Joshua to Chronicles: Survey of the Prophets and Writings of the Bible

#9 Kings #1: Reading King Solomon Forward and Backward

When one reads the Solomon narratives, it appears that he achieved a Golden Age and then crashed at the end. Once we know about the crash, however, we can see cracks in Solomon's reign throughout the narrative.

David's Kingship: Rise and Fall

David as king--his successes and failures, and the message of the Book of Samuel.

Saul and David

Saul declines and David rises, but the narrative in the Book of Samuel also exposes a darker side of David in his early years.

Samuel and the Institution of Monarchy

Are the prophets always in sync with God? An exploration of the views of God, Samuel and the people regarding the institution of monarchy in Israel.

Gideon as the Transitional Figure in Judges

Gideon's unique combination of traits and conflicts over becoming king establish him as the fitting heir to the leadership of Othniel, Ehud, and Deborah; while also paving the way to the more negative second half of the Book of Judges.

The Joshua-Judges Continuum

The Book of Joshua appears to be a biblical Golden Age, and the Book of Judges is a biblical Dark Age. But a closer look reveals that the connection between the two books is deeper than we had thought.

Chronological Order to Uncover the Themes of Joshua

Certain passages in the Book of Joshua appear to have been positioned out of chronological sequence. How do these anomalies point to the most important lessons of the book?

The Secret to Joshua's Success

 An exploration of Joshua's leadership development in the Torah, with midrashic explanations that elucidate his remarkable combination of character traits that enabled him to be an exceptionally effective leader.

Introduction to the Bible

What is the Bible? A discussion of the nature of the different books and categories of Torah, Prophets, and Holy Writings.