will answer this prayer in due time.

65 - The Lord will judge all who persist in rebelling against Him, and then He

will change everything. He will create a new heaven and earth, and all of the

things that happened before will be forgotten, and the world will live in peace and

be blessed of God.

66 - Contrary to what some people teach, God will judge the wicked, and they

will not only be killed in God’s wrath, but they will live forever under His

judgement, who all the righteous will see and be repulsed by - last verse.

2 King 21:19-26 and 2 Chronicles 33:21-34:7 and Zephaniah

Amon, the son of Manasseh, reigns for two years in Judah, his father’s place,

but he is wicked, and was murdered by his own servants. Amon’s son Josiah

becomes king in Judah at the age of 8 years old, and reigns for 31 years. Josiah

will be a godly king in Judah.

During the reign of Josiah, both Zephaniah and Jeremiah were prophets of

the Lord. Zephaniah foretells the devastation of the land, which will occur when

Nebuchadnezzar comes and destroys Jerusalem and the temple, and takes

away the people as slaves to Babylon. However, there is a shift in focus in

Zephaniah’s prophecy, where he is telling of the future Day of The Lord, when

Jesus will come and fight against the enemies of God in the last days, and then

restore peace and prosperity in Israel.

Jeremiah 1-3

Jeremiah was a priest of God, from the Levitical family of Kohath, and He was

called by God as a young man to be a prophet to Judah in the 13 th year of

Josiah’s reign. He remained a prophet in for a long time, seeing the remainder of

the kings in Judah (Josiah’s sons) until Nebuchadnezzar sacked Jerusalem, and

the people were taken as slaves into Babylon for 70 years (which Jeremiah

predicted by the Word of the Lord). He served as prophet of God in the declining

days of Judah, and he has been appropriately called the weeping prophet

because no one ever responded to his warnings with repentance towards God

during his entire ministry.

The book of Jeremiah is not sequential or linear in time. The chapters and

passages jump around between different times of the kings of Judah.

Through the prophet, the Lord laments the treacheries of Israel and Judah,

who have persisted in running after false gods, just like a shameless harlot who

runs after her many lovers. The Lord calls for Judah to repent and return to Him,

and expresses amazement at her hard heart, which had not changed even after

Israel was taken into captivity by the Assyrians for all of their sins against Him.

Throughout the prophecies of Jeremiah, we will see many times where the

focus of time is shifted from the present day (he started prophesying around 640

BC) to the future. We see this clearly in chapter 3, verses 14-18, when the Lord

will restore Israel in the last days, and He will be their God.

Week 29

Isaiah 31-35

31 - The Lord warns Israel against seeking an alliance with Egypt, as the

Assyrians were preparing to attack Jerusalem. God promises to fight for Judah,

which we will see in 2 Kings 19 and when we get to Isaiah 37.

32 - The scene in this chapter jumps forward to the last days, when Jesus will

reign with righteousness in the land.

33 - The Assyrians are warned against seeking to destroy Jerusalem, and in

the future they will see the Great King, and there will be peace and prosperity in

the city of God that satan sought to humble.

34 - The Day of the Lord’s wrath is described, when He will rain down

judgement upon the nations who hate Him.

35 - Following the Lord’s judgement everything will be changed. The land will

blossom and bring forth fruit, the lame and the blind will be healed, and the

ransomed of the Lord will return to Zion with singing and joy.

2 King 18:1-8 and 2 Chronicles 29-31

When the wicked king Ahaz died, his son Hezekiah reigned as king in Judah

in his place. Hezekiah was a godly king, and he reversed most of the damage

that his father had done in Judah, and to the temple. The temple was cleaned

out, the furnishings and utensils restored, and it was re-dedicated to the service

of the Lord. There was a revival in the land, and Hezekiah sent messengers

north to the remnant in Israel who had not been taken captive by the Assyrians,

and invited them to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Lord’s Passover.

Some responded to that invitation, while others laughed at Hezekiah’s

messengers. The people not only celebrated the Passover as required in the law

for 7 days, but they decided to continue that celebration an additional week

before everyone went home.

2 King 17, 18:9-37 and 2 Chronicles 32:1-19 and Isaiah 36

In the 6 th year of Hezekiah’s reign in Judah the Assyrians invaded the northern

kingdom of Israel, and took most of the people away as captives to be resettled

in foreign lands. This occurred a little more than 700 years before Jesus was

born, and a little more than 100 years before the Babylonians took Judah into

captivity.

About 8 years later the Assyrians come back to the land to attack Judah and

Jerusalem, and the king of Assyria’s general stood outside the walls of the city

profaning Hezekiah and the Lord. The Rabshakeh even spoke to the people in

Hebrew, and tried to convince them to forsake Hezekiah and the Lord, since he

had already proven victorious in every nation he had previously attacked.

2 King 19 and 2 Chronicles 32:20-23 and Isaiah 37

King Hezekiah is faithful in seeking the Lord’s deliverance from the menace of

the Assyrians, and Isaiah the prophet tells him what the Lord is going to do. The

Rabshakeh was distracted and went away, but sent a letter warning Hezekiah to

expect their return. However, as the Lord promised through Isaiah, He sent an

angel among the Assyrian army and killed 185,000, so that the king returned to

Nineveh in shame, and was then murdered in his own city.

2 King 20 and 2 Chronicles 32:24-33 and Isaiah 38-39

Following this rescue from the Assyrians, Hezekiah become ill in the 14 th year

of his reign, when he was around 39 years old. God first tells him to get his

house in order, and prepare to die, however after Hezekiah prays to the Lord for

mercy, Isaiah tells him that he will be given another 15 years. Unfortunately, like

some good kings in the past, we’re told that pride wells up in the heart of

Hezekiah, and he does not properly appreciate what God did for him.

Following his being healed, the king of Babylon sends envoys to visit

Hezekiah, and he proudly shows them all the wealth and treasures of his

kingdom. Isaiah later confronts him about this lack of discretion, and tells the

king that in the future Babylon will come back to take all of what he showed them,

as well as his own sons to be servants in that country. Hezekiah is relieved that

such a thing will not happen in his lifetime.

After the predicted time of 15 years has passed, Hezekiah dies, and his 12

years old son Manasseh reigns in his place. Manasseh will reign for 55 years,

and prove to be one of the most wicked kings in the history of Judah. Manasseh

would have never been born if Hezekiah had accepted the word of the Lord

regarding his death. Hezekiah was a great and godly king in the beginning, but

he did not finish well!

2 King 21:1-18 and 2 Chronicles 33:1-20 and Isaiah 40

Manasseh proves the expanse of his wickedness, and he leads Judah in

more idolatry and evil than even the nations around them, and he fills Jerusalem

with the blood of God’s people. He sets up false idols for people to worship, and

even sets up an alter in the Lord’s temple.

Yet, interestingly, near the end of his life the Lord allows the Assyrians to take

him captive, and he humbles himself before God and repents, so that he is

restored to his place in Jerusalem, and he directs the people to serve Yahweh.

Manasseh led a wicked and sinful life, and caused much grief in Judah, yet in a

sense he finished far better than he started.

Isaiah 40 recounts the greatness of the Lord, and how even the most powerful

of nations are as nothing to Him. He describes the foolishness of people who

make false gods by their own hand, and who bow down to idols that cannot hear

or answer. Yet all that the Lord has made endures without fail, and His

righteousness lasts forever!

Isaiah 41-43

In Isaiah 41 the Lord foretells of things to come in Judah, and speaks of a king

that He has called, but who He does not name. Many Christian scholars believe

that God is referring to Cyrus, whom He will name in Isaiah 44 and 45, who will

rule among the Medes and Persians after the Babylonians are conquered.

In 42 the Lord is talking about another King to Come, Who will be Jesus

Christ, with several things written here that were prophetic of, and fulfilled in Him.

In chapter 43 the Lord predicts the future time when He will bring together His

people from out of all the nations of the world, which was at least partially fulfilled

following WWII, when Israel became a recognized nation in May of 1948. God

will never go back on His promises to Abraham, and will always maintain a

remnant in Israel, even though satan will not stop in trying to wipe them out.

Week 28

Micah

Micah was a prophet of God who came from a small town in Judah, who

spoke the words of God to both kingdoms of Israel and Judah during the times of

Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.

The Lord speaks against both Israel and Judah for their unfaithfulness to Him,

and for the wicked prophets who speak to the people things that He has not said.

Israel and Judah will both be overthrown by their enemies, and the peoples taken

away as slaves. The fulfillment of these things will happen at different times, with

Israel being conquered by the Assyrians (around 700 BC) about 100 years

before Judah is likewise conquered by the Babylonians.

In chapters 4-5 Micah prophesies about the last days, when Jerusalem will be

the city of God, Jesus will reign as king, and the children of Israel in those days

will be restored to the land. He also prophesies in chapter 5 the birth place of

Jesus, in Bethlehem.

The Lord makes clear what He expects from His people, which has nothing to

do with sacrifice or religious duty…

Michah 6:8 NKJV - He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the

LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with

your God?

In the end, the Lord will faithfully restore and bless a remnant of His people.

He will forgive and restore the descendants of Abraham, and He will lead them.

2 King 16 and 2 Chronicles 28 and Isaiah 7-8

Ahaz, the son of king Jotham, became king in Judah and reigned for 16 years.

He was exceedingly evil, and did many things to anger the Lord. He sacrificed

his own children to false gods, he plundered and shut up the temple in

Jerusalem, he built an alternate place of sacrifice and worship to idols in

Jerusalem, and he aligned himself with the king of Assyria.

The Lord sends the prophet Isaiah to confront Ahaz, and tells him that He will

protect Judah against the upcoming onslaught of Syria and Israel, although the

king doesn’t want to hear what God is saying, and even refuses to ask for a sign

from God to confirm His Word. In Isaiah 7:14 God gives Ahaz the sign,

promising to bring forth a Son, born of a virgin, Who will be called Immanuel.

Isaiah 9-12

9 - In the first part of this chapter God promises to bring the nations who walk

in darkness into the light, and then tells of the child that will be born, Whose

government will be without end, and Who will establish His throne on David’s

throne in Jerusalem, and bring peace forever. The remainder of this chapter

predicts the judgements that God will bring against Israel.

10 - God declares judgement upon the Assyrian, who greatly exceeded the

Lord’s intended discipline on Israel. A remnant of Israel will survive the Assyrian,

and return to the land, and God will destroy those who abused Israel. This is a

dual prophecy concerning Israel - both following the days of Isaiah, as well as in

the last days, when one who is called “the Assyrian” will seek to destroy the Jews

entirely.

11-12 - At the end of the age the Lord will gather His people together in the

land of Israel, and everything will be changed. Even the wolf and the lamb will be

at peace together, and children will safely play with serpents who were formerly

deadly. All the nations will look to Jesus as king in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 13-16

In Isaiah 13-14 the Lord predicts the judgement and destruction of Babylon,

which is also seen in Jeremiah 50-51, and Revelation 17-18. Throughout human

history Babylon has been conquered many times, but never completely

destroyed, as described here in Isaiah. It’s hard to distinguish between spiritual

and physical Babylon, but it will clearly be a factor in the final judgement of God

against satan and his anti-christ.

In Isaiah 14:12-17 satan is called the king of Babylon, and we get a glimpse of

his fall in heaven, when pride rose up in his heart, and he declared that he would

be like The Most High God. A parallel view of this brief picture of Lucifer can also

be seen in Ezekiel 28:12-18.

God declares His judgement upon Moab in chapters 15-16, who were historic

enemies of Israel, who occupied a large portion of the desert regions to the east

of the Dead Sea, and who were descended from the eldest son of Lot, by his

eldest daughter (Genesis 19).

Isaiah 17-22

17-20 - The Lord speaks woe and judgement upon Israel, and upon

surrounding nations that Israel has attempted to align themselves with in the face

of threats from Assyria. Damascus (Syria), Ethiopia and beyond, and Egypt.

Yet, in the last days the Lord will save Egypt and Assyria and Israel, who will join

together in serving God - which seems impossible today, given the deep hatred

that exists between these nations.

21 - A prophecy against Babylon and Persia, and against the descendants of

Ishmael, who make up many of the Arab nations today.

22 - A prophecy against Jerusalem, who will be (unsuccessfully) attacked by

the Assyrians. Two of king Hezekiah’s officers are spoken of in this prophecy -

Eliakim and Shebna. Eliakim is God’s choice, and Shebna is rejected, however

this prophecy quickly transitions into a future vision of Jesus and the anti-christ,

typified by these two men. In the Lord’s letter to the Philippian church in

Revelation 3:7, Jesus refers to Himself as having the key of David, Who opens

and no one shuts, and Who shuts, and no one opens, quoting from Isaiah 22:22.

Isaiah 23-27

Isaiah takes up a lament against the city of Tyre, which was a very wealthy

Phoenician coastal city north of Israel. The city was divided between an island

about 1/2 mile off the coast, and also on the coast. Ezekiel 26 gives an even

more detailed prophecy about the destruction of Tyre. Nebuchadnezzar

destroyed much of the coastal portion of Tyre around 580 BC, but most of the

inhabitants moved to the island, which was considered impregnable. Alexander

the Great fulfilled the prophetic details in Ezekiel 26:12, using the stones of the

old coastal city to build a causeway out to the island, and eventually destroy it

completely.

In chapters 24-27 Isaiah prophesies about the world in great tribulation, and of

the Lord coming to judge satan (Leviathan, that great serpent) and all of his

followers who hate God. Death will be abolished, and all nations will come to

worship the Lord in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 28-30

The focus of Isaiah is returned to the present time, and he takes up a lament

against both Israel and Judah, Samaria and Jerusalem, whose people had

forsaken the Lord. God will bring their enemies upon each of them in due time,

and they will experience the Lord’s discipline for a time. However, in the end, the

Lord will keep and save a remnant, and all His people will have a song of

rejoicing when He judges His enemies in the earth.

Week 27

2 Kings 14 and 2 Chronicles 25 and Jonah

In Judah, Amaziah, the son of Joash became king for 29 years, and he was

largely a good and godly king, although his pride caused great problems in Judah

when he needlessly went to battle with Jehoash in Israel. Jehoash defeated

Amaziah, sacked Jerusalem, and took away much plunder.

In Israel, Jeroboam, the son of Jehoash became king, and reigned for 41

years. He was bad, but not as bad as some who had reigned before him.

Jonah was a prophet of God in the days of Jeroboam, son of Jehoash. God

sent him to preach to the Assyrians in their capital of Ninevah. He didn’t want to

go to Ninevah, but God overcame his objections by taking him into a large fish for

3 days, and Jonah finally submitted to God’s will. He preached God’s judgement

to the Assyrians, and they turned and repented before God, and He decided not

to destroy them at that time. This greatly angered Jonah, who wanted them to be

destroyed, yet God is ever ready to extend mercy upon all who humble

themselves before Him.

Hosea 1-7

Hosea prophesied in Israel for a long time, spanning from Uzziah to Hezekiah,

who were kings in Judah, and also prophesying to the northern kingdom of Israel

during the days of Jeroboam II, spanning a ministry time of almost 70 years. His

name means “salvation”, and in the Hebrew it is the same as Joshua, as well as

the Hebrew form of Jesus. Hosea prophesied to Israel in the north, while his

contemporary Isaiah prophesied to Judah.

God tells Hosea to take a wife who is a harlot, and she bears three children

who God names, indicating that each of their names are prophetic of his

workings with Israel. Hosea’s wife (Gomer) represents Israel as the wife of God,

who is repeatedly unfaithful, and she even sells herself back into prostitution after

marrying Hosea, but he goes and buys her back, for her to be his wife alone.

The Lord promises to bring a very long judgement upon Israel, which will last (for

some) until the very last days, when they finally repent and return to the Lord

forever, and accept Jesus as Israel’s Messiah.

Hosea 8-14

The northern kingdom of Israel is referred to as Ephraim, and they will be

taken as slaves by the Assyrians. Even though Judah will later go into captivity

in Babylon, God will bring them back to Israel after 70 years, however the return

of Jews to Israel for many of Israel’s descendants will not occur until Israel is

made a country again in May of 1948. In the last days the Lord will hear the cry

of Israel, and will heal and restore them to Himself in Christ.

2 Kings 15:1-7 and 2 Chronicles 26 and Amos 1-4

Uzziah became king in Judah at the age of 16, and reigned for 52 years,

during which time there was great prosperity and honor in Judah among all the

nations around them. Uzziah was largely a very good king, however, in his later

years he allowed pride to creep into his heart as a consequence of all of his

accomplishments and conquests. He took it upon himself to try and burn incense

before God in the temple, and the Lord struck him with leprosy, so that he was

forced to be quarantined for the remainder of his life, and his son acted in his

place as judge in the land until he died.

Amos was a sheepherder and orchard laborer in Tekoa when God called him

to prophesy in Israel and Judah. He spoke the word of the Lord during the days

of Uzziah (in Judah) and Jeroboam II (in Israel). He declared the justice of God,

Who had dealt faithfully in bringing judgement upon the surrounding nations of

Syria, Gath (Philistines), Edom, and Ammon, and then upon Israel and Judah.

God pointed out through Amos that if He dealt justice to the ungodly pagans

around them, how much more would He punish His own people of Israel and

Judah when they willfully transgressed His commands!

Amos 5-9 and 2 Kings 15:8-18

God calls out to Israel - turn to Me, and do righteous deeds. Do not hurt My

ears with your singing and partying, nor with sacrifices, when your hearts are not

faithful towards Me. The Lord showed Amos multiple ways in which He might

judge Israel, but Amos kept interceding for them. Ultimately, God declared that

Israel would be taken into captivity by the Assyrians, and only a remnant would

survive. Yet, the Lord also promised that in the last Days He would restore the

fortunes of Israel, so that the remnant that survives to the end will enjoy great

prosperity and peace in the land.

Amos prophesied destruction upon Jeroboam and his household, and this

was fulfilled after the 39 th year of Uzziah’s reign, where there was a succession of

wicked kings in Israel, and the throne was handed over to men who were not

descendants of Jeroboam, yet were also wicked.

In Judah, Jotham, the son of Uzziah became king, and he reigned for 16

years, and was a good and godly king.

Isaiah 1-4

Isaiah was a contemporary of Amos, and Jewish tradition has it that he

prophesied in Judah for more than 80 years, through the reigns of 4 major kings.

This book is the longest of the prophetic books, and is the most quoted OT book

in the New Testament, except for the Psalms.

God speaks through the prophet, saying that He is weary of sacrifices and

religious festivals from people who persist in doing evil, and who refuse to pursue

justice.

He then prophesies concerning the last days, when there will be great

judgement and affliction upon those who remain in Israel, but the Lord will

establish His King, and His Kingdom, where all will be restored.

2 Kings 15:19-38 and 2 Chronicles 27 and Isaiah 5-6

There is an ongoing sting of wicked kings in the northern kingdom of Israel. In

Judah, king Uzziah dies after reigning for 52 years, and his son Jotham is a good

king for 16 years, and then his son Ahaz becomes king.

Through Isaiah, God describes Judah and Jerusalem as His favored vineyard,

which He cultivated and protected, yet year over year He failed to find good fruit

from the vineyard. God calls out the leaders in Judah as unfaithful vinedressers,

who He will bring judgement upon, and He will allow His vineyard to be overrun

by foreigners. This allegory is repeated by Jesus in Matthew 21:33-41, where He

speaks prophetically of the judgement that will come upon Jerusalem just 40

years hence.

In Isaiah 6, the prophet is given a vision of the Lord’s throne room following

the death of king Uzziah, which is also seen in the vision of the apostle John in

Revelation 4-5. The word of the Lord comes to Isaiah, predicting that His people

in Israel will have ears to hear and eyes to see, but they will not listen and they

will not perceive what they see and hear. This prophecy is quoted by Jesus in

Matthew 13:13-15, and it is because of this deafness and blindness to God that

Israel rejected Jesus, and God’s grace and salvation was made freely available

to the rest of the world, as Paul explains in Romans 9-11. However, God tells

Isaiah (6:11-13) that this deafness and blindness will come to an end in the last

days, after much devastation has reduced Israel to only a remnant, and they will

be restored. This speaks of the end of the great tribulation, when a remnant in

Israel will finally turn to God in repentance, and call upon Jesus to save them.

Week 26

1 Kings 22:41-53 and 2 Kings 1 and 2 Chronicles 19:1-21:3

After Ahab died, his son Ahaziah became king for 2 years, but he was wicked

also. He was injured in an accident at home, and sought to inquire of the false

god baal-zebub (lord of the flies), but God sent Elijah to reprimand Ahaziah, and

confirm his imminent death. Ahaziah had no sons, so his brother Jerhoram

became king in Israel.

King Jehoshaphat in Judah was faithful to the Lord throughout his reign of 25

years, except that the Lord rebuked him for helping the wicked kings of Israel

(Ahab and his son). He instituted righteous laws and judges in the land, and

taught the people to follow the Lord.

When the enemies of Judah came to make war against Jehoshaphat, his

immediate response was to go to the Lord in prayer, which was a very powerful

and effective prayer (2 Chronicles 20:6-13). The Lord responded by telling

Jehoshaphat what He was going to do, and what the king and the people should

do. The battle was fought and won by the Lord alone, and the people of Judah

were 3 days in gathering the massive plunder.

The rest of Jehoshaphat’s reign was peaceful and prosperous, and his son

Jehoram became king in his place when he died.

2 Kings 2-4

The time of Elijah’s prophetic ministry came to an end, and all the prophets

knew that God was going to take him away on a particular day. His servant

Elisha stuck to him like glue, and requested a double portion of Elijah’s spirit

upon his departure. The mantle of Elijah fell to Elisha as he was being taken into

heaven. God spoke through Elisha in mighty ways, and throughout his prophetic

ministry there were twice the recorded miracles that Elijah had done.

Israel and Judah go to war against the Edomites, and God miraculously

provides water for their armies at the word of Elisha, and they realize a great

victory over Edom.

A woman of Shunem kind of adopts Elisha, and provides a place for him to

stay when he passes through their town. At the word of Elisha, she has a son in

her old age, and then later raises the boy from the dead. At the end of 2 Kings 4

Elisha feeds a large number of people with only a small number of barley loaves,

prefiguring at least one of Christ’s miracles.

2 Kings 5-7

The Syrian general Naaman was afflicted with leprosy, and he went to Elisha

in Samaria to be healed. Elisha didn’t even meet with Naaman, but sent his

servant out to tell him to wash 7 times in the Jordan River to be cleansed.

Naaman was seriously offended, but his servants convinced him to obey, and he

was healed of his leprosy. Elisha refused to take anything in payment, but his

servant Gehazi fell prey to greed, and went after Naaman to get some new

clothes and a little bit of silver. For his transgression, the leprosy of Naaman fell

upon him - what a tragic story of the futility of wealth!

The king of Syria sought to attack Israel, but God spoke multiple times

through Elisha to warn the king of Israel. The Syrians sent an army to take and

kill Elisha, but that didn’t work out as they had planned. They then laid siege

against Israel, and there was no food left for people to eat, but Elisha prophesied

of God’s victory over the Syrians, which came about as he said. In spite of king

Jehoram’s wickedness, God remained faithful to Israel, and continually helped in

providing and protecting them.

2 Kings 8-9 and 2 Chronicles 21:4-22:9

In Israel Joram (or Jehoram), the son of Ahab was king, and when

Jehoshaphat (king of Judah) died, his son Jehoram reigned in his place for 8

years. Then Ahaziah, the son of Jerhoram became king in Judah, however both

he and his father were wicked kings in Judah, who were related to king Ahab by

marriage.

In Israel, Jehu is anointed to be king by the prophet of God, and he executes

the descendants of Ahab, and Jezebel is likewise killed in fulfillment of God’s

promises regarding them. Jehu also killed Ahaziah, who had been king of Judah

for one year following his father’s (Jehoram) death.

2 Kings 10-11 and 2 Chronicles 22:10-23:21

Jehu purged from Israel all of the descendants of Ahab, and also wiped out

the worshippers of baal in the land, so God told him that his descendants would

reign in Israel to the fourth generation. Yet, in spite of these things, Jehu

followed after false gods and did not lead Israel in returning to God.

In Judah, when it was realized that Ahaziah was dead, his mother tried to kill

all of the royal descendants, but the infant Joash was protected, and raised by

the priests in the temple for 6 years. She acted as queen during those 6 years,

but when Joash was seven years old the chief priest took steps to make him

king, and his grandmother Athaliah was executed for her treason. Joash became

king in Judah at the age of 7 years old, and he reigned for 40 years.

Joel

We don’t know anything about the prophet Joel, other than the name of his

father. It is generally believed that he prophesied in the same times as Elisha,

but in Judah, whereas Elisha prophesied in the northern kingdom of Israel.

There is much in this book that speaks of a future judgement of God upon the

enemies of Israel and Judah, and the great and terrible Day of The Lord echoes

much greater judgement than just in the days of Joel. There are aspects of this

prophecy that can only refer to the Lord’s second coming, when He comes to

judge the earth and establish His kingdom.

Peter quoted from Joel 2:28 on the day of Pentecost, where God had

promised to pour out His Spirit on all mankind.

2 Kings 12-13 and 2 Chronicles 24

Joash had become king in Judah at the age of 7 years old, who had been

hidden in the temple by the high priest Jehoiada, and he reigned for 40 years.

Throughout all the years that Jehoiada lived as high priest, Joash was a good

king. However, when Jehoiada died (130 years old), Joash started to follow the

council of wicked advisors, and he not only turned away from the Lord, but had

the son of Jehoiada killed when he prophesied the word of God. God brought

the Arameans against Judah and humbled and looted them, and the servants of

Joash conspired to kill him. He started well, but finished poorly.

In northern Israel, the continuous reign of evil kings marched forward, with

Jehoahaz succeeding Jehu, and then Jehoash succeeding him. Yet, Jehoahaz

did seek the Lord’s help in the face of the Arameans, and his son enjoyed some

victories over them in his days, just as Elisha had foretold in the days before he died.

Week 25

1 Kings 12 and 2 Chronicles 10:1-11:17

With the death of king Solomon, his son Rehoboam becomes the default

successor to the throne in Israel, however he seems to have not learned or

inherited any of his father’s wisdom. He does nothing to appease the people’s

requests for relief, and the norther tribes in Israel make Jeroboam their king.

From this point forward Israel is divided into two kingdoms, with all of the tribes

except Judah, Benjamin, and the levitical priests following Jeroboam, just as God

had promised (1 Kings 11:29-39).

In 2 Chronicles 11:16-17 we are also told that there were some from the 10

northern tribes who also moved south into Judah, who were faithful to Yahweh,

and they supported Rehoboam as their king. So, even though the northern tribes

would eventually be taken into captivity by the Assyrians, and never return to

Israel, there was a remnant of northern tribes that were preserved with Judah

and Benjamin. There is no truth to the myth that 10 tribes were completely lost to

history.

1 Kings 13-14 and 2 Chronicles 11:18-12:16

Jeroboam reigns 22 years in Israel, and is an evil king who led his people in

idol worship, and in forsaking God. God determines that Jeroboam’s

descendants will not remain as kings in Israel, and the prophet tells Jeroboam’s

wife all that will happen.

Rehoboam reigns for 17 years in Judah, and his heart is evil, and God allows

the Egyptians to ransack Jerusalem and the temple, but they do not overthrow

the city, or the southern kingdom of Judah.

In 1 Kings 13 a prophet is sent to Jeroboam, who prophesies regarding the

idolatrous alter in Bethel. That prophet ended up dying needlessly because he

failed to follow the instructions God gave him, and he ended up believing a lying

prophet, who said “an angel told me”. We should remember the warning of Paul

to the Galatians…

Galatians 1:8-9 NKJV - But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other

gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we

have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you

than what you have received, let him be accursed.

1 Kings 15:1-24 and 2 Chronicles 13-16

After Rehoboam died, his son Abijah reigned in Judah for 3 years, and under

his leadership Judah won a great victory over the army of Jeroboam because

they called upon the Lord to save them. Unfortunately, Abijah was wicked and

ungodly like his father, and he died, so that his son Asa reigned in his place.

Asa was a man who followed God, and who led Judah for 41 years in a

mostly godly way. When the Ethiopian army of 1 million came against Judah,

who fielded an army of 580,000, king Asa called upon the Lord to save them, and

they won a great victory, and to huge amounts of spoil. There was a national

revival in Judah, with all peoples turning to God, and destroying the places and

idols used for worshipping false gods. The Lord gave Judah and Asa peace until

the 36 th year of his reign.

In the 36 th year of Asa’s reign Baasha, king of Israel in the north, came against

Judah to lay siege against Jerusalem. However, rather than call upon God for

help, Asa hired the army of Syria (to the north of Israel) to come and fight against

Baasha. God was displeased with Asa, and his prophet Hanani told the king this,

but Asa got mad and put the prophet in prison. In the last few years of Asa’s life,

he was afflicted with disease in his feet, but he only sought the help of

physicians, and not the Lord. The words of God to Asa are important for us to

remember…

2 Chronicles 16:9 NKJV - For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the

whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to

Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.

In the case of king Asa, he was faithful to God for most of his life, but then he

drifted away, and did not finish well.

1 Kings 15:25-17:24 and 2 Chronicles 17

In the northern kingdom Nadab reigned as king for 2 years in the place of his

father Jeroboam, but Baasha conspired against him, and took the throne to be

king in Israel for 24 years. Baasha was just as evil as Jeroboam, and God spoke

through the prophet Jehu, saying that his sons would likewise die like those he

killed of Jeroboam’s descendants. The son of Baasha (Elah) reigned for 2 years

in Israel after his father died, but one of his army’s commanders (Zimri) killed

him, however the people in Israel chose Omri to be their king (because Zimri

murdered the king). Omri was likewise evil, and reigned for 12 years. Ahab, the

son of Omri became king, and reigned with his wife Jezebel for 22 years in Israel,

and proved to be more wicked than all the kings in Israel before him, including

Jeroboam.

It was in the days of king Ahab that the prophet Elijah spoke the words of God

to the king, and he prayed that it wouldn’t rain in Israel for 3 years, and it didn’t

rain. Elijah was protected by God during the next 3 years of drought, and he

ended up living with widow in Zarephath, which was a city in the country of

Sidon, to the north of Israel. Through Elijah, God multiples the widow’s store of

oil and flour during the years of the drought, and he raises her son from the dead.

In Judah, Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa became king, and he was a godly

leader like David. There was a revival in the land for God, and the king even

sent priests throughout the land to teach the people about God’s laws.

1 Kings 18-19

These two chapters represent a significant contrast in the heart of the prophet

Elijah. In the first he boldly challenges king Ahab, all the false prophets of baal,

and the people in Israel, demonstrating Who is God with fire from heaven. In the

next chapter Jezebel threatens to kill Elijah, and he is terrified, and flees for his

life. He runs 100 miles to the southern extreme of Israel, and the angel of the

Lord provides him with food and drink, and then he goes deep into the Arabian

desert, to the mountain of God at Horeb, where God spoke to Moses.

Elijah is complaining and whining to God about how much he has served Him,

and how he is the only prophet of God who is left in the land. Yet, twice the Lord

asks him “what are you doing here?”. God simply tells Elijah that there are 7,000

others in Israel who are faithful to Him, and then gives him instructions to go back

and finish the work He had for him to do.

God was gracious and merciful to Elijah and his self-pity, but He essentially

said “get over yourself, and go back to work for Me.”

1 Kings 20-21

20 - In spite of wicked Ahab, the Lord brings about multiple victories over Ben-

Hadad, and the Syrian armies who attempted to sack and enslave Israel. Yet, in

his pride Ahab lets Ben-Hadad go free, and makes a peace treaty with Syria, so

God declares a future judgement upon Ahab.

21 - Ahab and Jezebel conspire to murder Naboth, to steal his small plot of

land that the king wanted, demonstrating again how completely twisted and

wicked they both were. God sends the prophet to Ahab, telling him how He and

Jezebel will die, and how his heritage will be completely wiped out. Yet, when

Ahab humbles himself before God, the Lord shows him some mercy.

1 Kings 22:1-40 and 2 Chronicles 18

This is the story of the death of wicked king Ahab, who enlisted Jehoshaphat

(king of Judah) to join him against the Syrians in battle. Jehoshaphat was a

godly man, and he asked that they inquire of the Lord regarding this plan. All the

false prophets in Israel encouraged Ahab to go, but the one prophet of God said

that Ahab would die in the battle, and that it was from an evil and lying spirit that

Ahab’s prophets spoke. All that the Lord’s prophet came to pass, and Ahab died,

thus ending the reign of one of the most wicked kings in the history of Israel.

Week 24

Proverbs 25-27

25 - There is no true glory in seeking out ones own honor. It is a foolish thing

to try and promote yourself, and everyone will laugh when you are publicly

demoted. Help even your enemies, and the Lord will reward you

26 - Do not argue with a foolish person, as others may be unable to see any

difference between you. There is more hope for a foolish man than someone

who is wise in his own eyes. It’s a foolish thing to meddle in the affairs of others,

when you have no stake in the problem or solution

27 - It is foolish to boast about what hasn’t yet been accomplished. Let others

sing your praises, and not yourself. The hearts of men reflect their true

character.

Proverbs 28-29

28 - There are many with great wealth who mistakenly believe they are wise,

but even the poorest with understanding can see what is going on. The wealthy

who became rich through oppression and theft will ultimately suffer

29 - When a wicked man rules, the people groan. When a man in power

takes bribes, he serves to overthrow the kingdom. A foolish man either makes

jokes or responds in rage when confronted. When the ruler believes lies, then

his ministers all become wicked

Proverbs 30-31 and Psalm 127

30 - The words of Agur. We know nothing of this man, or his ancestry, so we

can only know him through his words. Agur does not think very much of his own

wisdom and understanding, yet there is much to be gleaned from this chapter

that he wrote. Verse 4 is prophetic if Jesus in several ways, including the

declaration that God has a Son!

31 - This chapter is attributed to King Lemuel, which relate the things he

learned from his wise mother. We don’t know who this man is, as scholars

suggest he is Hezekiah or Solomon, and others think he was a king in Babylon

during the Chaldean captivity. He is first instructed by her in wise leadership,

and is cautioned against indiscretion and foolish indulgence, which every wise

king needs to know and practice. She then praises the characteristics of a wise

wife, and how her value far exceeds riches and wealth.

Psalm 127 - Children are a blessing from the Lord! Unless the Lord does a

thing, men labor in vain…

Psalm 127:1 NKJV - Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who

build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.

Song of Solomon

Solomon wrote 1005 songs, and this small book is presented as the finest of

them all. There are many different opinions regarding this book, where some

consider it unworthy of being considered divine scripture because of its mature

content. There are many more who accept it as inspired by the Holy Spirit, and

entirely allegorical of Christ and His bride. This latter position seems to be most

acceptable, since it is hard to understand the place of a simple oriental love song

in the canon of the scriptures.

We can gain insight into the heart of Jesus for His bride as we read this song.

Our perspective of the church, and even our own place in it can seem far

different than how He sees us, just like the Shulammite girl who saw herself as

sunburnt and ugly from labor in the vineyards.

1 Kings 11:1-40 and Ecclesiastes 1-2

The Lord blessed Solomon with more wisdom and honor and wealth than

anyone before him, and he indulged himself in every way he could imagine. He

pursued sensual pleasures, intellectual investigations, massive public works

projects, and the endless gathering of knowledge. In all these things he excelled

more than any man in history, yet his assessment of them all was disappointment

and frustration. There was no fulfillment in any of his endeavors, and in the end

his heart was compromised before God.

Solomon had 300 wives and another 700 concubines, with many of them

coming from alliances formed with foreign kings. His heart became divided, and

he started worshipping the false idols of his foreign wives. God became

displeased with Solomon, and He sent a message to him about the judgement

that would come in the days of his son (Rehoboam). God determined to divide

Israel in the days of Solomon’s son, with 10 of the tribes going to Jeroboam.

God did not bring this about in the days of Solomon, for the sake of his father

David, but He allowed several enemies of Israel to cause Solomon problems

throughout the remainder of his reign.

Ecclesiastes 3-7

The observations of Solomon are often profound, and at other times sad. He

rightly said that there is a time for everything under heaven, which incorporates

the whole spectrum of human experience, both good and bad. He also pointed

out that God created all people to be virtuous, but each one has turned to follow

their own downward path (7:29).

Ecclesiastes 8-12 and 1 Kings 11:41-43 and 2 Chronicles 9:29-31

Solomon laments that the injustices that are experienced in life, and rightly

observes that even the most righteous of men will sin against God. In all his

wisdom Solomon recognized and complained about the seemingly hopeless

condition of men, but never realized (unlike his father David) that God had a plan

to rescue all of creation from its fallen state. The final words of Solomon should

ring loudly for everyone to remember, as everyone will stand before God’s

judgement seat when this life is over…

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NKJV - Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear

God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. For God will bring every

work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

Week 23

Proverbs 4-6

4 - Like Solomon was instructed by David as a child, he instructs his son with

these sayings. Seek wisdom and understanding, and stay away from the ways

of the wicked and deceitful.

5 - To Solomon’s son he says run away from those who would entice you to

evil, and be happy with the wife of your youth. All who waste themselves

following after sinful lusts will regret it in the end.

6 - Avoid guaranteeing the loans of another person, as you will come to regret

it. To avoid poverty, copy the industriousness of the ant, and banish laziness

from your life. The Lord hates the pride of the wicked, who lie and hurt others. It

is just stupid to sin with the spouse of another person, and nothing but pain will

come from it.

Proverbs 7-9

7 - The enticements of the harlot or adulteress have led to the ruin of many

men!

8 - The fear of the Lord is to hate evil and pride, and the ways of the wicked.

Wisdom was with God before creation, and by it great kings reign, and justice is

decreed for all the people.

9 - The simple can benefit greatly by seeking after God’s wisdom. Do not

correct a scoffer, who will only hate you for it, however a wise man will respond

with love to correction. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Proverbs 10-12

10 - There is much contrast between the righteous and the wicked, between

the sloth and the diligent. The Lord will not forsake the righteous, and the wicked

will not stand forever. The sloth fails to work when opportunity strikes, but the

diligent are faithful to work when the fields are ready.

11 - Both the righteous and the wicked will receive their appropriate rewards.

God will keep His own, and will judge the unrighteous.

12 - The tongue of some people are sharp, like a piercing sword, but the

tongue of the wise promotes health. The wicked tear down what belongs to

others, but the righteous build up.

Proverbs 13-15

13 - In verse 7 Solomon says that one man makes himself wealthy, yet has

nothing, and another makes himself poor, but has great riches. In verse 18 he

says that poverty and shame come upon the one who refuses to be corrected,

but honor will come upon the one who pays attention to correction.

14 - In verse 12 he notes that there is a way that seems right to men’s minds,

but it only leads to death. Those who lack fear of God draw foolish conclusions

from the evidence around them.

15 - A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The

wise shares his knowledge, but not so with the fool.

Proverbs 16-18

16 - Commit your plans to the Lord, and they will be established. The Lord

accomplishes everything for His own purpose, and the glory of His own Name.

17 - Many are the unprofitable ways of the one who is foolish, and lacks

discretion. He will suffer for his bad decisions, and bring grief upon those who

raised him.

18 - A fools mouth is his ruin, and is reflected in his desire to be heard, rather

than to learn from others. He cannot help himself from answering, even before

hearing the question. Death and life are equally within the power of the tongue,

and the prudent weighs his words carefully before speaking.

Proverbs 19-21

19 - There are many plans within the hearts of men, however it is the intents

of the Lord that will stand. The fear of the Lord leads to life, and those who fear

Him will not be disappointed.

20 - There is no man who can honestly say that they have made themselves

clean, and purified themselves from sin. Even a child is known by his deeds, and

this is no different for those of all other ages.

21 - The man who only pursues pleasure and riches will suffer in poverty, but

he who follows righteousness and mercy finds life.

Proverbs 22-24

22 - A good name is to be greatly prized among all men, as our integrity and

character are of far greater value than immense wealth. He who is generous will

be blessed.

23 - There is much grief for those who run after sensual pleasures - much

food, alcohol, drugs, ill gotten gains, and immorality. Everything seems

wonderful for a time, but it quickly devolves into pain and poverty.

24 - Live with integrity and mercy, without acting in judgement of your

enemies or evil doers. Do not celebrate when your enemy fails, as the Lord will

see it and be displeased. Fear the Lord and let Him administer justice

Week 22

1 Kings 2:13-3:28 and 2 Chronicles 1:1-13

Solomon deals justice to the men who had not been faithful to his father David, and Adonijah’s continued treachery seals his own fate, and he dies.

Solomon appears before the tabernacle of Moses in Gibeon, where the alter of sacrifice was still used, and he humbled himself before God.  The Lord gives Solomon one request, and rather than ask for riches, long life, or superiority over his enemies, he asks God to give him wisdom to lead God’s people.  This request pleases God, and he grants to him wisdom greater than any man on earth, and also promises to bless him with great riches and honor among the nations of the world.

1 Kings 5-6 and 2 Chronicles 2-3

Solomon communicates with king Hiram of Lebanon his plans to build a temple to the Name of the Lord, and they agree on all that will be provided by Hiram, and all that Solomon will pay.  There is great detail in all that gets constructed, which God had previously shown to David, who not only provided for all that was needed, but even the plans for his son to use.  Construction of the temple was started in the 4th year of Solomon’s reign, and took 7 years to complete.

1 Kings 7 and 2 Chronicles 4

Details are provided for many of the temple furnishings, the bronze pillars outside the temple, and the bronze laver for washing.  Hiram, a skilled metal worker from Lebanon (whose mother was a Hebrew), was sent to Solomon to oversee all of this work, and to teach his expertise to Solomon’s experts in Israel.

1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 5:1-7:10

After Solomon had completed all the work of building the temple, and all of the utensils and furnishings, he called all of Israel together to dedicate and consecrate that place for the worship of God’s Name.  All of the furnishings and utensils in the tabernacle of Moses at Gibeon were brought to the temple in Jerusalem, and the ark of the covenant was brought there from Zion, where David had pitched a tent for it.

Please note the emphasis on the Lord’s Name in relationship to this temple.  From the beginning, Solomon planned to build it as a place to honor the Name of God, and in various places God confirmed that He would place His Name there.  This temple is not a place where God dwelt, since not even the heavens can contain Him, but the scriptures say that He placed His Name there, so that it might be glorified, and sought by all the peoples.

Solomon and Israel take 2 weeks to consecrate and dedicate the temple in Jerusalem, and he prays a great prayer for God to hear the requests of all who appeal to His Name in that place, regardless of where they are located, or even if they are strangers from foreign countries.

The Lord hears all of the prayers of Solomon and the people, and His presence fills the temple, and fire comes down from heaven and burns up all the sacrifices presented to Him there.

1 Kings 9:1-10:13 and 2 Chronicles 7:11-9:12

After the dedication of the temple, the Lord speaks to Solomon a 2nd time, and confirms His promises to David and the nation, with the proviso that when the king and the people forsake the Lord, He will judge them, and even allow the temple to be completely destroyed.  The temple was indeed destroyed when Nebuchadnezzar to the people of Judah captive into Babylon, and then rebuilt after more than 70 years of that captivity.  The temple was again completely destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans, and it has yet to be rebuilt since then, although it will be built again in the last days.

The Queen of Sheba comes to see Solomon with great gifts, and she is blown away by all of his wisdom and knowledge.  Tradition has it that Solomon allowed her to take a replica of the Ark of the Covenant, which is reportedly in existence today in Ethiopia, and guarded by priests with their lives.  Ethiopian tradition also holds that she bore a son to Solomon, named Menilek, who became king, with a line of kings all the way down to Haile Selassie in the early 1970’s.

1 Kings 4, 10:14-29 and 2 Chronicles 1:14-17, 9:13-28 and Psalm 72

There was no king in Israel who was ever as wise and rich as Solomon.  He ruled from the Euphrates River to the border of Egypt, and kings came from all over the known world to hear his words of wisdom.  From an earthly perspective, he may have been the richest and smartest and wisest king in the history of the world.  However, even though he was mostly faithful to God, he did not have his father David’s heart after God.  There is little beyond these external glories described during his 40 year reign, and little he did for God after completing and dedicating the temple.

Proverbs 1-3

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge, and it is from that basis that Solomon counsels his son to seek wisdom (in the fear of the Lord).  God will protect and bless those who fear and serve Him, and those who love violence and injustice will receive their just rewards.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV - Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Week 21

Psalm 122, 124, and 133-136

Can we say with David that we are glad when it is time to go up to the house

of the Lord? As we know now, His church is made up of His people, so wherever

two or three are gathered in His Name, there He is!

We can never give God enough praise for His ever enduring mercies and

lovingkindness towards us! As David said in Psalm 124, if it had not been the

Lord Who was on our side, then all would be loss.

Psalm 138-139, 145, 148, and 150

There are few places in scripture that are more majestic and wonderful than

the 139 th Psalm, which is worthy of much reading and meditation!

Psalm 139:23-24 NKJV - Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know

my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way

everlasting.

Let all of His creation praise the Lord because He alone is worthy of praise!

Psalm 150:6 NKJV - Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the

LORD!

Psalm 4, 12, 20, 25, 32, and 38

Those who belong to the Lord are set apart for His purposes, and He hears

and answers our prayers.

Psalm 4:3 NKJV - But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is

godly; The LORD will hear when I call to Him.

Do not hesitate to call on the Lord with prayers and supplications.

Psalm 20:6 NKJV - Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer

him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.

Trust in the Lord for all things, and be quick to go to Him with the needs of the

day, as He will hear and sustain His own.

Psalm 32:10 NKJV - Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the

LORD, mercy shall surround him.

Psalm 42, 53, 58, 81, 101, 111, 130-131, 141, and 146

There is a stark difference between those who love the Lord with their whole

heart, and those who prefer to walk in their own ways. The one pants after God

like the thirsty deer, and in the other there is no good way.

Psalm 111:10 NKJV - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good

understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures

forever.

The Lord is faithful to keep and feed those who trust in Him, but He will let the

ways of those who hate Him bring about their own end.

Psalm 146:9 NKJV -  The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the

fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.

Psalm 2, 22, and 27

Psalm 2 is the first of many that include messianic prophecies about the

Christ, with God declaring Him as His Son, Whom He has begotten.

Psalm 22 is one of the more dramatic prophecies about Christ, providing us

with the equivalent of an eye witness view of Jesus on the cross, but put down in

words more than 1,000 years before they were fulfilled.

In the 27 th psalm David again declares His complete love and dependance

upon the Lord, and says that his one desire is to dwell in the house of the Lord all

the days of his life. What better example than David can we see, other than

Jesus, of a man who is wholly dedicated to the Lord, even though he was also

faulty and sinful?

Psalm 45, 47-48, 87, and 110

The first four of these psalms were penned by the sons of Korah, who were

commissioned by David to serve and worship before the presence of God at

David’s tabernacle on mount Zion (before the temple was constructed by

Solomon). These are written in praise of the King, Who is the Lord, as well as

the city of God, which is Jerusalem, and called mount Zion.

Psalm 110 was penned by David, and it is uniquely prophetic of Jesus, Who

God has not only established as the King Who will rule forever, but Who has also

been named as God’s High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek. The writer of

Hebrews explains this in Hebrews 8, showing that the priestly order of

Melchizedek was superior to Aaron, the first high priest in Israel, and that it will

be only in Jesus that the office of King and Priest are united.

1 Kings 1:1-2:12 and 2 Samuel 23:1-7

David reigned as king in Israel for 40 years, and now the time has come for

the kingdom to be passed on to his son Solomon. David’s son Adonijah makes

an attempt to take the throne for himself, but when the king is made aware of his

treachery, he takes steps to name Solomon king before he dies. David provides

for Solomon to inherit the kingdom, and then speaks his final words to his son

before dying.

Week 20

Psalm 76, 82, 84, 90, 92, 112, and 115

These are miscellaneous psalms written by Asaph, the sons of Korah, a few

with no attribution, and even one that was written by Moses.

Woe to those who hate the Lord, and blessed are those who trust in Him.

Psalm 8-9, 16, 19, 21, 24, and 29

How majestic are the works of the Lord! How can anyone honestly examine

creation, whether microscopic or astronomic, and not recognize the evidence of

His perfect design and power?

All who trust in the Lord will not be disappointed!

Psalm 16:5 NKJV - O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;

You maintain my lot.

When the king trusts in the Lord, he is blessed, and the nation benefits too.

Psalm 24:3-4 NKJV - Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may

stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not

lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.

The Lord will not compromise His Holiness and justice, as everyone who

comes to Him must do so on His terms. He will bless those who do, and judge

those who refuse to do so. Of course, He also provided the means for each

person to be accepted by Him in Jesus Christ.

In Psalm 29 there is great power and glory attributed to the Voice of The Lord,

which we can also see as The Word (John 1:1), Who is Jesus!

Psalm 33, and 65-68

It is a good thing to continually praise God for all of His righteous acts, and

His abundant mercies, which are always new and always faithful to those who

rely upon Him.

Psalm 33:18 NKJV - Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On

those who hope in His mercy

Psalm 68:35 NKJV -  O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The

God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!

Psalm 75, 93-94, and 97-100

It is the Lord Who determines when judgement will occur, and He judges in

righteousness! The wicked persist in exalting themselves in their arrogance, but

the Lord will execute judgement in His time, and they will be as if they had never

existed.

Psalm 100:2 NKJV - Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence

with singing.

Psalm 103-104, 113-114, and 117

Psalm 103 is possibly the greatest psalm of praise to God for His boundless

grace and mercy towards us. The next chapter declares the breadth and majesty

of His creation.

The earth trembles at the presence of the Lord. The Red Sea split at His

command. The mountain of God was unstable and thundering at His presence.

The Rock was split and water gushed forth. Even the rocks were prepared to cry

out His praises when Jesus rode into Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord all people of the earth, both Jew and Gentile alike!

Psalm 119:1-88

This longest chapter in the Bible represents Hebrew poetry at its highest,

extolling the word and law of God in almost every verse. There are 22 octets of

verses, with each group of eight verses beginning with the relevant Hebrew letter

of the alphabet. There are 22 letters in their alphabet, Aleph to Tav, so each of

the first eight verses begin with Aleph.

Jesus did not come to abolish God’s law, which reveals His heart and His

ways, so it is good for us to search and seek to understand His law.

Psalm 119:18 NKJV - Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your

law.

Psalm 119:89-176

Because this is the longest chapter in the Bible, there are many who avoid

reading it, and there are also many who think it is needless repetition about the

same thing. Yet, there is no repetition, and there is great depth of beauty and

wisdom awaiting those who read and study this chapter with a heart for God’s

Spirit to teach them. Take the chapter in smaller chunks, focusing on only 8

verses at a time, but really digging in to understand the heart of its author, and

the boundless truths available to those who do so.

Psalm 119:105 NKJV -  Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Week 19

Psalm 23, 26, 28, 31, and 35

David was the shepherd king who preceded the ultimate Good Shepherd.

Shepherds held the lowest stature in society, and yet Jesus said “I am the Good

Shepherd, and I lay down my life for the sheep”.

Psalm 31:19 NKJV -  Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for

those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the

presence of the sons of men!

Psalm 31:24 NKJV - Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All

you who hope in the LORD.

Psalm 41, 43, 46, 55, 61, 62, and 64

The Lord of Hosts is with us no matter what the difficulty, and He will sustain

those who trust in Him. Who do we have to turn to but Him? Who can save but

Him? Who can separate us from the love of God? No one!

Psalm 69-71, and 77

These psalms continue in the same vein, with David not only persisting in

calling upon the Lord, but we see passages throughout that are prophetic of

Jesus, the promised Messiah, and Savior of the world, including Psalm 69:7-9

and 69:19-21.

Psalm 83, 86, 88, 91, and 95

In Luke 18:1-7 Jesus told the story about a widow seeking justice from a local

judge who wasn’t necessarily righteous, and He commended her for being

persistent with that judge. He told that story to commend us in being persistent

in our prayers before the Lord, and we see that sense in these Psalms, where

David and others did not lose heart in seeking God’s face, and in begging Him to

hear and answer their prayers.

Psalm 88:1-2 NKJV - O LORD, God of my salvation, I have cried out day and night

before You. Let my prayer come before You; Incline Your ear to my cry.

Psalm 108-109, 120-121, 140, and 143-144

In Psalm 109 David is praying for God’s judgement against the wicked, and

against his enemy, however at least a portion of this chapter is prophetic of

Judas, and that someone else will take his place (verse 8).

Psalms 120-134 are all called “Psalms of Ascents”, and tradition has it that

the people in Israel would sing these psalms when they are traveling “up” to

Jerusalem to celebrate one of the annual feasts. Jerusalem is higher in elevation

than most of the rest of Israel, and the cities in that country.

David continually looks to the Lord for deliverance and blessing.

Psalm 1, 14-15, 36-37, and 39

These chapters highlight the stark difference that exists between the godly

and the ungodly, and that the Lord is faithful to keep His own, and the wicked will

disappear, even though it seems like they are invulnerable.

Psalm 40, 49-50, and 73

Sacrifice and offerings are not what God desires. He doesn’t need our

money, and He doesn’t feed on our gifts to Him. It is not possible for even the

richest of men to redeem the cost of their soul.

Psalm 49:6-8 NKJV - Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of

their riches, None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God

a ransom for him— For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease

forever

As it said at the beginning of Psalm 1, blessed is the man who’s delight in in

the Lord and His law, as it is our hearts that He wants, and He will keep all who

love Him.

Psalm 73:23-26 NKJV - Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by

my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to

glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire

besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and

my portion forever.

Week 18

2 Samuel 18-19 & Psalm 3

David and his followers are at war with his son Absalom, and the armies of

Israel, however Absalom is defeated and killed. In spite of his son’s treason,

David loved him, and was devastated at the news of his death.

All of Israel acknowledges David as king, and brings him back to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 20–21 & 23:8-23, 1 Chronicles 20:4-8 & 11:10-25

In these passages we see a recounting of the mighty men of David’s army,

who each did great feats of valor against the enemies of Israel. There is also a

short rebellion against David, led by a Benjamite named Sheba, and David is

continually at war with the Philistines throughout the rest of his life. David is

growing old, and his own generals tell him that it is time for him to stay home

from the many battles they are fighting.

2 Samuel 23:24-24:25, 1 Chronicles 11:26-47, 21:1-30

As David’s life nears its end, God is angry with the sins of Israel, and He

allows the devil to tempt David with pride, so that he sins in numbering the

people in Israel. This is an act of pride, in that David wanted an accounting of all

the people under his command, however he is convicted of his sin when the

deed is done, and he seeks forgiveness of God. However, God gives him a

choice of punishments, and David prefers to fall into the hand of God, rather than

his enemies. 70,000 people in Israel are killed by the angel of the Lord before

coming to Jerusalem, where God halts the killing as the angel stands above the

threshing floor and property of Ornan the Jebusite.

God commands that David sacrifice an offering to Him on Ornan’s threshing

floor, so David purchases his place of threshing wheat, as well as the rest of the

property that is known today as the Temple Mount. God burns up David’s

sacrifice with fire from heaven, and His anger is put away. This will be the place

where Solomon will build the temple to God’s Name.

1 Chronicles 22-24

Even though David is prohibited from building the temple of God, he makes all

of the necessary preparations, and collects all of the gold, silver, and bronze that

will be needed, and he orders that the stones for the temple be quarried and

shaped in advance. He gives Solomon instructions to build the temple in his

place as king in Israel, and commands the elders of Israel to support that effort.

Under David’s direction, the descendants of Aaron and Moses are identified

and set apart for service to the Lord. There are 24 courses of priests named,

who will be responsible for ministering in the temple for 1/2 month each year, as

will their descendants after them. The eighth course of priests were of the family

of Abijah (1 Chronicles 24:10), and the father of John the Baptist (Zechariah)

served in the temple by lot from that lineage (Luke 1:5).

1 Chronicles 25-26 & Psalm 30

Like what David had organized in the previous chapter, where 24 courses of

priestly families were set up for service to the Lord in His tabernacle (and later in

the Temple), David also sets aside another course of 24 families, under the

direction of the worship leader in Israel (Asaph), to play and sing music in the

place of God’s presence (tabernacle of David at this time, and in Solomon’s

temple in the future).

David also organizes the rest of the descendants of Levi, who were not

assigned priestly duties, who served in more menial and administrative functions

in Jerusalem, and throughout Israel. They were the doorkeepers to the house of

the Lord, and also of the gates of Jerusalem. They were treasurers and

bureaucrats representing the king throughout the land.

1 Chronicles 27-29

During times of peace there were 12 divisions of the military, who each served

1 month each year. There were also named governors over each tribe in Israel,

including the Levites and the priestly line of Aaron, as well as two for each of the

half tribes of Manasseh.

At the end of David’s life he calls together all of the leaders in Israel, and

recounts to them all that he had done in preparation for building the temple, and

calls upon them to also give a free will offering towards the building of the temple

that will be accomplished under his son Solomon. All of the leaders in Israel

commit themselves to serving God, and submitting to Solomon as king in Israel,

who sits on David’s throne as king even before he is dead.

Like God did with Moses, He also gives David all of the detailed instructions

for building the Temple, and he gives Solomon all of those blueprints. Virtually

everything needed for the temple has been provided, and very little additional

planning will be required. Only the wood needed for the temple will be obtained

after David’s death, which will come from Hiram, the king of Lebanon, who was a

friend and servant of David.

David is about 70 years old when he dies, having been king for about 40 and

1/2 years, and who was about 30 years old when he first became king.

Psalm 5-7, 10-11, 13, and 17

Throughout the life of king David, his heart was persistently seeking God in

prayers and psalms, and it is a testimony to God’s faithfulness in looking back at

his whole life, even though there was much of his time spent in running from his

enemies, and fighting against the enemies of Israel.

In these psalms David keeps going to God, and praying that He would rebuke

and cast down all those who were proud and oppressed the helpless. When we

look at the whole of David’s life, that’s exactly what God did, even though it might

have seemed like God was not listening in the middle of a given set of

circumstances.

We can each take comfort in the fact that God is faithful to hear and answer

our cries to Him, even though His solutions and timing end up being different

than what we might be thinking or asking.

Week 17

2 Samuel 22; Psalm 18

This psalm of David appears in both 2 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18, which he

wrote at the time of his deliverance from Saul, and his enemies. This would have

been written about the time that he was named king in Judah, when he was 30

years old.

It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord for all the things He has done for

us, and to take time to recall His righteous acts on our behalf, just like David was

in the habit of doing. How many times does the Lord deliver us from great

difficulties, and we forget to give Him praise and thanks?

It was at 30 years of age that David transitioned into His God given role in

Israel, and it was at 30 years of age that Jesus likewise left His private life to fulfill

His public ministry in the world.

2 Samuel 6:12–23; 1 Chronicles 15-16 & Psalm 96

King David organizes the transportation of the ark of the covenant into

Jerusalem, which occurs with the pomp and circumstance that would be given a

conquering king. David displays unbounded joy and rejoicing as the procession

makes its way to Jerusalem, and he also made sure that all were following the

law of Moses in how the ark was supposed to be moved.

David moves the ark to a tent on mount Zion, however the Tabernacle of

Moses remains at Gibeon, where the priests are left to perform the sacrifices and

daily duties commanded in the law. This sets up a very interesting time in the

history of Israel, where the ark of God’s presence is outside of the tabernacle of

Moses, and there is an entirely different regimen of worship before God that

David establishes for the duration of his reign. In the days of Solomon the

temple in Jerusalem will be built, and then the ark will again be placed behind the

veil within the Holy of Holies.

In Acts 15 the apostle James quotes from Amos 9:11, where God promises to

restore the tabernacle (or tent) of David, indicating that the church age, and open

access to the presence of God is a fulfillment of that prophecy.

2 Samuel 7 & Psalm 105 & 1 Chronicles 17

At a time when David experienced peace with all of the enemies of Israel, he

wanted to build a temple for the Lord in Jerusalem, however God sent the

prophet to tell him that such a work would not be done by him, but it would be

done by his son. Because of David’s heart to serve God, the Lord promised to

bless him with descendant who would be kings in Israel, and ultimately the

Messiah would come from among his descendants.

1 Chronicles 17 provides a similar account of this exchange, however there is

a flavor in this chapter that more clearly points to the future kingdom that Jesus

will establish, which will never be destroyed.

Even though David is not given permission to build the temple in his lifetime,

he goes before the presence of God to bless and thank Him for all that He has

done, and for all that He has promised for his posterity.

2 Samuel 8-10 & 1 Chronicles 18-19 & Psalm 60

The Lord is with David against all of the enemies of Israel that come against

them, including the Philistines, the Moabites, the Midianites, the Ammonites, and

the hired armies that are brought in from Mesopotamia. Even though David and

his generals are victorious in all of these conflicts, we see in Psalm 60 that David

is continually looking to the Lord for their protection and victories. Even though

we know that David is flawed, we do not see pride welling up in his heart against

God, to where he ever says “I’ve got this”.

We also have the great story of David wanting to bless the descendants of

Jonathan, and he brings the crippled Mephibosheth into his own household, so

that even though he brings no contribution to the king’s house or administration,

he is treated as equal to all of the kings sons. Mephibosheth is a picture of us,

who have been invited to sit at the king’s table, and be treated as equals to His

Son, even though we deserve nothing, and we contribute nothing to the success

of His kingdom. The Lord pours out his grace and mercy upon us, just like David

did with Mephibosheth.

2 Samuel 11-12 & 1 Chronicles 20:1-3 & Psalm 51

Here is the tragic story of David’s sin against God with Bathsheba, and his

murder of her husband Uriah. It’s an interesting thing to consider the indictment

that God made against David through the prophet Nathan. Even though David

was guilty of a horrible sin against Bathsheba and Uriah, the Lord’s first and

greatest complaint was against David’s disregard for all that God had given him.

2 Samuel 12:7-8 NKJV - Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says

the LORD God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from

the hand of Saul. I gave you your masters house and your master's wives into

your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been

too little, I also would have given you much more!

David immediately understood that his primary sin was against God, which he

declared in his prayer of Psalm 51. In the mercy that could only come through

the (future) sacrifice of Jesus, God sets aside David’s sin, even though he was

guilty of intentionally breaking the law of God, for which there was no sacrifice

available. Even thought David’s sin was forgiven, he would experience great

troubles for much of the rest of his life.

2 Samuel 13-14

Here is the story of Absalom, whose sister Tamar is raped by Amnon, their

half brother (all children of David). Absalom exacts revenge and kills Amnon

after 2 years, and is then exiled from David’s presence for a number of years.

Through the assistance of Joab (David’s general of the army, and his nephew),

Absalom is eventually restored to Jerusalem, and reunited with David. However,

even though David loves his son Absalom, things are not going to go well

between them…

2 Samuel 15-17

After being restored to his father and king, Absalom began a campaign of

deceit to win over the hearts of the people to himself, with the intent to be named

king in David’s place. After some time he moves into the ultimate stage of

rebellion against the king, and David is forced to flee Jerusalem for his life.

David leaves friends and spies in Jerusalem to report on the plans of Absalom,

and he crosses over the Jordan River (east of Jericho and Jerusalem) with all of

those who went with him from the Capitol city. In fulfillment of Nathan’s prophecy

to David (2 Samuel 12:11), Absalom openly takes David’s concubines in Jerusalem

Week 16

This week we are delving deeper into the story of David and his conflict with Saul. The way these daily readings are set up in case you did not notice, is that Psalms corresponds approximately with what David was going through and likely when he wrote them.

1 Samuel 20-21 & Psalm 34, 56

A breach has now occurred between David and Saul, which will not be

mended. Saul seeks to kill David, and he flees from him after getting

confirmation from Jonathan.

David is still a young man at this time, but he is already famous in Israel, and

is well known among Israel’s enemies. David goes to the Philistines, but has to

feign madness in order to keep from being discovered.

David is writing these wonderful psalms even while on the run from Saul, and

when he is still young. David is a man after God’s own heart, and that is

reflected in what he writes, and how he will trust God, even though there are

many on all sides who seek to kill him.

1 Samuel 22-23 & 1 Chronicles 12:8-18 & Psalm 52, 54, 63, 142

Saul kills 85 priests of God, including Ahimelech, the high priest, thinking that

they were conspiring against him with David. Only Abiathar escapes and goes to

David, and he will be high priest in the place of his father.

David remains faithful in heart to the king, even though he is now on the run

for his life. David rescues the city fo Keilah from the Philistines, but they are

willing to betray him to Saul, so he flees again. Some in Israel take sides with

Saul against David, but many brave men align themselves with him as he is on

the run. Throughout all of these years of running from Saul, David continually

relies upon the Lord, and God is faithful to always protect him.

1 Samuel 24-25 & Psalm 57

David has opportunity to kill Saul in the cave, but he refuses to lift his hand

against the king that God had anointed. This will be his position as long as Saul

is king in Israel.

Nabal is a foolish man who offends David in his pride, but his wife Abigail is a

wise lady who intervenes before David takes revenge on her husband. Within 10

days Nabal is dead at the hand of God, and David takes Abigail as one of his

wives.

God said that vengeance belongs to Him (Deuteronomy 32:35), and this was

true in the life of David, and it is true for us. Paul said in Romans 12:19 that we

should not avenge ourselves, but give God that responsibility when we have

been wronged or harmed.

1 Samuel 26-29 1 Chronicles 12:1-7, 19-22

Saul continues to pursue David in the wilderness of Israel, but God gives him

favor and protects him in whatever he does. David is steadfast in refusing to

bring any harm to Saul, since he had been anointed king at God’s command,

rather choosing to let God work out His timing for the future.

Can we find a better example of faith in God’s Providence for us to follow?

The Lord is far better in managing our future than us, even though there may be

times when it seems like He has forsaken us.

David finally goes down and spend a year and four months with Achish, a

Philistine leader, and even there God gives him favor.

The Philistines gather for war against Israel, and Saul is unable to get any

response from God in his queries, so he resorts to divination. The witch of Endor

conjures up the spirit of Samuel from the grave, but his words do nothing to calm

Saul’s fears, and he tells him that his end is upon him as he goes forth to fight

the Philistines.

1 Samuel 30-31 & 1 Chronicles 10 & 2 Samuel 1

These chapters record the final days of king Saul and his sons. At the same

time that Saul and the army of Israel was fighting against the Philistines, David

and his men destroyed the Amalekite army that had done great damage in

Judah, and burned the city of Ziklag, where David and his men had been living.

David retrieved their wives and families that had been taken captive, and took

back much spoil, which he shared among the cities where he and his men went

in and out.

The Philistines party strong over the death of Saul and Jonathan and the army

of Israel, and David finds out about these events from an Amalekite who

retrieved Saul’s crown, and who claimed to have put him out of his misery.

2 Samuel 2–4

David and his men move to the city of Hebron, and all of the tribe of Judah

make him king of Judah, although the rest of Israel chose Saul’s son to be their

king. For several years there is war between Judah and Israel, until the death of

Ishbosheth, the son of Saul who was (a weak) king in Israel.

Two of David’s nephews, Joab and Abishai (sons of David’s sister), murdered

Abner, who was the power behind Ishbosheth’s throne in Israel, after he had

made peace with David. Joab and Abishai will remain as key figures in David’s

army, but he will never fully trust Joab again, and declares a curse upon both of

them for their unrighteous act against Abner.

2 Samuel 5-6:11 & 1 Chronicles 11:1-9, 12:23-40, 13-14:17

After the death of Ishbosheth, all of Israel goes to David at Hebron and

unanimously make him king over the entire nation. Almost 350,000 men of war,

from all of Israel, submit themselves to David’s leadership. Twice the Philistines

attempt to fight David and his army, but twice he consults with God about what to

do, and in both cases the Philistines are defeated.

After reigning as king in Hebron for 7 1/2 years, David goes up against the

stronghold of the Jebusites, and takes the city of Jerusalem, where he will then

reign as king for another 33 years. David enjoys an alliance with Hiram, the king

of Lebanon, who provides cedar for David’s construction projects in Jerusalem.

David attempts to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, but he fails to

follow God’s laws pertaining to the transportation of the ark, and God strikes

Uzzah dead for touching the ark when it might have fallen off the cart it was

riding on. David parks the ark in Obed Edom’s garage for several months, and

God blesses Obed Edom’s house while it is there.

Week 15 - 1 Samuel 1-19 & Psalm 59

1 Samuel 1-3

This is the story of God’s dealings with Israel in the last days of the judges, and the transition of the nation from being a Theocracy (led by God) into a Monarchy (led by a king).  Samuel is dedicated to the service of God from his birth, and he will not only be the last great judge in Israel, but he will also be a great prophet of God.

Eli is the high priest serving at God’s tabernacle in Shiloh, however God declares judgement against him and his sons, prophesying that the Lord will bring an end to his line as high priest, and set up a faithful high priest in his place.

1 Samuel 2:35 NKJV - Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever.

This is prophetic of Jesus, Who will ultimately become both King and High Priest in Israel, however there is also a more immediate fulfillment in the days of Solomon, when the line of Eli’s priesthood is cut off, and Zadok is appointed as high priest.

1 Samuel 4-7

When Eli was 98 years old the Philistines attacked Israel at Ebenezer, took the ark of the covenant captive, and his two sons died during the conflict.  When Eli heard that the ark had been captured, he fell over backwards and died.  Eli’s daughter-in-law went into premature labor and named the boy Ichabod before she died, lamenting that the glory of the Lord had departed.

The Philistines had possession of the ark for 7 months, and nothing but bad happened to them, so they placed it on a cart, and two milk cows pulled the cart back to the territory of Judah.  The ark is taken to Kirjath Jearim, where it will stay for 20 years.  Samuel rallies Israel in returning to God, and turning away from false idols, and God brings them victory over the Philistines.

1 Samuel 8-10

When Samuel is advanced in years, he tries to put his sons in as judges in Israel, but they are wicked, and the people despise them.  It’s an interesting thing to realize how often the men in the Bible had blind spots regarding their own children, and we are no different today.  No one can assume that their children will be like themselves, as every person must come to God in repentence, and in the faith of Jesus Christ.

The people demand that Samuel give them a king to rule in Israel, and God allows this to happen, telling Samuel that they have not rejected him, but they were rejecting God as their leader.  The Lord causes Samuel to anoint Saul as king of Israel, and His Spirit is placed upon Saul for that purpose.  This anointing will eventually be lifted when Saul’s heart is lifted up, and he turns away from following God, but that will not happen for many years.

1 Samuel 11-13

Saul is established as king in Israel with the defeat of Nahash, the Ammonite, and his army.  However, he begins to take upon himself more than God gave, and Samuel declares that his kingdom will not pass to his descendants, but go to a man after God’s own heart.

The Philistines are aroused against Israel, and plan to bring the nation back into submission to them after Jonathan attacked a garrison of them in Geba.

1 Samuel 14-15

The Lord brings victories over the Philistines and the Amalekites, but Saul acts foolishly, and then disobeys the command of the Lord in not killing the king of the Amalekites, and in taking plunder.  Samuel confronts Saul, but he has nothing be excuses, so it’s make clear what the Lord expects of us all…

1 Samuel 15:22 NKJV - So Samuel said: "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.

Samuel then tells Saul that the Lord has rejected him from being king in Israel, and will place it on a man who is better.

1 Samuel 16-17

The Spirit of God is withdrawn from Saul.  Samuel anoints young David as God’s choice to be king in Israel, and the Spirit of God falls mightily upon him.  David becomes Saul’s armor-bearer, and then God uses him to defeat Goliath, the Philistine giant.

1 Samuel 18-19 & Psalm 59

The Lord blesses David in all that he does, and king Saul begins to see him as a threat to his authority, because the people love David, and he begins to hate him, and look for ways to kill him.  Even in the face of Saul’s hatred David remains faithful to the king, and trusts in the Lord to protect him.

Week 14 - Judges 6 - Ruth 4

Judges 6-8

When Israel is oppressed by the Midianites, the Lord calls out Gideon to be

His leader in destroying the kings and armies of Midian. Gideon is timid and

fearful, from the smallest of families in Manasseh, but he goes forth in faith, and

leads 300 men in routing the army of the Midianites. Like many great men who

God calls, Gideon was flawed, but he is included in the Hebrew 11 recounting of

those who walked by faith.

Judges 9

Abimelech, a wicked son of Gideon, kills 70 of his brothers, and seeks to be

king over his own people in Shechem. However God prophesies of his demise

through Abimelech’s brother Jotham, and then brings about the defeat of

Abimelech and the people of Shechem, who were worshipping Baal.

Judges 10-12

These chapters recount the years of many judges in Israel who rose up to

save the nation from their enemies, which always occurred when they betrayed

the Lord in going after the false gods of the countries around them.

The story of Jephthah is told, who God raised up to save Israel from the

Ammonites. Jephthah makes a foolish vow that ruins the life of his only

daughter. This vow was foolish for many reasons, but primarily because God

required no such vow, and was going to use him to defeat the Ammonites

anyway. We should be careful in making promises to the Lord, as He will be

gracious without them, but will nevertheless expect them to be honored.

Judges 13-16

We have the story of Samson, who was given by God to judge Israel for 20

years. He was dedicated to God from before his birth, and demonstrated mighty

works of God against the Philistines. Hebrews 11:32 includes Samson in the

accounting of those who exhibited great faith, which is difficult for many to see.

Samson was highly flawed, yet God used him mightily as long as he obeyed. His

flaws and sensual lusts brought him down, but he had great faith in God in his

death, and it can be said that he ended well.

Judges 17-19

The last five chapters in Judges tell of an earlier age in Israel, which would

have followed the death of Joshua, but preceded the first judge Othniel. In

chapters 17-18 is the sad story of idolatry that was ultimately established in the

tribe of Dan, who stole a silver idol from the house of Micah in Ephraim, and

hired a Levite to be the priest of that idol for their tribe. The tribe of Dan would

serve this false god for generations, until the northern tribes would be taken into

captivity by the Assyrians many hundreds of years later.

The last three chapters in Judges tells the story of civil war in Israel during the

days of Phinehas, who was High Priest in Israel, and the grandson of Aaron. A

Levite stops to spend the night in the town of Gibeah with his concubine, and the

men of Gibeah behave like the men of Sodom, in the days of Lot, and she ends

of dying as a consequence of their abuse.

Judges 20-21

The evil done in Gibeah is abhorrent to all the remaining tribes in Israel, and

they gather to make war with Benjamin, where Gibeah is located. As a

consequence of this war, almost all of the tribe of Benjamin is wiped out, with

less than a thousand men who survived. However, the tribes in Israel are not

willing to let Benjamin be completely wiped out, and they make provisions for the

remaining men to get wives from among them. King Saul in the future will come

from the tribe of Benjamin, as will the apostle Paul.

Ruth 1-4

This short story of Naomi and Ruth occurs during the times of the Judges.

Naomi, with her husband and 2 sons move to Moab during a famine in Israel,

and in the 10 years there her husband and 2 sons all die. Both sons were

married, but died childless, and Ruth chooses to stay with Naomi and go with her

back to Bethlehem, where she was from.

This story demonstrates the role of the “Goel”, or kinsman redeemer, who

would assume familial responsibility to keep the property of the dead man within

their family, and to also raise up children in his name. Boaz fulfills this role and

not only redeems the property of Naomi’s dead husband, but marries Ruth, and

she bears a son named Obed, who would become the grandfather of David, and

an ancestor in the lineage of Jesus.

This whole story also presents Boaz as a type of Jesus, who takes a gentile

bride out of mercy and love, Who had no obligation to do so.

Week 13 - Joshua 9-Judges 5

This week we continue on with the story of the Israelites; their struggles, battles, conflicts, and God’s continued grace through it all.

Joshua 9-11

After destroying Jericho and Ai, the people living in Gibeon deceived Joshua

and the people into making a peace treaty with them. Joshua and the elders in

Israel failed to seek the Lord before making this treaty, so they would become

temple servants going forward. God brought about a great victory over 5 Amorite

kings who attempted to punish the inhabitants of Gibeon.

Chapters 10-11 recount many battles against the nations of that land, and the

Lord gave Joshua total victory over every king and city and nation they fought

against. First conquering most of the nations in the south, and then into Galilee

and to Mount Herman in the north. However, not all of the nations were

destroyed and ejected.

Joshua 12-14

Joshua lists all of the kings and people who were conquered in battle, and the

boundaries of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh are

called out. Hebron, and the surrounding region is given to Caleb as previously

promised.

Joshua 15-17

The inheritance of Judah is with much territory in the southern half of the

country. Ephraim and (half of Manasseh) are given territory in the central region

of the land. Caleb drove out the inhabitants in his allotted territory, but in Judah

the Jebusites continued to hold the city of Jerusalem (until the days of David),

and the Philistines continued to control the Gaza Strip, and the land between

Judah and Egypt to the Southwest. Likewise, Ephraim and Manasseh failed to

completely drive out the inhabitants of the land within their allotted territories.

Joshua 18-19

The Tabernacle of Meeting is set up at Shiloh, and it will remain there some

400 years, until the days of David, and then the building of Solomon’s Temple in

Jerusalem.

The remainder of the land is surveyed, and divided by lot between the

remaining 7 tribes (Reuben, Gad, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Judah were already

allotted). Simeon is not given a distinct boundary, but is given some cities within

the inheritance of Judah, and the Levites are similarly given cities throughout the

territories of Israel, fulfilling the prophecy of Jacob, who predicted that they would

be “dispersed and scattered in Israel” (Genesis 49:7).

Joshua 20-22

Six cities of refuge are established (which are also among the cities given to

the Levites), with 3 to the west of the Jordan, and 3 to the east, so that a person

inaccurately accused of murder can flee to the closest one for refuge.

Forty eight cities in all of Israel are given to the Levites, by their families.

The men of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh are released to return to their

inheritance and families to the east of the Jordan, and they build a monument as

a message to future generations that they also serve Jahweh, even though they

live on the far side of the Jordan River.

Joshua 23-Judges 1

At the end of Joshua’s life he calls together the elders of Israel, and

challenges them to a commitment of serving Jahweh, and refusing to serve the

idols of Egypt, or of the remaining pagans living in their land. The people swear

to serve the Lord, but over time that commitment fades, as those elders in Israel

died off.

After Joshua died, the tribes of Judah (under Caleb’s leadership) joined with

Simeon and did a good job of driving out the Canaanites and Perizzites from

most of their inherited territory. The remaining tribes were not so diligent in doing

that same thing, and they left many of the pagans living among them.

Judges 2-5

After Joshua died, and the elders who were alive in his time, the people

gradually fell into worshipping idols, and as God had promised to them through

Moses and Joshua, He allowed the enemies of Israel to persecute His people.

When the people would repent, and cry out to God for help, He would then raise

up judges to lead the people, and fight against their oppressors.

In the decades that followed, God raised up Othniel to defeat the king of

Mesopotamia, and then many years later He raised up Ehud to lead Israel in

defeating the king of Moab. After the days of Ehud, the Canaanite king Jabin

oppressed the people, and God raised up Deborah as judge in Israel, and Barak

to fight against the Canaanite general Sisera.