The first book of Kings recounts the lives of the kings of Israel and Judea over a period of 400 years after the death of King David. His son, Solomon, features heavily in these chapters, first to show God's generous blessings to a faithful king and, later, as an example of the consequences of turning away from God. This book also details the split of the northern and southern tribes of Israel, and the subsequent appointment of the prophet Elijah...

The Book of Jubilees, sometimes called "Little Genesis", is an ancient Jewish book that retells many of the stories in Genesis and Exodus with some additional details. It has been known in the West only since the 1840s, when European travelers acquired manuscripts from monasteries in Ethiopia. Then, in 1949, a complete Hebrew manuscript was found amongst the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is considered canonical by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and one of the...

The epistle of Hebrews was written by an unknown author to a community of Jewish Christians living in Rome under heavy persecution. This book encourages the church to keep their faith in difficult circumstances and not to return to Judaism and the Mosaic Law. Hebrews extols Jesus as the Son of God and clearly emphasizes that only through Jesus can Christians achieve salvation.

The second book of Samuel follows the rule of King David, after the death of King Saul, and his establishment of Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel. 2 Samuel shows both the shortcomings and successes of David as king, but also the forgiveness of God after true repentance. Notable stories include David's adultery with Bathsheba, the overthrow of King David by his son Absalom, and the journey of the Ark to Jerusalem.

The genre of Psalms is Songs and Poetry of all kinds. It is written by multiple authors, David wrote 73, Asaph wrote 12, the sons of Korah wrote 9, Solomon wrote 3, Ethan, and Moses each wrote one (Ps. 90), and 51 of the Psalms are anonymous. They were written over the span of approximately 900 years (Beginning at the time of Moses 1440 B.C. and through the captivity in 586 B.C.). The Psalms include praises of joy, laments, blessings, and thanksgivings....

The book of Ezekiel was written during the Jewish exile to Babylon, as the Israelites struggled to keep their faith while surrounded by foreign customs, foods, and religions. Although there are numerous prophecies of judgment for the Israelites' pride and arrogant self-assurance, Ezekiel teaches that God's punishment is not out of cruelty, but to teach humility and repentance to a wayward nation.

The book of Micah is filled with judgment alongside the gift of hope and it is an encouraging reminder that God is always willing to forgive even the greatest of sins. It contains both the promise of destruction for the wicked kingdoms of Samaria and Israel, who had become haughty and rejected God for false idols, as well as a beautiful prophetic piece on the coming of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer.

Habakkuk is a short yet powerful book of the Bible that questions the presence of God during times of difficulty and suffering. Written before the Babylonian invasion of Judah, this book contains reassurances that God's hand is still present even in the midst of trying circumstances.

Romans is the first of the epistles to be penned by the Apostle Paul. As its name suggests, it was written directly to the newly founded Christian church in Rome, which was struggling to uphold the beliefs and morals of Christianity. In this book, Paul clearly lays out the doctrine of Christianity and gives illuminating instructions on how to live righteously in the midst of sin.

Similar to many of the epistles, 1 John was written by the apostle who identifies himself in the title and encourages the Christian church to strengthen their faith in Jesus so that they might not be led astray by false teachers. This book also contains reassurances of the supremacy of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and urges all Christians to grow in their faith and love of Him.