I and II Kings provide a record of Israel's history from the beginning of the movement to place Solomon on David's throne through the end of the reign of Zedekiah, Judah's last king. There are great lessons to be learned from Israel's desire to be "like those around us" and its consequences. 

Fans of historical romance, military history, soap operas, conspiracy theories, spy novels, swashbuckling adventure, or political intrigue will find it all here in The Book of Judges! But from a broader and deeper perspective, Judges is essentially the story of a deteriorating nation - and it serves as a sober warning against deterioration in our own nation and in our own personal lives.

Jesus said that the psalms spoke about him (Lk 24:44). Christ's birth, betrayal, agony, death, resurrection, ascension, coming again in glory, and his worldwide reign - all are pictured in inspired vividness. They constitute irrefutable testimony to the divine inspiration of the Scripture. 

Numbers is really a book about arrested progress. In a sense, it never should have happened. It took only 40 hours to get Israel out of Egypt - the Passover. But it took 40 years to get Egypt out of Israel. 

In Hebrew, this book is called dibhere ha-yamim: ''the words concerning the days.'' The Jewish Bible regards the Old Testament as 22 books and Chronicles is counted as a single book. I and II Chronicles take the form of a history: David and Judah are the focal points. The emphasis of I and II Chronicles is on the Southern Kingdom and the preservation of the Davidic line.   

The Book of Proverbs could be titled ''Wise Up and Live". Beyond simply obeying laws, this book focuses on leading an aggressively dynamic life, giving examples of proper and improper attitudes, conduct, and characteristics in succinct, penetrating ways.

 The Book of Exodus is the bedrock of God's plan of redemption and is seen as a "type" of the early church. It is also an adventure of discovery, since the dramatic narrative is laced with numerous hidden messages in the form of microcodes and macrocodes, each anticipating the New Testament climax. 

Whose sermons are quoted most in the Bible? The answer may surprise you. Deuteronomy is essentially a series of sermons by the greatest Old Testament prophet. Jesus himself quoted more from Deuteronomy than from any other portion of the Old Testament.

For many, the Gospel according to "the Beloved Physician" is the most readable and complete account of the life of Christ. Known for its historical detail and precision, Luke was chosen by the Holy Spirit to communicate the Gospel to an educated and technological culture. The evidences of the truly "human" nature of Jesus Christ are littered throughout this treatise. 

Isaiah was the most comprehensive of all prophets: His writing spans the entirety of history, from the creation of the world to the creation of "a new heavens and new earth". No other prophet matches his majestic eloquence on the glory of God and the redemptive work and sufferings of the coming Messiah, all the while making us clearly aware of God's abounding Grace. This study contains over 28 hours of verse-by-verse teaching.  

Hosea, a contemporary of Isaiah (for most of his ministry) and Amos (in his earlier years) was the Jeremiah of the Northern Kingdom. His main target was the Northern Kingdom, yet his message was for the people of God. When Solomon died, Jeroboam rebelled and plunged the Northern Kingdom into a prosperous but idolatrous separation. After two centuries of abandoning their heritage, God sent Hosea to present His indictment and declare that He would use their enemies as His judgment.

"Luke Volume II", often called "The Acts of the Apostles", completes the "Pentateuch of the New Testament". The traditional title of this book is, in some respects, a misnomer: It primarily deals with the "acts" of Peter and Paul. It really should be called "The Acts of the Holy Spirit". This review will explore the continuing mysteries of Hag Shavuot in Acts 2; the surprises in the history lesson Stephen gives the Sanhedrin in Acts 7; the controversies dealt with in the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15; and more.

Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi: It is an unfortunate misconception that because these books are called The Minor Prophets, their relevance to our lives is also minor. This couldn't be further from the truth. The richness of life's lessons and our prophetic hope permeate every word. Don't be tricked into missing these overwhelmingly rich studies.

Both of these books, filled with all the intrigue, romance, and action of any modern-day screenplay, have been heralded for their literary value for centuries. But this is not their most rewarding feature. God's use of these two faithful women brings a new understanding of God's faithfulness and the importance of our faithful participation.

During Jeremiah's 40 years of ministry, he never received a hint of gratitude. As one of the most important of the "Major Prophets", Jeremiah is a rich, rewarding study. It is full of surprises, deeply touching episodes, and extremely moving tale. It is also, in many ways, profoundly timely for us today.