The Historical Books

1
The Historical Books

• Compiled primarily by D authors/editors
• Josiah (640-609BC) revised after exile
• Religious History
• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 and 2 Samuel
• 1 and 2 Kings

2
Joshua

• Conquest seemingly swift and easy
• 12 tribes unified
• Joshua very much like a Moses without flaw
• The Lord allows
• Joshua constantly reminding them to obey God
• Gods promise of faithfulness
• Joshua 11-9
• Joshua sends spies
• Story of Rahab

3
Joshua

• Ark of the Covenant
• They enter when God commands
• Water stops flowing in Jordan (like Red Sea)
• Circumcision of the desert generation
• Passover celebration
• Importance of proper worship before engaging the
  conquest
• Importance of following Gods commands

4
Joshua

• Chapter 6 12-19
• The BAN
• All was sacred to God
• Not to be used for own purposes
• Achan violated the ban at Ai
• Hence, they were defeated
• When violate Gods law- they fail
• When follow Gods law- success
• Divide land but unified (2143-45)
• People renew the covenant (2416-28)

5
Judges

• Shows full conquest was really much longer
  timeframe- 200 years
• 12 tribes not really unified
• Struggle with monotheism
• Major sin (210-15)
• Baal and Astarte- Canaanite gods
• Fertility cults
• Temple prostitution
• God raises up Judges (216-19)

6
Judges

• Cycle
• Israelites worship false Gods
• God punishes by delivering to enemies
• Israelites cry out
• God has mercy and appoints a Judge
• When judge dies, cycle repeats
• Why non-Israelites remain- to put Israel to the
  test (34)

7
Judges

• Story of 12 Judges
• Strong Judges
• Deborah-chapter4-military victory
• Gideon-destroyed Baals altar
• Samson-Philistine wife-then Delilah
• But cycle keeps repeating and anarchy
• Nation disintegrating in absence of strong
  leaders
• Judges 2125

8
Ruth

• Story of great friendship
• Story of great faithfulness
• Gods loving concern for those who suffer great
  tragedy
• Good comes from family devotion
• Ruth a symbol of Gods complete faithfulness and
  care for the Chosen people
• Her love and fidelity mirror Gods covenant love

9
1 and 2 Samuel

• Samuel- the last judge
• Call of Samuel (1Sam 31-10)
• Samuel a prophet as well as a judge
• Samuel also a priest
• Philistines a major problem
• They capture the Ark
• They give it back
• But they just wont go away
• Also, because of the unjust judges, the people
  want a king

10
1 and 2 Samuel

• Samuels sons as bad as Elis sons
• Request for a king (85)
• We want to be like everyone else
• Samuel warns them of the risks-810-18
• The people persist
• God grants their request because they asked
• God selects Saul (917)
• Sam anoints Saul king
• Sam retires with warning/promise (1219-25)

11
Saul

• Saul a good military leader
• Not a good spiritual leader
• Saul is full of pride
• Saul offers sacrifice like a priest
• Honey forbidden-hes setting law
• Did not kill Amalek and do Ban-keeps good stuff
• Samuel speaks for God-(1522-23)
• God regrets choice of Saul
• God promises another king
• Samuel finds David-anoints him

12
David

• Samuel anoints David
• Spirit of God upon him
• Spirit of God leaves Saul
• Saul suffers mood swings/torment
• David, the harpist to soothe
• David slays Goliath
• Saul loves David, but then jealous
• People love David-187
• Saul goes after David
• Jonathan, Sauls son, befriends and protects
  David

13
David

• David could kill Saul-doesnt-twice-only God can
  undo King
• Jonathan renounces title to throne in favor of
  David
• As Philistines besiege, Saul turns to necromancy
  (summoning the dead) to predict his future
• Witch of Endor- conjures up Samuel
• Samuel tells him he must die so David can become
  king
• In despair, Saul falls on his sword

14
David

• David becomes king of the south
• Takes three more years to become king of north
• Finally unites all the tribes into one nation
• Conquers Jerusalem from Jesubites and makes it
  the capital
• Finally conquers Philistines
• Brings Ark To Jerusalem
• Wants to build temple

15
David

• Covenant with David
• Through prophet Nathan (2Sam 714-16)
• David a great military leader
• Defeats the Philistines
• Defeats Ammonites
• Secures nation
• Glory times

16
David

• But David also has flaws
• Love of Bathsheba
• Treatment of Uriah
• God tells Nathan to talk to David
• 2 Sam 121-7
• Child dies
• 2nd son- Solomon

17
David

• Even though David repents, sin has its effects
• Turmoil and trouble
• Son rapes half sister
• Absalom rises up against David
• Absalom undermines peoples love for David
• Absalom dies ( 2 Sam 191)

18
David

• Remembered as Israel s greatest king
• Despite his sins, however, he did remain loyal to
  God
• King mediates Israels relationship to God
• God is now attached to a geographic region
• Sets stage for proper worship-Temple

19
1 and 2 Kings

• Tells story of
• Solomon
• Split between Northern and Southern Kingdoms
• Destruction of Northern Kingdom by Assyria in 722
  BC
• Destruction of Southern Kingdom by Babylon

20
1 and 2 Kings

• Two major theological themes
• Turning away from true worship invites Gods
  punishment
• Neglecting and abusing the poor and helpless
  invites Gods judgment
• But God always cares about the Chosen People and
  send prophets to warn them

21
Solomon

• Son of Bathsheba and David
• Very powerful king
• Eliminated all rivals
• Great builder
• Time of peace and prosperity
• Prayed for wisdom (1Kngs 39)-God grants
• Built the Temple-took 7 years

22
Solomons Temple
23
Solomons Temple
24
Solomons Temple
25
Temple Worship

• Required to attend at least once per year
• Ark of the Covenant
• Strict and complicated system of sacrifices
• Priests lived off the sacrifices
• Levitical priesthood
• Became the center of the peoples life
• Faithful Temple worship yet struggles with
  faithlessness
• Yet, God promised judgment if strayed(1Kngs
  96-9)

26
Solomon

• Allowed foreigners into palace-concubines/wives
• Began worshipping false gods
• God is angry (1Kings 119, 11-13)
• After his death, revolt in 922 BC
• North seceded
• North is ruled by Jeroboam (a former servant)
• South led by Rehoboam (Solomons son)

27
Divided Kingdom

• North called Israel
• South called Judah
• North had richer and more prosperous land
• Centered worship at Dan and Bethel
• South was much more unified and had the Temple
• Both kingdoms went through scores of bad kings
• Both kingdoms struggled with just living and true
  worship

28
North

• String of bad kings
• Omri-gets Samaria
• Ahab-his son
• Marries Jezebel
• Baal worship
• Erected temples to Baal

29
South

• String of bad kings
• Leading people astray
• Worshipping on high places
• Hezekiah asks God to protect Jerusalem from
  Assyrians
• After fall of North
• Josiah- good- finds book of the law
• Sets about to reform
• Doesnt last long- Babylonians are coming