Yesterday we talked about why the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy are so vital to our lives, why they have so much to speak into our lives.

Today, we are talking about the books of history that follow the Pentateuch. These books included Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.

This section includes two of my favorite books of the Bible – Joshua and Nehemiah. The history within the pages of these books reveals the work of God in the lives of so many men and women. I think we can learn so much about who God is from the stories of the interaction of these people with God. We tend to think that we can only learn about God is from the theologically-rich letters of Paul. But these stories have much to speak into us.

Here’s a short list…
-There are few stories of redemption as powerful as Ruth.
-Joshua is a man who I find I connect with almost as powerfully as any other in the Scriptures.
-Judges is a lesson about the importance of character within leadership.
-Nehemiah is the best book on leadership in the Bible and one of the best books ever written.
-Ezra shows what can happen when a leader merges their faith with their influence.
-Esther is a book all about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that TERRIFY us, yet are simultaneously God’s destiny for us.
-1 and 2 Samuel teach us why it is important to not only succeed in your work, but in your relationships (Eli’s failure with his sons and David’s failure with his family are prime examples).
-1 and 2 Kings communicate to us why God made “have no other gods before me” the FIRST commandment…idolatry undoes the entire nations of Israel and Judah.
-1 and 2 Chronicles helps us see the historical arch of the kings, their lives, and their influence. We will never be kings of countries, yet our influence is our responsibility to steward – through our lives, we can propel or handicap the lives of others.