2 Chronicles 7:14; 36:15-16

2 Chronicles 7:14; 36:15-16

Summer Reading 2:Old Testament History

Old Testament History

1. Israel’s entry into Canaan under Joshua2. Israel’s life under the judges

and the transition from theocracy to monarchy3. Division of the nation in the rival kingdoms

of Israel and Judah4. The decline and downfall of both kingdoms5. Judah’s life in Babylonian exile6. Judah’s return from exile

OT HISTORY

JoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEsther

In the tables that follow for each book,the first table in each set is largely from

The Life Application Bible (Tyndale, 1996) and The ESV Study Bible (Crossway, 2008);

and the second table is fromBruce Wilkinson, Your Daily Walk

(Zondervan, 1991).

From the ESV Study Bible

JOSHUA

JOSHUA

AUTHOR Originated with Joshua, but edited by others

WHAT Conquest & Division of the Promised Land

WHERE Jericho; Canaan

WHEN Events near 1400 B.C.; written document probably much later

WHYTo give the history of Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land

KEY PEOPLE

Joshua, Rahab, Achan, Phinehas, Eleazar

OT HISTORY


FOCUS CONQUEST CONSOLIDATION

DIVISIONS 1-5 Preparing for War

6-8 Beginning

the Conquest

9-12 Completing

the Conquest

13-17 Allocations for 5 Tribes and Caleb

18-21 Allocations for 7 Tribes and Levites

22-24Joshua’s

Farewell and Death

TOPICS

Securing the Land Settling the Land

Warlords in Canaan Landlords in Canaan

PLACE Both Sides of the Jordan

TIME 7 years 18 years

JOSH

UA

JOSHUA: Key Verses

Joshua 3:15-17 15 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, 16 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 Zarethan, 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. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

JOSHUA: Key Verses

Joshua 5:12 12 The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.

JOSHUA: Key Verses

Joshua 6:20 20 When the trumpets 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.

JOSHUA: Key Verses

Joshua 24:15, 23 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” 23 “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.”

JUDGES

JUDGES

AUTHOR Unknown; perhaps SAMUEL

WHAT The record of Israel’s history between Conquest & Kingdom;

Israel’s first Civil War

WHERE Canaan

WHEN c. 1350 – 1050 B.C.

WHYTo show that God’s judgment against sin is certain, and God’s forgiveness of sin and restoration to relationship are just as certain for those who repent.

KEY PEOPLE

Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Abimelech, Jephthah, Samson, Delilah

OT HISTORY


FOCUS CONDITIONS CYCLES CONCLUSION

DIVISIONS 1-2 Review & Previewof the Judges

3-5 Deborah & Four Judges6-8 Gideon & the Midianites

9-12 Seven Judges & Civil War13-16 Samson & the Philistines

17-21 Idolatry & ImmoralityDuring the Judges

TOPICS

Israel’s Need for Judges Israel’s Judges Failure of Israel’s Judges

Defeat & Deliverance Decay & Decline

PLACE Canaan & Transjordan

TIME c. 350 years

JUD

GES

From the ESV Study Bible

Israel’s Judges

You probably know . . .

•Deborah•Gideon

• Jephthah• Samson

But how about . . .

• Othniel• Ehud

• Shamgar• Tola• Jair• Ibzan• Elon

• Abdon

The Cycle of Judges

Rebellion

Judgment

Repentance

Renewal

JUDGES: Key Verses

Judges 2:10 10 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.

JUDGES: Key Verses

• Judges 6:36-40 36 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37 look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” 38 And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. . . .• Judges 16:28

28 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.”

JUDGES: Key Verses

Judges 21:25 25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.

RUTH

RUTH

AUTHOR Unknown; traditionally Samuel

WHAT A Story of Faithfulness & Love

WHERE Behlehem

WHEN c. 1000 B.C.

WHYAdds detail to the genealogy of King David

KEY PEOPLE

Ruth, Naomi, Boaz

OT HISTORY


FOCUS RUTH’S FAITHFULNESS REVEALED RUTH’S FAITHFULNESS REWARDED

DIVISIONS 1:1 – 1:18Ruth’s Decision

1:19 – 2:23Ruth’s Devotion

3:1 – 3:18Ruth’s Deliverer

4:1 – 4:22Ruth’s Delight

TOPICS

Ruth & Naomi Ruth & Boaz

Going with Naomi Gleaning for Naomi Loved by Boaz Married to Boaz

PLACE Moab Fields in Bethlehem Threshing Floorin Bethlehem

Home in Bethlehem

TIME About 30 years

RUTH

RUTH: Key Verses

•Ruth 4:21-22 21 Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, 22 Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.

RUTH: Key Verses

•Ruth 1:16-17 16 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. 17 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.”

1 & 2 SAMUEL

1 SAMUEL

AUTHOR Possibly SAMUEL, but also NATHAN and GAD

WHAT Theocracy ends: the establishment of Israel’s Monarchy

through God’s sovereign Will & Power

WHERE Canaan

WHEN c. 1100 B.C.

WHYTo record the life of Samuel, Israel’s last Judge,

and the reign of Saul, Israel’s first King

KEY PEOPLE

Eli, Hannah, Samuel, Saul, Jonathan, David

OT HISTORY


1 SA

MU

ELFOCUS SAMUEL SAUL DAVID

DIVISIONS 1-3 Samuel’s Call

4-8Israel’s Defeat

9-12 Saul’s Selection

13-15 Saul’s

Rejection

16-19 David in the Court20-23 David on the Run

24-26 David’s Mercy27-31 Saul’s Downfall

TOPICS

Last Judge First King King-Elect

Transition The Rise of Saul The Decline of Sauland the Rise of David

PLACE Israel in Canaan

TIME c. 60 years

1 SAMUEL: Key Verses

•1 Samuel 2:26 26 And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with people.


• 1 Samuel 3:1-10 1 The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions. . . . 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 8 A third time the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”


• 1 Samuel 17:45-47 45 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. 46

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. 47 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.”

2 SAMUEL

AUTHOR SAMUEL may have written some of the book; also NATHAN and GAD

WHAT The Story of David

WHERE Canaan

WHEN c. 930 B.C.

WHYTo record the history of David, the heroic leader of an imperfect kingdom,

who foreshadowed Christ, the perfect Leader of the Eternal Kingdom

KEY PEOPLE

David, Joab, Bathsheba, Nathan, Absalom

OT HISTORY


2 SA

MU

ELFOCUS DAVID’S TRIUMPHS DAVID’S TROUBLES

DIVISIONS 1-4 A Divided Nation5-7 A United Kingdom

8-10 An Expanded Kingdom

11-14 Adultery & Murder15-18 Absalom’s Revolt19-20 Unrest & Violence21-24 David’s Last Words

TOPICS

Civil War Crimes & Conflict

Obedience & Blessing Disobedience & Judgment

PLACE Hebron & Jerusalem

TIME 7 ½ years in Hebron; 33 years in Jerusalem


•2 Samuel 5:44 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. •2 Samuel 12:7

7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!”

1 & 2 KINGS

1 KINGS

AUTHOR Traditionally, JEREMIAH; current scholarship attributes the books to unknown “Deuteronomists”

WHAT The Jewish Monarchy from the United Kingdom to the Exile

WHERE Canaan

WHEN Probably written during and shortly after the Exile, c. 587-537 B.C.

WHYTo contrast the lives of those who live for God and those who refuse

to do so, using the kings of Israel and Judah as case studies

KEY PEOPLE

David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Jeroboam, Elijah, Ahab, Jezebel

OT HISTORY


1 KI

GN

SFOCUS UNITED KINGDOM DIVIDED KINGDOM

DIVISIONS 1-4 Solomon’s Rise5-8 Solomon’s Temple9-11 Solomon’s Fame

12-16 A Nation Torn17-19 The Ministry of Elijah

20-22 The Reign of Ahab

TOPICS

Expansion & Glory Division & Decline

One King Many Kings

PLACE Jerusalem Northern Kingdom (Israel)Southern Kingdom (Judah)

TIME About 40 years About 90 years

1 KINGS: Key Verses

•1 Kings 9:4-54 “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, 5 I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

2 KINGS

AUTHOR Traditionally, JEREMIAH; current scholarship attributes the books to unknown “Deuteronomists”

WHAT The Jewish Monarchy from the United Kingdom to the Exile

WHERE The Divided Kingdoms of Israel & Judah

WHEN Probably written during and shortly after the Exile, c. 587-537 B.C.

WHYTo contrast the lives of those who live for God and those who refuse

to do so, using the kings of Israel and Judah as case studies

KEY PEOPLE

Elijah, Elisha, the woman from Shunem, Naaman, Jezebel, Jehu, Joash, Hezekiah, Sennacherib, Isaiah, Manasseh, Josiah, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah,

Nebuchadnezzar

OT HISTORY


2 KI

NG

SFOCUS THE LAST DAYS OF ISRAEL and JUDAH

DIVISIONS 1-3 Elisha, God’s Mouthpiece4-8 Elisha, God’s Miracle Worker

9-12 Jehu, Destroyer of Ahab’s House13-17 Assyria, Destroyer of Israel

18-21 Hezekiah, Reformer in Judah

22-25 Babylon, Conqueror of Judah

TOPICS

Israel’s Captivity Judah’s Collapse

Dispersion Displacement

PLACE Israel & Judah Judah

TIME About 300 years

2 KINGS: Key Verses

•2 Kings 17:23 23 So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, and they are still there. •2 Kings 25:21

21 So Judah went into captivity, away from her land.

1 & 2 CHRONICLES

1 CHRONICLES

AUTHOR Traditionally, EZRA; today, “the Chronicler”

WHAT The Genealogies of Israel & the Reign of David

WHERE Canaan

WHEN Post-exilic, c. 400 B.C., recording events that occurred 1000-960 B.C.

WHYTo teach the significance of the Davidic Covenant

as the enduring basis of Israel’s life and hope

KEY PEOPLE

David, Solomon

OT HISTORY


1 CH

RON

ICLE

SFOCUS The Line of David The Reign of David

DIVISIONS 1-9 Genealogies of Davidand Israel

10-16 The Ark of God17-21 Covenant with God

22-27 A Temple for God28-29 Final Words

TOPICS

Genealogy History

The Ancestry of David The Administration of David

PLACE The United Kingdom of Israel

TIME Thousands of Years About 40 Years

2 CHRONICLES

AUTHOR Traditionally, EZRA; today, “the Chronicler”

WHAT Divided Kingdom, Decline, Exile, Restoration

WHERE Israel, Judah, Babylon

WHEN Post-exilic, c. 400 B.C., recording events that occurred 960-516 B.C.

WHYTo teach the significance of the Davidic Covenant

as the enduring basis of Israel’s life and hope

KEY PEOPLE

Solomon, Rehoboam, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Joash, Uzziah, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Josiah

OT HISTORY


2 CH

RON

ICLE

SFOCUS A Priestly View of Judah’s Demise

DIVISIONS1-5 Solomon’s Temple Built

6-9 Solomon’s Temple Dedicated

10-12 Rehoboam’s Kingdom Divided

13-16 Asa’s Reforms17-20 Jehoshaphat’s Reforms

21-25 Judah’s Kings & Queens26-28 Ahaz’s Corruption

29-32 Hezekiah’s Reforms33-36 Judah’s Last Days

TOPICS

A King’s Glory A Kingdom’s Disgrace

Judah’s Zenith Judah’s Ruin

PLACE Southern Kingdom of Judah

TIME About 40 Years About 400 Years

The Post-Exilic Chronicles of Israel

1 CHRONICLES

• Parallels 2 Samuel and serves as a commentary on it

2 CHRONICLES

• Parallels 1 & 2 Kings and serves as a commentary on them

2 CHRONICLES: Key Verses

•2 Chronicles 7:14 14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

MoriahAraunah

EZRA

EZRA

AUTHOR Traditionally, EZRA, with the Chronicler

WHAT To show God’s faithfulness in keeping the promise

to restore Israel to their Land

WHERE A Tale of Two Cities: from Babylon to Jerusalem

WHEN c. 425 B.C., recording events from 537-433 B.C.

WHYTo remind the people of what God had done

and to encourage them to rededicate their lives to God

KEY PEOPLE

Cyrus, Zerubbabel, Haggai, Zechariah, Darius I, Artaxerxes I, Ezra

OT HISTORY


EZRA

FOCUS REBUILDING THE TEMPLE

58-year Interlude

The Book of Esther

REBUILDING THE PEOPLE

DIVISIONS1-3

Temple Commission

4-6Temple

Completion

7-8 Priests & Pilgrims

9-10 Pollution & Purging

TOPICS

Return under Zerubbabel Return under Ezra

Material Restoration Spiritual Restoration

PLACE Persia to Jerusalem Persia to Jerusalem

TIME 23 Years (538-515 B.C.) 1 Year (457 B.C.)

Three Returns from Babylon

•538 B.C. Zerubbabel•458 B.C. Ezra•445 B.C. Nehemiah

The returnees therefore found themselves in a hostile political environment in which

their ethnic distinctiveness as a people uniquely dedicated to Yahweh was greatly compromised.

The major post-exilic emphases, then, had to do with racial and ethnic purity (hence the genealogies),

faithfulness in worship (hence the rebuilding of the Temple), and faithfulness in keeping God’s Law

(so as not to come under God’s judgment yet again).

EZRA: Key Verses

• Ezra 3:10-1210 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 Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel. . . . 12 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.

EZRA: Key Verses

• Ezra 6:14-15 14 So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. 15 The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

NEHEMIAH

NEHEMIAH

AUTHOR Traditionally, EZRA, with Nehemiah and the Chronicler

WHAT The rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem and recommitment to obedience

WHERE A Tale of Two Cities: from Babylon/Susa to Jerusalem

WHEN c. 440 B.C.

WHYTo remind the people of what God had done

and to encourage them to rededicate their lives to God

KEY PEOPLE

Nehemiah, Ezra, Sanballat, Tobiah

OT HISTORY


NEH

EMIA

HFOCUS PHYSICAL RECONSTRUCTION SPIRITUAL REFORMATION

DIVISIONS 1-2 Nehemiah’s Plans for Rebuilding the Walls3-4 Early Opposition to Rebuilding

5-7 Growing Opposition to Rebuilding

8-10 Revival in the Rebuilt City

11-13 Protecting & Purifying

the Rebuilt City

TOPICS

Construction of the City Instruction of the Citizens

Israel’s Restoration as a Nation

PLACE Jerusalem

TIME About 25 Years (445-420 B.C.)

NEHEMIAH: Key Verses

•Nehemiah 8:5, 8, 105 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. . . . 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. . . . 10

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

ESTHER

ESTHER

AUTHOR Unknown; possibly MORDECAI or the Chronicler

WHAT Deliverance from Genocide

WHERE The Palace in Susa, Persia

WHEN 485-464 B.C.

WHYTo demonstrate God’s sovereignty and loving care for His people;

to explain the origin of the Feast of Purim

KEY PEOPLE

Esther, Mordecai, Xerxes I (Ahasuerus), Haman

OT HISTORY


ESTH

ERFOCUS PLOTTING DESTRUCTION PREVENTING DESTRUCTION

DIVISIONS1-2 Esther Ascends

to the Throne3-4 Haman Stoops

to Vengeance5-7 Haman Receives

His Just Reward8-10 The Jews Receive

a Reprieve

TOPICS

Conflict Cunning Courage Conquest

Vashti Deposed Haman Defeated Purim Decreed

PLACE Persia

TIME About 10 Years (483-473 B.C.)

ESTHER: Key Verses

• Esther 4:12-1612 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

ESTHER: Key Verses

• Esther 4:12-1615 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their

wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

15 The LORD, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity

on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his

prophets until the wrath of the LORD was aroused against his people and there was no remedy (2 Chronicles 36:15-16).

1 The leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable

practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. 2

They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led

the way in this unfaithfulness” (Ezra 9:1-2).

3 When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. 4 Then everyone

who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles.

And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.

5 Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my

hands spread out to the LORD my God 6 and prayed: “I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face

to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens” (Ezra 9:3-6).

1 While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a

large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly (Ezra 10:1).

“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone

to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one” (Ezekiel 22:30, NLT).

If My People’s Hearts Are Humbled #805

If My people’s hearts are humbled, if they pray and seek My face;

if they turn away from evil I will not withhold My grace.

I will hear their prayers from heaven; I will pardon every sin.

If My people’s hearts are humbled, I will surely heal their land.

Then My eyes will see their sorrow, then My ears will hear their plea.If My people’s hearts are humbled

I will set their nation free.If My people’s hearts are humbled,

if they pray and seek My face;if they turn away from evil

I will not withhold My grace.

Documents

2 Chronicles 7:14; 36:15-16