All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission of Lutheran Heritage Foundation.
Lutheran Heritage Foundation would like to thank the following people for the publication of this volume :
Text : Diane Grebing, Dawn Mueller
Illustrations : Ruben Adriano, Dito Boby, Yudhistira Irja Wiguna
Editors : Jen Bagnall, Anna Bagnall
Supervision : Ted NaThalang
Funding for the publication of this volume has been provided by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation Endowment Fund.
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles' Creed are from Triglot Concordia, The Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1921. - Public Domain.
ISBN : 978-1-949304-07-7
Printed at Darnsutha Press Company, Limited. Bangkok, Thailand.
Not for commercial use.
Preface
Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west.” Zechariah 8:7
God’s Word - The Bible - is for you, the people of all nations and races. God’s Word for You tells the true history of God’s people with archeological evidence of the things that happened a long time ago. God’s people throughout time have preserved the Word of God and passed it from generation to generation.
As you read God’s Word For You, which is a short summary of the Bible with colorful Manga-inspired graphics, you will learn about God's beautiful creation, and how sin came into this world and destroyed God’s good plan for mankind. God is full of love and compassion for all people, even while they were still sinners. He has promised to save them from punishment in hell through His only Son, Jesus Christ, who suffered and died on the cross for the sins of everyone. This is the Good News, which is the main purpose of the whole Bible: to tell people of every nation and race of God’s love and forgiveness for them all.
Jesus died for each one of us because of God’s grace and mercy, not because of how good we are. Jesus, the Son of God, loves you and has come to help sinners –those who are lost, sick, lonely, and those who need love and forgiveness (1 Timothy 2:4). He understands the pains, struggles and sufferings you are going through. He wants to help you and be your friend.
We pray that the Holy Spirit will help you to understand God’s Word, His Good News and receive great blessings of love, peace and joy in your life in having Jesus as your true friend.
Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise Executive Director Lutheran Heritage Foundation
41. Jesus Growing Up (Matthew 2:1 – 23; Luke 2:21 – 52) ... 175
42. Jesus Is Baptized (Matthew 3:13 – 17; Mark 1:9 – 13; Luke 3:21– 23; John 1:32 – 34) ......................................... 180
43. The First Disciples (Mark 1:16 – 20; 3:16 – 19; John 1:35 – 51) ................................................................. 182
44. Jesus' First Miracle (John 2:1 – 22) ................................. 185
45. Jesus Heals a Man with an Evil Spirit (Mark 1:22 – 28; Luke 4:31 – 37) ........................................ 188
46. Jesus Cares for the Samaritan Woman (John 4:1 – 42) ..... 190
47. Preaching of God’s Word (Matthew 13:1 – 23; Mark 4:1– 20; Luke 8:1–15) ............................................... 194
48. Jesus Calms the Storm (Matthew 8:23 – 27; Mark 4:36 – 41; Luke 8:22 – 25) ........................................ 197
49. Jesus Heals Jairus’ Daughter (Matthew 9:18 –19, 23 – 26; Mark 5:21 – 24, 35 – 43; Luke 8:40 – 42, 49 – 56) ..... 199
50. A Miracle Meal (Matthew 14:13 – 21; Mark 6:30 – 44; Luke 9:10 –17; John 6:1–15) ............................................ 202
51. Jesus Shows His Divine Nature (The Transfiguration) (Matthew 16:21–17:13; Mark 8:27 – 9:13; Luke 9:28 – 36).... 205
52. A Kind Person (Luke 10:25 – 37) ...................................... 208
53. Merciful Father (Luke 15) ............................................... 211
54. Jesus Heals Many People (Luke 17:11–19; 18:35 – 43) .............................................. 216
55. Jesus, the Good Shepherd (John 10:1– 30) ................... 219
56. Jesus Loves Children (Matthew 18:1– 6; 19:13 –15; Mark 9:33 – 37; 10:13 –16; Luke 18:15 –17) ..................... 221
57. Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead (Luke 10:38 – 39; John 11:1– 57) ................................................................... 223
58. Little Rich Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1 – 10) ...........................
59. Jesus’ Last Days in Jerusalem (Matthew 21 – 27; Mark 11 – 14; Luke 19 – 23; John 12 – 18) ..........................
60. Jesus Dies (Matthew 27:32 – 66; Mark 15:21– 47; Luke 23:26 – 56; John 19:16 – 42) .....................................
61. Jesus Rises from the Dead (Matthew 28:1–15; Mark 16:1–11; Luke 24:1–12; John 20:1–18) ..................
62. The Emmaus Surprise (Luke 24:13 – 35) ..........................
63. Jesus Appears to His Disciples (Luke 24:36 – 49; John 20:19 – 31).................................................................
64. Jesus Teaches About Heaven and Hell (Luke 16:19 – 31) ................................................................
65. Jesus Returns to Heaven (Matthew 28:16 – 20; Luke 24:50 – 53; Acts 1:1–14) ............................................
– 41; 16:1 –
69. Signs of Jesus’ Return (Matthew 24 – 25; Mark 13)
God Creates a Perfect World
TheBible, God’s true Word, tells us that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was just cold and dark, without any shape, life, or light. Then God began to create order and beauty in the world.
First God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good. He called the light “day” and the darkness He called “night.” There was evening and there was morning. It was day one.
Next God said, “Let the water be separated with some water above and some water below. Let there be a space in the
middle that I will call the sky.” The only sounds were the ocean waves and the strong winds over the waters. The whole earth was covered by water, and there was no dry land at all. There was evening and there was morning. It was day two.
Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered into one place. Let the dry ground appear.” And it was so. Then God said, “Let the earth be covered with many kinds of plants.” God made trees which produced delicious fruit. God made plants that grew wonderful vegetables. God also made grasses and bushes and beautiful flowers. God said, “Let each plant make seeds so that each kind of plant will make more just like itself forever.” God saw that it was good. There was evening and there was morning. It was day three.
Next God made two great lights—the sun and the moon. God set them in place in the heavens to give light to the earth, to rule over the day and the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God also made all of the stars. God saw that it was good. There was evening and there was morning. It was day four.
After He made the sun, moon, and stars, God said, “Let the waters be filled with many, many, many living creatures. Let the sky and the heavens be filled with birds of every kind, flying above the earth.” God created the wonderful sea creatures. God made everything that moves and swims in the water from the great whales to the smallest fish and other living sea animals. He also made the birds to fly through the air. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the seas and the skies.” God saw that it was good. There was evening and there was morning. It was day five.
After all the sea creatures and the birds were made, God said, “Let the earth produce all kinds of living creatures.” God made all kinds of creatures to live on the land. He made animals such as lions, tigers, and elephants. He made livestock such as cattle and sheep. God also made all of the animals which creep and crawl. God saw that it was good.
A very important part of creation was still missing. God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness. I will make man the master of everything I have made so that he can take care of everything I have created.”
To make the first man, God took some dust from the ground and formed him. God breathed life into his nostrils. The first man became a living being. The first man’s name was Adam. The Hebrew word for “man” is Adam. God put Adam into a wonderful garden called Eden, which God had created for him.
In the garden of Eden, Adam had an important job. Adam was to work and care for the garden and for all that was in it. Adam’s job was joyful because God’s creation was perfect. God told Adam, “You may eat the fruit of any tree that is in the garden except for the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. On the day that you eat the fruit of that tree, you will die.”
Adam enjoyed all the animals and named each one. But Adam noticed that among all the animals, there were not any that looked like him. Adam was the only person on earth.
God said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep. While Adam slept, God took out one of Adam’s ribs. Using this rib, God made a woman. God brought the woman to Adam. Adam said, “This is bone of my bones and flesh from my flesh. She will be called ‘woman’ because she was taken out of man.” Adam and Eve were man and wife. Even though Adam and Eve were both naked, they were not ashamed.
God was now finished creating everything. God looked around and said, “It is very good.” There was evening and there was morning. It was day six.
This is how all the heavens and the earth were created. All of God’s creation displays His glory and might. By the seventh day, God had finished creating everything, so He rested. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy. By that day, God had completed all that He wanted to create.
Gospel Connection
God made the world perfectly for us. God wants the very best for all people.
Words of Hope
God saw all He had made, and it was very good. (Genesis 1:31 NIV)
6000+
Adam And Eve Sin
A Life-Saving Promise
Genesis 3
od created everything to be perfect. It looked as if nothing could destroy the happiness which Adam and Eve experienced in the Garden of Eden. But an enemy of God and of all whom God loved was lurking in the world.
This enemy is Satan, or the devil. Satan is entirely evil. Satan had once been one of God’s good angels. Then Satan tried to become greater than the Lord God, so God banished Satan from heaven forever. Satan wanted to make Adam and Eve disobey God. Satan thought that if he made Adam and Eve disobey God, God would not love them anymore.
Satan had a plan to trick Adam and Eve. Satan changed his body so that he looked like a snake. One day when Eve was standing near the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the middle of the garden, Satan came to talk to her. While Eve looked at the fruits on this tree from which God had forbidden them to eat, Satan said, “Did God really say to you, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden?’”
Eve answered, “We may eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden. But God said, ‘Do not eat the fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. Do not even touch it, or you will die.’”
“You will not die,” the snake (Satan) said. He was lying. Satan told Eve, “God knows that on the very day that you eat of the fruit, you will be just like Him. You will know something which you have never known before. You will know good and evil.”
Eve looked at the fruit God had told her and Adam not to eat. She saw that the fruit was good to eat and beautiful. Eve suddenly believed Satan’s lies about how wise and smart she would become if she ate a piece of the fruit. Eve took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to Adam, who was standing next to her. Adam ate some of the fruit too.
As soon as Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they were very frightened. Suddenly they knew that they were naked. To
cover their bodies, they sewed fig leaves together to make clothing.
Later that evening, Adam and Eve heard the Lord God walking in the garden. They were terrified and tried to hide from God among the trees. God called to them, “Where are you?”
Adam answered, “I heard You calling, and I was afraid. I hid because I am naked.”
God said, “Who told you that you are naked? Did you eat from the tree of which I said you shall not eat?”
“The woman that You put here with me gave me some of the fruit, and I ate it,” answered Adam.
God said to Eve, “What have you done?” Eve answered, “The snake tricked me, and I ate some of the fruit.”
God said to the snake (Satan), “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals. You will eat dust and crawl on your belly as long as you live. I will put a strong hatred between you and the woman, between your descendants and her Descendant. He will crush your head, and you will bruise His heel.” God’s words meant that one day, a man from Eve’s family would fight against Satan. Satan would cause this man much pain, but the man would crush Satan forever. This was the first time that God promised to send His Son to be our Savior.
Adam and Eve had sinned against God. God still loved Adam and Eve, but He had to punish them because they had disobeyed Him. God said to Eve, “It will be painful for you whenever you have children. Your husband will rule over you.”
God said to Adam, “You listened to your wife and ate the fruit that I commanded you not to eat. Now you will have to work hard all the days of your life. As you eat your bread, your face will always be wet from the sweat of hard work.”
God also had mercy on Adam and Eve. To cover them, God made clothes for Adam and Eve out of animal skins. God said, “Now man and his wife have become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. We must not let them reach out and eat from the Tree of Life. If they do so, they will live forever in their sins.” So God sent Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. God put a mighty angel with a flaming sword, which flashed back and forth, to guard the entrance to Eden so that no one could eat from the Tree of Life.
Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, trouble was brought into the world. Pain, suffering, thorns, thistles, hard work that was no longer joyful, and physical death came into the world because Adam and Eve disobeyed God. The perfect paradise in the garden with God was lost for Adam and Eve. But God still loved them. God did not forget them. God made a wonderful plan and promise to get His children back from sin and Satan.
Gospel Connection
Adam and Eve’s sin ruined God’s perfect creation. After their disobedience, God promised them a Savior who would destroy sin, death, and the devil and restore our relationship with Him (Genesis 3:15). This Savior is Jesus, God’s Son.
Words of Hope
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)
Adam and Eve Sin Cain Kills Abel The Great Flood God Promises the Savior
Brothers Divided: Cain and Abel
3 Genesis 4
God helped Adam and Eve to build their lives outside of the Garden of Eden. Eventually, God blessed Adam and Eve by giving them sons. Their first-born son was named Cain. Their second son was named Abel. Adam and Eve had many other sons and daughters.
Abel was a shepherd. He raised sheep to use for food and for their wool. Cain was a farmer. He grew many different vegetables. When it was the harvest season, each brother gave an offering to God to thank Him for His many blessings. Cain brought God an offering of some of the food he had grown. Abel brought God an offering of the best meat from several of the first-born sheep in his flock.
God was pleased with Abel’s offering because he had given it to Him with true faith and thankfulness in his heart. Cain had not given his best to God. God was not pleased with Cain’s offering. This made Cain angry. God knew that Cain felt this way. God told Cain, “Don’t let your anger cause you to sin.”
Cain did not listen to God’s warning. At a later time when Cain and Abel were out in the field together, Cain killed his brother. God knew what Cain had done. God wanted to give Cain a chance to confess his sin to Him. God asked Cain, “Where is your brother?” Cain lied to God. He answered, “I do not know. Am I to take care of my brother?”
God was very angry with Cain. God told him, “Because of what you have done, you will no longer be able to grow any food. You shall have no home and will have to wander from place to place for the rest of your life.”
Cain said to God, “Your punishment is more than I can take. You’ve taken away my work as a farmer. You have separated Yourself from me. I have no home and will have
person’s punishment will be seven times worse than yours.” God put a mark on Cain so that no one would harm him. Cain then went away and settled in an area east of Eden. There, Cain and his wife had a son. Cain named him Enoch. Later God blessed Adam and Eve with another son. Eve named him Seth. Through Seth, God continued to keep His promise to one day send a Savior to the world who would save all people from their sins.
Gospel Connection
It was a horrible sin when Cain murdered Abel. Yet, God had mercy on Cain and protected him. When we sin, God has mercy on us. He forgives our sins and loves us for Jesus’ sake.
Words of Hope
Remember, O LORD, Your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to Your love remember me, for You are good, O LORD. (Psalm 25:6–7 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
God Promises the Savior Cain Kills Abel
The Great Flood
The Great Flood
4 Genesis 6 – 9
From the time of Adam and Eve, God blessed His people so that their population grew and grew. By the time a man named Noah was born, hundreds of years had passed since God had sent Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. The earth was now full of people.
A man named Noah and his family were part of the many people on earth. Noah was a righteous man. God considered Noah blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God. This means that Noah followed God’s will. He listened to God. He trusted in God.
Noah and his wife had three sons. Their names were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. These sons were also married. Noah’s wife and his family also believed in God. In the entire world, Noah and his family were the only people who followed God. In Noah’s time, the people on earth had become very evil. They were mean and cruel to one another. Their sinfulness made God very sad. God told Noah what He was going to do because of all the evil in the world. God said, “I have decided to destroy all the people that I have made. The earth is filled with violence because of them. I am going to send a huge flood upon the earth to destroy all the people. I am sorry I have made them. I want to start all over again.”
God wanted to save Noah and his family from the deadly flood waters. God told Noah to build a giant ark. God said, “Make the ark out of cypress wood with many rooms. Cover it with pitch inside and out so that it will be waterproof. Make the ark 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.”
Noah needed to build the ark so large because not
and his family as well as one pair, male and female, of all the living animals in the world.
Noah obeyed God and built the ark just as he was told. It took 120 years to finish it. When the ark was finished, God sent a male and female of every kind of animal to Noah. One pair of the many animals which lived on the dry land of the earth came to the ark and entered it. Pairs of birds also entered the ark. God protected His creation because He knew that during the flood, they would not be able to find food or a place to nest.
When all the animals were inside the ark, God said to Noah, “Now you and your family may enter.” When Noah and his family, eight people in all, were inside the ark, God closed the door of the ark behind them. God shut them in the ark to save them from the waters of the flood.
Noah was 600 years old when springs of water from deep within the earth burst upward and rain began to fall from the
sky. For 40 days and 40 nights, rain poured down. The water on the earth rose higher and higher. First the water covered the roads and fields. Then the water covered houses and towns.
As the flood waters became deeper, they lifted the ark so it floated on the top of the water. The flood waters rose so high that eventually the highest mountains on the earth were covered with water. The flood waters continue to rise until the mountain tops were covered by more than 22 feet of water!
Outside the ark, every living thing that could not swim died. Birds and livestock, wild beasts and animals that crept along perished. All the people also died. But everyone inside the ark was safe because God had told Noah how to build the ark so that it stayed dry.
God remembered Noah and all those who remained with him on the ark. God caused a great wind to blow over the earth so that the flood waters began to pull back. God shut the springs of water within the earth and stopped the rain from falling. As the waters receded, the ark continued to float around for almost a half a year. Then one day, the ark touched dry ground on the side of a mountain called Ararat.
Noah sent out a raven from the windows of the ark. It kept flying back and forth as the waters continued to go down. Noah also sent out a dove, but it soon returned because there was no dry place for it to land. Noah took the dove back into the ark. A week later, he sent out the dove again. When evening came, the dove returned with a freshly plucked olive branch in its beak. Noah smiled. He knew that the waters were going down even more. One week later, Noah sent out the dove again, but this time it did not return.
On the first day of the month when Noah was 601 years old, the water was drying up on the earth. Noah removed the
covering of the ark. Looking out over the earth, he saw that the surface of the ground was dry. Seven weeks later, the earth was completely dry. God then said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, all of you: you, your wife, your sons, and their wives. Bring out all the living creatures that are with you—the birds and animals that creep along the earth—so that they may multiply and cover the earth again.”
Out of the ark came Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives. All of the animals, the creeping things, the birds, and all the animals that move on the earth which had been preserved in the ark came out too. A fresh new world awaited all of them.
Noah built an altar to worship God and to thank Him for keeping his family and all the animals safe. God smelled the pleasant aroma coming from the sacrifice Noah burned on the altar. God said in His heart, “Never again will I destroy
all flesh by a flood because of evil and the sins of man. I will never again destroy all the living creatures as I did. As long as the earth remains, planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, daytime and night will never end.”
God blessed Noah and his sons. God said to them, “Be fruitful and have many children. Make the earth full again. From now on, the animals of the earth and the birds of the air and whatever creeps on the ground or swims in the sea will be afraid of you. Every living thing is put under your control.”
Then God made a covenant with Noah and his sons. “This will be the sign that I will keep My promise to you for all ages to come. Look at My rainbow that I have put up in the sky. My rainbow will be the sign to you and all who come after you. Whenever I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember My covenant with you. Never again will I destroy all things that live on earth. When I see the rainbow, I will remember My promise that will last forever between Me and all lives on the earth.”
Gospel Connection
Because Noah followed and trusted God, God rescued him and his family from death in the flood. God rescues all who trust in Him from sin, death, and the devil. Through His Word and the water in Holy Baptism, God gives faith, forgiveness of sins, a new eternal life, and a home in heaven.
Words of Hope
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
(Ephesians 2:8–9 NIV)
The Tower of Babel
5 Genesis 11:1 – 9
In the years after the great flood, Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth had many sons and daughters. When their sons and daughters grew up, they married and had many children. The earth’s population grew and grew. Everyone spoke one language and all used the same common words. As time went on, many people moved their families to the east, where they built a new city.
The people said to each other, “Let’s work together and bake bricks from clay. We will use these bricks to build a tall building that will reach all the way to heaven. Then we will become so famous and admired that no one will dare to challenge us. We will always be remembered as the most important people who have ever lived on the earth.”
But God was not pleased with the people’s proud and arrogant talk. The people wanted to bring glory to themselves instead of giving praise and honor to God. God
came down to look at the city and to see the tower which was being built. “Look at what the people are doing,” said God. “They are working together because they all speak the same language. If they can do this, there will be nothing that will be impossible for them to accomplish. Let Us go down and confuse their language. Then they will not be able to understand one another when they speak.”
God mixed up the language of the people. When they continued to build the tower, the workers could not understand each other. The people became angry and frustrated. They finally moved away to other areas because they could no longer understand one another. They could not work together anymore.
In this way God showed His might by scattering the people all over the earth.
The city with its great tower was never finished.
The place was named Babel, which means “confusion.” It was there that God confused the language of everyone in the world.
Gospel Connection
Though sin and rebellion separate us from God and others, God sent His Son Jesus to suffer, die, and rise again so that we might once again be reunited with God through faith in Him. Thousands of years later, the Holy Spirit gave Jesus’ followers the ability to speak in many languages so that people all over the earth could hear the truth that Jesus is the Savior.
Words of Hope
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
(Proverbs 3:5 NIV)
The Tower of Babel
Isaac Was Born Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed
God’s Starry Promise to Abraham
6 Genesis 12 – 22
One of the countries to which God scattered the people was Babylonia. In Ur, a Babylonian city, there lived a very good man named Abram. Abram’s father was named Terah. Abram was married to a woman named Sarai. Later, God gave Abram and Sarai new names: Abraham and Sarah. The name Abraham means “father of many people.”
Abraham was a very wealthy man. He owned many herds of cattle, sheep, and camels. One day God said to him, “Come out of your country, away from your family and your father’s people. Go to a new land which I will give you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing to others. Through you, all families of the earth will be blessed.”
So Abraham took Sarah and his nephew Lot and left as God had told him. They took all of their possessions and
their many servants and animals and traveled to the land of Canaan. Abraham was 75 years old. Sarah was 65 years old. When they came to the land where the Canaanites lived, God appeared to Abraham. God told him, “I will give this land to your descendants.” Abraham then built an altar to the Lord to honor and worship Him. Even though he and Sarah were getting older and were yet to have any children, Abraham believed God’s promise that He would give them a family.
God continued to bless Abraham and protected him from many dangers. God made him rich with gold, silver, and very large herds of sheep, donkeys, cattle, and camels. But still Abraham and Sarah remained childless. Every day Sarah grew older, Abraham grew more and more worried. How would God give them a baby in their old age?
God knew Abraham was troubled. So He came and spoke to Abraham. God said, “Look at the stars in the heavens. Count them if you can. This is how many descendants I will give you.” Abraham continued to trust that God would keep His promise.
One day as Abraham sat in the door of his tent at Mamre in Canaan, God appeared to him as a traveler, along with two other men. It was the middle of the day and very hot. When Abraham saw the three men near his tent, he ran to them and bowed to welcome the visitors. Abraham said, “My lord, if I have pleased you, please stay. I will have some water brought so that you can wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat to give you strength before you go on your way.” The men replied, “Do as you have offered.”
Abraham quickly asked Sarah to make cakes from three cups of fine flour. So they would have meat to eat, a servant prepared a young and tender calf. Abraham brought bread,
butter, milk, and the roasted meat and set it in front of the three visitors. Abraham served them as they ate under a shady tree. Then the Lord asked Abraham, “Where is Sarah your wife?” “She is in the tent,” Abraham replied.
Then God said, “You can be sure that I will return this time next year and Sarah will have a son.” As she stood listening behind the tent’s door, Sarah heard what the Lord said. Because she and Abraham were very old, Sarah laughed to herself because she thought it would be impossible for her to have a baby.
God heard Sarah laugh and asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say that she would never have a baby? Is anything too hard for God? I will return this time next year and Sarah will have a son!”
Sarah was afraid, so she said, “I really didn’t laugh.” But God said, “Yes, you did laugh.”
The Lord kept His promise to Sarah and Abraham. Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Sarah was 90 years old and Abraham was 100 years old when their son was born. They named their baby Isaac, which means “laughter.”
Then Sarah said, “God has given me laughter, and everyone who hears of this will also laugh with me. Who would imagine that I would nurse the child that God has given to Abraham in his old age!”
Gospel Connection
God kept His promise to Abraham and blessed him with a son. Abraham’s family grew to be a great nation. Jesus is a descendant of Abraham. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God kept His promise to save us from our sins. Through faith in Jesus we are a part of God’s family.
Words of Hope
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26 NIV)
Evil Cities: Sodom and Gomorrah
7 Genesis 18:16 – 19:29
When Abraham, Sarah, and his nephew Lot first arrived in Canaan, they all lived near a place in Canaan called Bethel. As He did for Abraham, God also blessed Lot with many flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. Abraham and Lot soon realized that if they continued to live together, there would not be enough room for all of their animals to graze and eat. The people who took care of Abraham’s herds and those who took care of Lot’s herds began to argue with one another.
So Abraham said to Lot, “We are all part of the same family, so let’s not argue. Choose the part of the land where you want to live. I’ll take the other part.” Lot looked around him. He chose the part of the land near the Jordan River which had plenty of water. Lot moved his family, his animals and his servants east to the area near the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Jordan River valley. Abraham continued to live in Canaan.
The men who lived in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were very evil. God knew all about the evil and sinful things that the people in the city were doing. When God and the two men visited Abraham outside his tent about a year before Isaac was born, God told Abraham that He planned to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
When Abraham heard about God’s plan, he became very worried about his nephew Lot. He did not want Lot and his family to die along with the evil people in Sodom and Gomorrah. As Abraham and God walked together, Abraham prayed. Abraham asked God, “If there are 50 people in Sodom and Gomorrah who follow You, will You still destroy the cities? I know that You would never treat the people who follow You the same way that You treat the people who do not.”
God answered Abraham’s prayer. He said, “If I find 50 godly people in Sodom, I will save it. I will save the whole place because of them.”
Abraham prayed to God again. He said, “I know it’s very bold for me to speak to You again for I am only a person. But what if there are only 45 people in the city who follow You? Will You still destroy the whole city?”
God answered Abraham, “If I find 45 people there, I will not destroy it.”
Again Abraham prayed to God. He asked, “What if only 40 people who follow You are found there?”
God replied, “If 40 godly people are found there, I will not do it.”
Boldly Abraham prayed again. He asked God, “What if there are only 30 people found there who follow You? ”
God said, “If there are 30, I will not do it.”
“What if only 20 are found there? ” Abraham prayed.
God said, “If there are 20, I will not destroy it.”
Then Abraham prayed, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me, but let me speak just one more time. What if only ten godly people are found in Sodom? ”
God answered, “If there are ten, I will not destroy it.” After His conversation with Abraham, God left. That evening, two angels arrived at Sodom. Lot sat near the city gates. When he saw the angels, he bowed before them and said, “Please come to my house and spend the night.”
At first the angels replied, “No, we’ll spend the night in the street.” But Lot wouldn’t give up asking, so the angels went with him to his home. Lot prepared a meal for them to eat.
Before Lot and his guests went to bed, all of the men from every part of the city of Sodom came and surrounded Lot’s house. These men wanted to do evil things to God’s angels.
Lot went outside to meet with the men. To keep his visitors safe, he offered to give the evil men his daughters instead. But the men of Sodom wanted Lot’s guests. They tried to break down the door to Lot’s house to get inside. But the
angels reached out and pulled Lot back into his house. The angels shut the door. Then the angels blinded all of the men outside the house so they could no longer find the door.
The angels told Lot, “Get all of your family out of here! God has sent us to destroy all of the evil people in this city.” Lot went to speak to his sons-in-law who were promised to marry his daughters. Lot said to them, “Hurry up! Get out of this place for the Lord is going to destroy the city!” But Lot’s sons-in-law thought he was joking.
When morning came, the angels once again tried to get Lot to leave. They said, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters and get out of here. If you don’t leave, you too will be swept away when Sodom is punished.”
Lot still didn’t move right away. So the angels grabbed him by the hand. They also took the hands of his wife and two daughters. The angels safely led them out
of Sodom. As soon as they were out of Sodom, one of the angels cried, “Run for your lives! Don’t look back! Don’t stop anywhere in the valley! Run to the mountains! If you don’t you will be swept away!”
Lot pleaded, “No, my lords! Please! You have been very kind to me by saving my life. But I can’t run to the mountains. There is a small town near here that I could run to. Please let me run to it.”
Then God said to Lot, “All right. I will let you go to the town you are talking about. But run there quickly. I can’t do anything until you reach it.”
The town where Lot wished to go was named Zoar which means “small.” By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun was up. God rained down burning sulfur to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. God killed all the people in those cities and the whole valley. Even all the plants were burned up.
As they ran to Zoar, Lot’s wife disobeyed God and looked back. When she did, she became a pillar made of salt. The next morning, Abraham went and looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah. Thick smoke like that from a furnace rose over the whole land. But God had answered Abraham’s prayers and had saved Lot.
Gospel Connection
In His great love and mercy, God answered Abraham’s prayer and rescued Lot and his family from destruction. In His great love and mercy, God sent His Son Jesus to rescue us from sin and eternal death.
Words of Hope
For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
(Colossians 1:13–14 NIV)
2065
Sodom And Gomorrah Destroyed
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE) 2055
God Tests Abraham Esau and Jacob Live 1900
Abraham’s Great Test
8 Genesis 22:1 – 19
Abraham and Sarah loved their son Isaac very much. One day while Isaac was still a boy, God spoke to Abraham. God had a very difficult test for Abraham. God called to him, “Abraham!” Abraham replied, “Here I am.”
God said, “Take your only son Isaac, the one whom you love. Go to the land of Moriah. On one of the mountains there which I will tell you about, sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering.”
Early the next morning, Abraham got up. He saddled his donkey. He took two of his servants and his son Isaac with him. He also cut enough wood for the burnt offering. They set out for the place God had told Abraham to go.
On the third day of their journey, Abraham saw the place God had in mind. Abraham said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there and worship. We will come back to you later.”
Abraham put the wood for the burnt offering on his son Isaac to carry. Abraham himself carried the fire and the knife. Abraham and Isaac walked together to the place where God wanted them to go.
As they walked, Isaac asked, “Father, the wood and the fire are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
Abraham replied, “My son, God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.” Abraham and Isaac walked on together.
When they reached the place God had told them to go, Abraham built an altar for the sacrifice. Abraham arranged the wood on the altar. Then he tied up Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son as God had directed.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord called out to Abraham from heaven. The angel cried, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” Abraham cried.
The angel commanded, “Do not lay a hand on the boy. Now I know that you have respect for God. You have not held back from me your only son.”
Abraham looked up. There in the bush was a ram, caught by its horns. Abraham offered the ram as a burnt offering instead of Isaac. Abraham named that place, “The Lord will provide.”
Then the angel of the Lord called out from heaven to Abraham a second time. The angel gave Abraham this message from God. The angel said, “Because you did not hold back your only son from Me, I will bless you. I will make your offspring as many as the stars in the sky and as the grains of sand on the seashore. In your offspring, all the nations of the world shall be blessed because you have obeyed Me.”
Abraham and Isaac returned to the two servants. They all traveled home together.
Gospel Connection
Abraham’s love for God was so strong that he was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac according to God’s command. God’s love for us is even stronger—He sacrificed His only Son Jesus so we can be saved through faith in Him.
Words of Hope [Jesus] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2 NIV)
God Tests Abraham
BIBLE TIMELINE
Esau and Jacob Live
Joseph Sold as Slave
Two Very Different Twin Brothers (Jacob and Esau)
9 Genesis 25 – 33
Isaac loved his wife Rebekah very much. Together they prayed to God for the blessing of children, but after twenty years of marriage, Rebekah remained childless. Isaac continued to pray for his wife and one day, God answered his prayer. Rebekah became pregnant. She felt two children struggling in her womb because she was going to have twins. Rebekah said, “If all is well, why is this happening to me?”
God told Rebekah, “Two nations are in your womb. From you, two separate groups of people will come. One will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”
Rebekah did give birth to twins. The oldest twin had reddish skin and hair which covered his body like a coat. This twin was named Esau, which means “hairy.” The second twin was also a boy. As he was being born, he came out holding on to Esau’s heel. The second boy was named Jacob, which means “he takes by the heel” or “he cheats.”
When the boys had grown up, Esau became a skillful hunter who liked to be out in the open country. Jacob was a quiet man who stayed back home inside the tents. Isaac’s favorite son was Esau because he liked to eat the meat of the wild animals Esau hunted. Jacob was Rebekah’s favorite.
One day when Esau returned from hunting, he smelled the stew that Jacob was cooking. Exhausted, Esau said, “Give me some of that red stew. I’m starving!” But Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” Esau said, “I’m about to die from hunger. Why do I need a birthright?”
Jacob said, “Swear that you will give it to me.” Esau swore to give Jacob his birthright. Esau believed that a bowl of stew was more important than the gifts he would someday receive as Isaac’s firstborn son.
Now that Isaac was an old man, he could no longer see well. One day he said to Esau, “I am old and I don’t know when I will die. It is time for someone else to lead our family. Take your weapons and go hunting. Bring back some meat and fix me a good meal. After the meal, I will make you the leader of the family and give you my blessing.”
Rebekah heard what Isaac had said to Esau. As soon as Esau left to hunt, she called Jacob. Rebekah said, “I heard your father tell Esau that he wants to give him the blessing now. My son, listen carefully and do what I tell you. Go and get two goats. I will prepare them just the way your father
likes them. Then you will take it to him so that he will give you the blessing instead of Esau.”
Jacob replied, “My brother Esau is a hairy man, and I have smooth skin. If Father touches me, I would appear to be tricking him. This will make him very angry.” But Rebekah insisted, “Do as I say.”
Rebekah put Esau’s best clothing on Jacob. She put the skin of the goats over Jacob’s hands and over the smooth part of his neck so that his skin would feel like Esau’s hairy skin.
Jacob pretended to be Esau. He took the food that his mother had made and brought it to Isaac. When Isaac smelled Jacob’s clothes, they smelled like Esau’s. When Isaac touched Jacob’s arms, they felt like the hairy arms of Esau.
Isaac said, “Who are you, my son? ” Jacob said, “I am Esau, your firstborn son. I have done as you told me. Sit up and eat my food so that you may bless me.”
Isaac said, “Come here my son and let me touch you. I want to know if you are really my son Esau or not.” Jacob went closer to Isaac. As Isaac touched him he said, “The voice is Jacob’s and the hands are Esau’s hands.” “Are you really my son Esau?” Isaac asked. “Yes, I am,” said Jacob. Isaac ate the food Jacob had brought him.
Then Isaac said, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” When Isaac noticed that Jacob’s clothes smelled like the fields, he gave Jacob his blessing. Isaac said, “May God always bless you. May people serve you and nations bow down to you. Rule over your brothers, with your mother’s sons bowing down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you.”
A short time after this, Esau returned from his hunting. He said to Isaac, “Father, I am back. I have prepared a wonderful meal for you. Now give me your blessing.” But Isaac answered, “Who are you?” Esau replied, “I am your firstborn son, Esau.”
Isaac shook all over. He knew he had been tricked into giving his blessing to Jacob instead of Esau. When Esau realized what Jacob had done, he became so angry that he made plans to kill Jacob after Isaac died. Rebekah found out about Esau’s plan. To protect Jacob, she told him to run away to her brother Laban until Esau’s anger died down.
Quickly Jacob left his mother and father and traveled to Rebekah’s homeland. One night along the way, he came to a place to sleep. He put a stone under his head as a pillow. As he slept, Jacob dreamed of a stairway that reached to heaven. God’s angels were going up and down on the staircase. At the top of the stairs stood God Himself.
God said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and of your father Isaac. The land where you sleep will be given to your descendants. Your children will be like the dust of the earth. They will spread to the north, south, east, and west. Because of you and your descendants, all the families of the earth will be blessed. I am with you and will keep you safe. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised.” God changed Jacob's name to Israel. His descendants, God's nation, would come to be known as Israelites.
The next morning when Jacob woke up he said, “Now I know for sure that God is with me and wants to bless me.” Jacob took the flat stone he had used for a pillow and set it up as a pillar. He poured oil on it to designate it as a holy place. Jacob named the place Bethel.
When Jacob arrived in his mother’s homeland, he met his Uncle Laban and began to work for him. Jacob took care of Laban’s large flocks of animals. As payment for his work, Jacob was allowed to marry Laban’s two daughters, Rachel and Leah. As the years passed, Jacob became the father of twelve sons. God blessed Jacob with wealth and with hundreds of cows, sheep, and goats.
After twenty years of working for Laban, God told Jacob that it was time to return to his homeland. He took his wives, his children, his servants, and all the goats, sheep, cows, camels, and donkeys he had earned while working for Laban. At first, Laban was not happy that Jacob left him. Eventually, Jacob and Laban made a covenant to keep their loved ones safe.
When Esau learned that Jacob was coming home, he sent a message to him. Esau told Jacob, “I am coming to meet you. I will bring 400 men with me.” Jacob was terrified. He prayed, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac. You told me, ‘Go back to your country and relatives and I will make you prosper.’ Please save me from my brother Esau. I am afraid that he will attack me and kill me.”
Hoping that Esau was no longer angry with him, Jacob sent out some of his servants to bring gifts to Esau. To keep his family safe, Jacob went out ahead of them to meet Esau. As Esau approached him, Jacob bowed down to the ground seven times to show respect to his brother. But Esau was no longer angry with Jacob. Instead, Esau ran to Jacob. He hugged him and cried tears of joy. “Who are all these people with you? ” Esau asked.
“These are the children God has given to me,” Jacob explained as each of his wives and his children came and bowed down before Esau. Esau welcomed his brother home. Esau had forgiven Jacob and was very happy to see his brother and Jacob’s big family. Esau wanted the whole family to be together again.
Gospel Connection
God worked in the hearts of Jacob and Esau so they could be reconciled to one another. Our sins make us enemies of God. But God has reconciled us to Him through the death of Jesus for our sins.
Words of Hope
We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
(Romans 5:11 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE
(BC/BCE)
Esau and Jacob Live
Joseph Sold As Slave
Joseph Serves in Egypt
Joseph Is Sold by His Brothers
10 Genesis 37, 39 – 41
After his reunion with his brother Esau, Jacob and his family settled in Canaan. Jacob had twelve sons, but his favorite son was Joseph. Joseph was Jacob’s second youngest son. Jacob had a beautiful and very expensive coat made for Joseph. When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father Jacob loved Joseph best of all and had given him such an expensive gift, Joseph’s brothers became very jealous of Joseph and hated him.
One day, Joseph had a dream. He said to his brothers, “Listen to this dream I had. We were working together out in the field tying bundles of grain. My bundle of grain stood up, and all of your bundles of grain bowed down to mine.”
When they heard Joseph’s dream, his brothers became even more angry with him. They asked Joseph, “Do you think that you will rule over us?” Joseph’s brothers hated him even more than before.
Another time Joseph had a dream that was similar to the dream about the bundles of grain. In this dream, Joseph saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars. The sun, the moon, and stars all bowed to Joseph. Joseph told his brothers and his father Jacob about this dream too.
When he heard about Joseph’s dream, Jacob said, “Do you think that your mother and I and your brothers will bow down to you?” Joseph’s brothers became even more jealous and angry. They hated Joseph so much that they decided to find a way to get rid of him. But Jacob thought about and remembered what Joseph had said.
Some time later, Jacob sent Joseph out to the fields to see how his brothers were doing as they took care of the flocks of animals. When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming in the distance, they said, “Look. Here comes that dreamer. Let’s kill him and throw him in this well. We can say that a wild animal ate him. Then we will see what will become of his dreams.”
But Reuben, Joseph’s oldest brother, said to his younger brothers, “Don’t kill Joseph. Just throw him in the well. Don’t shed his blood.” Reuben had a plan to later go back to rescue Joseph and bring him back to his father.
When Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped off his beautiful robe and threw Joseph into the empty well. As the brothers ate their meal, they saw merchants riding camels on their way to Egypt to sell spices. The brothers pulled Joseph up from the well. For twenty pieces of silver they sold him to the merchants as a slave. Then Joseph’s brothers took his beautiful coat and tore it to shreds. They dipped the pieces
into the blood of a goat they had killed to make it look as though Joseph had been attacked by a wild animal.
When the brothers returned home from the fields, they took Joseph’s coat to their father Jacob. The brothers said, “We found this. Look carefully. Doesn’t it look like Joseph’s coat?”
Jacob cried, “It is my son’s coat! A ferocious animal must have killed him! Joseph is surely dead now.” To show how very sad he was, Jacob tore his clothes and put on sackcloth. He mourned for Joseph for many days. None of his sons or daughters could comfort him. When the merchants arrived in Egypt, they sold Joseph to be a slave to a man named Potiphar. Potiphar was the captain of the soldiers who guarded Pharaoh, the Egyptian king. Even though Joseph was far away from his family, God was with him and blessed him in all that he did. Potiphar respected Joseph and his work so much that he put Joseph in charge of all his other servants.
Joseph was very handsome. Potiphar’s wife tried to make Joseph fall in love with her, but Joseph resisted her. Because Joseph would not love her, Potiphar’s wife made up lies about him. She said, “Look! That Hebrew slave tried to attack me!”
Potiphar believed his wife’s lies and had Joseph locked up in Pharaoh’s prison. Even in prison, God was with Joseph. The head of the prison put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners. This warden didn’t worry about anything because Joseph was in charge. God gave Joseph success in all that he did.
One of the other prisoners had once worked closely with Pharaoh. One night he had a dream. He told Joseph about it. God gave Joseph the ability to understand the prisoner’s dream. Joseph told the prisoner, “In the past, you were Pharaoh’s special servant. Your dream means that you will soon be his servant again.” Just three days later the prisoner’s dream came true. The man was released from prison and
went to work for Pharaoh again.
Two more years went by. One day, Pharaoh himself had a dream. The Egyptian king dreamed that he was standing by the Nile River. He saw seven fat, beautiful cows come up out of the river to graze on the grass. Then he saw seven skinny, ugly cows come. The skinny cows completely ate up the fat, beautiful cows. It was a very strange dream.
Pharaoh woke up and thought about his dream. Then he fell asleep again and had another dream. This time, there were seven heads of healthy and full grain which sprouted on a stalk. Then seven more heads of grain appeared on the stalk, but these new grains were thin and shriveled up by the east wind. Suddenly, the seven shriveled heads of grain ate up the seven healthy heads of grain. Pharaoh awoke once more. It had been yet another strange dream.
The next morning Pharaoh was very troubled. He called for all his magicians and wise men, but no one could interpret his dreams. But then the servant Joseph had met in prison spoke up. He now worked as chief butler and said, “When I was in prison, I met a young Hebrew slave. When I had a dream I could not understand, this young man told me the meaning of my dream. It came to be exactly as he said. I think that this man can help you to interpret your dream.”
Pharaoh immediately called for Joseph and said, “I have had a dream that no one can interpret. I have heard that you can tell me what it means,” Pharaoh said.
“I cannot tell you,” explained Joseph. “God will give you the answer.”
Pharaoh then explained the dreams to Joseph who listened carefully. Joseph said, “The dreams have the same meaning. God has shown you what He is soon going to do. First, Egypt will have seven good years with plenty of food to eat. But then
there will be seven very bad years where no food will grow at all. God gave you two dreams because He surely will do it and it will happen soon. Pharaoh should find a wise, discerning man who can help store food, so the country will not be ruined by the famine when the seven bad years are coming.”
Pharaoh liked Joseph’s plan. The Egyptian king said, “Since God has made this known to you, you shall be in charge of my palace and all people must obey your orders.” Pharaoh took off his ring and gave it to Joseph. He gave Joseph royal robes to wear. In all of Egypt, only Pharaoh was greater than Joseph. Joseph was 30 years old when he began to serve Pharaoh. During the seven years of abundant crops, Joseph collected and stored much grain. After the seven years of good crops, the years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. When the people of Egypt cried for food, Pharaoh sent them to Joseph. Joseph opened the storehouses to feed the Egyptians. People from all over the world also came to Egypt to buy food.
Gospel Connection
God was with Joseph and worked good things in his life despite challenging circumstances. When we face difficult times, God is with us and promises to help us for Jesus’ sake.
Words of Hope
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE) 1876
Joseph Sold As Slave Joseph Serves in Egypt 1897 1884
Joseph Forgives His Brothers
God Blesses Joseph
Genesis 37 – 47
Exactlyas God had led Joseph to explain to Pharaoh, Egypt had seven years of good crops followed by seven years of famine. It was not only in Egypt that the harvests failed. People all over the world were starving. Soon the message reached other nations that there was food available in Egypt.
When Joseph’s father Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you keep looking at each other? I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go there and buy some for us so that we may live and not die of hunger.”
Jacob sent ten of his sons from Canaan to Egypt to buy grain. Jacob did not send his youngest son Benjamin. Jacob feared that something bad would happen to Benjamin as it had to Joseph so many years ago.
Joseph was the ruler of Egypt who controlled the amount of grain that was sold. When Joseph’s brothers arrived in Egypt, they bowed their faces to the ground in front of Joseph to show honor to him. Joseph’s brothers did not recognize him, but Joseph recognized them immediately. “Where do you come from?” Joseph harshly asked his brothers.
“We have come from Canaan to buy food,” they replied.
Joseph remembered the dreams he had long ago about them. “You are spies coming to see how this land is unprotected!” Joseph accused.
“No,” his brothers answered. “We are your servants, twelve brothers of the same man who lives in Canaan. Our youngest brother is home with our father, and one brother is no more.”
Joseph replied, “You are spies. I will test you to see if you are telling the truth. As Pharaoh lives, you will not leave here until your youngest brother comes to Egypt. Send one brother to get him. The rest of you must stay in prison until he is brought here.” Joseph kept his brothers in custody for three days.
On the third day, Joseph had his brothers released from prison. Joseph said, “I fear God. Do this and you will live. If you are honest men, one of you will remain here while the rest return to your country with food for your starving families. You must bring to me your youngest brother to prove you are telling the truth. Otherwise you will all die.” Joseph had his brother Simeon tied up and thrown into prison as his other brothers watched.
Joseph gave orders that the bags of his other brothers be filled with grain. Secretly, he had their payment for the grain in silver coins placed back into their sacks. With food to eat along the way, Joseph’s brothers loaded their donkeys and left for Canaan. When they stopped for the night, one of the brothers saw the silver coins he thought he had used to pay for the grain near the top of his sack. The brothers asked each other trembling, “What has God done to us?”
When they reached their home in Canaan, they told their father Jacob everything that had happened in Egypt. They told him that they were to bring their youngest brother back to Egypt to prove that they were not spies. As they emptied their sacks of grain, the brothers and their father discovered that all the money they thought they had given to pay for the grain was there in their sacks. They were afraid.
Jacob did not want Benjamin to go back with his other sons to Egypt. He was afraid Benjamin would die. But soon Jacob and his family needed more grain to eat. Eventually the sons convinced Jacob that the only way they could satisfy the man who had accused them of spying was to bring Benjamin back with them.
Finally Jacob gave in. He told his sons, “Take some of the best things from our land like spices, nuts, and honey as a gift for the man in Egypt. Take double the money for the grain. Also take Benjamin. May the Almighty God cause the man to show mercy on us.”
Joseph’s ten older brothers along with his younger brother Benjamin returned to Egypt. They bowed before Joseph as they gave him their gifts. Joseph asked them, “How is your old father? Is he still living?”
“Your servant, our father is still alive and well,” the brothers replied.
Joseph looked and saw Benjamin, his own mother’s son. Joseph asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” When Joseph saw Benjamin, he was so surprised that he quickly went away from his brothers so he could cry for happiness without being seen. When his emotions were once again in control, he washed his face and went back to his brothers. “Serve the food,” Joseph ordered. All of Joseph’s brothers ate dinner with him.
When it was time for them to leave for home, Joseph gave orders for their sacks to be filled with as much grain as possible. He once again had the money for the grain placed back into their sacks. This time Joseph also ordered that his silver cup was to be placed in Benjamin’s sack.
The next morning, the brothers set out for home. Joseph commanded one of his managers to follow them. The manager rode quickly to catch up with Joseph’s brothers. The manager accused the brothers of stealing Joseph’s silver cup. Shocked, the brothers replied, “We would never do such a thing. We returned the silver we found in our sacks the last time. If any one of us has the cup, he must die. The rest of us will be your slaves.”
“Only the one who has the cup will be a slave,” the manager replied. He searched each sack from that of the oldest brother to that of the youngest. The manager found the silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. Upon this discovery, the brothers tore their clothes in sorrow. They loaded their camels and returned to the city.
Joseph’s brothers threw themselves on the ground before him. Joseph said, “Don’t you know that I see the unknown? What have you done?”
The brothers pleaded, “How can we prove that we are innocent? God has shown that we are guilty. We will all be your slaves, not just the one who is found to have the silver cup.”
Joseph said, “Only the one who had the cup must remain. The rest of you go back to your father in peace.”
But Joseph’s brother Judah said, “Please listen and do not be angry. You asked about our father and discovered that we had a younger brother. We told you that he cannot leave his father, but you said that we could not return unless we brought him. My father loves this boy so much that if he does not return, my father will die. I guaranteed to keep the boy safe. Please let me remain here in place of him. I cannot bear the misery that will come to my father if he loses another son.”
Joseph could not control his emotions any longer. He commanded all his servants to leave his presence. Joseph cried so loudly that all of his household and Pharaoh’s servants heard him. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” Joseph’s brothers were terrified.
“Come near,” Joseph said to his brothers. “I am Joseph, your brother that you sold as a slave. Don’t be afraid of me. You did evil to me, but God turned it into something good.” Joseph hugged and kissed his younger brother Benjamin as he cried tears of happiness. Joseph kissed all his brothers. He said to them, “Go and bring our father to come and stay with us here in Egypt so we can all live as one big family again.”
Pharaoh was pleased that Joseph’s brothers had come. He ordered them to take wagons back to Canaan so they could quickly move to Egypt. Jacob could not believe the news he heard from his sons when they told him, “Joseph is still alive. He rules all of Egypt.” Jacob did not know what to think. Finally, when he saw the wagons from Egypt, he believed it was true.
When Jacob and his family arrived in Egypt, Pharaoh gave them a wonderful piece of land to live on in a place called Goshen. There Jacob and his family lived safely through the years of famine.
Gospel Connection
Despite the evil actions of Joseph’s brothers against him, God worked good for Joseph and for his family. Despite our sinfulness, in His great mercy and grace, God works good for us and blesses us through Jesus our Savior.
Words of Hope
The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.
(Nahum 1:7 NIV)
1884
Joseph Serves in Egypt
BIBLE
TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
1876
Joseph Forgives His Brothers
1750
Job Tested by Satan
Job Is Tested by Satan
12 Job 1 – 42
During the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived a man named Job. Job was an honest man. He respected God and avoided evil. God blessed Job in many ways. Job had seven sons and three daughters. Job prayed constantly for his family. He was also very rich. Job owned thousands of sheep and camels along with many oxen and donkeys. Job had many servants. In the land where Job lived, he was the most important man.
God noticed Job’s goodness and kindness. But so did Satan. Satan is God’s enemy and the source of all evil. Satan roams the earth looking for ways to hurt God’s people. Satan came to God and told Him, “Job loves You only because You give him everything he needs. But if You take away everything he has, then he will speak evil against You.”
God was sure that despite such hardship, Job would continue to trust in Him and honor Him. So God told Satan, “You may test Job. Take away all he owns. But do not hurt Job himself.”
One day soon after, Satan did many evil things to Job. Thieves stole all of Job’s oxen and donkeys. Lightning killed all of his sheep and his shepherds who took care of them. All of Job’s camels were stolen. Worst of all, all of Job’s sons and daughters were killed when a very strong wind blew down the house in which they were eating dinner together.
Job was filled with sorrow at his great loss. He tore his clothes and shaved his head to show how sad he was. Then he worshiped God. Job said, “Even though God has taken away all that He has given me, I will still praise Him.” Job did not blame God for any of the terrible things that had happened to him.
On another day, Satan came to God again. God told Satan, “My servant Job has continued to honor Me despite all the hardship you brought him.”
But Satan replied, “That’s because Job himself was not hurt. If Job becomes sick, then I’m sure he will speak evil against You.”
God said, “You may bring illness on Job, but you must not kill him.” Satan left and went on his way.
Soon Job became very sick. Satan made terrible sores called boils to cover Job’s body from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. Job was in much pain and felt very miserable.
Job’s wife said to him, “It’s all God’s fault that these things are happening.”
But Job told her, “Be quiet! You are talking nonsense. We accept good things from God. We should be patient and trusting when God sends trouble.”
Three of Job’s friends named Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar heard about Job’s troubles and came to visit him. When they saw Job sitting in ashes covered with sores and clothed in rags, they were very sad. For seven days and seven nights they sat with Job but did not say a word to him. His friends could see how much he was suffering.
Then Job’s friends began to offer him advice. One friend said, “You must have committed a very bad sin. God would not send such pain and suffering to someone who was good. God is punishing you for something you have done wrong.”
But Job knew that he loved God with all his heart. Job told his friends, “I’m innocent.” But his friends replied, “Stop pretending! Tell God you’re sorry for what you’ve done. Then God will forgive you and everything will go well for you again.”
Job pleaded with his friends, “Why won’t you have pity on me? Why won’t you believe me? I need loyal friends to help me. You are no comfort to me in my troubles.”
Job knew that the advice his friends had given him was wrong. But Job began to feel that God was being very unfair to him. Job wished that he could take God to court so things could be settled between them. But Job knew this was impossible because God is not a man.
Job felt more and more bitter. Many times he cried, “I wish I had never been born.” Job questioned God over and over about his suffering. He waited and waited for God to answer him.
Then a fourth man who was much younger than Job and his friends came to see him. This man’s name was Elihu. Elihu was angry with Job because Job believed that God was wrong. Elihu was angry with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar because they continued to say that Job was guilty of a terrible sin even though they could not prove it.
Elihu said to Job, “I waited to speak to you because I am so young. You are older and are supposed to be wise. But you have it all wrong. God knows all things. God is so much greater than any person. God made all things. He controls everything in the world. Everything God does is fair and right. God saves suffering people and speaks to them when they are hurting. God wants you to respect Him and listen to Him.”
Suddenly a huge storm came up with a very great wind. Job heard God speak out of the storm. God said, “Job, you have been asking Me many questions. But you must answer My questions to you. Where were you when I made the world? Can you tell me where light comes from? Can you make the clouds give rain? Can you teach hawks where to fly ? Answer Me, Job!”
Job had no answers to God’s questions because only God knows the answers. Job was ashamed. While he had lived a good life and had kept God’s laws, he thought he could argue with God as if he had the same strength, power, and wisdom as God Himself.
God did not explain to Job the reason for all his troubles. But God led Job to realize that he could also trust in Him and in His wisdom. Job said, “God, now that You have spoken to me, I realize how great and mighty You are. I should have trusted in You.”
Then God said to Job’s three friends, “You have done wrong. You did not speak the truth about Me to Job. But Job will pray for you, and I will forgive you because of Job’s prayers.”
Gospel Connection
God allowed troubles to come into Job’s life. But God never left Job. When we experience problems and troubles, God never leaves us. We can trust in God’s care because He gave His one and only Son Jesus to redeem us from our sins.
Words of Hope
I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. (Job 19:25 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
After Job prayed for his friends, God made him healthy and successful again. He gave Job twice as much wealth as he had before. God blessed Job with seven sons and three beautiful daughters. Job lived to see his children, his grandchildren, and his great-grandchildren. Job lived a very long time and died at a great age. 1540
Joseph, his father Jacob, and all of Joseph’s brothers and their families lived in Egypt for many years. When Jacob died, Joseph kept the promise he had made to his father and buried him in Canaan. After Jacob’s death, Joseph continued to provide for his brothers and for their families in Egypt.
During his lifetime, Joseph saw his son Ephraim’s great-great-grandchildren. When Joseph was about to die, he told his brothers, “God will surely come to your aid and take you out of Egypt to the land He promised to Abraham, Isaac, and our father, Jacob.” Joseph was 110 years old when he died. His brothers buried him in Egypt.
Eventually, all of Joseph’s brothers and the people of their generation died. But God continued to bless the new generations of Israelites. The families of the Israelites grew and grew until there were many, many Israelites all over Egypt.
As time passed, Egypt had a new pharaoh in power as their king. This new pharaoh did not know about Joseph. This new king became very worried that there were too many Israelites. He told his people, “We must deal shrewdly with the Israelites or they will become even more numerous. If a war breaks out, the Israelites will join forces with our enemies. They will fight against us and leave Egypt.”
So the pharaoh placed slave masters over the Israelites and made them slaves. The Israelites were forced to work very hard under very difficult conditions. As slaves, the Israelites were forced to build cities for the Egyptians.
But God was with His people. No matter how hard the work was, the Israelites continued to grow in number. The Egyptians were afraid of them, so they forced the Israelites to work even harder. They forced the Israelites
to work as brick-makers and bricklayers. They also forced them to work in the fields to plant, care for, and harvest the crops. The Egyptians worked the people ruthlessly.
So the pharaoh devised another plan to try to prevent the Israelite population from growing any larger. Pharaoh told the women who helped the Hebrew women when they were in childbirth to do something very horrible. Pharaoh said, “If an Israelite woman is having a baby boy, kill him as soon as he is born. If an Israelite woman is having a baby girl, let her live.”
But the women who helped new mothers in childbirth respected God and believed in Him. They knew that it was wrong to kill any babies. So they did not do what Pharaoh asked them to do. They let the Israelite baby boys live. When Pharaoh found out about this, he called the women to him and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live? ”
The women told the Egyptian king, “The Hebrew women are very strong. They give birth before we arrive.” God was kind to these women because they did not kill the boy babies. God gave them families of their own. God also continued to bless the Israelites. Their population continued to grow larger and larger.
So Pharaoh gave a new order. He told all the people, “Every boy that is born you must throw into the Nile River, but let every girl live.”
Because God was taking care of His people, Pharaoh’s new plan to limit the number of Israelites did not work either. So Pharaoh gave another order. He told the Egyptian slave drivers and the other men in charge of the Israelite slaves, “Do not give the Israelites any more straw that they need to
make bricks. Instead, make them go and gather their own straw. But still force them to make as many bricks as before.”
It was impossible for the Israelites to keep up with Pharaoh’s demand. Many Israelite slaves were beaten because they could not make the number of bricks the Egyptian king required. God’s people cried out to Him for help. God heard their cries. And God had a plan to rescue them from their slavery in Egypt.
Gospel Connection
God’s people suffered as slaves in Egypt. But God had a plan to rescue them. We are born sinful. We are slaves to sin. Our sins cause us and others to suffer. We can’t rescue ourselves from this terrible situation. But God has rescued us from our slavery to sin by sending His Son, Jesus. Jesus died on the cross and rose again to save us from sin, death, and the devil. Through faith in Jesus, we are freed from the slavery of sin. God gives us the power to resist sin and to follow Him.
Words of Hope
For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
(Romans 6:6–7 NIV)
Israelites Slaves in Egypt 1540
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
Baby Moses Rescued 1526 1446
God Chooses Moses
Nile River Rescue
14 Exodus 1 – 2:10
AfterJoseph and his family had died, their children, called the Israelites, still lived in Egypt in the land of Goshen. But things did not go well for the Israelites after Joseph died. The new pharaohs (kings) of Egypt did not like the Israelites. They worried that the Israelites might become so numerous that they would try to take over the Egyptians.
So the pharaohs forced the Israelites to work as slaves. Their work was very hard and very long. The Israelites did not have much food. They were commanded by
the Egyptian kings to build many things including the cities of Pithom and Raamses. But God was with His people, just as He had been with Joseph. The harder the Egyptians made the Israelites work, the stronger God made them. God blessed the Israelite families with many children.
As the number of Israelites grew, the evil Pharaoh was even more worried that they soon would outnumber the Egyptians and take over their kingdom. So the Pharaoh made a cruel and terrible decision. He said that all of the baby boys of the Israelites must be killed. The Israelites were afraid of the Pharaoh and his new law, so the people prayed to God for help.
After Pharaoh made his new law, an Israelite woman gave birth to a baby boy. She took care of him and kept him hidden from the Egyptian authorities for three months. But soon the baby boy became too big to hide any longer. To try and save her son from death, the woman made a basket out of the stems of tall grass which grew near the Nile River. She covered the basket with sticky tar so that it would be waterproof. Then the woman put her baby in the basket and sent it out on the Nile River. The woman trusted that God would save her son. The baby boy’s older sister, Miriam, hid and watched the basket as it floated on the river.
After a short time, the daughter of Pharaoh came down to the Nile to take a bath. The princess saw the basket floating among the reeds along the river’s shore. She sent her servant to bring the basket to her. When the princess opened the basket, the baby boy was crying. The princess was
filled with compassion for the little baby. She exclaimed, “This is one of the Hebrew (Israelite) babies!”
Miriam had been watching all that had happened. Boldly she came up to the princess and asked her, “Would you like me to find a Hebrew woman who can nurse him for you ? ”
The princess told her, “Go.” Quickly Miriam returned with her own mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child into your house and care for him for me. I will pay you.”
The happy mother took her son back into her home. She lovingly cared for him until he was old enough to eat food by himself.
Then the woman brought her son to Pharaoh’s daughter, who continued to raise him as her own son. The princess said, “I will name him Moses, because I have taken him out of the water.”
Gospel Connection
God rescued Moses from death. God has rescued us from sin, death, and the devil through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Words of Hope
[Jesus] gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.
(Galatians 1:4 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
1526
Baby Moses Rescued
God Chooses Moses 1446 Plagues and Passover
Calling of Moses
Exodus 2 – 4
Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s palace. Even when he had become a man, he remained there as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. But Moses knew that he was an Israelite. It angered him to see how the Egyptians were cruel to the Israelite slaves. So Moses tried to help some of his people.
One day as he went walking, Moses saw an Egyptian mistreating one of Israelite slaves. Moses carefully looked around. Seeing no one else near him, Moses rescued the Israelite by killing the Egyptian. Moses buried the Egyptian’s body in the sand.
The next day, Moses went out again. This time he saw two Israelites fighting. Moses asked, “Why are you hurting your brother ? ” One of the fighting Israelites replied, “Are you going to kill me as you killed the Egyptian ? ” Moses realized that people knew what he had done. He knew that his life was in danger. If Pharaoh found out that Moses had murdered an Egyptian, the Egyptian king would try to kill Moses too. So Moses had to run away from Egypt.
Moses escaped to Midian and began to work there as a shepherd. Moses took care of the sheep owned by a priest named Jethro. Moses lived in Midian for forty years as a shepherd. Eventually, Moses married Jethro’s daughter, Zipporah. Together, Moses and Zipporah had two sons.
When Moses lived in Midian with Jethro, the Egyptians made the Israelites work harder for them than ever in Egypt. The Israelites cried to God for help. God heard the cries of His people. God did not forget them.
One day in Midian, while Moses was watching over Jethro’s sheep as they grazed near a mountain, Moses saw a very strange bush. The bush was on fire but did not burn up. Moses walked over to the burning bush. Just then, God appeared to him and called to him from inside the burning bush.
From the fire, God’s voice said, “Do not come near. Take off your sandals. The place where you are standing is holy ground. I am the God of your father, God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.
God said to Moses, “Don’t be afraid for I am with you. I have seen My people, the Israelites, as they suffer in Egypt. I have not forgotten them. Tell Pharaoh that the Israelites are
my people, and I want my people to leave Egypt. Moses, you must lead them out of Egypt.”
But Moses was afraid to go back to Egypt. He said to God, “Who am I to go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
God said to Moses, “Don’t be afraid. I will be with you. This will be the sign for you: when you have come out of Egypt, you will worship Me on this mountain.”
Moses said, “When I say to the people, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me,’ and they ask me to tell them Your name, what should I tell them?”
God replied, “I AM WHO I AM. Tell the children of Israel that I AM has sent you. Tell them the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has sent me to you. This is My name forever.”
But Moses was still afraid. He said, “They won’t listen to me. They will say, ‘God did not really appear to you.’”
But God said, “I will keep you safe. Take your staff and use it to perform miracles in Egypt. You will lead My people to Canaan, the land that I promised long ago to Abraham. Go now and I will be with you.”
Afraid to do the task that God had given him, Moses said, “I am not a good speaker.”
God said to Moses, “Go. I will help you speak. I will teach you what to say.”
Still afraid, Moses pleaded, “Oh Lord, please send someone else.”
Now God was angry with Moses. “I know that your brother Aaron speaks well. He is coming now to meet you.
He can be your mouth. I will tell you what to say, and Aaron can speak for you to the people. Take your staff and with it you can show My signs.”
Moses went to Jethro to ask permission to visit his family back in Egypt. After Jethro blessed him, Moses took his wife and sons with him to Egypt.
Gospel Connection
God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and to the land God promised them. God was with Moses and gave him strength and everything he needed to carry out this great task. God calls us to show and tell others of the love which Jesus gives. He is with us always and strengthens us by the power of the Holy Spirit so we can do this work.
Words of Hope I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13 NIV) 1446
Soon Moses met Aaron. Moses hugged his brother and shared with him the plan God had made. Aaron spoke for Moses. The people believed that God had seen their suffering and that God had chosen Moses to lead them out of Egypt. The Israelites bowed their heads and worshiped God in gratitude. 1445
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
God Provides for His People
God Chooses Moses Plagues and Passover Red Sea Deliverance
Plagues and Deliverance
Pharaoh did not listen to Moses, so God sent ten plagues over Egypt. These plagues were designed to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave Egypt as God desired. First, God turned the water in Egypt into blood. The Nile River and all the bodies of water in Egypt were blood instead of water. No one could find good water to drink. But despite this problem, Pharaoh would not let the Israelites leave Egypt.
At God’s direction, Moses and Aaron went up and stood before Pharaoh. They told the Egyptian king, “We have met with God, the God of Israel. God has said, ‘Let My people go.’ But Pharaoh replied, “Who is the Lord? Why should I obey Him? I don’t know Him and I will not let Israel go!” With that, Pharaoh commanded that the Israelite slaves work even harder than before.
A week later, God again sent Moses to Pharaoh. God told Moses to tell Pharaoh, “The Lord says, ‘Let My people go. Then they will be able to worship Me. If you do not let them go, I will plague all of Egypt with frogs. There will be frogs everywhere, in your palace, in your bedroom, on your bed, in everyone’s homes and even in the ovens and the bread pans’.”
Aaron stretched his staff over the Nile River as God directed. God made frogs from the river, ponds, and streams come up out of the water and cover the land. But Pharaoh’s royal magicians also made frogs appear everywhere.
After some time, Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. “Pray to your Lord and ask Him to take the frogs away,” Pharaoh requested. “Then I will let the people go.” God allowed Pharaoh to set the time for the frogs to leave. Pharaoh chose the next day.
The next day, as all the frogs died, the Egyptians piled them up. The frogs stunk as they rotted. But Pharaoh changed his mind. He would not let the Israelites go.
So God sent a third plague on the Egyptian. God told Aaron to hit the dust of the ground with his staff. When Aaron did so, God made all of the dust become biting bugs called
Pharaoh sent servants to see the animals of the Israelites in Goshen. The servants reported back to Pharaoh that all of the animals of the Israelites remained healthy. Still Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go.
So God spoke to Moses and Aaron again. God told them to throw ashes from the furnace into the air. In this sixth plague, the ashes in the air turned into dust that made painful sores called boils to come upon every person and animal in Egypt. Painful, oozing sores covered the Egyptians’ bodies from the top of their heads to the bottom of their feet. Even the royal magicians could not stand up before Moses because they were in too much pain. But God made Pharaoh’s heart stubborn. Pharaoh would still not let the Israelites go.
For the seventh plague, God sent a terrible storm over Egypt. Huge hailstones crushed every plant and all the crops in the fields. The hailstones fell on people and animals too. It was the worst storm in Egypt’s history. The only place it didn’t hail was in Goshen where God’s people lived.
Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. “This time I’ve sinned,” Pharaoh said. “The Lord has done what is right and I and my people have done what is wrong. Pray to the Lord. Tell Him we’ve had enough thunder and hail. Then I’ll let you and your people go.” Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He prayed to God. God stopped the thunder and hail. But once Pharaoh saw that the storm had stopped, he became stubborn once more and would not let the Israelites leave Egypt.
Then God told Moses and Aaron to return to Pharaoh. Moses and Aaron told the Egyptian king, “If you continue to refuse to obey the Lord, tomorrow He will send locusts into your country. There will be so many locusts that you will not
be able to see the ground beneath them. The locusts will eat everything that was not already destroyed by the hail. They will fill your houses. You will never have seen anything like this.”
Pharaoh’s officials begged him to let the Israelites go. They pleaded, “Don’t you realize after everything that’s happened that Egypt is destroyed? ”
Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron back to him. He said, “Go. Worship the Lord your God. But just who will be going with you? ”
“All of our people,” answered Moses.
“No!” said Pharaoh. “I’ll only allow the men to leave.” Then Pharaoh drove Moses and Aaron out of his sight.
Because of Pharaoh’s stubbornness, God sent the eighth plague on Egypt. As Moses reached his staff out over Egypt, God caused a strong east wind to blow. The wind brought locusts into every part of Egypt. The locusts covered the ground until it was black. They ate up all the plants until there was nothing green left on any tree or plant in all of Egypt.
Pharaoh quickly sent for Moses and Aaron. He said, “I’ve sinned against the Lord your God. I’ve also sinned against you. Forgive my sin one more time. Pray to your God to take away from me this deadly plague.” Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. The Lord changed the wind to a very strong west wind. The wind picked up the locusts and blew them into the Red Sea. Not one locust was left in Egypt. But again Pharaoh’s heart became stubborn. He would not let God’s people go.
The ninth plague was a plague of darkness. God told Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven. I will bring
darkness over Egypt that will be so thick that it can even be felt.” Moses did as God said. Darkness fell upon the land of Egypt that lasted for three days. None of the Egyptians could see one another. But in the houses of God’s people, the Israelites, there was light.
Then God said to Moses, “Pharaoh will soon let you go. Therefore, go and tell your people to be ready to leave. Each family must gather tonight and eat a meal together. For the meal they must select a perfect year-old lamb. If a family is too small to eat an entire lamb, then they must share it with their neighbors.”
“When the lamb is slaughtered, take some of its blood and put in on the sides and the tops of the doorframes of your houses. Then roast the meat and eat it with bitter herbs and with bread made without yeast. If any meat is left over, it must be burned. Eat the meal in a hurry with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. This is the Lord’s Passover.”
God continued, “Tonight My angel will pass through Egypt and strike down the firstborn of all man and animals. I will show My power, and Pharaoh will let My people go. When I see the blood on the houses of My people, the angel will pass over these homes and do you no harm.”
Moses did as God said. The Israelites gathered their belongings and prepared to leave Egypt. The families painted the blood of the lamb on their doorposts as God has instructed. They ate the Passover meal, just as God had told them to do. On that night, all the firstborn boys in Egypt died. Even Pharaoh’s son died. But among the Israelites, no one died. God’s angel saw the sign of the blood on their doorframes and passed over them. This was the tenth plague God sent on Egypt.
That same night Pharaoh called on Moses. Pharaoh said, “I have had enough. Take your people and go.”
So the Israelites made their way out of Egypt. There were about 600,000 men plus women and children when they departed. The Israelites also brought their flocks and herds of animals. The Israelites had lived in Egypt for 430 years. Like an army, the Lord’s people marched out of Egypt and took Joseph’s bones with them.
Gospel Connection
God delivered His people out of Egypt and their lives as slaves. Through the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus, we are no longer slaves to sin and death. Jesus has set us free to live our lives for God as His rescued and redeemed people.
Words of Hope
Through Jesus Christ the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2 NIV) 1446
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
Plagues and Passover Red Sea Deliverance
God Provides for His People 1445
The Red Sea Miracle
17 Exodus 13:17 – 15:21
Mosesled the people as they left Egypt. During the day
God went ahead of them in a thick cloud. During the night, God went ahead of them in a flaming fire. This is how God led His people, whether it was day or night.
As Moses and the Israelites traveled, they came to the Red Sea. There they set up camp on the shore. Meanwhile, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so he once again regretted his decision to let the Israelites leave Egypt. Pharaoh sent out his big armies to bring the Israelites back. Pharaoh sent out over 600 of his best chariots, his horses and horsemen, and his army. Their plan was to overtake the Israelites as they camped by the Red Sea.
When the Israelites saw the Egyptian army approaching them, they were terrified. They cried out to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here in the desert to die? Didn’t we tell you to let us serve the Egyptians? It would have been better to serve in Egypt than to die here in the wilderness!”
But Moses said, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see how God will save us. God will fight for you. Just be still.”
Then God spoke to Moses. He said, “Tell the people to move on. Hold out your staff over the Red Sea to part the water. The Israelites will be able to go through the sea on dry ground.”
The thick cloud in which God traveled moved between the Israelites and the Egyptians. Neither group could see the other.
As Moses reached his hand out over the Red Sea, God pushed the water back with a strong east wind. God parted the waters of the Red Sea and turned the sea into dry land.
All through the night, the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground. As they walked, God made a wall of water on their right and on their left.
The Egyptian army chased the Israelites. All of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen followed God’s people into the sea. God saw the Egyptian army. He made the soldiers and horses panic. God kept the wheels of their chariots from turning. The chariots were hard to drive.
The Egyptians cried out, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against us!”
After the Israelites were safe on the other side, then God commanded Moses, “Reach out your hand over the sea once more. I will make the waters of the sea flow back
over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” Moses reached out his hand over the Red Sea. At sunrise, the waters of the sea went back into place. The Egyptians tried to run from the sea, but God swept them into it. The water covered Pharaoh’s entire army. All of them drowned in the waters of the sea.
The Israelites saw what God had done for them. They put their faith in God. The people praised God with songs and dancing. They sang, “I will sing to the Lord and honor Him. He has thrown Pharaoh’s horses and riders into the Red Sea!”
Gospel Connection
God led the Israelites through the waters of the Red Sea and gave them the victory over their Egyptian enemies. In the same way, when we receive faith and are saved by the waters of baptism, God gives us victory over sin and death.
Words of Hope
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
Red Sea Deliverance God Gives His Law The Bronze Serpent
Provides for His People
Wilderness Woes and Relief
18 Exodus 15:22 – 17:7
AfterGod’s amazing rescue of His people at the Red Sea, Moses led them away from the sea and out into the wilderness. The wilderness land was a desert. It was hot and dry. There was little water.
After a few days, the people came to a place called Marah where they found water. But the water there was so bitter the people could not drink it.
The people were not happy with Moses. They complained, “What are we supposed to drink ?”
Moses cried out to God for help. God showed Moses a log. When Moses threw the log into the water, the water became sweet so that the people could drink it.
From Marah, the Israelites traveled to Elim where there were 12 springs of water and 70 palm trees. For a time the people
moaned, “At least when we were in Egypt, we had plenty of food to eat. We wish the Lord would have put us to death there. You’ve brought us out into this desert. You must want all of us to die from hunger.”
Then God spoke to Moses. God said, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you.”
Moses and Aaron told the people, “God has heard your complaining against Him. So tonight God will give you meat to eat. In the morning, God will give you bread. By this you will know that God is the Lord.”
That evening, birds called quail came into the camp so the Israelites would have meat to eat. In the morning, the ground around the camp was covered with dew. When the dew was gone, the ground was covered with thin flakes of sweet bread the Israelites called manna. When the people saw the manna, at first they did not know what it was. The manna God sent was white like coriander seeds. It tasted like wafers made with honey.
Moses said to them, “This is the bread that God has given you to eat. God commands that you should gather up as much as you need for today only. Don’t keep any of it until tomorrow morning.”
But some of the people did not listen to Moses. They kept some of the manna until the next morning. But overnight the manna had spoiled. It was full of maggots and stank.
On the sixth day of the week, Moses told the people to gather twice as much manna so that it would also last for the Sabbath day. On the sixth day, the people prepared twice as much bread so they would be able to honor God and rest on the Sabbath. The extra manna they gathered on this day did not spoil.
God commanded Moses, “Get two quarts of manna. Keep it for all time to come. Then the people who live after you will see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert.” Aaron put two quarts of manna in a jar, just as God had commanded. After a time, the Israelites moved from the Desert of Sin and
continued to travel from place to place in the desert as the Lord told them. When they camped at a place called Rephidim, there was no water there. The Israelites complained to Moses that they were thirsty. “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt ?” they said. “Did you want us and our livestock to die of thirst ?”
Moses cried out to God, “What am I to do with these people?”
God answered, “Walk on ahead of the people. Take the elders of Israel with you. Go to the rock at Mount Horeb. Stand in front of it and hit it with your staff. Then water will come out of the rock for the people to drink.”
Moses did as God said. Now the Israelites could drink as much as they wanted. God had once again provided for His people as they journeyed in the desert.
Gospel Connection
Even though the Israelites sinfully grumbled and complained, God faithfully provided for them as they traveled in the wilderness. Even though we often sin because of our own ungrateful attitudes, God, our loving and gracious heavenly Father, daily provides for all our needs.
Words of Hope
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.
(Psalm 107:1 NIV)
God’s Law for Our Lives
(The Ten Commandments)
19 Exodus 19:20 – 21; 32 – 34
he Israelites continued their journey through the desert to the land which God promised them. Exactly three months after they had left Egypt, the people arrived at Mount Sinai, the same mountain where Moses had seen the burning bush. The Israelites set up camp at the base of the mountain. As they looked up, they saw a dark cloud which covered the mountain. Lighting flashed from the cloud and thunder boomed. God Himself was on the mountain.
Moses climbed up the mountain to talk to God. For forty days, Moses stayed there as God talked to him.
God said, “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt. I have rescued you from slavery.
“Do not worship any gods in place of Me. Do not make any idols to worship. Worship Me only.
“My name is holy. Do not misuse My name or use it for evil.
“Keep the seventh day of the week holy. Do your work in six days so that you can remember the seventh day as the Sabbath day.
“Honor your father and mother.
“Do not kill.
“Do not be unfaithful to your spouse, in your thoughts or in your actions.
“Do not steal.
“Do not tell lies about others.
“Do not be jealous for the things which belong to your neighbor.
“Do not be jealous for any of the people or animals which belong to your neighbor.”
God Himself carved these ten laws or commandments on two large, flat stone tablets. He gave them to Moses on Mount Sinai so that Moses could teach these commandments and instructions to God’s people. While Moses was away on the mountain, Aaron was leading the people. The Israelites gathered and said to Aaron, “ We don’t know what’s happened to Moses. Make some new gods for us so we can worship them.” Aaron told the people to give him their golden earrings, and he melted
their jewelry. Then he shaped the gold to make a golden calf, and he made an altar for the idol. Aaron proclaimed, “Tomorrow is a feast day to the Lord.“
The next day, the people gave burnt offerings to the false golden god instead of to the one true God. They worshipped the golden calf. They ate and drank in celebration.
God saw what the Israelites were doing. God said to Moses, “Your people have turned away from Me. They have made a golden calf their new god. I am very angry. I am going to destroy them all.” Moses pleaded with God, “Remember Your promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Please do not let the Egyptians think that You led Your people out of Egypt only to destroy them.”
God heard Moses’ request. God relented from destroying His people.
Then Moses went down the mountain with the two stone tablets of God’s Law. When Moses saw the Israelites as they worshiped the golden calf, he became very angry. Moses threw the stone tablets on the ground. The tablets broke into pieces at the foot of Mount Sinai.
Moses said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you that made you lead them into sin like this? ” Aaron said, “Please, don’t be angry with me. The people asked me to make a god because they didn’t know what had happened to you. I told them to take off their gold jewelry. I threw it into the fire and out came this calf.”
Moses then prayed to God for the people. Because Moses asked God to forgive the people, God showed mercy and forgave the Israelites. Later, God commanded Moses to bring up on Mount Sinai new stone tablets. God wrote all of His Laws and commands from the first tablets on the two new tablets and gave them to Moses. Moses carried the tablets back to the camp and read them to the people. Then Moses told the people, “God has commanded us
to build a special place to worship Him. It will be a large beautiful tent called the tabernacle.”
The people built the tabernacle in the center of the camp. They made colorful curtains for the tent and decorated it with silver and gold.
Inside the tabernacle, the people placed some very special items including a special container called the Ark of the Covenant. Inside this container Moses placed the tablets with the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s staff, and the jar of manna. Everywhere the Israelites traveled they carried the tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant with them.
When the tabernacle was finished, a cloud appeared and hovered in the air just above the tabernacle. The cloud showed the Israelites that God was always with them.
Gospel Connection
Out of His great love for us, God gave His Law so that we would know what to do, what not to do, and how to live. God expects us to keep His Law perfectly. Because we sin, we cannot do this. But Jesus did. Through faith in Jesus’ perfect keeping of the Law and in His death and resurrection, we are saved.
Words of Hope Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119:105 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
The
Moses Dies
Look and Live (The Bronze Serpent)
20 Numbers 21:4 – 9
For another 38 years, God continued to lead the Israelites through the desert to the land He promised them. Along the way, Moses’ sister Miriam and his brother Aaron died. Aaron died on Mount Hor on the border of the land of Edom.
The king of the land of Edom would not allow the Israelites to pass through his land, so God led the Israelites around Edom back toward the Red Sea. As the people traveled away from their destination, they became impatient. The Israelites spoke against God and Moses as they complained, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no food or water, and we hate this worthless food.” The people no longer wanted to eat the manna which God provided for them every morning.
God heard the people’s complaints and became angry. He sent fiery serpents among them. They bit the Israelites so that many of them died.
The people came to Moses. They said, “We have sinned. We have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord so that He will take the serpents away from us.”
Moses prayed to God for the people. God told Moses, “Make a serpent and set it on a pole. Everyone who is bitten, when they look at this serpent, will live.” This serpent was God’s way to rescue His people from death.
Moses did what God said. He made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. Everyone who was bitten and who looked at the serpent trusted in God to save them. Everyone who was bitten by the fiery serpents and looked at the bronze serpent on the pole would live.
Gospel Connection
In order to live, the Israelites had to look at the serpent on the pole. This showed their trust in God. Many years later, God’s Son Jesus was raised up on a cross and died for the sins of everyone in the world. Jesus’ death rescues us from the eternal death our sins cause. Everyone who looks to Jesus and believes that He died and rose again to save us from our sins has eternal life through faith in Him.
Words of Hope
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
“Because you did not trust in Me, you shall not bring the Israelites into the land that I have promised to give them.”
Moses and Aaron and the Israelites journeyed on to Mount Hor. Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. The Israelites were very sad that Aaron had died. For thirty days they mourned for him.
Moses was now 120 years old. He continued to lead God’s people until they were very close to the Jordan River. Once they crossed the Jordan River they would finally
Moses did as God commanded. On Mount Nebo, God showed him the whole land He had promised to give His people. Then Moses died and God Himself buried Moses in Moab. To this day no one knows where his grave is. Moses was 120 years old when he died, but his eyesight and his body were still strong. The Israelites mourned for Moses for thirty days.
There has never been another prophet like Moses, whom God knew face to face. God gave Moses the strength and power to perform miracles and to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
Joshua, the new leader of the Israelites, was filled with strength and wisdom from God. The people listened to Joshua as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.
Gospel Connection
Even though they sinned, God loved His people and kept His promise to lead them to Caanan. Even though Moses sinned, God loved him and allowed him to see the Promised Land before he died. Even though we sin, God loves us. He sent Jesus, His Son, to suffer and die for our sins. When He rose from the dead, Jesus triumphed over sin, death and the devil. Through faith in Jesus, God leads us to heaven—the eternal home He has promised us.
BIBLE
1407
Moses Dies
Words of Hope
Jesus replied, “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
After many years of traveling in the wilderness, the Israelites came to the edge of Canaan, the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob many, many years before Moses died. God said to Moses, “Send some men into Canaan to see what the country is like.” Moses selected one man from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Moses instructed these twelve men to secretly scout out the land and find out more about it. The men were also to see if the armies of their enemies living in the land were strong.
Forty days later when the scouts returned, they carried with them a cluster of grapes that was so huge it took two men to carry it. Ten of the scouts reported, “See the fruit we brought! Truly, this land is flowing with milk and honey. But the
people of this land live in large walled cities. We cannot fight these men.”
But the other two scouts, named Joshua and Caleb, told the people, “Yes, we can take the land, but only with God’s help.”
The Israelites were afraid and did not want to listen to Joshua and Caleb. God became angry because the Israelites would not trust in Him and in His power. God told the Israelites, “Because you are afraid and don’t trust in Me, you will not enter the Promised Land of Canaan. I will give it to your children, but you will wander in the wilderness for 40 years. Only Joshua and Caleb will enter Canaan because they trusted Me.”
Forty years after leaving Egypt, God decided it was time for His people to enter Canaan. Because of Moses’ sin, God chose Joshua to lead the people into Canaan instead of Moses.
Before Moses died, he told the people whom he had led for so long to remember everything that God had commanded them to do. Then God led Moses to the top of Mount Nebo which is opposite of Jericho. There God allowed Moses to see the land He had promised to give to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob so long ago.
Moses died in the land of Moab, and the Israelites mourned Moses for 30 days.
After Moses died, God said to Joshua, “I want you and all of these people to get ready to go across the Jordan River. I want all of you to go into the land I have promised you. No one will be able to stand up against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will never leave you. Be strong and brave. Do not be terrified. Do not lose hope.
I am the Lord your God. I will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua told the Israelites to get ready. Then he sent two spies to check out Jericho. The two spies stayed with a woman named Rahab. She hid the two spies on the roof of her home. The king of Jericho found out that the Israelites had sent the men to check out the land. So the king sent messengers to Rahab’s house. They told her, “We know that your guests are Israelites who are looking over our whole land. We have orders to bring them to the king.”
Rahab told the messengers, “Yes, some men came to me, but I do not know where they came from. The men are already gone. They left before the city gate was closed. Go after them quickly so you can catch up with them.”
After the messengers had left, Rahab went to Joshua’s men. Rahab said, “I know that God has given you this land. We have heard about how God dried up the Red Sea for you and how He helped you as you wandered all those years in the desert. Now, as I have been kind to you, please show kindness to me. When you return to capture Jericho, please keep my family alive and save us.”
The two men promised, “Our lives for your lives, as long as none of you tell of our agreement. When God gives us this land, we will be kind and faithful to you.”
Rahab’s house was built into the side of Jericho’s city wall. Rahab helped the two men escape through the window using a red rope. The spies told her, “Hang this red rope in the window. Whoever is in your house, your father, mother, brothers, and all their family members, will be safe. But you must keep this a secret.” Rahab agreed. She hung the red rope in the window of her home.
The two spies returned to Joshua. “It is true,” they reported. “God has given this city into our hands. The residents of Jericho are melting in fear because of us.”
So Joshua led the Israelites according to God’s direction. First, the Israelites had to cross the Jordan River. Before the people were allowed to cross, the Israelite priests carried across the river the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the tablets with the Ten Commandments. As soon as the priests stepped into the flooded waters of the Jordan, God caused the water to stop flowing. Just as God had helped the people cross the Red Sea on dry ground, now He helped them cross the Jordan River on dry ground.
When all the Israelites were safely across the Jordan River, God commanded Joshua, “Choose 12 men from among the people. Choose one man from each of Israel’s 12 tribes.” Each man took a stone from the river. Together they built a monument at a place called Gilgal to honor God. This monument would remind the people and their children how God had led them across the Jordan River on dry ground.
The Israelites traveled to Jericho. The city gates of Jericho were shut tight. No one went out of the city. No one came in.
God spoke to Joshua. He said, “I have handed Jericho over to you. March around the city once with all of your fighting men. Do this for six straight days. Have seven priests get seven trumpets made out of ram’s horns. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times. Have the priests blow the trumpets as you march. When the priests blow a loud blast on the trumpets, have all the men give a loud shout. The walls of the city will fall and the whole army will be able to enter Jericho.”
Joshua commanded the people to do exactly as God said. When the walls of Jericho fell, the Israelites were able to easily capture the city. As they did, the men kept their promise and rescued Rahab and all her family.
Finally, after many years of wandering in the desert, the Israelites could now live in the land God had promised would be theirs. The promise made so many years earlier to Abraham had been fulfilled by God.
Gospel Connection
Our God is strong and mighty. He made the walls of Jericho fall so His people could enter the promised land of Canaan. Through His death and resurrection, our mighty Savior Jesus crumbled the wall of sin which separated us from God. Through faith in Jesus, God forgives our sins. Someday we will live with Him forever in the promised land of heaven.
Words of Hope
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.
(2 Corinthians 1:20a NIV)
Jericho Falls 1406
BIBLE TIMELINE
(BC/BCE)
God Chosen Gideon to Lead Israelites 1170 1080
Midianites Defeated
God Sent Samson to Save Israel
Gideon, A Reluctant Leader
23 Judges 6 – 7
Joshua faithfully followed God as he led the Israelites for many years. Under Joshua’s leadership, separate areas in the land of Canaan were given to each of the 12 tribes of Israel. The people of Israel spread throughout the land of Canaan.
As long as Joshua lived, the Israelites served the Lord.
But after Joshua died, the Israelites forgot about God. They did not follow God’s Law. They worshipped other gods. So God allowed robbers from other nations to come into Canaan and steal the Israelites’ food and animals.
God allowed enemy armies to enter Canaan. When the people tried to fight these enemies, the enemies won because God’s power was against the Israelites.
Then the Lord gave the Israelites leaders who saved them from the power of the enemies and the robbers. These leaders followed God. These leaders were called judges. One of the judges God gave to His people was named Gideon.
God chose Gideon to lead the Israelites at a time when they were being ruled by the people of Midian. The Midianites treated the Israelites very badly. The Israelites were forced to hide from the Midianites in holes in the mountains and in caves.
When it came time to harvest their crops, the Israelites would thresh their wheat in secret places so that the Midianites would not know what they were doing. When the Lord came to Gideon, Gideon was threshing his wheat in a place where wine was usually made.
God said to Gideon, “You are strong. Go and save Israel from the power of Midian. I am sending you.”
At first, Gideon was afraid of the job God wanted him to do. How could he, the least important member of his family from the weakest tribe of Israel, save the Israelites from their strong enemy ? Gideon said to God, “Show me that You really want me to be a leader. If you are really going to use me to deliver Israel, please give me this sign. I am placing a fleece of wool on the threshing floor.
“Tomorrow morning if there is dew only on the fleece and the ground around it is dry, then I will know that You will deliver Israel by my hand as you have promised.”
The next morning when Gideon got up, he went to the threshing floor. He picked up the fleece. He squeezed it and the water from the fleece filled a bowl.
But Gideon was still afraid. He asked God, “Please don’t be angry with me. Let me ask you for just one more sign. When I put the fleece on the threshing floor, in the morning let the wool be dry but cover the ground with dew.”
God did what Gideon asked. The next morning the fleece of wool was dry, but dew was everywhere on the ground. Now Gideon knew for sure that God wanted him to be a leader and judge in Israel.
Gideon prepared for battle against the Midianites. He went out and gathered as many soldiers as he could. Thousands of men came to fight in Gideon’s army. God spoke to Gideon. God said, “I want to hand Midian over to you. But you have too many soldiers in your army. I do not want the Israelites to brag that it was their power that saved them.” So Gideon sent 22,000 soldiers home. Only 10,000 men remained in his army.
God again spoke to Gideon. God said, “There are still too many soldiers. Take them down to the water. I will sort out which men you should keep.” At the water’s edge, God told
Gideon, “Watch how the men drink. Put anyone who licks up water like a dog in one group. Put those who kneel down to drink water in another group.”
There were 300 men who took water in their hands to lick it up like a dog. All the rest of the men knelt down to drink. God said, “I will save Israel with the 300 men who lapped up the water. I will give you a great victory over Midian. Let all the other men go home.”
So Gideon sent the rest of the men of Israel to their tents. He kept the 300 men. They took over the supplies and trumpets the other men had left and followed Gideon. Then God gave Gideon a fantastic plan to defeat the large Midianite army with only 300 soldiers.
God told Gideon to separate the 300 men into three companies. God told Gideon to give each man a trumpet and an empty clay pot. Then Gideon gave each man a torch to put inside the empty pot to hide its light.
About 10:00 p.m., Gideon and the 300 men snuck down to the edge of the Midianite camp. Gideon told the men, “Watch me. Do exactly as I do.”
At Gideon’s signal, the men blew their trumpets. They broke the clay pots that covered their torches so that the light could shine. Together they shouted the battle cry, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”
The loud trumpet noise woke up the Midianite soldiers. When they saw the light of the torches on the hill tops and heard the sound of the trumpet horns, it looked as if a very, very large army had surrounded them. They thought they had no way to escape.
Terrified, the Midianites began to run from their tents to escape. In the darkness, they ran into one another and thought the Israelites were already in the camp to fight them. So the Midianite soliders began to fight each other in the darkness. The Midianites were destroyed by their own actions. With His great plan, God gave Gideon and the Israelites victory over a much larger army of enemies.
During the 40 years that Gideon was judge, there was peace in Israel.
Gospel Connection
God gave Gideon and the Israelites the victory over the Midianites. Through faith in Jesus, God gives us victory over sin, death, and the devil. We can trust that God will help us in every battle and trouble we face in our lives.
Words of Hope
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
(Psalm 46:1 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
God Chosen Gideon to Lead Israelites 1170 1080
God Sent Samson to Save Israel Naomi, Ruth, Boaz Live 1075
Midianites Defeated
Samson
24 Judges 13 – 16
After Gideon died, the people once again turned away from God. Eventually, God allowed the Philistines to rule over them. But God had a plan to once again give the people of Israel a new leader and judge. This new leader and judge was named Samson.
Among the Israelites from the tribe of Dan, there lived a man named Manoah. Manoah's wife was unable to have children. One day an angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife. The angel told her, “You are not able to have children. But you are going to become pregnant. You will give birth to a son. While you are pregnant, do not drink any wine or eat anything that is unclean. After your son is born, you must never cut his hair. Your son will be set apart to serve God as a judge in Israel. God will use Samson to
begin to save Israel from the power of the Philistines.”
Everything happened just as God’s angel had said. Manoah’s wife gave birth to a son and named him Samson. God blessed Samson as he grew up. Samson never allowed anyone to cut his hair. God blessed Samson with great strength. As a young man, Samson killed a lion with his bare hands!
The Philistines caused great trouble for God’s people. God helped Samson to protect the people from this fierce enemy. One night, Samson was in a city called Gaza. The city was surrounded by a tall, thick wall and had very big gates for protection. When the Philistines found out that Samson was in the city, they wanted to capture him. So they locked the city gates to keep Samson trapped inside the city walls. But Samson easily tore the gates off the city wall, put them on his back, and carried them away from the city.
The Philistines were shocked to see Samson’s great strength. For many years the Philistines tried to capture Samson. But filled with strength from God, Samson singlehandedly fought off the Philistines.
Some years later, Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah. The Philistines found out about this. Secretly they visited Delilah and made an agreement with her. If Delilah could discover the secret of Samson’s strength, the Philistines would pay her more than a thousand pieces of silver. Greedily, Delilah agreed to carry out this plan.
The next time Samson came to see her, Delilah asked him, “Tell me what makes you so strong? ” At first Samson told her that if he were tied with seven new leather bowstrings, he would become weak. Delilah put Samson’s words to the test. She hid some Philistines in the next room. She tied up
Samson with the bowstrings. Then Delilah cried out, “Samson, the Philistines are coming!” As the Philistines rushed into the room, Samson easily snapped the bowstrings.
Delilah did not give up her quest to find the secret to Samson’s strength. She asked him again, “What makes you so strong? ” Samson replied, “Tie me up tightly with new ropes that have never been used. Then I will be weak.” But when Delilah did, Samson again easily broke free.
Delilah continued to plead with Samson. This time Samson told her that if seven locks of his hair were woven into a loom, he would be unable to escape. As Samson slept, Delilah wove Samson’s hair into her loom with pins. When she thought Samson was secure, again she cried out, “Samson, the Philistines are coming!” As Samson awoke, with one jerk he easily broke free.
Finally Delilah said, “If you really loved me, you would tell me the secret to your strength instead of making a fool of me.”
Delilah continued to nag, plead, and beg Samson to tell her the secret. Finally, Samson was so tired of Delilah’s nagging that he told her the truth. Samson told her, “The secret to my strength is that my hair has never been cut. Since before I was born I have been bound by a vow to God to never cut my hair. If my head is shaved, my strength will vanish.”
Delilah realized that finally Samson had told the secret to his strength. She sent a message to the Philistine rulers. “Come back once more,” she said. “He has told me everything.” The rulers returned and brought the silver with them.
Delilah got Samson to go to sleep on her lap. As Samson slept, she had a man shave Samson’s seven braids off his head. Immediately Samson’s strength left him because he had disobeyed God.
Delilah called out, “Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!” Samson woke up and thought he could once again escape. He did not know that God had left him.
The Philistines easily caught Samson. They tied him up and threw him into prison. So that he could not escape, they blinded Samson by tearing out his eyes. In prison, Samson was forced to push a heavy stone to grind grain. As time passed, Samson’s hair began to grow once more.
One day the Philistines held a big party in their temple to celebrate Dagon, the false god they worshiped. During the party, they devised an evil plan to make fun of Samson, so they brought him up from the prison. The people shouted, “Bring out Samson to entertain us!” Over 3,000 people were gathered there. As they became more and more drunk, they became more and more evil. They laughed at blind Samson.
Samson asked the servant who held his hand, “Put me where I can feel the pillars that hold up the temple. I want to lean against them.” Then Samson prayed to God, “Lord and King, show me that you still care for me. Please make me strong just one more time. Let me pay back the Philistines for what they did to my two eyes.”
God heard Samson’s prayer and gave him great strength once more. Samson stood between two pillars and put a hand on each pillar. He cried, “Let me die together with the Philistines!” Then Samson pushed as hard as he could. The pillars broke and the roof of the temple crashed down on all the people who were in it. Samson killed many more people when he died than he had killed when he was alive.
Samson’s brothers came to get his body. They brought it home and buried it in the tomb of his father Manoah. Samson had led Israel for 20 years.
Gospel Connection
Despite Samson’s sinful disobedience, God heard his prayer and gave him strength against the Philistines. Jesus our Savior talks with God on our behalf. Because of Jesus, God hears our prayers for help and answers them.
Words of Hope
Therefore He [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.
(Hebrews 7:25 NIV)
1075 BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
God Sent Samson to Save Israel
Naomi, Ruth, Boaz Live 1080 God Calls Samuel 1070 Saul is Anointed King 1048
Ruth
25 Ruth 1 – 4
During the time that Israel was ruled by the Judges, a man of God named Elimelech lived in Bethlehem with his wife Naomi and their two sons. One year the harvest was so poor that Elimelech did not have enough food to feed his family. So he left Israel until the time of famine was over. Elimelech and his family went to live in the nearby country of Moab.
While they lived in Moab, Elimelech died. Naomi was now a widow. But her two sons were now old enough to marry. They married women from Moab. These two women were named Orpah and Ruth. Together they all lived with Naomi.
After a time, more sadness came to Naomi and her two daughters-in-law when the two sons of Naomi died. Orpah
As they went back to the land of Judah where Bethlehem was located, Naomi spoke to her two daughters-in-law. “Each of you go to your own mother’s home. You were kind to your husbands and you have been kind to me. May the Lord be kind to each of you. May He help you find a secure place in the home of another husband.”
At first neither Orpah nor Ruth wanted to leave Naomi. But Naomi said, “Go home, my daughters. I have no other sons for you to marry. My life is more bitter than yours.”
When the two women heard Naomi’s words, they broke down and cried. Then Orpah kissed Naomi good-bye. But Ruth held on to Naomi. Ruth said to her, “Don’t try to make me leave you and go back. Where you go I’ll go. Where you stay I’ll stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”
So Naomi returned to Bethlehem with Ruth. When they arrived, the barley harvest in Bethlehem was just beginning. Because neither Naomi or Ruth had a husband, they did not have any land of their own from which to get food. In those days, people who were widowed or who were poor were allowed to go into the fields after they had been harvested to pick up any leftover grain. So Ruth went out and began to pick up grain. She worked in a field that was owned by an important man named Boaz. Boaz was a relative of Naomi’s husband Elimelech.
When Boaz arrived to check on his workers who were cutting and gathering his grain, he saw Ruth out in the field. He asked the man in charge of the workers, “Who is that woman? ” The man told Boaz, “She is from Moab. She came back here with Naomi. She asked if she could walk behind the workers and pick up the leftover grain. She has worked hard all day. She only took one short rest in the shade.”
Boaz went and talked to Ruth. He said, “Dear woman, listen to me. Don’t pick up grain in any other field. Stay here with my female servants where you will be safe. When you are thirsty, you may drink water from the jars the men have filled.”
When Ruth heard that, she bowed down to the ground. She asked Boaz, “Why are you being so kind to me? Why are you even noticing me? I’m from another country!”
Boaz replied, “I have heard about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband died. You have come to live with people you didn’t know before. May God reward you for what you have done. May God richly bless you.”
When it was time to eat, Boaz gave her all the food she could eat. There was even some food left over. After Ruth went out to the field to work some more, Boaz told his men to leave her some extra grain.
That evening when Ruth returned home, Naomi saw all the grain she had gathered. Ruth also brought out the leftover food she had received from Boaz at lunch. Naomi asked her, “Where did you pick up grain today ? May the man who noticed you be blessed!”
Ruth replied, “The name of the man is Boaz.”
“May the Lord bless him!” Naomi said. “Boaz is a close relative of ours. He is one of the protectors of our family known as a kinsman-redeemer. He can pay debts and buy back land for those in our family. It will be good for you to continue to work in his fields where you will be safe.” So Ruth continued to work in the fields Boaz owned until the harvest was completed.
One day Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, shouldn’t I try to find a secure place for you? Shouldn’t I find a home for you and a husband? You have been working with the female servants of Boaz. Tonight he will be separating the straw from
his barley on the threshing floor. Wash yourself. Put on some perfume and your best clothes. Go to the threshing floor. Notice where Boaz lies down. Then go over and uncover his feet. Lie down there. He will tell you what to do.”
Ruth did everything Naomi told her. In the middle of the night, something surprised Boaz. He woke up and found a woman lying at his feet.
“Who are you? ” Boaz asked.
“I’m Ruth,” she said. “You are my family protector, my kinsman-redeemer. Take good care of me by making me your wife.”
“May God bless you,” Boaz replied. “I will do for you everything you have asked. But there is a man who is an even closer relative to you than I am. In the morning I will talk to him. If he wants to help you, good. But if not, I will do it.”
Ruth stayed at the feet of Boaz until morning. Before she left, Boaz gave her more than 50 pounds of barley to take back to Naomi.
When Ruth returned to Naomi, she told her all that happened. Naomi told her to sit and wait until Boaz settled everything.
Boaz went to the town gate and met with the other family protector. Ten elders of the town met with them as well as witnesses of what was to happen. Boaz told the other family protector that Naomi had land to sell that belonged to Elimelech. At first, the other family protector wanted to buy the land. But when Boaz explained that he would also have to take Ruth as his wife, the other man no longer could buy the land. So he said to Boaz, “Buy the land yourself.” Then the man took his sandal off and gave it to Boaz. This was the practice of the time whenever a business matter was settled.
Boaz spoke to the elders and all of the people. He said, “Today you are witnesses. I have bought from Naomi all of the land that belonged to Elimelech her husband and her two sons. I’ve also taken Ruth to be my wife. I am marrying her so that her husband’s name can stay with his property.”
Boaz did indeed marry Ruth. The Lord blessed them with a son whom they named Obed. The women of Bethlehem said to Naomi, “We praise the Lord. He has provided a family protector for you. May this child become famous all over Israel. He will make your life new again. He is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you.”
Naomi’s life was happy once more. Obed grew up to the father of Jesse. Jesse grew up to the father of David. And many years in the future, Jesus the Savior would be born from the family line of David.
Gospel Connection
Through the actions of their kinsmanredeemer Boaz, God richly blessed Ruth and Naomi. Through the actions of Jesus our Savior and Redeemer, we are richly blessed with God’s forgiveness, His constant love and care, a new eternal life, and a home in heaven.
Words of Hope
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. (Ephesians 1:7–8 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE) 1075 1048
Naomi, Ruth, Boaz Live God Calls Samuel 1070 Saul is Anointed King
Samuel Dedicated to Serve God
26 1 Samuel 1 – 3
During the time when Samson was a judge, a woman named Hannah lived in the hill country of Ephraim. Hannah was one of the wives of a man named Elkanah. Elkanah also had a second wife named Peninnah.
For years and years, Hannah prayed to God for a child, but she did not have any. Peninnah was very mean to Hannah and teased her because she didn’t have any children. Peninnah would continue to tease Hannah until she was so upset that she cried and wouldn’t eat. Elkanah tried to comfort Hannah, but she was very sad and bitter because she did not have any children.
Years passed by. One year when Hannah and Elkanah were at the tabernacle for worship, Hannah prayed to God and made a promise to Him. Hannah prayed, “Lord, You rule over all. Please see how I am suffering. Please give me a son. If You do, I’ll give him back to You to serve You all his life.” Eli the temple priest saw Hannah as she prayed. Eli could see that Hannah was moving her mouth, but he could not hear her speak any words. Eli thought that Hannah was drunk. So he said to her, “How long will you continue in your drunkenness? Get rid of your wine.”
Hannah answered, “No, I am not drunk. I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not had any wine or strong drink. I have been telling God all of my troubles, begging Him to bring me out of my sadness.” Eli then replied, “Go in peace. May the God of Israel answer your prayers.” A few months later, Hannah realized that she was going to have a baby. God had answered her prayer. When her son was born, Hannah named him Samuel, saying, “I have asked the Lord for him.”
When Samuel grew old enough to be able to put on his own clothes, Hannah brought him to Eli the priest. Eli had two sons who were also priests, but they did not honor or obey God. They did not want to help their old father. Hannah said to Eli, “I want Samuel to grow up working here with you. It is a promise I made to God before Samuel was born. Now I want to keep my promise.”
Hannah visited Samuel at the tabernacle every year, and every year she brought him a new coat. Eli loved Samuel and treated him like he was his own son. Eli taught Samuel all about God and how to be a servant in God’s tabernacle. Samuel already served God even though he was just a boy helping Eli. Samuel grew stronger and grew in favor with God and with people.
Years passed and Samuel continued to serve the Lord. At that time, God didn’t give many messages or visions to His people. God did not speak directly to anyone. Eli was old and his eyesight was failing. He slept in his own room in the tabernacle.
One night as Samuel slept by the lampstand in the Holy Place near the Ark of the Covenant, he heard a voice calling his name, “Samuel! Samuel!”
“Here I am,” Samuel said. He ran to Eli. “Here I am,” Samuel said. “You called me? ”
Eli said, “I did not call you. Go back to sleep.”
Samuel went back and laid down. God called again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. Samuel said, “Here I am. You called out to me? ”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call you. Go back and lie down.”
Samuel did not know it was God’s voice calling him because God had not spoken to him before. When God called out to Samuel a third time, Samuel again went to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me? ” Eli finally realized that it was God calling Samuel. Eli said to Samuel, “Go and lie down. If someone calls to you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to the Holy Place and lay down.
God came and stood before Samuel. He called out again, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Samuel replied, “Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.”
God said to Samuel, “I am about to do something terrible in Israel. I told Eli I would punish his family. He knew that his sons are doing sinful things. He failed to stop them
from making fun of me. Eli’s sons will die on the same day. There is nothing that can be done to stop this.”
Samuel lay down until morning. He was afraid to tell Eli about what God had told him. “What did God say to you? ” Eli asked Samuel. “Don’t hide anything from me that He told you.”
Samuel told Eli everything. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord. Let Him do what He thinks is best.” From that time on, God often spoke to Samuel. People soon learned that God spoke with Samuel. More and more people came to Samuel for advice. Samuel became a prophet while he was still a boy because God was speaking to him about things that would happen. Samuel continued to grow. God was with him and made everything he said come true.
Gospel Connection
God spoke to Samuel, who listened and followed God’s Word. God speaks to us through His true Word— the Bible. When we read and study God’s Word, the Holy Spirit helps us to grow in wisdom and faith and leads us to know and follow Jesus.
Words of Hope
He [Jesus] replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
(Luke 11:28 NIV)
God Calls Samuel 1070
BIBLE TIMELINE
(BC/BCE) 1048
Saul is Anointed King 1022
David Defeats Goliath
Israel’s First King: Saul
27 1 Samuel 4 – 11; 13 – 14
Samson’s
and Israel’s old enemy, the Philistines, grew strong again. They fought against Israel and triumphed over them. In one battle, the Philistines even stole the Ark of the Covenant from the tabernacle. When Eli the priest heard this news, he fell and broke his neck. Eli was 98 years old when he died. He had led Israel for 40 years.
The Philistines thought that by capturing the Ark of the Covenant that they had won power over God. But when they placed the Ark in the temple of their god Dagon, God caused the statue of Dagon to fall over and break. Then God punished the Philistines with an illness that caused tumors in their bodies. The Philistines were scared. They decided to send the Ark back to Israel. Their cows pulled a cart with the Ark on it back to Israel.
For the next 20 years the people of Israel were filled with sorrow. Samuel became their judge when Eli died. Samuel was the last of the judges God gave to the people. Samuel told the people, “Do you really want to return to the Lord? If you do, get rid of your false gods. Commit yourselves to God. Serve Him only. Then He will save you from the powerful Philistines.”
The people listened to Samuel. God used His powerful hand against the Philistines for as long as Samuel lived. The Philistines didn’t attack them again.
When Samuel became old, he appointed his sons to serve as judges for Israel. But his sons did not follow the ways of the Lord. They were corrupt judges. So the elders of Israel came to Samuel. They said to Samuel, “You are old. Your sons do not live as you do. So appoint a king to lead us. We want a king like all the other nations have.”
Their words hurt Samuel. When he told God how he felt, God told him, “The people are turning their backs on Me, not you. I am their King, but the people do not want Me. Let the people have what they want. But give them a strong warning. Let them know what the king who rules over them will do.”
Samuel called the Israelites together. He told them, “If you have a king, he will take everything that is yours for himself. He will make your sons fight in his army. He will send for your daughters to work for him. He will take away your best land and a tenth of your crops and livestock.”
But the people cried, “We still want a king! Then we’ll be like the other nations. We will have a mighty and brave leader to take us into battle.”
Samuel told God what the people said. God told Samuel, “Listen to them. Give them a king.”
God led Samuel to a man named Saul. Saul was tall and handsome. Saul was who God chose to be Israel’s first king.
Saul and Samuel met when Saul was out looking for some of his father’s lost donkeys. Saul and one of his father’s servants went to Samuel, hoping that he could help them find the lost animals.
The day before Saul came, God had spoken to Samuel. God said, “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be Israel’s king. He will save them from the power of the Philistines.”
When Samuel met Saul and his servant, Samuel said, “Do not worry about your father’s donkeys. They have already been found. You are the person that all of Israel has been looking for.”
Saul said, “But I’m from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel. My family group is the least important in the whole tribe of Benjamin. Why are you saying this to me? ”
That night Samuel had a fine dinner prepared for Saul. Saul and his servant spent the night at Samuel’s house. The next morning Samuel had Saul send his servant on ahead. Then Samuel turned to Saul. Samuel took a bottle of olive oil. He poured it on Saul’s head. He said, “God has anointed you to be the leader of His people.”
Samuel continued, “Three things will happen to you on your way home so that you will know that God is going to make you king. First, you will meet two men who will tell you that your father’s donkeys are safe. Then you will meet three other men who are going to worship God. They will give you two of their loaves of bread. After that, you will meet a group of people praising God as well as some of His prophets. There God’s power will come upon you. You will become a different person. God will be with you.” All that Samuel told Saul happened. Then Saul returned home to wait.
Samuel called all the people of Israel together. They had a special service to worship God. Then Samuel announced that he would tell them who the king would be. Samuel did not tell them immediately because he wanted the people to
know that God had chosen Saul to be king.
Samuel called each of the 12 tribes of Israel to come forward. Then Samuel selected the tribe of Benjamin. Each family group in the tribe of Benjamin came forward. Finally it was revealed that Saul was to be the king. But when the people looked around for Saul, he was nowhere to be found. So the people prayed to God to help them find Saul. God told the people, “Saul has hidden himself among the supplies.” The people ran and found Saul there. When Saul stood among the people, he was taller than anyone else.
Samuel said, “Do you see whom the Lord has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.”
The people shouted, “Long live the king!”
Gospel Connection
God chose Saul to be the first earthly king of the Israelites. Saul and all the other kings, prophets, and priests of the Bible pointed toward the perfect Prophet, Priest, and King: Jesus. Jesus reigns as our King forever. Unlike earthly kings who are not perfect and who can make unwise and sinful decisions, we can always trust that Jesus our King does only what is right and best for us.
BIBLE TIMELINE
Words of Hope
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”
(Matthew 28:18 NIV)
Saul is Anointed King
David Defeats a Powerful Giant
28 1 Samuel 15 – 17
At first Saul proved to be a good king and strong leader. He rescued the people from their enemies the Ammonites. Saul grew strong and powerful in Israel. God directed all that Saul did through Samuel. But Saul began to want his own way more and more. He disobeyed God’s commands about when to go into battle. He disobeyed other instructions God gave him.
God spoke to Samuel. “I am sorry that I have made Saul king,” God said. “He has not followed Me or My commandments.”
So Samuel told Saul, “Because you have disobeyed God, your sons will not be kings after you. Instead, God will find a new king for Israel who will obey Him and follow His laws.” Samuel and Saul parted ways. Samuel was very sad that Saul had disobeyed God.
After a time, God said to Samuel, “I am sending you to a man in Bethlehem named Jesse. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
At first Samuel was afraid to go to Bethlehem. He said to God, “What if Saul hears about it? Then he will kill me.” But God told Samuel that He would tell him what he needed to do.
When Samuel arrived in Bethlehem, he told the elders, “I have come to offer a sacrifice to the Lord.” As God had directed him, Samuel invited Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice. Samuel saw Jesse’s son Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the one God wants me to anoint for Him.”
But God said to Samuel, “Do not consider how handsome or tall he is. I do not look at the things that people look at. Man looks at how someone appears on the outside. But I look at what is in the heart.”
Seven of Jesse’s sons walked before Samuel. Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen any of them. Are these the only sons you have? ”
“No,” Jesse replied. “My youngest son is taking care of the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him.”
Jesse did as Samuel asked. Jesse’s youngest son was very handsome. The Lord said to Samuel, “Get up and anoint him. He is the one.”
Samuel got out his animal horn filled with oil. He anointed David in front of his brothers. From that day on, the Spirit of
As they had been for many years, the Philistines continued to be fierce enemies of Israel. As had the judges before him, King Saul found himself confronted by the Philistine army. The Philistines were ready for battle. They were camped on one side of a mountain in the Valley of Elah. The Israelites were camped on the other side of the valley.
The leader of the Philistines was a man named Goliath. Goliath stood over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of bronze plates that weighed about 125 pounds. Bronze armor gleamed on his legs, and a bronze javelin was slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was huge, and the head of the spear alone weighed about 15 pounds. Goliath’s shield bearer went ahead of him.
Goliath stood and called out to the armies of Israel, “Why do you come out, lining up for battle? Am I not a Philistine and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man to fight me. If he can kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I am the winner, then you will be our servants. I challenge your army! Let us fight!”
When King Saul and his men heard Goliath’s words, they were terrified. For 40 days the fearsome Philistine came forward and repeated his taunts every morning and evening.
Then one day David came into the camp to visit his brothers who were soldiers in the army. David’s father had sent him with food for his brothers and to find out how they were doing. As David was talking with his brothers, Goliath stepped forward and shouted out his daily dare. David saw how afraid all of the Israelite soldiers were of Goliath. But David was not afraid.
David went up to King Saul. “I am not afraid of the giant and I will fight him,” David said. But King Saul said, “You are just a boy. How can you fight and defeat the giant ? ”
David replied, “As a shepherd, God has saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear. He’ll save me from the powerful hand of this Philistine too.”
When King Saul heard these brave words, he gave David his own sword and dressed him with the king’s helmet and armor. David tried to wear the armor, but gave it back to Saul. “I can’t wear this,” David said. “I’m not used to fighting in it.”
David then took his shepherd’s staff and walked to a small brook. Out of the brook he chose five smooth stones. He put them in his pouch. With his sling in his hand, David approached the mighty Goliath.
Goliath and his shield bearer came closer to David. Goliath hated David because he was handsome and young. “Am I a dog that you come out against me with sticks?” Goliath shouted. Goliath prayed to his gods and cursed David.
“Come on! I’ll feed your body to the birds of the air! I’ll feed it to the wild animals!”
David said to Goliath, “You are coming to fight me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin. But I am coming to fight you in the name of the Lord who rules over all. This very day the Lord will hand you over to me. I’ll strike you down. I’ll cut your head off. The battle belongs to the Lord. He will hand all of you over to us.”
As the Philistine came forward, David ran quickly to meet him. Reaching into his pouch, David put a stone in his sling and hurled it at the giant. The stone struck Goliath in the forehead and sank into it. The giant fell face down on the ground. David defeated the Philistine giant with a stone and sling. There was no sword in David’s hand.
Then David ran over to Goliath. He took Goliath’s sword
out of its sheath and cut off Goliath’s head with it. God had given David the strength to kill the giant. David gave God glory for the victory.
As King Saul saw David going out against Goliath, he asked Abner, the captain of his army, “Abner, whose son is that ? ” Abner replied, “King Saul, I do not know.” Abner brought David before King Saul. David was still holding Goliath’s head in his hands. King Saul asked him, “Whose son are you, young man? ” David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”
When the Philistines saw that their giant warrior Goliath had been defeated by a young man, they all ran away. The Israelite soldiers were excited. They celebrated how David had defeated Goliath with God’s help. David became a famous hero in Israel.
Gospel Connection
David trusted in God to win the battle over the giant Goliath. We have bullies and giant problems too, especially the problem of our sins. Our Savior Jesus is stronger than anything, even sin and death. Jesus won the battle for us over these enemies when He died on the cross and came alive again. We can count on Jesus to help us with all the struggles in our lives.
Words of Hope
The LORD is strong and mighty, the LORD is mighty in battle.
(Psalm 24:8b NIV) BIBLE
David Defeats Goliath
King David Rules Israel
God Forgives David Solomon is Born
King David
29 1 Samuel 27 – 31; 2 Samuel 1 – 10; 13 – 24
AfterDavid killed Goliath, King Saul became very jealous of him. Eventually King Saul became so jealous that he tried to kill David on numerous occasions. To keep himself safe, David and his 600 men escaped from Israel and lived for a time in the land of Philistines. God was no longer with King Saul. Eventually Saul was killed in a battle with the Philistines. It was now safe for David to return to Israel. Even though Saul had tried to kill him many times, David was sad that Saul had died.
Before David became Israel’s second king, he and his army had to fight several battles against Saul’s army. God gave David success in these battles. All the tribes and elders of Israel came to him. They anointed David as king over Israel according to God’s wishes. David was 30 years old when he became king. He ruled over Israel for 40 years.
King David captured the city of Jerusalem from the Jebusites. David’s workers built a palace for him in Jerusalem. Because God was with him, David became more and more powerful. With God’s help, David and Israel’s army defeated the Philistines and drove them out of the land. David wanted Jerusalem to be God’s city. So David and 30,000 of the best soldiers in Israel brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. David set up a special tabernacle for it. David leaped and danced for joy when the Ark arrived in Jerusalem. He made sacrifices that day to honor the Lord.
King David lived in a beautiful palace. God gave him peace and rest from all of his enemies. King David wanted to build a beautiful temple in which to house the Ark of the Covenant. It would be a wonderful place where the people could worship God. King David told God’s prophet named Nathan what he planned to do. That night, God said to Nathan, “Tell My servant David that I will make him famous. I will set up a royal house for him. When he dies, one of his own sons will become Israel’s king. David’s son will be the one to build My temple.
“I will never take My love away from David’s son. David’s royal house and his kingdom will last forever in My sight. His throne will last forever.” Nathan told King David all the words God had spoken to him. This was a wonderful covenant that God made with King David. David prayed to God and
Gospel Connection
God promised King David that his kingdom would last forever. Through Jesus, our eternal King and a descendant of King David, God established His kingdom forever. All who believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior are members of God’s kingdom now and forever.
Words of Hope
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
(1 Peter 2:9 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE
(BC/BCE)
praised and thanked Him for His greatness. God continued to bless all that David did. The Lord helped David win his battles wherever he went. God led David to be a right and fair ruler for all the people. 1000 1011
971
King David Rules Israel
God Forgives David
Solomon is Born
Solomon Rules Israel
David’s Grave Sin
30 2 Samuel 11 – 12:25; Psalm 51
Someyears later in the spring, the Israelite armies went out to battle against the Ammonites. The leader of the Israelite army was a man named Joab. King David remained in Jerusalem. One evening while the armies were gone, David got up and walked around on the roof of his palace. From his roof, he saw a beautiful woman taking a bath. The more David looked at the woman, the more he wished she was his.
King David sent a messenger to find out who the woman was. The messenger reported, “Her name is Bathsheba. She is the wife of Uriah, one of your soldiers who is fighting in your army, led by Joab."
David told the messenger, “Bring Bathsheba here at once.” David did not think about Uriah, who was out fighting for him. David did not think about God’s commandment which says, “You shall not commit adultery.” David did not think about the fact that he was stealing another man’s wife. David only thought about what he wanted.
When Bathsheba arrived at the palace, King David made love to her. Then Bathsheba returned home. A few weeks later she sent a message to King David to tell him that she was pregnant. David knew the baby was his. He knew that soon everyone would know that he had stolen Uriah’s wife. So King David came up with a plan to try to cover up his sin.
David thought, “If only Uriah was home with his wife, no one would figure out what I have done.” So King David sent a message to Joab, his army commander. “Send Uriah to me,” David commanded. Joab did so.
King David talked with Uriah. He asked him how the battle was going. He asked him how Joab and the soldiers were doing. Then King David told Uriah, “Go home and spend some time with your wife.”
But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept all night at the entrance to the palace. When David found out that Uriah had done this, the king asked him, “You have been away for a long time. Why didn’t you go home?” Uriah replied, “The army is out there in battle. How could I go home and enjoy a fine meal and time with my wife? I could never do a thing like that.”
King David said to Uriah, “Stay here one more day. Then I’ll send you back to the battle.” Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. King David invited Uriah to eat dinner with him. David got Uriah drunk. But Uriah still did not go
home to Bathsheba. He was loyal to Joab and to the other soldiers in the army.
The next morning, King David sent a letter to Joab, ordering Uriah’s murder. David wrote, “Put Uriah on the front lines to fight. Then pull your men back from him so that the Ammonites will kill him.” Joab did as King David commanded, and when Uriah died, Joab was sad. But King David sent a messenger to Joab to tell him not to get upset over what had happened. David wanted Joab to continue to attack the Ammonite city.
When Bathsheba heard that her husband was dead, she was very sad. After her time of mourning, King David made her his wife. Their baby was a son. But God was not pleased with what David had done.
So God sent His prophet Nathan to go and see King David. Nathan told David this story: “There were two men living in the same town. One man was very rich and the other man was very poor. The rich man had many flocks of sheep, but the poor man had only one little pet lamb. This one little lamb was very, very precious to the poor man. One day the rich man had guests. Instead of sending his servants out to his own flock to kill one of his sheep to eat, the rich man ordered them to take the little pet lamb that the poor man loved and kill it for food.”
David was horrified. He said, “The rich man deserves to die for doing such a thing!”
Nathan replied, “You are that man! God has given you many, many wonderful things. He has richly blessed you. Yet you had to take Uriah’s one precious possession—his wife. You have done what is evil in God’s sight. Now God will bring trouble upon your family.”
King David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” David was filled with sorrow. He prayed to God, “Take away all of my sins. Wipe away all of the evil things I have done. Create a clean and pure heart within me. Give me a new spirit that is faithful to You. Please do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.”
Nathan told King David, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You will not die. But the son who has been born to you will die.”
Nathan went home. Then the Lord made King David and Bathsheba’s son very sick. While his son was sick, David would not eat anything. He begged God to heal his son. But the child died. When King David found out that his child was dead, he went to the tabernacle to worship God.
Then he comforted Bathsheba. Sometime later, another son was born to King David and Bathsheba. The boy was named Solomon. Solomon would one day become Israel’s third king.
Gospel Connection
God is just. He punishes sin. But God is also full of love and grace. His Son Jesus died and rose again to take away our sins and to give us the gifts of forgiveness and eternal life. Anyone who trusts in Jesus and asks God to forgive his sins has God’s full forgiveness for Jesus’ sake.
Words of Hope
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
(Romans 3:22–24 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
Wise King Solomon
31 1 Kings 1 – 3; 6 – 8
WhenKing David’s time to die drew near, he commanded his son Solomon, “Be strong. Show how brave you are. Do everything that God requires. Live the way God wants you to as you keep His Laws and commands. Then you will have success in everything that you do.”
When King David died, Solomon became Israel’s new king. One night, God spoke to King Solomon in a dream. God said, “Ask for anything you want Me to give you.” King Solomon answered, “You have showed great mercy to my
father David. I pray that You will give me an understanding mind to govern these people. I pray that I will be able to understand what is good and what is evil.”
God was pleased that Solomon had asked this. God told him, “Because you have asked this and not to live a long life, or to have many riches, or for the lives of your enemies, but have asked to understand what is good and what is evil, I will give you what you have asked.
“I will give you a wise and understanding heart so that there never was, nor will there ever be, anyone as wise as you. I will also give you what you have not requested—riches and honor. No other king on earth will compare with you for as long as you live.”
King Solomon woke up and was very happy. He returned to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Covenant. He offered sacrifices to God. Then he gave a big dinner for all of his officials.
Many times as king, Solomon showed the wisdom God gave him. One day two women came before King Solomon. They asked him to make a judgment concerning a problem. One of the women said, “My lord, this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a son while she was there. Three days later she also gave birth to a son. We were alone in the house with our babies. Then this woman’s child died in the night because she laid on top of him.
“She awoke at midnight, took my child from me while I slept, and put her dead child by my side. When I awoke in the morning to nurse my child, I saw that he was dead. Then I looked closely at the baby in the morning light and saw that he was not my son.”
The other woman responded, “No, the living child is mine. The dead child is yours.” The first woman kept on saying, “No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine.” The women continued to argue like this before King Solomon.
King Solomon then said, “This woman says, ‘My son is alive, and your son is dead.’ The other woman says, ‘No! Your son is dead, and mine is the living one.’ Bring me a sword!”
A sword was brought to King Solomon. He said, “Cut the baby into two pieces. Give half of the baby to one woman and give half of the baby to the other woman.”
Then the woman of the living child was filled with love as she thought of her baby boy. “Oh, my lord,” she cried out to King Solomon. “Give her the living child. I beg you, do not kill him.”
But the other woman cried, “He will be neither yours nor mine. Cut him in two.”
King Solomon answered, “Give the living child to the first woman. Do not kill him. She is his mother.”
All of Israel heard about the judgment King Solomon had given. They were in awe of the wisdom God had given him. The kings of all the nations in the world heard about Solomon’s wisdom. They sent their people to listen to him.
When Solomon had reigned for three years, he began to build the temple in Jerusalem. Solomon made an agreement with Hiram, the king of the neighboring country of Tyre, to provide the cedar and pine logs
which would be used to help build the temple. Hiram had been a friend of Solomon’s father, David.
The temple was to be a beautiful place where God would be praised and worshiped. The temple’s foundation and the building stones were cut at the quarry so that no iron tool was heard as the temple was being built. Side rooms were constructed for storage. Carvings of palm trees, flowers and angels were made in the cedar paneling of the walls and doors.
served. Gold lampstands and altars for incense stood in the Holy Place. Outside in the temple courtyard, there was an altar for burnt sacrifices and a huge basin for washing.
After seven years, the beautiful temple was completed. The Ark of the Covenant, which contained the stone tablets Moses had received from God, was brought up and placed inside the Most Holy Place. The tabernacle or Tent of Meeting was also brought and all of the sacred articles that were in the tent. These items were brought up by the priests and Levites.
The priests brought the Ark into the temple and placed it in the Most Holy Place. As the priests came out of the Holy Place, the glory of the Lord filled the entire temple.
King Solomon had 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep sacrificed as he dedicated the temple to the Lord. For fourteen days the people of Israel celebrated. They rejoiced and praised God for all the good things He had done for them. King Solomon ruled Israel for 40 years.
Gospel Connection
King Solomon’s wisdom was a gift from God. Our wisdom is also a gift from God. When we read and hear God’s Word, the Holy Spirit teaches us the wisdom we need to be saved from our sins that is found only in Christ Jesus.
Words of Hope
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:31 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
Wise Words for Living
32 (Selections from Proverbs)
In addition to ruling wisely and building God’s temple, God inspired King Solomon to write a number of wise teachings that are included in the Bible in the book of Proverbs. Proverbs share the wisdom of God in short, meaningful sayings. They are designed to help people live according to God’s way. They give people wisdom about things which are important to God.
The Proverbs of the Bible teach people to trust in the Lord and in His understanding. They teach people to respect God and to avoid evil. They tell people to honor God with offerings and by helping others. They tell fathers and mothers how to raise their children in ways that please God. They teach that being wise in God is more precious than being rich or important.
Here are some of the proverbs God inspired King Solomon to write:
People who do what is right earn life. But what sinners earn brings them punishment (Proverbs 10:16, NIrV).
Those who talk a lot are likely to sin. But those who control their tongues are wise (Proverbs 10:19, NIrV).
Anyone who walks with wise people grows wise. But one who walks with foolish people suffers harm (Proverbs 13:20, NIrV).
Anyone who hates his neighbor commits sin. But blessed is the person who is kind to other people in need (Proverbs 14:21, NIrV).
It is better to have respect for God and own few things, than to be rich and have trouble (Proverbs 15:16, NIrV).
Commit to the Lord all that you do. Then your plans will succeed (Proverbs 16:3, NIrV).
When you live in a way that pleases God, He makes even your enemies live at peace with you (Proverbs 16:7, NIrV).
A friend loves at all times. When trouble comes he is there to help (Proverbs 17:17, NIrV).
Have respect for the Lord and don’t be proud. That will bring you wealth, honor, and life (Proverbs 22:4, NIrV).
Train a child in the way he should go. When he is old he will not turn away from it (Proverbs 22:6, NIrV).
Gospel Connection
The Word of God is a most wonderful and important gift. In it we find instructions for living and the life-saving truth that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ our Savior.
Words of Hope
For the LORD gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE
(BC/BCE)
971
Defeats Baal 865 871
Elijah
Solomon Writes Proverbs Elijah and Elisha Live
Elijah Defeats the Prophets of Baal
33 1 Kings 16 – 19
AfterKing Solomon, there were many very bad kings in Israel who did not care about God at all. Instead, they built all kinds of idols made of rock and wood. One of the worst kings of Israel was Ahab. King Ahab decided that everyone should worship a god named Baal. Almost everyone worshiped Baal, because King Ahab declared that anyone who worshiped the God of the Israelites would be killed.
But despite King Ahab’s decree, 7,000 people in Israel still believed in the true God. One of them was a prophet
named Elijah. Elijah wore clothing made out of hair and had a leather belt around his waist. God told Elijah to go and tell King Ahab that God would not let rain fall in Israel for a very long time. For the next few years there would be no rain and no dew. This was to punish Ahab for telling Israel to worship Baal. When God stopped the rain, the plants and crops could not grow. This caused a famine. It was very difficult to find anything to eat in all of Israel.
To keep Elijah safe from King Ahab, God told Elijah to go and hide in the Kerith Valley east of the Jordan River. God took care of Elijah. Even though the land was completely dried out because of the drought, Elijah lived well next to a small brook that still had water. Every day God sent large birds called ravens to Elijah to bring him bread and meat. The birds came with food for Elijah every morning and every evening. Elijah had plenty of water to drink from the brook.
Three years of drought went by, but King Ahab still continued to be a stubborn and evil person who did not follow God. Instead, Ahab built more and more idols to Baal. So God sent Elijah back to King Ahab. Elijah told the king, “You and your family have caused much trouble for Israel. You have turned away from God’s commands. You have worshiped Baal. Let us now have a contest between the true living God and your Baal who is no god at all. This will prove for good which God is real.”
King Ahab agreed to the contest and gathered all the leaders of Israel on Mount Carmel. The king also brought hundreds of priests who believed in Baal. First, the Baal prophets built an altar for Baal. The Baal prophets put wood on their altar and cut up a bull as a sacrifice to Baal. Then Elijah told the Baal prophets, “Don’t set the wood on fire. Instead, pray to your god Baal. If he is real, he can light the
fire on the altar for your sacrifice. I will pray to the living God. Let us then agree from this day on that we will believe in the God who sends fire from the heavens.”
Hundreds of priests prayed to Baal to light a fire on their altar. Though the priests prayed and prayed, nothing happened. Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” Elijah said. “Surely Baal is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought or busy or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” No matter what the Baal prophets did, nothing happened. This was because Baal was not the true God.
The Baal prophets cried louder. They cut themselves with knives until their blood gushed, as was their custom. They danced and cried all afternoon. But no one spoke or answered or paid any attention to them.
Now it was Elijah’s turn. He repaired the altar of the Lord using twelve large stones, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Then Elijah dug a large trench all around the altar. He put the wood and bull on the altar. To show how great and powerful God is, Elijah then commanded that four big jars of water should be poured all over the altar. Elijah then told them to pour four filled jars of water on the altar two more times, for a total of twelve jars of water. The bull, the wood, and the stones of the altar were very wet. Water filled the trench that surrounded the altar. Everyone watched closely as Elijah raised his hands and quietly prayed to God.
Elijah prayed, “Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, make it known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant who has done this by Your command. Answer me, God, so that these people may know that You are the true God of Israel.”
After Elijah prayed, suddenly a huge flame came down from the sky and hit the altar. The flame burned up everything on the altar. Even the stone altar burned up and the water around the altar disappeared as well. The people were amazed! They all fell on their knees and shouted, “God is the true God! God is the true God!”
“Arrest the prophets of Baal,” said Elijah. “Do not let them escape.” The priests of Baal were arrested and killed. Then God sent rain to His people again.
Gospel Connection
Our great and mighty Triune God is more powerful than anything or anyone. He is the one true God who has defeated sin, death, and Satan. All who trust in Him will be saved.
Words of Hope
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
(Psalm 62:5–6 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE
(BC/BCE)
Elijah Defeats Baal
Elijah and Elisha Live
Jonah Goes to Nineveh
Elijah Taken Up in a Fiery Chariot
34 1 Kings 19; 2 Kings 2:1 – 22
King Ahab told his wife Jezebel what had happened with Elijah on Mount Carmel. He told her that Elijah had all of the Baal prophets killed. This news made Jezebel very angry. King Ahab’s evil wife had already killed many of God’s prophets. She sent a message to Elijah. Jezebel said, “You can be sure that I will kill you, just as I killed the other prophets.”
Elijah ran for his life. He traveled one day’s journey into the desert. Tired, discouraged, and afraid, Elijah sat down under a small tree. Elijah prayed to God, “Lord, I’ve had enough. Take my life.” Then Elijah fell asleep. An angel came to Elijah and and a jar of water. Elijah ate and drank. Then he lay down again and slept.
The angel of the Lord came to Elijah a second time and touched him. The angel said to Elijah, “Get up and eat. You will have a long and hard journey ahead of you.” Elijah did as the angel said. The food made Elijah strong once more. He traveled for 40 days and 40 nights until he arrived at Mount Horeb. Elijah went into a cave in the mountain to spend the night.
Then a message from God came to Elijah. God said, “Elijah, what are you doing here? ” Elijah replied, “Lord, I have been very loyal to you. But the people of Israel have turned their backs on You. They’ve killed all Your prophets but me. Now they are trying to kill me too.”
God told Elijah to stand on the mountain. God said, “I am going to pass by.” As God approached, a very powerful wind tore the mountain apart. But God was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But God was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire came. But God was not in the fire.
After the fire, Elijah heard a gentle whisper. He pulled his coat over his face and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. God said to him once more, “Elijah, what are you doing here? ”
Again Elijah told God of his faithfulness. He told God the people of Israel wanted him dead. Then God said to Elijah, “Go back the way you came. Go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Jehu as king of Israel. And anoint Elisha as the next prophet to serve after you.”
Elijah left Mount Horeb. He saw Elisha, Shaphat’s son, out in the field plowing with 12 pairs of oxen. Elijah went up to Elisha and threw his coat around him to let Elisha know that God had chosen him to be His prophet. Elisha left his oxen and ran after Elijah. Elisha said, “Let me say good-bye to my mother and father. Then I’ll come with you.” Elisha went home. He killed two
oxen. He burned his plow to cook the meat. He fed the meat to the people. Then Elisha followed Elijah and became his assistant.
For a time Elijah and Elisha worked together. Together they traveled to Bethel and then to Jericho. Elisha was a faithful companion to Elijah. Other prophets in both Bethel and Jericho told Elisha that God was going to take Elijah away from him. When Elisha heard this he replied, “Yes, I know. But don’t talk about it.” Elisha did not want to think about Elijah being taken from him.
As Elijah and Elisha walked to the Jordan River, fifty other prophets followed them. Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up. He struck the water of the river with it. God caused the water of the river to part so that Elijah and Elisha could cross through on dry ground.
When they reached the other side of the river, Elijah asked Elisha, “What shall I do for you before I am taken away ? ” Elisha said, “Please give me a double share of your spirit.” Elijah replied, “What you have asked for is something only the Lord can give. But if you see me when I am taken from you, then you will have received it.”
As Elijah and Elisha continued to walk together, suddenly a chariot and horses appeared. Fire was all around them. God took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw what had happened. Sad that his mentor was gone, Elisha tore his clothing. Then he picked up Elijah’s coat that had fallen on the ground. Elisha went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan River. He struck the water with Elijah’s coat. Elisha asked, “Where is God’s power ? Where is the power of the God of Elijah? ” When Elisha had struck the waters, they parted once more and Elisha crossed over.
The 50 prophets from Jericho were watching. They said, “The spirit of Elijah has been given to Elisha.” They bowed in front of Elisha. They urged Elisha to let them send 50 men to go and search for Elijah in the surrounding mountains and valleys. At first Elisha said no. But after further urging, Elisha said, “Send them.” The men searched for three days, but did not find Elijah.
For many years, Elisha served God as His prophet. He faithfully told God’s truth to the people of Israel.
Gospel Connection
God sent His prophets to share with people His Word and the salvation found in Christ alone. As He was with His prophets Elijah and Elisha, God is with us as we love Him, serve Him, and tell others about Him.
Words of Hope
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE
(BC/BCE)
Elijah and Elisha Live
Jonah Goes to Nineveh God Saves Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 604
Jonah and the Great Big Fish
35 Jonah 1 – 4
Near
the end of the ministry of Elisha the prophet, another prophet named Jonah began to serve the Lord. God had an important job for Jonah to do. God commanded Jonah to go to a city called Nineveh. At that time, Nineveh was one of the largest cities in the world. But Nineveh was a terrible place because the people there were evil and did terrible things to one another. This made God angry.
So God told Jonah, “Go to Nineveh. Tell the people there that I have seen their wickedness.” God wanted Jonah to warn the people there that He would destroy them if they did not stop their evil behavior.
But Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. The people of Nineveh were enemies of God’s people, and Jonah did not want to give them God’s message. So Jonah decided instead to go to the harbor at Joppa and take a ship to a place called Tarshish. Jonah thought that he could run away from God by taking a ship sailing in the opposite direction of where God wanted him to go.
As the ship sailed, Jonah went down below the deck to try to get some sleep. He wanted to try to forget that he was actually escaping from the job God wanted him to do.
But God knew exactly where Jonah was. God sent a great wind upon the sea. The storm God sent was so mighty that the ship’s crew feared that the ship would break apart. The sailors were very afraid. Each man prayed to his own gods and begged them to stop the storm. When the storm
did not stop, they threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to make its load lighter. As the storm raged, the ship’s captain discovered that Jonah was sleeping soundly in the lowest part of the ship. The captain shouted at Jonah, “How can you sleep at a time like this? Get up and call on your God. Maybe He will have mercy on us so that we will not die in this storm.”
Then the ship’s sailors said to one another, “Let’s cast lots to see who is causing the storm.” Each sailor took his turn, and the lot fell on Jonah. The sailors asked him, “Why is this happening to us? What is your job? What is your country ? Who are your people? ”
Jonah answered the sailors. “I am an Israelite. I worship the Lord God, who made the heavens and the seas and the dry land.” The sailors were terrified. They soon found out that Jonah was running away from God. “What can we do so that God will stop the storm? What can we do to make your God happy ? ” the sailors asked as the seas grew wilder and wilder. “Throw me over the side of the ship and the sea will grow quiet again,” Jonah answered.
This made the sailors even more frightened. They tried to row the ship to the shore. But the storm became more furious
than ever. The sailors could no longer control the ship. Finally they prayed, “Please God, do not hold us guilty for this man’s life. Do not let us die for You have done as You wished.”
The sailors then picked up Jonah and threw him over the side of the ship. Immediately the storm stopped. The crew of the ship now believed in the one true God. They made a sacrifice and prayed. They made vows to serve God only.
Meanwhile, Jonah was sinking under the water. He sank deeper and deeper into the sea. Then he saw a big shadow approaching right under him from the depths of the sea. The shadow came closer and closer. It was a big fish. The fish swallowed Jonah alive in one mouthful. Jonah went all the way down into the belly of the enormous creature.
Though it was a scary and dark place to be inside the belly of the fish deep down in the sea, Jonah knew that God could still hear him. So Jonah started to pray to God. Jonah prayed for three days and nights. In his prayer, Jonah told God that he was thankful God had saved him.
God had not forgotten Jonah. On the third day, God told the fish to spit up Jonah on the seashore. Again God spoke to Jonah. “Get up,” God said, “and go to Nineveh. Tell them the message that I give you.” Jonah got up and made the long journey to Nineveh. It was hundreds of miles away, but Jonah listened and did what God said.
Nineveh was a huge city. It took three days to walk from one end of it to the other. On his very first day in Nineveh, Jonah stood before the people. He told them God’s message. Jonah said, “In 40 days, Nineveh will be destroyed!”
The people of Nineveh listened to Jonah. They believed his message. In order to show God that they were sorry for their sins and the evil they had done, they refused to eat any
food. The king of Nineveh himself put on sackcloth and sat in ashes to show how sad and sorry he was.
The king ordered everyone in Nineveh, from the most important person to the least important person, to do the same. Not one person or any animals were allowed to eat or drink anything. The king declared, “Everyone must cry to God the Lord. The people must repent of their evil ways and the violence they have done. Who knows, maybe then God will change His mind. Maybe He will turn from His anger so that we do not die!”
When God saw that the people were truly sorry for their sins, He changed His mind. God did not destroy the city as He had planned to do.
Gospel Connection
All people deserve eternal death as the punishment for sin. But God is compassionate and forgiving. He wants no one to be lost from Him. He sent His Son Jesus to suffer and die to pay the price for our sins. Jesus rose from the dead and conquered sin, death, and the devil for us. God used Jonah to proclaim this truth to the people of Nineveh. God uses us to do the same today so by the power of the Holy Spirit, all can know Jesus the Savior.
Words of Hope
This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
(1 Timothy 2:3 NIV)
790
Jonah Goes to Nineveh
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
God Saves Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 604
God Saves Daniel 539
The Fiery Furnace
36 Daniel 1 – 3
For many years, God’s people refused to follow His commands. Long gone were the days when kings like David and Solomon led God’s people wisely and well and obeyed God’s will as they ruled. In 722 BCE, God allowed the nation of Assyria to take all the people out of the land of Israel and scatter them throughout their empire. Then about 135 years later, in 587 BCE, God allowed the Babylonians under a king named Nebuchadnezzar to carry away almost all the people of Judah. God also allowed the Babylonians to destroy the temple King Solomon had built in Jerusalem.
After King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem, he ordered that all the young men of Israel from the royal family be brought to Babylon. The young men who were selected were handsome and intelligent. They were taught the language and customs of the Babylonians. Their Hebrew names were even changed to Babylonian names.
Among those taken to Babylon were four young men who trusted in God. Their names were Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The four men were put in King Nebuchadnezzar’s palace. For three years the four men lived there and were trained in the Babylonian language and ways. God gave knowledge and understanding to Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. God gave them the ability to understand all kinds of writings and subjects. God gave Daniel the special ability to understand visions and dreams. No other men were equal to these four who followed God.
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were given the privilege of serving King Nebuchadnezzar himself. The king found that the advice and answers that the four men gave him were always better than any given to him by the magicians in his kingdom. With God’s help, Daniel even interpreted a dream that the king had. The king put the four young men in important positions in his kingdom.
But King Nebuchadnezzar did not believe in God. He built a huge idol to worship instead. This idol was 90 feet tall, nine feet wide and covered with gold. The king placed the giant statue where everyone could see it. King Nebuchadnezzar sent for all the Babylonian officials. He sent out this message to all the people of Babylon: “All peoples and nations, when you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, bagpipe, lyre, and all the music, you must all bow down and worship the golden statue. If you don’t, you will be thrown into a burning, fiery furnace.”
So the people, whenever they heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, bagpipe, lute, lyre, and all the music, bowed down and worshiped Nebuchadnezzar’s golden idol.
But then some of the king’s servants brought him some surprising news. “Did you know, O King, that there are some Jews from the land of Israel that work for you—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who do not worship our gods? They refuse to bow down and worship the golden statue you have set up.”
King Nebuchadnezzar was furious. He sent for the three young men. The king asked, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not bow down and worship the statue? Now I will give you another chance. When you hear the music of the cornet, flute, harp, bagpipe, lute, lyre, and all the music, and you bow down, it will be good. If you do not bow down, I must have you thrown immediately into the burning, fiery furnace.”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said to him, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t have to worry about answering you. If our God is willing to save us, He will save us because He has the power to rescue us from the burning, fiery furnace. But even if He should choose not to save us, we will not worship your gods or the idol you have put up.”
King Nebuchadnezzar’s face twisted with rage. He ordered the furnace to be heated up seven times hotter than usual. He ordered very strong soldiers to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The soldiers tied them up even though the three men were still dressed in their official cloaks, turbans, and tunics. The soldiers threw the three men headfirst into the burning, fiery furnace. Because the furnace was so hot, the soldiers that threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace also died from the heat of the fire.
But then an amazing thing happened. The fire did not hurt the three friends. It did not burn their clothes. The men even walked around inside the furnace. Suddenly, there were four men inside of the furnace! King Nebuchadnezzar was horrified when he saw this. He said, “I had three men thrown into the fire. But now there are four men in the furnace, and one of them looks like the Son of God.”
The king went to the furnace. “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,” he called. “Servants of the Most High God, come out of the fire.”
Calmly, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of the furnace. There was no smell of smoke on them even though they had been in the flames. King Nebuchadnezzar knew God had saved the three men. The king realized how strong God truly is.
Therefore, King Nebuchadnezzar sent out a new law throughout all of Babylon. The king demanded that no one must ever say anything bad about the God of Israel. All over Babylon, everyone came to know what God had done. The king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to higher positions in the kingdom.
Gospel Connection
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted in God’s will for them. They obeyed God’s Word regardless of whether or not He saved their physical lives. Through faith in Jesus, we are saved from eternal death in hell. All who trust in Jesus as their Savior have the promise of eternal life regardless of physical death.
Words of Hope
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”
(John 11:25–26 NIV)
God Saves Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 604
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
God Saves Daniel 539
God works Through Esther to Save His People 483
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
37 Daniel 6
Years passed and the people of Judah continued to live as captives in Babylon. God blessed Daniel as he lived in Babylon. Daniel had risen in authority to be one of the highest leaders. By this time Babylon had a new king named Darius. King Darius liked Daniel very much.
But others in the king’s government were jealous of Daniel because Darius and the kings before him had trusted Daniel with so much. So they decided to set up a trap. They knew that Daniel prayed to God three times every day. So the jealous leaders went to King Darius and said, “Why don’t you make a new law that for the next thirty days people can
only pray to you. Then people can show they are only loyal to you as their king. If people pray to anyone else, they will be thrown into a den of lions.” King Darius liked their idea. He made it into a law that could not be changed.
When Daniel learned that King Darius had signed the law, he went to his upstairs room. He opened the windows of his room which faced Jerusalem. He continued to kneel down to pray prayers of praise and thanksgiving to God three times each day, just as he had always done.
The leaders ran in and found Daniel on his knees as he prayed to God for help. They rushed to King Darius and reminded him of his new law. “Didn’t you publish a decree, O King, that says for the next thirty days if anyone prays to any god or man, except to you, O King, that he will be thrown into a den of lions? ”
King Darius said, “Yes, that law stands with the laws of the Medes and the Persians. It cannot be changed or cancelled.”
Then the jealous leaders said, “King Darius, Daniel - one of the men we took from Israel - does not show respect for the law you have published. He still prays to his God three times a day.”
King Darius was very sad when he heard this because he liked Daniel so much. But at the same time he knew that he had to enforce the law. All day he tried to think of a way to rescue Daniel. But King Darius was unsuccessful. The governors and prime ministers came to him and said, “Remember, O King, that according to the law no decisions made by the king can be changed.”
So King Darius gave orders for Daniel to be brought to the den of lions. The king’s soldiers threw Daniel into the pit. King Darius said, “May your God, whom you continually worship,
rescue you.” A stone was put over the entrance of the pit. The king sealed it with his signet ring as did the other officials. Now nothing could be changed.
During the night the king could not sleep. He did not drink or eat anything. All the time he thought about the ferocious lions and poor Daniel.
Early in the morning at first light, the king rushed to the den of lions. Even though he did not expect an answer, King Darius called, “Daniel! Daniel! Are you there? ”
Daniel answered, “O King, may you live forever! My God sent His angel to shut the mouths of the lions. They have not harmed me. God has kept me safe.”
The king rejoiced and gave orders for Daniel to be lifted from the den of lions. As King Darius examined Daniel, he saw that there were no scratches or wounds on him. The king then commanded that the men who had accused Daniel, along with their wives and children, be thrown into the den of lions instead. Before they hit the bottom of the den, the lions attacked them. The lions crushed all of their bones.
Then King Darius issued a new decree to every person in every language who lived in Babylon. “Peace to all of you. I issue a decree that in every land in my kingdom, men must fear and tremble before Daniel’s God. He is the living God and will live forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed. He will rule until the end of time. Daniel’s God rescues and delivers. He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
Daniel continued to prosper during the entire reign of King Darius.
Gospel Connection
Like his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Daniel trusted in the Triune God and followed His command to worship only Him. God blessed Daniel and kept him safe in the den of lions. God blesses us when we trust in Him and worship Him alone as our Lord and Savior.
Words of Hope
“Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”
(Matthew 4:10 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE
(BC/BCE)
God Saves Daniel
God Works Through Esther to Save His People
Conquests of Alexander the Great
Queen Esther Saves Her People
38 Esther 1 – 10
Afterabout 70 years of living in Babylon, King Cyrus of Persia announced that many of God’s people could go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple that had been destroyed during the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar. During the next 100 years or so, the temple was rebuilt and so were the city walls of Jerusalem. God allowed His people to return to the land of Judah.
But some of God’s people, also known as Jews, stayed in Persia. Eventually the grandson of King Cyrus, a son of King Darius, took over as king of Persia. His Greek name was Xerxes. His Persian name was Ahasuerus. King Xerxes ruled Persia from his palace in Susa. When his wife Queen Vashti
refused to obey one of his orders, she was never allowed to come before the king again. So King Xerxes needed a new wife.
The king’s servants searched from India to Ethiopia to find the most beautiful women. Many young women were brought to the palace, including a beautiful young Israelite woman still living in Persia named Esther. When King Xerxes saw Esther, he was very pleased. He was so pleased that he set the royal crown on her head, and she became the queen. To celebrate, the king held a big party for all his nobles and officials that lasted 180 days.
When she was a young child, a Jewish man named Mordecai had adopted Esther as his daughter. But when Esther became queen, King Xerxes did not know anything about Esther’s family background.
One day when Mordecai went out and sat by the palace gates, he overheard some men planning to kill King Xerxes. He immediately went to Esther and warned her so that she could tell the king. The bad men plotting the crime were arrested. The king was very grateful to Mordecai for his help. The story of Mordecai’s rescue of King Xerxes was written in the royal books.
Some time later, King Xerxes appointed an advisor named Haman to a position of honor above all the leaders in the kingdom. The king commanded everyone to bow to Haman, but Mordecai refused. King Xerxes’ officials asked Mordecai each day why he would not bow to Haman. “I am a Jew,” Mordecai said. Haman was furious because Mordecai would not bow to him. So Haman made plans to destroy all the Jews in the entire kingdom of Persia.
Haman cast lots to discover a day of good omen for this to happen. Then he went to King Xerxes. Haman told the king, “There are a certain people throughout your kingdom with laws that are different from your laws. It is not in your interest to allow them to live in your kingdom. Let it be decided that they all must be killed.” Haman even offered a bribe to the king so that his evil plot would take place.
King Xerxes took his ring and sealed the decree so that it would surely happen. The decision was written in every language and sent to all the people. It gave permission to kill all Jews, young and old, men, women, and children, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month. All of the Israelites in Persia would die on this day.
When he discovered Haman’s plot, Mordecai tore his clothing and put ashes on his head. Jews everywhere fasted and wept. When Esther found out that Mordecai was in mourning, she tried to send him different clothing so he could come and see her in the palace. But Mordecai refused to come and see Esther. He sent her a letter explaining Haman’s plot. Mordecai urged Queen Esther to go to the king to save her people, the Jews.
Esther sent a message back to Mordecai. She said, “All of the people of the kingdom know that if a man or woman goes to the king in the inner court without being called, he or she will be put to death. The only way they can be saved is if the king holds out to them the golden scepter. Then the person will live.”
Mordecai replied to Esther’s message. He said, “Do not think that because you live in the palace that you will be saved. If you do not speak up, we will be killed. Who knows? Maybe this is why you have come to the kingdom.”
Esther responded, “Go and gather the Jews. Have them fast and pray for me. My servant girls and I will also fast and pray. Then I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. If I die, then I die.”
Esther put on her royal gown and went to King Xerxes as he sat on the throne. When the king saw her standing there, he was pleased and held out his golden scepter to her. King Xerxes asked, “What is it you ask, Queen Esther ? I will give you anything, up to half my kingdom.”
Esther said, “If it pleases the King, let him come with Haman to a banquet that I have prepared.”
King Xerxes quickly went to the feast. As they were eating and drinking, the king again asked Esther, “What is it that you want ? I will give it to you, even if it is half my kingdom.”
Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor with you, my King, come again to dine with me tomorrow with Haman. I will tell you then what I request.”
Once again the next day, in the middle of the feast the King asked Esther, “What do you wish, Queen Esther ? I will grant it, up to half my kingdom.”
Queen Esther said, “If I have found favor in your sight, O King, let my life be spared. Please save the lives of my people. My people and I have been sold to be destroyed and killed.”
“Who has done this? Where can I find him? Who is planning to do this evil? ” shouted King Xerxes.
Esther pointed at Haman and said, “This wicked man is our enemy.”
Now King Xerxes became very angry. He realized how Haman had convinced him to make such a wrong decision. So the king ordered Haman to be hung. Mordecai was given
the position of advisor to the king. Mordecai had the king sign a new law that gave the Jewish people the right to fight back against their enemies.
God saved the Jewish people who lived in Persia. Days of feasting were held to celebrate the day when God protected His people.
Gospel Connection
God gave Esther the courage to confront King Xerxes so God’s people could be saved from their enemies. God gives us courage so that we can tell others of Jesus who saves us from our enemies--sin, death, and Satan.
Words of Hope
Our God is a God who saves. (Psalm 68:20a NIV)
God Works Through Esther to Save His People
BIBLE TIMELINE (BC/BCE)
Conquests of Alexander the Great Julius Caesar lives 100
John the Baptist
39 Matthew 3:1 – 12; Mark 1:1 – 8; Luke 1:5 – 25, 57 – 80; 3:1 – 20
Forthe next 470 years after Queen Esther lived in Persia, God continued to speak to His people through the words of the Old Testament of the Bible. God used these years to set the stage for the coming of Jesus, the Savior God had promised to send thousands of years before when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.
Part of God’s preparation for the coming Savior included a man named John the Baptist. John the Baptist was born to Zechariah and Elizabeth around the year 3 BCE. Zechariah was a priest in God’s temple. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth faithfully followed God. For many years, they had no children.
Gabriel the angel told Zechariah some very special things about their son. Gabriel said, “He will be a joy and delight to you. His birth will make many people very glad. He will be important in God’s eyes. Your son will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the time he is born.
"He will bring many of Israel’s people back to God. He will prepare the way for the Lord. He will have the same spirit and power that Elijah had.”
But Zechariah did not believe Gabriel. “How can I be sure this will happen? ” Zechariah asked. “Elizabeth and I are old.”
Because Zechariah did not believe God’s message from Gabriel, Zechariah was not able to speak until after John was born. Zechariah had to write down anything he needed to say as he continued to serve God in the temple.
The time came for John to be born. Elizabeth’s neighbors and relatives shared her joy that God had blessed her with a son. As was the Jewish custom, Elizabeth and Zechariah took baby John to the temple on the eighth day after he was born to be circumcised.
This was also a time when the baby would be given his name. The people wanted the baby to be named after his father Zechariah. But Elizabeth spoke up. “No,” she said. “He must be called John.”
The people motioned to Zechariah. They gave him a tablet so he could write down what he wanted to name his son. Zechariah wrote on the tablet, “He must be called John.” Right away, Zechariah could speak again. His first words praised God. The people wondered who John would grow up to be.
John was filled with the Holy Spirit from the time he was born. He grew up strong. As the angel Gabriel had directed Zechariah, John never drank wine or other alcohol. John lived in the desert wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
As an adult, John became a powerful prophet of God. In the countryside around the Jordan River, John preached that people should be baptized and repent of their sins. John’s actions and words fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah given nearly 750 years earlier. John was sent by God to prepare the people for the coming Savior. John was to point the people to the Messiah.
John was a strong outdoorsman and a strong preacher for the Lord. John ate locusts and wild honey. He wore clothing made of camel’s hair with a leather belt, like Elijah the prophet had so many years before. John warned the people of God’s punishment if they did not obey Him. John preached that people should be baptized and turn away from their sins. Then God would forgive them.
John baptized many people who admitted that they were sinful. This is how he received the name John the Baptist. John baptized many in the Jordan River.
John’s preaching angered many of the Jewish leaders of the time. The Roman king named Herod (whom the Romans appointed) did not like John either because John pointed out to him the evil things he did as king.
But the Holy Spirit made John strong to boldly tell God’s truth to all who would listen. Many of the people wondered if John himself might be the Savior God promised to send. But John told all the people something very, very important.
John said, “I baptize you with water. But One who is more powerful than I will come. I’m not worthy to untie the straps of His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Gospel Connection
In Isaiah 40:3–5, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of John the Baptist. “A voice of one calling: ‘In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God’” (Isaiah 40:3 NIV).
The New Testament Gospel of Luke repeats Isaiah’s words as Luke tells of the work of John the Baptist (Luke 3:4–6).
John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Jesus the Savior.
Words of Hope
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE
(BC/BCE)
John the Baptist is Born
Jesus Christ the Savior is Born Jesus Grows in Wisdom
Jesus the Savior Is Born
40 Matthew 1:18 – 25; Luke 1:26 – 56; 2:1 – 20
At the time when Elizabeth was pregnant with John, a young woman named Mary lived in a small village called Nazareth. Mary and Elizabeth were cousins. Mary was engaged to marry a man named Joseph. In Bible times, being engaged or betrothed was a serious vow that was not to be broken.
One day when Mary was at home, suddenly God’s angel Gabriel stood before her. This was the same angel Gabriel who had visited Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband. Gabriel announced to Mary, “Greetings, one loved by the Lord! God is with you.” Mary was confused. She did not know why an angel would visit her.
Gabriel said, “Do not be afraid, Mary. God has chosen you to be the mother of His Son. You will name Him Jesus. He will be called the Son of the Most High.”
Mary asked the angel, “How will this happen? I am a virgin, so how can I have a baby ?”
Gabriel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you. Your son will be called the Holy One of God. Nothing is impossible with God.”
Mary replied, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Mary was happy she was going to be the mother of the Savior God had promised. She also wondered what Joseph would think of all of this. Would he believe what the angel had said? But God took care of everything. Joseph had a dream in which an angel spoke to him. The angel told Joseph, “Don’t be afraid to take Mary to be your wife. This baby is God’s Son. You will name Him Jesus because He will save His people from their sins.” Joseph did as the angel said. Mary and Joseph got married. Joseph brought Mary into his home.
About that time Caesar Augustus, the Roman emperor, decided to have everyone registered and counted. He did this to find out how many people lived in his kingdom so he could collect taxes from them. Every person was ordered to return to the town of his ancestors.
So Joseph traveled from Nazareth to the town of Bethlehem because he was from King David’s family. Joseph and Mary made this long journey when it was almost time for the baby Jesus to be born.
When they arrived in Bethlehem, the city was already crowded with other people who had also traveled there to register. There was no room for Mary and Joseph to stay in the inn. Instead, Mary and Joseph found a place to rest. It was in an unusual place, especially for a woman about to have a baby. Mary and Joseph rested in a stable, a place where people kept their animals. There in the stable, Mary gave birth to Jesus. She wrapped Him in soft cloths and laid Him in a manger, the feeding box for the animals. God’s own Son had been born not in a fancy palace, but in a dark stable.
In the fields outside of Bethlehem the night Jesus was born, shepherds were out taking care of their sheep. Suddenly an angel stood next to the shepherds. The shepherds were surrounded with the light of God’s glory. The shepherds were terrified. Then the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I bring you great news that is for all people. On this very day, in the city of David, a Savior has been born for you! He is Christ the Lord! Look for this sign: a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Then all at once, the sky was filled with angels all praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest! May God give peace on earth to men with whom He is pleased!”
When the angels left the shepherds, they said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this wonderful thing that God has told us!” The shepherds hurried into Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph. They found the baby Jesus lying in a manger.
When the shepherds had seen Jesus, they told others about the wonderful visit of the angels and what they said about the
Child. Everyone was amazed by what the shepherds told them. Mary remembered all these things and treasured them in her heart.
The shepherds returned to their fields. They praised God and gave Him glory because all they had seen was exactly as the angel had told them.
Gospel Connection
From the time of Adam and Eve, God promised a Savior for His people. This Savior is Jesus. Jesus was born in Bethlehem as prophesied by Micah: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2 NIV).
Words of Hope
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10–11 NIV)
Jesus Christ the Savior of the World is Born !
Jesus Growing Up
41 Matthew 2:1 – 23; Luke 2:21 – 52
WhenJesus was 40 days old, Mary and Joseph brought Him to the temple in Jerusalem. According to the laws that God gave to Moses, whenever a child was born, a gift and a sacrifice had to be made. Usually a lamb and a dove were brought as gifts to God. However, if a family was poor, two doves could be brought.
As Mary and Joseph brought Jesus and two doves to the temple, a man named Simeon was led by the Holy Spirit to come into the temple. Simeon was a righteous man who loved God. When Simeon saw Jesus, he took Him into his arms. Simeon praised God. He said, “Lord, now Your servant
In the temple that day there was also a prophetess named Anna. Anna had lived at the temple for many, many years. Every day and every night Anna prayed and fasted. When Anna saw Jesus, she gave thanks to God. Like Simeon, she knew Jesus was the Savior that God had promised to send to the world long ago.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, some Wise Men from a country far to the east saw a magnificent star that suddenly appeared. They knew this star marked the birth of a new king among God’s people, the Jews. These Wise Men journeyed for hundreds of miles to Jerusalem. When they arrived, they went to the palace of King Herod, who was the current Roman ruler over that part of the Roman empire.
The Wise Men asked King Herod, “Where is the child who was born to be the King of the Jews? We have followed
When King Herod heard the Wise Men’s questions, he was very upset. He ordered the chief priests and the teachers of the law to search God’s Word to find out where the Christ was going to be born. The priests and teachers told King Herod, “God’s Word says that the Christ will be born in Bethlehem in Judea. The prophet Micah wrote, ‘Bethlehem, you will also be an important town in Judea because from you will come a ruler. He will be the shepherd of My people.’”
King Herod called the Wise Men to secretly come see him. The king sent the Wise Men to Bethlehem. He told them, “Go and search for the child. As soon as you find Him, bring me a report. Then I can go and worship Him too.” But King Herod was lying. He wanted to kill Jesus because he was jealous of anyone else who was called king in his country. The Wise Men left Herod, and the star led them to the house where Jesus was. When they saw Him and Mary His mother, the Wise Men bowed down and worshiped Him. They gave Jesus very special gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
After their visit, God warned the Wise Men in a dream not to go back to King Herod. They left to go home to their own country by another route. After the Wise Men left, Joseph was also warned about King Herod’s plans by an angel of God in a dream. The angel told Joseph, “Get up, take the child and Mary and go quickly to Egypt. There you will be safe from Herod.”
That very night Joseph took Mary and Jesus and went to Egypt. The family stayed there in Egypt until Herod died. Then they returned with Jesus to their hometown of Nazareth. In Nazareth, Joseph worked as a skilled carpenter. As Jesus grew, He helped Joseph in the carpenter’s shop. Jesus went with the other boys in the village to the synagogue for studies. There in Nazareth, Jesus grew up. He gained wisdom and strength. God’s love and blessings were upon Him.
Joseph took Mary and traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Feast. At the Passover Feast, the Jewish people remembered how many years before in the time of Moses, God had protected them from the angel of death when He rescued them from slavery in Egypt. When Jesus was twelve years old, He went with His family to the temple in Jerusalem as was the custom.
The distance from Nazareth to Jerusalem was nearly 70 miles. It took several days to walk there. In Jerusalem, Jesus and His family spent the week with other family members and friends who were also there to celebrate the Passover. When it was time to make the long journey home, Mary and Joseph set out for Nazareth. They thought that Jesus was in the crowd traveling with them. But Jesus had stayed in the city. After traveling for a day, Mary and Joseph looked for Jesus in the crowd, but they did not find Him. So Mary and Joseph went back to Jerusalem to search for Jesus.
On the third day, they found Jesus. He was sitting in the temple with the teachers. Jesus was listening to the temple teachers. He asked them many questions. Everyone who heard Jesus was amazed at how much He understood. It was very clear to the temple teachers that Jesus could explain many things about God and God’s Holy Word, even though Jesus was only twelve years old.
When Mary and Joseph saw Jesus, they were amazed. Mary said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried about You. We have searched for You everywhere.” Jesus replied, “Why were you looking for Me? Didn’t you know that I belong here in My Father’s house?” But Mary and Joseph did not understand what Jesus meant. Then Jesus left Jerusalem with His parents. Mary kept all these things in her heart. Together they returned to Nazareth. Jesus obeyed His parents in all things. He continued to grow taller and wiser. He gained the approval of God and men.
Gospel Connection
Simeon, Anna, and the Wise Men were led by God to recognize that young Jesus was the promised Savior. At age twelve, Jesus called the temple “His Father’s house.” With these words, Jesus says that God is His heavenly Father. As Jesus grew, so did His knowledge and wisdom as God’s Son, just as the prophet Isaiah foretold: “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD” (Isaiah 11:2 NIV).
Words of Hope
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 NIV)
Jesus Is Baptized
42 Matthew 3:13 – 17; Mark 1:9 – 13; Luke 3:21 – 23; John 1:32 – 34
WhenJesus was 30 years old, it was time for Him to begin His public ministry. One day, He came to the Jordan River where His cousin John was baptizing. Jesus went over to him and asked John to baptize Him.
But John said to Jesus, “You don’t need to be baptized. I need to be baptized by You.” John knew that Jesus was God’s own Son. But Jesus insisted, “I want you to baptize Me. This is how it must be to carry out God’s holy plan.”
So John baptized Jesus. When Jesus came up from the water, something very special happened. Up in the sky, it was as if a gate to heaven opened wide. The Holy Spirit came down on Jesus like a dove.
Then a voice from heaven spoke. God the Father said, “This is My Son. I love Him. I am very pleased with Him.”
John the Baptist told everyone, “This is God’s great Messenger. This is the One I have been telling you about!”
After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit sent Him out into the desert. There Jesus prayed to God. He fasted for 40 days. While Jesus was in the desert, the devil came to tempt Him. The devil tried to get Jesus to abandon His plan to save God’s people. The devil wanted Jesus to follow him instead.
Jesus used God’s Holy Word to combat every one of the devil’s temptations. When the devil left, angels came to take care of Jesus.
Gospel Connection
When John the Baptist was born, his father Zechariah prophesied that John would go before the Savior to prepare the way for Him (Luke 1:76). When Jesus was baptized, God proclaimed that Jesus was His Son. Despite being tempted by the devil, Jesus never sinned. He kept God’s Law perfectly for us. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice needed to save all people from their sins.
Words of Hope God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. (Acts 10:38a NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
29 Jesus Calls His Disciples
30
Jesus Is Baptized Jesus Changes Water to Wine
The First Disciples
43 Mark 1:16 – 20; 3:16 – 19; John 1:35 – 51
The next day after Jesus was baptized, John the Baptist saw Jesus walking by. John said, “Look! The Lamb of God!” Two of John’s followers heard what he had said. They left John and followed Jesus.
When Jesus noticed the men who followed Him, He turned around and said to them, “What do you want?” The men asked, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” The word Rabbi means “teacher.”
“Come,” Jesus replied. “You will see.” So the two men went and saw where Jesus was staying. They spent the entire day with Him. One of the two men was Andrew. Andrew then went to his brother Simon Peter. Andrew told Peter, “We have found the Messiah.” The word Messiah means “Christ.” Andrew brought Peter to Jesus.
When He saw Peter, Jesus said to him, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas.” Cephas means “rock,” which is the name Peter in the Greek language. On the following day, Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter. Then Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One that Moses wrote about, as well as the prophets. He is Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Come and see.” And Nathanael followed Jesus.
Jesus lived near a large lake called the Sea of Galilee. One day as He was walking by the shore of the lake, He saw some fishing boats and some men in them. The fishermen had big nets and used them to catch fish.
Jesus called on them and said, “Come and follow Me, and I will teach you how to fish for men.” Immediately the men left their boats and nets and followed Jesus. These followers of Jesus were called disciples because of the special way they followed Jesus and devoted their lives to Him. Jesus taught His disciples many things so that later they could teach His message to others.
Soon after, Jesus met other men whom He also called to follow Him. In all, Jesus called twelve men to be His disciples. These men were Simon (also called Peter), James and John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas,
James the son Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. Judas Iscariot would later betray Jesus. During the next three years, these twelve men followed Jesus everywhere as they traveled to many places.
Gospel Connection
When Jesus called the first disciples, He revealed to them that He is the promised Messiah, “the anointed One,” whom God sent to save the world from sin, death, and the devil.
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
Words of Hope
“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17 NIV) 29
Jesus Calls His Disciples
Jesus Changes Water to Wine
30
Jesus Heals a Man With an Evil Spirit
Jesus’ First Miracle
Jesus and some of His disciples were invited to a wedding in a town named Cana. Jesus’ mother Mary was also invited. At the wedding, many friends and relatives were celebrating. Delicious food and wine were served. People danced and sang. Everyone was happy as they celebrated with the bride and groom who had just been married.
As the party went on, Mary came to Jesus with some bad news. Mary told Jesus, “I have found out that the wine is all gone. There is no more to serve.”
Jesus said to His mother, "Dear woman, why do you bring Me into this? My time has not yet come.”
Mary then said to the servants at the wedding party, “Do whatever He tells you.”
Nearby stood six large stone jars. Each jar could hold between 20 and 30 gallons of water. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” The servants filled each jar to the very top.
Then Jesus directed the servants, “Take some out and give it to the man in charge of the feast.” The servants did as Jesus said.
The man in charge of the feast took a drink of the liquid the servants brought him. It wasn’t water anymore! Jesus used His power as true God to change the water into wine. The man in charge of the feast did not know where the wine had come from, but the servants who had filled the jars with water and dipped the wine out of the jars knew. The man in charge of the feast called the groom over to talk with him. The man told the groom, “Everyone serves the best wine first. Then, when people have had enough to drink, they serve the wine that is not as good. You, however, have saved the best wine for now.”
What Jesus did was a miracle. Jesus’ miraculous sign showed His power as true God. This was Jesus’ first miracle. Jesus showed His glory by doing it. Jesus’ disciples put their faith in Him.
After the wedding celebration, Jesus and His disciples went to Capernaum. Jesus’ mother and His brothers went with them. They stayed there for a few days.
As it was almost time for the Passover Feast, Jesus went to Jerusalem. When He arrived at the temple, Jesus found people selling oxen, sheep, and doves. Other people were sitting at tables, exchanging money.
Jesus made a whip out of cords and drove the sheep and oxen out of the temple area. He overturned the tables of the money changers and scattered the coins. When He
saw people selling doves, Jesus said, “Take these away! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a market!”
Then the Jews asked Jesus, “What sign will You do to show us that You have the authority to do these things? ”
Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up.”
The Jewish leaders replied, “It has taken 46 years to build this temple. You say You are going to build it again in three days? ”
But Jesus wasn’t talking about the temple building; He was talking about His own body. After Jesus rose from the dead, His disciples remembered what He had said. Then they believed the Scriptures and the words that Jesus had spoken.
Gospel Connection
Through Jesus’ miracle at the wedding, Jesus showed His power as true God. Later in the temple, Jesus prophesied that He would be killed but that three days later, He would rise from the dead. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, sin, death, and the devil have been destroyed, as God promised.
Words of Hope
He rescues and He saves; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth.
(Daniel 6:27a NIV)
30 BIBLE TIMELINE
(AD/CE)
Jesus Changes Water to Wine
Jesus Heals a Man With an Evil Spirit
Jesus Talks With a Woman at a Well
Jesus Heals a Man
With an Evil Spirit
45 Mark 1:22 – 28; Luke 4:31 – 37
Another time, Jesus and those with Him went to Capernaum. On the Sabbath day, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at Jesus’ teaching. He taught with authority.
Then a man in the synagogue cried out. He was controlled by a demon, an evil spirit. At the top of his voice he cried out, “Ha! What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are. You are the Holy One of God!”
“Be quiet!” Jesus firmly said to the demon. “Come out of him!”
The evil spirit violently shook the man and threw him down in front of everyone. Then the evil spirit came out of the man with a scream.
All of the people were amazed. They said to one another, “What is this teaching? With authority and power Jesus gives orders to evil spirits. And they obey Him!”
News about what Jesus had done quickly spread throughout Galilee.
Gospel Connection
Speaking with authority, Jesus’ words caused the demon to leave the man in the synagogue. By the power of Jesus’ authoritative Word and Spirit, we are brought out of the eternal death caused by our sins and into saving faith and eternal life.
Words of Hope
[Jesus said,] “Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth.” (John 17:17 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE
(AD/CE)
30
Jesus Heals a Man With an Evil Spirit
Jesus Talks With a Woman at a Well
Jesus Teaches With Parables
Jesus Cares for the Samaritan Woman
46 John 4:1 – 42
Thechurch leaders in the Jewish temple were angry and jealous when they heard about Jesus’ miracles and that He was gaining more and more followers, even more than John the Baptist.
So Jesus left Judea for a while and went back to Galilee. In order to get to Galilee, Jesus and His disciples had to go through the region of Samaria. Jewish people did not want
them, they would become unclean too. To avoid contact with Samaritans, Jewish people would often take a longer route so they would not have to walk through Samaria.
Jesus and His disciples came to a town in Samaria named Sychar. This was near the plot of ground that Jacob had once given to Joseph. Jacob’s well was located just outside of Sychar. It was about 12:00 noon. Jesus was tired from the journey, so He sat down by the well. His disciples went into Sychar to buy food.
While Jesus was sitting at the well, a Samaritan woman came there to get some water. Jesus said to her, “Will you give Me a drink ? ”
The woman replied, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can You ask me for a drink ? ”
Jesus answered the woman, “If you knew the gift of God and Who it is who asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.”
“Sir,” the Samaritan woman said, “You have nothing to use to take any water out of the well and the well is deep. Where can You get this living water ? Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us this well and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his flocks and herds of animals? ”
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. In fact, the water I give him will become a spring of water leaping up in him to eternal life.”
The woman said to Jesus, “Sir, give me this water so I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming back to the well to get more.”
Jesus told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
“I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.
Jesus said, “You are right when you say you do not have a husband. You have had five husbands and the man you are living with now is not your husband. What you have said is true.”
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can tell that You are a prophet. I know that the Messiah is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us.”
Then Jesus declared, “The One who is speaking to you is the Messiah.”
Just then, Jesus’ disciples returned and were surprised to see Jesus talking with a woman. But no one asked Jesus any questions about it.
The woman left her water jar at the well and went back into town. She said to the people, “Come, and see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ ? ” Curious, the people followed her back to Jesus.
Meanwhile the disciples urged Jesus, “Teacher, eat something.”
But Jesus said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” The disciples did not understand what Jesus said. They thought someone else had brought Him some food.
Then Jesus explained to His disciples, “My food is to do God’s will. God sent Me to finish His work.”
Many of the Samaritans in Sychar believed in Jesus because of what the woman told them. When they came to Jesus, they asked Him to stay in their town. Jesus stayed there
for two days. Because of Jesus’ words, many more people came to believe in Him.
The people said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you have said. We believe because we have heard for ourselves that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
Gospel Connection
Jesus is the Christ, the promised Savior sent by God to seek and save people of every race and tribe from their sins and eternal death. As the Messiah, He has the authority and power to forgive sins and to give eternal life to all who believe.
Words of Hope And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.
(2 Corinthians 5:15 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
30
Jesus Talks With a Woman at a Well
Jesus Teaches With Parables
Jesus Stills the Storm
Preaching of God’s Word
47 Matthew 13:1 – 23; Mark 4:1 – 20; Luke 8:1 – 15
Jesus began to teach the people by the side of the Sea of Galilee. The crowd that gathered to hear Jesus teach was so large that Jesus got into a boat and put it out from the shore. This way the people could listen to Him from the shore.
Jesus taught the people using special stories called parables. The special stories told the people important truths about God.
Jesus told a parable about a farmer who was planting his crop. With a big bag of grain seed, the farmer went out into the field and tossed the seed here and there, all over the ground.
not have much soil in which to grow. Immediately the seeds sprang up because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, it burned up the new plants. The new plants withered away because they did not have deep roots.”
Jesus continued, “Other seeds the farmer planted fell among thorns. When the thorns grew up, they choked out the new plants from the seeds so they did not produce a good crop.”
Then Jesus said, “But some of the seeds the farmer planted fell on good soil. These seeds grew up and produced a good crop, with thirty, sixty, or a hundred times as much grain as was planted.”
Later, when Jesus was alone with His disciples and some other people, they asked Jesus about His story. Jesus answered, “This story is really about how some people listen to what I have to teach. The seeds are God’s Word. The four different types of soil are the four different kinds of people who listen to Me.”
Jesus explained, “Some people don’t listen to My Word at all. Their hearts are hard like the ground on the path. The devil comes and takes God’s Word away. God’s Word never takes root in these people’s hearts. They do not believe.
“Other people gladly listen to God’s Word at first. But then they quickly lose interest in it. They are like the rocky soil. Because their faith is not strong, like plants without strong roots, they quickly fall away from the faith when troubles or problems come. Their faith never grows but dries up like a plant in the hot sun.
“There are other people who are like the soil with thorns. At first their faith is healthy. But when the worries of this world come to them or when they are lured by false promises,
God’s Word is crowded out, like the thorns which crowd out the plants from the seed.”
Then Jesus said, “Then there are people whose hearts are like the good soil. These people listen to what I teach them about God. God’s love grows in their hearts and becomes stronger and stronger. Their faith produces many, many good things.”
Gospel Connection
When we are baptized, the Holy Spirit puts faith in Jesus in our hearts. Throughout our lives as we hear God’s Word and partake in Holy Communion, the Holy Spirit grows and strengthens our faith so we can proclaim God’s truth and share the love of Jesus with others.
Words of Hope [Jesus said,] “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
(John 15:5 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
30
Jesus Teaches With Parables
Jesus Stills the Storm
Jesus Raises a Dead Girl to Life
Jesus Calms the Storm
48 Matthew 8:23 – 27; Mark 4:36 – 41; Luke 8:22 – 25
AfterJesus had spent all day teaching about God and His kingdom at the Sea of Galilee, it was late in the evening. Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” So Jesus and His friends left the crowd on the shore and set sail across the Sea of Galilee. Other boats sailed along with them.
Suddenly, a wild storm came up. The strong wind caused great waves to crash over the side of the boat and fill it with water. But Jesus was sleeping on a cushion in the back of the boat.
Jesus’ disciples were terrified. They woke Jesus and cried out, “Lord! Save us! We’re going to drown!”
Jesus got up. He said to the disciples, “Why are you afraid ? Your faith is so weak.”
Jesus ordered the wind to stop. Jesus said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Immediately the wind stopped blowing. It was completely calm.
The disciples were filled with great fear and amazement at the miracle Jesus had done. They asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!”
Gospel Connection
Jesus is true God and has control over all things, including nature. His power knows no bounds. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus alone stopped sin’s eternal hold on us. At all times and in all situations, we can trust in Jesus’ power and strength.
Words of Hope
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
(Ephesians 6:10 NIV)
30 BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
Jesus Stills the Storm
Jesus Raises a Dead Girl to Life
Jesus Miraculously Feeds a Crowd
Jesus Heals Jairus’ Daughter
49 Matthew 9:18 – 19, 23 – 26; Mark 5:21 – 24, 35 – 43; Luke 8:40 – 42, 49 – 56
After Jesus calmed the fierce storm, He and His disciples safely made it to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. A crowd gathered to welcome Him. Jesus spent time there teaching and healing.
After a while, Jesus sailed back across the lake. Again, a crowd gathered to welcome Him. In the crowd was a man named Jairus. Jairus was a synagogue ruler. He came to Jesus and knelt at His feet.
Jairus pleaded with Jesus. “My little girl is dying,” the synagogue ruler said. “Please come and lay Your hand on her so that she will live.” This was Jairus’ only daughter. She was twelve years old.
As Jesus made His way to Jairus’ house, a messenger came. He said, “Jairus! Your daughter is dead. Do not bother Jesus anymore.” When Jesus heard this, He said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe. She will be healed.”
Jesus continued to Jairus’ house. Peter, James, and John were with Jesus. When they arrived, there was a large crowd of people who were loudly crying. Sad songs were being played on flutes. Jesus said to the people who were mourning the death of Jairus’ daughter, “Do not cry. The child is not dead. She is sleeping.”
But the mourners laughed at Jesus. They could see that the little girl was really dead. Jesus went straight to the room where the dead child lay. He took Peter, James, and John and the girl’s parents with Him. Jesus went over and took the girl by the hand. Jesus said in Aramaic, “Talitha koum!” These words mean, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”
Immediately the girl’s spirit returned to her and she stood up. Jesus told them to give her something to eat. The girl’s parents were amazed. But Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
Gospel Connection
Through the raising of Jairus’ daughter, we see the power Jesus has all over all things, including physical death. Because Jesus conquered sin, death, and the devil for us through His own death and resurrection, we need not fear physical death, for Jesus assures us that all who believe in Him have eternal life.
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
Jesus Raises a Dead Girl to Life
Words of Hope
Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”
(Luke 8:50 NIV) 30
Jesus Miraculously Feeds a Crowd
Jesus' Transfiguration
A Miracle Meal
50 Matthew 14:13 – 21; Mark 6:30 – 44; Luke 9:10 – 17; John 6:1 – 15
Jesus went around from village to village teaching and healing people. After a time He sent out His twelve disciples in pairs. Jesus gave them the power to drive out evil spirits as well as to teach and to heal people.
When His disciples returned to Jesus, they told Him all they had done and taught. But there were so many people around them that they did not even have a chance to eat. So Jesus said to them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place. You need to get some rest.” So they sailed across the Sea of Galilee to a quiet place.
But by the time Jesus and His disciples arrived there, another crowd had gathered. When Jesus saw the people, He felt great concern for them. They were like sheep without a shepherd. So Jesus began to teach them many things.
Soon the day had passed. The disciples came to Jesus and said, “There is no food here to eat. It’s already very late. Send the people away so they can go and buy something to eat in the nearby villages.”
But Jesus answered, “You give them something to eat.” Jesus asked Philip, “Where should we buy food for all these people? ” Jesus knew what He was going to do, but He asked Philip this question to test him.
Philip answered, “Even if someone worked for eight months, he would not have enough money to give each man even a bite.” Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother said, “Here is a boy who has five loaves of bread and two small fish, but what is that among so many people? ”
Jesus directed His disciples to have the people sit down on the green grass in groups of 50 and 100. The people sat down. There were about 5,000 men there, not counting the women and the children.
Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. As He looked up to heaven, Jesus blessed the food and gave thanks to God for it. Then Jesus broke the bread and fish into pieces and gave it to His disciples. The disciples gave the food to all the people. After everyone had as much to eat as they wanted, twelve baskets of leftover food were gathered up.
Then Jesus told the disciples, “Pick up the bread and fish that are left over. None of it should be wasted.” When they were finished, the disciples had collected twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and fish!
The people saw the miracle that Jesus did. They began to say, “This must be the Prophet who is supposed to come into the world.” But Jesus knew that they wanted to force Him to be their earthly king. So Jesus went away again to a mountain by Himself.
Gospel Connection
Through His miracle meal, Jesus fed the physical needs of many people.
As true God and our Savior, Jesus feeds all of our needs: physical, emotional, and spiritual.
Words of Hope
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty.”
(John 6:35 NIV)
30 BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
Jesus Miraculously Feeds a Crowd
Jesus' Transfiguration
Jesus Tells a Good Neighbor Story
Jesus Shows His Divine Nature (The Transfiguration)
51 Matthew 16:21 – 17:13; Mark 8:27 – 9:13; Luke 9:28 – 36
Jesus and His disciples continued to travel to many villages. They even traveled to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. Jesus continued to preach, teach, heal, and help others. He also taught many important truths to His disciples. Jesus told these close friends that He would soon suffer many things. Jesus told them that He would be killed and after three days He would rise again. This news was hard for the disciples to understand and accept.
Then one day, Jesus took Peter, James, and John the brother of James with Him. They went up a high mountain. They were all alone. Suddenly, there in front of the three disciples, Jesus’ appearance changed. His face shone like the sun. His clothes were as bright as the light.
Then Moses and Elijah appeared in front of them. Jesus, Moses, and Elijah talked together about Jesus’ coming death. This would soon happen in Jerusalem. Peter, James, and John had been very sleepy. But when Jesus’ appearance changed, they became wide awake. They saw Jesus’ glory. They saw Moses and Elijah too.
As Moses and Elijah were leaving Jesus, Peter said, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters. One will be for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Peter really didn’t know what to say. The three disciples were very afraid.
Then a cloud appeared and surrounded them as they were together on the mountain. A voice came from the cloud. It said, “This is My Son, and I love Him. Listen to Him!”
The disciples looked around. Suddenly they saw no one else there with them except Jesus.
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered Peter, James, and John not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. The disciples kept the matter to themselves. But they wondered what “rising from the dead” might mean.
Gospel Connection
On the mountaintop as He stood and talked to Moses and Elijah, Jesus’ glory was revealed to Peter, James, and John. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled the Law given to Moses and sacrificed His life so we could be saved from the death we deserved for our sins. Jesus restored our connection with God that our sins had broken. When Jesus returns to earth, all will see His glory as true God, God’s Son, and our Savior and Redeemer.
Words of Hope
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.
(Hebrews 1:3a NIV)
30 BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
Jesus' Transfiguration
Jesus Tells a Good Neighbor Story
Jesus Tells Lost and Found Stories
A Kind Person
52 Luke 10:25 – 37
AsJesus continued to teach and preach, many people came to ask Him questions. But some people asked questions to try to trick Jesus and catch Him saying something wrong. So quite often, Jesus answered these tricky questions by telling a story.
One day, one of the religious leaders in Israel came to Jesus and asked Him, “What must I do to receive everlasting life? ” Jesus replied, “What does it say in God’s Holy Word? ”
The religious leader answered, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul, and with all of your strength, and with all of your mind. And, love your neighbor as yourself.”
Jesus said to the man, “You are right. Do this and you will live forever in heaven.”
The religious leader wanted to show others how good he was, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor ? ”
To answer him, Jesus told this story.
Jesus began, “A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. Some robbers were watching from the side of the road. They attacked the man. They robbed him, beat him up, and left him beside the road to die. Soon, a priest from Jerusalem came by. He saw the hurt man, but looked the other way and kept on walking by without helping him. Not long after, another man who worked in the temple came by. He also saw the hurt man. But like the priest, he looked the other way and kept on walking by without helping the man.”
Jesus continued, “Then a man from Samaria came down the road.” (Jews and the people from Samaria did not get along. They tried to avoid each other.)
“But the Samaritan felt sorry for the man who was hurt. He stopped and got off his donkey.
The Samaritan bandaged the man’s wounds and took him to an inn. He took care of him. When he had to leave, he promised the innkeeper to pay whatever it would cost for the man to get well again.”
When Jesus finished His story, He asked the religious leader, “Tell Me, which of these men acted like a good neighbor to the man who was robbed and beaten? ” The religious leader replied, “The one who helped him, the man from Samaria.”
Jesus then said, “Go and do as he did.”
Gospel Connection
Jesus’ story illustrates the kind of caring and sacrificial love Jesus Himself showed us and which He helps us to show others.
Words of Hope
He asked Him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28b–31 NIV)
30 BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
Jesus Tells a Good Neighbor Story
Jesus Tells Lost and Found Stories
Jesus Heals Many People
Merciful Father
53 Luke 15
Throughout Jesus’ ministry on earth, He told many stories that explained God’s forgiving love. Jesus said, “A shepherd had one hundred sheep. Every evening when they returned home, the shepherd carefully counted all his sheep before he locked them behind the fence to keep them safe for the night from wild animals.
“But one evening when the shepherd returned home, he counted only 99 sheep. The shepherd knew a sheep had wandered away. It was getting dark. The shepherd locked the 99 sheep inside the fence and went out to look for the lost sheep. The shepherd looked everywhere. Suddenly, he
heard the lost sheep crying. The shepherd rushed to find it. When he found the sheep, the shepherd placed it on the back of his shoulders and carried it home.”
Jesus then said, “God is this good shepherd. If someone is lost from Him, God will search and search to find him and bring him back again. There is more joy in heaven when one lost sinner is found and comes back to God and asks for forgiveness, than over 99 people who do not wander away.”
Jesus told another story about the joy that comes when something lost is found again. Jesus said, “Imagine a woman has ten coins and loses one.
Then Jesus told another story about a lost son. Jesus said, “There was a wealthy man who had two sons. The younger son wanted to leave his father and his home to go far away and enjoy life on his own. So the younger son said, ‘Father, give me the money I will get when you die. I want to spend it now!’
“The father was very sad, but he gave the money to him. The young man took the money and went to live far away in another country. He made many new friends by inviting them to wild parties. He had an easy life, but then, he ran out of money. His new friends left him without giving him any help.
“A great famine came and the only job he could find was feeding pigs. The young man was so poor that he wished that he could eat the food he was giving to the pigs. He was miserable. He thought of the wonderful life he had once had with his father. He was so ashamed that he had wasted his father’s money. Even though he really wanted to go back home, he was afraid.
“The young man said to himself, ‘Even the servants of my father have more food than I have here in my misery. I will go back home and ask my father if I can work as a servant for him.’
“As the young man approached his father’s house, he saw his father running down the road to meet him. Every day since his son had left, the father had watched and hoped that his son would return. When he saw his younger son approaching, the father’s heart was filled with great joy.
“The father hugged and kissed his son. The son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against God and against you. I am not good enough to be your son anymore. Can I be one of the servants here in your house? '
“But the father replied, ‘No, you cannot be a servant here. You are my son! I am so glad that you are home again.’ Then the father told his servants, ‘Quickly bring the best robe for my son. Bring our family ring and put sandals on his feet.
“‘Kill the fattened calf and make a feast. We will rejoice together. We will have a big party and celebrate. My son was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found!’
“But the older son was very angry and refused to come into the feast. His father came to him and encouraged him to join the celebration. But the older son said, ‘Father, I have worked for you all these years. I never disobeyed you, but you never even gave me a young goat to have a little party with my friends. Now this son of yours comes home after he
spent all your money with wild women and parties. You even killed the fattened calf for him!’
“The father gently said to his son, ‘You are always with me, and all that I have is yours. We must celebrate and rejoice. Your brother was dead and is now alive. He was lost and now is found.’”
Gospel Connection
Jesus came to earth and died and rose to rescue all people who are lost in their sins and in need of salvation. For Jesus’ sake, whenever we are lost in sin, God leads us to repent and lovingly welcomes us back to Him with His forgiveness.
Words of Hope
The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him. (Daniel 9:9 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
30
Jesus Tells Lost and Found Stories
Jesus Heals Many People
Jesus The Good Shepherd
Jesus Heals Many People
54 Luke 17:11 – 19; 18:35 – 43
Atnearly every place to which Jesus traveled, people came to Him and asked Him to heal them or their loved ones. Once when Jesus was in the area of Tyre and Sidon, a Greek woman from Canaan who lived near there came to Jesus and cried out, “Lord! Son of David! Have mercy on me! A demon controls my daughter. She is suffering and miserable.”
Jesus did not say anything to the woman. His disciples came to Him and begged, “Send her away. She keeps crying out after us.”
Then Jesus said to the woman, “You are not Jewish. I was sent to help God’s children of Israel. It’s not right to take the bread meant for them and to throw it to their dogs.”
The woman replied, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from the master’s table.”
Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith. I will answer your prayer.” At that very time the evil spirit left her daughter and she was healed.
Another time Jesus traveled on the border of Galilee and Samaria. As He was going into a village, ten men met Him. These men had a disease called leprosy, which caused terrible sores all over their bodies. Because leprosy could be easily spread to other people, the men had to live outside of the village away from their families and friends. When the men saw Jesus, they cried out, "Jesus! Master! Have pity on us!"
Jesus saw the ten men and said, “Go. Show yourselves to the priests.” While they were on their way, the ten men were healed. Their skin was clear and healthy once more.
One of the men, as soon as he saw that he was healed, turned around and ran back to Jesus. He praised God with a loud voice. He knelt at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him. This man was from Samaria.
Jesus asked, “Didn’t all ten men become healthy again? Where are the other nine? Why didn’t anyone except this outsider return to give thanks? ” Then Jesus said to him, “Go. Your faith has made you well.”
Some time later, Jesus approached Jericho. A man who was blind sat on the side of the road and begged for money. The man heard the crowd going by. He asked what was going on. The people told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
So the blind man called out, “Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me.” The people around the man tried to make him quiet down. But the man who was blind called out even louder, “Son of David! Have mercy on me.”
Jesus stopped and ordered that the man be brought to Him. “What do you want Me to do for you? ” Jesus asked him. The man answered, “Lord, I want to be able to see.”
Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see. He followed Jesus and praised God. All the people who saw it praised God with him.
Gospel Connection
As true God, Jesus has the power to heal us from the spiritual sickness of sin and to heal physical illness and disease. Through faith in Him, Jesus removes the spiritual blindness caused by our sins so that we can thank, praise and worship Him as our Savior.
Words of Hope
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.
(Psalm 103:2–3 NIV)
Jesus Heals Many People
Jesus Shows His Love For Children
Jesus The Good Shepherd
Jesus, the Good Shepherd
55 John 10:1 – 30
One time when Jesus was teaching, He described His love for people in this way. Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd. Any sheep who wants to come into the sheep pen must come through Me.
“I open the door for the sheep who are listening for My voice. My sheep know My voice and follow Me. I know all of My sheep by name. I call to them. I walk ahead of My sheep, and My sheep follow Me because they know My voice.”
Jesus continued, “Any sheep that come into My sheep pen will be safe. I will give them life. Robbers try to come into
My sheep pen, but My sheep won’t listen to them. Robbers come to steal and kill.
“I have come so that My sheep will have life and have it to the full. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
“A hired hand will not take good care of the sheep. He will run away when a wolf comes. A hired hand does not care if a wolf takes a sheep or makes them run away. I take care of My Father’s sheep.
“I have other sheep that I will bring into My fold. They will all become one big flock of sheep. My Father loves Me because I will give My life for all of My sheep.
“I will give My life willingly. I have the power to give it, and I have the power to take My life back again.
“My sheep know My voice and they follow Me. I will give them everlasting life. They will never be lost. No one can take My sheep out of My hand.”
Gospel Connection
Jesus is our Good Shepherd and we are His sheep. He keeps us safe from evil and loves us so much that He gave His life for us on the cross. Through faith in His death and resurrection, we belong to Him forever.
Words of Hope
[Jesus said,] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”
(John 10:11 NIV)
Jesus Loves Children
56 Matthew 18:1 – 6; 19:13 – 15; Mark 9:33 – 37; 10:13 – 16; Luke 18:15 – 17
Jesus loves children. Many times throughout His earthly ministry, He showed His special care for them. One time when Jesus was once again in Cana in Galilee, a royal official came to Him. The official’s son was sick and close to death in Capernaum. The official came to Jesus and begged Him to come and heal his son.
Jesus said to the official, “Go home. Your son will live.” The official believed Jesus’ words and began his journey home. As he traveled, his servants met him. “Your son is well,” they said.
The official asked, “At what time did he begin to get better ? ” The servants replied, “The fever left him yesterday at one o’clock in the afternoon.” The official remembered that was the time when Jesus said his son would live. The official and his family became believers in Jesus.
At another time when Jesus returned home to Capernaum, He asked His disciples what they had discussed
along the way. The disciples were ashamed to admit that they were arguing about who was the greatest among them.
Then Jesus called a little child to stand near Him. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Humble yourselves like this child. If you welcome a child like this in My name, you welcome Me.”
Later, some people brought little children and babies to have Jesus touch them and pray for them. But Jesus’ disciples tried to keep the children away from Him because they did not want them to bother Jesus.
When Jesus heard this, He was very upset with His disciples. Jesus saw them trying to send the children away. Jesus said, “No! You must let these little children come to Me. I tell you this, if you are not going to be like these small children, you will never understand God’s kingdom. Let the little children come to Me. The kingdom of heaven belongs to people like them.” Jesus placed His hands on the children and blessed them.
Gospel Connection
Jesus came to save all people, from the newborn infant to the most elderly. He tenderly invites us all to come to Him to hear the truth that salvation is found in Him alone.
Words of Hope
But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
(Luke 18:16 NIV)
Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead
57 Luke 10:38 – 39; John 11:1 – 57
Jesus often visited two sisters who lived in a town outside of Jerusalem called Bethany. The two sisters were named Mary and Martha. They also had a brother named Lazarus. One day, Lazarus became very sick. Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus to come and see Lazarus and heal him.
When Jesus heard that His good friend Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was for two more days. Then He said something strange to His disciples. Jesus said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I will go and wake him up.”
The disciples said, “If he is sleeping, he will get better.” Jesus meant that Lazarus had died. So He told the disciples plainly, “Lazarus has died. I am glad that I was not there so that you may believe in Me. Now we will go to Him.”
When Jesus and His disciples reached Bethany, Lazarus’ body had already been in a tomb for four days. Since Bethany was so close to Jerusalem, many Jews had come to visit Mary and Martha to comfort them because of the death of their brother.
Martha ran to meet Jesus, but Mary stayed at home. Martha told Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now, I know that God will do whatever You ask Him.”
Jesus said to Martha, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “Yes, Lord, I know that he will rise on the last day.” Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Everyone who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this? ”
Martha said, “Yes, I believe that You are the promised Savior, God’s own Son who has come into the world.”
Then Martha went to get Mary. When Mary saw Jesus, she bowed down at His feet. Mary cried, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother Lazarus would not have died.”
When Jesus saw Mary crying and all those with her also crying, He was filled with sadness. “Where have you laid him? ” Jesus asked. “Come and see,” they answered. Then Jesus wept.
Some people said, “See how much Jesus loved Lazarus.” But others said, “If He could make blind people see, surely He could also have kept Lazarus from dying.”
Jesus came to the tomb. It was a cave with a big rock rolled in front of its entrance. Jesus said, “Roll the stone away!” Martha said, “But Jesus, Lazarus has been dead four days. There will be a horrible smell!”
Jesus told her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? ” When they rolled the stone away, Jesus looked up and prayed, “Father, thank You for listening. I know that You always hear Me, but I am saying this so that the people here will believe that You have sent Me.”
Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.”
When Jesus had said this, Lazarus, who had been dead, walked out of the tomb. He was alive and perfectly healed. His feet and hands were still wrapped with the linen strips in which he had been buried. A large cloth covered his face. Jesus said, “Unwrap him. Let him go.”
Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary saw what Jesus did. They put their faith in Him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees. They told them what Jesus had done. The chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. Afraid that Jesus was gaining too many followers, the Pharisees made plans to kill Jesus and Lazarus.
Gospel Connection
Jesus is life. When He raised Lazarus, Jesus previewed that for all who believe in Him as Lord and Savior, physical death is not final. After Jesus died on the cross, He Himself rose from the dead and lives forever. When Jesus returns to earth someday, the bodies of all who have died will be raised. At this time, the souls of all believers in heaven will each be united with a new, perfect body that will never die.
Words of Hope
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”
(John 11:25–26)
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead
33
Jesus and Zacchaeus
Week Before Jesus' Death
Little Rich Zacchaeus
58 Luke 19:1 – 10
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man named Zacchaeus lived there. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector who often cheated the people, and he was very rich.
Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. But because of the large crowd, he could not see because he was not very tall. So Zacchaeus ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus.
When Jesus reached the spot where Zacchaeus was, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down. I must stay at your house today.”
Quickly, Zacchaeus came down from the tree and joyfully welcomed Jesus.
When the people saw this, they began to grumble. “Jesus has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
Zacchaeus said to Jesus, “Look, Lord. Here and now I give
half of what I own to the poor. And if I have cheated anyone of anything, I will pay back four times the amount I took.”
Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to your house. You are a member of Abraham’s family line. The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Gospel Connection
God sent His only Son Jesus from heaven and earth to save all people from their sins. This includes people who others may think are undeserving outcasts. Jesus came not just for the people of Israel, but also for the Gentiles. Through Holy Baptism, we are made members of God’s family and thus are sons of Abraham. Jesus is Lord and Savior of all.
Words of Hope
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
(Luke 19:9–10 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE
(AD/CE)
33
Jesus and Zacchaeus
Week Before Jesus' Death
Jesus Dies and is Buried
Jesus’ Last Days in Jerusalem
59 Matthew 21 – 27; Mark 11 – 14; Luke 19 – 23; John 12 – 18
Jesus knew the time had come to finish God’s plan to save His people from their sins. He traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover with His disciples.
Early on the Sunday they were to arrive in Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of His disciples ahead of Him with some instructions. Jesus said, “Go into the village ahead of you. When you enter it, you will find a donkey and colt that has never been ridden. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone asks you why you are untying them say, ‘The Lord needs them, and He will send them back here immediately.’”
The disciples went into the village and found the animals just as Jesus had told them. As they were untying the donkey and colt, the owners said to them, “Why are you untying our colt and donkey?” The disciples replied, “The Lord needs them.” So the owners let them take the animals.
The disciples brought the donkey and the colt. They put their cloaks on the animals and Jesus sat down on them. The disciples gathered around Jesus. Together they entered Jerusalem. Word quickly spread that Jesus had come to Jerusalem. People ran from everywhere to see Him.
Many of the people in the crowd laid their cloaks upon the road. Others cut down palm branches and leafy branches from the fields and laid them on the road too. The crowds that went before Jesus and those who followed Him shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
Jesus went to the temple in Jerusalem. For the next three days, Jesus spent time teaching in
the temple. At night, he went outside of Jerusalem and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.
As Passover drew near, the chief priests and scribes looked for a way to put Jesus to death. Satan entered into Jesus’ disciple, Judas Iscariot. Judas talked with the chief priests about how he might betray Jesus to them. The Jewish officials agreed to give Judas money to betray Jesus so they could arrest Him.
On the fourth day after Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, it was the time for the Passover Feast. Jesus sent His disciples Peter and John into Jerusalem. Jesus said to them, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us.”
“But where shall we prepare it?” Peter asked. Jesus said, “Listen carefully. Go into the city. You will meet a man who carries a water jar. Follow him into the house he enters.
“Say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher is asking where is the guest room where I will eat the Passover meal with My disciples.’ The owner will then show you a large room upstairs.
Just go and make it ready for us.” Peter and John went and found it exactly as Jesus said it would be. The two disciples prepared the room for the Passover.
That evening, Jesus and His disciples met in the room to celebrate the Passover. During the meal, Jesus took some of the bread and thanked God for it. While they were eating, Jesus said, “One of you who is eating with me is going to betray Me.” The disciples were very surprised to hear this. One after another, they asked Jesus, “Is it I?”
Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this piece of bread after I have dipped it.” Jesus gave the bread He dipped to Judas Iscariot. Jesus said to Judas, “What you are going to do, do quickly!” Judas immediately left.
After Judas was gone, Jesus spoke. “Now the Son of Man receives glory. And He brings glory to God. My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You can’t come where I am going. I give you a new command. Love one another just as I have loved you. If you love one another, everyone will know that you are My disciples.”
Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow You now? I will give my life for You.”
Jesus replied, “Will you really give your life for Me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don’t know Me.”
As Jesus and the eleven disciples continued to eat the Passover meal, Jesus took some of the bread. He blessed it and broke it into pieces and gave some to each disciple. Jesus said, “Take this and eat it. It is My body, given for you. Do this to remember Me.”
Then Jesus also took a cup of wine. Jesus said, “This is My blood. It is a new covenant that your sins and the sins of many are forgiven. When I am no longer here, you should eat bread and drink wine together. When you do this, remember Me and everything I have taught you.”
Jesus told the disciples, “I am going to heaven to make a place for you. When I come back, I will take you with Me so that we will be together forever. Do not be afraid. I will send the Holy Spirit to you. He will live in you so that you will not be alone. I am going to My Father in heaven, but I will hear you when you pray. If you ask for anything, I will do it for you.”
When they had finished the meal, Jesus and His disciples went to a garden called Gethsemane. Jesus asked the disciples, “Please, stay awake and pray with Me this night.”
But the disciples were tired and fell asleep. Jesus was all alone as He went into the middle of the garden to pray. He asked God to give Him strength to carry out the plan to save all people from their sins. As Jesus prayed, an angel came to give Him strength.
Meanwhile, after Judas had left the Passover meal, he went to the Jewish leaders and told them where they could find and arrest Jesus. The leaders sent out soldiers. Judas led them to the garden where Jesus was praying. When Judas saw Jesus, he went straight to Him and kissed Him on the cheek. This was a sign so that the soldiers would know who to arrest.
Then the soldiers grabbed Jesus. Peter saw what was going on and immediately drew his sword to protect Jesus. With his sword, Peter cut off the ear of the servant of the High Priest. Jesus said, “No, Peter, it is not right of you to fight with your sword. I must do what God has planned for Me.” Jesus took the ear of the servant and put it back in place and healed him. As the soldiers arrested Jesus, all the disciples ran away in fear.
The temple soldiers tied up Jesus and led Him to be questioned by Caiaphas, the High Priest. Peter followed far behind. The High Priest tried to find false testimony against Jesus so they could put Him to death. Finding none, Caiaphas asked Jesus, “Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
“I am,” said Jesus.
But Caiaphas and the other Jewish leaders did not believe Jesus. They said to each other, “This man claims to be God’s Son, but He is lying. He is just pretending to be God. Now we have a reason to kill Him.”
While Jesus was being questioned by Caiaphas, Peter sat outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.”
But Peter denied it and said, “I do not know what you mean.”
When Peter went out to the entrance, another servant girl recognized him. She said to those around her, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” Again, Peter denied it and said, “I do not know the man.”
After a while, others came up to Peter and said to Peter, “Certainly, you too are one of them. We can tell by your accent.” A third time Peter said, “I do not know the man.”
Immediately the rooster crowed. Peter remember that Jesus had said, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter went out and bitterly cried.
The Jewish leaders wanted Jesus to be killed,
leaders brought Jesus to the Roman governor, named Pontius Pilate. Pilate went out to speak with the leaders. “What laws has this man broken?” Pilate asked.
The Jewish leaders replied, “If He were not a criminal, we wouldn’t have brought Him to you.”
“Then take Him and judge this man by your own laws,” Pilate said.
“We are not allowed to put a man to death,” said the Jewish leaders. “But this man makes our people disloyal. He says that He is Christ, a king.”
Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews? ”
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world.”
Pilate said, “So You are a king? ”
Jesus replied, “I am not a king of this world. I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth.”
“What is truth? ” Pilate said. Then he went out and told the Jewish leaders, “I do not find Him guilty of any crime. But it is the practice for me to set one prisoner free for you at Passover time. Do you want me to set ‘the king of the Jews' free? "
“No!” the Jews shouted. “Give us Barabbas!” Barabbas was a notorious robber.
Pilate thought that perhaps the people would be satisfied if he punished Jesus, so Pilate had Him whipped. The soldiers twisted thorns together to make a crown. They put it on Jesus’ head. They put a purple robe on Him. They hit Jesus in the face.
The crowd continued to yell for Pilate to crucify Jesus. “Should I crucify your king? ” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. Finally, Pilate gave in and handed Jesus over to them to be crucified.
Gospel Connection
Many of the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion are part of Old Testament prophecy. The prophet Zechariah foretold of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (Zechariah 9:9), and that Jesus would be betrayed for a payment of 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12). The psalmists wrote that Jesus would be betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9), that Jesus would be accused by false witnesses (Psalm 27:12), and that Jesus would be hated without cause (Psalm 69:4). The prophet Isaiah wrote that Jesus would be silent when accused (Isaiah 53:7) and that He would be spat upon (Isaiah 50:6). Jesus suffered all these things because He had a mission to save the people of the world from their sins.
Words of Hope
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
(Galatians 3:13a NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
Jesus Dies and Is Buried
Jesus Rises From the Dead
Jesus Dies
60 Matthew 27:32 – 66; Mark 15:21 – 47; Luke 23:26 – 56; John 19:16 – 42
Early on that Friday morning after His arrest and trial, Jesus carried His own cross as He was led by the Roman soldiers out of Jerusalem. Jesus was weak and tired from the beatings the soldiers had given Him. So out of the crowds that had gathered, the soldiers grabbed a man from Cyrene named Simon. The soldiers forced Simon to carry the cross for Jesus.
A great crowd of people followed Jesus and the soldiers as they walked to the hill where Jesus was to be crucified. Many of the people cried because of what was about to happen to Jesus. When they reached the hill called Golgotha, “Place
of a Skull,” the soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross through His hands and His feet. Two robbers were also nailed to crosses there, one robber on each side of Jesus.
Pilate wrote on a sign, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The sign was put on the cross above Jesus’ head. The words on the sign were written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that everyone who passed by could read it.
Then the soldiers who were keeping watch took Jesus’ clothing and divided it up between them. Jesus’ robe was among the items the soldiers took. This robe was sewn without a seam and was woven from top to bottom. The soldiers said, “Let’s not tear it. Let’s cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This action fulfilled what had been written long before in Psalm 22:18 about Jesus: “They divided My garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”
As people walked by the three crosses on the way into Jerusalem, they made fun of Jesus. The Jewish leaders said, “He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He is the Christ of God, His Chosen One!”
The soldiers mocked Jesus. They offered Him sour wine to drink and said, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
Even one of the robbers who was crucified with Jesus made fun of Him. The robber said to Jesus, “Aren’t You the promised Savior ? Save Yourself and us!” But the robber on the other cross said, “Aren’t you afraid of God, since you are about to die? We are getting the punishment we deserve. We have done evil things. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then the robber looked at Jesus and said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus promised him, “I tell you the truth. Today you will be with Me in paradise.”
At noon, the sun disappeared, and a great darkness came over the whole land. Around 3:00 p.m., Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? ” Then Jesus said, “It is finished.” He took His last breath and He died. To make sure He was dead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out.
Suddenly the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and rocks split apart. The bodies of holy people who had died were brought back to life. Many people saw them.
When the Roman centurion and the men who guarded Jesus saw the earthquake and the other things that had happened, they were terrified. The centurion said, “Certainly this man was innocent. Truly this man was the Son of God.”
It was now the evening before the Sabbath Day. A rich man named Joseph from Arimathea went to Pontius Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Joseph was a respected member of the Jewish council, but he had not agreed to their evil plan to kill Jesus. In fact, Joseph had found hope in Jesus the Messiah.
When Pilate heard Joseph’s request, he was surprised that Jesus was already dead. He ordered that Jesus’ body be given to Joseph so he could bury Him.
Joseph brought a linen burial cloth and took Jesus’ body down from the cross. Nicodemus, another follower of Jesus, came and brought a mixture of myrrh and other spices. The men wrapped Jesus’ body in linen cloths along with the spices. Then they laid Jesus in a new tomb in a garden near the place where Jesus had been crucified.
The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and Nicodemus and saw the tomb and how Jesus’ body had been laid. Then the men rolled a stone
against the entrance of the tomb. Soon after, everyone left and rested because the Sabbath Day had begun.
The next day, after the Sabbath was over, the chief priests and the Pharisees met. They all went to speak with Pontius Pilate. They said to Pilate, “Sir, we remember when this liar was still alive He said, ‘In three days I will come alive again.’
“Give the order to guard the tomb until after the third day. Otherwise His disciples will come and steal His body. Then they will say to the people, ‘See, He has risen from the dead.’ Then this trick will be worse than the first.”
Pilate said to them, “You have temple guards. Send them to watch the tomb and make it as secure as you can.” So the chief priests sent temple guards to Jesus’ tomb. They sealed the stone at the tomb’s entrance to make sure no one rolled it away. Then they guarded the tomb.
Gospel Connection
Just as many of the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion were foretold by Old Testament prophets, so were many of things that happened when Jesus was crucified. The prophet Isaiah foretold that Jesus would be crucified with sinners (Isaiah 53:12) and that He would be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9). The psalmists foretold that the hands and feet of Jesus would be pierced (Psalm 22:16), that He would be mocked and insulted (Psalm 22:6–8), that He would be given gall and vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21), that He would pray for His enemies (Psalm 109:4), and that soldiers would cast lots for His coat (Psalm 22:18). The prophet Zechariah foretold that Jesus’ side would be pierced (Zechariah 12:10). Jesus sacrificed His life so that we can have a new, eternal life through faith in Him. His death paid the price we owed God for our sins.
Words of Hope
But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.
(Isaiah 53:5 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
33
Jesus Dies and Is Buried
Jesus Rises From the Dead
Jesus Appears in Emmaus
Jesus Rises from the Dead
61 Matthew 28:1 – 15; Mark 16:1 – 11; Luke 24:1 – 12; John 20:1 – 18
Very early in the morning on the third day after Jesus had died, suddenly there was a great earthquake. An angel from God came down from heaven and rolled away the stone that had been placed at the entrance to Jesus’ tomb. Then the angel sat on the stone. He shone as bright as lightning. His clothes were as white as snow. The guards at the tomb were so afraid of the angel that they shook and became like dead men.
Meanwhile, Mary Magdalene and several other women set out for Jesus’ tomb. They brought spices with them so they could finish preparing Jesus’ body for burial. On their way to the tomb the women wondered who would roll the stone away for them from the tomb’s entrance. When they arrived, they saw that the stone had already been rolled away. When the woman entered the tomb, they saw that Jesus’ body was no longer there.
Suddenly two men in clothes as bright as lightning stood beside the women. The women were terrified. They bowed down with their faces to the ground.
The men said to the women, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? Jesus is not here! He has risen! Remember how He told you He would rise. It was while He was still with you in Galilee. Jesus said, ‘The Son of Man must be handed over to sinful people. He must be nailed to a cross. On the third day He will rise from the dead.’” Then the women remembered Jesus’ words.
The women ran back into town to tell the eleven disciples what they had just seen and heard. When they heard the women’s news, Peter and John ran to the tomb. Both men saw the strips of linen in which Jesus had been buried lying in the empty tomb. Peter also saw the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself inside the tomb.
Mary Magdalene stood crying outside of the tomb. When she looked back inside the empty tomb, she saw two angels in white, sitting where Jesus’ body had once been. The angels said to Mary, “Woman, why are you crying? ”
Mary replied, “They have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid Him.”
After Mary said this, she turned around. Jesus was standing there, but Mary did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to Mary, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for ? ”
Mary thought that Jesus was the gardener. She said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him and I will take Him away.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
Mary turned and said to Him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
Then Jesus said, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to those who believe in Me. Tell them, ‘I am returning to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she told them all that Jesus had said to her.
Gospel Connection
Jesus told His disciples that He would rise from the dead on the third day after He died. That first glorious Easter Sunday morning, His followers saw proof of this as they encountered the resurrected Savior. If Jesus had not risen from the dead, His suffering and death would have been meaningless. Jesus’ resurrection proves that He is more powerful than anything— even sin, death, and the devil. Because Jesus lives, all who have faith in Him have eternal life.
Words of Hope
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
(1 Peter 1:3 NIV)
33 BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
Jesus Rises From the Dead
Jesus Appears in Emmaus
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
The Emmaus Surprise
62 Luke 24:13 – 35
Later on the same day when Mary saw the risen Jesus, two of Jesus’ followers were walking to a village called Emmaus. Emmaus was about seven miles from Jerusalem. The name of one of the men was Cleopas. As the two men walked along, they talked about all that had happened to Jesus over the past three days. As they walked, Jesus came along and walked with them. But God kept Cleopas and the other disciple from recognizing Jesus.
Jesus asked the two men, “What are you talking about as you walk ? ”
Cleopas answered him. “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that have happened here?”
“What things? ” Jesus asked.
The two men replied, “About Jesus of Nazareth. He was a prophet. He was powerful in all that He said and did in the eyes of God and all the people. But the chief priests and the rulers handed Jesus over to be crucified. We had hoped that He was the one who would set Israel free. This is the third day since Jesus died.
“Then this morning, our women told us some amazing things. They had gone to the tomb early, but didn’t find Jesus’ body. The women saw angels who said Jesus is alive. Some of our friends then went to the tomb. They saw that it was empty, just as the women had said. They didn’t see Jesus’ body there.”
Jesus said to the two men, “How foolish you are! How long it takes you to believe all that the prophets have said! Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and then receive His glory ? ”
Then Jesus explained to them what the Bible says about Him. He began with Moses and all the Prophets.
Soon the two men approached Emmaus. Jesus acted as if He were going farther. But the two men tried to keep Jesus from leaving. They said to Him, “Stay with us. It is nearly evening. The day is almost over.” So Jesus went in to stay with the men.
Jesus and the two men sat down at the table for supper. Jesus took bread and gave thanks. He broke the bread into pieces and began to give it to them. Suddenly the men’s
eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus. But then Jesus disappeared from their sight.
The two men said to each other, “Jesus talked with us on the road. He explained the Scriptures to us. Weren’t our hearts burning inside us during that time? ”
The men got up and hurried back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and those with them gathered together. The eleven disciples and the others were saying, “It’s true! The Lord has risen! He has appeared to Simon Peter!”
Then the two men told them what had happened to them on the way to Emmaus. They told how they had recognized Jesus when they broke bread together.
Gospel Connection
Jesus’ appearance to Cleopas and his friend on the road to Emmaus provides further proof that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead. Jesus is alive and lives forever!
Words of Hope
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
(1 Corinthians 15:20–22 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
33
Jesus Appears in Emmaus
Jesus Appears to His Disciples Jesus Tells About Heaven and Hell
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
63 Luke 24:36 – 49; John 20:19 – 31
In the evening of the day when Jesus rose from the dead, His disciples were still talking about what the men on the road to Emmaus had told them. The disciples were gathered together with the doors locked. They were afraid of the Jews.
Suddenly Jesus Himself stood among them. “May peace be with you!” Jesus said. The disciples were frightened. They thought Jesus was a ghost.
Jesus said to them, “Why are you afraid? Why do you doubt what you see? Look at My hands and feet. See, it is really Me. Touch Me and see for yourselves. A ghost does not have muscles and bones, but you can see that I do.”
The disciples looked at Jesus’ hands and feet. They were so amazed and happy! Then Jesus asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat ? ” They gave Jesus a piece of broiled fish and watched Him eat it.
Jesus said to them, “Don’t you remember what I told you when I was with you? I had to do everything that was written about Me in God’s Holy Word. I had to do everything that was written about Me by Moses and the Prophets and in the Psalms.”
Then Jesus helped His followers to understand God’s Holy Word. Jesus told them, “This is what is written. The Christ will suffer. He will rise from the dead on the third day. His followers will preach in His name. People from every nation will hear it, beginning at Jerusalem.”
Again Jesus said, “May peace be with you! The Father has sent Me. So now I am sending you.” Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
The disciple named Thomas was not there on that night to see Jesus with the other disciples. They later told Thomas, “We have seen the Lord!” But Thomas did not believe them. He said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe it.”
A week later, all the disciples were together, including Thomas. Even though all the doors were locked, Jesus came in and stood among them. Jesus said, “May peace be with you!”
Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here. See my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus told Thomas, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen Me but still have believed.”
Gospel Connection
Seeing Jesus’ pierced hands and side gave Thomas the proof he needed to believe that Jesus was truly alive. The Scriptures give us the proof we need that Jesus rose from the dead. The Holy Spirit gives us faith in all the Bible says and helps us to tell others the good news that Jesus is the risen Savior.
Words of Hope
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
(Romans 10:9 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
33
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
Jesus Tells About Heaven and Hell
Jesus Ascends to Heaven
Jesus Teaches About Heaven and Hell
64 Luke 16:19 – 31
As He traveled and lived with His disciples, Jesus taught them about the two possible places where every person will live for eternity, whether after they physically die or when Jesus returns to judge the earth. One of the places is heaven. The other place is hell. Both are very real. Heaven is the place where our Triune God lives. Hell is the place where Satan (the devil) is confined.
Jesus told His disciples a parable. In Jesus’ story there was a rich man who dressed in very fine clothing. This man lived in luxury with lots of money, a fine home, and plenty of good food to eat.
At the gate of this rich man’s home lay a beggar named Lazarus. Lazarus was very, very poor. His body was covered with sores. The dogs came and licked his sores which made Lazarus feel even more miserable. Because Lazarus was sick, he could not work. He depended upon the kindness of the others for food. Every day Lazarus longed to eat the food that fell on the ground from the table of the rich man. But the rich man never gave anything to Lazarus. He did not care about Lazarus or give him any help at all.
When Lazarus died, God’s angels came and carried him to heaven. In heaven, Lazarus was no longer sick or hurting. God richly blessed him. In heaven, Lazarus lived next to Abraham. In heaven, Lazarus lived in luxury beyond any on earth.
When the rich man died, he went to hell. In hell, the once rich man no longer lived in luxury. Instead he suffered terribly. The man looked up and saw
Abraham far away in heaven with Lazarus beside him. The suffering man called out to Abraham, “Have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in agony here in the fires of hell.”
But Abraham told the man, “Remember in your life on earth you received many good things, while Lazarus had bad things. In heaven, Lazarus is comforted but you are suffering. Besides all this, there is a great separation between where we are in heaven and where you are in hell. No one can go from one place to the other.”
The suffering man said to Abraham, “Then I beg you, send Lazarus to my father’s house to see my five brothers. Have Lazarus warn them so that they will not end up where I am in this place of horrible suffering.”
Abraham said to the suffering man, “Your brothers have God’s Word of the prophets. Let them listen to these words.”
The suffering man replied, “No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent of their sins and be saved from hell.”
Abraham replied, “If they don’t listen to the words of Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”
Jesus wanted His disciples to know that all who believe in Him as their Savior will receive life forever. They will never be separated from God. Their sins will be forgiven and they will someday live with God in heaven.
People who do not believe in Jesus will be condemned to hell. In hell, people are separated forever from God and from His love and grace in Jesus. That is why hell is such a place of suffering.
Gospel Connection
Both heaven and hell are real places. Jesus Christ died on the cross in our place for our sins and then rose again, so that all who believe in Him can live in heaven someday. It is only through faith in Jesus that a person can reach heaven. In heaven, people live in peace and contentment and are with the Triune God forever. People who do not believe in the Triune God will be sent to hell. In hell, there is only suffering and pain. In hell, people are forever separated from God and have no chance to ever be with Him.
Words of Hope
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
(John 14:6)
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
33
Jesus Tells About Heaven and Hell
Jesus Ascends to Heaven
The Holy Spirit Comes
Jesus Returns to Heaven
65 Matthew 28:16 – 20; Luke 24:50 – 53; Acts 1:1 – 14
Forforty days after Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to many people. Jesus even appeared to over 500 people who were gathered together at the same time.
While Jesus was in Galilee, He told His disciples, “Go and make more disciples of people everywhere. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to do all that I have taught you. I will be with you always to the end of time.”
Jesus knew that it was time for Him to return to heaven. He took His disciples to a hill outside of Jerusalem. Jesus told them, “It’s time for Me to go back to heaven to be with My Father. After I’m back in heaven, you must go back to Jerusalem and wait there until I send My Spirit to you. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. Then you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria. You will be My witnesses from one end of the earth to the other.
After Jesus said this, He began to rise up to heaven. As Jesus rose higher and higher into the sky, the disciples looked up and stared at this sight. After a time a cloud hid Jesus so He could no longer be seen.
For a long time, the disciples stood there silently and looking up at the sky. Suddenly two men in white clothing stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking up at the sky ? Jesus has been taken from you. But He will come back in the same way that you saw Him go.”
After this the disciples returned to Jerusalem. They went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Peter, John, James, and Andrew were there. Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew were there too. So were James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. They regularly came together to pray. The women who had followed Jesus joined them too. So did Jesus’ mother Mary and His brothers.
Gospel Connection
After completing His mission on earth to save us from our sins, Jesus returned to heaven. He is there now. Until Jesus returns to earth, He has given us the important responsibility to share with others the truth that He is the risen Lord and Savior. He promises to be with us always and to help us love and serve Him and others.
Words of Hope [Jesus said,] “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
(Matthew 28:19-20a NIV)
33
The Holy Spirit Comes
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
Jesus Ascends to Heaven 36 Saul Believes
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentencost
66 Acts 2
Ten days after Jesus went back to heaven, it was the day of Pentecost. The disciples were gathered at one place in Jerusalem close to the temple. The temple was filled with people because it was a very special holiday. Every year Jews from all over the world traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost. During this celebration, the people thanked God for all the wonderful blessings He had given them in the harvest.
In the place where the disciples were gathered there was suddenly heard the sound of a mighty wind. Then the disciples saw in the air above their heads flames of fire that looked like tongues. The disciples were all filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gave the disciples the power to speak in languages they had never known how to speak before.
Jews from every country in the world were staying in Jerusalem for the Pentecost celebration. A crowd came together when they heard the sound of the disciples speaking in so many languages. The people were confused because they heard the disciples speaking in their own language.
Amazed, the people said, “Aren’t all these men from Galilee? Then why is it that we hear them speaking in our native languages? We are from many different places such as Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Egypt, and parts of Libya near Cyrene. Still others are visitors from Rome. Some have accepted the Jewish faith. Cretans and Arabs are also here. We hear all these people speaking
about God’s wonders in our own language.” They asked one another, “What does this mean? ”
But some people in the crowd made fun of the disciples. They said, “These men have had too much wine to drink.”
Peter then stood up and spoke to the crowd. “My Jewish friends and all who live in Jerusalem,” Peter said. “Let me explain this to you. These men are not drunk. It is only nine in the morning. It is by God’s Holy Spirit that they are able to speak in new languages.”
Peter continued, “Men of Israel, listen to this! Jesus of Nazareth, whom you crucified, was God’s Son. He was betrayed and killed by you, but it was according to the exact plans of God. You killed Jesus by nailing Him to a cross. But on the third day, God raised Him up. Death no longer has any power over Jesus. He is alive again and has returned to heaven to live with God. Let everyone in Israel understand this: God made Jesus, Whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
When many of the people in the crowd heard this, they immediately knew in their hearts that Peter was telling the truth. Their hearts were filled with shame. They said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
Peter answered, “Be sorry and turn away from your sins. Be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that you will be forgiven of your sins and receive the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you and for your children. It is also for everyone in the whole world.”
Peter said many other things to warn them. Peter begged those in the crowd, “Stay away from evil people.” All the people who believed what Peter had preached were baptized. More than 3,000 people became Christians that day.
The new believers studied what the apostles taught. They ate together. They prayed together. Everyone was amazed
by the miracles the apostles did.
The believers shared their belongings with one another. They even sold some of their belongings to help those in need. Every day, the believers met together in the temple courts to study God’s Holy Word and to praise God.
God blessed all the believers. Every day God added more people to the group of those who believed in Him and in Jesus the Savior.
Gospel Connection
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised His disciples that He would send a Helper to them who would work in them so that the good news of Jesus could be spread. The Helper Jesus sent is the Holy Spirit. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gave Jesus’ disciples the ability to speak in many languages. Unlike what happened thousands of years earlier at the tower of Babel, at the Pentecost celebration, people who were from different places could understand what the disciples said. The Holy Spirit works in the hearts of all believers to give them joy and peace in Jesus and to help them powerfully share the truth of Jesus with others.
Words of Hope
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Romans 15:13 NIV)
Holy Spirit Comes
and Silas in Philippi
Saul Becomes a Christian
67 Acts 8 – 9; 13:1 – 9
Afterthe coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the number of people who believed in Jesus as their Lord and Savior continued to grow. This made many of the Jewish people very angry. One of these Jewish people was a man named Saul. Saul was there when Jesus' apostle Stephen was stoned to death by the Jewish leaders. Stephen was stoned for preaching that Jesus was the prophet and Savior whom God sent to establish a new covenant with His people. Saul had agreed that Stephen should die.
After Stephen’s death, Saul continued to work against Jesus’ followers. He went to the high priest in Jerusalem and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus. Saul wanted to find the men and women there who followed Jesus. The letters he asked for would allow him to put them in prison.
Saul set out for Damascus. As he neared the city, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. Saul fell to the ground. A voice spoke to him and said, “Saul! Saul! Why are you working against Me?”
As he lay on the ground, Saul asked, “Who are You, Lord?” “I am Jesus,” the voice replied. “I am the one whom you are working against. Now get up and go into the city. There you will be told what you are to do.”
The men traveling with Saul stood there. They could not speak. They heard the sound but they did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground. But when he opened his eyes, he could not see. So his friends led him by the hand into the city of Damascus. For three days Saul was blind. During this time he was so upset that he did not eat or drink anything. Meanwhile in Damascus there was a believer in Jesus named Ananias. Jesus called to him in a vision. “Ananias!” Jesus said.
“Yes, Lord,” Ananias answered.
“Go to the house of a man named Judas who lives on Straight Street,” Jesus told him. “Ask for a man from the city of Tarsus named Saul. Saul is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias who will come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
“Lord,” Ananias answered. “I’ve heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to Your believers in Jerusalem. He has come here from Jerusalem with authority from the chief priests to arrest all those who worship You.”
But Jesus said to Ananias, “Go! I have chosen this man to work for Me. He will carry My name to the Gentiles and to their kings. He will speak the truth about Me before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for Me.”
Then Ananias went to the house on Straight Street and went inside. As he placed his hands on Saul, Ananias said, “Brother Saul, Jesus who appeared to you on the road as
you were coming here has sent me to you, so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. Saul got up and was baptized. After he ate some food, he regained his strength.
Saul spent several days with the others in Damascus who believed in Jesus. Then he went to preach in the synagogues there and taught the Jewish people that Jesus is the Son of God. Everyone who heard Saul preach was amazed. They asked, “Isn’t this the man who used to cause great trouble for those who believed in Jesus?” God made Saul more and more powerful. His words proved to the Jews living in Damascus that Jesus is the Christ.
After many days had gone by, some jealous Jews planned to kill Saul. But Saul learned of their plan. To save him, one night Saul’s followers helped him escape by lowering him in a basket through an opening in the city wall of Damascus.
Saul came to Jerusalem, but those there who believed in
Jesus were afraid of him. They didn’t believe that Saul was really one of Jesus’ followers. So a man named Barnabas took Saul to the apostles. Barnabas explained to them about Saul’s journey and how Jesus Himself had spoken to Saul. He told them how Saul had boldly preached in Jesus’ name in Damascus. So Saul stayed in Jerusalem with the other believers in Jesus. There he again spoke boldly in Jesus’ name. When the Jews there wanted to kill Saul, the other believers took Saul to Caesarea and then sent him to Tarsus where he would be safe. Barnabas and Saul began to travel to many places to tell people the truth of Jesus. Saul became known as Paul and was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Promise Fulfilled
Despite Saul’s initial hatred for Him, Jesus had great plans for him. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Saul was brought to faith in Jesus as his Savior. God used Saul (Paul) to travel to many lands to tell many people the truth of salvation. Jesus was with Paul wherever he went. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are given faith in Jesus. Jesus uses us to tell others the truth that He has died and rose to save all people from their sins.
Words of Hope
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
(Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)
36 Saul Believes 50 Paul and Silas in Philippi Emperor Nero lives Jerusalem Falls Mount Vesuvius Explodes 54 70 79
In Prison and Freed
68 Acts 15:22 – 41; 16:1 – 40
Pauland Barnabas traveled to many different places, teaching and preaching the Word of God. After a time, the church leaders sent two other men along with Paul and Barnabas to help them. Their names were Judas Barsabbas and Silas. Eventually, Paul and Barnabas decided to go their separate ways. Paul and Silas continued on together. They traveled to Syria and Cilicia. Paul gave strength to the churches there. They also traveled through Phrygia, Galatia, and then on to the Roman colony of Philippi in Macedonia.
One day in Philippi as Paul and Silas were going to the place of prayer on the banks of the Gangites River, they were met by a female slave. This slave had a spirit inside of her that
helped her to predict the future. She earned a lot of money for her owners by fortune-telling. The woman followed Paul and Silas around. As she followed them she shouted, “These men serve the Most High God. They are telling you how to be saved.” For many days the woman continued to proclaim this wherever Paul and Silas went.
Finally Paul became upset. He turned around and said to the spirit in the woman, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!” At that very moment the spirit left her.
The slave’s owners realized that the woman could no longer make any money for them. So they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place to face the authorities. They brought Paul and Silas to the judges. The slave owners said, “These men are Jews. They are making trouble in our city. They are suggesting that we do things that are unlawful for us Romans to do.”
The crowd joined the attack against Paul and Silas. The judges ordered that the two men be stripped and beaten. Paul and Silas were whipped without mercy. Then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was told to carefully guard them. The jailer put Paul and Silas deep inside the prison. He put their feet into stocks so they could not get away.
About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying. They were also singing hymns to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a powerful earthquake which shook the prison from top to bottom. All at once all the doors in the prison flew open. The chains of all the prisoners came loose.
The jailer woke up. When he saw that the prison doors were opened, he feared that the prisoners had escaped. As he pulled out his sword to kill himself, Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
The jailer called for some lights. He rushed in, shaking with fear. He fell down in front of Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked them, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Paul and Silas replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus. Then you and your family will be saved.” Paul and Silas told the jailer and all the people in his house about Jesus. The jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Then immediately the jailer and his entire family were baptized. The jailer brought Paul and Silas into his house and fed them. The jailer and his whole family were filled with joy because they had come to believe in God.
Early in the morning the judges sent their officers to the jailer. They ordered him to let Paul and Silas go. The jailer told Paul, “The judges have ordered me to set you and Silas free. You can leave now.
Go in peace.”
But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us in public. We weren’t given a trial. And we are Roman citizens! They threw us into prison. And now they want to get rid of us quietly ? No! Let them come here themselves and personally lead us out.”
When the judges found out that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they became afraid. They came to the jail themselves and apologized to Paul and Silas. They led them out of prison and asked them to leave
Philippi. When Paul and Silas left the prison, they went to the house of Lydia, one of the Christians who lived in Philippi. There they met with her and the other believers. They told them to be brave. Then Paul and Silas left Philippi.
Promise Fulfilled
Even though Paul and Silas had been whipped and imprisoned, God gave them the strength to continue to trust in Him and to praise Him. When we face trials and troubles because of our faith, God promises to be with us and to give us the strength we need to continue to proclaim the truth of Jesus.
Words of Hope
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:4–7 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
Paul and Silas in Philippi
Jerusalem Falls Edict of Milan First Crusade
Signs of Jesus’ Return
69 Matthew 24 – 25; Mark 13
Before Jesus died, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, He told His disciples about some signs or events that would happen before His promised return to earth. The Bible calls the time of Jesus’ return “the end of the age.” Jesus wants all people to be prepared for His return by believing in Him as their risen Lord and Savior.
Jesus said, “Keep watch! Be careful that no one fools you. There will be many people who come and say they are speaking the truth in My name. Some will even say that they are Me. But do not be fooled by them.
“You will hear about wars. People will also talk about future wars. Don’t be afraid. Those things must happen. But the end still isn’t here. Nations will fight against nations. There will be earthquakes and famines in many places.
“Watch out! Because you believe in Me, you will face difficult times. But as you stand before kings and leaders, you will tell them about Me. The Gospel must be preached to all nations before the end comes. You will be arrested and brought to trial. But don’t worry about what to say. Just say whatever God brings to your mind at the time. It is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
“There will be much hatred between people, even between members of families. Others will hate you because of Me, but everyone who stands firm to the end will be saved.
“You will see much destruction. Those days will be worse than any others from time God created the
world until now. At that time someone may say to you, ‘Look! Here is the Christ!’ False prophets will appear. They will do signs and miracles and try to fool God’s chosen people. Keep watch! I have told you everything ahead of time.
“In those days there will be much suffering. The prophet Isaiah said, ‘The sun will be darkened. The moon will not shine. The stars will fall from the sky. The heavenly bodies will be shaken.’
“At that time, people will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds. He will come with great power and glory. He will send His angels. He will gather his chosen people from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. Heaven and earth will pass away. But My words will never pass away.”
Jesus also told His disciples, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all His angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All people will be gathered before
Him. He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. When you did kind things for others, you did these things for Me.’
“Then the King will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. When you did not help those in need, you did not help Me.’
“Those who did not follow Me will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Jesus also said, “No one knows the day or hour when the Son of Man will return. Not even the angels in heaven know. The Son does not know. Only the Father knows. What I say to you I say to everyone, ‘Watch!’”
Promise Fulfilled
No one knows when Jesus will return to earth. Though the times until then will be hard, Jesus promises to give us the strength we need to get through them. Jesus wants those who believe in Him as their risen Lord and Savior to be assured that they are saved through faith in Him. As we trust in His Words that “will never pass away” (Mark 13:31), we will know the truth and we will be able to continue to proclaim Jesus’ saving love until we are taken to heaven to live with Him forever.
Words of Hope
So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.
(Hebrews 9:28 NIV)
BIBLE TIMELINE (AD/CE)
? ? ? ? ?
What Is Heaven Like?
70 Revelation 4 – 5; 21 – 22
Thedisciple and apostle of Jesus named John wrote many letters to different churches all over the world. Late in his life, he was forced to stay on a small island called Patmos. The enemies of Christians hoped by placing him there that he would no longer be able to speak of the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
One day as John lived on Patmos, Jesus came and appeared to him in a vision. In this very special experience, John was suddenly able to see right into heaven, where God is. Jesus was showing John what heaven is like. John wrote down what Jesus showed him. These writings are part of the book of the Bible called Revelation.
In the vision John saw Jesus dressed in a splendid white robe. He saw God seated on His throne surrounded by many angels. He saw a great number of people from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, all dressed in white robes. The people were holding palm branches as they worshipped God. They proclaimed, “Holy, holy, holy is God the Almighty.”
Later in the vision, John saw a new heaven and a new earth. There God was making His home with His people. In this wonderful, perfect place there is no more sickness, death, crying, grief, or pain. The people there will live with God in a big beautiful city with streets like polished gold and buildings made of shimmering gold and glass. In the middle of the city flows a beautiful river. Along the river are trees with wonderful fruits growing on them.
In heaven there will never be night. God’s children will not need a light or the sun because God Himself is the light and will shine on them forever. The most wonderful and amazing thing about heaven is that God will live there with His people forever. Jesus is in heaven right now, preparing a place for all who believe in Him to live when they leave this world. He wants everyone to be there with Him.
Promise Fulfilled
A glorious and perfect heavenly home is promised to all who believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. There, all believers will live with God forever and ever.
Words of Hope [Jesus said,] “Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world.” (John 17:24 NIV)
The Ten Commandments
God gave us the Ten Commandments to help us live a good life that is pleasing to Him because He loves us and cares for us. They serve as a curb to help prevent us from doing sinful acts, as a mirror to show us our sins, and as a guide to teach us what a God-pleasing life is like and what we should and should not do according to His will.
The
difference
between the Law and the Gospel:
The Law explains what God demands of us and shows us how badly we fail to reach the standard that He has set. We can never earn our salvation or a place in heaven through the Law because God requires that we follow it perfectly, which is impossible for us to do.
The Gospel reveals God's loving care for us and the way of salvation that He provides for sinners through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
The First Commandment
Thou shalt have no other gods.
We should fear, love and trust in God above all things.
The Second Commandment
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in vain.
We should fear and love God that we may not curse, swear, use witchcraft, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.
The Third Commandment
Thou shalt sanctify the holy-day.
We should fear and love God that we may not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred, and gladly hear and learn it.
The Fourth Commandment
Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother (that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long upon the earth).
We should fear and love God that we may not despise nor anger our parents and masters, but give them honor, serve, obey, and hold them in love and esteem.
The Fifth Commandment
Thou shalt not kill.
We should fear and love God that we may not hurt nor harm our neighbor in his body, but help and befriend him in every bodily need (in every need and danger of life and body).
The Sixth Commandment
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
We should fear and love God that we may lead a chaste and decent life in words and deeds, and each love and honor his spouse.
The Seventh Commandment
Thou shalt not steal.
We should fear and love God that we may not take our neighbor's money or property, nor get them by false ware or dealing, but help him to improve and protect his property and business (that his means are preserved and his condition is improved).
The Eighth Commandment
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, or defame our neighbor, but defend him, (think and) speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.
The Ninth Commandment
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.
We should fear and love God that we may not craftily seek to get our neighbor's inheritance or house, and obtain it by a show of (justice and) right, etc., but help and be of service to him in keeping it.
The Tenth Commandment
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is his.
We should fear and love God that we may not estrange, force, or entice away our neighbor's wife, servants, or cattle, but urge them to stay and (diligently) do their duty.
The Lord’s Prayer
(Matthew 6, Luke 11)
Our Father who art in heaven. Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples how to pray.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; one holy Christian church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Apostles’ Creed is the creed (or belief) that Christians speak, summarizing all God’s work in creation and in the history of God’s people, as taught in the Bible.
Glossary
Adultery – the act of being unfaithful to one’s spouse in thought, word, or deed.
Altar – a structure often made of stone or wood on which sacrifices were made in Bible times.
Angels – God’s messengers, specially created by God sometime during the six days of creation. Good angels protect God’s people. Satan is a fallen, bad angel.
Anoint – to set apart for special work.
Apostles – “one who is sent.” Jesus’ apostles were sent by Him to serve Him and to proclaim Him.
Aramaic – language spoken by Jesus and His disciples.
Ark of the Covenant – a gold-plated wooden chest carried by the Israelites that contained the Ten Commandments. The ark was a holy symbol that showed God was with His people.
Ascend/ascended/ascension – to go up.
Baptism/baptized – a washing with water and God’s Word for the forgiveness of sins.
Circumcised/circumcision – a religious ceremony performed on boys as a sign of God’s covenant with Abraham; corresponds to Holy Baptism in the New Testament.
Covenant – a formal, binding agreement between two people or two groups of people.
Create/created – to make something out of nothing.
Crucify/crucifixion – to put to death by nailing or binding to a wooden cross.
Disciples – those who are called to serve Jesus; also anyone who follows Jesus’ teachings. Jesus originally called 12 men to be His disciples.
Famine – a time period when little food is available.
Fast/fasted – to choose to go without food for a specific period of time, usually as a sign of repentance.
Firstfruits – the first and best of a person’s crops or livestock; a person’s best offering given to God.
Frankincense – a yellowish tree gum that gives off a pleasing scent when burned.
Gentile – a person who is not a Jew.
Hebrew/Hebrews – one of the languages (along with Aramaic) in which the Old Testament was originally written. Hebrews is another name used in the Old Testament to refer to God’s people, the Israelites.
Hosanna – a Greek word that means, “Save now, we pray.”
Idols – false gods.
Iniquities – sins, wickedness, and evil.
Intercede – to pray for others, to speak on behalf of others.
Jew/Jewish – people from Judea. This title also indicated their identity as God’s special people.
Kinsman-redeemer – a family member who pays off a relative’s debt.
Messiah – A Hebrew word meaning “the anointed one” or “the chosen one.” Messiah means the same as the Greek word Christ.
Miracle – a sign that only God can do; points to Jesus and tells us who He is.
Mourn/mourned – to show grief or sadness.
Myrrh – a gummy material with a strong scent; used to add a good smell to incense and oil.
Parables – stories Jesus told that reveal truths about God’s kingdom.
Pharisee – Jewish men who were experts in the Law; religious leaders in Jesus’ day, most of whom trusted in their own ability to keep God’s Law for salvation.
Prophet – a man called by God to speak God’s Word, to preach God’s Word, and to point people to the coming Savior.
Prophetess – a woman of faith who testifies of God’s goodness and who points people to the coming Savior.
Redeem/redemption – to buy back.
Repent – to turn away from, to be sorry for one’s sins and to determine not to sin again.
Righteous/righteousness – being right with God; a quality of being holy and without sin.
Sabbath – means rest. God set the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath day, a day of required rest and worship.
Sackcloth – cloth made from goat hair which people wore in Bible times to show that they were sad or angry.
Sacrifice – an offering made to show respect. Burnt offerings were sacrifices of animals in Old Testament times that showed honor to God and paid for sins.
Sanhedrin – also known as the Council; 70 Jewish lay elders, chief priests, and scribes who were the legal experts in the Jewish religion. They oversaw religious and civil matters in Judea.
Savior – someone who saves others from destruction and death. Jesus Christ is our Savior.
Sin/sinned – bad things people do which disobey God and any thought or action that breaks God’s Law (the 10 Commandments).
Synagogue – building in which Jewish people study the Old Testament and worship God.
Tabernacle – a movable house (tent) where God dwelled and the Israelites worshipped Him while they traveled to Canaan.
Temple – the building in Jerusalem where God dwelled and where the Israelites worshipped Him.
Tempt/temptation – being pulled toward disobeying God or other authorities.
Transfiguration – means “to change.” When Jesus’ glory was shown to Peter, James, and John on a mountaintop.
Transgressions – actions which break laws or rules; sins.
Triune God – the one true God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The word triune means “three in one.” Christians believe in one God who has three persons.
