Download "The Complete Story of the Bible – From the Creation of the World to the Apocalypse"
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fi.ytimg.com%252Fvi_webp%252FdmgsOBr2lAA%252Fmaxresdefault.webp&w=1139&q=75)
Similar videos from our catalog
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fi.ytimg.com%252Fvi_webp%252F0EQUl5UfpN4%252Fmaxresdefault.webp&w=1139&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fi.ytimg.com%252Fvi_webp%252FTZLhJi5FDUI%252Fmaxresdefault.webp&w=1139&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fi.ytimg.com%252Fvi_webp%252FTw1KBboRoSk%252Fmaxresdefault.webp&w=1139&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fi.ytimg.com%252Fvi_webp%252FWZEufyrwvjM%252Fmaxresdefault.webp&w=1139&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fi.ytimg.com%252Fvi_webp%252Fi-Gxf-bCg3o%252Fmaxresdefault.webp&w=1139&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fi.ytimg.com%252Fvi_webp%252Fi7xGF8F28zo%252Fmaxresdefault.webp&w=1139&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fi.ytimg.com%252Fvi%252FkVHFcQlOiM0%252Fhqdefault.jpg&w=1139&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fi.ytimg.com%252Fvi_webp%252FnaMe9aVi0B4%252Fmaxresdefault.webp&w=1139&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fi.ytimg.com%252Fvi%252F-CYrcgtckwE%252Fmaxresdefault.jpg&w=1139&q=75)
%3Aformat(webp)%2Fi.ytimg.com%252Fvi_webp%252FbsexD2Tmdq4%252Fmaxresdefault.webp&w=1139&q=75)
Video tags
Subtitles
00:00:00
Welcome to the complete story of the00:00:01
Bible. From the very first moment when00:00:04
God spoke light into existence all the00:00:07
way to the final vision of a new heaven00:00:10
and new earth. This is the greatest00:00:12
story ever told, spanning thousands of00:00:15
years and showing us how God has been00:00:17
working throughout history to bring00:00:19
humanity back to himself. You'll meet00:00:22
heroes and villains, witness incredible00:00:24
miracles, and discover how every promise00:00:27
God made comes true. From Adam in a00:00:30
perfect garden to Jesus on a cross. From00:00:33
Noah's ark to John's revelation, every00:00:36
chapter builds toward the ultimate plan00:00:38
of salvation that changes everything. In00:00:41
the beginning, there was nothing except00:00:43
God. No stars, no planets, no light,00:00:47
just complete emptiness and darkness00:00:49
everywhere. Then something amazing00:00:51
happened that would change everything00:00:53
forever. Genesis 1:13 tells us exactly00:00:57
how it started. In the beginning, God00:00:59
created the heavens and the earth. Now00:01:01
the earth was formless and empty.00:01:04
Darkness was over the surface of the00:01:06
deep and the spirit of God was hovering00:01:09
over the waters. And God said, "Let00:01:12
there be light." And there was light.00:01:14
For 6 days God spoke and things00:01:16
appeared. First came light, then sky,00:01:19
then dry land and seas. Plants sprouted00:01:22
from the ground. The sun and moon took00:01:25
their places in the sky. and every kind00:01:27
of animal filled the earth, water, and00:01:30
air. Each day, God looked at what he had00:01:32
made and said it was good. But the sixth00:01:34
day was different. Genesis 1:26-2700:01:38
shows us God's most important decision.00:01:41
Then God said, "Let us make mankind in00:01:44
our image, in our likeness, so that they00:01:47
may rule over the fish in the sea and00:01:49
the birds in the sky, over the livestock00:01:51
and all the wild animals, and over all00:01:54
the creatures that move along the00:01:56
ground." So God created mankind in his00:01:58
own image. In the image of God he00:02:00
created them, male and female he created00:02:03
them. Unlike everything else that God00:02:06
simply spoke into existence, making the00:02:08
first man was special. Genesis 2:700:02:12
describes it this way. Then the Lord God00:02:14
formed a man from the dust of the ground00:02:18
and breathed into his nostrils the00:02:20
breath of life and the man became a00:02:22
living being. This man was Adam and he00:02:26
was different from every other creature00:02:28
because he had God's own breath in him.00:02:30
God didn't just create Adam and leave00:02:32
him anywhere. He prepared a perfect00:02:34
place called Eden. Genesis 2:8-9 paints00:02:38
the picture. Now the Lord God had00:02:41
planted a garden in the east in Eden,00:02:43
and there he put the man he had formed.00:02:46
The Lord God made all kinds of trees00:02:48
grow out of the ground, trees that were00:02:50
pleasant to sight and good for food. In00:02:53
the middle of the garden were the tree00:02:55
of life and the tree of the knowledge of00:02:57
good and evil. Adam had everything he00:03:00
could want, but God knew something was00:03:02
missing. Genesis 2:18 records God's00:03:05
observation. The Lord God said, "It is00:03:09
not good for the man to be alone. I will00:03:12
make a helper suitable for him." So God00:03:15
brought every animal to Adam to name,00:03:18
but none was the right companion for00:03:20
him. God's solution was beautiful.00:03:22
Genesis 2:21- to22 tells us, "So the00:03:26
Lord God caused the man to fall into a00:03:29
deep sleep. And while he was sleeping,00:03:32
he took one of the man's ribs and then00:03:35
closed up the place with flesh. Then the00:03:37
Lord God made a woman from the rib he00:03:40
had taken out of the man, and he brought00:03:42
her to the man. Adam was thrilled with00:03:45
this new person who was like him, and he00:03:47
called her Eve. Life in Eden was00:03:50
perfect, but there was one rule. Genesis00:03:53
2:16-1700:03:55
records God's only command. And the Lord00:03:58
God commanded the man, "You are free to00:04:01
eat from every tree in the garden, but00:04:03
you must not eat from the tree of the00:04:05
knowledge of good and evil. For when you00:04:07
eat from it, you will certainly die.00:04:10
Everything changed when the serpent00:04:12
appeared." He was sneaky and convinced00:04:14
Eve to question God's word. Genesis 3:100:04:19
shows how it started. Now, the serpent00:04:22
was more crafty than any of the wild00:04:24
animals the Lord God had made. He said00:04:26
to the woman, "Did God really say, "You00:04:30
must not eat from any tree in the00:04:31
garden?" The serpent twisted God's words00:04:34
and made Eve doubt what she knew was00:04:36
true. Genesis 3:4-5 records his lie.00:04:40
"You will not certainly die." The00:04:42
serpent said to the woman, "For God00:04:44
knows that when you eat from it, your00:04:46
eyes will be opened, and you will be00:04:48
like God, knowing good and evil." The00:04:51
fruit looked good and the promise of00:04:53
wisdom was tempting. Genesis 3:6 tells00:04:57
us what happened next. When the woman00:05:00
saw that the fruit of the tree was good00:05:02
for food and pleasing to the eyes and00:05:04
also desirable for gaining wisdom, she00:05:07
took some and ate it. She also gave some00:05:10
to her husband who was with her and he00:05:13
ate it. Everything changed in that00:05:15
moment. Their innocence was gone and00:05:18
they felt shame for the first time. When00:05:20
God came walking in the garden, they hid00:05:23
from him. But God knew what had happened00:05:26
and called out to them. Genesis 3:9-1100:05:29
shows the confrontation. But the Lord00:05:32
God called to the man, "Where are you?"00:05:35
He answered, "I heard you in the garden,00:05:37
and I was afraid because I was naked, so00:05:40
I hid." And he said, "Who told you that00:05:43
you were naked? Have you eaten from the00:05:45
tree that I commanded you not to eat00:05:47
from? Adam tried to blame both Eve and00:05:50
God while Eve blamed the serpent. But00:05:53
there was no escaping what they had00:05:54
done. God gave them punishments. The00:05:58
serpent would crawl. Eve would have pain00:06:00
in childbirth. Adam would struggle to00:06:02
grow food. And death would come to all00:06:05
of them. Yet even in judgment, God00:06:08
showed mercy by making clothes for them00:06:10
and promising that someday someone would00:06:13
defeat the serpent who had caused all00:06:15
this trouble. Outside Eden, Adam and Eve00:06:18
started their new life and had children.00:06:21
Their first son was Cain, and Genesis00:06:23
4:1 records Eve's words at his birth,00:06:27
"With the help of the Lord, I have00:06:28
brought forth a man." Then came Abel,00:06:32
and the two brothers grew up choosing00:06:33
different jobs. Genesis 4:2 tells us00:06:37
that Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked00:06:40
the soil. When it came time to worship00:06:42
God, both brothers brought offerings.00:06:46
Genesis 4:3-4 describes what happened.00:06:50
In the course of time, Cain brought some00:06:52
of the fruits of the soil as an offering00:06:54
to the Lord. And Abel also brought an00:06:57
offering, fat portions, from some of the00:06:59
firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked00:07:02
with favor on Abel and his offering, but00:07:04
on Cain and his offering, he did not00:07:07
look with favor. God accepted Abel's00:07:09
offering, but rejected Cain's. And this00:07:12
made Cain furious. God warned him in00:07:15
Genesis 4:6-7.00:07:17
Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you00:07:20
angry? Why is your face downcast? If you00:07:23
do what is right, will you not be00:07:25
accepted? But if you do not do what is00:07:28
right, sin is crouching at your door. It00:07:31
desires to have you, but you must rule00:07:34
over it.00:07:35
But Cain didn't listen to God's warning.00:07:38
His jealousy grew until it became00:07:40
something terrible. Genesis 4:8 records00:07:43
the first murder in human history. Now00:07:46
Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go00:07:48
out to the field." While they were in00:07:50
the field, Cain attacked his brother00:07:53
Abel and killed him. When God asked00:07:55
where Abel was, Cain lied and asked if00:07:58
he was his brother's keeper. But God00:08:00
already knew what had happened. Genesis00:08:04
4:10-11 shows God's response. The Lord00:08:07
said, "What have you done? Listen, your00:08:11
brother's blood cries out to me from the00:08:13
ground. Now you are under a curse and00:08:16
driven from the ground, which opened its00:08:18
mouth to receive your brother's blood00:08:20
from your hand.00:08:22
Cain became a wanderer, but God still00:08:25
protected him from being killed by00:08:27
others. The family line continued00:08:29
through another son, Seth, whom Eve said00:08:32
God gave her to replace Abel. Genesis 500:08:35
lists the generations from Adam to Noah,00:08:38
showing how people lived much longer in00:08:40
those days, some for over 900 years. As00:08:43
generations passed, people multiplied on00:08:46
the earth, but they also became more and00:08:48
more evil. Genesis 6:5 describes how bad00:08:53
things got. The Lord saw how great the00:08:56
wickedness of the human race had become00:08:58
on the earth, and that every inclination00:09:01
of the thoughts of the human heart was00:09:03
only evil all the time. This broke God's00:09:06
heart, and he decided to start over with00:09:08
the earth. But there was one man who was00:09:11
different. Genesis 6:8-9 tells us about00:09:15
him. But Noah found favor in the eyes of00:09:18
the Lord. This is the account of Noah00:09:20
and his family. Noah was a righteous00:09:23
man, blameless among the people of his00:09:25
time, and he walked faithfully with God.00:09:28
God decided to save Noah and his family00:09:31
from the judgment that was coming.00:09:33
Genesis 6:13-1400:09:36
records God's instructions.00:09:38
So God said to Noah, "I am going to put00:09:41
an end to all people, for the earth is00:09:44
filled with violence because of them.00:09:46
I'm surely going to destroy both them00:09:48
and the earth. So make yourself an ark00:09:50
of cyprresswood. Make rooms in it and00:09:53
coat it with pitch inside and out." The00:09:56
ark was huge, 450 ft long, 75 ft wide,00:10:01
and 45 ft high. God told Noah to bring00:10:04
two of every kind of animal, plus seven00:10:07
pairs of clean animals and birds.00:10:10
Genesis 7:1 shows God's final00:10:12
instruction. The Lord then said to Noah,00:10:16
"Go into the ark, you and your whole00:10:18
family, because I have found you00:10:20
righteous in this generation." Noah00:10:22
obeyed God completely, even though it00:10:25
probably seemed crazy to build such a00:10:27
huge boat when there wasn't enough water00:10:29
around to float it. But Genesis 7:11-1200:10:33
describes what happened next. In the00:10:36
600th year of Noah's life, on the ye00:10:40
17th day of the second month, on that00:10:43
day all the springs of the great deep00:10:45
burst forth, and the floodgates of the00:10:48
heavens were opened, and rain fell on00:10:50
the earth 40 days and 40 nights. Water00:10:54
covered everything, even the highest00:10:57
mountains. Genesis 7:21-23 tells us the00:11:00
result. Every living thing that moved on00:11:03
land perished, birds, livestock, wild00:11:07
animals, all the creatures that swarm00:11:09
over the earth, and all mankind.00:11:12
Everything on dry land that had the00:11:15
breath of life in its nostrils died.00:11:18
Every living thing on the face of the00:11:20
earth was wiped out. people and animals00:11:23
and the creatures that move along the00:11:25
ground and the birds were wiped from the00:11:27
earth. Only Noah was left and those with00:11:31
him in the ark. For over a year, Noah00:11:33
and his family lived in the ark while00:11:35
the waters slowly went down. Finally,00:11:38
the ark came to rest on Mount Ararat.00:11:42
Noah sent out birds to test if the land00:11:44
was dry. And when a dove returned with00:11:47
an olive leaf, he knew the water was00:11:49
going down. Genesis 8:20 shows what Noah00:11:52
did first when he got out. Then Noah00:11:55
built an altar to the Lord, and taking00:11:57
some of all the clean animals and clean00:11:59
birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on00:12:02
it. God was pleased with Noah's worship00:12:06
and made a promise that would last00:12:08
forever. Genesis 9:11-13 records this00:12:12
covenant. I establish my covenant with00:12:14
you. Never again will all life be00:12:17
destroyed by a flood. Never again will00:12:19
there be a flood to destroy the earth.00:12:22
And God said, "This is the sign of the00:12:24
covenant I am making between me and you00:12:27
and every living creature with you, a00:12:29
covenant for all generations to come. I00:12:32
have set my rainbow in the clouds, and00:12:35
it will be the sign of the covenant00:12:37
between me and the earth." After the00:12:40
flood, Noah's sons had many children,00:12:43
and people began to fill the earth00:12:45
again. But instead of spreading out like00:12:47
God wanted, they stayed together in one00:12:50
place. Genesis 11.1 tells us, "Now the00:12:54
whole world had one language and a00:12:56
common speech." These people had a proud00:12:59
idea. Genesis 11:34 describes their00:13:03
plan. They said to each other, "Come,00:13:07
let's make bricks and bake them00:13:08
thoroughly." They used brick instead of00:13:11
stone and tar for mortar. Then they00:13:14
said, "Come, let us build ourselves a00:13:17
city with a tower that reaches to the00:13:19
heavens so that we may make a name for00:13:22
ourselves. Otherwise, we will be00:13:25
scattered over the face of the whole00:13:27
earth." They wanted to build a tower so00:13:30
tall it would reach heaven, thinking00:13:32
this would make them famous and keep00:13:35
them from being scattered. But God came00:13:38
down to see what they were doing. And he00:13:40
wasn't pleased with their pride. Genesis00:13:43
11:67 shows God's response. The Lord00:13:46
said, "If as one people speaking the00:13:49
same language, they have begun to do00:13:51
this, then nothing they plan to do will00:13:54
be impossible for them. Come, let us go00:13:57
down and confuse their language, so they00:13:59
will not understand each other." God00:14:03
mixed up their language so they couldn't00:14:05
understand each other anymore.00:14:08
Genesis 11:8-900:14:10
tells us what happened. So the Lord00:14:13
scattered them from there over all the00:14:15
earth and they stopped building the00:14:17
city. That is why it was called Babel00:14:20
because there the Lord confused the00:14:22
language of the whole world. From there00:14:25
the Lord scattered them over the face of00:14:27
the whole earth. This is how different00:14:29
languages and nations began and it set00:14:32
the stage for God's next great plan. In00:14:35
the city of Ur lived a man named Abram00:14:37
who worshiped the one true God while00:14:40
everyone around him worshiped idols. One00:14:43
day God spoke to him with an amazing00:14:45
offer. Genesis 12:12-300:14:48
records God's call. The Lord had said to00:14:51
Abram, "Go from your country, your00:14:54
people, and your father's household to00:14:57
the land I will show you. I will make00:14:59
you into a great nation, and I will00:15:02
bless you. I will make your name great00:15:04
and you will be a blessing. I will bless00:15:07
those who bless you and whoever curses00:15:09
you I will curse and all peoples on00:15:12
earth will be blessed through you. This00:15:15
was an incredible promise. God was going00:15:18
to make Abram into a great nation. Bless00:15:21
him and through him bless the whole00:15:23
world. Genesis 12:4 shows Abram<unk>'s00:15:26
response. So Abram went as the Lord told00:15:29
him and Lot went with him. Abram was 7500:15:33
years old when he set out from Haron.00:15:36
Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew00:15:38
Lot, and all their possessions and00:15:41
servants, and started walking toward a00:15:43
land he had never seen. When they00:15:46
reached Canaan, God appeared to Abram00:15:48
again. Genesis 12:7 records this moment.00:15:52
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, "To00:15:54
your offspring, I will give this land."00:15:57
So he built an altar there to the Lord00:16:00
who had appeared to him. But there was a00:16:02
problem with God's promise to make Abram00:16:05
a great nation. Abram and Sarai had no00:16:08
children and they were getting old.00:16:10
Genesis 15:2300:16:12
shows Abram<unk>s concern. But Abram00:16:15
said, "Soverevereign Lord, what can you00:16:18
give me since I remain childless and the00:16:20
one who will inherit my estate is00:16:22
Eleazar of Damascus?" And Abram said,00:16:26
"You have given me no children." So a00:16:29
servant in my household will be my heir.00:16:32
God took Abram outside and showed him00:16:34
the stars. Genesis 15:52-600:16:38
records God's response. He took him00:16:40
outside and said, "Look up at the sky00:16:42
and count the stars, if indeed you can00:16:45
count them." Then he said to him, "So00:16:48
shall your offspring be." Abram believed00:16:51
the Lord and he credited it to him as00:16:54
righteousness. Years passed and still no00:16:57
child came. Sarai suggested that Abram00:17:00
have a child with her servant Hagar,00:17:03
which was a common practice in those00:17:05
days. Genesis 16:15 tells us, "So Hagar00:17:10
bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the00:17:13
name Ishmael to the son she had borne.00:17:16
But this wasn't the child God had00:17:19
promised. When Abram was 99 years old,00:17:22
God appeared to him again and changed00:17:24
his name. Genesis 17:5 explains, "No00:17:28
longer will you be called Abram. Your00:17:30
name will be Abraham, for I have made00:17:33
you a father of many nations." God also00:17:37
changed Sarai's name to Sarah and00:17:39
promised that she would have a son even00:17:42
though she was 90 years old.00:17:44
Genesis 18:10-1400:17:47
shows how this promise was confirmed.00:17:50
Then one of them said, "I will surely00:17:53
return to you about this time next year,00:17:55
and Sarah, your wife, will have a son."00:17:59
Now Sarah was listening at the entrance00:18:01
to the tent which was behind him.00:18:04
Abraham and Sarah were already very old,00:18:07
and Sarah was past the age of00:18:09
childbearing. So Sarah laughed to00:18:11
herself as she thought, "After I am worn00:18:14
out and my Lord is old, will I now have00:18:16
this pleasure?"00:18:18
Then the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did00:18:20
Sarah laugh and say, "Will I really have00:18:23
a child now that I am old? Is anything00:18:26
too hard for the Lord? I will return to00:18:29
you at the appointed time next year, and00:18:32
Sarah will have a son." Sure enough,00:18:35
Genesis 21:1-3 records the miracle. Now00:18:38
the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had00:18:40
said and the Lord did for Sarah what he00:18:43
had promised. Sarah became pregnant and00:18:45
bore a son to Abraham in his old age at00:18:48
the very time God had promised him.00:18:51
Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son00:18:53
Sarah bore him. Isaac grew up as the00:18:56
child of promise. But God had one more00:18:59
test for Abraham. Genesis 22:1200:19:02
describes it. Sometime later, God tested00:19:05
Abraham. He said to him,"Abraham, here I00:19:08
am," he replied. Then God said, "Take00:19:10
your son, your only son, whom you love,00:19:13
Isaac, and go to the region of Mariah.00:19:16
Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering00:19:19
on a mountain. I will show you." This00:19:21
was the hardest thing God could ask. But00:19:23
Abraham trusted God completely. He took00:19:26
Isaac to the mountain, built an altar,00:19:28
and was about to sacrifice his son when00:19:31
God stopped him. Genesis 22:11-1200:19:35
shows what happened. But the angel of00:19:38
the Lord called out to him from heaven.00:19:40
Abraham, Abraham, here I am, he replied.00:19:44
Do not lay a hand on the boy, he said.00:19:47
Do not do anything to him. Now I know00:19:49
that you fear God because you have not00:19:52
withheld from me your son, your only00:19:54
son. God provided a ram for the00:19:57
sacrifice instead and blessed Abraham00:19:59
even more because of his faith. When00:20:02
Isaac grew up, Abraham found him a wife00:20:04
named Rebecca. Genesis 25:2100:20:08
tells us about their family. Isaac00:20:11
prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife00:20:14
because she was childless. The Lord00:20:16
answered his prayer and his wife Rebecca00:20:19
became pregnant, but this pregnancy was00:20:21
unusual. Genesis 25:22-2300:20:25
describes it. The babies jostled each00:20:28
other within her, and she said, "Why is00:20:31
this happening to me?"00:20:34
So she went to inquire of the Lord. The00:20:37
Lord said to her, "Two nations are in00:20:39
your womb, and two peoples from within00:20:41
you will be separated. One people will00:20:43
be stronger than the other, and the00:20:45
older will serve the younger." When the00:20:47
twins were born, the first was red and00:20:50
hairy, so they named him Esau. The00:20:53
second came out holding Esau's heel, so00:20:55
they called him Jacob, which means he00:20:58
grasps the heel. Genesis 25:27:2800:21:02
shows how different they were. The boys00:21:05
grew up, and Esau became a skillful00:21:07
hunter, a man of the open country, while00:21:10
Jacob was content to stay at home among00:21:12
the tents. Isaac, who had a taste for00:21:15
wild game, loved Esau, but Rebecca loved00:21:18
Jacob. One day, Esau came home very00:21:21
hungry from hunting, and Jacob was00:21:23
cooking stew. Genesis 25:29:3400:21:27
records what happened. Once, when Jacob00:21:30
was cooking some stew, Esau came in from00:21:32
the open country famished. He said to00:21:35
Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that00:21:38
red stew. I'm famished." Jacob replied,00:21:41
"First, sell me your birthight." "Look,00:21:43
I am about to die." Esau said, "What00:21:46
good is the birthright to me?" But Jacob00:21:49
said, "Swear to me first." So he swore00:21:52
an oath to him, selling his birthright00:21:54
to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some00:21:57
bread and some lentil stew. He ate and00:21:59
drank and then got up and left. So Esau00:22:03
despised his birthright. Later, when00:22:07
Isaac was old and nearly blind, he00:22:10
wanted to bless Esau before he died. But00:22:12
Rebecca helped Jacob trick his father00:22:14
into giving him the blessing instead.00:22:17
When Esau found out, he was furious and00:22:20
planned to kill Jacob after Isaac died.00:22:23
So, Jacob had to run away from home. On00:22:26
his journey, God appeared to Jacob in a00:22:28
dream. Genesis 28:13 turned to 15 shows00:22:33
God's promise. There above it stood the00:22:36
Lord and he said, "I am the Lord, the00:22:40
God of your father Abraham and the God00:22:42
of Isaac. I will give you and your00:22:45
descendants the land on which you are00:22:47
lying. Your descendants will be like the00:22:49
dust of the earth, and you will spread00:22:52
out to the west and to the east, to the00:22:54
north, and to the south. All peoples on00:22:57
earth will be blessed through you and00:22:59
your offspring. I am with you and will00:23:02
watch over you wherever you go, and I00:23:05
will bring you back to this land. I will00:23:08
not leave you until I have done what I00:23:10
have promised you." Jacob worked for his00:23:12
uncle Laban for 20 years, married Leah00:23:15
and Rachel, and had 12 sons who would00:23:18
become the 12 tribes of Israel.00:23:20
Eventually, God changed Jacob's name to00:23:23
Israel after he wrestled with an angel00:23:25
all night. Jacob loved Joseph more than00:23:28
his other sons because he was born when00:23:31
Jacob was old.00:23:33
Genesis 37:3 tells us, "Now Israel loved00:23:37
Joseph more than any of his other sons00:23:40
because he had been born to him in his00:23:42
old age, and he made an ornate robe for00:23:45
him." This made Joseph's brothers00:23:47
jealous, especially when Joseph told00:23:49
them about dreams where they bowed down00:23:51
to him. One day, Jacob sent Joseph to00:23:55
check on his brothers who were taking00:23:57
care of the sheep far from home. Genesis00:24:00
37:18-2000:24:02
shows what the brothers planned. But00:24:05
they saw him in the distance and before00:24:08
he reached them, they plotted to kill00:24:10
him. "Here comes that dreamer," they00:24:13
said to each other. "Come now, let's00:24:14
kill him and throw him into one of these00:24:16
sistns and say that a ferocious animal00:24:18
devoured him. Then we'll see what comes00:24:21
of his dreams."00:24:23
Reuben tried to save Joseph by00:24:25
suggesting they just throw him in a pit,00:24:27
planning to rescue him later. But while00:24:30
Reuben was away, the other brothers sold00:24:33
Joseph to traders going to Egypt.00:24:35
Genesis 37:28 records, "So when the00:24:39
Midianite merchants came by, his00:24:42
brothers pulled Joseph up out of the00:24:44
system and sold him for 20 shekels of00:24:46
silver to the Ishelites who took him to00:24:49
Egypt. In Egypt, Joseph was sold to00:24:52
Potifer, an important official. Genesis00:24:54
39:2:4 shows how God blessed Joseph. The00:24:58
Lord was with Joseph so that he00:25:00
prospered and he lived in the house of00:25:02
his Egyptian master. When his master saw00:25:06
that the Lord was with him, and that the00:25:08
Lord gave him success in everything he00:25:10
did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and00:25:13
became his attendant. Potifer put him in00:25:16
charge of his household and he entrusted00:25:18
to his care everything he owned. But00:25:22
Piper's wife tried to seduce Joseph and00:25:25
when he refused she falsely accused him.00:25:29
Joseph was thrown in prison but even00:25:31
there God was with him. Genesis 39:2100:25:35
tells us, "But while Joseph was there in00:25:37
the prison, the Lord was with him. He00:25:40
showed him kindness and granted him00:25:42
favor in the eyes of the prison warden.00:25:45
In prison, Joseph interpreted dreams for00:25:48
Pharaoh's baker and cupbearer. Two years00:25:52
later, Pharaoh had troubling dreams that00:25:54
no one could understand. The cup bearer00:25:57
remembered Joseph, and Pharaoh called00:25:59
for him. Genesis 41:25 tus to 27 shows00:26:04
Joseph's interpretation. Then Joseph00:26:06
said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh00:26:09
are one and the same. God has revealed00:26:11
to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The00:26:14
seven good cows are seven years, and the00:26:17
seven good heads of grain are seven00:26:19
years. It is one and the same dream. The00:26:22
seven lean, ugly cows that came up00:26:24
afterward are seven years, and so are00:26:27
the seven worthless heads of grain00:26:29
scorched by the east wind. They are00:26:32
seven years of famine."00:26:34
Pharaoh was so impressed that he made00:26:36
Joseph second in command over all Egypt.00:26:40
Genesis 41:44100:26:42
records Pharaoh's words, "You shall be00:26:46
in charge of my palace, and all my00:26:48
people are to submit to your orders.00:26:50
Only with respect to the throne will I00:26:52
be greater than you." So Pharaoh said to00:26:55
Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of00:26:57
the whole land of Egypt." During the00:27:00
seven years of plenty, Joseph stored up00:27:03
grain. When the famine came, people from00:27:06
many countries came to Egypt to buy00:27:08
food, including Joseph's brothers. They00:27:11
didn't recognize him, but he knew them00:27:13
immediately. After testing them to see00:27:16
if they had changed, Joseph revealed who00:27:19
he was.00:27:21
Genesis 45:4 to5 shows this emotional00:27:24
moment. Then Joseph said to his00:27:26
brothers, "Come close to me." When they00:27:29
had done so, he said, "I am your brother00:27:31
Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt. And00:27:34
now do not be distressed, and do not be00:27:37
angry with yourselves for selling me00:27:39
here, because it was to save lives that00:27:42
God sent me ahead of you." Joseph00:27:45
forgave his brothers and invited the00:27:47
whole family to come live in Egypt.00:27:49
Genesis 46:2700:27:52
tells us the number. With the two sons00:27:54
who had been born to Joseph in Egypt,00:27:57
the members of Jacob's family, which00:27:59
went to Egypt, were 70 in all. Jacob,00:28:03
now called Israel, moved his entire00:28:06
family to Egypt, where they would live00:28:08
for the next 400 years. This ended the00:28:11
book of Genesis with God's chosen people00:28:13
in a foreign land, but still under his00:28:17
protection and care.00:28:20
400 years had passed since Joseph00:28:23
brought his family to Egypt. The00:28:26
Israelites had grown from 70 people to a00:28:28
nation of millions. But things had00:28:31
changed dramatically. Exodus 18-1000:28:34
explains what happened. Then a new king00:28:37
to whom Joseph meant nothing came to00:28:40
power in Egypt. Look, he said to his00:28:42
people, the Israelites have become far00:28:45
too numerous for us. come, we must deal00:28:47
shrewdely with them, or they will become00:28:50
even more numerous, and if war breaks00:28:52
out, we'll join our enemies, fight00:28:55
against us, and leave the country. The00:28:58
Egyptians made the Israelites slaves and00:29:00
forced them to build cities and work in00:29:03
brutal conditions. When that didn't stop00:29:05
their growth, Pharaoh ordered something00:29:08
terrible. Exodus: 122 records his00:29:11
command. Then Pharaoh gave this order to00:29:13
all his people. Every Hebrew boy that is00:29:16
born, you must throw into the Nile, but00:29:18
let every girl live.00:29:21
One Hebrew woman hid her baby boy for 300:29:24
months, then made a basket and put him00:29:27
in the river where Pharaoh's daughter00:29:29
would find him. Exodus 25-6 tells us00:29:33
what happened. Then Pharaoh's daughter00:29:35
went down to the Nile to bathe, and her00:29:37
attendants were walking along the00:29:39
riverbank. She saw the basket among the00:29:41
reeds and sent her female slave to get00:29:44
it. She opened it and saw the ear baby.00:29:48
He was crying and she felt sorry for00:29:50
him. This is one of the Hebrew babies,00:29:53
she said. The princess adopted the baby00:29:56
and named him Moses. He grew up in00:29:58
Pharaoh's palace but never forgot he was00:30:01
Hebrew. When he was 40 years old, he saw00:30:04
an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave and00:30:07
killed the Egyptian. When Pharaoh found00:30:10
out Moses had to run away to the desert00:30:13
where he became a shepherd for 40 years,00:30:17
one day while watching sheep, Moses saw00:30:20
something amazing. Exodus 3:24 describes00:30:24
it. There the angel of the Lord appeared00:30:27
to him in flames of fire from within a00:30:30
bush. Moses who saw that though the bush00:30:33
was on fire, it did not burn up. So00:30:36
Moses thought, "I will go over and see00:30:38
this strange sight, why the bush does00:30:40
not burn up." When the Lord saw that he00:30:42
had gone over to look, God called to him00:30:44
from within the bush, "Moses, Moses."00:30:47
And Moses said, "Here I am." God told00:30:50
Moses. He had heard the cries of his00:30:52
people in Egypt and was going to rescue00:30:54
them. Exodus 3:10 shows God's plan. So00:30:59
now go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to00:31:03
bring my people, the Israelites, out of00:31:05
Egypt. Moses was afraid and made00:31:08
excuses, but God promised to be with him00:31:11
and even let his brother Aaron help him00:31:14
speak. Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh00:31:17
and demanded that he let God's people00:31:19
go.00:31:21
Exodus 5:12 records this first meeting.00:31:25
Afterward, Moses and Aaron went to00:31:28
Pharaoh and said, "This is what the00:31:30
Lord, the God of Israel, says, "Let my00:31:33
people go so that they may hold a00:31:35
festival to me in the wilderness."00:31:37
Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord that I00:31:40
should obey him and let Israel go? I do00:31:43
not know the Lord, and I will not let00:31:45
Israel go." Instead of letting them go,00:31:48
Pharaoh made their work even harder. So00:31:51
God sent 10 terrible plagues on Egypt to00:31:54
show his power. The Nile River turned to00:31:57
blood. Frogs covered the land. Gnats00:31:59
swarmed everywhere. Flies filled the00:32:01
houses. Livestock died. Painful boils00:32:04
broke out on people. Hail destroyed00:32:07
crops. Locusts ate what was left. And00:32:10
darkness covered the land for 3 days.00:32:13
Each time a plague came, Pharaoh would00:32:16
promise to let the Israelites go. But00:32:18
when it stopped, he would change his00:32:20
mind. Finally, God announced the worst00:32:23
plague of all. Exodus 11:4-5 describes00:32:26
it. So Moses said, "This is what the00:32:30
Lord says. About midnight, I will go00:32:33
throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in00:32:36
Egypt will die. from the firstborn son00:32:38
of Pharaoh who sits on the throne to the00:32:41
firstborn son of the female slave who is00:32:44
at her handmill and all the firstborn of00:32:47
the cattle as well. But God provided a00:32:50
way for the Israelites to be protected.00:32:53
Exodus 12:12-1300:32:55
explains, "On that same night, I will00:32:58
pass through Egypt and strike down the00:33:01
firstborn of both people and animals,00:33:04
and I will bring judgment on all the00:33:06
gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood00:33:09
will be a sign for you on the houses00:33:11
where you are. And when I see the blood,00:33:14
I will pass over you. No destructive00:33:17
plague will touch you when I strike00:33:19
Egypt."00:33:20
Each family had to kill a perfect lamb00:33:23
and put its blood on their doorframes.00:33:25
They cooked the lamb and ate it with00:33:27
unleavened bread, ready to leave00:33:29
quickly. That night, the angel of death00:33:31
passed through Egypt. But when he saw00:33:34
the blood, he passed over those houses.00:33:37
Exodus 12:29:30 tells what happened. At00:33:40
midnight, the Lord struck down all the00:33:43
firstborn in Egypt. from the firstborn00:33:45
of Pharaoh who sat on the throne to the00:33:48
firstborn of the prisoner who was in the00:33:50
dungeon and the firstborn of all the00:33:52
livestock as well. Pharaoh and all his00:33:55
officials and all the Egyptians got up00:33:57
during the night and there was loud00:33:59
wailing in Egypt for there was not a00:34:02
house without someone dead. Pharaoh00:34:04
finally let them go and the Israelites00:34:07
left Egypt that very night after a 43000:34:12
years of living there. About 2 million00:34:14
Israelites left Egypt with their flocks00:34:16
and herds. But God didn't lead them the00:34:19
shortest way to the promised land.00:34:21
Exodus 13:17-1800:34:24
explains why. When Pharaoh let the00:34:27
people go, God did not lead them on the00:34:30
road through the Philistine country,00:34:32
though that was shorter. For God said,00:34:35
"If they face war, they might change00:34:37
their minds and return to Egypt." So God00:34:41
led the people around by the desert road00:34:43
toward the Red Sea. God guided them with00:34:47
a special sign. Exodus 13:21-2200:34:51
describes it. By day the Lord went ahead00:34:56
of them in a pillar of cloud to guide00:34:58
them on their way and by night in a00:35:01
pillar of fire to give them light so00:35:03
that they could travel by day or night.00:35:06
Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor00:35:08
the pillar of fire by night left its00:35:11
place in front of the people. But soon00:35:13
they faced a terrible problem. Pharaoh00:35:16
changed his mind about letting them go00:35:18
and chased after them with his entire00:35:21
army.00:35:23
Exodus 14:9-10 tells us, "The Egyptians,00:35:27
all Pharaoh's horses and chariots,00:35:29
horsemen and troops, pursued the00:35:31
Israelites and overtook them as they00:35:33
camped by the sea near Pihahiroth00:35:35
opposite Balon."00:35:37
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites00:35:39
looked up and there were the Egyptians00:35:42
marching after them. They were terrified00:35:44
and cried out to the Lord. The people00:35:47
were trapped between the Egyptian army00:35:49
and the Red Sea. They panicked and00:35:51
blamed Moses for bringing them out to00:35:53
die in the desert. But Moses trusted God00:35:56
completely. Exodus 14-13-1400:35:59
records his response. Moses answered the00:36:02
people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm00:36:05
and you will see the deliverance the00:36:07
Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians00:36:09
you see today, you will never see again.00:36:12
The Lord will fight for you. You need00:36:14
only to be still." Then God did00:36:17
something incredible. Exodus 14:21-2200:36:21
describes the miracle. Then Moses00:36:24
stretched out his hand over the sea. And00:36:26
all that night the Lord drove the sea00:36:28
back with a strong east wind and turned00:36:31
it into dry land. The waters were00:36:34
divided. And the Israelites went through00:36:37
the sea on dry ground with a wall of00:36:40
water on their right and on their left.00:36:42
The Egyptians followed them into the00:36:44
sea. But when all the Israelites were00:36:47
safely across, God told Moses to stretch00:36:50
out his hand again. Exodus 14:27-2800:36:54
shows what happened. Moses stretched out00:36:57
his hand over the sea, and at daybreak00:36:59
the sea went back to its place. The00:37:02
Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and00:37:04
the Lord swept them into the sea. The00:37:07
water flowed back and covered the00:37:08
chariots and horsemen, the entire army00:37:11
of Pharaoh that had followed the00:37:12
Israelites into the sea. Not one of them00:37:15
survived. The Israelites were amazed at00:37:19
God's power and sang songs of praise,00:37:22
but their joy didn't last long. 3 days00:37:24
later, they couldn't find water. And00:37:27
when they did find some, it was too00:37:29
bitter to drink. They complained to00:37:31
Moses, and God showed him how to make00:37:33
the water sweet. This became a pattern00:37:36
in the desert. When they ran out of00:37:38
food, they complained. So God sent quail00:37:42
in the evening and mana every morning00:37:44
except the Sabbath. Exodus 16:14-1500:37:47
describes this miracle food. When the00:37:50
dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on00:37:53
the ground appeared on the desert floor.00:37:55
When the Israelites saw it, they said to00:37:58
each other, "What is it?" For they did00:38:00
not know what it was. Moses said to00:38:03
them, "It is the bread the Lord has00:38:05
given you to eat." When they needed00:38:07
water again, God told Moses to strike a00:38:10
rock with his staff and water poured00:38:13
out. When enemies attacked them, Moses00:38:16
held up his hands and they won the00:38:18
battle. Every need was met, but the00:38:20
people kept complaining and wanting to00:38:22
go back to Egypt.00:38:25
3 months after leaving Egypt, the00:38:27
Israelites came to Mount Si. This was00:38:30
where God had first spoken to Moses from00:38:33
the burning bush and now he was going to00:38:36
give them his laws. Exodus 19 3-600:38:40
records God's message. Then Moses went00:38:43
up to God and the Lord called to him00:38:45
from the mountain and said, "This is00:38:47
what you are to say to the descendants00:38:49
of Jacob and what you are to tell the00:38:52
people of Israel. You yourselves have00:38:56
seen what I did to Egypt and how I00:38:58
carried you on eagle's wings and brought00:39:00
you to myself. Now if you obey me fully00:39:03
and keep my covenant, then out of all00:39:05
nations, you will be my treasured00:39:07
possession. Although the whole earth is00:39:10
mine, you will be for me a kingdom of00:39:12
priests and a holy nation. The people00:39:15
agreed to obey God. So he told them to00:39:18
prepare for something amazing. For three00:39:21
days they washed their clothes and got00:39:24
ready. On the third day something00:39:26
incredible happened. Exodus 19:16 to1800:39:30
describes it. On the morning of the00:39:32
third day there was thunder and00:39:34
lightning with a thick cloud over the00:39:37
mountain and a very loud trumpet blast.00:39:40
Everyone in the camp trembled. Then00:39:42
Moses led the people out of the camp to00:39:44
meet with God and they stood at the foot00:39:47
of the mountain. Mount Si was covered00:39:50
with smoke because the Lord descended on00:39:52
it in fire. The smoke billowed up from00:39:56
it like smoke from a furnace and the00:39:58
whole mountain trembled violently. God00:40:00
called Moses up the mountain and gave00:40:02
him the Ten Commandments. Exodus 21:1700:40:06
lists these basic rules for living.00:40:09
Worship only God. Don't make idols.00:40:12
Don't misuse God's name. Keep the00:40:14
Sabbath day holy. Honor your parents.00:40:18
Don't murder. Don't commit adultery.00:40:21
Don't steal. Don't lie about others. And00:40:24
don't want what belongs to someone else.00:40:26
But God gave them much more than just 1000:40:29
rules. He gave detailed laws about how00:40:32
to treat servants, what to do if someone00:40:34
gets hurt, how to handle property00:40:36
disputes, and many other practical00:40:38
matters for daily life. The people were00:40:41
so afraid of God's power that they asked00:40:44
Moses to be the one to speak with God00:40:47
and then tell them what he said. God00:40:49
also gave Moses detailed plans for00:40:52
building a special tent called the00:40:54
tabernacle where he would live among his00:40:56
people. Exodus 25:8-900:41:00
shows God's purpose. Then have them make00:41:03
a sanctuary for me and I will dwell00:41:06
among them. make this tabernacle and all00:41:08
its furnishings exactly like the pattern00:41:10
I will show you. The tabernacle was00:41:13
beautiful and complex. It had an outer00:41:15
courtyard with a bronze altar for00:41:18
sacrifices and a basin for washing.00:41:21
Inside the tent were two rooms. The holy00:41:24
place with a golden lampstand, a table00:41:27
for special bread, and an altar for00:41:29
burning incense. And the most holy place00:41:33
with the ark of the covenant where God's00:41:35
presence would dwell. God chose Moses'00:41:38
brother Aaron and his sons to be priests00:41:40
who would offer sacrifices and take care00:41:42
of the tabernacle. He gave detailed00:41:45
instructions about their special00:41:46
clothes, how they should be ordained,00:41:49
and what sacrifices they should offer00:41:51
for different situations. While Moses00:41:53
was on the mountain receiving God's00:41:55
laws, something terrible happened in the00:41:58
camp. Below, Moses had been gone for 4000:42:01
days, and the people got impatient.00:42:04
Exodus 32:1 shows what they did. When00:42:07
the people saw that Moses was so long in00:42:09
coming down from the mountain, they00:42:11
gathered around Aaron and said, "Come,00:42:14
make us gods who will go before us." As00:42:17
for this fellow Moses, who brought us up00:42:19
out of Egypt, we don't know what has00:42:22
happened to him. Aaron should have00:42:23
refused, but instead he gave in to their00:42:26
demands. Exodus 32:2-400:42:30
records his terrible decision. Aaron00:42:33
answered them. take off the gold00:42:35
earrings that your wives, your sons, and00:42:38
your daughters are wearing, and bring00:42:40
them to me." So all the people took off00:42:43
their earrings and brought them to00:42:45
Aaron. He took what they handed him and00:42:47
made it into an idol cast in the shape00:42:49
of a calf, fashioning it with a tool.00:42:52
Then they said, "These are your gods,00:42:55
Israel, who brought you up out of00:42:57
Egypt." The people began worshiping this00:43:00
golden calf and having wild parties,00:43:04
completely forgetting about the God who00:43:06
had just rescued them from Egypt. Up on00:43:09
the mountain, God told Moses what was00:43:12
happening and was so angry he wanted to00:43:14
destroy the whole nation and start over00:43:17
with just Moses. But Moses pleaded for00:43:21
the people, reminding God of his00:43:23
promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.00:43:26
Exodus 32:14 tells us, "Then the Lord00:43:30
relented and did not bring on his people00:43:32
the disaster he had threatened. However,00:43:35
Moses was about to see for himself how00:43:37
bad things had gotten." Exodus 32:19-2000:43:42
describes what happened when Moses came00:43:44
down the mountain. When Moses approached00:43:47
the camp and saw the calf and the00:43:49
dancing, his anger burned, and he threw00:43:52
the tablets out of his hands, breaking00:43:55
them to pieces at the foot of the00:43:56
mountain. And he took the calf the00:43:58
people had made and burned it in the00:44:00
fire. Then he ground it to powder,00:44:03
scattered it on the water, and made the00:44:05
Israelites drink it. Moses was furious00:44:08
with Aaron for leading the people into00:44:10
sin. He called for everyone who was00:44:14
still loyal to God to come to him, and00:44:16
the tribe of Levi responded. Moses00:44:19
ordered them to go through the camp and00:44:21
execute the worst offenders. About 3,00000:44:24
people died that day because of their00:44:27
rebellion. Moses went back up the00:44:29
mountain to ask God to forgive the00:44:31
people. God agreed to continue leading00:44:34
them, but said his angel would go with00:44:36
them instead of his personal presence.00:44:39
This made Moses very sad and he pleaded00:44:42
with God not to abandon them. Exodus00:44:45
33:15:1600:44:47
shows Moses' request. Then Moses said to00:44:50
him, "If your presence does not go with00:44:53
us, do not send us up from here. How00:44:56
will anyone know that you are pleased00:44:58
with me and with your people unless you00:45:01
go with us?" What else will distinguish00:45:04
me and your people from all the other00:45:06
people on the face of the earth? God was00:45:08
moved by Moses' intercession and agreed00:45:12
to go with them personally. He also made00:45:14
new stone tablets to replace the ones00:45:17
Moses had broken. And Moses spent00:45:20
another 40 days on the mountain. When he00:45:23
came down this time, his face was00:45:25
shining so brightly from being in God's00:45:27
presence that he had to wear a veil.00:45:29
From Mount Si, the Israelites traveled00:45:32
toward the promised land. When they00:45:34
reached its border, Moses sent 12 spies00:45:37
to explore the land and bring back a00:45:39
report. Numbers 13:27-2800:45:42
shows what they found. They gave Moses00:45:45
this account. We went into the land to00:45:48
which you sent us, and it does flow with00:45:50
milk and honey. Here is its fruit, but00:45:53
the people who live there are powerful,00:45:56
and the cities are fortified, and very00:45:58
large. We even saw descendants of Anch00:46:02
there. 10 of the spies were afraid and00:46:05
said it would be impossible to conquer00:46:06
the land. Only Joshua and Caleb trusted00:46:10
that God would help them win. Numbers00:46:12
146900:46:14
records their encouraging words. Joshua00:46:17
son of Nun and Caleb son of Japana who00:46:20
were among those who had explored the00:46:22
land tore their clothes and said to the00:46:24
entire Israelite assembly, "The land we00:46:27
passed through and explored is00:46:30
exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased00:46:32
with us, he will lead us into that land,00:46:35
a land flowing with milk and honey, and00:46:38
will give it to us. Only do not rebel00:46:40
against the Lord. And do not be afraid00:46:43
of the people of the land, because we00:46:45
will devour them. Their protection is00:46:48
gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be00:46:51
afraid of them. But the people believe00:46:53
the fearful report instead of trusting00:46:55
God. They even talked about choosing a00:46:58
new leader and going back to Egypt. This00:47:01
made God very angry. Numbers 14:22-2300:47:05
shows his judgment. Not one of them who00:47:08
saw my glory and the signs I performed00:47:11
in Egypt and in the wilderness, but who00:47:13
disobeyed me and tested me 10 times. Not00:47:17
one of them will ever see the land I00:47:19
promised on oath to their ancestors.00:47:22
No one who has treated me with contempt00:47:25
will ever see it. God sentenced the00:47:29
entire adult generation to wander in the00:47:31
desert for 40 years until they all died.00:47:35
Only Joshua and Caleb would be allowed00:47:37
to enter the promised land because they00:47:40
had faith in God. Numbers 14:34 explains00:47:43
the punishment. For 40 years, one year00:47:47
for each of the 40 days you explored the00:47:49
land, you will suffer for your sins and00:47:52
know what it is like to have me against00:47:54
you. During those 40 years, the people00:47:57
continued to complain and rebel. Once00:47:59
they grumbled about the manner God00:48:01
provided every day, so God sent00:48:04
poisonous snakes among them. When people00:48:06
were dying from snake bites, they00:48:08
confessed their sin.00:48:11
Numbers 218:9 tells us God's solution.00:48:15
The Lord said to Moses, "Make a snake00:48:18
and put it up on a pole. Anyone who is00:48:20
bitten can look at it and live." So00:48:23
Moses made a bronze snake and put it up00:48:25
on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten00:48:28
by a snake and looked at the bronze00:48:31
snake, they lived. Another time some men00:48:34
named Kora, Dathan, and Abberham00:48:36
rebelled against Moses' leadership and00:48:38
claimed they should be able to offer00:48:40
sacrifices, too. God opened up the earth00:48:43
and swallowed them alive, then sent fire00:48:46
to consume 250 men who had joined their00:48:50
rebellion. Even Moses made a mistake00:48:52
that cost him dearly. When the people00:48:54
complained about not having water, God00:48:57
told Moses to speak to a rock and it00:49:00
would give water. But Moses was angry00:49:02
with the people and struck the rock00:49:04
twice with his staff instead of just00:49:06
speaking to it. Numbers 20, 10, 1200:49:11
records. this incident, he and Aaron00:49:14
gathered the assembly together in front00:49:16
of the rock, and Moses said to them,00:49:19
"Listen, you rebels, must we bring you00:49:21
water out of this rock?" Then Moses00:49:24
raised his arm and struck the rock twice00:49:26
with his staff. Water gushed out, and00:49:28
the community and their livestock drank.00:49:31
But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,00:49:33
"Because you did not trust in me enough00:49:35
to honor me as holy in the sight of the00:49:39
Israelites, you will not bring this00:49:41
community into the land I give them.00:49:43
Because of this disobedience, Moses00:49:46
would not be allowed to enter the00:49:48
promised land either." While the00:49:50
Israelites were at Mount Si, God gave00:49:53
them detailed laws about how to worship00:49:56
him and live as his holy people. The00:49:59
book of Leviticus contains many of these00:50:01
laws, especially about the sacrificial00:50:04
system. Leviticus 1 1-2 shows how these00:50:09
laws were given. The Lord called to00:50:12
Moses and spoke to him from the tent of00:50:14
meeting. He said, "Speak to the00:50:17
Israelites and say to them, when anyone00:50:20
among you brings an offering to the00:50:22
Lord, bring as your offering an animal00:50:24
from either the herd or the flock.00:50:28
God established five main types of00:50:30
sacrifices. The burnt offering was00:50:33
completely burned up to show total00:50:35
dedication to God. The grain offering00:50:38
was made from flour, oil, and incense to00:50:41
thank God for his provision. The00:50:43
fellowship offering was partially eaten00:50:45
by the person making the sacrifice to00:50:47
celebrate peace with God. The sin00:50:50
offering was for unintentional sins and00:50:53
the guilt offering was for specific00:50:56
wrongs that needed to be made right.00:50:59
These sacrifices were important because00:51:02
they showed that sin is serious and00:51:04
requires payment. Leviticus 17:1100:51:08
explains why blood was necessary. For00:51:11
the life of a creature is in the blood,00:51:13
and I have given it to you to make00:51:15
atonement for yourselves on the altar.00:51:18
It is the blood that makes atonement for00:51:20
one's life.00:51:22
God also established special holy days00:51:26
for the people to remember what he had00:51:28
done for them. The Sabbath was every00:51:30
seventh day for rest. Passover00:51:33
remembered their escape from Egypt. The00:51:35
day of atonement was when the high00:51:37
priest made sacrifice for the sins of00:51:39
the whole nation. The feast of00:51:42
tabernacles reminded them of living in00:51:44
tents in the desert. Leviticus also00:51:47
contains many laws about daily life.00:51:51
Some foods were clean and could be eaten00:51:53
while others were unclean and forbidden.00:51:56
There were laws about skin diseases,00:51:59
mold in houses, and many other practical00:52:02
matters. Leviticus 19:18 contains one of00:52:05
the most important commands. Do not seek00:52:08
revenge or bear a grudge against anyone00:52:10
among your people, but love your00:52:12
neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. The00:52:15
goal of all these laws was to make00:52:17
Israel different from the nations around00:52:20
them. Leviticus 20:26 states God's00:52:23
purpose. You are to be holy to me00:52:26
because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have00:52:29
set you apart from the nations to be my00:52:31
own. The book of Numbers gets its name00:52:34
from two censuses God commanded Moses to00:52:37
take of the Israelites. The first census00:52:40
was taken soon after they left Mount Si.00:52:43
Numbers 1.2:3 records God's00:52:45
instructions. Take a census of the whole00:52:48
Israelite community by their clans and00:52:51
families, listing every man by name, one00:52:54
by one. You and Aaron are to count.00:52:57
According to their divisions, all the00:52:59
men in Israel who are 20 years old or00:53:02
more and able to serve in the army. This00:53:04
census counted 63 550 fighting men which00:53:09
meant the total population was probably00:53:11
over 2 million people. Each tribe was00:53:15
given a specific place to camp around00:53:17
the tabernacle and a specific order for00:53:20
marching when they moved. The tribe of00:53:22
Levi was special because God chose them00:53:25
to take care of the tabernacle instead00:53:28
of fighting in the army. Numbers 3:11-1300:53:32
explains why the Lord also said to00:53:35
Moses, "I have taken the Levites from00:53:37
among the Israelites in place of the00:53:39
first male offspring of every Israelite00:53:42
woman. The Levites are mine, for all the00:53:45
firstborn are mine. When I struck down00:53:48
all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart00:53:50
for myself every firstborn in Israel,00:53:52
whether human or animal. They are to be00:53:55
mine. I am the Lord." The Levites were00:53:59
divided into three groups. The00:54:02
descendants of Kohath carried the most00:54:04
holy items like the ark of the covenant.00:54:07
The descendants of Gershon carried the00:54:09
curtains and coverings. The descendants00:54:12
of Mirari carried the frames and posts.00:54:15
Numbers also tells about the00:54:17
organization of the army and how they00:54:19
were to march when God told them to00:54:21
move. The cloud over the tabernacle was00:54:24
their signal. When it moved, they00:54:27
followed. When it stopped, they set up00:54:29
camp. The second census was taken 3800:54:32
years later, just before entering the00:54:34
promised land. Numbers 2651 gives the00:54:38
total. The total number of the men of00:54:40
Israel was 601700:54:43
and30. Almost the same number, but it00:54:46
was an entirely new generation since all00:54:48
the adults from the first census had00:54:51
died in the desert except Joshua and00:54:54
Caleb. This census also included the00:54:56
division of the land. Each tribe would00:54:58
receive territory based on its size, and00:55:01
the land would be divided by casting00:55:03
lots to see which tribe got which area.00:55:08
As the 40 years in the desert were00:55:10
ending, Moses knew he would not enter00:55:12
the promised land with the people. The00:55:14
book of Deuteronomy contains his final00:55:16
speeches to prepare the new generation00:55:19
for life in their new home. Deuteronomy00:55:23
1 1:3 sets the scene. These are the00:55:27
words Moses spoke to all Israel in the00:55:30
wilderness east of the Jordan. That is00:55:33
in the Arabah opposite Souf between Pan00:55:37
and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and00:55:38
Desahab. It takes 11 days to go from00:55:41
Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir00:55:45
road. In the 40th year, on the first day00:55:47
of the 11th month, Moses proclaimed to00:55:50
the Israelites all that the Lord had00:55:52
commanded him concerning them. Moses00:55:55
reminded them of everything that had00:55:58
happened since they left Egypt, God's00:56:00
faithfulness, their rebellions, and the00:56:02
lessons they should have learned. He00:56:05
repeated many of the laws God had given00:56:07
them, and explained how to apply them in00:56:09
their new land. The Art of Moses message00:56:13
was about loving God completely.00:56:15
Deuteronomy 6:4-6 contains the most00:56:19
important command here. O Israel, the00:56:22
Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the00:56:25
Lord your God with all your heart and00:56:28
with all your soul and with all your00:56:30
strength. These commandments that I give00:56:33
you today are to be on your hearts.00:56:36
Moses warned them about the temptations00:56:38
they would face in the promised land.00:56:40
The people living there worshiped false00:56:42
gods and it would be easy to copy their00:56:45
ways. Deuteronomy 8:11:1400:56:49
shows his concern. Be careful that you00:56:52
do not forget the Lord your God, failing00:56:55
to observe his commands, his laws, and00:56:57
his decrees that I am giving you this00:57:00
day. build the wise when you eat and are00:57:02
satisfied. When you build fine houses00:57:05
and settle down, and when your herds and00:57:08
flocks grow large, and your silver and00:57:10
gold increase, and all you have is00:57:12
multiplied, then your heart will become00:57:14
proud, and you will forget the Lord your00:57:18
God, who brought you out of Egypt, out00:57:20
of the land of slavery." Moses also gave00:57:23
them promises of blessing if they obeyed00:57:25
God, and warnings of punishment if they00:57:28
turned away from him. He told them that00:57:31
if they ever became unfaithful and were00:57:33
scattered among the nations, God would00:57:35
still take them back if they returned to00:57:38
him with all their hearts. Before he00:57:40
died, Moses appointed Joshua as the new00:57:43
leader and blessed each of the 1200:57:46
tribes. Deuteronomy 34:5-700:57:49
records the end of Moses's life. And00:57:52
Moses, the servant of the Lord, died00:57:55
there in Moab, as the Lord had said. He00:57:58
buried him in Moab in the valley00:58:00
opposite Beth Pior. But to this day, no00:58:03
one knows where his grave is. Moses was00:58:07
120 years old when he died. Yet his eyes00:58:10
were not weak, nor his strength gone.00:58:12
The Israelites mourned for Moses, 3000:58:16
days. He had been their leader for 4000:58:18
years, and had spoken with God face to00:58:21
face like no one else ever had. Now they00:58:24
were ready to enter the land God had00:58:26
promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob00:58:29
hundreds of years before.00:58:32
After Moses died, God chose Joshua to00:58:35
lead the Israelites into the promised00:58:36
land. Joshua had been Moses' assistant00:58:40
for 40 years and was one of only two00:58:42
spies who had trusted God to give them00:58:45
victory. Now, it was time for him to00:58:48
step into leadership. Joshua 1:1300:58:51
records God's commission. After the00:58:54
death of Moses, the servant of the Lord,00:58:56
the Lord said to Joshua, "Son of Nun,00:58:59
Moses is aid." "Moses, my servant is00:59:02
dead. Now then, you and all these00:59:05
people, get ready to cross the Jordan00:59:07
River into the land I am about to give00:59:10
to them, to the Israelites. I will give00:59:13
you every place where you set your foot00:59:15
as I promised Moses."00:59:17
God promised to be with Joshua just as00:59:20
he had been with Moses. But Joshua00:59:23
needed to be strong and courageous. The00:59:26
task ahead was enormous, conquering a00:59:29
land filled with fortified cities and00:59:31
powerful armies. But God assured him00:59:34
that no one would be able to stand00:59:36
against him as long as he obeyed God's00:59:38
laws.00:59:40
Joshua immediately began preparing the00:59:42
people for the crossing. He sent00:59:44
officers throughout the camp with00:59:45
instructions. Joshua 1:1011 shows his00:59:50
orders. So Joshua ordered the officers00:59:52
of the people, "Go through the camp and00:59:54
tell the people, "Get your provisions00:59:56
ready. 3 days from now, you will cross00:59:59
the Jordan here to go in and take01:00:01
possession of the land the Lord your God01:00:04
is giving you for your own."01:00:07
Before crossing the river, Joshua01:00:09
secretly sent two spies to explore01:00:11
Jericho. the first city they would need01:00:14
to conquer. The spies stayed with a01:00:17
woman named Rahab who lived in the city01:00:19
wall. When the king of Jericho heard01:00:22
about the spies, he sent soldiers to01:00:24
capture them. But Rahab hid them on her01:00:27
roof under stalks of flax.01:00:30
Rahab had heard about all the miracles01:00:32
God had done for Israel, and she01:00:34
believed their God was the true God.01:00:38
Joshua 29:11 records her words to the01:00:41
spies. I know that the Lord has given01:00:44
you this land and that a great fear of01:00:46
you has fallen on us. So that all who01:00:49
live in this country are melting in fear01:00:52
because of you. We have heard how the01:00:55
Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea01:00:57
for you when you came out of Egypt, and01:00:59
what you did to Sihon and Og, the two01:01:02
kings of the Amorites east of the01:01:03
Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.01:01:06
When we heard of it, our hearts melted01:01:08
in fear, and everyone's courage failed01:01:11
because of you. For the Lord your God is01:01:13
God in heaven above and on the earth01:01:16
below." The spies promised to spare01:01:18
Rahab and her family when they conquered01:01:20
the city. As long as she hung a scarlet01:01:23
cord from her window and kept their01:01:26
visit secret, she helped them escape by01:01:28
lowering them down the outside of the01:01:30
city wall with a rope. When the spies01:01:33
returned, they gave Joshua an01:01:35
encouraging report. Joshua 2:24 shows01:01:39
their confidence. They said to Joshua,01:01:42
"The Lord has surely given the whole01:01:44
land into our hands. All the people are01:01:46
melting in fear because of us." 3 days01:01:49
later, it was time to cross the Jordan01:01:52
River. But there was a problem. It was01:01:54
harvest time, and the river was at flood01:01:57
stage, much wider and deeper than01:01:59
normal. How could 2 million people with01:02:02
their animals and possessions get01:02:04
across? God had a plan that would remind01:02:07
them of crossing the Red Sea 40 years01:02:10
earlier. Joshua 3:15-1601:02:13
describes the miracle. Now the Jordan is01:02:16
at flood stage all during harvest. Yet01:02:19
as soon as the priests who carried the01:02:21
ark reached the Jordan and their feet01:02:23
touched the water's edge, the water from01:02:25
upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in01:02:29
a heap a great distance away at a town01:02:32
called Adam in the vicinity of Zarathan.01:02:35
While the water flowing down to the sea01:02:37
of the Arabah, that is the Dead Sea, was01:02:40
completely cut off. So the people01:02:43
crossed over opposite Jericho. The01:02:45
priests carrying the ark of the covenant01:02:47
stood in the middle of the dry riverbed01:02:50
while all the people crossed over. To01:02:52
help them remember this miracle, Joshua01:02:55
commanded one man from each tribe to01:02:58
take a stone from the riverbed. Joshua01:03:01
4:6-701:03:03
explains the purpose. In the future,01:03:05
when your children ask you, "What do01:03:07
these stones mean?" Tell them that the01:03:10
flow of the Jordan was cut off before01:03:13
the ark of the covenant of the Lord.01:03:15
When it crossed the Jordan, the waters01:03:17
of the Jordan were cut off. These stones01:03:20
are to be a memorial to the people of01:03:22
Israel forever. When everyone had01:03:24
crossed safely, the priests came up out01:03:27
of the riverbed and immediately the01:03:29
water rushed back to flood stage. The01:03:32
Israelites were now in the promised01:03:34
land, and Joshua set up the 12 stones at01:03:36
their first camp in Gilgal as a01:03:39
permanent reminder of God's power. The01:03:42
first major city the Israelites faced01:03:44
was Jericho, and it was completely shut01:03:47
up because of their arrival. Joshua 6:101:03:50
tells us, "Now the walls of Jericho were01:03:53
securely barred because of the01:03:55
Israelites. No one went out and no one01:03:58
came in." The city seemed impossible to01:04:01
conquer with its massive walls and01:04:03
strong defenses. But God had a very01:04:06
unusual battle plan. Joshua 6:24 records01:04:11
God's instructions.01:04:13
Then the Lord said to Joshua, "See, I01:04:17
have delivered Jericho into your hands01:04:20
along with its king and its fighting01:04:22
men. March around the city once with all01:04:24
the armed men. Do this for 6 days. Have01:04:28
seven priests carry trumpets of rams01:04:30
horns in front of the ark. On the01:04:32
seventh day, march around the city seven01:04:34
times with the priests blowing the01:04:36
trumpets. This must have seemed like a01:04:40
strange way to fight a battle, but01:04:42
Joshua obeyed exactly. For 6 days, the01:04:47
Israelites marched silently around01:04:49
Jericho once each day while the priests01:04:51
blew trumpets. The people inside the01:04:54
city must have wondered what was01:04:56
happening. On the seventh day,01:04:58
everything changed. Joshua 6:15-1601:05:02
describes what happened. On the seventh01:05:05
day, they got up at daybreak and marched01:05:07
around the city seven times in the same01:05:10
manner. Except that on that day, they01:05:12
circled the city seven times. The01:05:15
seventh time around, when the priests01:05:18
sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua01:05:20
commanded the army, "Shout, for the Lord01:05:23
has given you the city." Joshua 6:2001:05:26
tells us the result. When the trumpet01:05:29
sounded, the army shouted. And at the01:05:32
sound of the trumpet, when the men gave01:05:34
a loud shout, the wall collapsed. So01:05:37
everyone charged straight in and they01:05:38
took the city. The massive walls of01:05:41
Jericho fell down flat. And the01:05:43
Israelites captured the city exactly as01:05:46
God had promised. They destroyed01:05:49
everything in the city except for Rahab01:05:51
and her family, who were spared because01:05:53
she had helped the spies.01:05:56
All the silver, gold, and articles of01:05:59
bronze and iron were taken for God's01:06:01
treasury, but everything else was01:06:03
burned. However, one man disobeyed God's01:06:06
command about the devoted things. A gun01:06:09
secretly took some items for himself and01:06:11
hid them in his tent. This sin brought01:06:14
disaster on the whole nation when they01:06:16
attacked the next city. Ai was a much01:06:19
smaller city than Jericho. So Joshua01:06:22
sent only about 3,000 men to attack it.01:06:26
But something shocking happened. The men01:06:28
of I defeated the Israelites and chased01:06:31
them away. Joshua 7:5 records the01:06:35
devastating result who killed about 3601:06:39
of them. They chased the Israelites from01:06:41
the city gate as far as the stone01:06:43
quaries and struck them down on the01:06:45
slopes. At this the hearts of the people01:06:48
melted in fear and became like water.01:06:52
Joshua was confused and heartbroken. He01:06:55
fell on his face before God and asked01:06:58
why this had happened. God told him that01:07:00
someone had taken devoted things and the01:07:03
whole camp was under judgment until the01:07:05
guilty person was found and punished.01:07:08
Through a process of casting lots, God01:07:11
revealed that Achan was the guilty one.01:07:14
Joshua 7:202101:07:16
records Akan's confession. Akan replied,01:07:20
"It is true. I have sinned against the01:07:22
Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I01:07:26
have done." When I saw in the plunder a01:07:29
beautiful robe from Babylonia, 20001:07:32
shekels of silver and a bar of gold01:07:35
weighing 50 shekels, I coveted them and01:07:38
took them. They are hidden in the ground01:07:40
inside my tent with the silver01:07:42
underneath.01:07:43
Achan and his entire family were stoned01:07:46
to death for this sin. And then the01:07:48
Israelites were able to conquer I. This01:07:52
showed them how serious it was to obey01:07:54
God completely. From there Joshua led01:07:57
the conquest of the entire land. They01:07:59
fought many battles against coalitions01:08:01
of kings who tried to stop them.01:08:03
Sometimes God gave them victory through01:08:06
miracles like the day he made the sun01:08:09
stand still so they would have enough01:08:11
daylight to complete their victory.01:08:14
Joshua 10:12-1301:08:16
describes this amazing event. On the day01:08:19
the Lord gave the Amorites over to01:08:21
Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the01:08:24
presence of Israel, "Son, stand still01:08:27
over Gibian and you moon over the valley01:08:30
of Agelon." So the sun stood still and01:08:34
the moon stopped till the nation avenged01:08:36
itself on its enemies as it is written01:08:39
in the book of Jasha. The sun stopped in01:08:42
the middle of the sky and delayed going01:08:44
down about a full day. Other times they01:08:47
won through careful strategy and hard01:08:51
fighting. Some cities they destroyed01:08:53
completely while others they conquered01:08:55
and occupied. The conquest took about 701:08:59
years and by the end they controlled01:09:02
most of the land God had promised to01:09:04
give them. After the major conquest was01:09:07
complete, it was time to divide the land01:09:10
among the 12 tribes. This was a huge01:09:12
task since different areas had different01:09:15
advantages. Some had better farmland,01:09:18
others had important trade routes, and01:09:20
some had strategic military positions.01:09:23
God had already given specific01:09:25
instructions about how this should be01:09:28
done. Numbers 26-52 to 56 had explained01:09:32
the method. The land would be divided by01:09:35
casting lots, but the size of each01:09:37
territory would depend on the size of01:09:39
each tribe. Larger tribes would get more01:09:42
land while smaller tribes would get01:09:44
less. Joshua 14:12 tells us who was in01:09:49
charge of this process. Now these are01:09:51
the areas the Israelites received as an01:09:54
inheritance in the land of Canaan which01:09:57
Elaza the priest Joshua son of Nun and01:10:00
the heads of the tribal clans of Israel01:10:02
allotted to them. Their inheritances01:10:05
were assigned by Lot to the nine and a01:10:07
half tribes as the Lord had commanded01:10:10
through Moses. Two and a half tribes had01:10:13
already received their inheritance on01:10:16
the east side of the Jordan River before01:10:18
the conquest began. The tribes of Reuben01:10:21
and Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh01:10:23
had asked for this land because it was01:10:26
good for raising cattle, and Moses had01:10:28
agreed as long as their fighting men01:10:31
helped conquer the west side first.01:10:34
The tribe of Levi didn't receive a01:10:37
territory like the other tribes because01:10:39
they were set apart to serve God.01:10:42
Instead, they were given 48 cities01:10:45
scattered throughout all the other01:10:47
tribal territories along with pasture01:10:49
lands around each city for their01:10:51
animals. Joshua 21-4101:10:55
summarizes their inheritance. The towns01:10:57
of the Levites in the territory held by01:11:00
the Israelites were 48 in all together01:11:04
with their pasture lands. Caleb, who had01:11:07
been one of the faithful spies 40 years01:11:09
earlier, made a special request. Even01:11:12
though he was now 85 years old, he asked01:11:15
for the hill country around Hebron where01:11:18
the fearsome giants lived.01:11:21
Joshua 14:12 records his bold words,01:11:24
"Now give me this hill country that the01:11:27
Lord promised me that day. You yourself01:11:29
heard then that the Anakites were there01:11:32
and their cities were large and01:11:34
fortified. But the Lord helping me, I01:11:37
will drive them out just as he said.01:11:41
Joshua gladly gave Caleb this01:11:43
challenging territory and the old01:11:46
warrior successfully conquered it. His01:11:49
faith and courage were an example to01:11:51
everyone. The process of dividing the01:11:53
land took several years and involved01:11:56
surveying the remaining unconquered01:11:58
areas.01:12:00
Joshua 18:4 describes how this was done.01:12:04
Appoint three men from each tribe. I01:12:08
will send them out to make a survey of01:12:10
the land and to write a description of01:12:12
it according to the inheritance of each.01:12:15
Then they will return to me. Each tribe01:12:18
received detailed boundaries describing01:12:20
exactly where their territory began and01:12:23
ended. Some tribes like Judah and01:12:26
Ephraim received large areas with many01:12:28
cities. Others like Simeon and Dan01:12:32
received smaller territories. The tribe01:12:35
of Dan had trouble conquering their01:12:37
assigned territory because the people01:12:39
there were strong and had iron chariots.01:12:42
Eventually, most of the Danites moved01:12:44
north and conquered a city called Le,01:12:47
which they renamed Dan. Joshua also01:12:50
designated six cities of refuge, where01:12:53
someone who accidentally killed another01:12:56
person could flee for safety. Three01:12:59
cities were on each side of the Jordan01:13:01
River, spaced so that no one would have01:13:04
to travel more than a day's journey to01:13:06
reach protection. When the division was01:13:09
complete, the two and a half tribes who01:13:12
lived east of the Jordan were finally01:13:14
allowed to return to their families.01:13:17
They had faithfully helped conquer the01:13:19
west side of the Jordan as they had01:13:21
promised. Joshua 22:4501:13:24
shows Joshua's blessing as they01:13:26
departed.01:13:28
Now that the Lord your God has given01:13:30
them rest as he promised, return to your01:13:33
homes in the land that Moses, the01:13:36
servant of the Lord, gave you on the01:13:37
other side of the Jordan. But be very01:13:40
careful to keep the commandment and the01:13:42
law that Moses, the servant of the Lord,01:13:45
gave you, to love the Lord your God, to01:13:48
walk in obedience to him, to keep his01:13:51
commands, to hold fast to him, and to01:13:54
serve him with all your heart and with01:13:56
all your soul. After Joshua died,01:13:59
something tragic happened to the01:14:01
Israelites. The generation that had seen01:14:03
God's mighty works in conquering the01:14:05
land began to die off, and their01:14:08
children didn't know the Lord or what he01:14:10
had done for Israel.01:14:13
Judges 2:10 describes this spiritual01:14:16
disaster. After that whole generation01:14:19
had been gathered to their ancestors,01:14:21
another generation grew up who knew01:14:24
neither the Lord nor what he had done01:14:26
for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil01:14:29
in the eyes of the Lord and served the01:14:32
Baales. They forsook the Lord, the God01:14:35
of their ancestors who had brought them01:14:37
out of Egypt. They followed and01:14:39
worshiped various gods of the peoples01:14:41
around them. They aroused the Lord's01:14:44
anger. This began a sad cycle that would01:14:48
repeat over and over for about 30001:14:50
years. The Israelites would turn away01:14:53
from God and worship the idols of their01:14:56
neighbors. God would become angry and01:14:58
allow enemy nations to oppress them.01:15:01
When life became unbearable, the people01:15:04
would cry out to God for help. God would01:15:07
raise up a leader called a judge to01:15:09
deliver them. The judge would lead them01:15:12
to victory and rule over them. But when01:15:16
the judge died, the people would return01:15:18
to their idols and the cycle would start01:15:21
all over again.01:15:24
Judges 2:16:19 explains this pattern.01:15:28
Then the Lord raised up judges who saved01:15:30
them out of the hands of these raiders.01:15:33
Yet they would not listen to their01:15:34
judges, but prostituted themselves to01:15:37
other gods and worshiped them.01:15:40
They quickly turned from the ways of01:15:42
their ancestors who had been obedient to01:15:45
the Lord's commands.01:15:47
Whenever the Lord raised up a judge, for01:15:49
them, he was with the judge and saved01:15:52
them out of the hands of their enemies01:15:54
as long as the judge lived. For the Lord01:15:57
relented because of their groaning under01:15:59
those who oppressed and afflicted them.01:16:01
But when the judge died, the people01:16:04
returned to ways even more corrupt than01:16:06
those of their ancestors, following01:16:08
other gods and serving and worshiping01:16:10
them. They refused to give up their evil01:16:13
practices and stubborn ways. The first01:16:16
oppression came from Kushan Rishim, king01:16:19
of Aram, who ruled over Israel for 801:16:22
years. When the people cried out, God01:16:25
raised up, Caleb's nephew, who defeated01:16:28
the enemy and brought peace for 4001:16:31
years. Afterl died, the Israelites01:16:35
sinned again, and God allowed Eglon,01:16:38
king of Moab, to conquer them. For 1801:16:42
years, the Israelites had to pay heavy01:16:45
taxes to this fat king. Then God raised01:16:48
up a left-handed man named Ehood, who01:16:51
made a double-edged sword and hid it01:16:54
under his clothes. When he went to01:16:56
deliver tribute money to King Eglon, he01:16:58
asked for a private meeting and01:17:01
assassinated the king. Then he escaped01:17:03
and led Israel to victory over the01:17:05
Moabites. The cycle continued with01:17:08
oppression by the Philistines and01:17:10
deliverance by Shamgar, who killed 60001:17:13
Philistines with an ox go. Each time the01:17:17
people would be faithful for a while,01:17:19
then return to idolatry when their01:17:20
deliverer died. This period showed how01:17:23
quickly people can forget God's goodness01:17:26
and how sin leads to suffering. But it01:17:28
also showed God's patience and mercy. No01:17:31
matter how many times the people failed,01:17:34
he was always ready to forgive them when01:17:37
they truly repented and cried out for01:17:39
help.01:17:41
One of the most famous periods of01:17:43
oppression came when Jabin, king of01:17:46
Gaan, crually oppressed Israel for 2001:17:49
years with his 900 iron chariots. The01:17:52
judge God raised up this time was01:17:54
unusual. A woman named Deborah, who was01:17:57
also a prophetess. Judges 4:4501:18:00
introduces her. Now Deborah, a prophet,01:18:03
the wife of Lapedoth, was leading Israel01:18:06
at that time. She held court under the01:18:08
palm of Deborah between Rama and Bethl01:18:11
in the hill country of Ephraim. And the01:18:13
Israelites went up to her to have their01:18:16
disputes decided. Deborah called for a01:18:19
man named Barack and told him God's plan01:18:22
to defeat Jabin's army. But Barack was01:18:25
afraid to go without her. Judges 4:8-901:18:29
shows their conversation. Barack said to01:18:31
her, "If you go with me, I will go. But01:18:34
if you don't go with me, I won't go.01:18:37
Certainly, I will go with you, said01:18:40
Deborah. But because of the course01:18:42
you're taking, the honor will not be01:18:44
yours. For the Lord will deliver Cicura01:18:47
into the hands of a woman. Deborah and01:18:50
Barack led 10,000 men against Cicura,01:18:53
the commander of Jabine's army. God01:18:55
threw the enemy into confusion, and all01:18:57
their iron chariots became useless.01:19:00
Cisora himself fled on foot and took01:19:02
refuge in the tent of a woman named01:19:04
Jael. While he was sleeping, Jael drove01:19:07
a tent peg through his head, fulfilling01:19:10
Deborah's prophecy that a woman would01:19:12
get the honor of defeating him. After01:19:14
this victory, Deborah and Barack sang a01:19:17
beautiful song of praise, celebrating01:19:20
what God had done. The land had peace01:19:23
for 40 years. The next major oppression01:19:26
came from the Midianites who would sweep01:19:29
into Israel at harvest time like a swarm01:19:31
of locusts, destroying crops and01:19:34
stealing livestock. For 7 years, they01:19:37
made life miserable for the Israelites01:19:40
who had to hide in caves and mountains.01:19:43
God chose an unlikely hero to deliver01:19:45
them. A young man named Gideon who was01:19:48
secretly threshing wheat in a wine press01:19:51
to hide it from the Midianites. Judges01:19:53
6:12 records the angel's greeting. When01:19:56
the angel of the Lord appeared to01:19:58
Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you,01:20:01
mighty warrior."01:20:04
Gideon was surprised to be called a01:20:05
mighty warrior since he was the youngest01:20:07
in his family and his clan was the01:20:09
weakest in his tribe. But God promised01:20:12
to be with him and make him victorious.01:20:15
First though, Gideon had to tear down01:20:17
his father's altar to Bal and cut down01:20:19
the Asherapole beside it. This took01:20:22
courage because the whole town worshiped01:20:24
these idols. When Gideon called for01:20:28
volunteers to fight the Midionites,01:20:31
32,000 men responded. But God said this01:20:35
was too many. If they won with such a01:20:37
large army, they might think their own01:20:39
strength had saved them instead of01:20:41
giving God the credit. God told Gideon01:20:45
to send home anyone who was afraid. And01:20:47
22,000 men left. But God said 10,000 was01:20:51
still too many. Judges 7:47 describes01:20:55
the final test. But the Lord said to01:20:58
Gideon, "There are still too many men.01:21:01
Take them down to the water, and I will01:21:03
thin them out for you there. If I say01:21:07
this one shall go with you, he shall go.01:21:10
But if I say this one shall not go with01:21:13
you, he shall not go." So Gideon took01:21:16
the men down to the water. There the01:21:18
Lord told him, "Separate those who lap01:21:20
the water with their tongues, as a dog01:21:23
laps from those who kneel down to01:21:25
drink." 300 of them drank from cupped01:21:28
hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest01:21:31
got down on their knees to drink. The01:21:34
Lord said to Gideon, "With the 300 men01:21:37
that lapped, I will save you and give01:21:39
the Midianites into your hands. Let all01:21:42
the others go home." With only 300 men,01:21:46
Gideon attacked the vast Midianite army01:21:48
at night. Each man carried a trumpet and01:21:50
a torch hidden inside a clay jar. At01:21:53
Gideon's signal, they all blew their01:21:55
trumpets, broke their jars, and shouted,01:21:58
"A sword for the Lord and for Gideon."01:22:01
The Midianites panicked in the darkness,01:22:03
and began fighting each other. Those who01:22:06
survived fled, and Israel chased them01:22:08
and won a complete victory. Other judges01:22:11
included Tola and Jaer who brought01:22:14
periods of peace and Jeffa who defeated01:22:16
the Ammonites but made a tragic vow that01:22:19
cost him his daughter's life. There was01:22:21
also Ian, Elon and Abdon each of whom01:22:25
judged Israel for a time. The period of01:22:28
the judges showed both God's power to01:22:31
deliver his people and their tendency to01:22:33
forget him when times were good. Each01:22:36
judge brought temporary relief. But the01:22:39
underlying problem of spiritual01:22:41
unfaithfulness remained. The longest01:22:43
oppression during the time of the judges01:22:46
came from the Philistines who dominated01:22:49
Israel for 40 years. The judge God01:22:52
raised up to begin their deliverance was01:22:54
unlike any other, a man of incredible01:22:57
physical strength named Samson. Before01:23:00
Samson was born, an angel appeared to01:23:03
his parents and gave them special01:23:05
instructions. Judges 13:3-5 records the01:23:10
angel's message. The angel of the Lord01:23:12
appeared to her and said, "You are01:23:14
barren and childless, but you are going01:23:16
to become pregnant and give birth to a01:23:19
son. Now see to it that you drink no01:23:21
wine or other fermented drink, and that01:23:23
you do not eat anything unclean. You01:23:25
will become pregnant and give birth to a01:23:28
son. No razor may be used on his head01:23:31
because the boy is to be a Nazerite01:23:33
dedicated to God from the womb. He will01:23:36
take the lead in delivering Israel from01:23:38
the hands of the Philistines.01:23:41
Samson was to be a Nazerite, which meant01:23:44
he could never cut his hair, drink01:23:46
alcohol, or touch anything dead. As long01:23:49
as he kept these vows, God would give01:23:52
him supernatural strength. Samson grew01:23:55
up and became the strongest man who ever01:23:57
lived. When a young lion attacked him,01:24:00
he tore it apart with his bare hands.01:24:03
When the Philistines tied him up with01:24:05
ropes, he snapped them like thread. When01:24:08
they trapped him in a city, he picked up01:24:10
the city gates and carried them to the01:24:12
top of a hill. His most famous victory01:24:15
came when the Philistines gathered to01:24:17
celebrate in their temple to their god01:24:19
Dean. They brought Zamson out to01:24:22
entertain them, not knowing he was01:24:24
planning their destruction. Judges01:24:26
16:28-3001:24:28
describes his final act. Then Samson01:24:30
prayed to the Lord, "Sovereign Lord,01:24:33
remember me. Please God, strengthen me01:24:35
just once more and let me with one blow01:24:38
get revenge on the Philistines for my01:24:40
two eyes."01:24:42
Then Samson reached toward the two01:24:44
central pillars on which the temple01:24:46
stood. Bracing himself against them, his01:24:49
right hand on the one and his left hand01:24:51
on the other, Samson said, "Let me die01:24:54
with the Philistines."01:24:56
Then he pushed with all his might, and01:24:58
down came the temple on the rulers and01:25:01
all the people in it. Thus he killed01:25:04
many more when he died than while he01:25:06
lived. But Samson's story was also01:25:09
tragic because he wasted his gifts01:25:11
through poor choices. He fell in love01:25:14
with a Philistine woman named Delilah01:25:16
who kept trying to discover the secret01:25:18
of his strength. After she nagged him01:25:20
repeatedly, he finally told her that his01:25:23
strength came from his uncut hair.01:25:26
Judges 16:192001:25:28
tells what happened next. After putting01:25:31
him to sleep on her lap, she called for01:25:34
someone to shave off the seven braids of01:25:36
his hair, and so began to subdue him,01:25:39
and his strength left him. Then she01:25:42
called, "Samson, the Philistines are01:25:44
upon you." Though he awoke from his01:25:46
sleep and thought, "I'll go out as01:25:48
before and shake myself free." But he01:25:51
did not know that the Lord had left him.01:25:53
The Philistines captured Samson, gouged01:25:56
out his eyes, and made him grind grain01:25:59
like an animal. But while he was in01:26:02
prison, his hair began to grow again,01:26:05
and God gave him one final opportunity01:26:07
to serve his purpose.01:26:11
Samson judged Israel for 20 years, but01:26:14
he was more of a one-man army than a01:26:16
national leader. His victories weakened01:26:19
the Philistines, but didn't completely01:26:21
free Israel from their oppression. That01:26:24
would have to wait for later leaders01:26:26
like Samuel and David. During the time01:26:29
of the judges, there was a beautiful01:26:31
story that showed how God could work01:26:34
even in dark times. A man named IMC took01:26:37
his wife Naomi and their two sons from01:26:40
Bethlehem to the country of Moab because01:26:43
of a famine in Israel. This seemed like01:26:46
a good idea, but it went against God's01:26:48
plan for his people to stay in the01:26:51
promised land.01:26:53
In Moab, IMC died and his sons married01:26:57
Moabitete women named Ruth and Orpa.01:27:00
After about 10 years, both sons died01:27:03
too, leaving Naomi alone with her two01:27:05
daughters-in-law.01:27:07
Ruth 135 summarizes these tragedies.01:27:11
Now, IMC, Naomi's husband, died, and she01:27:15
was left with her two sons. They married01:27:17
Moabitete women, one named Opar and the01:27:20
other Ruth. After they had lived there01:27:22
about 10 years, both Maron and Killian01:27:25
also died, and Naomi was left without01:27:27
her two sons and her husband. When Naomi01:27:31
heard that the famine in Israel was01:27:33
over, she decided to return home. She01:27:36
told her daughters-in-law to stay in01:27:38
Moab, where they could remarry and start01:27:40
new lives. Or tearfully said goodbye,01:27:43
but Ruth refused to leave Naomi. Ruth01:27:46
1:16-17 contains Ruth's beautiful01:27:49
declaration of loyalty. But Ruth01:27:52
replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or01:27:55
to turn back from you. Where you go, I01:27:57
will go. And where you stay, I will01:28:00
stay. Your people will be my people and01:28:03
your God my God. Where you die, I will01:28:05
die. And there I will be buried. May the01:28:08
Lord deal with me, be it ever so01:28:10
severely, if even death separates you01:28:13
and me." Ruth was willing to leave01:28:16
everything familiar and follow Naomi to01:28:18
a foreign country where she would be an01:28:20
outsider. More importantly, she was01:28:23
choosing to worship the God of Israel01:28:25
instead of the gods of Moab. When they01:28:28
arrived in Bethlehem, they were very01:28:30
poor and had no way to support01:28:32
themselves. But it was harvest time, and01:28:35
God's law allowed poor people to gather01:28:37
grain that was left behind by the01:28:39
harvesters. Ruth 2:2 shows Ruth's01:28:42
initiative. And Ruth the Moabitete said01:28:44
to Naomi, "Let me go to the fields and01:28:47
pick up the leftover grain behind anyone01:28:49
in whose eyes I find favor." Naomi said01:28:53
to her, "Go ahead, my daughter."01:28:56
By God's providence, Ruth ended up01:29:00
gleaning in a field owned by a man named01:29:02
Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi's01:29:05
deceased husband. When Boaz saw Ruth, he01:29:08
asked about her and learned how loyal01:29:10
she had been to Naomi. Ruth 2:11-1201:29:13
shows his response. Boaz replied, "I've01:29:17
been told all about what you have done01:29:18
for your mother-in-law since the death01:29:20
of your husband, how you left your01:29:22
father and mother and your homeland and01:29:24
came to live with a people you did not01:29:27
know before. May the Lord repay you for01:29:29
what you have done. May you be richly01:29:32
rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel,01:29:35
under whose wings you have come to take01:29:37
refuge.01:29:39
Boaz was kind to Ruth and made sure she01:29:41
was protected and wellfed. When Naomi01:29:44
learned about this, she realized that01:29:47
Boaz was a guardian redeemer, a close01:29:50
relative who had the right to marry Ruth01:29:53
and continue her deceased husband's01:29:55
family line.01:29:57
Following Naomi's instructions, Ruth01:30:00
approached Boaz and asked him to marry01:30:02
her. There was one problem. There was a01:30:05
closer relative who had the first right01:30:08
to redeem her. But when this man learned01:30:11
he would have to marry Ruth and give up01:30:13
part of his inheritance, he declined.01:30:17
Ruth 4:9-10 records Boaz's public01:30:21
declaration when he married Ruth. Then01:30:24
Boaz announced to the elders and all the01:30:26
people, "Today you are witnesses that I01:30:29
have bought from Naomi all the property01:30:31
of IMC, Killion, and Marlon. I have also01:30:34
acquired Ruth the Moabitete, Marlon's01:30:37
widow, as my wife, in order to maintain01:30:40
the name of the dead with his property,01:30:42
so that his name will not disappear from01:30:44
among his family or from his hometown."01:30:47
Today, you are witnesses.01:30:50
Ruth. And Boaz had a son named Oed, who01:30:54
became the father of Jesse, who became01:30:56
the father of David, the future king of01:30:59
Israel. This meant that Ruth, a01:31:01
Moabitete woman, became the great01:31:03
grandmother of Israel's greatest king.01:31:06
God had taken a pagan woman who showed01:31:09
loyalty and faith and made her part of01:31:11
the royal line that would eventually01:31:13
lead to the Messiah.01:31:17
The story of Ruth shows how God can01:31:19
bring good out of difficult01:31:21
circumstances and how he values01:31:23
character more than nationality or01:31:26
social status.01:31:28
The last and greatest of the judges was01:31:30
Samuel, who was different from all the01:31:32
others. He was not just a military01:31:35
deliverer, but also a priest and prophet01:31:37
who led Israel back to spiritual01:31:39
faithfulness. His story began before he01:31:42
was born when his mother Hannah01:31:45
desperately wanted a child. Hannah was01:31:48
married to a man named Elana who loved01:31:50
her deeply but she couldn't have01:31:53
children while his other wife Panina had01:31:55
many sons and daughters. This caused01:31:57
Hannah great sorrow, especially when01:32:00
Panina mocked her about being childless.01:32:02
Every year when the family went to01:32:04
worship at Shiloh, Hannah would weep and01:32:07
pray for a son.01:32:10
1st Samuel 1:10-11 describes her01:32:13
desperate prayer. In her deep anguish,01:32:16
Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping01:32:18
bitterly. And she made a vow, saying,01:32:21
"Lord Almighty, if you will only look on01:32:24
your servant's misery, and remember me01:32:26
and not forget your servant, but give01:32:28
her a son. Then I will give him to the01:32:30
Lord for all the days of his life, and01:32:32
no razor will ever be used on his head."01:32:36
Hannah was praying so intensely that Eli01:32:38
the priest thought she was drunk. But01:32:40
when he learned about her heartfelt01:32:42
request, he blessed her and told her to01:32:44
go in peace. God answered her prayer and01:32:47
she gave birth to a son named Samuel,01:32:50
which means heard by God. True to her01:32:53
promise, Hannah brought Samuel to the01:32:54
tabernacle when he was still very young01:32:57
and dedicated him to serve God there.01:32:59
1st Samuel 127:28 shows her01:33:03
faithfulness. I prayed for this child01:33:05
and the Lord has granted me what I asked01:33:08
of him. So now I give him to the Lord.01:33:11
For his whole life he will be given over01:33:13
to the Lord. Samuel grew up serving in01:33:16
the tabernacle under Eli's supervision.01:33:18
But Eli's own sons were wicked priests01:33:22
who stole from the sacrifices and01:33:24
committed immoral acts. God was angry01:33:27
with them and planned to judge their01:33:29
family. One night when Samuel was still01:33:32
a boy, God called to him while he was01:33:34
sleeping. At first, Samuel thought it01:33:37
was Eli calling, but after this happened01:33:40
three times, Eli realized God was01:33:43
speaking to the boy. First of Samuel01:33:46
3:9-10 shows what happened next. So Eli01:33:50
told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he01:33:54
calls you, say, speak, Lord, for your01:33:58
servant is listening." Do so Samuel went01:34:00
and lay down in his place. The Lord came01:34:03
and stood there, calling as at the other01:34:06
time, "Samuel, Samuel."01:34:08
Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your01:34:11
servant is listening." God told Samuel01:34:14
that he was going to judge Eli's family01:34:16
because of his son's wickedness. This01:34:18
was difficult news for a young boy to01:34:20
deliver. But Samuel faithfully reported01:34:23
everything God had told him. As Samuel01:34:27
grew up, God was with him and01:34:29
established him as a prophet. 1st Samuel01:34:32
3:19 to20 tells us about his reputation.01:34:36
The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up,01:34:39
and he let none of Samuel's words fall01:34:41
to the ground. and all Israel from Dan01:34:44
to Beersa recognized that Samuel was01:34:47
attested as a prophet of the Lord.01:34:50
During Samuel's leadership, the01:34:52
Philistines captured the ark of the01:34:55
covenant in battle and took it to their01:34:57
cities. But everywhere they took the01:34:59
ark, God sent plagues and disasters01:35:03
until they were forced to send it back01:35:04
to Israel with offerings to appease the01:35:07
God of Israel.01:35:09
Samuel called the people to repentance01:35:12
and led them in a great victory over the01:35:14
Philistines at Mizpa. For many years he01:35:17
traveled in a circuit judging Israel and01:35:20
leading them in worship. Under his01:35:22
leadership the people turned back to God01:35:25
and experienced peace. But as Samuel01:35:28
grew old, the people made a request that01:35:31
broke his heart. 1st Samuel 8:4-501:35:34
records what happened. So all the elders01:35:37
of Israel gathered together and came to01:35:39
Samuel at Rama. They said to him, "You01:35:42
are old and your sons do not follow your01:35:45
ways. Now appoint a king to lead us,01:35:48
such as all the other nations have."01:35:51
Samuel was disappointed because he knew01:35:53
this request showed the people were01:35:56
rejecting God as their king. God told01:35:59
Samuel to warn them about what having a01:36:02
human king would cost them. He would01:36:05
draft their sons for his army, take01:36:07
their daughters to serve in his palace,01:36:09
tax their crops and flocks, and make01:36:12
them his servants.01:36:14
Samuel 8:1 19-20 shows that the people01:36:17
didn't care about these warnings, but01:36:20
the people refused to listen to Samuel.01:36:23
No, they said, "We want a king over us.01:36:27
Then we will be like all the other01:36:28
nations with a king to lead us and to go01:36:31
out before us and fight our battles.01:36:34
God told Samuel to give them what they01:36:36
wanted, even though it wasn't his best01:36:39
plan for them. The age of the judges was01:36:42
ending, and the age of kings was about01:36:45
to begin. Samuel had been faithful as01:36:47
the last judge, leading Israel back to01:36:50
God and preparing them for the next01:36:52
chapter in their history. But the01:36:54
people's demand for a king showed they01:36:56
still didn't fully trust God to be their01:36:59
leader and protector. When the people01:37:01
demanded a king, God told Samuel to find01:37:04
a man named Saul, who was from the tribe01:37:07
of Benjamin. Saul was an impressive01:37:09
looking man, tall, handsome, and from a01:37:12
wealthy family.01:37:14
1st Samuel 9:2 describes him. Kish had a01:37:19
son named Saul, as handsome a young man01:37:21
as could be found anywhere in Israel,01:37:23
and he was a head taller than anyone01:37:26
else. Saul wasn't looking to become king01:37:29
when God chose him. He was simply01:37:32
searching for his father's lost donkeys01:37:34
when he met Samuel. The prophet secretly01:37:37
anointed Saul with oil and told him God01:37:40
had chosen him to rule Israel. 1st01:37:42
Samuel 10:1 records this moment. Then01:37:45
Samuel took a flask of olive oil and01:37:48
poured it on Saul's head and kissed him,01:37:50
saying, "Has not the Lord anointed you01:37:53
ruler over his inheritance?"01:37:55
To confirm that this was really God's01:37:58
choice, Samuel told Saul he would meet01:38:01
specific people and have certain01:38:03
experiences on his way home. Everything01:38:06
happened exactly as Samuel predicted,01:38:09
including Saul prophesying with a group01:38:11
of prophets, which completely changed01:38:14
his heart. When Samuel gathered all01:38:17
Israel to present their new king, Saul01:38:20
was so nervous he hid among the baggage.01:38:23
But when they found him and brought him01:38:25
forward, the people were impressed with01:38:27
his appearance and shouted, "Long live01:38:30
the king." Saul's first test as king01:38:33
came when the Ammonites threatened to01:38:35
attack the city of Jabesh Gilead. The01:38:38
enemy king offered a cruel peace treaty.01:38:41
He would spare the city only if he could01:38:44
gouge out the right eye of every person01:38:46
living there. When Saul heard about this01:38:49
threat, the spirit of God came upon him01:38:51
powerfully.01:38:53
Samuel 11:6-7 describes Saul's response.01:38:57
When Saul heard their words, the spirit01:39:00
of God came powerfully upon him, and he01:39:02
burned with anger. He took a pair of01:39:05
oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the01:39:07
pieces by messengers throughout Israel,01:39:09
proclaiming, "This is what will be done01:39:12
to the oxen of anyone who does not01:39:15
follow Saul and Samuel."01:39:17
Then the terror of the Lord fell on the01:39:19
people and they came out together. At01:39:22
one Saul assembled a huge army and01:39:25
completely defeated the Ammonites,01:39:27
rescuing Jabesh Gilead. This victory01:39:30
established his reputation as a military01:39:32
leader and convinced any doubters that01:39:35
God had truly chosen him to be king. For01:39:38
a while, Saul ruled well and won many01:39:42
battles against Israel's enemies. But01:39:45
gradually pride began to affect his01:39:48
judgment. The first major problem came01:39:50
when the Philistines gathered for war01:39:53
and Samuel was late arriving to offer01:39:55
the pre- battle sacrifice. Saul got01:39:58
impatient and decided to offer the01:40:00
sacrifice himself. Even though only01:40:02
priests were supposed to do this, Samuel01:40:06
13-13-1401:40:08
shows Samuel's response when he arrived.01:40:12
You have done a foolish thing, Samuel01:40:14
said. You have not kept the command. The01:40:18
Lord your God gave you. If you had, he01:40:21
would have established your kingdom over01:40:22
Israel for all time. But now your01:40:25
kingdom will not endure. The Lord has01:40:27
sought out a man after his own heart and01:40:30
appointed him ruler of his people01:40:33
because you have not kept the Lord's01:40:35
command.01:40:36
This was just the beginning of Saul's01:40:38
problems. Later, God commanded him to01:40:42
completely destroy the Amalachites and01:40:44
everything they owned as punishment for01:40:47
how they had attacked Israel in the01:40:49
desert. But Saul disobeyed by keeping01:40:51
the best animals alive and sparing King01:40:54
Aag. When Samuel confronted him about01:40:57
this disobedience, Saul made excuses and01:41:00
claimed he had saved the animals to01:41:01
sacrifice to God. 1st Samuel 15:22-2301:41:06
contains Samuel's famous response. But01:41:09
Samuel replied, "Does the Lord delight01:41:12
in burnt offerings and sacrifices as01:41:14
much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is01:41:17
better than sacrifice, and to heed is01:41:20
better than the fat of rams. For01:41:22
rebellion is like the sin of divination,01:41:25
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.01:41:28
because you have rejected the word of01:41:29
the Lord, he has rejected you as king."01:41:34
From that day forward, God's spirit left01:41:37
Saul and an evil spirit began to torment01:41:39
him. Saul became jealous, paranoid, and01:41:43
violent. He spent the rest of his reign01:41:46
trying to kill David, the young man God01:41:48
had chosen to replace him.01:41:51
Saul's tragic end came when he was01:41:53
defeated by the Philistines in battle01:41:55
and fell on his own sword rather than be01:41:58
captured alive.01:42:01
While Saul was still king, God sent01:42:04
Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint his01:42:06
replacement from among the sons of01:42:08
Jesse. When Samuel saw Jesse's oldest01:42:11
son, he thought, "This impressive young01:42:13
man must be God's choice." But 1st01:42:16
Samuel 16:7 records God's correction.01:42:20
But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not01:42:23
consider his appearance or his height,01:42:25
for I have rejected him." The Lord does01:42:28
not look at the things people look at.01:42:30
People look at the outward appearance,01:42:32
but the Lord looks at the heart. Jesse01:42:35
brought seven of his sons before Samuel,01:42:38
but God didn't choose any of them.01:42:40
Finally, Samuel asked if there were any01:42:44
other sons. First of Samuel 16:11 shows01:42:48
what happened next. So he asked Jesse,01:42:50
"Are these all the sons you have?"01:42:52
"There is still the youngest," Jesse01:42:54
answered. "He is tending the sheep."01:42:56
Samuel said, "Send for him. We will not01:42:59
sit down until he arrives."01:43:03
When David arrived from the fields, God01:43:06
immediately told Samuel this was his01:43:08
choice. 1st Samuel 16:12:1301:43:12
describes the anointing. So he sent for01:43:15
him and had him brought in. He was01:43:18
glowing with health and had a fine01:43:20
appearance and handsome features. Then01:43:23
the Lord said, "Rise and anoint him.01:43:26
This is the one." So Samuel took the01:43:28
horn of oil and anointed him in the01:43:31
presence of his brothers. And from that01:43:33
day on, the spirit of the Lord came01:43:36
powerfully upon David. David was just a01:43:40
teenager, but he had already shown01:43:42
remarkable faith while protecting his01:43:45
father's sheep. He had killed both a01:43:47
lion and a bear with his bare hands when01:43:50
they threatened the flock. This courage01:43:52
prepared him for his most famous moment01:43:55
when the Philistines challenged Israel01:43:57
to send a champion to fight their giant01:44:00
warrior Goliath. All of Israel's01:44:02
soldiers were terrified. Goliath was01:44:05
over 9 ft tall and covered in armor, and01:44:08
he had been taunting God's people for 4001:44:10
days. David happened to be visiting his01:44:13
older brothers in the army when he heard01:44:15
Goliath's challenge. Samuel 17:2601:44:20
shows David's reaction. David asked the01:44:22
men standing near him, "What will be01:44:25
done for the man who kills this01:44:27
Philistine and removes this disgrace01:44:29
from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised01:44:33
Philistine that he should defy the01:44:35
armies of the living God?" When King01:44:38
Saul heard about David's willingness to01:44:40
fight, he tried to give him armor, but01:44:42
it was too big and heavy. Instead, David01:44:45
chose five smooth stones from a stream01:44:48
and approached Goliath with just his01:44:50
sling and his faith in God. Samuel01:44:54
17:45-4701:44:56
records David's bold declaration. David01:44:59
said to the Philistine, "You come01:45:01
against me with sword and spear and01:45:03
javelin, but I come against you in the01:45:05
name of the Lord Almighty, the God of01:45:08
the armies of Israel, whom you have01:45:10
defied. This day the Lord will deliver01:45:14
you into my hands, and I'll strike you01:45:16
down and cut off your head. This very01:45:19
day I will give the carcasses of the01:45:21
Philistine army to the birds and the01:45:23
wild animals. And the whole world will01:45:26
know that there is a God in Israel. All01:45:29
those gathered here will know that it is01:45:32
not by sword or spear that the Lord01:45:35
saves. For the battle is the Lord's, and01:45:38
he will give all of you into our hands.01:45:40
David's first stone struck Goliath in01:45:43
the forehead and killed him instantly.01:45:46
The Philistines fled in terror and01:45:48
Israel won a great victory. This made01:45:51
David famous throughout the nation and01:45:54
began his career as a warrior and01:45:55
leader. Saul brought David into his01:45:58
court and eventually gave him his01:46:00
daughter Mikall as a wife. But as01:46:03
David's popularity grew, Saul became01:46:06
insanely jealous and tried repeatedly to01:46:09
kill him. David was forced to live as a01:46:12
fugitive in the wilderness, gathering a01:46:15
band of loyal followers who would later01:46:17
become his mighty men. During this01:46:20
difficult time, David had two01:46:23
opportunities to kill Saul, but refused01:46:25
to harm the Lord's anointed.01:46:28
This showed the nobility of his01:46:30
character and his respect for God's01:46:33
authority, even when Saul was trying to01:46:35
murder him. After Saul died in battle,01:46:39
David was finally crowned king, first01:46:41
over Judah and then over all Israel. 201:46:44
Samuel 5.4:501:46:47
summarizes his reign. David was 30 years01:46:50
old when he became king, and he reigned01:46:53
40 years. In Hebron, he reigned over01:46:56
Judah 7 years and 6 months. And in01:46:59
Jerusalem, he reigned over all Israel01:47:02
and Judah 33 years.01:47:04
David's de first major accomplishment01:47:07
was capturing Jerusalem from the01:47:09
Jebusites and making it his capital01:47:11
city. This was strategically brilliant01:47:14
because Jerusalem was on the border01:47:16
between the northern and southern01:47:17
tribes, making it acceptable to01:47:20
everyone. David then brought the ark of01:47:22
the covenant to Jerusalem with great01:47:24
celebration. He danced before the Lord01:47:28
with all his might, showing his heart01:47:30
for worship despite criticism from his01:47:33
wife Mikall. This established Jerusalem01:47:35
as not just the political center but01:47:37
also the spiritual center of Israel.01:47:40
Under David's leadership, Israel became01:47:43
a powerful empire. He defeated the01:47:46
Philistines, Moabites,01:47:48
Ammonites, and Arameans, expanding01:47:51
Israel's territory to its greatest01:47:53
extent ever.01:47:55
2 Samuel 8:14 summarizes his success. He01:48:00
put garrisons throughout Edom and all01:48:02
the became subject to David.01:48:05
The Lord gave David victory wherever he01:48:08
went. David also organized the01:48:10
government efficiently, appointing01:48:11
capable men to lead the army, administer01:48:14
justice, and manage the kingdom's01:48:17
affairs. He was known for his justice01:48:19
and fairness to all people. But David01:48:22
wasn't perfect. His greatest failure01:48:25
came when he committed adultery with Ba01:48:28
Sheeba and arranged for her husband01:48:30
Uriah to be killed in battle. When the01:48:33
prophet Nathan confronted him about this01:48:35
sin, David repented deeply and wrote01:48:38
Psalm 51, one of the most beautiful01:48:41
prayers of confession ever written.01:48:44
Samuel 12:13 shows David's response to01:48:47
Nathan's rebuke. Then David said to01:48:50
Nathan, "I have sinned against the01:48:52
Lord." Nathan replied, "The Lord has01:48:54
taken away your sin. You are not going01:48:57
to die." God forgave David, but the01:49:01
consequences of his sin affected his01:49:03
family for the rest of his life. His son01:49:06
Abselum later rebelled against him and01:49:09
tried to take over the kingdom, breaking01:49:11
David's heart, even though Abselum was01:49:14
eventually defeated and killed. Despite01:49:18
his failures, David was known as a man01:49:20
after God's own heart because he loved01:49:23
God deeply and always returned to him in01:49:26
repentance when he sinned. He wrote many01:49:28
of the Psalms, expressing his intimate01:49:31
relationship with God through both01:49:33
struggles and victories. When David grew01:49:36
old, he chose his son Solomon to succeed01:49:39
him as king. Even though Solomon was not01:49:41
the oldest son, David gave Solomon01:49:44
detailed plans for building the temple01:49:46
that God had not allowed David to01:49:48
construct because he was a man of war.01:49:53
Kings 359 shows how Solomon's reign01:49:56
began at Gibian. The Lord appeared to01:49:59
Solomon during the night in a dream and01:50:02
God said, "Ask for whatever you want me01:50:04
to give you." Solomon answered, "You01:50:07
have shown great kindness to your01:50:09
servant, my father David, because he was01:50:11
faithful to you and righteous and01:50:13
upright in heart. You have continued01:50:15
this great kindness to him and have01:50:18
given him a son to sit on his throne01:50:20
this very day. Now, Lord my God, you01:50:24
have made your servant king in place of01:50:26
my father David. But I am only a little01:50:29
child and do not know how to carry out01:50:32
my duties. Your servant is here among01:50:35
the people you have chosen, a great01:50:37
people, too numerous to count or number.01:50:40
So give your servant a discerning heart01:50:42
to govern your people and to distinguish01:50:44
between right and wrong. For who is able01:50:47
to govern this great people of yours?01:50:50
God was pleased that Solomon asked for01:50:52
wisdom rather than wealth or long life.01:50:55
Border Kings 3:12 records God's generous01:50:58
response. I will do what you have asked.01:51:01
I will give you a wise and discerning01:51:03
heart so that there will never have been01:51:06
anyone like you nor will there ever be.01:51:09
Moreover, I will give you what you have,01:51:11
not asked for, both wealth and honor, so01:51:14
that in your lifetime you will have no01:51:16
equal among kings.01:51:19
Solomon's wisdom became famous01:51:20
throughout the world. He could speak01:51:23
about plants, animals, and many other01:51:25
subjects. He wrote 3,000 proverbs and01:51:28
over a thousand songs. Kings and queens01:51:31
came from distant countries just to hear01:51:33
his wisdom and see his kingdom. The most01:51:36
famous test of Solomon's wisdom came01:51:38
when two women claimed to be the mother01:51:40
of the same baby. First Kings 3:24-2701:51:45
describes his clever solution. Then the01:51:49
king said, "Bring me a sword." So they01:51:52
brought a sword for the king. He then01:51:54
gave an order. Cut the living child in01:51:56
two and give half to one and half to the01:51:59
other. The woman whose son was alive was01:52:02
deeply moved out of love for her son and01:52:05
said to the king, "Please, my lord, give01:52:07
her the living baby. Don't kill him."01:52:09
But the other said, "Neither I nor you01:52:12
shall have him. Cut him in two." Then01:52:14
the king gave his ruling. Give the01:52:16
living baby to the first woman. Do not01:52:18
kill him. She is his mother.01:52:21
Solomon's greatest achievement was01:52:22
building the temple in Jerusalem. This01:52:26
magnificent building took 7 years to01:52:28
construct and was covered with gold01:52:31
inside and out. First Kings 637:38 tells01:52:34
us about its completion. The foundation01:52:37
of the temple of the Lord was laid in01:52:39
the fourth year in the month of Ziv. In01:52:42
the 11th year in the month of Bull, the01:52:45
eighth month, the temple was finished in01:52:48
all its details. According to its01:52:50
specifications, he had spent 7 years01:52:53
building it. When the temple was01:52:55
completed, Solomon dedicated it with a01:52:58
great celebration. The priests brought01:53:00
the ark of the covenant into the most01:53:02
holy place, and God's glory filled the01:53:05
temple so powerfully that the priests01:53:07
couldn't continue their service.01:53:10
Kings 8:10-11 describes this amazing01:53:13
moment01:53:15
when the priests withdrew from the holy01:53:18
place. The cloud filled the temple of01:53:20
the Lord and the priests could not01:53:22
perform their service because of the01:53:24
cloud for the glory of the Lord filled01:53:27
his temple. Solomon offered a beautiful01:53:29
prayer of dedication asking God to hear01:53:32
the prayers of people who would come to01:53:34
this temple seeking forgiveness, help or01:53:38
guidance. He acknowledged that no01:53:40
building could contain God, but asked01:53:43
him to make this a special place where01:53:46
his people could meet with him. During01:53:48
Solomon's reign, Israel experienced01:53:50
unprecedented peace and prosperity.01:53:53
First Kings 4:20-2101:53:56
describes the golden age. The people of01:53:59
Judah and Israel were as numerous as the01:54:01
sand on the seashore. They ate, they01:54:03
drank, and they were happy. and Solomon01:54:06
ruled over all the kingdoms from the01:54:08
Euphrates River to the land of the01:54:10
Philistines as far as the border of01:54:12
Egypt. These countries brought tribute01:54:15
and were Solomon's subjects all his01:54:18
life. Solomon established extensive01:54:21
trade relationships and built a powerful01:54:23
navy. His merchants brought gold,01:54:26
silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks from01:54:28
distant lands. The Queen of Sheba01:54:30
traveled from Africa to see his kingdom01:54:33
and was amazed by everything she01:54:35
witnessed.01:54:37
Kings 106 to7 records her response. She01:54:41
said to the king, "The report I heard in01:54:44
my own country about your achievements01:54:45
and your wisdom is true. But I did not01:54:49
believe these things until I came and01:54:51
saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even01:54:54
half was told me. In wisdom and wealth,01:54:57
you have far exceeded the report I01:54:59
heard.01:55:00
Unfortunately, Solomon's later years01:55:03
were marked by spiritual decline. He01:55:06
married many foreign wives to seal01:55:08
political alliances, and these women01:55:11
brought their gods with them. He burst01:55:14
Kings 11:3-401:55:16
shows how this affected him. He had 70001:55:19
wives of royal birth and 300 concubines,01:55:23
and his wives led him astray. As Solomon01:55:26
grew old, his wives turned his heart01:55:29
after other gods, and his heart was not01:55:32
fully devoted to the Lord his God, as01:55:35
the heart of David his father had been.01:55:37
Solomon even built temples for foreign01:55:40
gods to please his wives. This made God01:55:43
angry, and he announced that the kingdom01:55:45
would be divided after Solomon's death.01:55:47
Only one tribe would remain loyal to01:55:50
Solomon's family, while the other 1001:55:52
tribes would rebel and form their own01:55:55
kingdom. Solomon's reign lasted 40 years01:55:59
and represented the peak of Israel's01:56:01
power and glory. But his compromise with01:56:04
pagan religions set the stage for the01:56:07
troubles that would follow. When Solomon01:56:10
died, his son Rehoboam became king. But01:56:13
the people had grown tired of the heavy01:56:16
taxes and forced labor that Solomon had01:56:18
imposed to fund his building projects.01:56:22
Led by a man named Jeroboam,01:56:24
representatives from the northern tribes01:56:26
came to Rihoboam with a request. Kings01:56:29
12 3-4 shows what they asked. So they01:56:33
sent for Jeroboam. And he and the whole01:56:35
assembly of Israel went to Rihoboam and01:56:37
said to him, "Your father put a heavy01:56:40
yoke on us. But now lighten the harsh01:56:42
labor and the heavy yoke he put on us,01:56:45
and we will serve you." Rhoboam asked01:56:48
for 3 days to consider their request. He01:56:51
first consulted the older advisers who01:56:54
had served his father. First Kings 12:701:56:57
records their wise council. They01:57:00
replied, "If today you will be a servant01:57:02
to these people and serve them and give01:57:06
them a favorable answer, they will01:57:08
always be your servants." But Rahoboam01:57:11
rejected this advice and instead01:57:13
listened to the young men he had grown01:57:15
up with. Their council was foolish and01:57:18
arrogant. Used Kings 12:10 to11 shows01:57:21
what they suggested. The young men who01:57:24
had grown up with him replied, "These01:57:26
people have said to you, "Your father01:57:28
put a heavy yolk on us, but make our01:57:30
yoke lighter." Now tell them, "My little01:57:33
finger is thicker than my father's01:57:36
waist. My father laid on you a heavy01:57:38
yolk. I will make it even heavier. My01:57:40
father scourged you with whips. I will01:57:43
scourge you with scorpions." When01:57:45
Rehaboam gave this harsh answer to the01:57:47
people, they immediately rebelled. First01:57:50
Kings 12:16 records their response. When01:57:53
all Israel saw that the king refused to01:57:56
listen to them, they answered the king,01:57:58
"What share do we have in David? What01:58:01
part in Jesse's son? To your tents,01:58:03
Israel. Look after your own house,01:58:06
David." So the Israelites went home. The01:58:10
kingdom split exactly as God had01:58:12
predicted. 10 tribes in the north chose01:58:14
Jeroboam as their king and called their01:58:17
nation Israel. Only the tribes of Judah01:58:20
and Benjamin remained loyal to Rihoboam01:58:23
in the south, forming the kingdom of01:58:25
Judah. Jeroboam faced an immediate01:58:28
problem. Jerusalem with its beautiful01:58:31
temple was now in the southern kingdom.01:58:33
If his people continued going there for01:58:36
the religious festivals, they might01:58:38
decide to reunite with Judah. So01:58:41
Jeroboam made a terrible decision that01:58:44
would curse the northern kingdom01:58:46
forever.01:58:47
Kings 12:28:3001:58:49
describes his solution. After seeking01:58:53
advice, the king made two golden calves.01:58:56
He said to the people, "It is too much01:58:59
for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are01:59:02
your gods, Israel, who brought you up01:59:04
out of Egypt. One he set up in Bethl and01:59:06
the other in Dan." And this thing became01:59:10
a sin. The people came to worship the01:59:12
one at Bethl and went as far as Dan to01:59:15
worship the other. Jeroboam also01:59:18
appointed priests who weren't from the01:59:20
tribe of Levi and changed the dates of01:59:23
the religious festivals. This created a01:59:26
completely separate religious system01:59:29
that mixed worship of the true God with01:59:31
pagan practices. God sent a prophet from01:59:34
Judah to confront Jeroboam while he was01:59:37
offering incense at the altar in Bethl.01:59:39
First Kings 13:2 records the prophet's01:59:42
message. By the word of the Lord, he01:59:45
cried out against the altar, "Altar,01:59:47
altar. This is what the Lord says. A son01:59:51
named Josiah will be born to the house01:59:53
of David. On you he will sacrifice the01:59:56
priests of the high places who make01:59:58
offerings here, and human bones will be02:00:00
burned on you." When Jeroboam tried to02:00:03
arrest the prophet, his hand withered02:00:06
and the altar split apart, proving that02:00:08
the message was from God. Although02:00:11
Jeroboam's hand was healed when the02:00:13
prophet prayed for him, he refused to02:00:15
turn from his evil ways. From this point02:00:18
on, the two kingdoms had separate02:00:20
histories. The northern kingdom of02:00:23
Israel had 19 kings from nine different02:00:26
dynasties over about 200 years. Every02:00:29
single one of these kings was evil and02:00:32
continued the idolatrous worship that02:00:34
Jeroboam had established. The southern02:00:37
kingdom of Judah had 20 kings, all from02:00:40
David's dynasty over about 350 years.02:00:43
Some of these kings were good and tried02:00:45
to bring the people back to God, while02:00:48
others were evil and led the people into02:00:50
idolatry. The division of the kingdom02:00:53
fulfilled God's judgment on Solomon's02:00:56
unfaithfulness, but it also weakened02:00:58
both nations and made them vulnerable to02:01:01
attacks from powerful empires like02:01:03
Assyria and Babylon.02:01:06
During the dark period, when evil kings02:01:09
ruled both Israel and Judah, God raised02:01:12
up powerful prophets to call the people02:01:14
back to faithful worship. The most02:01:16
famous of these was Elijah, who02:01:18
confronted King Ahab of Israel and his02:01:21
wicked wife Jezebel. Ahab was one of the02:01:24
worst kings Israel ever had. First Kings02:01:28
16:30302:01:29
describes his reign. Ahab, son of Omry,02:01:33
did more evil in the eyes of the Lord02:01:36
than any of those before him. He not02:01:38
only considered it trivial to commit the02:01:40
sins of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, but he02:01:43
also married Jezebel, daughter of02:01:45
Ethbal, king of the Sidonians, and began02:01:49
to serve Bal and worship him. He set up02:01:52
an altar for Bal in the temple of Bal02:01:54
that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made02:01:58
an Asherole and did more to arouse the02:02:00
anger of the Lord, the God of Israel,02:02:03
than did all the kings of Israel before02:02:05
him. Jezebel was a pagan princess who02:02:08
brought hundreds of priests of Bal with02:02:10
her when she married Ahab. She tried to02:02:13
completely eliminate the worship of the02:02:15
true God from Israel and killed many of02:02:18
God's prophets. Elijah suddenly appeared02:02:21
before King Ahab with a shocking02:02:24
announcement. First Kings 17:1 records02:02:28
his words. Now Elijah the Tishbite from02:02:31
Tishb and Gilead said to Ahab, "As the02:02:34
Lord, the God of Israel lives whom I02:02:38
serve, there will be neither dew nor02:02:40
rain in the next few years, except at my02:02:44
word, for 3 and 1/2 years, no rain fell02:02:47
in Israel. The drought was so severe02:02:50
that even King Ahab had to search02:02:52
personally for grass to keep his horses02:02:54
alive. During this time, God02:02:57
supernaturally provided for Elijah.02:02:59
First by having ravens bring him food02:03:01
beside a brook, then by staying with a02:03:04
widow whose flour and oil never ran out.02:03:08
When the drought reached its worst02:03:09
point, God told Elijah to confront Ahab02:03:12
again and challenged the prophets of02:03:14
Baal to a contest on Mount Carmel. Ersa02:03:17
Kings 18:21 shows Elijah's challenge to02:03:20
the people. Elijah went before the02:03:22
people and said, "How long will you02:03:24
waver between two opinions? If the Lord02:03:27
is God, follow him. But if Baal is God,02:03:31
follow him." But the people said02:03:33
nothing. The contest was simple. Each02:03:36
side would prepare a sacrifice, but put02:03:39
no fire under it. The God who answered02:03:41
by sending fire to consume the sacrifice02:03:44
would prove he was the true God. The 45002:03:48
prophets of Bal went first, dancing02:03:51
around their altar and crying out from02:03:53
morning until evening, even cutting02:03:55
themselves with swords and spears, but02:03:58
nothing happened. Kings 18:36:3802:04:02
describes what happened when Elijah02:04:04
prayed at the time of sacrifice. The02:04:06
prophet Elijah stepped forward and02:04:08
prayed, "Lord, the God of Abraham,02:04:11
Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today02:04:14
that you are God in Israel, and that I02:04:18
am your servant and have done all these02:04:20
things at your command. Answer me, Lord.02:04:23
Answer me so these people will know that02:04:25
you, Lord, are God, and that you are02:04:28
turning their hearts back again."02:04:31
Then the fire of the Lord fell and02:04:34
burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the02:04:36
stones, and the soil, and also licked up02:04:39
the water in the trench. The people02:04:41
immediately fell on their faces and02:04:43
cried out, "The Lord, he is God. The02:04:46
Lord, he is God." Elijah ordered them to02:04:49
seize the prophets of Baal, and all 45002:04:52
were executed. Then Elijah prayed for02:04:55
rain, and the drought finally ended. But02:04:59
Queen Jezebel was furious about the02:05:01
death of her prophets and threatened to02:05:03
kill Elijah within 24 hours. The great02:05:07
prophet who had just defeated 450 men02:05:10
became afraid and ran for his life into02:05:13
the desert. In his depression, Elijah02:05:16
asked God to let him die. But God gently02:05:19
restored him. First by providing food02:05:22
and rest. Then by speaking to him in a02:05:25
gentle whisper rather than in wind,02:05:27
earthquake, or fire. God assured Elijah02:05:30
that he wasn't alone. There were still02:05:32
7,000 people in Israel who had not bowed02:05:35
down to Baal. God also told Elijah to02:05:38
anoint Elisha as his successor. Elisha02:05:42
became Elijah's assistant and eventually02:05:44
inherited a double portion of his02:05:46
spirit. When Elijah was taken up to02:05:49
heaven in a whirlwind without dying,02:05:52
Elisha's ministry lasted about 50 years02:05:55
and was marked by many miracles. He02:05:57
purified poisoned water, multiplied oil02:06:00
for a widow to pay her debts, raised a02:06:03
woman's son from the dead, fed a hundred02:06:05
men with 20 loaves of bread, and healed02:06:08
Non the Syrian of leprosy.02:06:11
Elisha also played important political02:06:13
roles, anointing kings and advising them02:06:16
in times of war. When the king of Aram02:06:19
sent an army to capture him, Elisha's02:06:21
servant was terrified to see them02:06:23
surrounded by horses and chariots.02:06:27
Singer's Kings 6:16-1702:06:30
shows how Elisha encouraged him. Don't02:06:34
be afraid, the prophet answered. Those02:06:36
who are with us are more than those who02:06:39
are with them. And Alicia prayed, "Open02:06:41
his eyes, Lord, so that he may see."02:06:44
Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes.02:06:47
And he looked and saw the hills full of02:06:49
horses and chariots of fire all around02:06:51
Elisha. Through prophets like Elijah and02:06:54
Elisha, God showed his power and called02:06:57
his people back to faithful worship.02:06:59
Even in the darkest times of Israel's02:07:02
history, despite the warnings of the02:07:04
prophets, both kingdoms continued in02:07:07
their rebellion against God. The02:07:09
northern kingdom of Israel was the first02:07:11
to face judgment when the Assyrian02:07:14
Empire conquered them in 722 BC. For02:07:18
years, Assyria had been demanding02:07:20
tribute from Israel. When King Hosa02:07:23
tried to rebel by seeking help from02:07:25
Egypt, the Assyrian king Shelmanzar02:07:28
invaded and besieged Samaria, Israel's02:07:31
capital city. 2 Kings 17:56 describes02:07:34
the end. The king of Assyria invaded the02:07:38
entire land, marched against Samaria,02:07:41
and laid siege to it for 3 years. In the02:07:45
ninth year of Hosa, the king of Assyria02:07:47
captured Samaria and deported the02:07:50
Israelites to Assyria. He settled them02:07:52
in Hala, in Goan, on the Habbo River,02:07:55
and in the towns of the Mes. The02:07:57
Assyrians had a policy of breaking up02:08:00
conquered nations by moving people to02:08:02
different locations. They took most of02:08:05
the Israelites away to distant parts of02:08:07
their empire and brought foreigners to02:08:10
settle in Israel's land. This ended the02:08:12
northern kingdom forever.02:08:15
Kings 1778 explains why this happened.02:08:19
All this took place because the02:08:20
Israelites had sinned against the Lord02:08:22
their God, who had brought them up out02:08:25
of Egypt from under the power of02:08:26
Pharaoh, king of Egypt. They worshiped02:08:30
other gods and followed the practices of02:08:32
the nations the Lord had driven out02:08:34
before them, as well as the practices02:08:36
that the kings of Israel had introduced.02:08:39
The kingdom of Judah survived for about02:08:42
135 more years. But they didn't learn02:08:44
from Israel's fate. Some kings like02:08:47
Hezekiah and Josiah brought temporary02:08:50
reforms, but most continued in idolatry.02:08:53
King Hezekiah faced his own crisis when02:08:56
the Assyrian King Zanakaribb invaded02:08:58
Judah and threatened Jerusalem. The02:09:00
Assyrian commander mocked God and02:09:03
claimed no God could save any nation02:09:05
from Assyria's power. But when Hezekiah02:09:08
prayed, God sent an angel who killed02:09:11
185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night.02:09:14
and Sinakaribb had to retreat in02:09:16
humiliation. Later, when Hezekiah became02:09:19
deathly ill, he prayed for healing and02:09:23
God added 15 years to his life. But02:09:26
during these extra years, Hezekiah02:09:29
foolishly showed envoys from Babylon all02:09:31
his treasures. The prophet Isaiah warned02:09:34
him that someday Babylon would carry02:09:36
away everything he had shown them. King02:09:39
Josiah brought the most thorough02:09:41
religious reform in Judah's history. He02:09:43
tore down all the pagan altars and02:09:45
temples, burned the implements used in02:09:48
idol worship, and celebrated the02:09:50
Passover for the first time in02:09:52
generations.02:09:54
But even this wasn't enough to turn away02:09:56
God's judgment. Josiah was killed in02:09:59
battle against Pharaoh Neco of Egypt and02:10:02
his successors quickly returned to evil02:10:05
ways. Meanwhile, Babylon had become the02:10:08
dominant world power after defeating02:10:11
Assyria.02:10:13
In 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon02:10:16
came to Jerusalem and took some of the02:10:18
temple treasures and some young nobles02:10:20
back to Babylon as hostages.02:10:23
Among these young men were Daniel and02:10:26
his three friends, King Jehoakim of02:10:28
Judah rebelled against Babylon. So02:10:31
Nebuchadnezzar returned and besieged02:10:33
Jerusalem again. In 597 BC, he took King02:10:38
Jehoakin and 10,000 more people into02:10:40
exile, including the prophet Ezekiel.02:10:44
The final siege came in 588 BC when02:10:48
Nebuchadnezzar returned to destroy02:10:49
Jerusalem completely because King02:10:52
Zedekiah had also rebelled. Kings02:10:55
25.8-10 8-10 describes the destruction.02:10:59
On the seventh day of the fifth month,02:11:02
in the 19th year of Nebuchadnezzar, king02:11:04
of Babylon, Nebu Zaredan, commander of02:11:07
the imperial guard, an official of the02:11:09
king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He02:11:12
set fire to the temple of the Lord, the02:11:15
royal palace, and all the houses of02:11:17
Jerusalem. Every important building he02:11:20
burned down, the whole Babylonian army02:11:22
under the commander of the imperial02:11:24
guard broke down the walls around02:11:26
Jerusalem. The beautiful temple that02:11:29
Solomon had built was destroyed and most02:11:32
of the remaining people were taken to02:11:34
Babylon.02:11:35
Only the poorest were left to tend the02:11:37
land. This marked the end of the kingdom02:11:40
of Judah and the beginning of the02:11:42
Babylonian exile. The Babylonian exile02:11:45
was one of the darkest periods in02:11:48
Israel's history. The people who had02:11:50
been taken from their homeland struggled02:11:53
with despair and wondered if God had02:11:55
abandoned them forever. Psalm 137:1-402:11:59
expresses their sorrow. By the rivers of02:12:01
Babylon, we sat and wept when we02:12:04
remembered Zion. There on the poppplers02:12:07
we hung our harps. For there our02:12:09
capttors asked us for songs. Our02:12:11
tormentors demanded songs of joy. They02:12:14
said, "Sing as one of the songs of02:12:16
Zion." How can we sing the songs of the02:12:19
Lord while in a foreign land? But God02:12:22
had not forgotten his people. He sent02:12:24
prophets to encourage them and explained02:12:26
that the exile was not the end of his02:12:29
plan for them. The prophet Jeremiah had02:12:31
warned about the coming exile, but he02:12:34
also gave hope. Jeremiah 29:10-102:12:38
contains God's promise. This is what the02:12:41
Lord says. When 70 years are completed02:12:44
for Babylon, I will come to you and02:12:47
fulfill my good promise to bring you02:12:49
back to this place. For I know the plans02:12:52
I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans02:12:54
to prosper you and not to harm you.02:12:57
Plans to give you hope and a future.02:13:01
Daniel was one of the young nobles taken02:13:04
to Babylon in the first deportation.02:13:07
Even though he was forced to live in a02:13:10
pagan land, he remained faithful to God02:13:13
and rose to high positions in the02:13:15
Babylonian government. When King02:13:17
Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream02:13:20
that none of his wise men could02:13:22
interpret, Daniel was able to explain it02:13:25
through God's revelation. Daniel 2:4402:13:28
shows part of his interpretation. In the02:13:31
time of those kings, the God of heaven02:13:34
will set up a kingdom that will never be02:13:37
destroyed, nor will it be left to02:13:39
another people. It will crush all those02:13:42
kingdoms and bring them to an end, but02:13:45
it will itself endure forever. Daniel's02:13:48
three friends, Shadrach, Meach, and02:13:50
Abednego, also remained faithful even02:13:53
when threatened with death. When they02:13:55
refused to bow down to a golden statue02:13:58
that Nebuchadnezzar had erected, they02:14:00
were thrown into a blazing furnace. But02:14:03
God protected them so completely that02:14:06
they didn't even smell like smoke when02:14:09
they came out.02:14:11
Daniel 3:24-202:14:14
describes what the king saw. Then King02:14:17
Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in02:14:20
amazement and asked his advisers,02:14:23
"Weren't there three men that we tied up02:14:26
and threw into the fire?" They replied,02:14:29
"Certainly, your majesty." He said,02:14:30
"Look, I see four men walking around in02:14:33
the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the02:14:36
fourth looks like a son of the gods."02:14:40
Later, Daniel himself faced a death02:14:42
sentence when jealous officials02:14:44
convinced King Darius to make a law02:14:46
forbidding prayer to anyone except the02:14:49
king. Daniel continued his practice of02:14:51
praying three times a day facing02:14:54
Jerusalem. So, he was thrown into a den02:14:56
of lions. But God shut the lion's mouths02:14:59
and Daniel was unharmed. Daniel 6:19-2202:15:04
tells what happened the next morning.02:15:07
At the first light of dawn, the king got02:15:09
up and hurried to the lion's den. When02:15:11
he came near the den, he called to02:15:13
Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel,02:15:16
servant of the living God, has your God,02:15:19
whom you serve continually, been able to02:15:22
rescue you from the lions." Daniel02:15:24
answered, "May the king live forever. My02:15:27
God sent his angel, and he shut the02:15:30
mouths of the lions. They have not hurt02:15:32
me because I was found innocent in his02:15:34
sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong02:15:36
before you, your majesty. These stories02:15:40
encouraged the exiled Jews that God was02:15:43
still with them even in Babylon and02:15:45
could protect them from any danger. The02:15:47
prophet Ezekiel was among those taken in02:15:50
the second deportation. His ministry02:15:53
focused on explaining why the exile had02:15:55
happened and giving hope for02:15:57
restoration. He had dramatic visions of02:16:00
God's glory leaving the temple before02:16:02
its destruction, but also visions of a02:16:06
future temple where God's glory would02:16:08
return.02:16:10
Ezekiel's most famous vision was of a02:16:13
valley filled with dry bones. God asked02:16:16
him if these bones could live. And when02:16:19
Ezekiel said only God knew, the Lord02:16:22
commanded him to prophesy to them.02:16:25
Ezekiel 37:7-1002:16:28
describes what happened. So I prophesied02:16:31
as I was commanded. And as I was02:16:33
prophesying, there was a noise, a02:16:36
rattling sound, and the bones came02:16:38
together, bone to bone. I looked, and02:16:42
tendons and flesh appeared on them, and02:16:44
skin covered them, but there was no02:16:46
breath in them. Then he said to me,02:16:49
"Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son02:16:52
of man, and say to it, "This is what the02:16:56
sovereign Lord says, come breath, from02:17:00
the four winds, and breathe into these02:17:02
slain that they may live." In do I02:17:05
prophesied as he commanded me, and02:17:07
breath entered them. They came to life02:17:09
and stood up on their feet, a vast army.02:17:13
God explained that these bones02:17:14
represented the house of Israel, who02:17:16
felt their hope was gone, and they were02:17:18
cut off. But God promised to open their02:17:22
graves and bring them back to their02:17:24
land, giving them new life as a nation.02:17:28
Ezekiel 36 24-26 contains another02:17:31
encouraging prophecy. For I will take02:17:34
you out of the nations. I will gather02:17:36
you from all the countries and bring you02:17:39
back into your own land. I will sprinkle02:17:41
clean water on you and you will be02:17:44
clean. I will cleanse you from all your02:17:46
impurities and from all your idols. I02:17:49
will give you a new heart and put a new02:17:52
spirit in you. I will remove from you02:17:54
your heart of stone and give you a heart02:17:57
of flesh. The prophet Jeremiah, who02:17:59
remained in Jerusalem until its fall,02:18:02
also wrote letters to the exiles,02:18:04
encouraging them to settle down and live02:18:07
normal lives in Babylon while they02:18:09
waited for God's promised restoration.02:18:12
He told them to build houses, plant02:18:15
gardens, marry and have children, and02:18:18
pray for the welfare of the city where02:18:20
they lived. Jeremiah also gave them the02:18:23
amazing promise of a new covenant that02:18:26
would be different from the one their02:18:27
ancestors had broken.02:18:30
Jeremiah 31:33-3402:18:33
describes this future covenant. This is02:18:36
the covenant I will make with the people02:18:38
of Israel after that time, declares the02:18:41
Lord. I will put my law in their minds02:18:44
and write it on their hearts. I will be02:18:46
their God and they will be my people. No02:18:49
longer will they teach their neighbor or02:18:51
say to one another, "Know the Lord."02:18:54
Because they will all know me from the02:18:56
least of them to the greatest, declares02:18:58
the Lord, for I will forgive their02:19:01
wickedness and will remember their sins02:19:04
no more. Even in their darkest hour, God02:19:07
was preparing to fulfill his promises02:19:09
and bring his people home again. The02:19:11
exile taught them important lessons02:19:14
about the consequences of disobedience.02:19:17
But it also demonstrated God's02:19:19
faithfulness to his covenant promises.02:19:23
After exactly 70 years, just as Jeremiah02:19:26
had prophesied, God began to fulfill his02:19:30
promise to bring the exiles home. The02:19:33
Persian Empire had conquered Babylon and02:19:36
their new king Cyrus had a different02:19:38
policy toward conquered peoples than the02:19:40
Babylonians and Assyrians had. In 53802:19:44
BC, Cyrus issued a remarkable decree02:19:47
that allowed the Jews to return to their02:19:50
homeland and rebuild their temple. Ezra02:19:53
12:24 records his proclamation. This is02:19:56
what Cyrus, king of Persia, says, "The02:19:59
Lord, the God of heaven, has given me02:20:01
all the kingdoms of the earth, and he02:20:03
has appointed me to build a temple for02:20:05
him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his02:20:08
people among you may go up to Jerusalem02:20:11
in Judah, and build the temple of the02:20:13
Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is02:20:16
in Jerusalem, and may their God be with02:20:19
them." And in any locality where02:20:21
survivors may now be living, the people02:20:24
are to provide them with silver and02:20:26
gold, with goods and livestock, and with02:20:29
free will offerings for the temple of02:20:31
God in Jerusalem.02:20:34
This decree was amazing because it not02:20:36
only allowed the Jews to return, but02:20:39
also commanded other people to support02:20:41
them financially. Isaiah had prophesied02:20:44
about Cyrus by name over 150 years02:20:47
before he was born, calling him God's02:20:50
anointed one, who would rebuild02:20:52
Jerusalem and set the exiles free. About02:20:55
50,000 Jews chose to make the difficult02:20:58
journey back to their ruined homeland02:21:00
under the leadership of Zerubbabel, a02:21:03
descendant of King David, and Joshua,02:21:05
the high priest. When they arrived, they02:21:08
found Jerusalem in ruins, the temple02:21:10
destroyed, and the land occupied by02:21:13
foreigners who opposed their return.02:21:16
Despite the challenges, they began02:21:19
rebuilding the temple. First, they set02:21:22
up the altar and resumed the daily02:21:24
sacrifices. Then, they started laying02:21:27
the foundation for the new temple. Ezra02:21:30
3:10-1302:21:31
describes the emotional moment when the02:21:33
foundation was completed. When the02:21:36
builders laid the foundation of the02:21:37
temple of the Lord, the priests in their02:21:39
vestments and with trumpets, and the02:21:42
Levites, the sons of Asaf, with symbols,02:21:45
took their places to praise the Lord, as02:21:48
prescribed by David, king of Israel.02:21:51
With praise and thanksgiving, they sang02:21:54
to the Lord, "He is good. His love02:21:56
toward Israel endures forever." And all02:22:00
the people gave a great shout of praise02:22:02
to the Lord because the foundation of02:22:05
the house of the Lord was laid. But many02:22:07
of the older priests and Levites and02:22:09
family heads who had seen the former02:22:12
temple wept aloud when they saw the02:22:14
foundation of this temple being laid02:22:16
while many others shouted for joy. No02:22:19
one could distinguish the sound of the02:22:21
shouts of joy from the sound of weeping02:22:24
because the people made so much noise.02:22:27
The older people wept because they02:22:29
remembered Solomon's magnificent temple02:22:32
and knew this new one would be much02:22:34
smaller and less glorious. But the02:22:37
younger generation rejoiced because they02:22:39
were finally seeing God's promise of02:22:42
restoration beginning to come true.02:22:46
Unfortunately, the work was soon stopped02:22:49
by local opposition. The Samaritans, who02:22:52
were descendants of foreigners brought02:22:54
in after the northern kingdom fell,02:22:56
offered to help build the temple. When02:22:59
the Jews refused their help because they02:23:01
were not pure worshippers of God, the02:23:04
Samaritans became enemies and worked to02:23:07
stop the construction. For about 1502:23:10
years, the temple remained unfinished02:23:12
while the people became discouraged and02:23:15
focused on building their own houses02:23:17
instead of God's house. They faced crop02:23:20
failures, economic hardship, and02:23:22
spiritual apathy. God sent two prophets,02:23:25
Haggi and Zechariah, to challenge the02:23:28
people to finish the temple. Haggi 13-602:23:31
contains God's rebuke.02:23:34
Then the word of the Lord came through02:23:36
the prophet Hagi. Is it a time for you02:23:39
yourselves to be living in your panled02:23:41
houses while this house remains a ruin?02:23:45
Now, this is what the Lord Almighty02:23:47
says. Give careful thought to your ways.02:23:50
You have planted much but harvested02:23:51
little. You eat but never have enough.02:23:54
You drink but never have your fill. You02:23:57
put on clothes but are not warm. You02:23:59
earn wages only to put them in a purse02:24:02
with holes in it. Encouraged by the02:24:04
prophets and stirred by God's spirit,02:24:07
the people resumed work on the temple.02:24:10
Zechariah gave them hope with his02:24:12
visions of God's future plans and his02:24:14
famous promise in Zechariah. 46 not by02:24:18
might nor by power but by my spirit says02:24:21
the Lord Almighty. The new temple was02:24:23
completed in 516 BC exactly 70 years02:24:28
after Solomon's temple had been02:24:30
destroyed.02:24:31
Though smaller and less magnificent than02:24:33
the first temple, it represented God's02:24:36
faithfulness to his promises and gave02:24:38
the people a place to worship again.02:24:41
About 60 years later, a priest and02:24:44
scribe named Ezra led another group of02:24:47
about 1,500 men with their families back02:24:50
to Jerusalem.02:24:52
Ezra was a scholar who had devoted his02:24:54
life to studying and teaching God's law.02:24:57
Ezra 7:10 describes his heart, for Ezra02:25:01
had devoted himself to the study and02:25:04
observance of the law of the Lord and to02:25:07
teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.02:25:10
When Ezra arrived in Jerusalem, he was02:25:13
horrified to discover that many of the02:25:16
Jews, including priests and leaders, had02:25:19
married foreign wives and were adopting02:25:21
pagan practices again. This was exactly02:25:24
the kind of compromise that had led to02:25:26
the exile in the first place. Ezra 9:3-402:25:30
shows his reaction. When I heard this, I02:25:34
tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair02:25:36
from my head and beard, and sat down02:25:39
appalled. Then everyone who trembled at02:25:42
the words of the God of Israel gathered02:25:45
around me because of this unfaithfulness02:25:48
of the exiles. And there I sat appalled02:25:51
until the evening sacrifice.02:25:54
Ezra led the people in a time of02:25:56
confession and repentance. He didn't02:25:59
just condemn them, but identified with02:26:01
their sin and prayed earnestly for God's02:26:04
mercy. His example moved the people to02:26:07
genuine sorrow for their compromise, and02:26:10
they agreed to divorce their foreign02:26:12
wives and renew their commitment to02:26:14
God's law.02:26:17
13 years later, Nehemiah, who served as02:26:20
cupbearer to the Persian king Artic02:26:22
Xerxes, received disturbing news from02:26:25
Jerusalem. His brother Hanani and some02:26:27
other men told him that the walls of02:26:29
Jerusalem were still broken down and its02:26:32
gates had been burned with fire. This02:26:35
made the city defenseless and brought02:26:38
shame on God's name.02:26:40
Nehemiah 1:4 describes his response.02:26:44
When I heard these things, I sat down02:26:46
and wept. For some days, I mourned and02:26:49
fasted and prayed before the God of02:26:52
heaven. He confessed the sins of his02:26:54
people and asked God to give him favor02:26:56
with the king so he could help his02:26:58
people. When King Art Xerxes noticed02:27:01
that Nemiah was sad, he asked what was02:27:04
wrong. Nemiah 23:5 shows his bold02:27:09
request. I said to the king, "May the02:27:12
king live forever. Why should my face02:27:14
not look sad when the city where my02:27:16
ancestors are buried lies in ruins and02:27:19
its gates have been destroyed by fire?"02:27:22
And the king said to me, "What is it you02:27:24
want?" Then I prayed to the God of02:27:26
heaven. And I answered the king, "If it02:27:29
pleases the king, and if your servant02:27:30
has found favor in his sight, let him02:27:33
send me to the city in Judah, where my02:27:35
ancestors are buried, so that I can02:27:37
rebuild it." The king not only granted02:27:39
his request, but provided letters of02:27:42
safe passage and materials for the02:27:44
construction. This was clearly God's02:27:47
hand working through a pagan king to02:27:49
help his people. When Nehemiah arrived02:27:52
in Jerusalem, he secretly surveyed the02:27:54
damage at night to assess what needed to02:27:56
be done. Then he challenged the people02:27:59
to rebuild the walls. Nehemiah Dubventis02:28:03
18 shows his appeal. Then I said to02:28:06
them, "You see the trouble we are in.02:28:08
Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates02:28:11
have been burned with fire. Come, let us02:28:14
rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we02:28:17
will no longer be in disgrace.02:28:20
I also told them about the gracious hand02:28:22
of my God on me and what the king had02:28:25
said to me. They replied, "Let us start02:28:29
rebuilding."02:28:31
So they began this good work. The work02:28:34
proceeded rapidly despite constant02:28:36
opposition from enemies like Sambalat,02:28:39
Tobaya, and Gisham who mocked,02:28:42
threatened and plotted against the02:28:44
builders. Neahmiah organized the work so02:28:47
that each family was responsible for the02:28:49
section of wall near their own house.02:28:52
And he arranged for half the men to02:28:54
build while the other half stood guard02:28:56
with weapons. Nemiah 4:17-1802:29:00
describes their determination.02:29:03
From that day on, half of my men did the02:29:05
work while the other half were equipped02:29:07
with spears, shields, bows, and armor.02:29:11
The officers posted themselves behind02:29:13
all the people of Judah who were02:29:14
building the wall. Those who carried02:29:17
materials did their work with one hand02:29:19
and held a weapon in the other. And each02:29:22
of the builders wore his sword at his02:29:24
side as he worked. In just 52 days, the02:29:28
wall was completed. An amazing02:29:30
achievement that stunned their enemies.02:29:33
Nemiah 6:15 to 16 describes the impact.02:29:38
So the wall was completed on the 25th of02:29:40
Aul in 52 days. When all our enemies02:29:44
heard about this, all the surrounding02:29:46
nations were afraid and lost their02:29:48
self-confidence because they realized02:29:51
that this work had been done with the02:29:53
help of our God.02:29:56
When the wall was finished, Ezra read02:29:59
the law to all the people in a great02:30:02
ceremony that lasted for hours. Nehemiah02:30:05
8:56 describes the people's response.02:30:08
Ezra opened the book. All the people02:30:11
could see him because he was standing02:30:12
above them. And as he opened it, the02:30:15
people all stood up. Ezra praised the02:30:18
Lord, the great God. And all the people02:30:21
lifted their hands and responded, "Amen.02:30:24
Amen." Then they bowed down and02:30:27
worshiped the Lord with their faces to02:30:30
the ground. Many people wept when they02:30:32
heard God's words because they realized02:30:35
how far they had strayed from his02:30:36
commands. But Nehemiah told them not to02:30:39
grieve because this was a day for joy02:30:41
and celebration. The people celebrated02:30:44
the feast of tabernacles for the first02:30:46
time since the days of Joshua and they02:30:49
renewed their covenant with God02:30:51
promising to obey his laws and support02:30:54
his temple. After 400 years of silence02:30:57
since the last Old Testament in prophet02:31:00
God was about to do something amazing.02:31:02
The Roman Empire now ruled the world02:31:05
including the land of Israel which they02:31:07
called Palestine. The Jewish people were02:31:10
waiting for the Messiah that the02:31:12
prophets had promised a king who would02:31:14
deliver them from their enemies and02:31:16
restore Israel's glory.02:31:19
In the small town of Nazareth lived a02:31:22
young woman named Mary who was engaged02:31:25
to a carpenter named Joseph.02:31:29
One day an angel appeared to her with02:31:31
the most incredible message anyone had02:31:34
ever received.02:31:36
Luke 1:30302:31:38
records the angel's words. But the angel02:31:42
said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary.02:31:46
You have found favor with God. You will02:31:48
conceive and give birth to a son, and02:31:51
you are to call him Jesus. He will be02:31:53
great and will be called the son of the02:31:55
most high. The Lord God will give him02:31:58
the throne of his father David, and he02:32:01
will reign over Jacob's descendants02:32:03
forever. His kingdom will never end.02:32:07
Mary was confused because she was a02:32:09
virgin. But the angel explained that02:32:11
this would be a miracle performed by the02:32:13
Holy Spirit. Though she didn't02:32:15
understand everything, Mary trusted God02:32:19
completely. Luke 1:38 shows her02:32:21
response. "I am the Lord's servant,"02:32:24
Mary answered. May your word to me be02:32:27
fulfilled according to your word. When02:32:30
Joseph discovered that Mary was02:32:32
pregnant, he planned to divorce her02:32:33
quietly to avoid public shame. But an02:32:37
angel appeared to him in a dream and02:32:39
explained what was happening. Matthew02:32:42
1:20-2102:32:44
records the angel's message. But after02:32:46
he had considered this, an angel of the02:32:49
Lord appeared to him in a dream and02:32:51
said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be02:32:55
afraid to take Mary home as your wife.02:32:58
Because what is conceived in her is from02:33:01
the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to02:33:03
a son, and you are to give him the name02:33:06
Jesus because he will save his people02:33:09
from their sins.02:33:12
Just before Jesus was born, Caesar02:33:15
Augustus ordered a census that required02:33:17
everyone to register in their ancestral02:33:20
hometown. Since Joseph was descended02:33:22
from King David, he had to travel to02:33:25
Bethlehem with Mary, even though she was02:33:27
about to give birth. When they arrived02:33:30
in Bethlehem, there was no room for them02:33:32
in the inn. So Jesus was born in a02:33:35
stable and laid in a manger. Luke 2:702:33:38
describes this humble beginning. And she02:33:40
gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She02:33:44
wrapped him in cloths and placed him in02:33:46
a manger because there was no guest room02:33:48
available for them. That same night,02:33:51
angels appeared to shepherds in the02:33:53
nearby fields with amazing news. Luke02:33:56
2:10-11 shows their announcement. But02:33:58
the angels said to them, "Do not be02:34:00
afraid. I bring you good news that will02:34:03
cause great joy for all the people.02:34:05
Today in the town of David, a savior has02:34:07
been born to you. He is the Messiah, the02:34:10
Lord. The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem02:34:14
and found everything exactly as the02:34:16
angels had said. They spread the news02:34:18
about what they had seen and heard, and02:34:20
everyone who heard it was amazed. When02:34:23
Jesus was about 2 years old, wise men02:34:26
from the east arrived in Jerusalem,02:34:28
asking where they could find the newborn02:34:30
king of the Jews. They had seen his star02:34:34
and come to worship him. King Herod was02:34:38
troubled by this news and secretly met02:34:40
with the wise men, asking them to find02:34:42
the child and report back to him. But02:34:45
God warned the wise men in a dream not02:34:48
to return to Herod.02:34:50
When Herod realized he had been tricked,02:34:53
he became furious and ordered all the02:34:55
baby boys in Bethlehem to be killed. But02:34:58
an angel warned Joseph to take Mary and02:35:01
Jesus and flee to Egypt. They stayed02:35:04
there until Herod died, then returned to02:35:06
Nazareth, where Jesus grew up. Luke 2:5202:35:10
summarizes Jesus' childhood. And Jesus02:35:13
grew in wisdom and stature and in favor02:35:16
with God and man. When Jesus was 1202:35:19
years old, his family went to Jerusalem02:35:22
for Passover. On the way home, they02:35:24
discovered Jesus was missing. After02:35:27
searching for 3 days, they found him in02:35:29
the temple courts sitting with the02:35:31
teachers, listening and asking02:35:33
questions. Everyone was amazed at his02:35:36
understanding and answers. When Jesus02:35:38
was 30 years old, he began his public02:35:41
ministry. First, he went to the Jordan02:35:44
River where his cousin John was02:35:46
baptizing people and calling them to02:35:48
repent of their sins. John had been02:35:52
preparing the way for Jesus, telling02:35:54
people that someone much greater was02:35:56
coming after him. When Jesus asked to be02:35:58
baptized, John was reluctant because he02:36:02
knew Jesus had no sin to repent of. But02:36:05
Jesus insisted it was necessary to02:36:07
fulfill all righteousness. Matthew02:36:10
3:16:1702:36:12
describes what happened. As soon as02:36:14
Jesus was baptized, he went up out of02:36:17
the water. At that moment, heaven was02:36:20
opened and he saw the spirit of God02:36:23
descending like a dove and a lighting on02:36:25
him. And a voice from heaven said, "This02:36:28
is my son whom I love. With him I am02:36:32
well pleased." After his baptism, Jesus02:36:35
was led by the spirit into the02:36:37
wilderness where he fasted for 40 days02:36:40
and was tempted by Satan. The devil02:36:42
tried to get Jesus to use his divine02:36:44
power for selfish purposes to test God's02:36:48
protection and to worship Satan in02:36:50
exchange for worldly power. But Jesus02:36:53
resisted every temptation by quoting02:36:55
scripture, showing us how to overcome02:36:58
Satan's attacks. When Jesus returned02:37:01
from the wilderness, he began preaching02:37:03
that the kingdom of heaven was near and02:37:05
calling people to follow him as02:37:07
disciples. He chose 12 men to be his02:37:10
closest followers and to learn from him02:37:13
so they could continue his work after he02:37:16
was gone.02:37:17
Jesus ministry was marked by incredible02:37:20
miracles that proved he was truly the02:37:23
son of God. He healed every kind of02:37:26
sickness and disease, cast out demons,02:37:29
controlled nature, and even raised the02:37:31
dead. These miracles weren't just02:37:34
displays of power. They showed God's02:37:36
love and compassion for suffering people02:37:39
and confirmed that Jesus was the02:37:41
promised Messiah. One of his first02:37:44
miracles was turning water into wine at02:37:47
a wedding in Kaa. When the hosts ran out02:37:51
of wine, Jesus' mother told him about02:37:53
the problem. John 2:7-9 describes what02:37:57
happened. Jesus said to the servants,02:37:59
"Fill the jars with water." So they02:38:02
filled them to the brim. Then he told02:38:04
them, "Now draw some out and take it to02:38:07
the master of the banquet." They did so,02:38:09
and the master of the banquet tasted the02:38:12
water that had been turned into wine. He02:38:15
did not realize where it had come from,02:38:17
though the servants who had drawn the02:38:19
water knew. Jesus healed people with02:38:22
just a word or a touch. He made the02:38:24
blind see, the deaf hear, and the lame02:38:27
walk. He cleansed lepers, healed the02:38:29
paralyzed, and restored withered hands.02:38:32
No disease was too difficult for him to02:38:34
cure and he never refused to help anyone02:38:37
who came to him in faith. One day a02:38:40
Roman centurion came to Jesus asking him02:38:43
to heal his servant who was paralyzed02:38:45
and suffering terribly. When Jesus02:38:47
offered to come to his house, the02:38:50
centurion showed remarkable faith.02:38:52
Matthew 8:8-10 records his response. The02:38:56
centurion replied,"Lord,02:38:59
I do not deserve to have you come under02:39:01
my roof, but just say the word, and my02:39:04
servant will be healed. For I myself am02:39:08
a man under authority with soldiers02:39:11
under me. I tell this one, "Go," and he02:39:14
goes, and that one, "Come," and he02:39:16
comes. I say to my servant, "Do this,"02:39:18
and he does it.02:39:20
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and02:39:22
said to those following him, "Truly, I02:39:25
tell you, I have not found anyone in02:39:27
Israel." With such great faith, Jesus02:39:30
spoke the word, and at that very moment,02:39:32
the servant was completely healed. Jesus02:39:36
also showed his power over nature. When02:39:38
he and his disciples were caught in a02:39:40
fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee, the02:39:43
disciples panicked as waves crashed over02:39:46
their boat. But Jesus was sleeping02:39:48
peacefully. Mark 4:39:4102:39:52
tells what happened when they woke him.02:39:54
He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to02:39:56
the waves, "Quiet, be still." Then the02:40:00
wind died down, and it was completely02:40:02
calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are02:40:05
you so afraid? Do you still have no02:40:07
faith?" And they were terrified and02:40:09
asked each other, "Who is this? Even the02:40:11
wind and the waves obey him." On another02:40:14
occasion, Jesus fed over 5,000 people02:40:17
with just five loaves of bread and two02:40:19
fish. A young boy had brought this small02:40:22
lunch, but when he gave it to Jesus, it02:40:25
was multiplied to feed the entire crowd.02:40:28
After everyone had eaten their fill, the02:40:30
disciples collected 12 baskets full of02:40:33
leftover pieces. Jesus even raised02:40:36
people from the dead. When the daughter02:40:37
of Gyrus, a synagogue leader, died,02:40:40
Jesus went to their house and brought02:40:42
her back to life. When the son of a02:40:45
widow in Nine, died, Jesus stopped the02:40:48
funeral procession and raised the young02:40:51
man. Most dramatically, when his friend02:40:55
Lazarus died and had been in the tomb02:40:57
for 4 days, Jesus called him back to02:41:00
life. John 11:43-4402:41:02
describes this incredible miracle. When02:41:05
he had said this, Jesus called in a loud02:41:08
voice, "Lazarus, come out." The dead man02:41:12
came out, his hands and feet wrapped02:41:14
with strips of linen and a cloth around02:41:16
his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off02:41:19
the grave clothes and let him go." But02:41:22
Jesus didn't just perform miracles. He02:41:24
was also the greatest teacher who ever02:41:26
lived. He often taught using parables,02:41:29
which were simple stories that02:41:31
illustrated spiritual truths. These02:41:33
stories were easy to remember but02:41:35
contained deep meanings that people02:41:37
could think about for years. One of his02:41:40
most famous parables was about a farmer02:41:42
who went out to plant seeds. Matthew02:41:45
13:3-8 tells the story. Then he told02:41:48
them many things in parables saying, "A02:41:52
farmer went out to sew his seed. As he02:41:55
was scattering the seed, some fell along02:41:57
the path and the birds came and ate it02:41:59
up. Some fell on rocky places where it02:42:02
did not have much soil. It sprang up02:42:05
quickly because the soil was shallow.02:42:08
But when the sun came up, the plants02:42:10
were scorched and they withered because02:42:12
they had no root. Other seed fell among02:42:15
thorns which grew up and choked the02:42:17
plants. Still other seed fell on good02:42:20
soil where it produced a crop02:42:24
or 30 times what was sown. Jesus02:42:27
explained that the seed represented02:42:29
God's word and the different types of02:42:31
soil represented different kinds of02:42:33
hearts. Some people hear God's word, but02:42:36
Satan immediately takes it away. Others02:42:39
receive it with joy, but fall away when02:42:41
troubles come. Still others let the02:42:44
worries of life and the love of money02:42:46
choke out God's word. But those with02:42:49
good hearts hear, understand, and obey02:42:52
God's word, producing much fruit. Jesus02:42:55
taught about God's love for lost people02:42:57
through parables like the lost sheep,02:43:00
the lost coin, and the prodigal son. He02:43:03
showed how God rejoices when even one02:43:06
sinner repents and comes home to him. In02:43:08
the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus02:43:11
taught that loving your neighbor means02:43:12
helping anyone in need, regardless of02:43:15
their race or background. When a lawyer02:43:18
asked who his neighbor was, Jesus told02:43:21
about a man who was beaten by robbers02:43:23
and left for dead. A priest and a Levite02:43:26
passed by without helping, but a02:43:28
Samaritan, someone the Jews normally02:43:31
hated, stopped to care for the wounded02:43:33
man. Jesus most important teaching was02:43:37
about the way to eternal life. John 3:1602:43:40
contains his most famous words. For God02:43:43
so loved the world that he gave his one02:43:46
and only son that whoever believes in02:43:48
him shall not perish but have eternal02:43:51
life. He taught that he was the only way02:43:54
to God. John 14:6 records his bold02:43:58
claimed Jesus answered, "I am the way02:44:01
and the truth and the life. No one comes02:44:03
to the father except through me." Jesus02:44:06
also taught his followers to love their02:44:08
enemies, forgive those who hurt them,02:44:11
and put God's kingdom first in their02:44:13
lives. He showed them how to pray, and02:44:16
told them not to worry about material02:44:20
things because God would take care of02:44:22
them. He promised that those who02:44:24
followed him would have eternal life and02:44:26
would never be separated from God's02:44:28
love. As Jesus ministry continued, he02:44:32
became increasingly popular with the02:44:34
common people. but increasingly hated by02:44:36
the religious leaders. They were jealous02:44:38
of his influence and angry that he02:44:41
exposed their hypocrisy and challenged02:44:43
their authority. The chief priests and02:44:46
Pharisees began plotting how they could02:44:48
arrest and kill him. Jesus knew that his02:44:51
death was approaching and began to02:44:54
prepare his disciples for what was02:44:55
coming. Mark 8:31 shows one of his02:44:58
predictions. He then began to teach them02:45:01
that the son of man must suffer many02:45:04
things and be rejected by the elders,02:45:06
the chief priests, and the teachers of02:45:09
the law, and that he must be killed and02:45:12
after 3 days rise again. The disciples02:45:16
didn't understand what he meant and02:45:18
couldn't believe that their wonderful02:45:20
teacher would be killed. Peter even02:45:22
rebuked Jesus for saying such things,02:45:25
but Jesus told him he was thinking like02:45:27
a man instead of like God.02:45:32
During his final week in Jerusalem,02:45:34
Jesus rode into the city on a donkey02:45:37
while crowds shouted hosana and waved02:45:40
palm branches. This fulfilled the02:45:42
prophecy in Zechariah about the humble02:45:44
king coming to Jerusalem. But Jesus knew02:45:47
that many of these same people would02:45:48
soon be calling for his death. Jesus02:45:52
spent his last days teaching in the02:45:54
temple courts and confronting the02:45:56
religious leaders. He told parables that02:45:59
clearly showed he knew they were02:46:01
plotting to kill him. The chief priests02:46:03
and Pharisees were furious but afraid to02:46:06
arrest him publicly because of his02:46:08
popularity with the people. Their02:46:10
opportunity came when Judas Escariat,02:46:13
one of Jesus 12 disciples, agreed to02:46:16
betray him for 30 pieces of silver. On02:46:19
Thursday evening, Jesus gathered with02:46:21
his disciples for the Passover meal,02:46:24
which would be his last supper with02:46:26
them. During the meal, Jesus did02:46:29
something shocking.02:46:31
He washed his disciples feet like a02:46:33
servant, teaching them about humility02:46:35
and service. Then he told them that one02:46:38
of them would betray him. John 13:2102:46:41
describes the moment. After he had said02:46:44
this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and02:46:47
testified, "Very truly, I tell you, one02:46:50
of you is going to betray me." Jesus02:46:53
also used the bread and wine of the02:46:56
Passover meal to teach them about his02:46:58
coming death. Luke 22:19-20 records his02:47:02
words, "And he took bread, gave thanks,02:47:04
and broke it, and gave it to them,02:47:06
saying, "This is my body given for you.02:47:09
Do this in remembrance of me." In the02:47:12
same way, after the supper, he took the02:47:14
cup, saying, "This cup is the new02:47:17
covenant in my blood, which is poured02:47:20
out for you." After the meal, they went02:47:22
to a garden called Gethsemane, where02:47:25
Jesus prayed intensely about his02:47:27
approaching death. He was so distressed02:47:29
that his sweat became like drops of02:47:31
blood. Three times he asked God if there02:47:34
was any other way, but each time he02:47:36
submitted to his father's will.02:47:39
Luke 22:4202:47:42
shows his prayer.02:47:44
Father, if you are willing, take this02:47:47
cup from me. Yet not my will, but yours02:47:51
be done.02:47:53
While Jesus was praying, Judas arrived02:47:56
with a crowd of soldiers and temple02:47:58
guards. He identified Jesus with a kiss02:48:01
and they arrested him. All the disciples02:48:04
fled in fear, just as Jesus had02:48:06
predicted. Jesus was taken first to02:48:10
Anna's then to Caiaphas the high priest02:48:13
where the Sanhedrin tried to find02:48:15
evidence against him. Finally they02:48:17
accused him of blasphemy for claiming to02:48:20
be the son of God. Since they didn't02:48:22
have the authority to execute anyone02:48:24
they took him to Ponteus Pilate the02:48:27
Roman governor. Pilate could find no02:48:29
crime worthy of death. So he sent Jesus02:48:32
to Herod Antipus who was visiting02:48:34
Jerusalem. Herod questioned Jesus but02:48:37
got no answers. So he sent him back to02:48:40
Pilate. Pilate tried several ways to02:48:42
release Jesus. He offered to release02:48:45
either Jesus or Barabus, a known02:48:48
criminal, thinking the people would02:48:49
surely choose Jesus. But the chief02:48:53
priests stirred up the crowd to demand02:48:55
Barabus. Matthew 27:22-2302:48:59
shows what happened. What shall I do02:49:01
then with Jesus who is called the02:49:03
Messiah? Pilate asked. They all02:49:06
answered, "Crucify him." "Why? What02:49:10
crime has he committed?" asked Pilate.02:49:13
But they shouted all the louder.02:49:15
"Crucify him!" Finally, Pilate gave into02:49:18
their demands. He had Jesus flogged and02:49:21
then handed him over to be crucified.02:49:23
The Roman soldiers mocked Jesus, putting02:49:26
a crown of thorns on his head and a02:49:28
purple robe on his back. Then they02:49:31
forced him to carry his cross to a place02:49:33
called Golgatha, which means the place02:49:35
of the skull. There they crucified Jesus02:49:38
between two criminals. Even while dying02:49:41
in agony, Jesus prayed for his enemies.02:49:45
Luke 23:34 records. His words, "Father,02:49:49
forgive them for they do not know what02:49:51
they are doing." From noon until 3:00 in02:49:54
the afternoon, darkness covered the02:49:57
land. At 3:00, Jesus cried out in a loud02:50:00
voice and died. Matthew 27:50-55102:50:05
describes the moment. And when Jesus had02:50:08
cried out again in a loud voice, he gave02:50:11
up his spirit. At that moment, the02:50:13
curtain of the temple was torn in two02:50:15
from top to bottom. The earth shook, the02:50:18
rocks split. A Roman centurion who02:50:20
witnessed Jesus' death declared, "Surely02:50:23
this man was the son of God, Joseph of02:50:26
Arythea, a secret follower of Jesus,"02:50:29
asked Pilate for permission to bury the02:50:32
body. He wrapped Jesus in linen cloths02:50:34
with spices and placed him in a new tomb02:50:37
cut out of rock. A large stone was02:50:40
rolled across the entrance, and Roman02:50:42
guards were posted to make sure no one02:50:44
stole the body, but death could not hold02:50:47
the Son of God. Early Sunday morning,02:50:50
Mary Magdalene and other women went to02:50:53
the tomb to anoint Jesus's body. With02:50:55
spices, they found the stone rolled away02:50:58
and the tomb empty. An angel told them02:51:01
the amazing news. Matthew 28:5-602:51:05
records his words, "The angel said to02:51:08
the women,"Do not be afraid, for I know02:51:10
that you are looking for Jesus who was02:51:13
crucified. He is not here. He has risen02:51:16
just as he said, "Come and see the place02:51:18
where he lay." Jesus appeared first to02:51:21
Mary Magdalene, then to the other women,02:51:24
then to his disciples. Over the next 4002:51:27
days, he appeared to more than 50002:51:29
people, eating with them and teaching02:51:32
them. proving beyond doubt that he had02:51:34
truly risen from the dead. This02:51:36
resurrection was the greatest miracle of02:51:38
all time and the foundation of the02:51:40
Christian faith. Before ascending to02:51:42
heaven, Jesus gave his disciples a final02:51:46
commission. Acts 18 records his words,02:51:49
"But you will receive power when the02:51:52
Holy Spirit will comes on you, and you02:51:54
will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in02:51:57
all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of02:52:00
the earth."02:52:01
He told them to wait in Jerusalem until02:52:04
they received this power from the Holy02:52:06
Spirit. Then he was taken up into heaven02:52:08
while they watched. And two angels02:52:10
promised that he would return in the02:52:12
same way. The disciples returned to02:52:15
Jerusalem and spent 10 days praying and02:52:18
waiting in an upper room with about 12002:52:22
other believers, including Jesus's02:52:25
mother Mary and his brothers. They chose02:52:28
Matias to replace Judas as the 12th02:52:30
apostle and prepared their hearts for02:52:33
whatever God had planned. On the day of02:52:35
Pentecost, a Jewish festival celebrating02:52:38
the harvest, something extraordinary02:52:41
happened. Acts 2.2:4 describes the02:52:44
scene. Suddenly, a sound like the02:52:46
blowing of a violent wind came from02:52:49
heaven and filled the whole house where02:52:51
they were sitting. They saw what seemed02:52:53
to be tongues of fire that separated and02:52:56
came to rest on each of them. All of02:52:58
them were filled with the Holy Spirit02:53:00
and began to speak in other tongues as02:53:02
the spirit enabled them. Jerusalem was02:53:05
crowded with Jewish pilgrims from many02:53:07
different countries who had come for the02:53:09
festival. When they heard the disciples02:53:11
speaking, they were amazed because each02:53:14
person heard the message in his own02:53:16
language. Even though the speakers were02:53:18
all Galileans, some people mocked the02:53:22
disciples, saying they were drunk. But02:53:24
Peter stood up and boldly preached the02:53:26
first Christian sermon. He explained02:53:29
that what they were witnessing was the02:53:31
fulfillment of the prophet Joel's02:53:33
prophecy about God pouring out his02:53:35
spirit.02:53:37
Peter told them that Jesus, whom they02:53:39
had crucified, was both Lord and02:53:42
Messiah. He quoted from the Psalms to02:53:45
prove that Jesus was the promised02:53:47
descendant of David who would sit on his02:53:50
throne forever. Acts 2:36-3702:53:53
shows the impact of his words.02:53:56
Therefore, let all Israel be assured of02:53:59
this. God has made this Jesus whom you02:54:02
crucified both Lord and Messiah. When02:54:05
the people heard this, they were cut to02:54:08
the heart and said to Peter and the02:54:09
other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we02:54:12
do?" Peter told them to repent and be02:54:15
baptized in Jesus' name for the02:54:18
forgiveness of their sins, and they02:54:20
would receive the gift of the Holy02:54:23
Spirit. About 3,000 people believed and02:54:26
were baptized that day, and the church02:54:28
was born. These new believers devoted02:54:31
themselves to the apostles teaching,02:54:33
fellowship, breaking bread together, and02:54:36
prayer. They shared their possessions02:54:38
with anyone in need and met together02:54:41
daily in the temple courts and in their02:54:43
homes. Acts 2:46-4702:54:46
describes their joy. Every day they02:54:49
continued to meet together in the temple02:54:51
courts. They broke bread in their homes02:54:53
and ate together with glad and sincere02:54:56
hearts, praising God and enjoying the02:54:58
favor of all the people. And the Lord02:55:01
added to their number daily those who02:55:03
were being saved. The apostles performed02:55:06
many miraculous signs and wonders that02:55:09
confirmed their message. When Peter and02:55:11
John healed a man who had been lame from02:55:14
birth, crowds gathered in amazement.02:55:17
Peter used this opportunity to preach02:55:19
about Jesus again, and about 5,000 men02:55:22
believed. This rapid growth alarmed the02:55:25
religious authorities who arrested Peter02:55:28
and John and commanded them to stop02:55:30
preaching about Jesus. But the apostles02:55:33
boldly refused. Acts 4:19-20 records02:55:37
their response. But Peter and John02:55:39
replied, "Which is right in God's eyes02:55:42
to listen to you or to him? You be the02:55:45
judges. As for us, we cannot help02:55:48
speaking about what we have seen and02:55:50
heard.02:55:52
The church continued to grow. Despite02:55:54
increasing persecution when Steven, one02:55:57
of the first deacons, was stoned to02:56:00
death for preaching about Jesus, a great02:56:03
persecution broke out in Jerusalem. But02:56:06
instead of stopping the church, this02:56:08
persecution actually helped spread the02:56:10
gospel as believers fled to other cities02:56:13
and shared their faith wherever they02:56:15
went.02:56:16
Acts 8:4 shows the result. Those who had02:56:20
been scattered preached the word02:56:22
wherever they went. Philip went to02:56:25
Samaria and preached to the Samaritans02:56:28
who had been hated by the Jews. Many02:56:30
believed and were baptized, showing that02:56:33
the gospel was for all people, not just02:56:36
Jews. The Holy Spirit also led Philip to02:56:39
share the gospel with an Ethiopian02:56:41
official who was reading from the02:56:43
prophet Isaiah. When Philip explained02:56:45
that Isaiah was prophesying about Jesus,02:56:48
the Ethiopian believed and was baptized.02:56:52
The most dramatic conversion in the02:56:54
early church happened to a man named02:56:56
Saul, who was one of the church's most02:56:59
violent persecutors. He had been present02:57:02
at Steven's stoning and was traveling to02:57:05
Damascus to arrest more Christians when02:57:08
something life-changing happened. Acts02:57:11
9:3-6 describes his encounter withDescription:
The Complete Story of the Bible – From the Creation of the World to the Apocalypse
Mediafile available in formats
* — If the video is playing in a new tab, go to it, then right-click on the video and select "Save video as..."
** — Link intended for online playback in specialized players
Questions about downloading video
How can I download "The Complete Story of the Bible – From the Creation of the World to the Apocalypse" video?
http://univideos.ru/ website is the best way to download a video or a separate audio track if you want to do without installing programs and extensions.
The UDL Helper extension is a convenient button that is seamlessly integrated into YouTube, Instagram and OK.ru sites for fast content download.
UDL Client program (for Windows) is the most powerful solution that supports more than 900 websites, social networks and video hosting sites, as well as any video quality that is available in the source.
UDL Lite is a really convenient way to access a website from your mobile device. With its help, you can easily download videos directly to your smartphone.
Which format of "The Complete Story of the Bible – From the Creation of the World to the Apocalypse" video should I choose?
The best quality formats are FullHD (1080p), 2K (1440p), 4K (2160p) and 8K (4320p). The higher the resolution of your screen, the higher the video quality should be. However, there are other factors to consider: download speed, amount of free space, and device performance during playback.
Why does my computer freeze when loading a "The Complete Story of the Bible – From the Creation of the World to the Apocalypse" video?
The browser/computer should not freeze completely! If this happens, please report it with a link to the video. Sometimes videos cannot be downloaded directly in a suitable format, so we have added the ability to convert the file to the desired format. In some cases, this process may actively use computer resources.
How can I download "The Complete Story of the Bible – From the Creation of the World to the Apocalypse" video to my phone?
You can download a video to your smartphone using the website or the PWA application UDL Lite. It is also possible to send a download link via QR code using the UDL Helper extension.
How can I download an audio track (music) to MP3 "The Complete Story of the Bible – From the Creation of the World to the Apocalypse"?
The most convenient way is to use the UDL Client program, which supports converting video to MP3 format. In some cases, MP3 can also be downloaded through the UDL Helper extension.
How can I save a frame from a video "The Complete Story of the Bible – From the Creation of the World to the Apocalypse"?
This feature is available in the UDL Helper extension. Make sure that "Show the video snapshot button" is checked in the settings. A camera icon should appear in the lower right corner of the player to the left of the "Settings" icon. When you click on it, the current frame from the video will be saved to your computer in JPEG format.
How do I play and download streaming video?
- in video formats, hover your mouse over "Streaming Video**";
- right-click on "Copy link";
- open VLC-player;
- select Media - Open Network Stream - Network in the menu;
- paste the copied link into the input field;
- click "Play".
- copy the video address (URL);
- select "Open Network Stream" in the "Media" item of VLC player and paste the link to the video into the input field;
- click on the arrow on the "Play" button and select "Convert" in the list;
- select "Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4)" in the "Profile" line;
- click the "Browse" button to select a folder to save the converted video and click the "Start" button;
- conversion speed depends on the resolution and duration of the video.
For this purpose you need VLC-player, which can be downloaded for free from the official website https://www.videolan.org/vlc/.
How to play streaming video through VLC player:
To download streaming video via VLC player, you need to convert it:
Warning: this download method no longer works with most YouTube videos.
What's the price of all this stuff?
It costs nothing. Our services are absolutely free for all users. There are no PRO subscriptions, no restrictions on the number or maximum length of downloaded videos.