Romans: how the gospel works
Paul has not yet been to Rome, and wants to encourage the church and remind them of the things they believe. So he writes them a letter. And this letter is among the most articulate descriptions of the gospel, salvation, and Christ's work ever written. Paul explains...
1 & 2 Kings: Israel falls into idolatry and captivity
The books of First and Second Kings are the story of Israel's decline. Whereas First and Second Samuel document Israel's shift from corrupt judges to the righteous leadership of David, Kings shows how Israel divides and falls into the hands of her enemies. These...
2 Samuel: good King David reigns
King Saul and the prophet Samuel are dead, but God has not left Israel without a leader. David, the boy who killed Goliath, is a famous and mighty warrior in Israel---and the man God has chosen as Israel's new king. David is a good king who serves the Lord and cares...
1 Samuel: Israel demands a king
What is 1 Samuel about? Israel has not heard from God in decades. The priests are corrupt. The nearby nations threaten the land's safety. Even Eli, the high priest and judge of Israel, is not faithfully serving God and the people. Israel needs more than a judge....
Ruth: redemption and hope for a family and a nation
Overview of Ruth It's a dark and troubled time for Naomi: a famine drives her and her family from their land in Israel, and her husband and sons die in a foreign country. But when she hears that there is food in her homeland again, she makes her way back. One...
Acts: the Holy Spirit advances the gospel
Jesus lived, Jesus died, Jesus rose, Jesus ascended into heaven. Acts tells us what happens next. Acts tells us how the Holy Spirit came upon the church, and how the gospel spreads from Jerusalem to Rome. The book picks up where the Gospels (four accounts of Jesus'...
The Gospel of Luke: Jesus in detail
Luke is the story of Jesus Christ---exactly as it happened. It's written by Luke, the physician. Luke is the third Gospel (an account of Jesus' life and ministry) in the New Testament. Luke tells Jesus' story in extensive detail, more so than any other Gospel. Luke...
Judges: a cycle of sin and deliverance
Judges is the account of how Israel behaves between the death of Joshua and the leadership of a king. Instead of remaining loyal to God and following His laws, these generations of Israelites wander in their faith, worshiping idols, indulging in violence, and...
Joshua: seizing the promised land
Overview of Joshua The nation of Israel has followed Moses for 40 years. God has delivered them from slavery in Egypt, disciplined them in the wilderness, and brought them to the land He promised their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But now Moses is dead, and...
Leviticus: How to Coexist with an All-Powerful, Holy God
Leviticus is known as a book of rules (which it is). But specifically, it's a book of rules that the ancient Israelites believed they had to follow in order to be close to their God. That's why it's a vital piece of the Torah, the foundation of the rest of Scripture....
