Introduction:
God through His awesome power revealed Himself to His people in so many ways with the aim of making them aware of His rules and how they could leave by His standards. The Historical Books which consist of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I & II Samuel, I & II Kings, I & II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther, seeks to explain how God chose these great men as his mouth piece to His nations.
The opening of the Book of Joshua brings alive God’s mission in the second division of the Old Testament, the Historical books. Bible commentary reveals that, the name Joshua was originally Hoshea, meaning salvation or Jehoshua, meaning God’s salvation. A close look at Joshua’s background, his name and his appointment after Moses reveals God’s mission work through him (Joshua). The book of Joshua continues where Deuteronomy leaves off. It is the continuation of the history of God’s chosen people (Israel). The final words of Deuteronomy tell about the death of Moses and the choice of Joshua as the next leader of Israel. The people of Israel were led out of bondage by Moses and they were taken to the promise land by Joshua. During this period, the all covenant keeping God Spoke through His servant Joshua to His people. In Joshua 1:1-7 God said to Joshua “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.
Deuteronomy, ends with the tribes of Israel camped in Moab, east of the Jordan River. The Israelites are prepared to enter Canaan, the land God had promised to give to them (Deuteronomy 1:1-8; 34:1-8). Christians call the Old Testament books that follow the Pentateuch, beginning with Joshua and ending with Esther, the Historical Books. These books describe Israel’s history as a people in the land of Canaan. Although these books are called “historical,” they are very different from history books of today. The descriptions of events in these books are more often concerned with an important religious teaching about God and God’s relationship with Israel than they are about the historical facts of the events themselves. So the Historical Books read much more like exciting stories than like straightforward historical accounts.
Joshua and Judges describe how the people of Israel entered Canaan and settled in various regions and cities. Sometimes this settlement was peaceful, but at other times it was more difficult for the Israelites. These two books also describe how the Israelites lived throughout Canaan as separate tribes, each with its own leader (called a judge). From this tribal system of government to a monarchy ruled by a king. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel tell how Saul was chosen to be the first king of Israel and describe the events that led to David becoming the second king of Israel. David’s son Solomon became king after David. Solomon built the first temple in Jerusalem and increased the influence and wealth of Israel.
The books of 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles describes the reigns of the kings who ruled the northern and the southern kingdom. God raised prophets Amos and Hosea to warn His people from the worship of idol. The northern kingdom (Israel) continued to worship idols and to disobey God’s Law. This led to their defeat by the Assyrians. The southern kingdom (Judah) was ruled by kings descended from David, but it, too, did not listen to the warnings of prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. When the people and some of their leaders were unfaithful to the Lord, He allowed the Babylonians to defeat them in 586 B.C. and forced many of Judah’s leading citizens to live as exiles in Babylonia.
Ezra and Nehemiah describes how the people were able to return to Judah.
Here we find the second exodus. The first exodus was out of Egypt whiles the second was from Babylon. Ezra and Nehemiah were great organisers, lawgivers and teachers raised up to fulfil God’s gracious purpose and bring captives Israel out of bondage. Both of these great men dealt with Israel in a strong and merciful way in accordance with God’s instructions. The book of Esther closes the historical books of the Bible by showing God hiding His name and using people to declare His plans and purpose. Esther, like Joseph and David stands out as God’s chosen one. She is a sweet and winsome person very determined to save the lives of her people (Esther 4:14). Nehemiah was able to rebuild Jerusalem because of Esther’s marriage to King Xerses (Nehemiah 2:1-8).
Conclusion
It is noted that in the Historical Books, God’s mission work is revealed trough the leaders mentioned above seems to surround the issue of deliverance. God loved His people so much that at every point in time He set people apart to be a blessing to His people. For example, Joshua became the successor of Moses and led the people into Canaan and helped them settle into the land by tribes. Samuel was the last of Israel’s “judges.” The people begged Samuel to choose a king for them, but he warned them that their request for a king showed a lack of faith in God’s leadership. Ezra was a leader who helped the people of Israel who returned from exile to commit themselves to worshiping and obeying the Lord once again.
