Jeremiah

Although the Book of Jeremiah is the second of the major prophets, it is the longest book of prophecy in the Old Testament with 1,364 verses. In the book, Jeremiah gives us plenty of information about himself; this book contains more information about the author than any of the other prophetic books in the Old Testament.[1] We know that Jeremiah was from the town of Anathoth. Anathoth was a city of refuge (Number 35) in the land belonging to the Tribe of Benjamin.[2] This identifies Jeremiah as a Levite.

Isaiah

This history, origins, and contents of Isaiah are examined. Isaiah is one of the major prophets—you can expect to spend quite some time in this book, but it's definitely worth it! Isaiah gives us the bulk of Messianic prophecies and is often quoted in the New Testament, so you know it's an important book.

Song of Solomon

Song of Solomon is beautiful poetry. This book reminds us of why love and marriage is so beautiful! Solomon was the wisest man to live, yet he took the time to compose such beautiful poetry. He knew that the beauty of love is to be appreciated. Although we don't know the time period between Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes, love remains one of the few things Solomon never calls a waste of time or "vanity."

Introduction

Song of Solomon, also known as Song of Songs, is known for its theme of love. It is by far the most sensual book of the Bible and has been known to make many of our more conservative brothers and sisters blush. Of course, that just means there's even more to learn from this book than meets the eye!

Song of Solomon is one of two books in which God is never actually mentioned (the other is Esther). Like with the book of Esther, we can see the symbolism of God and our relationship with Him in the book even though He isn't mentioned by name.
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Author

As implied by the name, Song of Solomon was written by King Solomon, the son of David. This is the standard position held by Judaism and Christianity. Not only does the title attribute authorship Solomon, 1 Kings 4:32 confirms that Solomon wrote 1005 songs (Song of Solomon being the one preserved by God). However, there are critics who believe the book was not written by Solomon.

Critics argue that Solomon's name was added to the title later, despite the fact that there isn't any proof of this. Biblical scholars argue that the structure of the book, which pays homage to the symbolic numbers 7 and 10, supports the inclusion of the name at the beginning of authorship because it marks the 7th occurrence of Solomon's name in the book (I'll talk about the structure in this post too).^[1]

Personally, I find it hard to believe someone would be able to successfully pass off a writing as that of the famed King Solomon. Solomon was highly respected by the Israelites and is known as one of the best kings to ever rule the nation. Granted the average person may not have been well versed on Solomon's life and writings, the scribes and priests would have been. In order for a scroll to miraculously appear and be attributed to Solomon, it would have had to come at the hands of someone who handled the records. This person would not have been solely in charge of this task (Numbers shows that responsibilities were doled out by tribe and family). Other scribes and priests allowing this insertion to slide, though possible, seems quite unlikely, to me.

The more logical argument against Solomon being the author of book is that he had 700 wives and 300 concubines.^[1] It's hard to imagine a man knowing anything about love with that many women at his beck and call. However, once again, if you break down the facts and look other relationships in the Bible, you'll see that this is also a faulty conclusion.

For starters, it's unlikely that Solomon was intimate and close with all of his wives and concubines. For the concubines alone, if he slept with a different woman each night, it would take him almost a year to sleep with all of them. If you include all his female companions, he'd have to sleep with at least 3 different women each day to be able to say he slept with all of them within the year. I know some men may think of that as a dream come true, but let's face it, it would be pretty hard to run an entire nation and manage that sex life too.

More than likely, many of his "marriages" were actually treaties and for show. If you've ever studied history, you know that the easiest way to prevent war or to grow power is to unify two kingdoms. Throughout history, alliances were formed through the marriage of royals. In some cases it may even expand a ruler's domain. For instance, if a king only had daughters and his daughter married the king (or king to be) of another nation, the daughter's husband had a better chance of "usurping" the throne from any male relatives who would challenge her rule as queen. It was customary for nations to send kings their princesses to cement ties between the nations. A lot of these marriages were probably political and Solomon may have only spoken to some of these women once or twice.

Regardless of Solomon's relationship with each of his wives, the truth is, he was bound to love one more than the other. It's hard not to choose favorites... Whether it's with friends, children, aunts/uncles, etc., if we're honest, there's usually a favorite. Just because Solomon had 699 wives, it doesn't mean that he couldn't have fallen madly in love with number 700. Furthermore, if he was madly in love with the first woman he married, it doesn't mean he wouldn't have taken other wives/concubines for political purposes.

On a smaller scale, we can see this scenario play out for two other Biblical patriarchs: Abraham and Jacob. Abraham was in love with and married Sarah. However, when Sarah wasn't able to conceive, she gave him Hagar as a wife. Sarah was still Abraham's love, he simply took on an extra wife as a means to an end. Jacob did the same thing. Jacob was always in love with Rachel, and his favoritism of Joseph, Rachel's first born child, proves this never waned. Jacob was tricked into marrying Leah, and given two additional wives when Rachel and Leah went through periods of barrenness.

In the end, neither argument against Solomon being the author is based on factual evidence and the ideals behind them are faulty as well. There isn't any solid evidence to argue that Solomon wasn't the author, so we take the Bible at its word that Solomon is the author.

Date Written

Another reason to believe Solomon really did write this book is that there is compelling evidence that dates the work to his time period. The style of writing matches the Egyptian love songs of Solomon's era^[1]—let's not forget one of his wives was Egyptian (1 King 3:1). This would place the date of authorship roughly between 1000bc and 930bc. Tradition holds that Solomon wrote this book in His youth, before he grew his harem of wives.

Song Structure

Do you remember in school when they taught poetry units? There were different types of poems that had different requirements for their structures—some had a specific number of syllables or a rhyme scheme. Solomon's poem has structure, too. This is just more proof that the Bible is great literature!

Chiasm

Solomon's poem uses a chiastic structure. A chiasm is created when ideas are presented in sequences, followed by the mirror of each idea in the opposite sequence. For example, if you have two ideas (A and B), and their mirrors (A' and B'), the poem would be presented as ABB'A'.^[3]

Song of Solomon has the following outline:^[2]
A : The Beginning of the Story
B : Invitation to Enjoy a Spring Day
C : Night of Separation (Preceding the Wedding)
D : Wedding Day
C': Night of separation (Following the Wedding)
B': Invitation to Enjoy a Spring Day
A': The Conclusion of the Story

Numbers

In the Bible, the numbers 3, 7, 10, 12, and 40 often appear in conjunction with God. 3 represents the Godhead and perfection. 7 represents spiritual completion (7 days of the week, 7 feasts, 7 judgments, etc.). 12 usually represents a nation (the 12 tribes of Israel, 12 Disciples, 12 sons of Ishmael, etc.). 40 usually represents a generation—the Israelites wandered for 40 years, until the old generation had passed away.^[4]

As I said earlier, Solomon's name appears exactly 7 times. These 7 occurrences are actually symmetrical. Solomon's name is mentioned twice in the last section, thrice during the central section, and once during the first section. If you include the title to make 7 occurrences, his name occurs twice in the first section. There are also 7 sections. In Song of Solomon 4:1-5, seven praises are given to the woman.^[1]

The number 10 also is utilized. A grouping of 10 praises is given both in Song of Solomon 5:10-15 and 7:1-5. Also, the abstract word for love (in Hebrew) can be found 10 times throughout the text.^[1]

Message and Purpose

There are four main interpretations of the book. What I love about the Word is that God can pack so much meaning and information in to a single story!

Marriage: the Church and Christ

There are many who take away a message about Christ and the Church. The New Testament clearly refers to the church as the Bride of Christ and many parallels are drawn between an earthly marriage and our spiritual relationship with Christ. As such, it is natural for Christians to draw parallels between the excitement, beauty, and purity of love and marriage discussed in Song of Solomon and apply them to our relationship with Christ.

Some argue that this cannot be the primary purpose of the book because the church had not yet been revealed to the people.^[2] I understand where they are coming from, however, I think the book can still be a metaphor for God's love of His people. While the nature of the church including all who believe in Him was not revealed until the New Testament, God did have the Israelites, who were still unified, at the time Solomon wrote this work. The love that God has for Israel, is the same love a man should have for his wife. I think it's still possible that God could have intended that to be a message for the people of Solomon's day.

Marriage: Infidelity

Another interpretation of the book focuses on infidelity. We know that infidelity or adultery is wrong; it's one of the Ten Commandments, proving that God felt strongly about it. Though we generally talk about infidelity and adultery in relation to marriages, the Bible constantly uses adultery to describe us turning away from God. It makes sense that He would give us an entire book dedicated to warning against adultery.

If you pay close attention in Song of Solomon, the woman in the text falls in love with a shepherd. While some believe the shepherd to be an alias for Solomon, others believe them to be separate people. If the shepherd is not Solomon, then the story is about a woman who stays faithful to her shepherd love and reject the opportunity of infidelity with King Solomon. The underlying message, though overtly about staying true to your spouse, is still about our relationship with God.

A shepherd brings to mind the image of the lowly, the meek, and even the poor. Whereas a king represent wealth, power, and confidence. In staying faithful to the shepherd, the woman makes a statement about the character of the man (the character of God) being more important. People also point out that in the text, the shepherd is always out in the countryside while the king is always in the city. This could be a statement about rejecting the world and worldly things (like power and wealth) for the simplicity of God.^[2]

The Remnant Church

Another interpretation of the text is that the woman represents the remnant church of the end time. Her lover represents Jesus. In this context the song tells of the excitement of rejoining with Jesus at His second comping.^[2]

Sex and Love

A final interpretation is that the book is an encouragement to keep the purity, beauty, and excitement of marriage in tact.

Unlike all the other books of the Bible, I actually remember the first time I read anything from Song of Solomon. I was in high school and the leader of Youth Ministries at my church was making a point that there was something for everyone in the Bible. She read a passage from Song of Solomon and we were all surprised to hear such passion coming from the Bible. We often think of Christians as prudes—just envision the Puritans! Sex and romance are seemingly taboo subjects in the church, so like menstruation, death, and other taboo subjects, the church pretty much avoids talking about it at all costs.

That's the reason Song of Solomon stands out so much. Solomon has composed a love song that doesn't shy away from this aspect of a marriage. We aren't used to the Word or the church being so open about how love and marriage should be. However, I think that's exactly why God inspired Solomon to write this book.

God ordained marriage in the garden of Eden before the fall. The idea of a man and woman falling in love with each other was part of God's perfect world. Assumably Adam and Eve's marriage would have included the intimacy of sex even if they hadn't eaten the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. After all, when you take away the sin of lust, jealousy, and pettiness, and then, add natural compassion for all humanity, as it would have been in the Garden of Eden, how could one have broken a marriage covenant without sex being involved? God designed sex and love to be a wonderful experience for mankind—within the confines of a faithful marriage.

I think this message often gets lost as pastors and youth leaders trying to inspire us to keep our hormones in check. Especially in our society where people marry later (leaving hormones raging for longer) and everything we see promotes sex and sexuality. So, instead of it being seen as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it's taught as something to be ashamed of. Like with most things, if you simply ignore it, it festers and Christians turn to worldly sources to get information about Godly pleasures. That's a recipe for disaster.

Song of Solomon reminds us that love and intimacy go hand in hand. It reminds us of what we have to look forward to in our spouse, while at the same time reminding us of the spiritual love and intimacy we have with our Savior.

References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 1107-1111. 2014
2. William MacDonald. Believer's Bible Commentary, pg. 919-921. 1995
3. "Chiastic Structure". Wikipedia; visited November 18, 2017
4. Numbers In Scripture. Bible Study for Life; visited November 18, 2017

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes is one of the poetic books of the Bible, and contains valuable wisdom.

Introduction

When people mention Ecclesiastes, the first thing to pop in my mind is Ecclesiastes 3, which tells us there is a season for everything. I imagine, that's probably the most popular passage in Ecclesiastes, but there are 9 other chapters filled with wisdom. Ecclesiastes is the fourth book in the Books of Wisdom or the Books of Poetry. As such, there is both beautiful language and profound meaning to be found in it's pages.
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Author

Ecclesiastes 1:1 tells us that that author is definitely a son of David. This person is referred to as "the Preacher" as opposed to king, but we can't be certain these offices weren't closely related. Today, we think of preachers the way we think of biblical priests. The original Hebrew word essentially means to assemble or to speak before an assembly, which is precisely what a king would do.^[3] Ecclesiastes 12:9 adds that the author of this book is also the author of proverbs, which points us to Solomon.

Date of Authorship

With Solomon identified as the author of both Ecclesiastes and Proverbs, Proverbs being written first, it is estimated that Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes later in His reign, around 935bc.^[4] Some scholars believe the text was actually composed 500 years later, around 5 century BC. This is easily refuted by comparing the external texts of philosophies mentioned in the book to texts and philosophies of the time.

Meaning of Ecclesiastes

I like to know interesting facts about the books of the Bible. I feel that knowing as much as we can about the text helps us to understand it better. I found a list of such facts at Only One Hope. One of the interesting things I discovered here is that Ecclesiastes means "speaker before an assembly" or "preacher."^[1][2] Preacher is also attribution to be the author within the text. I find this to be both fitting and interesting.

Message & Purpose

People have been seeking the meaning of life since the dawn of time; Ecclesiastes is meant to help us understand the purpose of life. Since we are not immortal, our legacy is what we leave the world, not what we take from it. As such, the book constantly reminds us that certain traits, behaviors, and desires are vanity. Ecclesiastes reminds us that the interactions we have and the lives we touch are what lives on. Unfortunately, we tend to be vain creatures. Vanity causes us to concentrate on frivolous things that are worthless in the grand scheme of things (like name brand clothes or expensive cars).

References

1. Fun Facts About Ecclesiastes". Only One Hope; visited July 2017
2. Ecclesiastes". Bible Study Tools; visited August 2017
3. Thomas Nelson, Inc. Nelson KJV Study Bible. 1989
4. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 1089-1093. 2014

Proverbs

Proverbs contains nuggets of wisdom that we all need for or every day life. It's a great book for inspiration, motivation, and guidance. Let's talk about who wrote it, when it was written, and how it fits in the message of the Bible as a whole.

Introduction

A proverb is a brief but popular saying, usually containing some sort of wisdom.^[1] You've probably heard proverbs such as "two wrongs don't make a right" or "the pen is mightier than the sword." God provides us with a whole book of proverbs, which we can be sure were guided by the Spirit. Because proverbs are short and sweet, they tend to be easier to remember; clearly God wanted to make sure we could hold on to the principles and ideas taught in the book! The book of Proverbs is on of the Books of Wisdom and provides just that, wisdom.
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Who Wrote Proverbs?

Proverbs doesn't have one author. Like Psalms, it is a collection of writings by multiple people that was placed together by an editor. The works of Solomon were prepared by men from the Tribe of Judah under the instruction of King Hezekiah (Proverbs 25:1). Since most of the proverbs are attributed to King Solomon by the book itself (Proverbs 1:1, Proverbs 10:1, and Proverbs 25:1), it's probably safe to say that these men constructed the majority of the book. It is possible that they constructed the entirety of the book, but it is hard to say with certainty due to the other authors listed as authors in Proverbs.

Agur

Proverbs 30:1 tells us some of the proverbs were written by a man named Agur who was the son of Jakeh. This is the only reference to Agur or his father in the entire Bible. We are told that Agur spoke his words to Ithiel and Ucal. Ithiel is mentioned in Nehemiah 11:7 as a son of Benjamin. Ucal isn't mentioned again. This makes it difficult to know who Agur was or when he lived. Was he a priest? A prophet? Just a regular guy with wisdom? We aren't told.

Lemuel

Proverbs 31:1 introduces us to king Lemuel as another author of proverbs. Once again, this is the only mentioning of him in the Bible! We usually expect that authors of the Bible, particularly of the Old Testament, are Israelites. A man writing proverbs inspired by God during the bc era would most likely be an Israelite, but the Bible never lists anyone named Lemuel in the lineage of Israel's kings. Some believe that Lemuel may have been a nickname for Solomon.^[2] Others believe it is a nickname for Hezekiah.^[3]

It's important to note that Lemuel's wisdom came from the teachings of his mother, which is not only a statement to remember when thinking of what the Bible says about women, but a clue to piecing together his identity. The above identifications all hinge of the assumption that Lemuel was an Israelite and thus an Israelite king. It is possible that his mother was an Israelite but his father was not. Lemuel could have been king of a neighboring nation.

Date

Since we can't figure out when Agur and Lemuel wrote their proverbs, we can't pinpoint when the final compilation of the book was. The proverbs written by Solomon would have been written after 967bc.^[4] If the entire book was compiled under the authority of King Hezekiah, the book would have been compiled between 726bc and 698bc.^[5] Depending on when Agur and Lemuel wrote their proverbs, the book could have been compiled much later.

Structure

Most books of the Bible are meant to be read chronologically; even books of law, such as Leviticus, have a chronological flow. Proverbs, however, does not follow this type of structure. Theoretically you could read Proverbs in any order you wish. I will say I think God chose this order for a reason and there are passages that I believe may be interpreted differently if read in isolation or before other verses.

Purpose

Proverbs gives nuggets of wisdom in the form of proverbs, hence its inclusion with the Books of Wisdom. Most of the proverbs were written by Solomon himself, one of the wisest people to ever live. Proverbs are easy to memorize and thus, Solomon's knowledge readily sticks in our minds. Much of the knowledge given in proverbs is stated in the Books of Law, but the authors of Proverbs word the message so that it is clear and concise. We can confirm God's authority in their words since they match God's law, but we can more easily relate and remember their words.

References

1. Proverb". Merriam Webster; visited June 2017
2. "Lemuel". Bible Study Tools; visited June 2017
3. "Who was King Lemuel in Proverbs 31?". GotQuestions.org; visited 2017
4. American-Israeli Cooperative Initiative. "King Solomon". Jewish Virtual Library; visited June 2017
5. "Hezekiah". Bible Hub; visited June 2017

Psalms

Psalms is a wonderful collection of poetry. Let's look at the history of the book and the impact it has had on us today.

Introduction

Psalms is the longest book of the Bible, boasting 150 chapters, and is a collection of songs or poems meant for worship. In English, the word psalm means hymn or song,^[1] but the original Hebrew word (tehilim) means praise.^[2] This is a more accurate description of the text since some of the psalms are actually prayers.
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Date and Authorship

Being a collection of works, Psalms wasn't authored by a single person, and was likely compiled over many years. Some of the songs have titles and designations which reference possible authors. Among those listed as probably authors of several psalms include David, the sons of Korah, Asaph, Solomon, and Moses. It is important to note that while Aspah is designated an author, Aspah was also the name of a group of musicians and may have applied to the group instead of the person.^[2]
There are psalms without titles, as well, which are considered anonymous psalms.
Psalm 90 is identified as "A Psalm of Moses,"implying Moses was the author. This would place it's date of authorship in the fifteenth century (bc). Other psalms clearly take place after the exile, and therefore must have been written after the sixth century (bc). The final compilation of psalms for the book would have happened after the last psalm was written.

Grouping the Psalms

Psalms is divided into 5 books: Book I contains Psalms 1-41, Book II contains Psalms 42-72, Book III contains Psalms 73-89, Book IV contains Psalms 90-106, and Book V contains Psalms 107-150. Why they are divided as such is debated by scholars. Some suggest each book has a theme that links the Psalms. E.W. Grant suggests the following: Book I covers Christ as the source of blessing for Israel; Book II discusses the ruin of Israel and coming redemption; Book III proclaims the holiness of God; Book IV tells us of the failed man to be replaced by Jesus; and Book V is a moral conclusion. Others suggest the themes parallel the Pentateuch (the Books of law). In addition, the psalms can be categorized by five classifications: historical, messianic, prophetic, penitential, or imprecatory.^[3]

Jesus & Psalms

If you noticed, many of the classifications include references Jesus. You have to admit it would be odd for the longest book in the Bible to never discuss the Messiah. A total of 23 Messianic prophecies can be found across 14 Psalms. I'll cover them as I get to those chapters, but for those who want to skip ahead, the chapters are Psalms 2, 8, 16, 22, 34, 35, 40, 41, 45, 68, 69, 109, 110, and 118.

Music and Psalms

When I realized Psalms was the next book I would read, I became curious as to how many of the hymns we sing today are actually from Psalms. I find it interesting that people argue about the "right" type of worship music, when the Bible has a whole book that's basically a hymnal.

The Psalms Project

As I was searching for hymns that are based on Psalms, I came across The Psalms Project. The Psalms Project is a band that is working to set all 150 psalms to music. Their plan is to release 15 album with 10 psalms on each album. The third album was released in November of 2016, which covers Psalms 21-30.

Other Psalms Projects

When I went to look for the album on iTunes, I was pleasantly surprised to see there are many projects to get Psalms into song! "Sing Psalms" by Psalm Project Africa was released in January 2013. It features 20 Psalms (in seemingly no particular order). While The Psalms Project has an indie feel to it, Psalm Project Africa features African inspiration and a multitude of voices. There is also an album by Hope Creative called "The Psalms Project" (if you're thinking about taking on this task, please be creative and deviate from "The Psalms Project" in your naming). Hope Creative's album is from 2015 and has 10 tracks which cover 13 Psalms.

Individual Psalms

Several artists have adapted a single psalm for their album as well. Naturally Psalm 23 is the most popularly set to music. Searching for "Psalm 23" on iTunes brings back 100 hits, "The Lord is My Shepherd" brings back another 100 hits.

There are quite a few songs inspired by Psalm 119 (the longest chapter in the Bible). Charles Villier Standford wrote "Beati quorum via integra est," which means "blessed are those whose way," in 1905. The song is based on Psalm 119:1.^[4] Clara H. Scott's "Open My Eyes, That I May See" was inspired by Psalm 119:18.^[5] William Byrd's "Teach Me, O Lord" is based on Psalm 119:33-38.^[6] "Thy Word" by Amy Grant is based on Psalm 119:105.^[7]Heinrich Schütz completed the whole song in 1671. Frederick Steinruck, Michael Misiaszek, and Michael Owens also created a complete English version of the psalm.^[8]

The Most Popular Psalms

The most popular psalms are Psalm 23 and Psalm 119. Psalm 23 is popular in the sense that most people know it by heart, and those who don't know it by heart will recognize it once the hear it. Psalm 119 is popular in the sense that its "that really long psalm." Psalm 119 is 176 verses long; it's the length of some books with in the Bible. Written as an acrostic with 8 verses for each of the 22 letters of Hebrew, it is written very deliberately. This psalm is probably the most studied by scholars.

References

1. "Psalm". Merriam-Webster; visited June 2017
2. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 909-912. 2014
3. William MacDonald. Believer's Bible Commentary, pg. 545-548. 1995
4. "Beati quorum via (Stanford)". Wikipedia; visited June 2017
5. "Open My Eyes, That I May See ". Timeless Truths; visited June 2017
6. Teach me, O Lord". Hyperion Records; visited June 2017
7. "Thy Word by Amy Grant". Songfacts; visited June 2017
8. "Free Scripture Songs and Sermon MP3s". Pursing Life Ministries; visited June 2017

Job

An introduction to the book of Job, it's purpose, and interesting facts about the book are covered.

Introduction

Job is one of my favorite books in the Bible. It touches on the ultimate question believers often struggle with: "Why do bad things happen to good people?" The book revolves around a man named Job—hence the name of the book—who loses all of his blessings for seemingly no reason. Job enlists the help of his friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—to determine the cause of his misfortune to no avail. Eventually, the younger, but wise, Elihu sheds light on Job's situation. After a heart to heart with God, Job is blessed in even more abundance than before!
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Date and Authorship

Like most books of the Bible, this book is written anonymously with no clues as to who penned the text. To begin narrowing down who wrote the book of Job, we also need to estimate when it was written. The Books of History are ordered chronologically (for the most part), and follow the Books of Law chronologically. Job doesn't fit this pattern. Job is the first of the Books of Wisdom and immediately follows the Books of History, yet Job doesn't seem to be set after the exile.
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The Timeline of Job

Job is not referred to as an Israelite, nor does he reference the priesthood or Temple. Nothing from the Exodus is referenced either. This implies that Job was born before the Israelites became a nation. Elihu, one of the men who speaks to Job, is said to be a Buzite. Genesis 22:21 names Buz, a man who was a close relative of Abraham's. Could this man be related to Job? There is also a Buz spoken of in 1 Chronicles. This second Buz was from the tribe of Gad. Again, the lack of reference to the Israelites, tribes, or Exodus make it unlikely that that Job's story took place after the establishment of Israel.

Further, we are told that Job lives in the land of Uz. Uz is not mentioned in the Historical Books. If scholars are right, the land of Uz becomes Edom.^[1] This would place Job somewhere in time before Jacob and Esau.

Job 42:16 informs us that Job lived to be 140 before he died. This confirms that Job lived after the flood, but before Abraham. Shem, the son of Noah, lives to be 600 years old, while Abraham only lives to 175. The life expectancy of mankind steadily decreased after the flood, marking eras by the how long people lived. The fact that Job lives another 140 years after his ordeal, which suggests he lived around the time of Abraham.
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The Time of Authorship

The book must have been written after the events took place. If the events of the book occurred during the time of Abraham, that would place the earliest possible date of authorship during that era as well. Some scholars suggest it was written shortly after Job's blessing were returned, while others suggest Moses authored the book, placing its date of authorship sometime after the Exodus. Personally, the poetry of the exchanges between Job and his friends causes me to think it was authored just wafter the events occurred. It would be difficult to remember exactly what and by whom was spoken. Of course, with divine inspiration, anything is possible. Because there is no consensus on who penned the book, the estimated date of authorship ranges from as early as 2100bc to as late as 100bc.^[2]
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Authorship

As I mentioned earlier, some scholars believe Moses wrote the book of Job. This actually follows the Jewish tradition.^[2] Moses' writings focus mostly on the law and the history of how the Israelites came to be. Job on the other hand, focuses on wisdom. Like the other books of wisdom, Job teaches us about how to cope with life. It seems odd, that Moses would have focused on such a issue. This is probably why scholars searched for other candidates they can attribute authorship to. Contenders for the attribution are Elihu, Ezra, Hezekiah, Job, and Solomon.^[2]

The low hanging fruit on that list is Job himself. Job lives for quite some time after the events of the book take place. It isn't unreasonable to believe Job would document his experience to pass on the wisdom he and his friends gleaned from the situation. Job's autobiography probably spread and was eventually merged into writings of the Israelites. If Elihu's ancestor Buz really is the relative of Abraham, its easy to imagine the information propagating from Uz to the Israelites.

Solomon is also a logical author. As one of the wisest men of the Bible, Solomon was focused on the type of wisdom found in Job. Also, we know that Solomon was gifted with poetry; so was the author of Job.
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Purpose

Job is the go to book to explain why bad things happens to good people. Job also gives us a backstage pass to the dispute between God and the devil. We often forget that while God has ultimate authority, the devil is able to make things happen as well. Sometimes God withdraws his protection from even those who profess his name to teach the world a lesson. The devil uses these opportunities to try to steal us away from God. This is exactly what happened to Job.

Not only does Job provide us with wisdom on how to handle tragedy, Job is home to references to Jesus, many of our common sayings today, and examples of advanced science!

Reference to Jesus

One of the issues Job grabbles with the most is the need for a mediator between him and God. Throughout the book Job wants to plead his case before God but is worthy to do so. Is that not what Jesus does for us? We approach the Son and He intercedes to the Father on our behalf. Job even coins the phrase "my Redeemer lives" (Job 19:25).
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Common Sayings

In recent years, there's been this phenomena of people referring to themselves as "cultural Christians." Usually this refers to someone who doesn't believe in or follow Jesus and God, but takes part in the traditions associated with Christianity. I don't really want to get into this concept so much as show how pervasive the Bible is in our culture. The book of Job is the origin of many of the sayings we have today, most of which people don't even associate with the Bible. Below are just a few of the common sayings of today that can be found in Job.

1. "the hair on my body stood up" -- Job 4:15
2. "my life in my hands" -- Job 13:14
3. "skin of my teeth" -- Job 19:20
4. "the root of the matter" -- Job 19:28
5. "put your hand over your mouth" -- Job 21:5
6. "land of the living" -- Job 28:13
7. "eyes to the blind" -- Job 29:15

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Science

Most people stick science and God on opposite sides of the spectrum. The history of the animosity between the church and science is quite interesting. When Christianity became a mainstream religion in Rome, a lot changed, and as Rome gained popularity as the epicenter of Christianity, the Roman Catholic Church somehow became "thee Christian church." Suddenly, a Roman man was claiming infallibility and ultimate authority over God's church—this ushered in the dark ages.

The major issue is that man isn't infallible. Only those chosen by God can prophesy accurately and only those inspired by God can write down His truth accurately. When the Catholic Church declared the papacy to be infallible, the opened the door to criticism. The popes are not and were not infallible. Pioneers of astronomy and other sciences were quick to discover this truth. If the masses were discover that the papacy was not infallible, the church would lose their power. Thus science became an enemy of the church. God really is infallible, however. Science is not a threat to Him.

The book of Job is constantly reminding us that God created all things and thus is the possessor of all knowledge. God placed the sun in the center and set the Earth in rotation around it. God created hydrogen and oxygen, and bonded them together to make water. Despite many people believing the Bible teaches a Earth-centric universe or a flat Earth, it does not. Why? Because God created science. It is no surprise then, that science appears in Job.

There are 7 examples of the author of Job having knowledge of advanced science that we generally don't attribute to that time period. These 7 principles are the suspension of the Earth (Job 26), composition of the human body (Job 33), evaporation-precipitation cycle (Job 36), wind and weather directions (Job 37), cloud lightening relationship (Job 37), ocean bottom phenomena (Job 38), orbits and astronomy (Job 38). I will discuss each of these examples in detail when I come to them in the reading.

References

1. "Land of Uz". Wikipedia; visited May 2017
2. William MacDonald. Believer's Bible Commentary, pg. 513-515. 1995
3. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 861-864. 2014

Esther

Esther is a unique book in the Bible. It is one of two books that is named after and centers on a woman. It is also the only book of the Bible in which God is never mentioned.

Introduction

Esther is one of those books that reminds us a woman can accomplish great things. Esther contains the "cinderella"-story of an orphan becoming queen and gives us the origins for the Jewish holiday of Purim. The book has actually been called into question for its inclusion in the cannon due to the facts that (i) God is never mentioned, (ii) it isn't quoted in the New Testament, and (iii) no fragments of it were found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.^[3]
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Date and Authorship

Most scholar equate the Ahasuerus who ruled Persia during the time of the book was Xerxes. This places the events of the book between 486 and 465bc.^[1] Scholars suggest that Esther 10:2 implies the king was dead at the time of authorship, though I don't know why. This would place the date of authorship after Xerxes' death in 465bc.^[3]

It is much more difficult, however, to say who authored the book. Mordecai was put forth as the author by early Jewish and Christian writers, while the Jewish Talmud suggest members of the Great Synagogue wrote the book. However, scholars find it unlikely that a religious scholar would author a book with no mention of God in it.^[1]

Archeology has confirmed some of the features of the Persian palace mentioned in the book; this tells us that whoever penned the text had true knowledge of the palace. The original text was written in a version of Hebrew that dates to the period after the exile.^[3]
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Chronology

Despite appearing in the Bible after both Ezra and Nehemiah, the events of Esther occurred between the events of Ezra 6 and 7. Esther gives a glance at what life was like for the Jews who stayed in Persia instead of returning to Jerusalem.
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The Name of Esther

Esther always sounded like Easter to me, and it turns out the name Esther might actually be derived from the pagan goddess Ishtar, just like Easter. The name Esther is not her real name, but a Persian name. Her real name was Hadassah. This follows the trend of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendego, whose names were also changed from their original Hebrew.

I talked about the symbolism of changing someone's name by force in the post discussing Babylon's conquest of Judah, however, I think in the case of exiled Jews such as Esther, this may have been an attempt to fit it when done by Jews or a degradation of Jewish culture when done by Persians. Today, when people move to the United States from other countries, they often adopt English names. Sometimes this is done by choice and other times because people are too lazy to learn the correct pronunciation. A similar effect may have occurred in Persia. This change of names could vary from subtle pronunciation (e.g., Jorge becomes George) or a completely different name altogether. The latter usually occurs when the name is from a language vastly different from English.
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The Uniqueness of Esther

Esther is a unique book in the Bible. It is one of two books that is named after and centers on a woman. It is also the only book of the Bible in which God is never mentioned.

Some scholars believe this was done intentionally to call the readers attention to the fact that even in places where God isn't acknowledged, He is still present. When the Israelites were taken captive to Persia, they lost the Temple. Many of them probably believed they had lost their connection to God. On top of that, the ideology of the region was that gods ruled territories; they were stationary and didn't follow people.^[?] If the Israelites allowed themselves to latch on to that belief, they would have felt completely abandoned by God. However, only by the grace of God could an orphaned captive become the queen of Persia. Despite not being mentioned in the text, it is obvious that God placed Esther in this position to save the Israelites. This is the underlying message scholars believe was meant to come across, and thus, they believe the absence of references to God in the text was done on purpose.

Personally, I believe that this absence can be attributed to the position of the author in society. Unlike the other books of the Bible, Esther wasn't written by a prophet, priest, or apostle. The author was likely an ordinary citizen, like most of us. Think about a major event in your life. If you were to recount the story, would you mention God? Even though we know that God is in control, we don't alway insert references to Him when giving an account of something. Similarly, this author probably did the same. In fact, the author may not have been religious at all. We know that God can use anyone for His purpose, because He did so with Balaam (Numbers 22).

Interestingly, however, the original text does contain the name of YHWH hidden as an acrostic four times (Esther 1:20; 5:4,13; 7:7).^[2][3]
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References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 843-846. 2014
2. "The Name of Jehovah in the Book of Esther". The Companion Bible; visited April 2017
3. William MacDonald. Believer's Bible Commentary, pg. 495-497. 1995

Nehemiah

The history, origins, and contents of Nehemiah are examined.

Introduction

Nehemiah wasn't always a stand alone book. Initially, it was combined with Ezra. The tradition of separating the book was popularized with Jerome used this method for organizing the Latin Vulgate. Since jointing points of the books (the end of Ezra and beginning of Nehemiah) are very abrupt, some scholars believe the books were seen individually before being placed together.^[1]
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Authorship and Date

Nehemiah, the titular figure from the book, is usually ascribed authorship. Unlike most books of the Bible, which are anonymous, Nehemiah 1:1 tells us we are reading the words of Nehemiah. He would have written the book not long after the events occurred, during his lifetime. This would place the authorship of the book in mid to late 5th century bc.

Scholars who reject the idea of Nehemiah as the author, do so based upon their dating of the book. Jewish historian Josephus lists Jaddua as the high priest during the time of Alexander the Great's conquest. Nehemiah 12:22 refers to Jaddua the Levite, leading scholars to believe Nehemiah was written later than the Nehemiah's lifetime. What should be considered, however, is the fact that Jaddua could have been in training when mentioned in Nehemiah. Jaddua's name is third in the sequence, implying he wasn't the high priest yet. Further, it is possible that there were two priests with the same name. It is also possible that Josephus was mistaken.^[1]
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Purpose and Themes

Nehemiah showcases Godly leadership. Committed to the work of God, Nehemiah takes charge and oversees the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem. Nehemiah orchestrates permission to begin repairs as well as takes on the responsibility of protecting the Jews from attacks during the process. Nehemiah's leadership is what enables the success of the mission. It is important for us to see how true leadership works under the guidance of God so become more effective leaders and to realize which leaders are actually called by God.

Nehemiah navigates rebuilding the wall despite interference from 3 enemies: Geshem, Tobiah, and Sanballat. These enemies are also of great significance to the theme of the book and our lives today.

Geshem the Arabian was probably a descendant of Ishmael. However, he isn't the "major" enemy. In fact he is only mentioned 3 times, and each time is in connection with the other enemies. Geshem, is merely an ally on the wrong side of the war. Tobiah is described as an Ammonite and a servant. Tobiah comes from the pagan tribes and seems to be the servant of Sanballat. Tobiah has a much bigger role in the conflict than Geshem. Finally, there was Sanballat, a Samaritan. Sanballat appears to be the mastermind of the whole situation.

Think of these people as symbols. Tobiah and Geshem are different forms of paganism. Both descend from people who had been removed by the Israelites after the exodus. Sanballat, on the other hand, represents the false church. Remember the Samaritan population had been created by Assyria; they attempted to follow God through the guidance of an Israelite from the northern kingdom. All though they claimed to worship the God of Abraham, they were constantly at odds with the Jews. All three of these forces come against us today. There are obvious attacks from the devil, but there are also false Christians and churches seeking to destroy the credibility of God and attacking true believers. Like the Israelites, who were God's chosen people, true believers are not perfect. This makes it a little more difficult when we are confronted to know if a true believer is bringing us to truth or a false prophet is luring us from truth. This is the major warning left for us by Jesus. The player in the battle for God's people has always been the false prophets claiming to be of God when they are not. This model's the devil's desire to be God. Like Nehemiah, we have to stand guard, because these forces often align themselves together.
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Elephantine Papyri

The Elephantine Papyri, is a document found on a Island north of Egypt. The document consists of writing from Jews living in the Elephantine, an Egyptian city, during the 5th century bc, which is roughly the same time period as the book of Nehemiah. Therefore, fore a believer, it isn't surprising that the document mentions two people from the book of Nehemiah: Sanballat and Johanan ben Eliashib. In the future, I will create a post on the importance of this document and link it here. In general, the document shows the Jews of that colony were living exactly the way the Bible described (note, that doesn't mean they were following the word of God, but that their actions were accurately portrayed).^[2]
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Chapters in the Book of Numbers

References

1. William MacDonald. Believer's Bible Commentary, pg. 481-482. 1995
2. "Elephantine Papyri". Wikipedia; visited April 2017

Ezra

This history, origins, and contents of Ezra are examined.

Introduction

Yet another reason to take care that the divisions in the Bible do not effect our reading and understanding is seen in the arbitrary split of Ezra and Nehemiah. After completing Ezra, you will see that it ends abruptly. This is because up until the third century (ad), Ezra and Nehemiah were one book. The books were initially split by Origen, a Biblical scholar from Alexandria.^[1][3] When Jerome constructed the Latin Vulgate, which had a major influence on our modern translations, he followed Origen's example.^[3]
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Authorship

Ezra is a mixture of narratives, letters, and prayers. It almost reads like a scrapbook, where someone inserted news clippings and letters amongst personal reflections. Chapters 7, 8, and 9 all contain references to the first person, which is rare in the Bible. The original text also mixes languages, preferring Aramaic for the official documents. Aramaic was the official language of Persia, which means decrees and proclamations would have been issued in Aramaic as shown by the author.^[4] Most scholars assume Ezra to be the author, though it is impossible to tell for certain.^[1][4]

The Aramaic present in the book is very similar to that of a Jewish community dated to 5th century bc, which is used to support the theory that the book was written during that time period. Presumably, Ezra authored the book before Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem in 444bc.^[4]
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Purpose

Each book of the Bible has a specific purpose. Even great secular writers will tell you, everything in a your writing should be necessary. If it doesn't serve a purpose, leave it out. God's Word was given to us for a purpose, and it is up to us to decipher that purpose for each book.

Ezra covers three main events: the return/restoration of the Jews, opposition to the construction of the Temple, and the sending away of foreign wives among Israelite men. Within these events, we are introduced to Haggai, Zechariah, and Ezra. The events in the book of Esther take place in between chapters 6 and 7 (chronologically). The return to Jerusalem fulfills a prophecy given by Jeremiah 29. Further, the proclamation to rebuild the city fulfills the prophecy of Daniel 9. The prophecy in Daniel 9 helps us identify Jesus as the Messiah!
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Kings of Persia

The kings of Persia are heavily referenced in the book of Ezra, as it is by their decrees that the Israelites are able to to rebuild the Temple or told to cease reconstruction. As such it is important to look at the timeline of Persian kings before reading Ezra or Nehemiah.^[1][2]

Kings of Persia
King	Reign (bc)	Bible Reference
Cyrus II	559-530	Cyrus is mentioned in 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Daniel, and Isaiah. He is the one who issues the proclamation that Israel can return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple.
Cambyses II	530-522	Not mentioned
Darius I	522-486	Darius is mentioned in Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel, Haggai, and Zechariah. It is during his reign that construction of the Temple continues
Xerxes I	486-465	Xerxes I is considered a possibility for the identity of Ahasuerus in Ezra 4:6 and Esther.
Artaxerxes I	465-425	Artaxerxes is discussed in Ezra and Nehemiah; Ezra's mission is usually interpreted as occurring during his reign.
Xerxes II	423	Not mentioned
Darius II	423-404	Possibiliy referenced in Nehemiah 12:22
Artaxerxes II	404-359	Those who do not believe Ezra's mission occurred during Artaxerxes I's reign, place it in Araxerxes II' reign.

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Cyrus' Cylinder

When Israel was in Egypt, God had to force pharaoh's hand to let the people go, yet Cyrus decreed they could go home and rebuild the Temple without a big production from God. Many people find this hard to believe, but an ancient artifact known as Cyrus' Cylinder, fully supports this chain of events. Cyrus' Cylinder is currently in the British Museum. This cylinder contains an account of Cyrus' rule, including his restoration of various temples that had been previously destroyed by Babylon.^[5]
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References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 789-794. 2014
2. "List of monarchs of Persia". Wikipedia; visited March 2017
3. "Origen". Christianity Today; visited March 2017
4. William MacDonald. Believer's Bible Commentary, pg. 471-472. 1995
5. "The Cyrus Cylinder". The British Museum; visited March 2017

1&2 Chronicles

This history, origins, and contents of Chronicles are examined.

Introduction

Like Kings & Samuel, Chronicles started as 1 book. Chronicles repeats much of what we are told in Genesis and Kings concerning the history and lineage of Israel, though it focuses on the Southern kingdom of Judah. Chronicles is title Dibre Hayyamim in Hebrew, which is roughly translated The Matters of the Days. In Greek, the book is called Paraleipomenon, which means things omitted. The latter title possibly refers to text in Kings that reminds us the details of each king are recorded elsewhere. The English title of Chronicles came about when Jerome referred to the book as a chronicle.^[1]
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Authorship

Most scholars attribute the text to Ezra.^[2][3] Compelling evidence of Ezra's authorship includes the style of writing and the fact that 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 is exactly the same as Ezra 1:1-2. Since this is not explicitly confirmed, however, most scholars refer to the author as the chronicler.
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Date Written

Chronicles was one of the last books of the Old Testament to be written despite its placement almost in the center of the books. Estimating the date of authorship isn't as hard with Chronicles because there are two facts given to help us pin point the date. First, we know that the book was written after the Israelites returned from Babylonian exile. The Babylonian captivity ended in 538 bc,^[4] which places the date of authorship some time after 538 bc.
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Purpose

One of the reasons many people (myself included) struggle to find significance in the book of Chronicles is that it appears to be a retelling of everything we've already been told. Chronicles lists the genealogy from Adam all the way to the line of David, which isn't the most interesting thing to read. Chronicles also covers information on the kings, mirroring the books of Samuel and Kings. So why is it included?

The previous books were all meant to tell this history of how things fell in to place, while Chronicles was meant to showcase spirituality. The author of Chronicles expands on things we didn't learn in the previous books, while omitting events we did learn about. The pattern of which events are highlighted versus which are left out shows that the author was more concerned about the spiritual progress of Israel than anything else. This would also explain why the chronicler focused on Judah over Israel.^[2]
The second fact we have to work with is the chronicler's diligence at recording the history of David's lineage. The last ancestor of David mentioned in Chronicles is Anani, who was born about 8 generations after Jehoiachin. Scholars estimate that Anani was born 425 bc and 400 bc. The Septuagint adds 5 more generations between Anani and Jehoiachin. Accounting for these generations, Anani would have been born between 325 bc and 300 bc. Since descendants of David born after Anani are absent from the text, scholars assume the text was written during Anani's life time. This would date the book to some time between 425 bc and 250 bc; if Anani was born in the 5th century bc, we can conclude the text was written earlier (between 425 bc and 350 bc).^[2][3][5]
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A Chance To Think

Chronicles also gives believers a chance to exercise our thinking skills. Since it reiterates the history from man's beginning through the Babylonian exile, it's also the place where people go to point out "contradictions." I discussed some of the supposed contradictions between Chronicles and 2 Samuel 21-24 already, but as I step through the text, I'll try to point out the others. The Bible isn't a children's book, so sometimes we have to dig for answers. I believe that God wrote the Bible this way to inspire us to consult with Him for answers.
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References

1. "III. Title and Canonical Placement". Asbury Bible Commentary, via Bible Gateway; visited February 2017
2. William MacDonald. Believer's Bible Commentary, pg. 423-425. 1998
3. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 683-686. 2014
4. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Babylonian Exile". Encyclopædia Britannica. February 2016
5. "Book of Chronicles". Wikipedia; visited February 2017

1&2 Kings

Like with the Book of Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Kings were originally one book, known as the Book of Kings. In the original Hebrew text, the Book of Kings is included with the former prophets, however it is grouped with the historical books in the Bible. The Book of Kings spans 400 years of Israel's history.

Introduction

Like with the Book of Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Kings were originally one book, known as the Book of Kings. In the original Hebrew text, the Book of Kings is included with the former prophets, however it is grouped with the historical books in the Bible. The Book of Kings spans 400 years of Israel's history. It begins with the glorious reign of Solomon and ends with the Israelites in Babylonian captivity. This book takes us on a parallel journey through the history of both set of kings, those in the northern kingdom ("Israel") and those in the southern kingdom ("Judah"). It is in 1 and 2 Kings that we meet the prophets Elijah and Elisha, as well.
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Authorship

Like most books of the Bible, the author of Kings is unknown. Most believe that the book is a compilation of records, with some scholars believe priestly writers to be responsible and others attributing it to prophets. The complaint of a priestly writer being responsible is where in the northern kingdom, which had turned away from God, was there a suitable priest to keep track of the history?^[1]

I understand the unlikelihood of a God-fearing priest present in the northern kingdom, however I don't think this rules out the possibility of a priestly author. Even in the midst of Sodom and Gomorrah, God found Lot and in the midst of the whole earth, God found Noah; this is evidence that even in dismal situations there's always at least one person shining for God. Perhaps there was at least one priest in the north that had not lost his way. Further, we've seen countless examples of God using non-believers to fulfill his purpose. It is quite possible that the person was in sin but God blessed them to keep accurate records simply because He wanted us to have those records. We can't say for sure one way or the other whether this was the case in the authorship of Kings.

Scholars conclude that if the compilation is priestly, Ezra was the final editor, but if the compilation was written by prophets, either Jeremiah or Ezekiel would have been the final editor.^[1] Some lean heavier toward Jeremiah due to the similarities between 2 Kings 24-25 and Jeremiah 52.^[2]
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Dating the Book

1 Kings begins with the death of David in 970bc and 2 Kings ends with the release of King Jehoiachin from prison in 560bc. The book is a compilation of records detailing the history of Israel during this time. While it is impossible to identify when each record was written, we know that final compilation could not have been completed before the release of Jehoaichin in 560bc, since that event is covered in the text. However, 2 Kings does not discuss the return of the Jews to their land, which occurred in 536bc, which would have been too major of an event to exclude had the book been compiled after the fact. Thus, it is assumed that the text must have been completed before the return in 536bc. This gives us an estimated date of completion between 560 and 536bc.
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Themes

The Book of Kings focuses on the kings of Israel (hence the name of the book) and the prophets the serve during each king's reign. In this set of books, we learn the role of each of office, as well as, a bit about revival.
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Kings

Through the Davidic covenant, kings were seen as the moral representative of the nation. Blessings and punishments flowed based on the kings action. This pattern continued through the king Azariah (or Uzziah).

Introduced in 1 Kings King Kingdom Solomon United Israel Rehoboam Judah Abijah Judah Asa Judah Jehosaphat Judah Jeroboam I Israel Nadab Israel Baasha Israel Elaah Israel Zimri Israel Omri Israel Ahab Israel Ahaziah Israel

Introduced in 2 Kings King Kingdom Jehoram Judah Ahaziah Judah Athaliah Judah Jehoash Judah Amaziah Judah Uzziah Judah Jotham Judah Ahaz Judah Hezekiah Judah Manasseh Judah Amon Judah Josiah Judah Jehoahaz Judah Jehoiakim Judah Jehoiachin Judah Zedekiah Judah Jehoram Israel Jehu Israel Jehoahaz Israel Joash Israel Jeroboam II Israel Zecariah Israel Shallum Israel Menahem Israel Pekahiah Israel Pekah Israel Hoshea Israel

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Prophets

Prophets were not all the same. Some were miracle workers like Elisha, but others were court prophets simply delivering information like Gad or Micaiah. Kings establishes them before we dive into their writings found later in the Bible.
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Revival

Revivals of the kings happened on an individual level and occasionally had a few effects on society as a whole, but the effects never lasted. The nation always returned to idolatry.
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References

1. William MacDonald. Believer's Bible Commentary, pg 350. 1995
2. David Malick. "An Introduction to the Books of First and Second Kings". Bible.org. June 30, 2004

1&2 Samuel

This history, origins, and contents of 1 and 2 Samuel are examined.

Introduction

Samuel was originally just one book (containing both 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel). The first division occurred in the Septuagint simply for convenience. Since then, every version has continued to divide the books.^[1] Like Joshua, the books of Samuel act as a bridge from one era to the next. Samuel marks the last of the judges and ushered in the era of kings and prophets. Though the book focuses on Samuel, Saul, and David, the book is named for Samuel who was Israel's final judge and instrumental in appointing Israel's first king.
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Date & Authorship

Like most books of the Bible, Samuel is anonymously written; there are a few possible authors. Many of the events occur after Samuel's death, which suggests he could not have recorded everything. One theory is that Samuel is a collaborative effort from Samuel and his successors.^[1] Using 1 Chronicles 29:29, it is inferred that Nathan and Gad were the other two authors.^[2] Other candidates include unknown prophets studying under Samuel or Abiathar, a priest who spent time in exile with David.

Since we aren't sure who wrote the book, it's also difficult to pinpoint when the book was written. Within the book, no reference is made to Israel's captivity, which leads us to assume it was written before 722bc when Israel went into captivity. The use of the phrases "Israel" and "Judah" seems to indicate that the book was written after the division of the monarchy, but it is also possible that these terms may have been used before the split that occurred in 931bc.
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Message and Purpose

The book of Samuel focuses on God's sovereignty, the consequences of sin and covenants. God is the King of Israel, but due to Israel's desire (and need, possibly) for a physical leader, He appoints a kind. Through this king and subsequent kings, we see the consequences of their sins. With this, we also see the gifts of forgiveness and repentance, along with lasting consequences. Lastly, we witness the covenant established between God and David.

As mentioned earlier, Samuel establishes the transition of Israel's theocracy, which was God's original government plan, to a monarchy. Israel's desire to be like the nations around them jump-started this change, which is an indicator that it was a step in the wrong direction spiritually. Overall, God desires to be our king; placing someone else between God and us as a ruler gives us the need to choose whom we will follow at times. A modern example is when the Supreme Court of America declared same-sex marriage to be legal. Now Christians in occupations that support marriage have to chose whether they will risk fines, job-loss, and lawsuits to follow God, or follow the U.S. and displease God. God told Israel that they were to be a peculiar people set apart from the world when He made the covenant with them; Jesus reminds us of that again in the New Testament. The book of Samuel is an example of why.
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References

1. MacDonald, William. Believer's Bible Commentary. pg. 295-297. 1995
2. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible. pg. 467-470. 2014