TODAY’S VERSE:  
 
Joshua 24:14a “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness.”
 
Last month we learned about the 1st section of the Bible, the Pentateuch. Next, is the Historical Section, which is made up of 12 books written over 1,000 years.
 
Joshua (the man who led the Israelites after Moses died).
-This book has 24 chapters with 4 different sections:
1- Tells how Joshua led the people across the Jordan River into Canaan, the Promised Land.
2- Describes the many battles the Israelites had to fight in order to take possession of the Promised Land.
3- Provides the details of how the land was to be divided among the 12 tribes of Israel.
4- Reminder of the covenant, how to serve God and remain holy, set apart, for Him. This covenant centered around the command to avoid idolatry. If they did not obey, they would not be protected by God from their enemies.
 
Judges (people God sent to lead and help Israel).
-Covers ~250 years of history when there was no official leader of the people.
-The Jews were in a cycle of apostasy: they would turn their back on the Lord to worship false gods, breaking the covenant He had made with them. This resulted in God’s discipline upon them. Once under this discipline, they would then cry out to the Lord for help and, in His grace, God would send a Judge. The Judge would deliver them from their enemies and then soon after the people would sadly return to their sinful way of life, namely idolatry.
-There were 13 judges: Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, Sampson, Samuel.
 
Ruth
- Ruth was a Moabite woman who went with Naomi, her mother-in-law, to Naomi’s homeland of Bethlehem, Judah after they were both widowed.
-Ruth finds work in the field of Boaz, a distant relative of Naomi’s, who is able to buy back her land and marry Ruth, becoming their “redeemer”.
-This example of a redeemer in Boaz points to the Ultimate Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.
-Ruth and Boaz’s great-grandson is King David!
 
1st and 2nd Samuel (the last Judge and first prophet)
-The people lose faith in God to protect them from the Philistines. They ask for a king to lead them into battle.
-God chooses Saul, who fails to faithfully obey Him, so Samuel is sent to find a new king.
-David, a young shepherd boy, is chosen to be the next king. He becomes well loved by the people because he is brave and relies on the Lord for his victory in battles.  
-King Saul becomes jealous and hates David, so he tries to kill him.
-David runs away and hides for 8 years. He soon has his own small army made up of men who are loyal to him.
-Though he has multiple opportunities, he never hurts King Saul because he respected his God-given authority.
-Israel goes to war again with the Philistines without David. King Saul and his sons are killed in battle.
 
Do you see a common theme? God gives His people commands, then blesses them for obedience and disciplines them for disobedience. Sound familiar? Do your parents do this? If so, be grateful because this is done out of love by both God and your parents!