If you own stock in a company, you are keenly aware of one thing: If the company goes out of business, your dividends disappear. You can’t expect to be paid when the company that is supposed to pay you no longer exists!

God made promises of forgiveness to Israel, but at the end of 1 and 2 Kings the nation was in exile. Had God gone out of business? What happened to the promises He made? The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles retell the story of God’s people in light of their return from exile. More than a repetition of 1 and 2 Kings, Chronicles allows us to re-read this part of their story with the knowledge that God brought them back, just as He promised. These books show that God planned to save enough Israelites who would return and reconstitute the nation decades after they went to Babylon. In His wisdom, He coordinated the collapse of the Babylonian empire (Jer. 25:11–12), and orchestrated the rise of Cyrus, king of Persia (Isa. 44:28). It was God’s plan all along, and He was faithful to complete it.

But more important than this change in their physical circumstances was a change in their spiritual condition. God used the exile to lead Israel back to Himself for forgiveness. Their restoration to the land would coincide with their restoration to faithfulness, and it started with the rebuilding of the House of the Lord (2 Chron. 36:23). The Temple was the focus of Israelite worship. It was the place where God promised to meet His people, receive their sacrifices, and forgive their sins! In raising up Cyrus to rebuild the Temple, God began with what mattered most: returning His people to Himself. Solomon’s prayer (2 Chron. 7:14) anticipated that Israel would always find their God in business, ready to forgive them when they turned to Him.

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When experiments go wrong, it can be an opportunity for learning. Thomas Edison famously quipped, “I have not failed. I’ve found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” But when a failed experiment doesn’t provoke change, there is no progress. We must learn from our mistakes, or we will repeat them.

Israel had received the king they desired. They followed the example of the nations around them, raising up leaders that valued power, wealth, and influence. But God desired a different kind of kingship, one that valued obedience, righteousness, and humility.

Time and time again, the nation followed leaders who chose a worldly path and led the nation away from God. Jeroboam, the first king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, set the standard for wickedness. He was given his throne by God, yet when he came to power he quickly gave in to ungodly fear and set up idols to worship, and the nation followed him (v. 9)!

The kings of Israel, like the judges, were supposed to lead the nation closer to the Lord. Instead, Jeroboam led them astray. Judgment came swiftly, “You have aroused my anger and turned your back on me,” God said. He declared that the nation would go into exile for what Jeroboam did (v. 15).

One would expect the nation to learn from this disastrous experiment and turn to God in repentance and righteousness, but they did not. The rest of the books of 1 and 2 Kings detail the repeated failures of Israel leaders and the failure of the people to reject wicked leadership. What would come of the promise to Abraham to bless the nation? Could there ever be a king who could lead the nation like David did? The failures of kingship created an expectation for the one King who would light the world.

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We live in a culture characterized by self-sufficiency. We don’t like to ask for help. Have a problem? Get an answer in an instant from the computer. But what if the problem is something that can’t be solved with the collected wisdom of the internet? In that case we need a better source.

As the Books of 1 and 2 Samuel open, Israel is in a tough spot. Harassed by her enemies, the nation needed to make a change. God raised up one last judge, Samuel, to lead them to victory and to guide them back to righteousness (1 Sam. 7:6). But righteousness is hard work. What if there could be a way to guarantee victory while avoiding righteousness? Israel looked at how the other nations did things and said, “Give us a king to lead us” (v. 6).

On the surface, their request seemed innocent enough. God had permitted Israel to have a king in the Law (Deut. 17:14–21). The problem was why they wanted a king. They wanted a king who would do the things God had promised to do for them (1 Sam. 8:20)! God had already promised to defend, lead them, and fight for them if they obeyed him. He also promised to fight against them if they disobeyed! What Israel wanted was security without righteousness. They wanted the blessings of obedience without the commitment that obedience requires. In this way they rejected God from being king over them. They turned Him into their employee, rather than submit to Him as their ruler.

So, God gave them the kind of king they asked for—Saul, and he proved to be a failure. Later, God would give them the kind of king they should have asked for, David. He proved to be a leader who, although not perfect, led Israel in righteousness.

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Experts in financial investing understand that investor memory is not to be relied upon. Investors tend to downplay or even forget downturns in the market and remember very clearly the upswings with exciting returns. We tend not to learn from the pain. The book of Judges can feel a lot like those financial markets. The nation swung from times of obedience and victory to times of disobedience and suffering. Their situation reflected the forgetfulness of people and their need for a strong, godly leader. They didn’t learn from the pain; someone would have to guide them.

When Joshua died, no national leader emerged to shepherd the nation, and they lost spiritual momentum. They failed to drive the Canaanites out and instead became like them! God disciplined Israel by empowering their enemies. The discipline had its intended effect; the people turned to God and begged for help. God raised up judges, who led them to victory and a time of righteousness (v. 16). But when the judge died, like a forgetful investor, they forgot the bad times and turned from the Lord again and again.

Turning from the Lord meant following other gods, serving and even worshiping them (v. 19). As expected, their disobedience provoked the Lord to anger, and He declared that He would not drive out the Canaanites before them. Instead, they would remain as a test for Israel (v. 22). It was a test they would often fail. But during this difficult time, there were some Israelites who dedicated themselves to obeying the Lord and following His commands. An example is given in the book of Ruth. We are reminded that following God takes sacrificial commitment, and the blessings God showered upon the faithful are worth the sacrifice!

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Think about the last time you completed a significant project. Do you remember the feeling? Do you remember the moments when you almost quit? Do you remember the little victories along the way that kept you going? Finally, you arrived at the finish line!

When Israel crossed the Jordan River into the land God had promised them, they were at the finish line of a journey that had taken 40 years and two generations. But because the land was inhabited, Israel would have to drive out the people who lived there. God was punishing the Canaanites and using Israel to do it. He was making sure the land would be a safe place where His people could thrive.

While the Canaanite coalition had been defeated, many of them remained in the land and represented a significant temptation for Israel. So, with his final words Joshua encouraged the people to remember that God fulfilled everything He promised them (23:14). They should remain loyal to Him with all their hearts!

He warned them against making alliances with the Canaanites who remained (v. 12). These alliances were often sealed with marriages, which meant Israelite families would be merged with Canaanite families. Often this meant that the people of God would worship the gods of the Canaanites. The result of this behavior would be that Israel would not enjoy the land (v. 13).

As the curtain closed on the book of Joshua, the nation stood at a crossroad. Their next steps were critical. Would they follow through on the victories that had brought them control of the land by remaining faithful to God, or would they give in to the temptation and ally themselves with the Canaanites?

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When a child heads off to college it is easy for parents to get anxious. They wonder, is my child ready? Will they succeed? Will the trauma of the teenage years wear off so our relationship can be normal again? Wise parents take time to prepare their child for the big change. As the Book of Deuteronomy opens, Israel is poised to enter the land God had promised them. But the journey had not been easy. What should have been a brief journey took 40 years because of Israel’s disobedience at Kadesh Barnea (see Num. 14:33). Despite this, God had brought them through. As they awaited the command to cross over, God took time to prepare them by reaffirming His covenant with them.

These people were the offspring of the men and women who had met with God at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 20:22). They were too young to understand the special relationship God had with the nation. As they prepared to inherit this land, they needed to be reminded of who they were, who God is, and what He expected of them.

First and foremost, they needed to do carefully what God commanded (8:1). Doing so would enable them to enjoy the land He had promised. To help them obey, God instructed them to remember how He loved them by caring for them in the wilderness (v. 2). Those days were indeed difficult, but God used those trials to train them for their own good (v. 3). He had also provided for them miraculously (v. 4). Even the times of discipline were for their development (v. 5). He concludes by describing the benefits of obedience. They would enjoy a land filled with abundance (v. 9). But they would need to be on guard, for abundance could breed a different kind of unbelief (v. 10)!

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Each year I get the privilege of welcoming freshman students to the Moody Bible Institute. In those first weeks they want to know what they are required to do for class. They also want to know the consequences if they fail to do what they are supposed to do. As we turn to the book of Numbers, we learn that disobedience to God carries consequences. While we have just learned that God provided a way for forgiveness, we also know that God is willing to hold the line even if it means punishing His people. This is a significant theme in the Bible.

After meeting God at Mt. Sinai, the nation made its way to the land God had promised. Along the way He tested them to see if they would obey Him. Often their living circumstances were difficult. They were in a desert without the food and comforts Egypt had provided. Often, they complained bitterly (v. 4). Ironically, they forgot they were slaves in Egypt!

On their desert journey, God had provided miraculous food in the form of manna (v. 9). Still, they complained. We see that, more than just a sign of displeasure, their complaining signified a deep spiritual problem. They refused to trust that God would bring them to the promised land. They doubted He would care for them. They even suspected He meant ill for them. All of these were deeply displeasing to God. He made promises to them based on His character. Their behavior implied He was unreliable. They were committing the sin of unbelief (Heb. 3:19).

As tragic as these narratives are, they taught Israel and teach Bible readers today an important lesson: God judges unbelief. We learn that unbelief, like other sins, has consequences. God has made promises to you. Trust Him!

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At most places of employment there are rewards for success: public recognition, a raise, maybe a promotion. And when a job is done poorly, the penalties are equally clear. But what happens when someone repents, apologizes, and commits to do better? Will their employer forgive them or write them off as a liability? How many times can they be forgiven before their prospects for advancement are diminished?

At Mt. Sinai, God reminded Israel that He knew they would disobey. They had already done so several times, and He knew they would do so again. So, He created a system that would allow them to confess their sin, receive forgiveness, and find their way back to fellowship with Him. Leviticus describes a series of sacrifices that Israelites could offer, which would help them express their desire to be close to God.

The Guilt Offering was about covering sin (v. 15). This sacrifice was an act of worship, a way for an Israelite to humbly declare his love for God by acknowledging he had done wrong. The act of confession was not about informing God; He already knew the Israelite had sinned. Rather, confession required sacrifice, in this case a ram without defect (v. 15). This was a physical act that provided the Israelites an opportunity to acknowledge that sins needed to be covered and to receive the comfort of knowing God had forgiven them. It cost something.

Sin is not without cost; it mars relationships. And because God loved Israel, He offered forgiveness so they could enjoy Him. Centuries later the Psalmist would express his delight when he said, “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered” (Ps. 32:1). Later still, God would offer the final sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, and make a way for our sins to be covered!

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When someone moves to a new location, they often need instructions on how to fit in. There are customs, expectations, and ways of thinking that might need to be adjusted for the newcomer to enjoy fellowship with this new community. In the same way, Israel needed to learn how to live God’s way.

God brought Israel out of Egypt so they could be free to worship Him and enjoy His fellowship. But to be in that kind of relationship, they would need to become the kind of people who could enjoy a holy God (v. 6). So, He took the initiative to prepare them. Step one: teach Israel what holiness looks like.

After the Exodus, God met the nation at Mt. Sinai (v. 1) and gave instructions on how they should live. We first encounter these teachings in the book of Exodus. The purpose of these “rules” was to prepare Israel to be the kind of people who would enjoy fellowship with God. These instructions reflect His character. If the people want to be with Him, they must understand what He is like and change appropriately. They needed to become more like Him.

How could a mass of human beings who had lived without God’s revelation for 400 years attain that standard? God didn’t leave them to guess or figure it out on their own. Instead, He clearly told them how to behave. In the Ten Commandments and the many other instructions we find in Exodus, He taught Israel to value what He valued. He expected them to change the way they thought and acted (23:13). It is important to realize He was not imposing rules for His sake. Rather, He was showing them His character for their sake, so they could have fellowship with Him. Not surprisingly, they agreed to do it (19:8).

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If you’ve ever told a child, “I know I promised, but…” you probably remember their look of suspicious disappointment. The next time you said, “I promise,” you knew they might not believe you. As we turn to the book of Exodus, we come to an important event that shows us why we can always trust God’s promises. Seeing this clearly displayed in the Old Testament increases our ability to trust God today.

Approximately 400 years after God made a covenant with Abram, He fulfilled that promise by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. Exodus describes this as God remembering His covenant (v. 5). Now let’s be clear, God doesn’t “remember” because He forgot. While He may take His time, He always “remembers.” But from Israel’s perspective, it must have felt like God had forgotten them! Imagine waiting for 400 years to see if God would do what He promised. This feeling would have become more pronounced as the Egyptians began to enslave the Israelites. Forced to do hard labor, they suffered greatly. Then, as their population increased, they faced genocidal threats (Ex. 1:22). But in His time, God decided to take action. He had witnessed the oppression of His people at the hand of the Egyptians (6:6). He would free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt with powerful demonstrations of His might (v. 6). He did this because he made a covenant with Abraham and reaffirmed it to his descendants (v. 8).

The exodus proved that God’s promises can always be trusted. This is important because God has made promises to everyone who trusts in Him. He promises that He will deliver us from bondage to sin (Acts 26:18). It may take a lifetime, but He will do it as He promised!

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