
Next are the 12 historical books, Joshua through Esther, which reveal God’s purpose to rescue the world. These accounts tell the tale of an extended courtship between a Sovereign God and his rebellious children.
Following the exodus and the birth of the nation of Israel, we read of the dynasty of David and the kingdom of his son, Solomon, the splitting of the nation in two as a result of civil war, with the Northern Kingdom eventually being destroyed by the Assyrians and the Southern Kingdom being taken captive by the Babylonians for 70 years; a major event in Israel’s history. All the while, God is working in the lives of his people as they repeatedly turn away from him and he calls them, in compassion and love, to return to him. These books point to the Messiah, our kinsman redeemer, whose appearance in the New Testament is the central event in all of history.
Joshua through 2 Chronicles are pre-exile books, while Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther are post-exile.
In the book of Joshua, we read how Joshua succeeded Moses, led faithfully and conquered Canaan. Then came the 300 years known as the period of the Judges. During this time, a brief 4-chapter book, called Ruth, was written, which illuminates the book of Revelation for us.
The Judges are followed by the records of the kingdom itself;
- in 1 Samuel, the birth of the kingdom;
- in 2 Samuel, the reign of King David;
- in 1 Kings, the kingdom divided after David dies, the death of Solomon and the civil war which divided the kingdom permanently;
- in 2 Kings, the history of the divided kingdom;
- in 1 Chronicles, the reign of King David;
- and in 2 Chronicles, the history of the Southern Kingdom.
The post-exile history books;
- Ezra, the return from the Babylonian captivity;
- Nehemiah, the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem;
- and Esther, the escape from extermination under the Persian Empire.
If you missed this series, which started on 7th March 2021, you can click on the links below to access a short overview of the lesson, a relevant worship song, a video, a memory verse and a daily application guide. In addition, questions are included for Connect Group discussions as well as conversation starters on the topic for parents to engage with their children and teenagers. Please feel free to use the material provided.
For any assistance, please contact myself (email: youth@proteavalleychurch.org) or any of the Protea Valley Church youth leaders. We love partnering with you in discipling your children to love and follow Jesus.
Linda Bischof
email: youth@proteavalleychurch.org
YouTube: Protea Valley Flavoured by Faith
Instagram: flavoured_by_faith