Buck Denver Asks: What's in the Bible?

In the book of Joshua, the Israelites finally make it to the land God promised to them, but their excitement is short lived. It turns out that making themselves at home in Canaan isn’t as easy as just crossing the Jordan River. There are people already living in the Promised Land, and the Israelites have to fight for what’s theirs, including the famous battle of Jericho. Battle for the Promised Land [Joshua, Judges & Ruth] tells the stories of the Israelites after they get what they’ve wanted for so long. Sure, they’re settled in the Promised Land now, but God’s people keep turning away from the One who gave them this new home. To point the people back to Him, God sends 12 judges, including Deborah and Samson. And there are other key players, too. The book of Ruth highlights a very special love story about a brave woman who keeps her word, following her mother-in-law to a new land where she finds a new life that will make her the future great-grandmother of King David.

After years of fighting in the Promised Land, the people of Israel ask God again and again for a king to help them in battle. God answers, giving them three kings in a row – Saul, David, and Solomon. In Israel Gets a King! [1 & 2 Samuel], Saul is chosen first first. He is big and strong, but he doesn’t always listen to God, so it’s time to pick a new king – a boy named David, who defeats the Philistine giant Goliath. Even though David messes up sometimes – like when he makes someone else’s wife his own – God loves David and makes him a special promise, the Davidic Covenant. When David dies, it’s time to welcome another new king. This time, David’s son Solomon takes the throne and, in a smart move, asks God for wisdom. Solomon’s wisdom becomes known throughout the world, and he builds an amazing temple for the Lord. But when he builds a palace for himself that’s even bigger, it turns out to be an unwise move, and Israel is in trouble again.

Aired 2012

It’s never fun to have to take sides, but after Solomon dies, a series of good and bad kings in Israel lead the country to split into two – Israel and Judah. In A Nation Divided, 39 kings take turns ruling the Israelites, and most of them do more harm than good. In fact, some of them even try to get rid of God’s people forever! But that can’t happen, so God sends good prophets like Elijah and Isaiah to remind the Israelites that the Lord is always with them. Still, hard times are ahead when foreign kings from Assyria and Babylon conquer Israel and Judah, burn the temple in Jerusalem, and take the Israelites away from their home.

After so many kings who don’t measure up, it’s great to get to Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther – books full of godly heroes! Ezra and Nehemiah get right to work, helping to rebuild Jerusalem after the exile. Ezra takes charge of restoring the temple while Nehemiah rebuilds the wall around Jerusalem that is meant to keep the city safe. Meanwhile, a brave woman named Esther takes a big chance – standing up to evil Haman and risking her own life in the process – and saves all God’s people from certain death. In Exile and Return! [Ezra, Nehemiah & Esther] we explore the last of the Historical Books and learn how, after years in Assyria and Babylon, God’s people find their way back home to Jerusalem once again.

The books of the Writings are some of the most famous in the whole Bible. They give us the story of faithful Job, the praise-filled Psalms, the wise Proverbs, the truths of Ecclesiastes and then there’s Song of Solomon, a book all about romantic love! In Words to Make Us Wise [Psalms, Proverbs & the Writings], we dive into these books and discover they each have an important story to tell and something to teach us about our lives today. Job reminds us that God is always faithful, even when we feel like we’ve lost everything. The Psalms are a perfect picture of our whole relationship with our Heavenly Father, from disappointment and fear to praise, hope, and eternal joy! Proverbs and Ecclesiastes have a lot to teach, too, in a style all their own, and Song of Solomon is a poetic “ode” to the power of love.

Get ready for some big-time adventure as we look at the books of the Prophets, the home of famous stories like Daniel in the lion’s den, Jonah’s fish tale and a fiery furnace that is no match for three godly guys named Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego! In God Speaks! [Isaiah, Jeremiah & the Prophets], take a whirlwind trip through the 17 major and minor prophets, and learn all about their messages for God’s people. Isaiah kicks it off with his hopeful prophecies and promises, while prophets like Jeremiah issue dire warnings, reminding the Israelites not to stray from God. Other prophets, like Ezekiel, go to crazy lengths to communicate God’s messages to his people, and Jonah learns that trying to run from God can land you in the belly of a big fish. Meanwhile, God protects Daniel from some hungry lions and helps Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego keep their cool when things heat up.

In the Gospels, we get up close and personal with the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus, learning about our place in the kingdom of God along the way. Jesus is the Good News! [Matthew, Mark, Luke & John] covers the 400 years between the Old Testament and the New Testament before digging in to the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We walk with Jesus and his closest friends as he delivers the Sermon on the Mount, feeds 5,000, breaks bread at the Last Supper, and gives His life for our sins before God raises Him from the dead. Jesus shows us firsthand what life in the kingdom of God is like – and invites us all to be a part of it!

Aired 2013

After Jesus’ resurrection, His followers are left wondering what to do – until the Holy Spirit shows up! His arrival at Pentecost gives them the power to share the Good News about Jesus with the whole world, and they don’t waste any time. In Spreading the Good News! [Acts], follow the apostles as they take Jesus’ message from Judea and Samaria to the ends of the earth. Peter spends his time preaching mostly to the Jews, until God shows up and gives the word that the Good News is for everyone (Gentiles included)! It looks like there’s danger ahead when someone named Saul makes it his mission to kill the new Christians, but God has another type of mission in mind for this man. Saul gets an extreme makeover on the road to Damascus when he meets Jesus, becomes a Christian, changes his name to Paul, and spends the rest of his life telling everyone he meets about God’s transforming love!

Aired 2013

After his dramatic conversion to Christianity, Paul hits the road, spending all of his time traveling around the Roman world, teaching and starting more churches. As he travels, he writes letters back to those new congregations, and they become so important that those letters make up the next books in the Bible. In Letters from Paul! [Romans through Philemon], we learn about all 13 of Paul’s letters and the important messages they contain for Jesus’ followers. It isn’t easy being a Christian at this time, and Paul’s encouragement to the early church continues to prove helpful for us today. Through these little letters, we also learn some big concepts like justification, sanctification, grace, faith and the fruit of the Spirit.

Aired 2014

In God’s Kingdom Comes! [General Epistles & Revelation], we tackle the last books of God’s Book. The letter to James is straightforward enough, reminding us to control our tongues, while 1 Peter gives us courage to face hard times without losing hope. But God doesn’t always just come out and say exactly what He means. Revelation, the final book of the Bible, is full of symbols, signs, and prophecies that can be a little confusing at times. In it, John gives us a glimpse of the future, painting a vivid picture of what it will be like when God’s Kingdom finally comes and all things are made new!