Welcome to the complete story of the Bible. From the very first moment when God spoke light into existence all the way to the final vision of a new heaven and new earth.

This is the greatest story ever told, spanning thousands of years and showing us how God has been working throughout history to bring humanity back to himself.

You’ll meet heroes and villains, witness incredible miracles, and discover how every promise God made comes true.

From Adam in a perfect garden to Jesus on a cross. From Noah’s ark to John’s revelation, every chapter builds toward the ultimate plan of salvation that changes everything.

In the beginning, there was nothing except God. No stars, no planets, no light, just complete emptiness and darkness everywhere.

Then something amazing happened that would change everything forever. Genesis 1:13 tells us exactly how it started.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty.

Darkness was over the surface of the deep and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light. For 6 days God spoke and things appeared.

First came light, then sky, then dry land and seas. Plants sprouted from the ground.

The sun and moon took their places in the sky. And every kind of animal filled the earth, water, and air.

Each day, God looked at what he had made and said it was good. But the sixth day was different.

Genesis 1:26-27 shows us God’s most important decision. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created mankind in his own image. In the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.

Unlike everything else that God simply spoke into existence, making the first man was special.

Genesis 2:7 describes it this way. Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being.

This man was Adam and he was different from every other creature because he had God’s own breath in him.

God didn’t just create Adam and leave him anywhere. He prepared a perfect place called Eden.

Genesis 2:8-9 paints the picture. Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east in Eden, and there he put the man he had formed.

The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground, trees that were pleasant to sight and good for food.

In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Adam had everything he could want, but God knew something was missing. Genesis 2:18 records God’s observation.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

So God brought every animal to Adam to name, but none was the right companion for him.

God’s solution was beautiful. Genesis 2:21- to22 tells us, “So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep.

And while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh.

Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

Adam was thrilled with this new person who was like him, and he called her Eve.

Life in Eden was perfect, but there was one rule. Genesis 2:16-17 records God’s only command.

And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from every tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

For when you eat from it, you will certainly die. Everything changed when the serpent appeared.”

He was sneaky and convinced Eve to question God’s word. Genesis 3:1 shows how it started.

Now, the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden?”

The serpent twisted God’s words and made Eve doubt what she knew was true. Genesis 3:4-5 records his lie.

“You will not certainly die.” The serpent said to the woman, “For God knows that when you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

The fruit looked good and the promise of wisdom was tempting. Genesis 3:6 tells us what happened next.

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.

She also gave some to her husband who was with her and he ate it.

Everything changed in that moment. Their innocence was gone and they felt shame for the first time.

When God came walking in the garden, they hid from him. But God knew what had happened and called out to them.

Genesis 3:9-11 shows the confrontation. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”

And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?

Adam tried to blame both Eve and God while Eve blamed the serpent. But there was no escaping what they had done.

God gave them punishments. The serpent would crawl. Eve would have pain in childbirth. Adam would struggle to grow food.

And death would come to all of them. Yet even in judgment, God showed mercy by making clothes for them and promising that someday someone would defeat the serpent who had caused all this trouble.

Outside Eden, Adam and Eve started their new life and had children. Their first son was Cain, and Genesis 4:1 records Eve’s words at his birth, “With the help of the Lord, I have brought forth a man.”

Then came Abel, and the two brothers grew up choosing different jobs. Genesis 4:2 tells us that Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.

When it came time to worship God, both brothers brought offerings. Genesis 4:3-4 describes what happened.

In the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.

And Abel also brought an offering, fat portions, from some of the firstborn of his flock.

The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering, he did not look with favor.

God accepted Abel’s offering, but rejected Cain’s. And this made Cain furious. God warned him in Genesis 4:6-7.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door.

It desires to have you, but you must rule over it. But Cain didn’t listen to God’s warning.

His jealousy grew until it became something terrible. Genesis 4:8 records the first murder in human history.

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

When God asked where Abel was, Cain lied and asked if he was his brother’s keeper.

But God already knew what had happened. Genesis 4:10-11 shows God’s response. The Lord said, “What have you done?

Listen, your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

Cain became a wanderer, but God still protected him from being killed by others. The family line continued through another son, Seth, whom Eve said God gave her to replace Abel.

Genesis 5 lists the generations from Adam to Noah, showing how people lived much longer in those days, some for over 900 years.

As generations passed, people multiplied on the earth, but they also became more and more evil.

Genesis 6:5 describes how bad things got. The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.

This broke God’s heart, and he decided to start over with the earth. But there was one man who was different.

Genesis 6:8-9 tells us about him. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.

God decided to save Noah and his family from the judgment that was coming. Genesis 6:13-14 records God’s instructions.

So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them.

I’m surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cyprresswood.

Make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.” The ark was huge, 450 ft long, 75 ft wide, and 45 ft high.

God told Noah to bring two of every kind of animal, plus seven pairs of clean animals and birds.

Genesis 7:1 shows God’s final instruction. The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.”

Noah obeyed God completely, even though it probably seemed crazy to build such a huge boat when there wasn’t enough water around to float it.

But Genesis 7:11-12 describes what happened next. In the 600th year of Noah’s life, on the ye 17th day of the second month, on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened, and rain fell on the earth 40 days and 40 nights.

Water covered everything, even the highest mountains. Genesis 7:21-23 tells us the result. Every living thing that moved on land perished, birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind.

Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out.

People and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth.

Only Noah was left and those with him in the ark. For over a year, Noah and his family lived in the ark while the waters slowly went down.

Finally, the ark came to rest on Mount Ararat. Noah sent out birds to test if the land was dry.

And when a dove returned with an olive leaf, he knew the water was going down.

Genesis 8:20 shows what Noah did first when he got out. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.

God was pleased with Noah’s worship and made a promise that would last forever. Genesis 9:11-13 records this covenant.

I establish my covenant with you. Never again will all life be destroyed by a flood.

Never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come.

I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”

After the flood, Noah’s sons had many children, and people began to fill the earth again.

But instead of spreading out like God wanted, they stayed together in one place. Genesis 11.1 tells us, “Now the whole world had one language and a common speech.”

These people had a proud idea. Genesis 11:34 describes their plan. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.”

They used brick instead of stone and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves.

Otherwise, we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” They wanted to build a tower so tall it would reach heaven, thinking this would make them famous and keep them from being scattered.

But God came down to see what they were doing. And he wasn’t pleased with their pride.

Genesis 11:67 shows God’s response. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language, they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.

Come, let us go down and confuse their language, so they will not understand each other.”

God mixed up their language so they couldn’t understand each other anymore. Genesis 11:8-9 tells us what happened.

So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth and they stopped building the city.

That is why it was called Babel because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world.

From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth. This is how different languages and nations began and it set the stage for God’s next great plan.

In the city of Ur lived a man named Abram who worshiped the one true God while everyone around him worshiped idols.

One day God spoke to him with an amazing offer. Genesis 12:12-3 records God’s call.

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

This was an incredible promise. God was going to make Abram into a great nation.

Bless him and through him bless the whole world. Genesis 12:4 shows Abram’s response. So Abram went as the Lord told him and Lot went with him.

Abram was 75 years old when he set out from Haron. Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all their possessions and servants, and started walking toward a land he had never seen.

When they reached Canaan, God appeared to Abram again. Genesis 12:7 records this moment. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring, I will give this land.”

So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him. But there was a problem with God’s promise to make Abram a great nation.

Abram and Sarai had no children and they were getting old. Genesis 15:23 shows Abrams concern.

But Abram said, “Soverevereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eleazar of Damascus?”

And Abram said, “You have given me no children.” So a servant in my household will be my heir.

God took Abram outside and showed him the stars. Genesis 15:52-6 records God’s response. He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if indeed you can count them.”

Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the Lord and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Years passed and still no child came. Sarai suggested that Abram have a child with her servant Hagar, which was a common practice in those days.

Genesis 16:15 tells us, “So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne.

But this wasn’t the child God had promised. When Abram was 99 years old, God appeared to him again and changed his name.

Genesis 17:5 explains, “No longer will you be called Abram. Your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.”

God also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah and promised that she would have a son even though she was 90 years old.

Genesis 18:10-14 shows how this promise was confirmed. Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah, your wife, will have a son.”

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.

So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my Lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, “Will I really have a child now that I am old?

Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Sure enough, Genesis 21:1-3 records the miracle. Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.

Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age at the very time God had promised him.

Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. Isaac grew up as the child of promise.

But God had one more test for Abraham. Genesis 22:12 describes it. Sometime later, God tested Abraham.

He said to him,”Abraham, here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the region of Mariah.

Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain. I will show you.” This was the hardest thing God could ask.

But Abraham trusted God completely. He took Isaac to the mountain, built an altar, and was about to sacrifice his son when God stopped him.

Genesis 22:11-12 shows what happened. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven.

Abraham, Abraham, here I am, he replied. Do not lay a hand on the boy, he said.

Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.

God provided a ram for the sacrifice instead and blessed Abraham even more because of his faith.

When Isaac grew up, Abraham found him a wife named Rebecca. Genesis 25:21 tells us about their family.

Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer and his wife Rebecca became pregnant, but this pregnancy was unusual.

Genesis 25:22-23 describes it. The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?”

So she went to inquire of the Lord. The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated.

One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”

When the twins were born, the first was red and hairy, so they named him Esau.

The second came out holding Esau’s heel, so they called him Jacob, which means he grasps the heel.

Genesis 25:27:28 shows how different they were. The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents.

Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebecca loved Jacob. One day, Esau came home very hungry from hunting, and Jacob was cooking stew.

Genesis 25:29:34 records what happened. Once, when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country famished.

He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew. I’m famished.”

Jacob replied, “First, sell me your birthight.” “Look, I am about to die.” Esau said, “What good is the birthright to me?”

But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank and then got up and left.

So Esau despised his birthright. Later, when Isaac was old and nearly blind, he wanted to bless Esau before he died.

But Rebecca helped Jacob trick his father into giving him the blessing instead. When Esau found out, he was furious and planned to kill Jacob after Isaac died.

So, Jacob had to run away from home. On his journey, God appeared to Jacob in a dream.

Genesis 28:13 turned to 15 shows God’s promise. There above it stood the Lord and he said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.

I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north, and to the south.

All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land.

I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Jacob worked for his uncle Laban for 20 years, married Leah and Rachel, and had 12 sons who would become the 12 tribes of Israel.

Eventually, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel after he wrestled with an angel all night.

Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons because he was born when Jacob was old.

Genesis 37:3 tells us, “Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons because he had been born to him in his old age, and he made an ornate robe for him.”

This made Joseph’s brothers jealous, especially when Joseph told them about dreams where they bowed down to him.

One day, Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers who were taking care of the sheep far from home.

Genesis 37:18-20 shows what the brothers planned. But they saw him in the distance and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

“Here comes that dreamer,” they said to each other. “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these sistns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him.

Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.” Reuben tried to save Joseph by suggesting they just throw him in a pit, planning to rescue him later.

But while Reuben was away, the other brothers sold Joseph to traders going to Egypt.

Genesis 37:28 records, “So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the system and sold him for 20 shekels of silver to the Ishelites who took him to Egypt.

In Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potifer, an important official. Genesis 39:2:4 shows how God blessed Joseph.

The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.

When his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant.

Potifer put him in charge of his household and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.

But Piper’s wife tried to seduce Joseph and when he refused she falsely accused him.

Joseph was thrown in prison but even there God was with him. Genesis 39:21 tells us, “But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him.

He showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

In prison, Joseph interpreted dreams for Pharaoh’s baker and cupbearer. Two years later, Pharaoh had troubling dreams that no one could understand.

The cup bearer remembered Joseph, and Pharaoh called for him. Genesis 41:25 tus to 27 shows Joseph’s interpretation.

Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years.

It is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind.

They are seven years of famine.” Pharaoh was so impressed that he made Joseph second in command over all Egypt.

Genesis 41:441 records Pharaoh’s words, “You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders.

Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”

During the seven years of plenty, Joseph stored up grain. When the famine came, people from many countries came to Egypt to buy food, including Joseph’s brothers.

They didn’t recognize him, but he knew them immediately. After testing them to see if they had changed, Joseph revealed who he was.

Genesis 45:4 to5 shows this emotional moment. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”

When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt.

And now do not be distressed, and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”

Joseph forgave his brothers and invited the whole family to come live in Egypt. Genesis 46:27 tells us the number.

With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were 70 in all.

Jacob, now called Israel, moved his entire family to Egypt, where they would live for the next 400 years.

This ended the book of Genesis with God’s chosen people in a foreign land, but still under his protection and care.

400 years had passed since Joseph brought his family to Egypt. The Israelites had grown from 70 people to a nation of millions.

But things had changed dramatically. Exodus 18-10 explains what happened. Then a new king to whom Joseph meant nothing came to power in Egypt.

Look, he said to his people, the Israelites have become far too numerous for us.

Come, we must deal shrewdely with them, or they will become even more numerous, and if war breaks out, we’ll join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.

The Egyptians made the Israelites slaves and forced them to build cities and work in brutal conditions.

When that didn’t stop their growth, Pharaoh ordered something terrible. Exodus: 122 records his command.

Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people. Every Hebrew boy that is born, you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.

One Hebrew woman hid her baby boy for 3 months, then made a basket and put him in the river where Pharaoh’s daughter would find him.

Exodus 25-6 tells us what happened. Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank.

She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it.

She opened it and saw the ear baby. He was crying and she felt sorry for him.

This is one of the Hebrew babies, she said. The princess adopted the baby and named him Moses.

He grew up in Pharaoh’s palace but never forgot he was Hebrew. When he was 40 years old, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave and killed the Egyptian.

When Pharaoh found out Moses had to run away to the desert where he became a shepherd for 40 years, one day while watching sheep, Moses saw something amazing.

Exodus 3:24 describes it. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush.

Moses who saw that though the bush was on fire, it did not burn up.

So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight, why the bush does not burn up.”

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses, Moses.”

And Moses said, “Here I am.” God told Moses. He had heard the cries of his people in Egypt and was going to rescue them.

Exodus 3:10 shows God’s plan. So now go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.

Moses was afraid and made excuses, but God promised to be with him and even let his brother Aaron help him speak.

Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and demanded that he let God’s people go. Exodus 5:12 records this first meeting.

Afterward, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, “Let my people go so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.”

Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey him and let Israel go?

I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.” Instead of letting them go, Pharaoh made their work even harder.

So God sent 10 terrible plagues on Egypt to show his power. The Nile River turned to blood.

Frogs covered the land. Gnats swarmed everywhere. Flies filled the houses. Livestock died. Painful boils broke out on people.

Hail destroyed crops. Locusts ate what was left. And darkness covered the land for 3 days.

Each time a plague came, Pharaoh would promise to let the Israelites go. But when it stopped, he would change his mind.

Finally, God announced the worst plague of all. Exodus 11:4-5 describes it. So Moses said, “This is what the Lord says.

About midnight, I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die. From the firstborn son of Pharaoh who sits on the throne to the firstborn son of the female slave who is at her handmill and all the firstborn of the cattle as well.

But God provided a way for the Israelites to be protected. Exodus 12:12-13 explains, “On that same night, I will pass through Egypt and strike down the firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt.

I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are.

And when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.”

Each family had to kill a perfect lamb and put its blood on their doorframes.

They cooked the lamb and ate it with unleavened bread, ready to leave quickly. That night, the angel of death passed through Egypt.

But when he saw the blood, he passed over those houses. Exodus 12:29:30 tells what happened.

At midnight, the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt. From the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on the throne to the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.

Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night and there was loud wailing in Egypt for there was not a house without someone dead.

Pharaoh finally let them go and the Israelites left Egypt that very night after a 430 years of living there.

About 2 million Israelites left Egypt with their flocks and herds. But God didn’t lead them the shortest way to the promised land.

Exodus 13:17-18 explains why. When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter.

For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”

So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. God guided them with a special sign.

Exodus 13:21-22 describes it. By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light so that they could travel by day or night.

Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

But soon they faced a terrible problem. Pharaoh changed his mind about letting them go and chased after them with his entire army.

Exodus 14:9-10 tells us, “The Egyptians, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops, pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pihahiroth opposite Balon.”

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and there were the Egyptians marching after them.

They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. The people were trapped between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea.

They panicked and blamed Moses for bringing them out to die in the desert. But Moses trusted God completely.

Exodus 14-13-14 records his response. Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.

The Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you.

You need only to be still.” Then God did something incredible. Exodus 14:21-22 describes the miracle.

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. And all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land.

The waters were divided. And the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

The Egyptians followed them into the sea. But when all the Israelites were safely across, God told Moses to stretch out his hand again.

Exodus 14:27-28 shows what happened. Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place.

The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.

Not one of them survived. The Israelites were amazed at God’s power and sang songs of praise, but their joy didn’t last long.

3 days later, they couldn’t find water. And when they did find some, it was too bitter to drink.

They complained to Moses, and God showed him how to make the water sweet. This became a pattern in the desert.

When they ran out of food, they complained. So God sent quail in the evening and mana every morning except the Sabbath.

Exodus 16:14-15 describes this miracle food. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor.

When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.”

When they needed water again, God told Moses to strike a rock with his staff and water poured out.

When enemies attacked them, Moses held up his hands and they won the battle. Every need was met, but the people kept complaining and wanting to go back to Egypt.

3 months after leaving Egypt, the Israelites came to Mount Si. This was where God had first spoken to Moses from the burning bush and now he was going to give them his laws.

Exodus 19 3-6 records God’s message. Then Moses went up to God and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel.

You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself.

Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations, you will be my treasured possession.

Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

The people agreed to obey God. So he told them to prepare for something amazing.

For three days they washed their clothes and got ready. On the third day something incredible happened.

Exodus 19:16 to18 describes it. On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning with a thick cloud over the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast.

Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

Mount Si was covered with smoke because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace and the whole mountain trembled violently.

God called Moses up the mountain and gave him the Ten Commandments. Exodus 21:17 lists these basic rules for living.

Worship only God. Don’t make idols. Don’t misuse God’s name. Keep the Sabbath day holy.

Honor your parents. Don’t murder. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal. Don’t lie about others. And don’t want what belongs to someone else.

But God gave them much more than just 10 rules. He gave detailed laws about how to treat servants, what to do if someone gets hurt, how to handle property disputes, and many other practical matters for daily life.

The people were so afraid of God’s power that they asked Moses to be the one to speak with God and then tell them what he said.

God also gave Moses detailed plans for building a special tent called the tabernacle where he would live among his people.

Exodus 25:8-9 shows God’s purpose. Then have them make a sanctuary for me and I will dwell among them.

Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

The tabernacle was beautiful and complex. It had an outer courtyard with a bronze altar for sacrifices and a basin for washing.

Inside the tent were two rooms. The holy place with a golden lampstand, a table for special bread, and an altar for burning incense.

And the most holy place with the ark of the covenant where God’s presence would dwell.

God chose Moses’ brother Aaron and his sons to be priests who would offer sacrifices and take care of the tabernacle.

He gave detailed instructions about their special clothes, how they should be ordained, and what sacrifices they should offer for different situations.

While Moses was on the mountain receiving God’s laws, something terrible happened in the camp.

Below, Moses had been gone for 40 days, and the people got impatient. Exodus 32:1 shows what they did.

When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us.”

As for this fellow Moses, who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.

Aaron should have refused, but instead he gave in to their demands. Exodus 32:2-4 records his terrible decision.

Aaron answered them. Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons, and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.”

So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool.

Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

The people began worshiping this golden calf and having wild parties, completely forgetting about the God who had just rescued them from Egypt.

Up on the mountain, God told Moses what was happening and was so angry he wanted to destroy the whole nation and start over with just Moses.

But Moses pleaded for the people, reminding God of his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Exodus 32:14 tells us, “Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

However, Moses was about to see for himself how bad things had gotten.” Exodus 32:19-20 describes what happened when Moses came down the mountain.

When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.

And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire.

Then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water, and made the Israelites drink it.

Moses was furious with Aaron for leading the people into sin. He called for everyone who was still loyal to God to come to him, and the tribe of Levi responded.

Moses ordered them to go through the camp and execute the worst offenders. About 3,000 people died that day because of their rebellion.

Moses went back up the mountain to ask God to forgive the people. God agreed to continue leading them, but said his angel would go with them instead of his personal presence.

This made Moses very sad and he pleaded with God not to abandon them. Exodus 33:15:16 shows Moses’ request.

Then Moses said to him, “If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.

How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?”

What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?

God was moved by Moses’ intercession and agreed to go with them personally. He also made new stone tablets to replace the ones Moses had broken.

And Moses spent another 40 days on the mountain. When he came down this time, his face was shining so brightly from being in God’s presence that he had to wear a veil.

From Mount Si, the Israelites traveled toward the promised land. When they reached its border, Moses sent 12 spies to explore the land and bring back a report.

Numbers 13:27-28 shows what they found. They gave Moses this account. We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey.

Here is its fruit, but the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified, and very large.

We even saw descendants of Anch there. 10 of the spies were afraid and said it would be impossible to conquer the land.

Only Joshua and Caleb trusted that God would help them win. Numbers 1469 records their encouraging words.

Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Japana who were among those who had explored the land tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.

If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.

Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them.

Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.

But the people believe the fearful report instead of trusting God. They even talked about choosing a new leader and going back to Egypt.

This made God very angry. Numbers 14:22-23 shows his judgment. Not one of them who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, but who disobeyed me and tested me 10 times.

Not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors.

No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. God sentenced the entire adult generation to wander in the desert for 40 years until they all died.

Only Joshua and Caleb would be allowed to enter the promised land because they had faith in God.

Numbers 14:34 explains the punishment. For 40 years, one year for each of the 40 days you explored the land, you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.

During those 40 years, the people continued to complain and rebel. Once they grumbled about the manner God provided every day, so God sent poisonous snakes among them.

When people were dying from snake bites, they confessed their sin. Numbers 218:9 tells us God’s solution.

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole.

Anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole.

Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

Another time some men named Kora, Dathan, and Abberham rebelled against Moses’ leadership and claimed they should be able to offer sacrifices, too.

God opened up the earth and swallowed them alive, then sent fire to consume 250 men who had joined their rebellion.

Even Moses made a mistake that cost him dearly. When the people complained about not having water, God told Moses to speak to a rock and it would give water.

But Moses was angry with the people and struck the rock twice with his staff instead of just speaking to it.

Numbers 20, 10, 12 records. This incident, he and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”

Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.

Because of this disobedience, Moses would not be allowed to enter the promised land either.”

While the Israelites were at Mount Si, God gave them detailed laws about how to worship him and live as his holy people.

The book of Leviticus contains many of these laws, especially about the sacrificial system. Leviticus 1 1-2 shows how these laws were given.

The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them, when anyone among you brings an offering to the Lord, bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.

God established five main types of sacrifices. The burnt offering was completely burned up to show total dedication to God.

The grain offering was made from flour, oil, and incense to thank God for his provision.

The fellowship offering was partially eaten by the person making the sacrifice to celebrate peace with God.

The sin offering was for unintentional sins and the guilt offering was for specific wrongs that needed to be made right.

These sacrifices were important because they showed that sin is serious and requires payment. Leviticus 17:11 explains why blood was necessary.

For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar.

It is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life. God also established special holy days for the people to remember what he had done for them.

The Sabbath was every seventh day for rest. Passover remembered their escape from Egypt. The day of atonement was when the high priest made sacrifice for the sins of the whole nation.

The feast of tabernacles reminded them of living in tents in the desert. Leviticus also contains many laws about daily life.

Some foods were clean and could be eaten while others were unclean and forbidden. There were laws about skin diseases, mold in houses, and many other practical matters.

Leviticus 19:18 contains one of the most important commands. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.

I am the Lord. The goal of all these laws was to make Israel different from the nations around them.

Leviticus 20:26 states God’s purpose. You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.

The book of Numbers gets its name from two censuses God commanded Moses to take of the Israelites.

The first census was taken soon after they left Mount Si. Numbers 1.2:3 records God’s instructions.

Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one.

You and Aaron are to count. According to their divisions, all the men in Israel who are 20 years old or more and able to serve in the army.

This census counted 63 550 fighting men which meant the total population was probably over 2 million people.

Each tribe was given a specific place to camp around the tabernacle and a specific order for marching when they moved.

The tribe of Levi was special because God chose them to take care of the tabernacle instead of fighting in the army.

Numbers 3:11-13 explains why the Lord also said to Moses, “I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman.

The Levites are mine, for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal.

They are to be mine. I am the Lord.” The Levites were divided into three groups.

The descendants of Kohath carried the most holy items like the ark of the covenant.

The descendants of Gershon carried the curtains and coverings. The descendants of Mirari carried the frames and posts.

Numbers also tells about the organization of the army and how they were to march when God told them to move.

The cloud over the tabernacle was their signal. When it moved, they followed. When it stopped, they set up camp.

The second census was taken 38 years later, just before entering the promised land. Numbers 2651 gives the total.

The total number of the men of Israel was 6017 and30. Almost the same number, but it was an entirely new generation since all the adults from the first census had died in the desert except Joshua and Caleb.

This census also included the division of the land. Each tribe would receive territory based on its size, and the land would be divided by casting lots to see which tribe got which area.

As the 40 years in the desert were ending, Moses knew he would not enter the promised land with the people.

The book of Deuteronomy contains his final speeches to prepare the new generation for life in their new home.

Deuteronomy 1 1:3 sets the scene. These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan.

That is in the Arabah opposite Souf between Pan and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Desahab.

It takes 11 days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.

In the 40th year, on the first day of the 11th month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them.

Moses reminded them of everything that had happened since they left Egypt, God’s faithfulness, their rebellions, and the lessons they should have learned.

He repeated many of the laws God had given them, and explained how to apply them in their new land.

The Art of Moses message was about loving God completely. Deuteronomy 6:4-6 contains the most important command here.

O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Moses warned them about the temptations they would face in the promised land.

The people living there worshiped false gods and it would be easy to copy their ways.

Deuteronomy 8:11:14 shows his concern. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws, and his decrees that I am giving you this day.

Build the wise when you eat and are satisfied. When you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large, and your silver and gold increase, and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud, and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”

Moses also gave them promises of blessing if they obeyed God, and warnings of punishment if they turned away from him.

He told them that if they ever became unfaithful and were scattered among the nations, God would still take them back if they returned to him with all their hearts.

Before he died, Moses appointed Joshua as the new leader and blessed each of the 12 tribes.

Deuteronomy 34:5-7 records the end of Moses’s life. And Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in Moab, as the Lord had said.

He buried him in Moab in the valley opposite Beth Pior. But to this day, no one knows where his grave is.

Moses was 120 years old when he died. Yet his eyes were not weak, nor his strength gone.

The Israelites mourned for Moses, 30 days. He had been their leader for 40 years, and had spoken with God face to face like no one else ever had.

Now they were ready to enter the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob hundreds of years before.

After Moses died, God chose Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promised land. Joshua had been Moses’ assistant for 40 years and was one of only two spies who had trusted God to give them victory.

Now, it was time for him to step into leadership. Joshua 1:13 records God’s commission.

After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua, “Son of Nun, Moses is aid.”

“Moses, my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them, to the Israelites.

I will give you every place where you set your foot as I promised Moses.”

God promised to be with Joshua just as he had been with Moses. But Joshua needed to be strong and courageous.

The task ahead was enormous, conquering a land filled with fortified cities and powerful armies.

But God assured him that no one would be able to stand against him as long as he obeyed God’s laws.

Joshua immediately began preparing the people for the crossing. He sent officers throughout the camp with instructions.

Joshua 1:1011 shows his orders. So Joshua ordered the officers of the people, “Go through the camp and tell the people, “Get your provisions ready.

3 days from now, you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.”

Before crossing the river, Joshua secretly sent two spies to explore Jericho. The first city they would need to conquer.

The spies stayed with a woman named Rahab who lived in the city wall. When the king of Jericho heard about the spies, he sent soldiers to capture them.

But Rahab hid them on her roof under stalks of flax. Rahab had heard about all the miracles God had done for Israel, and she believed their God was the true God.

Joshua 29:11 records her words to the spies. I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us.

So that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you.

We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.

When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear, and everyone’s courage failed because of you.

For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”

The spies promised to spare Rahab and her family when they conquered the city. As long as she hung a scarlet cord from her window and kept their visit secret, she helped them escape by lowering them down the outside of the city wall with a rope.

When the spies returned, they gave Joshua an encouraging report. Joshua 2:24 shows their confidence.

They said to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands.

All the people are melting in fear because of us.” 3 days later, it was time to cross the Jordan River.

But there was a problem. It was harvest time, and the river was at flood stage, much wider and deeper than normal.

How could 2 million people with their animals and possessions get across? God had a plan that would remind them of crossing the Red Sea 40 years earlier.

Joshua 3:15-16 describes the miracle. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest.

Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing.

It piled up in a heap a great distance away at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarathan.

While the water flowing down to the sea of the Arabah, that is the Dead Sea, was completely cut off.

So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood in the middle of the dry riverbed while all the people crossed over.

To help them remember this miracle, Joshua commanded one man from each tribe to take a stone from the riverbed.

Joshua 4:6-7 explains the purpose. In the future, when your children ask you, “What do these stones mean?”

Tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.

When everyone had crossed safely, the priests came up out of the riverbed and immediately the water rushed back to flood stage.

The Israelites were now in the promised land, and Joshua set up the 12 stones at their first camp in Gilgal as a permanent reminder of God’s power.

The first major city the Israelites faced was Jericho, and it was completely shut up because of their arrival.

Joshua 6:1 tells us, “Now the walls of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites.

No one went out and no one came in.” The city seemed impossible to conquer with its massive walls and strong defenses.

But God had a very unusual battle plan. Joshua 6:24 records God’s instructions. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands along with its king and its fighting men.

March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for 6 days.

Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times with the priests blowing the trumpets.

This must have seemed like a strange way to fight a battle, but Joshua obeyed exactly.

For 6 days, the Israelites marched silently around Jericho once each day while the priests blew trumpets.

The people inside the city must have wondered what was happening. On the seventh day, everything changed.

Joshua 6:15-16 describes what happened. On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner.

Except that on that day, they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city.”

Joshua 6:20 tells us the result. When the trumpet sounded, the army shouted. And at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed.

So everyone charged straight in and they took the city. The massive walls of Jericho fell down flat.

And the Israelites captured the city exactly as God had promised. They destroyed everything in the city except for Rahab and her family, who were spared because she had helped the spies.

All the silver, gold, and articles of bronze and iron were taken for God’s treasury, but everything else was burned.

However, one man disobeyed God’s command about the devoted things. A gun secretly took some items for himself and hid them in his tent.

This sin brought disaster on the whole nation when they attacked the next city. Ai was a much smaller city than Jericho.

So Joshua sent only about 3,000 men to attack it. But something shocking happened. The men of I defeated the Israelites and chased them away.

Joshua 7:5 records the devastating result who killed about 36 of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quaries and struck them down on the slopes.

At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water. Joshua was confused and heartbroken.

He fell on his face before God and asked why this had happened. God told him that someone had taken devoted things and the whole camp was under judgment until the guilty person was found and punished.

Through a process of casting lots, God revealed that Achan was the guilty one. Joshua 7:2021 records Akan’s confession.

Akan replied, “It is true. I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel.

This is what I have done.” When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, 200 shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, I coveted them and took them.

They are hidden in the ground inside my tent with the silver underneath. Achan and his entire family were stoned to death for this sin.

And then the Israelites were able to conquer I. This showed them how serious it was to obey God completely.

From there Joshua led the conquest of the entire land. They fought many battles against coalitions of kings who tried to stop them.

Sometimes God gave them victory through miracles like the day he made the sun stand still so they would have enough daylight to complete their victory.

Joshua 10:12-13 describes this amazing event. On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel, “Son, stand still over Gibian and you moon over the valley of Agelon.”

So the sun stood still and the moon stopped till the nation avenged itself on its enemies as it is written in the book of Jasha.

The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.

Other times they won through careful strategy and hard fighting. Some cities they destroyed completely while others they conquered and occupied.

The conquest took about 7 years and by the end they controlled most of the land God had promised to give them.

After the major conquest was complete, it was time to divide the land among the 12 tribes.

This was a huge task since different areas had different advantages. Some had better farmland, others had important trade routes, and some had strategic military positions.

God had already given specific instructions about how this should be done. Numbers 26-52 to 56 had explained the method.

The land would be divided by casting lots, but the size of each territory would depend on the size of each tribe.

Larger tribes would get more land while smaller tribes would get less. Joshua 14:12 tells us who was in charge of this process.

Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritance in the land of Canaan which Elaza the priest Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel allotted to them.

Their inheritances were assigned by Lot to the nine and a half tribes as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

Two and a half tribes had already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan River before the conquest began.

The tribes of Reuben and Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh had asked for this land because it was good for raising cattle, and Moses had agreed as long as their fighting men helped conquer the west side first.

The tribe of Levi didn’t receive a territory like the other tribes because they were set apart to serve God.

Instead, they were given 48 cities scattered throughout all the other tribal territories along with pasture lands around each city for their animals.

Joshua 21-41 summarizes their inheritance. The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were 48 in all together with their pasture lands.

Caleb, who had been one of the faithful spies 40 years earlier, made a special request.

Even though he was now 85 years old, he asked for the hill country around Hebron where the fearsome giants lived.

Joshua 14:12 records his bold words, “Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day.

You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified.

But the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said. Joshua gladly gave Caleb this challenging territory and the old warrior successfully conquered it.

His faith and courage were an example to everyone. The process of dividing the land took several years and involved surveying the remaining unconquered areas.

Joshua 18:4 describes how this was done. Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it according to the inheritance of each.

Then they will return to me. Each tribe received detailed boundaries describing exactly where their territory began and ended.

Some tribes like Judah and Ephraim received large areas with many cities. Others like Simeon and Dan received smaller territories.

The tribe of Dan had trouble conquering their assigned territory because the people there were strong and had iron chariots.

Eventually, most of the Danites moved north and conquered a city called Le, which they renamed Dan.

Joshua also designated six cities of refuge, where someone who accidentally killed another person could flee for safety.

Three cities were on each side of the Jordan River, spaced so that no one would have to travel more than a day’s journey to reach protection.

When the division was complete, the two and a half tribes who lived east of the Jordan were finally allowed to return to their families.

They had faithfully helped conquer the west side of the Jordan as they had promised.

Joshua 22:45 shows Joshua’s blessing as they departed. Now that the Lord your God has given them rest as he promised, return to your homes in the land that Moses, the servant of the Lord, gave you on the other side of the Jordan.

But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses, the servant of the Lord, gave you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

After Joshua died, something tragic happened to the Israelites. The generation that had seen God’s mighty works in conquering the land began to die off, and their children didn’t know the Lord or what he had done for Israel.

Judges 2:10 describes this spiritual disaster. After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.

Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baales.

They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors who had brought them out of Egypt.

They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger.

This began a sad cycle that would repeat over and over for about 300 years.

The Israelites would turn away from God and worship the idols of their neighbors. God would become angry and allow enemy nations to oppress them.

When life became unbearable, the people would cry out to God for help. God would raise up a leader called a judge to deliver them.

The judge would lead them to victory and rule over them. But when the judge died, the people would return to their idols and the cycle would start all over again.

Judges 2:16:19 explains this pattern. Then the Lord raised up judges who saved them out of the hands of these raiders.

Yet they would not listen to their judges, but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them.

They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands.

Whenever the Lord raised up a judge, for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived.

For the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them.

But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them.

They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. The first oppression came from Kushan Rishim, king of Aram, who ruled over Israel for 8 years.

When the people cried out, God raised up, Caleb’s nephew, who defeated the enemy and brought peace for 40 years.

Afterl died, the Israelites sinned again, and God allowed Eglon, king of Moab, to conquer them.

For 18 years, the Israelites had to pay heavy taxes to this fat king. Then God raised up a left-handed man named Ehood, who made a double-edged sword and hid it under his clothes.

When he went to deliver tribute money to King Eglon, he asked for a private meeting and assassinated the king.

Then he escaped and led Israel to victory over the Moabites. The cycle continued with oppression by the Philistines and deliverance by Shamgar, who killed 600 Philistines with an ox go.

Each time the people would be faithful for a while, then return to idolatry when their deliverer died.

This period showed how quickly people can forget God’s goodness and how sin leads to suffering.

But it also showed God’s patience and mercy. No matter how many times the people failed, he was always ready to forgive them when they truly repented and cried out for help.

One of the most famous periods of oppression came when Jabin, king of Gaan, crually oppressed Israel for 20 years with his 900 iron chariots.

The judge God raised up this time was unusual. A woman named Deborah, who was also a prophetess.

Judges 4:45 introduces her. Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lapedoth, was leading Israel at that time.

She held court under the palm of Deborah between Rama and Bethl in the hill country of Ephraim.

And the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. Deborah called for a man named Barack and told him God’s plan to defeat Jabin’s army.

But Barack was afraid to go without her. Judges 4:8-9 shows their conversation. Barack said to her, “If you go with me, I will go.

But if you don’t go with me, I won’t go. Certainly, I will go with you, said Deborah.

But because of the course you’re taking, the honor will not be yours. For the Lord will deliver Cicura into the hands of a woman.

Deborah and Barack led 10,000 men against Cicura, the commander of Jabine’s army. God threw the enemy into confusion, and all their iron chariots became useless.

Cisora himself fled on foot and took refuge in the tent of a woman named Jael.

While he was sleeping, Jael drove a tent peg through his head, fulfilling Deborah’s prophecy that a woman would get the honor of defeating him.

After this victory, Deborah and Barack sang a beautiful song of praise, celebrating what God had done.

The land had peace for 40 years. The next major oppression came from the Midianites who would sweep into Israel at harvest time like a swarm of locusts, destroying crops and stealing livestock.

For 7 years, they made life miserable for the Israelites who had to hide in caves and mountains.

God chose an unlikely hero to deliver them. A young man named Gideon who was secretly threshing wheat in a wine press to hide it from the Midianites.

Judges 6:12 records the angel’s greeting. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

Gideon was surprised to be called a mighty warrior since he was the youngest in his family and his clan was the weakest in his tribe.

But God promised to be with him and make him victorious. First though, Gideon had to tear down his father’s altar to Bal and cut down the Asherapole beside it.

This took courage because the whole town worshiped these idols. When Gideon called for volunteers to fight the Midionites, 32,000 men responded.

But God said this was too many. If they won with such a large army, they might think their own strength had saved them instead of giving God the credit.

God told Gideon to send home anyone who was afraid. And 22,000 men left. But God said 10,000 was still too many.

Judges 7:47 describes the final test. But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men.

Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there.

If I say this one shall go with you, he shall go. But if I say this one shall not go with you, he shall not go.”

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues, as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.”

300 of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

The Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men that lapped, I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands.

Let all the others go home.” With only 300 men, Gideon attacked the vast Midianite army at night.

Each man carried a trumpet and a torch hidden inside a clay jar. At Gideon’s signal, they all blew their trumpets, broke their jars, and shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon.”

The Midianites panicked in the darkness, and began fighting each other. Those who survived fled, and Israel chased them and won a complete victory.

Other judges included Tola and Jaer who brought periods of peace and Jeffa who defeated the Ammonites but made a tragic vow that cost him his daughter’s life.

There was also Ian, Elon and Abdon each of whom judged Israel for a time.

The period of the judges showed both God’s power to deliver his people and their tendency to forget him when times were good.

Each judge brought temporary relief. But the underlying problem of spiritual unfaithfulness remained. The longest oppression during the time of the judges came from the Philistines who dominated Israel for 40 years.

The judge God raised up to begin their deliverance was unlike any other, a man of incredible physical strength named Samson.

Before Samson was born, an angel appeared to his parents and gave them special instructions.

Judges 13:3-5 records the angel’s message. The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son.

Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink, and that you do not eat anything unclean.

You will become pregnant and give birth to a son. No razor may be used on his head because the boy is to be a Nazerite dedicated to God from the womb.

He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines. Samson was to be a Nazerite, which meant he could never cut his hair, drink alcohol, or touch anything dead.

As long as he kept these vows, God would give him supernatural strength. Samson grew up and became the strongest man who ever lived.

When a young lion attacked him, he tore it apart with his bare hands. When the Philistines tied him up with ropes, he snapped them like thread.

When they trapped him in a city, he picked up the city gates and carried them to the top of a hill.

His most famous victory came when the Philistines gathered to celebrate in their temple to their god Dean.

They brought Zamson out to entertain them, not knowing he was planning their destruction. Judges 16:28-30 describes his final act.

Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please God, strengthen me just once more and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.”

Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.”

Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it.

Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived. But Samson’s story was also tragic because he wasted his gifts through poor choices.

He fell in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah who kept trying to discover the secret of his strength.

After she nagged him repeatedly, he finally told her that his strength came from his uncut hair.

Judges 16:1920 tells what happened next. After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him, and his strength left him.

Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you.” Though he awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.”

But he did not know that the Lord had left him. The Philistines captured Samson, gouged out his eyes, and made him grind grain like an animal.

But while he was in prison, his hair began to grow again, and God gave him one final opportunity to serve his purpose.

Samson judged Israel for 20 years, but he was more of a one-man army than a national leader.

His victories weakened the Philistines, but didn’t completely free Israel from their oppression. That would have to wait for later leaders like Samuel and David.

During the time of the judges, there was a beautiful story that showed how God could work even in dark times.

A man named IMC took his wife Naomi and their two sons from Bethlehem to the country of Moab because of a famine in Israel.

This seemed like a good idea, but it went against God’s plan for his people to stay in the promised land.

In Moab, IMC died and his sons married Moabitete women named Ruth and Orpa. After about 10 years, both sons died too, leaving Naomi alone with her two daughters-in-law.

Ruth 135 summarizes these tragedies. Now, IMC, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.

They married Moabitete women, one named Opar and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about 10 years, both Maron and Killian also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

When Naomi heard that the famine in Israel was over, she decided to return home.

She told her daughters-in-law to stay in Moab, where they could remarry and start new lives.

Or tearfully said goodbye, but Ruth refused to leave Naomi. Ruth 1:16-17 contains Ruth’s beautiful declaration of loyalty.

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.

Where you go, I will go. And where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.

Where you die, I will die. And there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”

Ruth was willing to leave everything familiar and follow Naomi to a foreign country where she would be an outsider.

More importantly, she was choosing to worship the God of Israel instead of the gods of Moab.

When they arrived in Bethlehem, they were very poor and had no way to support themselves.

But it was harvest time, and God’s law allowed poor people to gather grain that was left behind by the harvesters.

Ruth 2:2 shows Ruth’s initiative. And Ruth the Moabitete said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.”

Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” By God’s providence, Ruth ended up gleaning in a field owned by a man named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s deceased husband.

When Boaz saw Ruth, he asked about her and learned how loyal she had been to Naomi.

Ruth 2:11-12 shows his response. Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before.

May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.

Boaz was kind to Ruth and made sure she was protected and wellfed. When Naomi learned about this, she realized that Boaz was a guardian redeemer, a close relative who had the right to marry Ruth and continue her deceased husband’s family line.

Following Naomi’s instructions, Ruth approached Boaz and asked him to marry her. There was one problem.

There was a closer relative who had the first right to redeem her. But when this man learned he would have to marry Ruth and give up part of his inheritance, he declined.

Ruth 4:9-10 records Boaz’s public declaration when he married Ruth. Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of IMC, Killion, and Marlon.

I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitete, Marlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown.”

Today, you are witnesses. Ruth. And Boaz had a son named Oed, who became the father of Jesse, who became the father of David, the future king of Israel.

This meant that Ruth, a Moabitete woman, became the great grandmother of Israel’s greatest king.

God had taken a pagan woman who showed loyalty and faith and made her part of the royal line that would eventually lead to the Messiah.

The story of Ruth shows how God can bring good out of difficult circumstances and how he values character more than nationality or social status.

The last and greatest of the judges was Samuel, who was different from all the others.

He was not just a military deliverer, but also a priest and prophet who led Israel back to spiritual faithfulness.

His story began before he was born when his mother Hannah desperately wanted a child.

Hannah was married to a man named Elana who loved her deeply but she couldn’t have children while his other wife Panina had many sons and daughters.

This caused Hannah great sorrow, especially when Panina mocked her about being childless. Every year when the family went to worship at Shiloh, Hannah would weep and pray for a son.

1st Samuel 1:10-11 describes her desperate prayer. In her deep anguish, Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.

And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery, and remember me and not forget your servant, but give her a son.

Then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

Hannah was praying so intensely that Eli the priest thought she was drunk. But when he learned about her heartfelt request, he blessed her and told her to go in peace.

God answered her prayer and she gave birth to a son named Samuel, which means heard by God.

True to her promise, Hannah brought Samuel to the tabernacle when he was still very young and dedicated him to serve God there.

1st Samuel 127:28 shows her faithfulness. I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.

So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.

Samuel grew up serving in the tabernacle under Eli’s supervision. But Eli’s own sons were wicked priests who stole from the sacrifices and committed immoral acts.

God was angry with them and planned to judge their family. One night when Samuel was still a boy, God called to him while he was sleeping.

At first, Samuel thought it was Eli calling, but after this happened three times, Eli realized God was speaking to the boy.

First of Samuel 3:9-10 shows what happened next. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

Do so Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other time, “Samuel, Samuel.”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” God told Samuel that he was going to judge Eli’s family because of his son’s wickedness.

This was difficult news for a young boy to deliver. But Samuel faithfully reported everything God had told him.

As Samuel grew up, God was with him and established him as a prophet. 1st Samuel 3:19 to20 tells us about his reputation.

The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground.

And all Israel from Dan to Beersa recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.

During Samuel’s leadership, the Philistines captured the ark of the covenant in battle and took it to their cities.

But everywhere they took the ark, God sent plagues and disasters until they were forced to send it back to Israel with offerings to appease the God of Israel.

Samuel called the people to repentance and led them in a great victory over the Philistines at Mizpa.

For many years he traveled in a circuit judging Israel and leading them in worship.

Under his leadership the people turned back to God and experienced peace. But as Samuel grew old, the people made a request that broke his heart.

1st Samuel 8:4-5 records what happened. So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Rama.

They said to him, “You are old and your sons do not follow your ways.

Now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” Samuel was disappointed because he knew this request showed the people were rejecting God as their king.

God told Samuel to warn them about what having a human king would cost them.

He would draft their sons for his army, take their daughters to serve in his palace, tax their crops and flocks, and make them his servants.

Samuel 8:1 19-20 shows that the people didn’t care about these warnings, but the people refused to listen to Samuel.

No, they said, “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.

God told Samuel to give them what they wanted, even though it wasn’t his best plan for them.

The age of the judges was ending, and the age of kings was about to begin.

Samuel had been faithful as the last judge, leading Israel back to God and preparing them for the next chapter in their history.

But the people’s demand for a king showed they still didn’t fully trust God to be their leader and protector.

When the people demanded a king, God told Samuel to find a man named Saul, who was from the tribe of Benjamin.

Saul was an impressive looking man, tall, handsome, and from a wealthy family. 1st Samuel 9:2 describes him.

Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.

Saul wasn’t looking to become king when God chose him. He was simply searching for his father’s lost donkeys when he met Samuel.

The prophet secretly anointed Saul with oil and told him God had chosen him to rule Israel.

1st Samuel 10:1 records this moment. Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance?”

To confirm that this was really God’s choice, Samuel told Saul he would meet specific people and have certain experiences on his way home.

Everything happened exactly as Samuel predicted, including Saul prophesying with a group of prophets, which completely changed his heart.

When Samuel gathered all Israel to present their new king, Saul was so nervous he hid among the baggage.

But when they found him and brought him forward, the people were impressed with his appearance and shouted, “Long live the king.”

Saul’s first test as king came when the Ammonites threatened to attack the city of Jabesh Gilead.

The enemy king offered a cruel peace treaty. He would spare the city only if he could gouge out the right eye of every person living there.

When Saul heard about this threat, the spirit of God came upon him powerfully. Samuel 11:6-7 describes Saul’s response.

When Saul heard their words, the spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger.

He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.”

Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people and they came out together.

At one Saul assembled a huge army and completely defeated the Ammonites, rescuing Jabesh Gilead.

This victory established his reputation as a military leader and convinced any doubters that God had truly chosen him to be king.

For a while, Saul ruled well and won many battles against Israel’s enemies. But gradually pride began to affect his judgment.

The first major problem came when the Philistines gathered for war and Samuel was late arriving to offer the pre- battle sacrifice.

Saul got impatient and decided to offer the sacrifice himself. Even though only priests were supposed to do this, Samuel 13-13-14 shows Samuel’s response when he arrived.

You have done a foolish thing, Samuel said. You have not kept the command. The Lord your God gave you.

If you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure.

The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people because you have not kept the Lord’s command.

This was just the beginning of Saul’s problems. Later, God commanded him to completely destroy the Amalachites and everything they owned as punishment for how they had attacked Israel in the desert.

But Saul disobeyed by keeping the best animals alive and sparing King Aag. When Samuel confronted him about this disobedience, Saul made excuses and claimed he had saved the animals to sacrifice to God.

1st Samuel 15:22-23 contains Samuel’s famous response. But Samuel replied, “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord?

To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

From that day forward, God’s spirit left Saul and an evil spirit began to torment him.

Saul became jealous, paranoid, and violent. He spent the rest of his reign trying to kill David, the young man God had chosen to replace him.

Saul’s tragic end came when he was defeated by the Philistines in battle and fell on his own sword rather than be captured alive.

While Saul was still king, God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint his replacement from among the sons of Jesse.

When Samuel saw Jesse’s oldest son, he thought, “This impressive young man must be God’s choice.”

But 1st Samuel 16:7 records God’s correction. But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.”

The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

Jesse brought seven of his sons before Samuel, but God didn’t choose any of them.

Finally, Samuel asked if there were any other sons. First of Samuel 16:11 shows what happened next.

So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered.

“He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him. We will not sit down until he arrives.”

When David arrived from the fields, God immediately told Samuel this was his choice. 1st Samuel 16:12:13 describes the anointing.

So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.

Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him. This is the one.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers.

And from that day on, the spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. David was just a teenager, but he had already shown remarkable faith while protecting his father’s sheep.

He had killed both a lion and a bear with his bare hands when they threatened the flock.

This courage prepared him for his most famous moment when the Philistines challenged Israel to send a champion to fight their giant warrior Goliath.

All of Israel’s soldiers were terrified. Goliath was over 9 ft tall and covered in armor, and he had been taunting God’s people for 40 days.

David happened to be visiting his older brothers in the army when he heard Goliath’s challenge.

Samuel 17:26 shows David’s reaction. David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel?

Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

When King Saul heard about David’s willingness to fight, he tried to give him armor, but it was too big and heavy.

Instead, David chose five smooth stones from a stream and approached Goliath with just his sling and his faith in God.

Samuel 17:45-47 records David’s bold declaration. David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head.

This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals.

And the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves.

For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.

David’s first stone struck Goliath in the forehead and killed him instantly. The Philistines fled in terror and Israel won a great victory.

This made David famous throughout the nation and began his career as a warrior and leader.

Saul brought David into his court and eventually gave him his daughter Mikall as a wife.

But as David’s popularity grew, Saul became insanely jealous and tried repeatedly to kill him.

David was forced to live as a fugitive in the wilderness, gathering a band of loyal followers who would later become his mighty men.

During this difficult time, David had two opportunities to kill Saul, but refused to harm the Lord’s anointed.

This showed the nobility of his character and his respect for God’s authority, even when Saul was trying to murder him.

After Saul died in battle, David was finally crowned king, first over Judah and then over all Israel.

2 Samuel 5.4:5 summarizes his reign. David was 30 years old when he became king, and he reigned 40 years.

In Hebron, he reigned over Judah 7 years and 6 months. And in Jerusalem, he reigned over all Israel and Judah 33 years.

David’s de first major accomplishment was capturing Jerusalem from the Jebusites and making it his capital city.

This was strategically brilliant because Jerusalem was on the border between the northern and southern tribes, making it acceptable to everyone.

David then brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem with great celebration. He danced before the Lord with all his might, showing his heart for worship despite criticism from his wife Mikall.

This established Jerusalem as not just the political center but also the spiritual center of Israel.

Under David’s leadership, Israel became a powerful empire. He defeated the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and Arameans, expanding Israel’s territory to its greatest extent ever.

2 Samuel 8:14 summarizes his success. He put garrisons throughout Edom and all the became subject to David.

The Lord gave David victory wherever he went. David also organized the government efficiently, appointing capable men to lead the army, administer justice, and manage the kingdom’s affairs.

He was known for his justice and fairness to all people. But David wasn’t perfect.

His greatest failure came when he committed adultery with Ba Sheeba and arranged for her husband Uriah to be killed in battle.

When the prophet Nathan confronted him about this sin, David repented deeply and wrote Psalm 51, one of the most beautiful prayers of confession ever written.

Samuel 12:13 shows David’s response to Nathan’s rebuke. Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.”

God forgave David, but the consequences of his sin affected his family for the rest of his life.

His son Abselum later rebelled against him and tried to take over the kingdom, breaking David’s heart, even though Abselum was eventually defeated and killed.

Despite his failures, David was known as a man after God’s own heart because he loved God deeply and always returned to him in repentance when he sinned.

He wrote many of the Psalms, expressing his intimate relationship with God through both struggles and victories.

When David grew old, he chose his son Solomon to succeed him as king. Even though Solomon was not the oldest son, David gave Solomon detailed plans for building the temple that God had not allowed David to construct because he was a man of war.

Kings 359 shows how Solomon’s reign began at Gibian. The Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart.

You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David.

But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.

Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.

So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.

For who is able to govern this great people of yours? God was pleased that Solomon asked for wisdom rather than wealth or long life.

Border Kings 3:12 records God’s generous response. I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart so that there will never have been anyone like you nor will there ever be.

Moreover, I will give you what you have, not asked for, both wealth and honor, so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.

Solomon’s wisdom became famous throughout the world. He could speak about plants, animals, and many other subjects.

He wrote 3,000 proverbs and over a thousand songs. Kings and queens came from distant countries just to hear his wisdom and see his kingdom.

The most famous test of Solomon’s wisdom came when two women claimed to be the mother of the same baby.

First Kings 3:24-27 describes his clever solution. Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.”

So they brought a sword for the king. He then gave an order. Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.

The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby.

Don’t kill him.” But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two.”

Then the king gave his ruling. Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him.

She is his mother. Solomon’s greatest achievement was building the temple in Jerusalem. This magnificent building took 7 years to construct and was covered with gold inside and out.

First Kings 637:38 tells us about its completion. The foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid in the fourth year in the month of Ziv.

In the 11th year in the month of Bull, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details.

According to its specifications, he had spent 7 years building it. When the temple was completed, Solomon dedicated it with a great celebration.

The priests brought the ark of the covenant into the most holy place, and God’s glory filled the temple so powerfully that the priests couldn’t continue their service.

Kings 8:10-11 describes this amazing moment when the priests withdrew from the holy place. The cloud filled the temple of the Lord and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.

Solomon offered a beautiful prayer of dedication asking God to hear the prayers of people who would come to this temple seeking forgiveness, help or guidance.

He acknowledged that no building could contain God, but asked him to make this a special place where his people could meet with him.

During Solomon’s reign, Israel experienced unprecedented peace and prosperity. First Kings 4:20-21 describes the golden age.

The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore.

They ate, they drank, and they were happy. And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines as far as the border of Egypt.

These countries brought tribute and were Solomon’s subjects all his life. Solomon established extensive trade relationships and built a powerful navy.

His merchants brought gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks from distant lands. The Queen of Sheba traveled from Africa to see his kingdom and was amazed by everything she witnessed.

Kings 106 to7 records her response. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.

But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes.

Indeed, not even half was told me. In wisdom and wealth, you have far exceeded the report I heard.

Unfortunately, Solomon’s later years were marked by spiritual decline. He married many foreign wives to seal political alliances, and these women brought their gods with them.

He burst Kings 11:3-4 shows how this affected him. He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines, and his wives led him astray.

As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.

Solomon even built temples for foreign gods to please his wives. This made God angry, and he announced that the kingdom would be divided after Solomon’s death.

Only one tribe would remain loyal to Solomon’s family, while the other 10 tribes would rebel and form their own kingdom.

Solomon’s reign lasted 40 years and represented the peak of Israel’s power and glory. But his compromise with pagan religions set the stage for the troubles that would follow.

When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam became king. But the people had grown tired of the heavy taxes and forced labor that Solomon had imposed to fund his building projects.

Led by a man named Jeroboam, representatives from the northern tribes came to Rihoboam with a request.

Kings 12 3-4 shows what they asked. So they sent for Jeroboam. And he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rihoboam and said to him, “Your father put a heavy yoke on us.

But now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Rhoboam asked for 3 days to consider their request. He first consulted the older advisers who had served his father.

First Kings 12:7 records their wise council. They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”

But Rahoboam rejected this advice and instead listened to the young men he had grown up with.

Their council was foolish and arrogant. Used Kings 12:10 to11 shows what they suggested. The young men who had grown up with him replied, “These people have said to you, “Your father put a heavy yolk on us, but make our yoke lighter.”

Now tell them, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. My father laid on you a heavy yolk.

I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips. I will scourge you with scorpions.”

When Rehaboam gave this harsh answer to the people, they immediately rebelled. First Kings 12:16 records their response.

When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king, “What share do we have in David?

What part in Jesse’s son? To your tents, Israel. Look after your own house, David.”

So the Israelites went home. The kingdom split exactly as God had predicted. 10 tribes in the north chose Jeroboam as their king and called their nation Israel.

Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained loyal to Rihoboam in the south, forming the kingdom of Judah.

Jeroboam faced an immediate problem. Jerusalem with its beautiful temple was now in the southern kingdom.

If his people continued going there for the religious festivals, they might decide to reunite with Judah.

So Jeroboam made a terrible decision that would curse the northern kingdom forever. Kings 12:28:30 describes his solution.

After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem.

Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. One he set up in Bethl and the other in Dan.”

And this thing became a sin. The people came to worship the one at Bethl and went as far as Dan to worship the other.

Jeroboam also appointed priests who weren’t from the tribe of Levi and changed the dates of the religious festivals.

This created a completely separate religious system that mixed worship of the true God with pagan practices.

God sent a prophet from Judah to confront Jeroboam while he was offering incense at the altar in Bethl.

First Kings 13:2 records the prophet’s message. By the word of the Lord, he cried out against the altar, “Altar, altar.

This is what the Lord says. A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David.

On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.”

When Jeroboam tried to arrest the prophet, his hand withered and the altar split apart, proving that the message was from God.

Although Jeroboam’s hand was healed when the prophet prayed for him, he refused to turn from his evil ways.

From this point on, the two kingdoms had separate histories. The northern kingdom of Israel had 19 kings from nine different dynasties over about 200 years.

Every single one of these kings was evil and continued the idolatrous worship that Jeroboam had established.

The southern kingdom of Judah had 20 kings, all from David’s dynasty over about 350 years.

Some of these kings were good and tried to bring the people back to God, while others were evil and led the people into idolatry.

The division of the kingdom fulfilled God’s judgment on Solomon’s unfaithfulness, but it also weakened both nations and made them vulnerable to attacks from powerful empires like Assyria and Babylon.

During the dark period, when evil kings ruled both Israel and Judah, God raised up powerful prophets to call the people back to faithful worship.

The most famous of these was Elijah, who confronted King Ahab of Israel and his wicked wife Jezebel.

Ahab was one of the worst kings Israel ever had. First Kings 16:303 describes his reign.

Ahab, son of Omry, did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.

He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel, daughter of Ethbal, king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Bal and worship him.

He set up an altar for Bal in the temple of Bal that he built in Samaria.

Ahab also made an Asherole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.

Jezebel was a pagan princess who brought hundreds of priests of Bal with her when she married Ahab.

She tried to completely eliminate the worship of the true God from Israel and killed many of God’s prophets.

Elijah suddenly appeared before King Ahab with a shocking announcement. First Kings 17:1 records his words.

Now Elijah the Tishbite from Tishb and Gilead said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel lives whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years, except at my word, for 3 and 1/2 years, no rain fell in Israel.

The drought was so severe that even King Ahab had to search personally for grass to keep his horses alive.

During this time, God supernaturally provided for Elijah. First by having ravens bring him food beside a brook, then by staying with a widow whose flour and oil never ran out.

When the drought reached its worst point, God told Elijah to confront Ahab again and challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest on Mount Carmel.

Ersa Kings 18:21 shows Elijah’s challenge to the people. Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions?

If the Lord is God, follow him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing.

The contest was simple. Each side would prepare a sacrifice, but put no fire under it.

The God who answered by sending fire to consume the sacrifice would prove he was the true God.

The 450 prophets of Bal went first, dancing around their altar and crying out from morning until evening, even cutting themselves with swords and spears, but nothing happened.

Kings 18:36:38 describes what happened when Elijah prayed at the time of sacrifice. The prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed, “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.

Answer me, Lord. Answer me so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

The people immediately fell on their faces and cried out, “The Lord, he is God.

The Lord, he is God.” Elijah ordered them to seize the prophets of Baal, and all 450 were executed.

Then Elijah prayed for rain, and the drought finally ended. But Queen Jezebel was furious about the death of her prophets and threatened to kill Elijah within 24 hours.

The great prophet who had just defeated 450 men became afraid and ran for his life into the desert.

In his depression, Elijah asked God to let him die. But God gently restored him.

First by providing food and rest. Then by speaking to him in a gentle whisper rather than in wind, earthquake, or fire.

God assured Elijah that he wasn’t alone. There were still 7,000 people in Israel who had not bowed down to Baal.

God also told Elijah to anoint Elisha as his successor. Elisha became Elijah’s assistant and eventually inherited a double portion of his spirit.

When Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind without dying, Elisha’s ministry lasted about 50 years and was marked by many miracles.

He purified poisoned water, multiplied oil for a widow to pay her debts, raised a woman’s son from the dead, fed a hundred men with 20 loaves of bread, and healed Non the Syrian of leprosy.

Elisha also played important political roles, anointing kings and advising them in times of war.

When the king of Aram sent an army to capture him, Elisha’s servant was terrified to see them surrounded by horses and chariots.

Singer’s Kings 6:16-17 shows how Elisha encouraged him. Don’t be afraid, the prophet answered. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.

And Alicia prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes.

And he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Through prophets like Elijah and Elisha, God showed his power and called his people back to faithful worship.

Even in the darkest times of Israel’s history, despite the warnings of the prophets, both kingdoms continued in their rebellion against God.

The northern kingdom of Israel was the first to face judgment when the Assyrian Empire conquered them in 722 BC.

For years, Assyria had been demanding tribute from Israel. When King Hosa tried to rebel by seeking help from Egypt, the Assyrian king Shelmanzar invaded and besieged Samaria, Israel’s capital city.

2 Kings 17:56 describes the end. The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria, and laid siege to it for 3 years.

In the ninth year of Hosa, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria.

He settled them in Hala, in Goan, on the Habbo River, and in the towns of the Mes.

The Assyrians had a policy of breaking up conquered nations by moving people to different locations.

They took most of the Israelites away to distant parts of their empire and brought foreigners to settle in Israel’s land.

This ended the northern kingdom forever. Kings 1778 explains why this happened. All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

They worshiped other gods and followed the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced.

The kingdom of Judah survived for about 135 more years. But they didn’t learn from Israel’s fate.

Some kings like Hezekiah and Josiah brought temporary reforms, but most continued in idolatry. King Hezekiah faced his own crisis when the Assyrian King Zanakaribb invaded Judah and threatened Jerusalem.

The Assyrian commander mocked God and claimed no God could save any nation from Assyria’s power.

But when Hezekiah prayed, God sent an angel who killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night.

And Sinakaribb had to retreat in humiliation. Later, when Hezekiah became deathly ill, he prayed for healing and God added 15 years to his life.

But during these extra years, Hezekiah foolishly showed envoys from Babylon all his treasures. The prophet Isaiah warned him that someday Babylon would carry away everything he had shown them.

King Josiah brought the most thorough religious reform in Judah’s history. He tore down all the pagan altars and temples, burned the implements used in idol worship, and celebrated the Passover for the first time in generations.

But even this wasn’t enough to turn away God’s judgment. Josiah was killed in battle against Pharaoh Neco of Egypt and his successors quickly returned to evil ways.

Meanwhile, Babylon had become the dominant world power after defeating Assyria. In 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took some of the temple treasures and some young nobles back to Babylon as hostages.

Among these young men were Daniel and his three friends, King Jehoakim of Judah rebelled against Babylon.

So Nebuchadnezzar returned and besieged Jerusalem again. In 597 BC, he took King Jehoakin and 10,000 more people into exile, including the prophet Ezekiel.

The final siege came in 588 BC when Nebuchadnezzar returned to destroy Jerusalem completely because King Zedekiah had also rebelled.

Kings 25.8-10 8-10 describes the destruction. On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the 19th year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebu Zaredan, commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.

He set fire to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem.

Every important building he burned down, the whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem.

The beautiful temple that Solomon had built was destroyed and most of the remaining people were taken to Babylon.

Only the poorest were left to tend the land. This marked the end of the kingdom of Judah and the beginning of the Babylonian exile.

The Babylonian exile was one of the darkest periods in Israel’s history. The people who had been taken from their homeland struggled with despair and wondered if God had abandoned them forever.

Psalm 137:1-4 expresses their sorrow. By the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.

There on the poppplers we hung our harps. For there our capttors asked us for songs.

Our tormentors demanded songs of joy. They said, “Sing as one of the songs of Zion.”

How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land? But God had not forgotten his people.

He sent prophets to encourage them and explained that the exile was not the end of his plan for them.

The prophet Jeremiah had warned about the coming exile, but he also gave hope. Jeremiah 29:10-1 contains God’s promise.

This is what the Lord says. When 70 years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.

Plans to give you hope and a future. Daniel was one of the young nobles taken to Babylon in the first deportation.

Even though he was forced to live in a pagan land, he remained faithful to God and rose to high positions in the Babylonian government.

When King Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream that none of his wise men could interpret, Daniel was able to explain it through God’s revelation.

Daniel 2:44 shows part of his interpretation. In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people.

It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.

Daniel’s three friends, Shadrach, Meach, and Abednego, also remained faithful even when threatened with death.

When they refused to bow down to a golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar had erected, they were thrown into a blazing furnace.

But God protected them so completely that they didn’t even smell like smoke when they came out.

Daniel 3:24-2 describes what the king saw. Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, your majesty.” He said, “Look, I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

Later, Daniel himself faced a death sentence when jealous officials convinced King Darius to make a law forbidding prayer to anyone except the king.

Daniel continued his practice of praying three times a day facing Jerusalem. So, he was thrown into a den of lions.

But God shut the lion’s mouths and Daniel was unharmed. Daniel 6:19-22 tells what happened the next morning.

At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lion’s den.

When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions.”

Daniel answered, “May the king live forever. My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions.

They have not hurt me because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, your majesty.

These stories encouraged the exiled Jews that God was still with them even in Babylon and could protect them from any danger.

The prophet Ezekiel was among those taken in the second deportation. His ministry focused on explaining why the exile had happened and giving hope for restoration.

He had dramatic visions of God’s glory leaving the temple before its destruction, but also visions of a future temple where God’s glory would return.

Ezekiel’s most famous vision was of a valley filled with dry bones. God asked him if these bones could live.

And when Ezekiel said only God knew, the Lord commanded him to prophesy to them.

Ezekiel 37:7-10 describes what happened. So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.

I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man, and say to it, “This is what the sovereign Lord says, come breath, from the four winds, and breathe into these slain that they may live.”

In do I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them. They came to life and stood up on their feet, a vast army.

God explained that these bones represented the house of Israel, who felt their hope was gone, and they were cut off.

But God promised to open their graves and bring them back to their land, giving them new life as a nation.

Ezekiel 36 24-26 contains another encouraging prophecy. For I will take you out of the nations.

I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.

I will sprinkle clean water on you and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

The prophet Jeremiah, who remained in Jerusalem until its fall, also wrote letters to the exiles, encouraging them to settle down and live normal lives in Babylon while they waited for God’s promised restoration.

He told them to build houses, plant gardens, marry and have children, and pray for the welfare of the city where they lived.

Jeremiah also gave them the amazing promise of a new covenant that would be different from the one their ancestors had broken.

Jeremiah 31:33-34 describes this future covenant. This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.

I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people.

No longer will they teach their neighbor or say to one another, “Know the Lord.”

Because they will all know me from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord, for I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.

Even in their darkest hour, God was preparing to fulfill his promises and bring his people home again.

The exile taught them important lessons about the consequences of disobedience. But it also demonstrated God’s faithfulness to his covenant promises.

After exactly 70 years, just as Jeremiah had prophesied, God began to fulfill his promise to bring the exiles home.

The Persian Empire had conquered Babylon and their new king Cyrus had a different policy toward conquered peoples than the Babylonians and Assyrians had.

In 538 BC, Cyrus issued a remarkable decree that allowed the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild their temple.

Ezra 12:24 records his proclamation. This is what Cyrus, king of Persia, says, “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.

Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah, and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.”

And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with free will offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.

This decree was amazing because it not only allowed the Jews to return, but also commanded other people to support them financially.

Isaiah had prophesied about Cyrus by name over 150 years before he was born, calling him God’s anointed one, who would rebuild Jerusalem and set the exiles free.

About 50,000 Jews chose to make the difficult journey back to their ruined homeland under the leadership of Zerubbabel, a descendant of King David, and Joshua, the high priest.

When they arrived, they found Jerusalem in ruins, the temple destroyed, and the land occupied by foreigners who opposed their return.

Despite the challenges, they began rebuilding the temple. First, they set up the altar and resumed the daily sacrifices.

Then, they started laying the foundation for the new temple. Ezra 3:10-13 describes the emotional moment when the foundation was completed.

When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaf, with symbols, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David, king of Israel.

With praise and thanksgiving, they sang to the Lord, “He is good. His love toward Israel endures forever.”

And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.

But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads who had seen the former temple wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid while many others shouted for joy.

No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping because the people made so much noise.

The older people wept because they remembered Solomon’s magnificent temple and knew this new one would be much smaller and less glorious.

But the younger generation rejoiced because they were finally seeing God’s promise of restoration beginning to come true.

Unfortunately, the work was soon stopped by local opposition. The Samaritans, who were descendants of foreigners brought in after the northern kingdom fell, offered to help build the temple.

When the Jews refused their help because they were not pure worshippers of God, the Samaritans became enemies and worked to stop the construction.

For about 15 years, the temple remained unfinished while the people became discouraged and focused on building their own houses instead of God’s house.

They faced crop failures, economic hardship, and spiritual apathy. God sent two prophets, Haggi and Zechariah, to challenge the people to finish the temple.

Haggi 13-6 contains God’s rebuke. Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Hagi.

Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your panled houses while this house remains a ruin?

Now, this is what the Lord Almighty says. Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much but harvested little.

You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but are not warm.

You earn wages only to put them in a purse with holes in it. Encouraged by the prophets and stirred by God’s spirit, the people resumed work on the temple.

Zechariah gave them hope with his visions of God’s future plans and his famous promise in Zechariah.

46 not by might nor by power but by my spirit says the Lord Almighty.

The new temple was completed in 516 BC exactly 70 years after Solomon’s temple had been destroyed.

Though smaller and less magnificent than the first temple, it represented God’s faithfulness to his promises and gave the people a place to worship again.

About 60 years later, a priest and scribe named Ezra led another group of about 1,500 men with their families back to Jerusalem.

Ezra was a scholar who had devoted his life to studying and teaching God’s law.

Ezra 7:10 describes his heart, for Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the law of the Lord and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

When Ezra arrived in Jerusalem, he was horrified to discover that many of the Jews, including priests and leaders, had married foreign wives and were adopting pagan practices again.

This was exactly the kind of compromise that had led to the exile in the first place.

Ezra 9:3-4 shows his reaction. When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down appalled.

Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles.

And there I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice. Ezra led the people in a time of confession and repentance.

He didn’t just condemn them, but identified with their sin and prayed earnestly for God’s mercy.

His example moved the people to genuine sorrow for their compromise, and they agreed to divorce their foreign wives and renew their commitment to God’s law.

13 years later, Nehemiah, who served as cupbearer to the Persian king Artic Xerxes, received disturbing news from Jerusalem.

His brother Hanani and some other men told him that the walls of Jerusalem were still broken down and its gates had been burned with fire.

This made the city defenseless and brought shame on God’s name. Nehemiah 1:4 describes his response.

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days, I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

He confessed the sins of his people and asked God to give him favor with the king so he could help his people.

When King Art Xerxes noticed that Nemiah was sad, he asked what was wrong. Nemiah 23:5 shows his bold request.

I said to the king, “May the king live forever. Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

And the king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven.

And I answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah, where my ancestors are buried, so that I can rebuild it.”

The king not only granted his request, but provided letters of safe passage and materials for the construction.

This was clearly God’s hand working through a pagan king to help his people. When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he secretly surveyed the damage at night to assess what needed to be done.

Then he challenged the people to rebuild the walls. Nehemiah Dubventis 18 shows his appeal.

Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned with fire.

Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.

I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.

They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. The work proceeded rapidly despite constant opposition from enemies like Sambalat, Tobaya, and Gisham who mocked, threatened and plotted against the builders.

Neahmiah organized the work so that each family was responsible for the section of wall near their own house.

And he arranged for half the men to build while the other half stood guard with weapons.

Nemiah 4:17-18 describes their determination. From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows, and armor.

The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall.

Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other.

And each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. In just 52 days, the wall was completed.

An amazing achievement that stunned their enemies. Nemiah 6:15 to 16 describes the impact. So the wall was completed on the 25th of Aul in 52 days.

When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.

When the wall was finished, Ezra read the law to all the people in a great ceremony that lasted for hours.

Nehemiah 8:56 describes the people’s response. Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them.

And as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God.

And all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen. Amen.” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Many people wept when they heard God’s words because they realized how far they had strayed from his commands.

But Nehemiah told them not to grieve because this was a day for joy and celebration.

The people celebrated the feast of tabernacles for the first time since the days of Joshua and they renewed their covenant with God promising to obey his laws and support his temple.

After 400 years of silence since the last Old Testament in prophet God was about to do something amazing.

The Roman Empire now ruled the world including the land of Israel which they called Palestine.

The Jewish people were waiting for the Messiah that the prophets had promised a king who would deliver them from their enemies and restore Israel’s glory.

In the small town of Nazareth lived a young woman named Mary who was engaged to a carpenter named Joseph.

One day an angel appeared to her with the most incredible message anyone had ever received.

Luke 1:303 records the angel’s words. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary.

You have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.

He will be great and will be called the son of the most high. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever.

His kingdom will never end. Mary was confused because she was a virgin. But the angel explained that this would be a miracle performed by the Holy Spirit.

Though she didn’t understand everything, Mary trusted God completely. Luke 1:38 shows her response. “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered.

May your word to me be fulfilled according to your word. When Joseph discovered that Mary was pregnant, he planned to divorce her quietly to avoid public shame.

But an angel appeared to him in a dream and explained what was happening. Matthew 1:20-21 records the angel’s message.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife.

Because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.

Just before Jesus was born, Caesar Augustus ordered a census that required everyone to register in their ancestral hometown.

Since Joseph was descended from King David, he had to travel to Bethlehem with Mary, even though she was about to give birth.

When they arrived in Bethlehem, there was no room for them in the inn. So Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger.

Luke 2:7 describes this humble beginning. And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.

She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them.

That same night, angels appeared to shepherds in the nearby fields with amazing news. Luke 2:10-11 shows their announcement.

But the angels said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

Today in the town of David, a savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord.

The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found everything exactly as the angels had said. They spread the news about what they had seen and heard, and everyone who heard it was amazed.

When Jesus was about 2 years old, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, asking where they could find the newborn king of the Jews.

They had seen his star and come to worship him. King Herod was troubled by this news and secretly met with the wise men, asking them to find the child and report back to him.

But God warned the wise men in a dream not to return to Herod. When Herod realized he had been tricked, he became furious and ordered all the baby boys in Bethlehem to be killed.

But an angel warned Joseph to take Mary and Jesus and flee to Egypt. They stayed there until Herod died, then returned to Nazareth, where Jesus grew up.

Luke 2:52 summarizes Jesus’ childhood. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.

When Jesus was 12 years old, his family went to Jerusalem for Passover. On the way home, they discovered Jesus was missing.

After searching for 3 days, they found him in the temple courts sitting with the teachers, listening and asking questions.

Everyone was amazed at his understanding and answers. When Jesus was 30 years old, he began his public ministry.

First, he went to the Jordan River where his cousin John was baptizing people and calling them to repent of their sins.

John had been preparing the way for Jesus, telling people that someone much greater was coming after him.

When Jesus asked to be baptized, John was reluctant because he knew Jesus had no sin to repent of.

But Jesus insisted it was necessary to fulfill all righteousness. Matthew 3:16:17 describes what happened.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment, heaven was opened and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and a lighting on him.

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my son whom I love. With him I am well pleased.”

After his baptism, Jesus was led by the spirit into the wilderness where he fasted for 40 days and was tempted by Satan.

The devil tried to get Jesus to use his divine power for selfish purposes to test God’s protection and to worship Satan in exchange for worldly power.

But Jesus resisted every temptation by quoting scripture, showing us how to overcome Satan’s attacks.

When Jesus returned from the wilderness, he began preaching that the kingdom of heaven was near and calling people to follow him as disciples.

He chose 12 men to be his closest followers and to learn from him so they could continue his work after he was gone.

Jesus ministry was marked by incredible miracles that proved he was truly the son of God.

He healed every kind of sickness and disease, cast out demons, controlled nature, and even raised the dead.

These miracles weren’t just displays of power. They showed God’s love and compassion for suffering people and confirmed that Jesus was the promised Messiah.

One of his first miracles was turning water into wine at a wedding in Kaa.

When the hosts ran out of wine, Jesus’ mother told him about the problem. John 2:7-9 describes what happened.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.

He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.

Jesus healed people with just a word or a touch. He made the blind see, the deaf hear, and the lame walk.

He cleansed lepers, healed the paralyzed, and restored withered hands. No disease was too difficult for him to cure and he never refused to help anyone who came to him in faith.

One day a Roman centurion came to Jesus asking him to heal his servant who was paralyzed and suffering terribly.

When Jesus offered to come to his house, the centurion showed remarkable faith. Matthew 8:8-10 records his response.

The centurion replied,”Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

For I myself am a man under authority with soldiers under me. I tell this one, “Go,” and he goes, and that one, “Come,” and he comes.

I say to my servant, “Do this,” and he does it. When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly, I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel.”

With such great faith, Jesus spoke the word, and at that very moment, the servant was completely healed.

Jesus also showed his power over nature. When he and his disciples were caught in a fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee, the disciples panicked as waves crashed over their boat.

But Jesus was sleeping peacefully. Mark 4:39:41 tells what happened when they woke him. He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, “Quiet, be still.”

Then the wind died down, and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid?

Do you still have no faith?” And they were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this?

Even the wind and the waves obey him.” On another occasion, Jesus fed over 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish.

A young boy had brought this small lunch, but when he gave it to Jesus, it was multiplied to feed the entire crowd.

After everyone had eaten their fill, the disciples collected 12 baskets full of leftover pieces.

Jesus even raised people from the dead. When the daughter of Gyrus, a synagogue leader, died, Jesus went to their house and brought her back to life.

When the son of a widow in Nine, died, Jesus stopped the funeral procession and raised the young man.

Most dramatically, when his friend Lazarus died and had been in the tomb for 4 days, Jesus called him back to life.

John 11:43-44 describes this incredible miracle. When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.”

The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” But Jesus didn’t just perform miracles.

He was also the greatest teacher who ever lived. He often taught using parables, which were simple stories that illustrated spiritual truths.

These stories were easy to remember but contained deep meanings that people could think about for years.

One of his most famous parables was about a farmer who went out to plant seeds.

Matthew 13:3-8 tells the story. Then he told them many things in parables saying, “A farmer went out to sew his seed.

As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path and the birds came and ate it up.

Some fell on rocky places where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow.

But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched and they withered because they had no root.

Other seed fell among thorns which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil where it produced a crop or 30 times what was sown.

Jesus explained that the seed represented God’s word and the different types of soil represented different kinds of hearts.

Some people hear God’s word, but Satan immediately takes it away. Others receive it with joy, but fall away when troubles come.

Still others let the worries of life and the love of money choke out God’s word.

But those with good hearts hear, understand, and obey God’s word, producing much fruit. Jesus taught about God’s love for lost people through parables like the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son.

He showed how God rejoices when even one sinner repents and comes home to him.

In the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus taught that loving your neighbor means helping anyone in need, regardless of their race or background.

When a lawyer asked who his neighbor was, Jesus told about a man who was beaten by robbers and left for dead.

A priest and a Levite passed by without helping, but a Samaritan, someone the Jews normally hated, stopped to care for the wounded man.

Jesus most important teaching was about the way to eternal life. John 3:16 contains his most famous words.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

He taught that he was the only way to God. John 14:6 records his bold claimed Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the father except through me.” Jesus also taught his followers to love their enemies, forgive those who hurt them, and put God’s kingdom first in their lives.

He showed them how to pray, and told them not to worry about material things because God would take care of them.

He promised that those who followed him would have eternal life and would never be separated from God’s love.

As Jesus ministry continued, he became increasingly popular with the common people. But increasingly hated by the religious leaders.

They were jealous of his influence and angry that he exposed their hypocrisy and challenged their authority.

The chief priests and Pharisees began plotting how they could arrest and kill him. Jesus knew that his death was approaching and began to prepare his disciples for what was coming.

Mark 8:31 shows one of his predictions. He then began to teach them that the son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after 3 days rise again.

The disciples didn’t understand what he meant and couldn’t believe that their wonderful teacher would be killed.

Peter even rebuked Jesus for saying such things, but Jesus told him he was thinking like a man instead of like God.

During his final week in Jerusalem, Jesus rode into the city on a donkey while crowds shouted hosana and waved palm branches.

This fulfilled the prophecy in Zechariah about the humble king coming to Jerusalem. But Jesus knew that many of these same people would soon be calling for his death.

Jesus spent his last days teaching in the temple courts and confronting the religious leaders.

He told parables that clearly showed he knew they were plotting to kill him. The chief priests and Pharisees were furious but afraid to arrest him publicly because of his popularity with the people.

Their opportunity came when Judas Escariat, one of Jesus 12 disciples, agreed to betray him for 30 pieces of silver.

On Thursday evening, Jesus gathered with his disciples for the Passover meal, which would be his last supper with them.

During the meal, Jesus did something shocking. He washed his disciples feet like a servant, teaching them about humility and service.

Then he told them that one of them would betray him. John 13:21 describes the moment.

After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”

Jesus also used the bread and wine of the Passover meal to teach them about his coming death.

Luke 22:19-20 records his words, “And he took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper, he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

After the meal, they went to a garden called Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed intensely about his approaching death.

He was so distressed that his sweat became like drops of blood. Three times he asked God if there was any other way, but each time he submitted to his father’s will.

Luke 22:42 shows his prayer. Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me.

Yet not my will, but yours be done. While Jesus was praying, Judas arrived with a crowd of soldiers and temple guards.

He identified Jesus with a kiss and they arrested him. All the disciples fled in fear, just as Jesus had predicted.

Jesus was taken first to Anna’s then to Caiaphas the high priest where the Sanhedrin tried to find evidence against him.

Finally they accused him of blasphemy for claiming to be the son of God. Since they didn’t have the authority to execute anyone they took him to Ponteus Pilate the Roman governor.

Pilate could find no crime worthy of death. So he sent Jesus to Herod Antipus who was visiting Jerusalem.

Herod questioned Jesus but got no answers. So he sent him back to Pilate. Pilate tried several ways to release Jesus.

He offered to release either Jesus or Barabus, a known criminal, thinking the people would surely choose Jesus.

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to demand Barabus. Matthew 27:22-23 shows what happened.

What shall I do then with Jesus who is called the Messiah? Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him.”

“Why? What crime has he committed?” Asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder. “Crucify him!”

Finally, Pilate gave into their demands. He had Jesus flogged and then handed him over to be crucified.

The Roman soldiers mocked Jesus, putting a crown of thorns on his head and a purple robe on his back.

Then they forced him to carry his cross to a place called Golgatha, which means the place of the skull.

There they crucified Jesus between two criminals. Even while dying in agony, Jesus prayed for his enemies.

Luke 23:34 records. His words, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

From noon until 3:00 in the afternoon, darkness covered the land. At 3:00, Jesus cried out in a loud voice and died.

Matthew 27:50-551 describes the moment. And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

The earth shook, the rocks split. A Roman centurion who witnessed Jesus’ death declared, “Surely this man was the son of God, Joseph of Arythea, a secret follower of Jesus,” asked Pilate for permission to bury the body.

He wrapped Jesus in linen cloths with spices and placed him in a new tomb cut out of rock.

A large stone was rolled across the entrance, and Roman guards were posted to make sure no one stole the body, but death could not hold the Son of God.

Early Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and other women went to the tomb to anoint Jesus’s body.

With spices, they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. An angel told them the amazing news.

Matthew 28:5-6 records his words, “The angel said to the women,”Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.

He is not here. He has risen just as he said, “Come and see the place where he lay.”

Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, then to the other women, then to his disciples.

Over the next 40 days, he appeared to more than 500 people, eating with them and teaching them.

Proving beyond doubt that he had truly risen from the dead. This resurrection was the greatest miracle of all time and the foundation of the Christian faith.

Before ascending to heaven, Jesus gave his disciples a final commission. Acts 18 records his words, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit will comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”

He told them to wait in Jerusalem until they received this power from the Holy Spirit.

Then he was taken up into heaven while they watched. And two angels promised that he would return in the same way.

The disciples returned to Jerusalem and spent 10 days praying and waiting in an upper room with about 120 other believers, including Jesus’s mother Mary and his brothers.

They chose Matias to replace Judas as the 12th apostle and prepared their hearts for whatever God had planned.

On the day of Pentecost, a Jewish festival celebrating the harvest, something extraordinary happened. Acts 2.2:4 describes the scene.

Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the spirit enabled them.

Jerusalem was crowded with Jewish pilgrims from many different countries who had come for the festival.

When they heard the disciples speaking, they were amazed because each person heard the message in his own language.

Even though the speakers were all Galileans, some people mocked the disciples, saying they were drunk.

But Peter stood up and boldly preached the first Christian sermon. He explained that what they were witnessing was the fulfillment of the prophet Joel’s prophecy about God pouring out his spirit.

Peter told them that Jesus, whom they had crucified, was both Lord and Messiah. He quoted from the Psalms to prove that Jesus was the promised descendant of David who would sit on his throne forever.

Acts 2:36-37 shows the impact of his words. Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this.

God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Messiah. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter told them to repent and be baptized in Jesus’ name for the forgiveness of their sins, and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

About 3,000 people believed and were baptized that day, and the church was born. These new believers devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking bread together, and prayer.

They shared their possessions with anyone in need and met together daily in the temple courts and in their homes.

Acts 2:46-47 describes their joy. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.

They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders that confirmed their message.

When Peter and John healed a man who had been lame from birth, crowds gathered in amazement.

Peter used this opportunity to preach about Jesus again, and about 5,000 men believed. This rapid growth alarmed the religious authorities who arrested Peter and John and commanded them to stop preaching about Jesus.

But the apostles boldly refused. Acts 4:19-20 records their response. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes to listen to you or to him?

You be the judges. As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.

The church continued to grow. Despite increasing persecution when Steven, one of the first deacons, was stoned to death for preaching about Jesus, a great persecution broke out in Jerusalem.

But instead of stopping the church, this persecution actually helped spread the gospel as believers fled to other cities and shared their faith wherever they went.

Acts 8:4 shows the result. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

Philip went to Samaria and preached to the Samaritans who had been hated by the Jews.

Many believed and were baptized, showing that the gospel was for all people, not just Jews.

The Holy Spirit also led Philip to share the gospel with an Ethiopian official who was reading from the prophet Isaiah.

When Philip explained that Isaiah was prophesying about Jesus, the Ethiopian believed and was baptized.

The most dramatic conversion in the early church happened to a man named Saul, who was one of the church’s most violent persecutors.

He had been present at Steven’s stoning and was traveling to Damascus to arrest more Christians when something life-changing happened.

Acts 9:3-6 describes his encounter with Jesus. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him. Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?

Who are you, Lord? Saul asked. I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, he replied.

Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.

Saul was blinded by the encounter and had to be led into Damascus. For 3 days, he couldn’t see and didn’t eat or drink anything.

Then God sent a disciple named Ananas to pray for him. When Ananas laid his hands on Saul, scales fell from his eyes and he could see again.

Immediately Saul began preaching that Jesus was the son of God. The Jews who heard him were amazed because they knew he had come to arrest Christians, not join them.

But God had chosen Saul for a special purpose, to take the gospel to the Gentiles.

Saul, who became known by his Roman name, Paul, would become the greatest missionary in church history.

He made three major missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire, planting churches and writing letters that would become part of the New Testament.

Paul’s first missionary journey took him to Cyprus and several cities in Asia Minor with his companion Barnabas.

In each city, he would first preach in the Jewish synagogue. But when most Jews rejected the message, he would turn to the Gentiles.

In Antioch of Pizzia, Paul boldly declared his strategy. Acts 13:46-47 records his words. Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly, “We had to speak the word of God to you first.

Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

For this is what the Lord has commanded us, I have made you a light for the Gentiles that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”

This raised an important question. Did Gentiles have to become Jews first before they could become Christians?

Some Jewish believers insisted that Gentile converts must be circumcised and followed Jewish law. A council was held in Jerusalem to decide this issue.

Peter argued that God had clearly accepted the Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he had given it to the Jews.

Acts 15:10-11 shows his conclusion. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?

No, we believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved just as they are.

The council decided that Gentiles didn’t need to become Jews first, but should avoid certain practices that would offend Jewish believers.

This decision opened the door for the gospel to spread throughout the entire world. Paul’s second missionary journey took him into Europe for the first time.

In Philippi, he and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison for casting a demon out of a slave girl.

But at midnight, they were praying and singing hymns when a violent earthquake shook the prison and opened all the doors.

The jailer was about to kill himself, thinking all the prisoners had escaped, but Paul called out that they were all still there.

Acts 16:3031 shows what happened next. He then brought them out and asked, “Sers, what must I do to be saved?”

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”

The jailer and his entire family were baptized that very night. Paul also preached in Athens.

The intellectual center of the Greek world. When he spoke about Jesus and the resurrection, some mocked him, but others wanted to hear more.

A few people believed, including a member of the Aropagus named Dionius. Paul’s third missionary journey focused on strengthening the churches.

He had already planted and establishing new ones. He spent 3 years in Ephesus where God performed extraordinary miracles through him and many people burned their magic books and turned to Christ.

Throughout his journeys, Paul faced incredible hardships. He was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and imprisoned multiple times, but nothing could stop him from preaching the gospel.

2 Corinthians 11:23-2 lists some of his sufferings. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.

Five times I received from the Jews the 40 lashes minus. Three times I was beaten with rods.

Once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.

Despite all these hardships, Paul planted churches throughout the Roman Empire and wrote 13 letters that became part of the New Testament.

These letters explained Christian doctrine and gave practical guidance for living the Christian life. As the church grew and spread, the apostles wrote letters to encourage believers, correct false teaching, and explain what it meant to follow Jesus.

These letters along with the four gospels and other writings would eventually be recognized as the New Testament.

Paul wrote the most letters addressing both churches and individuals. His letter to the Romans is considered his theological masterpiece explaining how sinful people can be made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:23-24 summarizes the human problem and God’s solution. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

And all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Paul explained that salvation comes by faith alone, not by keeping the law or doing good works.

Romans 10:9 shows how simple it is. If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

His letters to the Corinthians dealt with practical problems in the church, including divisions, immorality, and confusion about spiritual gifts.

Paul taught that love is more important than any spiritual gift. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 contains his famous description of love.

Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud.

It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Paul’s letter to the Galatians defended the doctrine of salvation by grace alone against false teachers who wanted to add requirements from Jewish law.

Galatians 2:20 expresses Paul’s heart. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

In Ephesians, Paul explained that the church is the body of Christ with each believer playing an important role.

He also described the spiritual armor that Christians need to fight against evil. Philippians is known as the joy letter because Paul wrote it while in prison, but still expressed great happiness in serving Christ.

Philippians 4:13 contains one of his most quoted verses. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

The letter to the Colossians emphasized the supremacy of Christ over all creation and false philosophies.

Paul wanted them to understand that they were complete in Christ and didn’t need anything else.

Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus gave instructions for church leadership and organization. These pastoral epistles provided guidance for pastors and explained the qualifications for elders and deacons.

Other apostles also wrote important letters. James emphasized that genuine faith produces good works while Paul had emphasized that good works don’t produce salvation.

These teachings complement rather than contradict each other. James 2:17 shows his point. In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Peter wrote two letters encouraging believers who were facing persecution. He reminded them that suffering for Christ was an honor and that their hope was in heaven, not in this world.

Peter 2:9 describes the identity of all believers. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

John wrote three letters emphasizing love and warning against false teachers who denied that Jesus had come in the flesh.

1 John 4:8 contains his famous statement, “Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love.”

The letter to the Hebrews explained how Jesus fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies and was superior to the angels, Moses, and the Jewish priesthood.

It encouraged Jewish believers not to abandon their faith in Christ and return to Judaism.

Jude warned against false teachers who were corrupting the church from within while second Peter predicted that such teachers would come in the last days.

These letters established the fundamental doctrines of Christianity that are still believed today. Salvation by grace through faith, the deity of Christ, the Trinity, the co inspiration of scripture, the resurrection of the dead, and the second coming of Jesus.

As the church grew, it faced increasing opposition from both Jewish and Roman authorities. The early believers were willing to suffer and even die for their faith in Jesus Christ.

And their courage became one of the strongest testimonies to the truth of the gospel.

Steven was the first Christian martyr stoned to death by an angry mob for preaching that Jesus was the Messiah.

As he was dying, he prayed for his killers just as Jesus had done. Acts 7:5960 records his final words.

While they were stoning him, Steven prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

When he had said this, he fell asleep. James, the brother of John and one of Jesus’ 12 apostles, was killed by King Herod, a gripper to please the Jews.

When Herod saw that this pleased them, he also arrested Peter, intending to execute him after Passover.

But the church prayed earnestly for Peter. And God sent an angel to rescue him from prison.

Acts 12:7 describes the miraculous escape. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell.

He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up,” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

Peter was so amazed that he thought he was seeing a vision. Only when he reached the house where believers were praying for him did.

He realized God had truly rescued him. As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, it began to attract the attention of the emperors.

Emperor Nero blamed Christians for the great fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64 AD and began a terrible persecution.

Christians were thrown to wild animals, burned as human torches and crucified for entertainment. According to early church historians, both Peter and Paul were martyed during Nero’s persecution.

Peter was crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as his Lord.

Paul being a Roman citizen was beheaded rather than crucified. Other apostles also died for their faith throughout the empire.

Andrew was crucified in Greece on an X-shaped cross. Philip was martyed in Turkey. Thomas was killed in India where he had gone to preach the gospel.

Bartholomew was flayed alive in Armenia. Only John lived to old age, dying peacefully in Ephesus around 100 AD after being exiled to the island of Patmos.

The persecutions continued under later emperors. Domian persecuted Christians in the ’90s AD, forcing Jon into exile on Patmos.

Trejan, Hadrien and Marcus Aurelius also persecuted the church at various times over the next two centuries.

Despite the suffering, the church continued to grow. The blood of the martyrs became the seed of the church as their courage and faith impressed even their enemies.

Many people were converted when they saw how Christians face death with peace and joy, praying for their persecutors and singing hymns even while being tortured.

Justin Martyr, one of the early church fathers, wrote about why persecution actually helped the church grow.

For the more we are persecuted, the more do others in everinccreasing numbers become believers and worshippers of God through the name of Jesus.

The persecutions also purified the church, weeding out those who were not truly committed to Christ.

Only genuine believers were willing to risk their lives for their faith. This created a strong dedicated community of believers who supported each other through the darkest times.

Christians developed creative ways to worship and encourage each other during persecution. They met in secret, often in underground cemeteries called catacombs, where they buried their dead and held worship services.

They use symbols like the fish to identify themselves to other believers without alerting the authorities.

The persecution finally ended when Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in 313 AD and issued the Edict of Milan, granting religious freedom throughout the empire.

But by then, the church had already proven that it could survive and thrive under the worst possible conditions.

The last book of the Bible was written by the Apostle John while he was exiled on the island of Patmos during Emperor Domissian’s persecution around 95 AD.

This book called Revelation or the Apocalypse contains visions of the risen Jesus Christ, messages to seven churches, and prophecies about the end times and God’s final victory over evil.

Revelation 1:9-10 describes how John received these visions. I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

On the Lord’s day, I was in the spirit and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.

John first saw Jesus in his glorified state. No longer the humble carpenter from Nazareth, but the risen Lord clothed in divine majesty.

His hair was white as snow. His eyes blazed like fire. His feet were like bronze refined in a furnace.

And his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. When John saw him, he fell at his feet as though dead.

But Jesus gently touched him and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last.

I am the living one. I was dead and now look, I am alive forever and ever.

And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Jesus dictated seven letters to seven churches in Asia Minor, praising them for their strengths, but also warning them about their weaknesses.

These churches represented the types of spiritual conditions that would exist throughout church history. Two, the church in Ephesus.

Jesus said they had lost their first love. To Smyrna, he promised a crown of life for those who remained faithful even unto death.

He told the church in Pergamum to repent of tolerating false teaching and warned Thotira about allowing a false prophetess to lead people astray.

The church in Sardis was told to wake up because they were spiritually dead. While Philadelphia was commended for keeping God’s word despite having little strength, the church in Leodysia was criticized for being lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, and was warned that Jesus would spit them out of his mouth if they didn’t repent.

After the letters to the churches, John was taken up to heaven in vision and saw God’s throne room.

He witnessed 24 elders and four living creatures continuously worshiping God and heard them singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.”

John saw a scroll sealed with seven seals that no one was worthy to open until the lion of the tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ, appearing as a lamb that had been slain, took the scroll and began opening the seals.

As each seal was opened, judgments were poured out on the earth. The first four seals released the famous four horsemen of the apocalypse, conquest, war, famine, and death.

The fifth seal revealed the souls of martyrs crying out for justice. The sixth seal brought cosmic upheaval with earthquakes, darkened sun and blood red moon.

After the seventh seal was opened, seven angels with seven trumpets brought even more severe judgments.

A third of the earth was burned up. A third of the sea became blood.

A third of the rivers became bitter. And a third of the heavenly bodies were darkened.

John saw a great dragon identified as Satan who tried to destroy a woman and her child representing God’s people and the Messiah.

He also saw two beasts rising up to persecute believers and deceive the world. One beast represented political power while the other represented false religion working together with government to oppose God.

The number 66 was given as the mark of the beast. And those who refused to receive this mark would not be able to buy or sell.

But John also saw 144,000 faithful believers who had God’s seal on their foreheads and would be protected during the tribulation.

Seven angels poured out seven bowls of God’s wrath, bringing the final judgments before Christ’s return.

These included painful sores, seas, and rivers turning to blood, scorching heat from the sun, darkness over the beast’s kingdom, the drying up of the Euphrates River, and a great earthquake that destroyed cities.

John witnessed the fall of Babylon. The great representing the world system opposed to God.

Revelation 18:2 announces her judgment. With a mighty voice, he shouted, “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great.

She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.

But then came the most glorious vision of all, the return of Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Revelation 19:11-16 describes his appearance. I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse whose rider is called faithful and true.

With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns.

He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the word of God.

The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.

Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.

He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.

On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Christ defeated all his enemies and Satan was bound for a thousand years while Christ reigned on earth with his saints.

After the thousand years, Satan was released for a final rebellion, but was quickly defeated and thrown into the lake of fire forever.

John then saw the final judgment where all the dead were raised and judged according to their deeds.

Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire and anyone whose name was not written in the book of life was also cast into eternal punishment.

But for those who belong to Christ, the most wonderful vision awaited. Revelation 21:4 describes the new creation.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look, God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.

They will be his people and God himself will be with them and be their God.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away.

The new Jerusalem was described as a perfect cube. One dowsed 400 m in each direction with walls of jasper and streets of pure gold.

It had no temple because God and the Lamb were its temple and no sun or moon because the glory of God gave it light.

The river of the water of life flowed through the city and the tree of life bore 12 kinds of fruit with leaves for the healing of the nations.

Best of all, there would be no more curse, no more sin, no more suffering.

God’s servants would serve him perfectly, see his face, and reign with him forever and ever.

The book ends with Jesus promising to return soon, and an invitation for all people to come to him.

Revelation 22:17 contains this final call. The spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.”

Let the one who is thirsty come, and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

John concluded with a prayer that expressed the longing of every believer. Amen. Come Lord Jesus.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. This completed the Bible’s magnificent story.

From creation to the new creation. From paradise lost in a garden to paradise regained in a city.

From the first Adam’s failure to the last Adam’s victory through Jesus Christ, God’s eternal plan to redeem humanity and restore all things was accomplished and his kingdom would have no end.

Every promise made throughout the Old Testament was fulfilled. Every prophecy came true and every believer could look forward to an eternity of perfect joy in the presence of their savior.

If you enjoyed this complete Bible overview, check out our other videos where we dive deeper into specific books, characters, and stories from scripture.

We’re here to help you grow in your understanding of God’s word and your relationship with him.

Thank you for taking this amazing journey with us through the Bible. Remember, this story isn’t over.

You’re part of it, and the best chapters are yet to come. Until next time, may God bless you and keep you in his perfect love.

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