The second book of Kings depicts Israel as a land divided, being ruled by wicked kings who lead the Israelite people only further into idolatry and sin. Throughout this period, the prophets, notably Elijah and Elisha, bring hope for repentance and reformation by performing astounding miracles and spreading the word of God. Their efforts to lead the Israelites from their stubborn and disobedient path are chronicled in 2 Kings and, once again, God shows...

The first of the Minor Prophets, Hosea was written during the reign of the wicked kings in Northern Israel who led their people into idolatry and sin. Selflessly using his own family to represent Israel's unfaithfulness to God, Hosea exemplifies the everlasting forgiveness of God after repentance.

The Prophetical books of the Old Testament are named for the many prophets chosen by God to warn the Israelite people of their waywardness and urge them to repent and stay faithful to Him. The majority of these books were written before the conquest of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, but several of the Minor Prophets detail the return to Jerusalem from their exile to rebuild the city. Along with the prophecies of judgment, this volume also contains...

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.

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.

Isaiah is the first of the prophetic books of the Bible and was written by the man of the same name during the time of the kings in Israel. Like many of the prophets during this period, Isaiah attempted to warn the Israelites of the consequences of turning away from God. This book is filled with the promise of judgment towards sin and disobedience, but also the assurance of reward for faithfulness. Additionally, Isaiah contains beautiful, descriptive...

Since its first publication in 1611, the King James Version of the Bible, with its flowing language and prose rhythm, has had a profound influence on the literature of the past 400 years and is the greatest English translation ever produced. English speakers around the world are acclaiming this recent recording by British narrator, Christopher Glyn, who's talented voice and knowledge of the text makes for a rich listening experience, capturing the...

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....

This book follows the Israelite people on their journey to the Promised Land and depicts their continual disobedience and rebellion towards God, despite the many signs and miracles performed through Moses. To punish them for their waywardness, God instructs the Israelites to wander the desert for forty years, and it is in this time period that Numbers was written. As its name suggests, Numbers also contains a great deal of statistical information...

The gospel of Luke was not written by one of Jesus' disciples, but rather a physician by the same name. Due to his profession, Luke has a distinctly human aspect to his writing, which contains greater details of the people whom Jesus interacted with, particularly the sinners. Jesus' entire life is depicted in these passages, and portrays the Messiah not as an untouchable figure of greatness, but as the more attainable and relatable Son of Man.