Emmaus Encounters is a monthly radio series by the Emmaus Institute heard exclusively on Spirit Catholic Radio. In this series, we walk through a variety of Difficult Sayings in the Bible to consider how they function as Scripture, how they witness to the Triune God, and how they speak even today to the shape of the Christian life.
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Okay, maybe no tigers, but difficulties abound in this seemingly difficult book. Hear Joshua Burks walk through the various passages and themes of Revelation in order to bring clarity to this plethora of difficult Bible sayings.
Joshua Burks is former faculty of The Emmaus Institute for Biblical Studies in Lincoln, NE. His studies and teaching focus especially on New Testament texts and themes. Previous to his time teaching, Joshua spent four years as a missionary and Team Director with FOCUS, concurrently completing his graduate studies with the Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology. Next to love of God is his love for his wife, Elizabeth, and their four boys. Joshua is also the co-host alongside Fr. Andrew Dickinson of the podcast, FAD&DAD, a show that walks through the wisdom of the Church Fathers in the context of good friendship and conversation.
The Bible that began with Creation ends in New Creation, climaxing in the Cross of Christ. The Book of Revelation sheds light on that great victory through a series of highly symbolic images depicting the conflict between God and Satan, good and evil. The point is not to entertain us with end-time events, but to encourage us to remain faithful to the end, whatever the cost. So let us worship Jesus the Lamb, keep ourselves pure from the world, and await Jesus’ final triumph as “King of kings and Lord of lords,” when he puts an end to all rebellion and dwells with his people forever in “a new heaven and a new earth”! “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”
Jude reads like a homily in letter form—the kind we all need to hear from time to time! Its tone might sound a little sharp, but Jude’s main point is to urge believers to contend for the one true faith and to resist false teachers who deny Christ and who substitute their own authority for God’s. Otherwise, the Church will lose its distinctive identity in the world as God’s people. Jude urges us to faith, hope, and love, all the way to the end, concluding with this prayer:
“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time, now, and forever. Amen.”
Sometimes it’s helpful to put the gospel in plain English, so to speak, to offer some straight talk about eternal life. The letters of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John do exactly that, without pulling any punches: Either we are devoted to following Jesus and loving one another, or we’d better ask ourselves whether or not we really belong to Christ at all! Gently but firmly, John presses the point that Christlike living and loving are nonnegotiable for God’s children. To put this differently, these potent little letters clarify what genuine faith looks like. This means that the Church cannot treat sound doctrine and fervent devotion as something to take or leave, for that would compromise the gospel and put eternal life itself in jeopardy.
People who pledge allegiance to Jesus Christ are like aliens or strangers in the present world; our character and conduct are out of step with the cultural forces of society, and this can often lead to opposition, even persecution. The Letters of 1 and 2 Peter tell us not to be surprised when this happens, and not to be undone by it. Suffering, after all, is not a contradiction to being related to Jesus, but a way of sharing in his life and likeness. So trust in the Lord, says Peter, follow the example of Jesus, and keep your hope fixed on God’s promise. Whatever you do, don’t get distracted by false teachers and twisted versions of the truth, but keep on clinging to the gospel of Christ and keep on growing in grace and godliness.
The Letter of James has earned a wide reputation for being “practical.” But be forewarned: ‘Practical’ doesn’t mean easy or automatic! In fact, anyone who reads this book, puts it down, and returns to life as usual has missed the whole point! Life as usual is the very thing James wants to change, until everything about us—what we believe and how we behave, what we think and how we treat others—is shaped by God’s wisdom as Jesus models it. So let’s get ready—to be instructed, to be encouraged, and yes, to be scolded a time or two—all in the interest of being changed to look and live more like Jesus. Let’s read James, and let’s be and do what it says!
Readers looking for “Christianity lite” may find Hebrews a little heavy, but those who want the real deal—a robust faith for a robust life—will surely discover it here! Hebrews looks at the Church as a pilgrim people, with a sure guide in Jesus Christ and a definite home in heaven, but sometimes in need of encouragement to persevere in the journey of faith. Hebrews offers that encouragement by pointing us to Jesus Christ our Lord. He is the Son of God and the Son of David. He is our High Priest, ever present before the Father, bringing with him the fullness of our humanity, and establishing us in a New Covenant. It might be a little more challenging than some other biblical books, but reading Hebrews and doing what it says will definitely keep us walking on God’s path.
Philemon is a little Letter that tells of a certain Christian master by the name of Philemon and his fugitive slave, Onesimus. While the two were alienated, presumably over some wrongdoing Onesimus had committed, somehow this runaway slave comes into contact with St. Paul and ends up becoming a follower of Jesus. How then should Philemon treat Onesimus, now become his Christian brother—by the accepted customs and laws of slavery, or by the Cross-shaped love and mercy of Christ? You’ll find the answer in the little Letter to Philemon in a down-to-earth portrait of the power of the gospel to transform lives and to heal fractured relationships, with a compelling and convicting message for us all.
The Letters to Timothy and Titus are often referred to as “the Pastoral Letters,” written by Paul to the next generation of bishops, dealing mainly with how God’s people and those who lead them are supposed to behave in God’s household, the Church. And since how we live and worship and serve reflects what we truly believe, these Letters insist that the gospel of Christ must be central. It must shape everything, must be defended against false teaching, and must be passed on to the next generation! But don’t shrug these books off too quickly. These letters aren’t just for our pastors and shepherds, they’re for us too. Let us take advantage of the message of these books to become a community of people centered on the gospel, praying for our priests and bishops, and depositing this precious faith into the next generation.
1 and 2 Thessalonians—it’s a big name for two little books; and their message is even bigger. These letters discuss a number of issues related to Jesus’ second coming. When Jesus comes again, what will happen to people who have rejected him? To Christians who are alive or who have already died? To the rebellious antichrist, and to all those who have persecuted God’s people? Of course, like all biblical prophecy, the point is not simply to entertain our curiosity about what’s going to happen in the future, but to stir us to live in certain ways in the light of what’s going to happen. This means loving and encouraging one another, rejoicing even in suffering, being diligent in our work, and growing in godliness as a community shaped by the Cross.
When Christians lose their way, there probably isn’t a better place to turn for help than to Colossians, which highlights the supremacy of Christ. Jesus, in Colossians, is the proper object of faith, the image of the invisible God, the creator of the universe, the head of the Church, the firstborn from the dead, the treasury of all wisdom and knowledge, the victor over sin and Satan, the pattern for godly living, and the exalted Lord of glory! This Jesus, says Colossians, is God’s Beloved Son, into whose kingdom we have been transferred from the domain of darkness. In this way, Colossians shows us what life looks like when Jesus is at the top and in the center.
Philippians is a delightful and encouraging little letter! Its joy and warmth have made it a fan favorite for generations, with lines like “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” With a joyful tone, Philippians focuses on how to keep the main thing the main thing, that is, the progress of the gospel in the world. By bringing to the forefront the stunning nature of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, Paul calls on us to have the same mind among ourselves, and to live “worthily of the gospel.” In other words, Philippians tells us that the Church needs to look like the gospel in order to advance the gospel; and the only way to look like the gospel is to be the kind of people who find true joy in thinking and acting like Jesus. That’s Philippians!
Ephesians is a favorite for many—probably because no part of Scripture, except maybe Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, better clarifies for us God’s vision for the Church, his bride! This short letter gives us a glimpse of the world as it ought to be, gathered up and brought to order under Jesus as Lord. Ephesians, in other words, is all about shaping the Church into a masterpiece of God’s handiwork—displaying God’s glory to the world—and that begins with how we treat one another, especially those closest to us, and how we display the love of Christ and the Church in our homes and social circles. Take the time to live and steep yourself in this book. Who knows, Ephesians might become one of your favorites, too!
The Letter to the Galatians may be short, but it’s not short and sweet; in fact, the tone is sometimes blistering. At issue here is a struggle for the very heart of the Christian gospel. Specifically, it tackles the question: Do converts have to become Jews to belong properly to the Lord? The answer? Emphatically no, since Christ has faithfully fulfilled all of God’s requirements for salvation in his life, death, and resurrection. This means that Jews and Gentiles relate to God and to one another on the terms of a new covenant—rooted in promise, centered in Jesus, accessed through faith, and enabled by the Holy Spirit. That’s good news, and that’s Galatians!
The 2nd Letter to the Corinthians offers an intensely personal example of how our own suffering and adversity may be the very means that God uses to display Jesus’ Cross to the world, and how a spirit of thanksgiving shows the power of the resurrection. When we listen carefully to the Spirit who speaks throughout this letter, we become more finally tuned to see the activity of God in our hearts; we better appreciate the hardships faced by Paul and all who carry the task of leadership; we are even encouraged to see our financial giving as a way of uniting ourselves to the offering of Christ on the Cross. And when all of this sounds too hard to accomplish? Fear not. For Paul reminds us of the words of Jesus, “my power is made perfect in weakness.”
1 Corinthians is the first of two inspired letters that Paul wrote to the 1st-century Church in Corinth. But it’s not just for them; in fact, the greeting addresses “all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”—that includes us! So don’t worry, we’re not snooping in someone else’s mail when we look over the shoulders of the Corinthians and read about such things as pride and party squabbles, marriage and immorality, Christian freedom and worship, spiritual gifts and love, and other topics that sound as relevant today as they did 20 centuries years ago. The main point of it all? To shape the Church to look more like Jesus and the gospel than like the surrounding culture. And that will always be relevant!
The Letter to the Romans is Paul’s great masterpiece—cherished throughout the ages for its biblical brilliance, its theological sharpness, and its tender pastoral wisdom. Here is the Bible’s clearest and fullest discussion of the gospel—the breathtaking plan of God “to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,” as Paul puts it. In fact, that’s why Jesus came—not merely to offer heaven to those who believe, but to make us new creatures and participants here and now in God’s work of restoring the world to himself. That’s the amazing power of the gospel, and that’s what Romans is all about!
The Acts of the Apostles is like a bridge that connects the mission of Jesus with the mission of the Church, showing them to be one and the same activity, made possible by the sending of the Holy Spirit. On the far side of this bridge come the New Testament letters, filled with references to people (like Peter, James, and Paul), places (like Rome and Corinth), and events (like how the Church got started), all of which are found in Acts. We’d be lost, really, without this great biblical bridge—unable to see how Jesus remains at work in his Church and unable to make much sense of the rest of the New Testament. Put more positively, Acts shows us what it looks like to be Jesus’ followers, connected to our Lord and to each other, continuing his presence and his mission in the world.
You may have noticed that books of the Bible rarely tell us exactly why they were written. The Gospel of John is an exception. John tells us that this book was written to persuade people to believe in Jesus for eternal life. To accomplish that goal he shows us how Jesus literally “fleshes out” the Word of God; he is everything God has to say in a human body! And so, to hear and know and trust in Jesus is to hear and know and trust in God—and this is a message for all of us; As one 5th century saint put it: “John’s Gospel is deep enough for an elephant to swim and shallow enough for a child not to drown.” Read John, see what it says about Jesus, and trust him for eternal life!
From Jesus’ contemporaries to our own, everyone seems to have an opinion about who Jesus is and why he came. Luke’s portrait answers a question lots of people ask: “What does this Jesus, who lived a long time ago in a faraway place, have to do with us, here and now? Luke responds by showing how the God of Scripture and the salvation he offers in Jesus is not confined to the past or to certain people only. For according to Luke, Jesus is the Son of Man who came to seek and to save all who are lost—past, present, and future, Jews and Gentiles, those in the middle and those on the margins of society. In this way, reading Luke also helps equip us to love and to serve all people in Jesus’ name.
Who is Jesus, and why did he come to earth? Mark answers this question by portraying Jesus as a servant who came to show us what God’s Kingdom looks like through his humble serving, suffering, and self-giving. To understand Jesus’ true identity and mission, in other words, we have to see him not as one who came to be served, but to serve and to give his life for others. And this, according to Mark, defines as well the character of Jesus’ true disciples—they look like him, not as those who measure greatness in terms of winning or conquering or high position, but in Jesus’ own words, as those who deny themselves and take up their cross and follow him. In Mark’s Gospel we meet Jesus the Servant, and we learn to imitate him.
It’s been called the teacher’s gospel because of its orderliness and structure. It’s been called the catechist’s gospel because of its rich teaching contents. The Gospel of Matthew, the first book of the New Testament, tells of the incarnate ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, who took on human flesh, preached the good news of salvation, and was given on the Cross for the sake of man. Matthew, especially, brings to fruition the hopes of the Old Testament that longed for the son of David to come and establish God’s Kingdom on earth and redeem his people. When we read the Gospel of Matthew, with attentive ears and prayerful hearts, we encounter the incarnate Lord, the great teacher and healer of mankind, and ultimately, to borrow from Tolkien, we finally behold the Return of the King.
The books of Haggai and Zechariah offer words of encouragement and motivation. They call God’s people from complacency and compromise to faithful obedience, in the power of God’s Spirit and the word of our Lord and the hope of his coming. Malachi concludes the Old Testament with a wake-up call to take all of this seriously; for in the end, says Malachi, God will distinguish between those who fear the Lord and those who refuse him. His message sounds a lot like John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus by calling people to “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” In both cases the message is unmistakable: To live in God’s kingdom requires hearts that are receptive to the King. “He who has ears to hear,” said Jesus, “let him hear.”
The next three Minor Prophets contain words and images both comforting and jolting. Nahum gives a poetic picture of God’s judgment on the nations of the world who resist his rulership. It’s a comforting reminder that the Lord is good, but he’s not indifferent toward those who oppose him. But if God judges and punishes evil, then why does he patiently tolerate it and sometimes even use it for his own glory? Habakkuk wrestles with that question and concludes that God’s people must live by faith, trusting in God’s sovereignty to settle these matters in his time. Zephaniah leaves no doubt that in “the day of the LORD,” God will do exactly that—blessing the righteous and judging the rebellious. The important thing is to be ready, seeking the LORD now, in genuine faith and humility.
It’s the tiniest book in the Old Testament, but Obadiah tackles a big question: How does God deal with those who proudly oppose him and his people? Answer: He brings them down, because, as Obadiah declares, “the kingdom belongs to the Lord.” Even wicked nations like Nineveh belong to him, which upsets the prophet Jonah who thinks he knows better than God, and so God has to bring him down—into the sea and into the belly of a big fish. What Jonah failed to understand is spelled out in the next book, Micah: that God is unlike any other god—judging and forgiving, just and compassionate. In fact, he will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea, says Micah, precisely where the sailors had tossed disgruntled Jonah!
They’re the first of the so-called Minor Prophets—twelve in all—not less important than the Major Prophets, just smaller. And these little books can pack a life-changing punch! Hosea tells the unforgettable story of a prophet’s marriage to a prostitute as a way of portraying the broken heart of God, whose love doesn’t let go even when his people are unfaithful. Joel comes next with the scary image of a locust plague to wake up God’s people to the seriousness of sin and the need for repentance. Amos follows with a lion’s ferocious roar against all who refuse to see things God’s way. If this all sound like a message of doom and gloom, let’s not miss the main point: Living the way God’s people should is serious business. These little books help us to see that.
If a classic favorite Bible story for young children is the one about David and Goliath, a close second favorite should be Daniel in the lions’ den. Along the way we learn that there was a lot more to Daniel than thriller-stories about egomaniac kings or a blazing furnace or a den full of lions. From start to finish this is a book about who rules the world, and about what it means to live wisely in the confidence that God does. In a nutshell, Daniel is all about worshiping the LORD who really is in charge here rather than worrying about the world’s kings and kingdoms who mistakenly assume they are. And like almost no other book in the Bible, Daniel will encourage us to endure faithfully to the end, no matter what.
Ezekiel is one of the Bible’s longest books, and one of its most mysterious. It features strange visions and unfamiliar symbols and images—things we might not understand in a first reading, or even a second or third. But let’s not get discouraged! Ezekiel gives us a key that helps unlock its main message. It’s a line that recurs throughout the book about 70 times, like a thematic drumbeat: “that they may know that I am the LORD.” Ezekiel is all about God making himself known—whether in judgment, or better, in blessing. You don’t have to grasp everything in Ezekiel to get the main point: Our Lord wants the whole world to know who he is, and that’s why he’s so committed to shaping his people into reflections of his glory on earth.
Following Lamentations is the little book of the prophet Baruch, who was a disciple, scribe, and friend of the prophet Jeremiah. In his small but powerful book, Baruch writes of a people in exile, displaced from their customary rhythm of work, rest, and worship. When we find ourselves displaced from our routines, we can be tempted to press the panic button. Baruch teaches us to do otherwise—how to see ourselves from God’s point of view, how displacement can lead to contrition, and how deep contrition can lead to wise living. As the world and the Church become increasingly distinguished from one another, Baruch teaches us not to be conformed to the ways of this world, but to keep our gaze fixed on the Lord and his loving plan for us.
The smaller book of Lamentations follows the prophet Jeremiah; and although it’s an anonymous work, it draws heavily on the themes and images of its predecessor. What is this book all about? It’s a deep dive into the trenches of human suffering. The Lord desires to be present with us even in our deepest and most painful moments. Catholics often hear the phrase, “offer it up;” in its songs and poems, the book of Lamentations teaches us, through the sufferings of Israel, how to offer up our whole selves to the Lord, even when we are at our lowest. It’s this disposition of trust that allowed Jesus to cry out to the Father from the Garden and from the Cross. So let’s embrace Lamentations as a sure guide for offering ourselves to God, especially in the darkest times.
Jeremiah is the longest single book in the Bible; it’s also one of the most challenging! These are not reasons to be discouraged, but to be reminded that good Bible reading requires patient and attentive listening. When we do that in Jeremiah, we hear our Lord speaking through a broken and suffering prophet. Its message centers on two main themes: God’s punishment of Israel’s unfaithfulness, and God’s promise to bless the world through the people of a new covenant. These themes of judgment and hope weave their way throughout this prophetic book. Is any of this relevant to Christians? Let’s find out by sitting patiently and attentively at the feet of Jeremiah, hearing him talk about what breaks God’s heart and why God will never give up on his plan to restore and bless the world.
Its length might be a little intimidating and some of its parts challenging, but reading through the book of Isaiah can be a life-changing experience! This prophetic book gives us a breathtaking glimpse of God’s greatness and glory. It also helps us see how the nations of the world come to know this God—through Israel’s terrible sufferings as God’s servant, faithfully fulfilled in Israel’s Messiah, God’s perfect Servant. Additionally, Isaiah shows us how God goes about establishing justice and righteousness in the world in and through his suffering servant. Isaiah will ignite our worship, encourage our faith, inspire our sense of mission, and inform our understanding of what it means, and what it costs, to serve the Lord.
Similar to the books of Wisdom and Proverbs, the book of Sirach treats wisdom as God’s guiding light to mankind in a world consumed by sin and darkness. Sirach shows us how to live out this wisdom in the world practically—whether in our faith, our relationships, or our everyday tasks. This book has endearingly been called Ecclesiasticus, meaning “the little book of the Church,” because it was so widely used for basic catechesis in the early centuries. But be forewarned: This wisdom is not to be underestimated—it is God’s wisdom on how to live in God’s world—which may not always be popular, but will certainly lead us to our greatest end: living in the godly freedom and joy for which we were created.
If you were given a pair of goggles through which to see the spiritual world, what would you see? The Book of Wisdom gives us that answer. After describing the riches and beauty of wisdom, the book then goes back in time, all the way to the beginning with Adam, and follows the biblical storyline—but this time from a spiritual point of view. What we see is the activity of God’s Wisdom, painted in the portrait of a divine person, active in the creation of the world, the saving events of the exodus, and the instruction of God’s people. Where wisdom once worked quietly and behind the scenes in the Old Testament, we now see Him continue to work in our own lives and in the world, and we call his name Jesus.
The Song of Solomon, or the Song of Songs, is a source of confusion for some and the go-to prayers for others, including some of the greatest saints. So, what are we to make of this mysterious book? Is it a poetic description of the love between God and his people, in the language of human desire and devotion, or is it a description of romance between a man and a woman, and nothing more? Whether divine or human or, more likely, both, the Song gives us some of the Bible’s most magnificent portraits of love, depicted as fiercely loyal, intensely passionate, stubbornly persevering, and only freely given. This love is on full display at the Cross of our Lord, and that’s a love worth singing about, as in the Song of Songs!
Probably no book of Scripture offers a more helpful perspective on life as it is, including the parts that don’t seem to fit, than Ecclesiastes! Here we learn, for example, that it’s not unspiritual to ask Why? when difficult things happen to us, so long as we continue to fear God even when God doesn’t let us in on all his secrets. Put differently, even when things seem hard or we can’t see the whole picture, the ultimate goal is not to try to understand everything, but to trust and obey the One who does. And when things go well? Enjoy, says Ecclesiastes, it’s the gift of God! Just do so in a manner that honors the Giver. Now that’s an amazing perspective on life!
Proverbs is all about being good at the craft of living—being wise, in other words—in how we think and speak and act and relate to others. Of course, being good at any craft requires our learning some basic skills according to certain proven principles. Being good or wise at the craft of living is no exception; Proverbs gives us the basic skill set, beginning with the foundational principle of the fear of the LORD. Put simply, those who build their lives on a proper respect for God become wise or good at life; those who refuse remain, well, in the language of Proverbs, fools. Of course, Jesus modeled perfectly what being wise looks like; to be wise, in other words, is to be like Jesus. Proverbs helps us get there.
One reason the book of Psalms has become a favorite among God’s people is because of the way in which it gives expression to the entire range of real-life experiences. Here we shout to God from mountaintops of praise, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” or cry to God from deep valleys of pain, “How long, O LORD; will you forget me forever?” On the peaks and in the pits—that’s where life takes us, that’s where God meets us, and that’s where the psalms help us relate to him—in the way Jesus related to his Heavenly Father since these are the songs he sang, the cries he uttered, the praises he shouted, and yes, the promises he fulfilled as Savior and King.
There’s not a piece of writing in all of literature better known than Job for its description of the mystery of human suffering and the inadequacy of popular advice on what to do about it. In this deeply moving story, we read about a man whose world collapses, and for no fault of his own; in fact, Job is about as righteous a person as you’ll find anywhere in the Bible! We might expect the book then to address the question, Why do godly people suffer? Actually, it tackles a more pressing issue: Is God still worthy of trust and worship when life comes apart and God is all you’ve got? Read the book of Job, and you’ll find the answer. You’ll also discover the key to true wisdom—God’s kind of wisdom that works when nothing else does.
The books of 1 and 2 Maccabees are not like their predecessors, Samuel and Kings. These books don’t follow a sequential order, but generally recount the same time period from two different perspectives. They tell of the heroic Mattathias and his sons, known for their strength and bravery, earning them the nickname of the Maccabees (meaning “the hammer”). Under their leadership, they fight to keep alive a faithful remnant who remain zealous for God’s law. The underlying question is, how faithfully do they adhere to the task? It is these books, set in the years just prior to Jesus’ earthly ministry, that set the stage for the world into which Jesus is born, bringing his saving message to a fallen race.
The Book of Esther—at once deadly serious and daringly hilarious—is a story about an immense empire with an incompetent king; a deposed queen who is replaced by a Jewish woman named Esther; an upright man of Judah who happens to be Esther’s cousin; a raging egomaniac who hatches a plot to exterminate the Jews, only it backfires; banquets galore; and a festive holiday in the Jewish calendar. Comedy and satire flow thick in this story; but behind it all is the unseen hand of God sparing his people and preserving his plan to save the world! Here’s a story filled with mystery and marvel and a special message for us all: Our Lord will be faithful, whether or not we are able to see his hand in every circumstance.
Judith is the story of a fearless and faithful widow who saved her people from the wicked plans of King Nebuchadnezzar and his evil general, Holofernes. Through a plan of inspiring courage and faith, Judith infiltrated the enemy camp, allowed herself to be taken into the general’s tent, and when the time was just right, she struck off the head of the evil general with his own sword, saving her city. She was praised by the leaders of the people and was acclaimed as “blessed among women.” The next person in the Bible to receive that title? The Blessed Virgin Mary. When we read Judith with the eyes of Christ, we read just how God has intended to strike at the head of our true enemy, Satan, and whom He is going to use to accomplish such a task.
The book of Tobit is a fascinating story of adventure, filial love, and childlike trust in God’s hidden plans. It’s filled with travel tales, a unique fishing trip, hidden angelic heroes, pestering demons, and a family who is restored in loving communion. It tells of a Father who sent out his son, guided by an angel, to claim his inheritance. On this journey the son meets his bride, brings healing to her afflictions, and brings her back to his father to present her to him. Sound familiar? The story of Tobit is the story of Jesus sent by the Father, nourished by his angels, who heals our broken humanity, and weds us to his very self, presenting us as radiant and spotless before our heavenly Father.
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah function like another two-part book. Named after their two leading characters—Ezra the Bible scholar and Nehemiah the city builder—they tell the story of God’s people after their 70-year captivity in Babylon, which we read about in Kings and Chronicles. It recounts how, under their wise and courageous leaders, God’s people returned to Jerusalem, rebuilt the Temple, and reformed their ways to obey the Lord. Leaders are at their best, of course, when, like Ezra and Nehemiah, they are filled with a passionate love for the word of God; and blessing comes to God’s people when they trust and obey that word. And so, let us mold our hearts to do just that, like Ezra, who, as we read, “prepared his heart for studying the Law of the LORD and for doing it, and for teaching its requirements and regulations.”
Chronicles is another two-part book, like Samuel and Kings; but rather than continuing the story where the earlier two leave off, Chronicles does something different. It gives us a condensed version of biblical history that begins with Adam, centers on David, and ends with a famous decree that signals the countdown to the Messiah. Chronicles, we might say, is a kind of highlights reel of the biblical story that leads up to Jesus. Maybe that’s why the Hebrew Bible puts Chronicles at the end, preparing the way for Matthew to introduce the promised Son of David who fulfills the entire Old Testament story, from Genesis to Jesus.
Continuing where Samuel ends, 1-2 Kings begin with David’s last days. They tell the story of the magnificent reign of his son Solomon along with his tragic end. They also explain the eventual splitting of his kingdom, and trace their downward spiral in disobedience and unfaithfulness to the Lord. Kings rise and kings fall–that’s the story of 1-2 Kings; but it’s far more than dry history. Kings gives us history from God’s perspective, and that makes it both incredibly interesting and immensely instructive! Through good and bad kings, and through mighty prophets like Elijah and Elisha, there remains a glimmer of hope, as God’s promise moves ever closer to its long-awaited fulfillment in King Jesus, to whom these books unmistakably point!
First and Second Samuel continue where Judges ends. These books begin with Israel’s first king, Saul, whose rise and demise tell the tragic story of a leader chosen for all the wrong reasons. But next comes David, the great king of Israel, the featured figure in the books of Samuel. Although imperfect, David was a man after God’s heart, eager to receive the word of the Lord. Most important, God chose David to father the line of kings culminating one day in King Jesus. The books of Samuel, then, are an important chapter in the long, winding, and incredibly fascinating story of our Lord, who is called the son of David in the very first verse of the New Testament, exactly as God promised!
During the tragic period of the Judges, another story was unfolding—a breathtaking story of love and devotion—like a brilliant gem displayed against a dark cloth. It’s the story of Ruth, the Moabitess, who comes to faith in Israel’s God, marries an upstanding man from Bethlehem, and gives birth to a baby boy, who ends up in the family line of David, and ultimately, of Jesus! But this is more than a charming happily-ever-after romance. The Ruth story illustrates how God sometimes works in quiet ways, behind the scenes, accomplishing his plan through the everyday lives of those who walk faithfully. It’s a story of unlikely means and a glorious end—another chapter in the story of Jesus, with a life-changing message for us all.
Following Joshua’s death, the book of Judges is a tragic chapter in the history of God’s people; for despite their promise to love and obey the LORD, they in fact abandon him and begin to worship other gods. Judges recounts the cyclical pattern of Israel to display faithfulness under a chosen leader for a short time, only to fall astray all over again after the leader, or judge, dies. The stories in Judges, even the downright chilling ones, illustrate what happens when people have no king but themselves, when everyone does what is right in his or her own eyes. In this way, the book of Judges helps us look to King Jesus, who alone can lead us to do what is right in God’s eyes.
Named after Israel’s new leader who steps in when Moses dies, the book of Joshua continues where Deuteronomy ends. In Deuteronomy God calls his people to love and obey him with all their heart; in Joshua we see what happens when they do, and when they don’t. There’s a great deal of variety packed into this book—military exploits, a prostitute who devotes herself to the LORD, city walls that crumble at God’s command, and the heart of a faithful leader. In Joshua we see the contrast between devotion and compromise, courage and cowardice, between hanging in and wimping out when the going gets tough. God knows we all need encouragement to put one foot in front of the other, on the right path. That’s why he gave us Joshua.
It’s been called “the gospel of Moses,” “the heartbeat of the Old Testament,” even “the most important book in the Bible.” Deuteronomy is a series of three passionate sermons by Moses, focusing on what God has done, what God desires, and what God promises. The aim in all three is to urge his listeners to love and obey the LORD completely, with their total being. It makes sense then that Jesus quoted this book when he explained that the first and greatest commandment is to hear and to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Better than any other book in the Bible, Deuteronomy fleshes out what that love looks like and why it is the sum of all God’s commandments.
Numbers tells the story of Israel’s trek through the wilderness from Mount Sinai to the promised land. It’s really a story of what happens when God’s people fail to trust and obey, when they try to go it on their own, thinking they know better than God. It’s this failure that left a whole generation to die in the desert because of their rebellion, including Moses himself! However tempted Christians might be to speed through this part of the Bible, we must remember that Numbers is our story, too. Reading it is like looking in a mirror and seeing our own tendencies to trust ourselves more than God, and to do our own thing rather than his. It’s not the most pleasant mirror in which to look; but if we fail to learn from Israel’s mistakes, we could end up repeating them.
Leviticus is where many Bible readers are tempted to stop reading. It’s more challenging than many other parts of the Bible, with lots of tedious, even bizarre-sounding requirements, which don’t make much sense to many of us today. But quitting here would be a serious mistake! In Leviticus we learn about worship that delights God’s heart, not merely our own. Here we learn about how costly sin is, how determined God is to forgive, and about living a holy life, set apart as God’s special people. This is where we first hear the famous command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” We need Leviticus—to know God well; to appreciate Jesus, God’s perfect lamb; and to live and love and worship as God desires.
Picking up the storyline where Genesis leaves off, Exodus continues without interruption, telling the story of how God frees a people to become his own, instructs them on how they are to live, and prepares them to be a community where he himself comes to dwell. Exodus is one of the Bible’s richest books on getting to know the living God who saves! It’s also one of the books to which the rest of Scripture refers most often in telling the story of Jesus, who himself sets people free from bondage, teaches them how to live, and comes to dwell within those who are his! Find this parallel, and you will grow in your relationship with the living God!
The book of Genesis begins the Biblical drama, revealing a God who selflessly creates the world, fashions us in his very image and likeness, and, in loving communion with him, commissions us with the task of filling the world with his image. But, as we all know, that plan quickly went awry with the sin of our first parents. Through the stain of sin, division, pride, and suffering enter the human condition. But God did not give up on us! Instead, Genesis goes on to reveal the beginning of his great plan, his “rescue mission,” to restore us back to himself. Through a series of covenants with specially called persons, like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God’s plan to redeem his creation begins to take shape.
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