The Books of Old Testament History – Part 1

1. Read: Romans 15:4

2. About the Text:

1) Everything written in the Bible is for our learning, including the Old Testament.

2) We need to be familiar with all of the Bible, not just the parts that we like.

3) “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. Overview – Under the command of Joshua, Israel conquers the land that God gave them as promised to Abraham.

2. Purpose – God fulfills His land promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Joshua 1:6).

3. History

1) After the death of Moses, God charges Joshua to conquer the land of Cannan.

2) Spies enter Jericho and Rahab saves them; she is promised safe passage.

3) Israel crosses the Jordan river and sets memorials.

4) The armies of Israel conquer Jericho.

5) Achan sins and brings defeat at Ai.

6) The Gibeonites lie to Israel about being from a far country.

7) The sun stands still at the battle of Gilgal.

8) The division of land to each of the tribes is enumerated.

9) The cities of refuge are established.

4. Key Verses

1) “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

2) “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).

5. Christ in Joshua – Joshua 5:13-15.

1. Overview – Chronicles the efforts of God—the Angel of the Lord—to keep Israel faithful by twelve judges who call the nation to repentance.

2. Purpose – Demonstrates God’s faithfulness to His covenant with Israel despite their many failures to be faithful to Him. “Then the Angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: ‘I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, “I will never break My covenant with you…But you have not obeyed My voice…”’” (Judges 2:1-2).

3. History

1) The children of Israel fail to drive out all the inhabitants of the land.

2) The nations left become thorns in the side of Israel (Judges 2:3).

3) The death of Joshua.

4) “And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses” (Judges 3:4).

5) In the book of judges, the judges were:

a. Othniel – Delivered them from the king of Mesopotamia Cushan-Rishathaim – forty years.

b. Ehud – Delivered them from Eglon king of Moab – eighty years.

c. Shamgar – Delivered them from the Philistines – unknown.

d. Deborah – Delivered them from Jabin, king of Canaan in Hazor – forty years.

e. Gideon – Delivered them from Midianites and Amalekites – for forty years.

f. Tola – of man of Issachar – twenty-three years.

g. Jair – a Gileadite – twenty-two years.

h. Jephthah – Delivered them from the Ammonites – six years.

i. Ibzan – a man of Bethlehem – seven years.

j. Elon – A Zebulunite – ten years.

k. Abdon – A Pirathonite from Ephraim – eight years.

l. Samson – A Zorahite from Dan who delivered them from the Philistines – twenty years.

4. Key Verses

1) “Nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them” (Judges 2:16).

2) “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6, 21:25).

5. Christ in Judges

1) He appears as the “Angel of the Lord” to the judges.

2) He is working as the King of Israel – “And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them” (1 Samuel 8:7).

1. Overview – Chronicles the preservation of David’s lineage during a time of famine.

2. Purpose – Shows God’s providential preservation of David’s lineage and the seedline of Christ.

3. History

1) During the period of the judges.

2) Elimelech takes his wife Naomi and sons to Moab to escape famine.

3) Elimelech and his sons die there.

4) Naomi and her daughters-in-law are widowed.

5) Ruth commits to following Naomi back to Judah.

6) Ruth meets Boaz who redeems Elimelech’s family from destitution.

7) Boaz marries Ruth who gives birth to Obed, David’s grandfather.

4. Key Verses

1) “But Ruth said: ‘Entreat me not to leave you, ??Or to turn back from following after you; ??For wherever you go, I will go; ??And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; ??Your people shall be my people, ??And your God, my God. ??Where you die, I will die, ??And there will I be buried. ??The LORD do so to me, and more also, ??If anything but death parts you and me’” (Ruth 1:16-17).

2) “Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, ‘There is a son born to Naomi.’ And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.” (Ruth 4:17).

5. Christ in Ruth

1) Boaz is a symbol of Christ as Redeemer.

2) God’s covenant faithfulness.

1. Overview – Chronicles the end of the period of judges and the beginning of the United Kingdom under Saul who reigned for forty years.

2. Purpose – Israel rejects God as King, but He continues to be faithful to them by establishing a monarchy and elevating David through whom God will fulfill His promises to Abraham.

3. History

1) Records the last day of the judges under Eli and Samuel.

2) Documents the desire of Israel to have a king over God’s objections.

3) The coronation of Saul as king and his early successes.

4) Shows Saul’s disobedience and God’s reason for removing him.

5) Records David’s defeat of Goliath and the rise of David as a warrior and successor to Saul as king of Israel.

6) Documents the strife between Saul and David and David’s attitude toward Saul.

7) Chronicles Saul’s downfall and death after losing battle with the Philistines.

4. Key Verses

1) “Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations’” (1 Samuel 8:4-5).

2) “So Samuel said: ‘?“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, ??As in obeying the voice of the LORD? ??Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, ??And to heed than the fat of rams. ??For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, ??And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. ??Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, ??He also has rejected you from being king’” (1 Samuel 15:22-23).

3) “Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:47).

4) “‘Look, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’” (1 Samuel 24:10).

5. Christ in 1 Samuel

1) “So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD. Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD” (1 Samuel 3:19-21).

2) “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah” (1 Samuel 16:13).

3) The Messiah/Christ is the anointed one.

1. Overview – Chronicles the reign of David as king of Judah and Israel.

2. Purpose – God establishes David as king over Israel and makes a covenant with him for the eternal establishment of his kingdom as God continues to fulfill His promise to Abraham.

3. History

1) David honors Saul and Jonathan after their deaths.

2) David solidifies his reign as king over Judah and Israel.

3) God makes an everlasting covenant with David and his family.

4) David commits adultery with Bathsheba and has Uriah murdered.

5) David’s son Absalom rebels and starts a civil war.

6) Absalom dies and David’s monarchy continues.

7) David numbers the people to God’s displeasure.

4. Key Verses

1) “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12-13).

2) “So David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD’” (2 Samuel 12:13).

3) “Then the king said to Araunah, ‘No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing’” (2 Samuel 24:24).

5. Christ in 2 Samuel

1) In the attitude of David – “Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: ‘O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!’” (2 Samuel 18:33).

2) “?The God of Israel said, ??The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ?‘?He who rules over men must be just,? ?Ruling in the fear of God. ??And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, ??A morning without clouds, ??Like the tender grass springing out of the earth, ??By clear shining after rain’” (2 Samuel 23:3-4).

1. We need to study and learn from all of the scriptures.

2. These books of history have great lessons for us to consider.

3. The Spirit of Christ was working in this history to bring us salvation.

4. Invitation