Joshua had an enormous task ahead of him in conquering the promised land, but he also had a great God with him, and that is the key to true success and prosperity. Joshua would prove to be a military genius, but more importantly, he would prove to be a man of God.

Faith is sometimes found in unexpected places. Rahab was living a wicked life among wicked people, but the grace of God reached her in a most amazing way. Her faith in Israel’s God would preserve her from the judgment of God upon her city.

It’s not necessarily the most talented or brilliant people God uses; it’s those who humbly examine themselves, confess their sins, and walk in holiness and faith. The preparation of Israel for the conquest of Canaan serves as an apt example of this important principle. 

The first obstacle the Israelites had to overcome as they entered the promised land was the mighty fortress of Jericho. The divine plan for conquering this city was unique and serves as a continuing reminder to us that God alone deserves the glory for all our victories.

One spiritual victory does not guarantee another. Israel’s great victory at Jericho was followed by a humiliating defeat. The God of Israel did not fail; the people failed. Spiritual successes are not occasions to lower our guard but reminders to renew our commitment to the Lord.

A person of integrity is not immune to doing foolish things, but he will seek to do the right things and trust the Lord as he learns from his mistakes. This is the kind of person Joshua was, and God rewarded his integrity by acting on his behalf in amazing and unexpected ways.

The conquest of Canaan is a story of faithfulness—of God’s faithfulness to His promise to give Israel this land and of the importance of God’s people faithfully obeying Him. And as we will see, Joshua and Caleb also provided worthy examples of faithfulness to the Lord.

God’s promise to Israel comes to fruition when the tribes are allotted their respective portions of the promised land. In this triumphant moment, the faith of various individuals is highlighted, including Joshua and Caleb. But we also see hints of failure among the tribes.

When God rules among His people, they will desire to seek God’s wisdom and counsel. They will also desire justice and want others to put their faith in the Savior who has paid the just penalty for their sins. Some divinely ordained cities point to these priorities.

How do you handle misunderstandings? More important, how do you avoid misunderstandings? Israel’s greatest success was almost immediately compromised by a misunderstanding that could have been disastrous. This incident offers us some important lessons.

In God’s sight a great leader not only accomplishes good things for the people he leads but also sets an example of humble obedience, godly conduct, and spiritual priorities. These are the qualities we see in Joshua’s last address to the people of Israel.

The faith that marked the Israelites under Joshua was soon lost, and the nation fell into apostasy. Israel’s sad experience teaches us the importance of consistently walking with the Lord and diligently communicating our faith to the next generation.

God’s work in this world is not reserved for “perfect” candidates. Instead, He uses people who, with all their flaws and shortcomings, are available for Him to use. Such people demonstrate, not their abilities, but God’s power. Israel’s first three judges are prime examples.

The era of the judges saw repeated episodes of apostasy and the drastic consequences of it. But God was not absent, and neither had faith completely disappeared. Deborah, Barak, and the people who followed them are a bright light in a very dark world.

Gideon was an unlikely hero—fearful and hesitant to obey the Lord. We are much like Gideon, but his experience reminds us that God’s work is not dependent on our abilities but His. He can and will use us if we step out in simple faith and follow Him in spite of our fears.

Sometimes we need to be reminded that we aren’t in control. The Lord would give Gideon and Israel victory, but it would not be an impressive victory against great odds; it would be an amazing victory against impossible odds—a victory that could be attributed to God alone.

A good start and past successes do not guarantee a good end. God greatly used Gideon, but Gideon greatly failed God in the end. His life and sad end serve as a warning that we must remain ever diligent in our walk with the Lord and never let our guard down.

God’s grace shines brightest against the backdrop of human failure. Jephthah was rejected by his own people and had no reason to help them. Yet God’s surprising and gracious choice of Jephthah allowed him to deal graciously with those who had rejected him.

If we really believe God’s Word is final and He is trustworthy, we will not seek to manipulate Him with our vows. We will simply trust Him and obey His instructions. Jephthah’s failure to fully trust the Lord’s promise led to his being caught in his own trap.

Samson is undoubtedly the best known of Israel’s judges. He was blessed with godly parents and Spirit-given strength to deliver his people from oppression. Yet from the very beginning this strongman demonstrated some troubling weaknesses.

Samson demonstrates that God can use even arrogant, foolish, and morally weak people to accomplish His purposes. Yet how much more this judge could have helped his people had he truly walked with God in holiness, leading his people, not just as a warrior, but as an example.

People who reject the true God inevitably create their own gods. This is the sad lesson of Israel’s history and the enduring legacy of humanity. Judges 17–18 presents not only a warning against rebellion but also a plea to embrace and cling to the truth of God’s Word.

The last chapters of Judges give us a glimpse of how depraved human beings can become when they reject God and His Word. They remind us of how destructive sin is and how vigilant we must be to nurture a loving, obedient relationship with the Lord.

The opening verses of the book of Ruth remind us that economics and an easier life must not be the determining factors in major life decisions. We must be guided first and foremost by God’s Word and recognize that spiritual compromises can have tragic consequences.

Hardships often force us to make decisive, life-altering choices. Ruth demonstrates that in such moments, and as we face challenging circumstances, God’s silence, and the advice of bitter people, we must steadfastly put our trust in the Lord and leave the outcome to Him.

God is always at work, but His quiet providence is usually recognized and appreciated only by those who are actively seeking to honor Him in their lives. Both Boaz and Ruth faithfully went about their daily duties in a way that honored God, and they saw Him do amazing things. 

We can’t control all the circumstances in our lives, but we can control how we respond to them. Ruth responded to her difficulties with humility, faithfulness, and a determination to do the right thing in the right way. And God led her to a man who shared her godly character.

One measure of godly character is Christlike love—love that is selfless, sacrificial, and undeterred by obstacles. Boaz’s determination to do everything he had to do to marry Ruth and care for her serves as a wonderful example of the love God wants to produce in us all.

Hope is key to turning bitterness to joy. And hope comes from faith in God and living faithfully for Him. For Naomi it was a long trek from bitterness to joy. Her journey, however, reminds us that in the Lord we have joy that reaches beyond our circumstances and into eternity.

The birth of Samuel in the midst of spiritual apostasy in Israel marked a turning point for the nation. Standing in contrast to the corrupt priesthood of his day, the godly Samuel was established as a bold prophet who would lead the nation into a new era.

The birth of Samuel in the midst of spiritual apostasy in Israel marked a turning point for the nation. Standing in contrast to the corrupt priesthood of his day, the godly Samuel was established as a bold prophet who would lead the nation into a new era.

Why would people surrender the sure protection of God for the uncertain hope that a human leader would protect them and provide for them? When people are focused on earthly concerns, they tend to seek earthly solutions. This was Israel in Samuel’s day.

People are enamored with impressive appearances. But the Bible is consistent in teaching that it is character—what is in the heart—that counts. This was true of the underappreciated Samuel and the impressive new king, Saul.

Impatience with God’s timing leads to disobeying God. And disobedience, without genuine repentance, leads to more disobedience and arrogant self-exaltation. This was the course King Saul followed, and he never recovered from it.

David first appears in the Bible as a young man with a great faith. While overlooked and dismissed by others, he has a heart for God that soon becomes apparent. He reminds us that it is our willingness to be used by God, not our usefulness to God, that makes a difference.

To know God and walk with Him is to become the target of God’s enemies. David suffered injustice and opposition because he did the right things. His faith, humility, and grace through it all inspire us to trust the Lord and persevere through tough times.

David’s experiences as he fled from Saul remind us that adversity and opposition can challenge our commitment to the Lord. But they also afford us opportunities to act in gracious, unexpected ways that will make a lasting impact for the Lord.

David’s life as a fugitive was marked by ups and downs, but because his heart was turned toward God, his trials would mold him spiritually and prepare him to lead a nation. Because Saul had turned away from God, his experiences only drove him to greater despair and evil.

David recognized his unwise and desperate acts and turned again to the Lord. Saul did neither. The last chapters of 1 Samuel record the sad end of Saul’s reign, and the continuing preparation of David to succeed him as king. Their experiences provide important lessons for us.

The Bible records God’s use of otherwise unknown people to teach us valuable lessons. Even in a long, long list of names like we encounter in the book of 1 Chronicles, we find individuals who serve as worthy examples of faith and the rewards of faith.

God had chosen David to succeed Saul as Israel’s king. Yet when David’s opportunity came with Saul’s death, he mourned Saul’s passing and quietly sought God’s direction for his next step. David understood an important truth: There is no place for self-promotion in God’s program.

Saul and his son Ish-bosheth were typical kings. They pursued power and control and sought to destroy rivals. David, God’s anointed king, was anything but typical. His attitude and actions remind us that the world’s priorities and ethics should never characterize God’s people.

Like anyone who enters a position of leadership, David had to deal wisely with pressing needs and the expectations of others. But David also understood that true success, personally and for Israel, would come through following the Lord and making him central to all of life.

In 2 Samuel 7, we find David’s God-honoring desire replaced by God’s perfect plan. Here we find the great covenant the Lord made with David and his descendants. Most prominent among those descendants is Jesus Christ, through whom all the promises to David will be realized.

David’s early reign as king of Israel was marked by military success as the Lord gave him victory after victory. But we are reminded in 2 Samuel 8–10 that the truly great person is not merely one who possesses power and prestige, but the one who is gracious to others. 

David’s fall into sin is a solemn reminder that none of us—at any time or any age—is immune to temptation. We must be ever vigilant. It also reminds us of the amazing grace of God, who offers forgiveness for any and every sin when we come to Him in faith and repentance.

As Israel’s king and with his own failures to draw on, David had a unique opportunity to warn others to resist temptation and avoid sin. Instead, his life became a sad example of the consequences of sin, and the powerful king proved to be a weak father.

At a low point in life, betrayed by his son and abandoned by much of Israel, David discovered who his true friends were. They not only saved his life, but also helped him turn back an insurrection. The importance of having faithful friends and being one can hardly be overstated.

Grief is a natural and appropriate response to loss. Yet if it keeps us from ever focusing on the future, it can be debilitating. With Joab’s help, David realized this and began to direct his thoughts and efforts toward others as he reestablished his kingship.

David’s experiences remind us that sin brings consequences and life brings us a wide array of problems and challenges. Through them all, we should be careful to seek the Lord and honor him by pursuing righteousness and justice.

The hardships we encounter should never distract us from the gracious blessings God has poured out on us. David had the proper perspective. He had faced many difficulties—some of his own making—but as he reflected on his life, he was filled with thanksgiving and praise to God.

Temptation is ever present and unrelenting. To the very end of his remarkable reign, David never escaped it—and neither will we. His life gives substance to the appeal of James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

David understood that preparing to build the temple was not simply a matter of gathering supplies and organizing the workers. It meant preparing people for ongoing worship of the Lord. Worship that honors God comes from obedient and thankful hearts focused on glorifying Him.

Diligent obedience to God in the details of life can save us from having to address crises later in life. The crisis David faced in the last days of his reign was largely due to his failure years before in one of the most basic responsibilities of a father.

Godly leadership in a nation, a home, or a church requires great wisdom and discernment. It means making heartfelt obedience to God our first priority and ridding ourselves of those things that hinder our service to the Lord.

We serve God and others best when we understand how dependent we are on wisdom from the Lord. Solomon is known for his great wisdom, but he possessed that wisdom only because he humbly sought it from God.

Every work we do for God—which should include every work we do—deserves our best effort and the use of our best resources. And in the end, like Solomon’s temple, our work should point to God and what He has done for us, not to what we have done for Him.

God cannot be limited to any one place, least of all some man-made structure. Yet, He is not far from us. In fact, He dwells with His children in a unique way—the infinite God communing with finite creatures. This was the meaning of Solomon’s temple.

What is important is not how much we have in this world but how we use what we have. King Solomon’s experience reminds us that all the blessings we enjoy are gifts of God and we are to use them to glorify Him, not ourselves.

The lesson of Solomon’s life is that age, experience, and past faithfulness do not guarantee freedom from temptation and continuing fruitful service for the Lord. We must be diligent to commit each day of our lives to obeying and honoring God.

An arrogant, self-seeking attitude is the starting point for conflict, division, destruction, and apostasy. There are few better examples of this principle than the two men who initiated the division of Israel into competing kingdoms: Rehoboam and Jeroboam.

Godly character, not worldly achievements, is the true measure of a person and the only one that counts in the end. The Lord’s evaluation of the early kings of Judah and Israel illustrates this universal principle.

Following the Lord is not a straight and easy path. There are ups and downs and shifts. There are unexpected challenges and surprises along the way. Elijah’s experience reminds us, though, that even as God is using us, He is also preparing us for what is ahead.

The odds are never stacked against God. No matter how many people oppose Him or how powerful they seem, they are still merely human beings. To stand with God is to stand with the truth and with the one who is all-powerful. Elijah’s boldness came from embracing this truth.

Elijah’s descent into despair reminds us that victory can easily give way to defeat and discouragement. The way out of the spiral of despair is not to look inward but outward—to the Lord’s provisions and blessings and to serving others.

God is gracious and merciful, even toward people as wicked as King Ahab. But no one should take these blessings of God for granted or let them hide the truth that we are all accountable to God and will ultimately answer to Him.

No one can continue to defy God and escape His judgment. Ahab is just one of many examples that illustrate this truth. We have just one earthly lifetime to humble ourselves and submit in faith to the sovereign Lord.

We can learn much from King Jehoshaphat’s godly example of following the Lord and actively urging others to follow Him as well. We also do well to heed the warning of his life—that the pressures of life and the temptation to compromise are always present and unrelenting.

Elijah’s ministry ended uniquely and dramatically, but his departure did not mean the end of God’s work. He had Elisha prepared and ready to step in and continue the work—a reminder that we are all uniquely equipped to serve God when and where we are.

Unlike many other biblical prophets, Elisha’s ministry was marked by numerous miracles. These spectacular works served as a powerful rebuke to those who favored false gods and religion over the true God, reminding us all of the utter foolishness of abandoning the Creator.

The miraculous healing of Naaman illustrates that God often uses unexpected means and people to accomplish His purposes. It also reminds us that at the center of God’s plan is His grace, which must be humbly received in faith and never compromised. 

Elisha’s unique ministry reflects the heart of the God he served. His divinely empowered works demonstrate God’s concern for individuals and small groups, as well as for kings and nations. Not one of us is beyond God’s sight, mercy, compassion, or love.

God’s plans seldom follow what we might expect or certainly how we would do things. But biblical history gives us a wonderful picture of God’s providential workings so that even in the sad proceedings of the wicked kings of Israel and Judah, His glory and grace shine through.

Jehu is not listed among the heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11 or anywhere else. Yet God used him to fulfill the promise of judgment upon Ahab and Jezebel. God can use anyone, but our goal should not simply be for God to use us but for us to willingly, selflessly serve God.

The God who established the kings of Judah—both good and evil—also worked providentially through them to accomplish His purposes. One of those purposes was to teach us important truths and principles revealed in the lives of these men. 

The depraved, self-centered nature of human beings is nowhere more evident than in the lives of the kings of Israel. What a warning they are to us not to refuse God’s gracious, patient appeals to repent and trust and follow Him.

In the midst of the darkness of apostasy, the Lord raised up a godly king in Judah. Hezekiah’s reforms turned the nation back to the true worship of the Lord and inform us of the way to revitalize our walk with God.

Faithfulness to the Lord does not guarantee a smooth and easy life; in fact, it invites opposition and hardship. Hezekiah is a perfect example. Here was one of Judah’s godliest kings, faced with a seemingly impossible challenge—and a wonderful opportunity.

King Hezekiah knew with certainty he had fifteen more years to live because the Lord told him this. Yet this knowledge did not prove beneficial to him. The uncertainties of life have a purpose. They drive us to trust in the Lord daily and remain faithful to Him.

We cannot change people’s hearts or deliver them from divine judgment, but we can show them what it means to follow the Lord and enjoy His blessings. King Josiah’s pursuit of the Lord and commitment to obeying Him was both an example and a rebuke to the people of Judah.

The measure of faithfulness to God is not how many people follow us but how consistently we follow God. Josiah made some unwise choices, but he was faithful to the Lord. Although few followed his example, his life testified to the importance of obeying and worshiping God.

The last days of the kingdom of Judah reveal the power of sin and an eternal principle: we reap what we sow. The tragic events recorded in the final chapters of Kings and Chronicles also highlight the righteousness of God and the hope He offers to all who will trust Him.

God is the God of history. He shapes events and moves people to achieve His glorious purposes. Yet this does not mean we are mere bystanders. These first two chapters of Ezra teach us to act in faithful obedience to what He initiates and reveals in His Word.

The Jews who returned to their homeland after the captivity understood that genuine commitment to following the Lord means making worship a priority. They soon discovered that such a commitment not only produces glory to God but also stirs up satanic opposition.

The Lord knows us, and He knows what we need. And one thing we all need is encouragement—encouragement to faithfully obey and serve Him, even when doing so seems to offer no benefit. Thankfully, His encouragement is available to us, as it was to the Jewish people in Ezra 5–6.

The work of God is just that—His work. Like Ezra, we should be committed to knowing, obeying, and teaching God’s Word, but we also must remind ourselves and others that whatever the Lord accomplishes through us is because of His favor, or grace.

We live in a day when sin is excused, justified, and often lauded. Ezra reminds us that sin should horrify us so that we confess it, turn from it, and by God’s grace avoid it and its consequences.

God does not need great people to accomplish His work. He looks for those who are sensitive to His will and determined to obey Him; He seeks humble people of prayer. That is the kind of man Nehemiah was, and that is the kind of person we should each strive to be.

Success in serving the Lord requires careful planning. Part of that planning should be preparing to respond properly to the opposition that will inevitably come. Nehemiah offers us a great example of godly leadership and wisdom in dealing with opposition.

Opposition is sure to come when we follow the Lord, and we must deal with it. But we must never allow such opposition to divert our focus from fulfilling God’s plan for us. This is an important lesson Nehemiah teaches us in chapters 5 and 6 of his book.

These chapters in Nehemiah remind us that the same energy and dedication we give to achieving ambitions in this world need to be applied to our spiritual lives. Reading, learning, and applying Scripture and worshiping and obeying God should be unwavering goals in our lives.

Faithful service to the Lord is not based on negative feelings of regret or brief experiences of joy. Consistent, enduring, long-term faithfulness comes from genuine and ongoing confession of sin and renewed commitment to obeying God’s Word.

We often think of Nehemiah as the great builder. But his physical work and plans for Jerusalem and his people were simply the outworkings of far more important spiritual concerns. Nehemiah is a wonderful example of what a godly person should be—focused on God and others.

Following Christ is not easy. We need His grace as we fight constant battles with temptations, and often the same temptations day after day. This reality is amply illustrated in the concluding chapter of Nehemiah, which finds Nehemiah dealing with familiar sins among his people.

In these first chapters of Esther, we meet a proud, pagan king and two Jewish people who seem to have little interest in following God. But through these people, the unseen and unnamed Player in this drama is setting the stage for dramatic events of eternal importance.

It is easy to question why we must suffer through difficult situations. As chapters 3 and 4 of Esther illustrate, however, we can be assured that in the subtle work of God’s providence, He has placed us exactly at the time and place where we can most effectively serve Him.

Unbelievers see in the events of life coincidences, fate, and luck. Those who know the God of the Bible recognize it is His hand at work in all things, assuring His promises are fulfilled and His will is done. Esther 5–7 gives us a glimpse of His behind-the-scenes activities.

Esther and her cousin Mordecai are the heroes of the book of Esther. But behind these two is the ultimate Hero of the book to whom all glory belongs. God is the one we see working through Esther and Mordecai and directing events to deliver His people.

The Wisdom Journey study guides for the book of Joshua. 

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The Wisdom Journey study guides for the book of Judges. 

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The Wisdom Journey study guides for the book of Ruth. 

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The Wisdom Journey study guides for the books  of 1-2 Samuel. 

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The Wisdom Journey study guides for the books of Kings and Chronicles.

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The Wisdom Journey study guides for the book of Ezra.

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The Wisdom Journey study guides for the book of Nehemiah.

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The Wisdom Journey study guides for the book of Esther.

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These study guides are for the use of the purchaser and his/her immediate family. Please do not distribute or share this material.