Israel First

Moses is renowned as a great lawgiver, prophet, friend of God, and deliverer of his people. The events of his life, spanning four books of the Bible, resound throughout Scripture. In this epic undertaking, James M. Boice delves into the narrative to uncover its rich meaning and gospel application to our lives today. We can learn a lot from Moses about faithfulness, prayerfulness, meekness, and good leadership; we can even learn from his sins and failure! But Boice shows how we can also look beyond Moses and the Israelites to the awesome power of God.

He was the first child of the Exile. He would become the last witness of the world. Cain, the firstborn of Adam, was never meant for the quiet grace of the Garden. Driven by a restless ambition and a mark that forbids his death, he flees into the waste of the East. There, in the parched Land of Nod, he does the unthinkable: he builds a wall against the silence of God. THE CITY OF ASH From a single stone rises Enoch, a towering ziggurat of iron, soot, and defiant brilliance.

A kingdom forged in fire. A soul consumed by silence. Fifty years ago, Saul of Benjamin was a man of the soil, a head taller than his brothers, chosen by a prophet and ignited by the Spirit of God. He was the shield that broke the Philistine tide and the voice that unified a fractured nation. But the Spirit has fled.

One man. One calling. One God who never gave up. When God's people forget His goodness, they fall into the hands of their enemies—not by punishment, but by consequence. Born a slave, Othniel witnessed miracles in the wilderness and tasted freedom in the Promised Land. Raised under the shadow of his brother Caleb’s great faith, Othniel’s life was shaped by hope, devotion, and a quiet longing for the woman he loves—Aksah, Caleb’s daughter. But when their people turn away from God, Othniel must rise, not only as a warrior, but as Israel’s first judge.

THE LION OF NEGEBThe Story of Othniel, The First JudgeThe giants are in the grave, and the fire of the Exodus has faded to embers. For eight years, the tribes of Israel have withered under the "Double Wickedness" of Cushan-Rishathaim. The Promised Land has become a labor camp of limestone and salt, and the sons of the conquerors have become the property of an empire. Othniel ben Kenaz is a man of the shadows. A former warrior reduced to a quarry slave, he has spent nearly a decade hauling the very stones used to build his enemy’s monuments.

Western Christianity's long-standing support of Israel has, perhaps unintentionally, nurtured a prejudice against Arab people—the descendants of Abraham's first son, Ishmael. Author Tony Maalouf contends that this bias differs dramatically from the biblical portrayal of Ishmael and the nations that have sprung from him. With meticulous research and theological astuteness, Maalouf surfaces the positive portrayal of the Arab people in ancient and prophetic history, clearly showing that the Israeli-Arab conflict is a recent development in history.

Step back in time to the ancient land of Israel and journey through the captivating tale of Saul and David. In this beautifully illustrated book, children will be transported to a world filled with adventure, bravery, and faith as they follow the lives of two remarkable figures in biblical history. Each chapter immerses young listeners in a rich sensory experience, bringing to life the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations of ancient Israel.

This book tells four important stories from the Bible, presented in a bedtime story format that is age-appropriate and easy for younger children to understand and read for themselves as they get older.