Book Contents

Question 1

Judges

Answer 1

“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (17:6) The consequences of a failed conquest. Israel pursued foreign gods. Joshua’s death left a void in leadership. Israel spiraled downward into disobedience, God gave them over to foreign powers, and then would raise up a judge to save them. Worship of Yahweh followed, then they pursued other gods again. This pattern continued throughout the book, with each judge getting progressively worse.

Question 2

Ruth

Answer 2

The book of Ruth tells the story of Ruth and Boaz, ancestors of King David, and later, Jesus. Ruth is a Moabite woman, married to an Israelite, and is widowed, with no close kin to ‘redeem’ her. Boaz, a distant relative and a very good man, eventually extends her lovingkindness and redeems her.

Question 3

1 Samuel

Answer 3

1 Samuel details Samuel’s early call as a prophet (1-7), Samuel’s dealings with Saul (8-15), and finally his dealings with David (16-31).

Question 4

2 Samuel

Answer 4

2 Samuel begins with the early years of David’s reign as king (1-10), David’s sin and consequences (11-20), then the final words on David’s reign as he passes rule to Solomon (21-24).

Question 5

1 Kings

Answer 5

1 Kings is an account of the unified Israel divided. 1-11 chronicles the united kingdom, while 12-22 speaks of the divisions.

Question 6

2 Kings

Answer 6

2 Kings is an account of the divided kingdom, Israel and Judah, and their demise into capture and captivity. 1-17: Divided Kingdom. 18-25: Surviving Kingdom. Israel is captured by Assyria, and Judah is conquered by Babylon.

Question 7

1 Chronicles

Answer 7

1 Chronicles displays the importance of the Davidic covenant by telling the history of David’s reign in a positive, glamorized light. 1-9: Genealogies. 10-29: Reign of David, with focus on bringing the ark to Jerusalem and planning the temple.

Question 8

2 Chronicles

Answer 8

2 Chronicles displays Solomon’s reign as the continuation of the Davidic covenant by painting his reign in a positive light (to the omission of much of his sin). It also tries to tell a positive story of Judah, exalting good kings, and spending little time on bad ones. It ends with Judah in exile.

Question 9

Ezra

Answer 9

Ezra is an account of Cyrus’s decree for the return of exiles from Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem, and, specifically, to rebuild the Temple on its original site. Enemies stall the project, but eventually the project is finished. Ezra comes to Jerusalem to establish again the Law of Moses and confronts intermarriage to idolaters. Ezra 1-6: Rebuilding the wallsEzra 7-10: Reforming the people

Question 10

Nehemiah

Answer 10

Nehemiah, cup bearer to the Persian king, hears of the dire state of his people in Jerusalem. He makes a request to the King to allow him to return to rebuild the walls. The king grants him permission and supplies. Despite opposition, the rebuilding is complete. Nehemiah then begins the task of reforming the people, back to their God. Nehemiah 1-7: Rebuilding the wallsNehemiah 8-13: Reforming the people

Question 11

Esther

Answer 11

Esther is the story of a Jewish woman named Esther who rises to the Persian throne when she is picked in a beauty contest by the king to be his new queen. Notes of God’s providence reign throughout as she is able to use her authority to save her people from annihilation by exposing the execution plot of Haman to the king. 1-2: Esther becomes queen3-4: Jews are threatened5-8: Esther intercedes9-10: Jews are delivered

Question 12

Job

Answer 12

Job is about a proven righteous man name Job who sort of caught up in a cosmit bet. Satan bets against Job, saying that when his comforts and possessions are removed, he will curse God. God ‘bets’ he will hold fast. Sure enough, Job loses his children, his possessions, and his health. His so-called friends assume Job must be guilty of sin, and beg him to repent. Job knows he is righteous, though, certainly questions God’s intentions here. God eventually restores him, doubles his fortunes from before, and gives him new children, all while reminding Job that He has a right to do as he pleases.

Question 13

Psalms

Answer 13

Psalms is “a collection of 150 poems that express a wide variety of emotions, including: love and adoration toward God, sorrow over sin, dependence on God in desperate circumstances, the battle of fear and trust, walking with God even when the way seems dark, thankfulness for God’s care, devotion to the word of God, and confidence in the eventual triumph of God’s purposes in the world.” (ESV Study Introduction)

Question 14

Proverbs

Answer 14

Provers is collection of wisdom sayings designed to, from 1:1-7, “describe and instill ‘wisdom’ in God’s people, a wisdom founded in the ‘fear of the Lord’ and that works out covenant life in the practical details of everyday situations and relationships” (ESV Study Introduction)

Question 15

Ecclesiastes

Answer 15

The musings of the Teacher, on how all worldly pursuits are meaningless. He finally exhorts the the reader to fear God, and follow his commands.

Question 16

Song of Solomon

Answer 16

Beautiful and sensuous poetry expressing romantic love between a young man and a young woman.

Question 17

Lamentations

Answer 17

The author laments the destruction and exile of Judah due to their many sins against God. However, the author hangs on to the hope of a faithful and merciful God who will one days bring salvation.

Question 18

Hosea

Answer 18

Israel’s unfaithfulness to God is compared to adultery.

Question 19

Joel

Answer 19

Locusts. Disaster struck the southern kingdom of Judah in the form of a cloud of locusts. In a matter of hours, the fields were stripped bare, and the Prophet Joel seized the opportunity to proclaim God’s message. The Locusts were seen as a foreshadowing of the coming day of the Lord. In light of this, the book warns of approaching judgment, calls for repentance and gives god’s people hope of the coming day of salvation that will follow judgment.

Question 20

Amos

Answer 20

Judgment. Addresses the excessive pursuit of luxury, self-indulgence, and oppression of the poor which characterized the period of prosperity and success in the Northern Kingdom of Israel under Jereboam II. Israel cannot be content to be complacent about her standing before God. AS she embraces the judgment coming against the nations so she must acknowledge that she is under the same (if not higher) obligation to honor the LORD. Vision of plumb line, basket of ripe fruit- Prepare to meet your God.

Question 21

Obadiah

Answer 21

Doom of Edom. Shortest book in the OT. Edom is condemned for cruelty towards Judah. Obadiah, pronounced condemnation against Edom and prophesied their total destruction because of their persistent opposition to God’s people.

Question 22

Jonah

Answer 22

Grace and mercy in Ninevah. God loves the world and its people, even the godless (Ninevah) and the hardhearted (Jonah). God accomplishes his purposes despite the defects of his servants. Jonah learns that “salvation is of the Lord” (2:9), and God’s grace extends to all who respond to his message with repentance. Jewish nationalism blinds God’s covenant people to his compassion for Gentiles. God fishes for men: both the Gentile people of Ninevah and his reluctant servant Jonah. [Sources: Meek’s packet, Talk Thru the Bible, Wilkinson and Boa].

Question 23

Micah

Answer 23

Lawsuit. Burdened by the abuse of the poor, the book of Micah rebukes anyone who would use social status or political power for personal gain. Micah divides into three section which 1) expose the sin of his countrymen, 2) pictures the punishment God is about to send, and 3) holds out the hope of restoration once that discipline has ended. Micah points to a restoration of God’s work in Judah. Has similarities to Isaiah.

Question 24

Nahum

Answer 24

Ninevah Falls. In contrast to Jonah, whose ministry resulted in Ninevah’s repentance, the prophet Nahum proclaims the downfall of the great Assyrian city of Ninevah. The Ninevites have forgotten their revival and have returned to their habits of violence, idolatry, and arrogance. As a result, Babylon will so destroy the city that no trace of it will remain-a prophecy fulfilled in painful detail.

Question 25

Habakkuk

Answer 25

Faith. Habakkuk prophesied during the decline of Judah. Although repeatedly called to repentance, the nation stubbornly refused to change her sinful ways. Asking how long this intolerable situation would continue, Habakkuk is told by God that the Babylonians will be his chastening rod on the nation-an announcement that sends the prophet to his knees. Though perplexed, Habakkuk acknowledges that the just in any generation shall live by faith, not by sight, and he concludes by praising God’s wisdom even though he doesn’t fully understand God’s ways. Why no justice? How can God use Babylon?

Question 26

Zephaniah

Answer 26

The Day of the Lord. Zephaniah is a minor prophet with a major interest in the appointed day of the Lord for the judgement of all humans. The book centers around the initial warning that the day of the Lord is coming and applies the coming judgement to Judah, Assyria, and several other surrounding nations. The book closes with a vision of the future of Jerusalem and the hope of blessing and solace in the Messiah.

Question 27

Haggai

Answer 27

Build the House of the Lord! Haggai confronts those who prefer to build their own “paneled houses” while the temple of God remains in a ruin state. The result of these circumstances is that the Lord has withheld blessings from the land until the priority of the Lord’s house is restored. Once work begins, God freely restores his blessings upon the people and the land.

Question 28

Zechariah

Answer 28

The Messiah is Coming. Zechariah is sent by the Lord to encourage the people of God to remain diligent in their rebuilding of the temple because it will one day be the habitation of the Messiah. The majority of the book is visionary and imagistic.

Question 29

Malachi

Answer 29

The Messenger of the Lord. Malachi is God’s messenger to his rebellious people. His message is one of judgement and confrontation for the corruption of the priests, the self-righteousness of the people, and the generally accepted wickedness of the culture. The format of the book is dialogical, in which Malachi asks a question, the people provide an answer, and there is a response from the Lord. Some of the topics addressed in Malachi include, divorce, tithing, worship, and hypocrisy. Malachi ends with a promise of a redeemer after the fashion of the great prophet Elijah.

Question 30

1 Thessalonians

Answer 30

Keep on, Christ is coming. Paul writes with gratitude and affection to a church that he had visited only briefly. He offers words of encouragement to a faithful but struggling church, and focuses particularly on the encouragement offered by the return of Christ.

Question 31

2 Thessalonians

Answer 31

Hold on, Christ is coming. Paul writes with gratitude and affection to a church that he had visited only briefly. He offers words of encouragement to a faithful but struggling church, and focuses particularly on clarifying misunderstanding concerning the return of Christ.

Question 32

1 Timothy

Answer 32

Order in the Church. Now aged, and experienced, Paul writes his young protege in the faith, Timothy, a young pastor facing heavy responsibility. Paul’s letter provides Timothy with encouragement in ministry.

Question 33

2 Timothy

Answer 33

Lead the Church. Paul’s second letter provides Timothy with encouragement towards continued faithfulness in ministry and Paul’s last words to Timothy.

Question 34

Titus

Answer 34

Teach the Church. Written to an associate of Paul who worked as Paul’s apostolic representative. This brief letter focuses on Titus’s role and responsibility in the organization and supervision of the churches on the island of Crete.

Question 35

Philemon

Answer 35

Reconciliation. Paul writes to Philemon as he returns his slave, Onesimus, who has become a brother in Christ. He asks Philemon for him to be received as a brother in Christ and therefore, treated as such.

Question 36

James

Answer 36

Faith expresses itself through works. To expose hypocritical practices and to teach right Christian behavior. James exhorts the believer to exercise faith through good works. Faith without works cannot be called faith. Faith without works is dead, and a dead faith is worse than no faith at all. Faith must work; is must produce; mere mental assent is insufficient. Throughout his epistle to Jewish believers, James integrates true faith and everyday practical experience by stressing that true faith must manifest itself in works of faith.

Question 37

1 Peter

Answer 37

Faith withstanding suffering. To offer encouragement to suffering Christians. Addresses Christians facing persecution for their faith. As a comfort, Peter reminds them of their heavenly inheritance and he encourages them to live lives of submission to God.

Question 38

2 Peter

Answer 38

Faith upholds the truth. To warn Christians about false teachers (who denied Christ’s return) and to exhort them to grow in their faith and knowledge of Christ. The best antidote for error is a mature understanding of the truth.

Question 39

1 John

Answer 39

Fellowship with God. Reassures Christians in their faith and counters false teaching. John wrote this fatherly epistle out of loving concern for his “children” whose steadfastness in the truth was being threatened by the lure of worldliness and the guile of false teachers.

Question 40

Jude

Answer 40

Preserve the Faith. Reminds the church of the need for constant vigilance–to keep strong in the faith and to defend against heresy. Many New Testament epistles defend against the problem of false teachers, but Jude is relentless and passionate in his denunciation of apostate teachers who have invaded the church.