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In the books of 1 and 2 Samuel, we witness the transition of Israel from tribal confederacy to established monarchy. And, as Mary Evans shows in this passage-by-passage commentary, during such a transition questions of identity and power are unavoidable.
In the aftermath of the decline of the judges, priests abuse their priestly privileges; Israelites covet the centralized ...
The stories of Samuel, Saul, and David are among the most memorable in the Old Testament. Yet the lives of these individuals are bound up in the larger story of God's purpose for his people. In this Tyndale Old Testament Commentary, V. Philips Long explores the meaning of the biblical history of Israel's vital transition from a confederation of tribes to nationhood under a king. ...
The Chronicler wrote as a pastoral theologian. The congregation he addressed was an Israel separated from its former days of blessing by a season of judgment. The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles bring a divine word of healing and reaffirm the hope ofrestoration to a nation that needed to regain its footing in God's promises and to reshape its life before God.
The Chronicler expounds the Bible ...
Few sermons or Bible studies focus on Ezra or Haggai, two brief Old Testament books named for relatively unknown figures. But the message of both of these books—their emphasis on building for God, obedience to his Word, and openness to his Spirit—is one that needs to be heard clearly today.
In this Bible Speaks Today volume, Robert Fyall's pairing of Ezra with Haggai enhances ...
The book of Nehemiah is about starting over again. Nehemiah, one of Israel's great leaders, tells firsthand the powerful story of rebuilding ancient Jerusalem's walls after the exile. In the face of great odds, this rebuilding represented the people's renewal of faith, their overcoming of national shame, and the reformation of their conduct.
In this volume, Raymond Brown ...
Nehemiah was a leader of Israel. He faced opposition and difficulty from every side—even from his own people. Yet he stood against all his enemies, trusting only in God.
As Don Fields leads you through twelve sessions LifeGuide®Bible Study to dig into the Old Testament story of Nehemiah, you will discover how this leader's courage and faith can inspire you as you struggle to live a life pleasing ...
Number of Studies: 12
The book of Esther tells the dramatic story of how the destruction of the Jews was averted through the bravery of Esther, the wisdom of Mordecai, and the unity of the Jewish people. Yet Esther is a rather strange book to find in the Bible. Not only is it set entirely outside of the Promised Land, it also shows no interest in that land. More than that, Esther is the only book in ...
"Who are you when no one's looking?"
When her people were threatened, Esther had to ask herself that question. She could risk her life to try to save her fellow Israelites. Or she could "keep her head down" to wait out the threat in obscurity and safety.
In this nine-sessions LifeGuide® Bible Study for individuals or groups, Patty Pell leads you to examine the story of Esther. You'll ...
Number of Studies: 9
Genesis 12–50 recounts the history of the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. From their mentors Paul, Peter, Stephen, and the author of the letter to the Hebrews, the early fathers learned to draw out the spiritual significance of the patriarchal narrative for Christian believers. The Alexandrian school especially followed Paul's allegorical use of the story of Sarah ...
Genesis sets the scene for the whole of the Bible, and indeed the entire human drama. It is a book both of beginnings and of a new beginning—the dawn of the gospel.In this Bible Speaks Today commentary, Joyce G. Baldwin shows howthe vivid narratives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph still speak to us today, highlighting God's ways of dealing with ordinary, imperfect people in ...