Job Background and Introduction Job is considered to be classic Hebrew poetic scripture, and offers many eternal gospel truths. However, the legitimacy of the book of Job is questioned by some because it isn’t known for certain when and where its events occurred, or...
read moreEzra and Nehemiah Introductory Information In the book of 2 Kings the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel. Later, the Babylonians overthrew the Assyrian empire and subsequently conquered the southern kingdom of Judah. Then, in about 539 BC, the...
read more2 Kings 1-2 Elijah and Elisha We continue with the ministry of Elijah, now joined by Elisha. Their great work—and ours—is to labor against society’s relentless evil. In chapter 1, Elijah informs king Ahaziah (son of Ahab) that he will soon die. But the king rejects...
read more2 Samuel 5 King David David was anointed king over the tribe of Judah (2 Samuel 2:1-4), and later became king over all Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-3); about fifteen years from the time he was anointed to become king by the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 16:6-13). 2 Samuel 5:4...
read moreRuth 1 The Setting of the Story of Ruth The book of Ruth took place toward the end of the time of Israel’s judges, about 1,100 years before Jesus Christ. It is a sweet story of love and devotion to God and family. This is the setting: Elimelech, of the tribe of...
read moreJoshua 1 “Be Strong” The name Joshua comes from the Hebrew Yehoshuah or Yeshua, meaning “God is deliverance” or “God is salvation.” It corresponds to the Aramaic name Yeshua, from which we derive the name Jesus (Jesus likely spoke Aramaic as His native language). The...
read moreNumbers Introduction to the Book Whereas the book of Exodus covered a period of about one year and Leviticus about a month, the book of Numbers covers a time period of about 39 years; from the end of the first year after the Israelites left Egypt, up until just before...
read moreExodus 21-23, 25-30 What Are We Skipping? These chapters are not included in the Church’s “Come, Follow Me” curriculum. You may want to read the chapter headings and also the following, which can be helpful throughout the rest of the Old Testament: After giving the...
read moreIsaiah 53 He Was Oppressed and Afflicted This chapter is perhaps the best single chapter in all the Old Testament in prophesying and testifying of our Savior Jesus Christ and His atoning mission in our behalf. Go through each verse carefully and consider His personal...
read moreExodus 7 Moses and Aaron Go before Pharaoh The Egyptians needed to learn that Jehovah is the only true God and that holding the Israelites in bondage was displeasing to Him. The children of Israel needed to learn to believe in Jehovah and to obey Him. In verse 1 the...
read moreEsther 1-2 Background and Beginning Like Ezra and Nehemiah, the book of Esther has its setting during the time of the Jewish “captivity” in Babylon/Persia; dating to about 475 BC. The name Esther means “star,” and so she is. Her given name was “Hadassah” (2:7), which...
read more2 Kings 17 The Fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel This is a key chapter in the Old Testament, for it relates the tragic downfall of Israel as they became subject to the powerful Assyrians who came from the east (some 700 miles away). Some background helps: In 2...
read more1 Kings 12-16 Preface to Elijah After the death of Solomon, his son Rehoboam became king: 1 Kings 12:1-11, 16-20—The “old men” who had been advisors to Solomon counseled Rehoboam to be a servant-king to the people; Jeroboam counseled Rehoboam to lighten the “heavy...
read more1 Samuel Events Preceding the First King Some of the significant happenings that came before the Israelite era of kings include: Read 1 Samuel 4:1-3, 7-12, 17-21 (the Israelite armies carried the ark of the covenant into the battlefield as they fought against the...
read moreJudges Introduction The events in the book of Judges took place after the children of Israel had entered into their promised land. It gives accounts of eleven men and one woman who served as “judges” among the Israelites, in between the periods of the prophets Joshua...
read moreThe Book of Deuteronomy Introduction The word “Deuteronomy” comes from Greek and means “second law” or “repeated law.” The book contains three discourses given by Moses, in chapters 1-4: chapters 5-26; and chapters 27-30. The setting is about one month before the...
read moreExodus 35-39 Giving to God’s Cause The Lord doesn’t need our offerings nor our labor (see 2 Nephi 27:20-21, wherein He says twice, “I am able to do mine own work”). But His “work and glory” is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life (Moses 1:39). How does He...
read moreExodus 18 Moses Learns from Jethro Read verses 5-12 regarding the sweet reunion of Moses’s family, including demonstrations of great family love, respect, concern, testimony, and deep faith in the Lord. Next, Jethro (Moses’s father-in-law) observes something which...
read moreExodus 14 “Stand Still” The astounding pride of Pharaoh and his servants prompted their regret over having allowed the children of Israel to depart, so they chose to pursue and overtake them (verses 5-9). But the murmuring reaction of the Israelites showed that they...
read moreExodus 1 “There Arose Up a New King over Egypt” The events in the book of Exodus took place about 1400 to 1300 BC, a few hundred years after the end of the book of Genesis. What had happened during that intervening time? The Lord blessed the children of Israel with...
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