Introduction to the Bible
Class Four – The Historical Books
1) Opening Prayer – (Advent Two) – BLESSED Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
2) Questions and review from last time.
The Historical Books – Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther.
3) The Historical books carry the story of God’s people from their entry in to the Promised Land immediately after Moses’ death to a period @ 300-400 BC – ie., after the exiles and feeble restoration of the Southern Kingdom.
a) Texts are from @ 2nd century BC – from the Septuagint.
i) Septuagint was translated in to Greek by Jews, supposed by 70 scholars – hence the name (LXX); however it has been a primary text for Christians and varies slightly from typical Jewish texts in organization, and to a small extent, content.
b) Purpose
i) Varies by book; however generally the theological value of these books is to show the continued activity of God’s chosen people, including their faults and failings, and God’s faithfulness in punishing sin while redeeming and giving hope to the faithful – how God’s people got to where they are and how God will deal with the problems and issues created.
ii) Also serves basic historical purpose – recognizing that the history, style and way of writing history varies from the standards of today.
Theological Messages of these books:
4) Joshua
a) Recreation of Moses
i) Crossing the Jordon reenacts Moses leading the people through the
b) Joshua is a ‘type’ of Christ – indeed his name is the same as Jesus’ (in Hebrew, vs Christ’s name we know best in Greek).
i) Joshua – meaning ‘He shall save’
c) The Covenant – if Deuteronomy is the ‘book of the Law’ that presented God’s promises in a covenant format used in ancient treaties, Joshua shows what living under this Covenant looked like
i) The Commandments of Moses served as the standard for conduct
ii) God was the King – He fulfilled the promise first made to Abraham.
d) Extermination of the Canaanites (pp 75-76)
i) Gods justice for gross sin – sacrifice of children, sex based fertility worship
(1) God-fearing Canaanites were spared
5) Judges
a) Covers @ 300 years of
b) God is King of the nation – Judges are raised up by God to fulfill specific but temporary needs
c) Documents a gradual decline in the faithfulness of
d) Judges also serve as ‘types’ of Christ – raised up by God to save the nation.
e) God’s relationship with
i) Conditional in that we must be faithful and obey His commandments
ii) Unconditional in that He will not remove his favor or love.
6) Ruth
a) God sometimes uses human (and apparently non-miraculous) hands to implement divine will.
i) From the family saved the Messiah eventually descends.
7) 1 and 2 Samuel
a) Different political systems can work well when leaders are godly and act responsibly (pp 83-84)
i) What does this say to our culture today that assumes that democracy is God-ordained?
b) Compare and contrast Saul and David:
i) How were their sins different? Was Saul more evil than David?
ii) How did their response to their sins or failures differ?
(1) David is described in 1 Sam that he was a “man after his [God’s] own heart”.
(a) God sees all that is – including all that we think, feel, believe, say or do.
8) 1 and 2 Kings
a) Provides historical basis for God’s withdrawing His blessings from the people – the Exile is the inevitable result.
b) High position brings great responsibility (pp 88)
i) What does this mean for our lives?
9) 1 and 2 Chronicles
a) Provides assurance of God’s involvement in history and interest in His creation.
b) We are warned against compliancy or presumption that God might not punish sin.
10)Ezra and Nehemiah
a) Repetition of sin impacts
b) Shift of focus from charismatic leaders to the community
11)Esther
a) God’s divine providence
i) Even though God is never mentioned, it is a series of coincidences that provide for His people – ie., divinely inspired coincidences (Esther’s beauty, she was chosen over others, Mordecai overhead the assassination plot, a record of Mordecai’s report was written in Royal Chronicles, Esther concealed her identity, King would stoop to see her without calling for her, King could not sleep this particular night etc – Dillard & Longman.
