Moses wrote Genesis to answer the most important questions all human beings would have.

• Who was Yahweh, this God who had rescued them?
  • What was Yahweh’s relationship to creation?
  • What was Yahweh’s relationship to the gods?
• Who were human beings and why were they in the world?
• What was the relationship between human beings and Yahweh?
• What was the relationship between human beings and earth?
• Why was there so much suffering in the world?
  • What was sin and why was there so much sin in the world?
  • How did Yahweh deal with sin?
• Was there any hope for humans in a world so corrupted by sin?

Moses also wrote Genesis to answer the most important questions the Hebrew people would have.

• Who were the Hebrews, these people who have just escaped slavery in Egypt?
  • Who were the Hebrews ancestors?  What was their story?
  • Why had the Hebrews been in slavery in Egypt?
• What was Yahweh’s relationship with the Hebrews?
• What was the heart of a right relationship between Yahweh and His people?

Who wrote Genesis?  Moses, brother of Miriam and Aaron.

When did Moses write Genesis? Moses wrote Genesis during the Hebrews’ journeys in the wilderness.  This was AFTER their rescue from slavery in Egypt and BEFORE their entry into the promised land of Canaan.

Who were the original readers of Genesis?  2.5 Million Hebrews, who had been slaves in Egypt for centuries.  God had rescued them and brought them out of their slavery through mighty miracles.  They were now in the wilderness, led by Moses and needed to understand many truths about God and themselves.

What led Moses to write Genesis?  After 4 centuries of seeing themselves as lowly slaves, the Hebrews needed to understand Yahweh, the God who had delivered them.  They needed to understand their own identity as humans and as descendants of Abraham.  They needed to understand the situation of all humans in slavery to sin.  And they needed to understand God’s promise of hope–the seed of Eve.

What did Moses want to change in his original readers?  Moses wanted the Hebrews to have a right relationship with Yahweh like Abraham’s, based on faith in God’s covenant promises.  He wanted them to know why and how they could trust Yahweh and be ready to enter the Land Yahweh had promised to Abraham.

Moses wrote Exodus sometime during the Hebrews stay in the wilderness.  Exodus was very much a “remembering book”.  God said, “Now I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians have enslaved, and I have remembered my covenant.” (Exodus 6:5)  But God also wanted the Hebrews to remember: “Remember this day—the day on which you left Egypt, the place where you were slaves. This is the day the LORD brought you out by his great power. No leavened bread is to be eaten. You are leaving Egypt on this day in the first month, the month of Abib.”

Who wrote Exodus? Moses, brother of Miriam and Aaron.

When did Moses write Exodus?  Moses wrote Genesis during the Hebrews’ journeys in the wilderness.  This was at least a year AFTER their rescue from slavery in Egypt and possibly BEFORE they refused to enter the promised land of Canaan the first time.

Who were the original readers of Exodus?  2.5 Million Hebrews, who had been slaves in Egypt for centuries.  God had rescued them and brought them out of their slavery through mighty miracles.  They were now in the wilderness, led by Moses and needed to understand many truths about God and themselves.

What led Moses to write Exodus?  Exodus was certainly written to help the Hebrews remember how God had miraculously rescued them from slavery in Egypt.  Also, in Exodus, Moses wrote down God’s first Law, which included the 10 Commandments.  Moses included a description of Israel’s first act of rebellion in fashioning and worshiping an idol and shows both God’s anger and His gracious forgiveness.  Finally, Moses wrote down in Exodus God’s detailed instructions for building of the tent/temple.

What did Moses want to change in his original readers?  Moses wanted the Hebrews to trust God and keep God’s Law, which was their part of their covenant contract with God. Maybe the best way to help them stay faithful was to remind them of how God had miraculously saved them in Egypt and how He faithfully protected them and provided for them at every step along the way.  Moses also wanted to write down God’s exact instructions for the building of the tent-temple.

Probably God had already spoke most of Leviticus to Moses before the Hebrews had finished sewing and building the tent/temple which would be Yahweh’s “home” for several centuries.  It was impossible for God’s PRESENCE to be with the Hebrews because they were like everyone else on earth–constantly sinning against God.  We know that no one could look on the PRESENCE of God and live and that was even true of the high priest!  Even so, God had decided that His PRESENCE would dwell with them, hidden in a room in the tent/temple.  God spoke all of Leviticus to give the rules which must be followed by the Hebrews if God’s PRESENCE were to stay with them.

Who wrote Leviticus? Moses, brother of Miriam and Aaron.

When did Moses write Leviticus?  Moses wrote Leviticus during the Hebrews’ journeys in the wilderness.  This was at least a year AFTER their rescue from slavery in Egypt and probably BEFORE they refused to enter the promised land of Canaan the first time.

Who were the original readers of Leviticus?  2.5 Million Hebrews, who had been slaves in Egypt for centuries.  These people apparently knew little about their ancestors (explained in Genesis) and knew little about Yahweh, who had rescued them from Egypt.  Probably, they copied what the Egyptians did in their religion and maybe even also copied religious practices and beliefs from others who might have been living in Egypt.  We know they worshiped idols.

What led Moses to write Leviticus?  All through Leviticus, it says, “The Lord spoke to Moses (and sometimes to Aaron too) saying…”  God is giving Israel the heart of their religious life, especially helping them to understand what was clean and unclean and what it meant that God is holy.  God was establishing religious and social practices which would show the seriousness of sin (it makes humans unclean and worthy to enter God’s presence and could only be removed through sacrifice).  Many of the rules we find in Leviticus show how everything a human does is unclean and separates humans from God.  The rules in Leviticus were filled with symbolism, much of it preparing the way for the coming of Jesus Christ, who would be priest, temple, presence of God and final sacrifice for sin.

What did Moses want to change in his original readers?  God wanted His people to realize how sinful they were and how everything they did was poisoned by their own personal sinfulness.  But God also wanted the Hebrews to realize that there was a way to be set free from sin, which was symbolized in the sacrifices, but actually was preparing all humanity for God’s Son to die to pay for all human sin.

Numbers is the hidden jewel of the Bible.   It starts off by telling us names and numbers and then some important laws God gave to Israel after different difficulties had happened.  Really, the exciting part of the book does not start until chapter 11.  Chapters 11-17 help us understand WHY the Hebrews ended up living for 40 years in the wilderness.  We learn about how hard it was for Moses to lead the people.  The next chapters give more laws for worship and Israel’s religious and social life.  The rest of the book has some amazing stories (including why Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land) plus laws which helped prepare the Hebrews for living in the Promised Land.

Who wrote Numbers? Moses, brother of Miriam and Aaron.

When did Moses write Numbers?  Moses wrote Numbers almost at the end of the Hebrews’ 40 year time in the wilderness.  This AFTER Moses sin and Aaron’s and Miriam’s deaths and BEFORE Moses’ final sermon to the Hebrews as they waited to enter the promised LAND of Canaan.

Who were the original readers of Numbers?  The younger generations of Hebrews, who had either been children in Egypt or were born during Israel’s 40-year stay in the wilderness.  All of them had been raised knowing Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus and knew much about Yahweh, who had rescued them from Egypt.  Many of them had only known the religious practices commanded in the Exodus and Leviticus. 

What led Moses to write Numbers? God commanded Moses to count all of the men who were old enough to fight in battle, so much of Numbers gives us the result of that count.  God also revealed important Laws about lots of different issues.  Probably, however, Numbers is especially important for the Hebrews to understand how deadly disobedience can be.

What did Moses want to change in his original readers?  The Hebrews were just about to finish their time in the wilderness and to invade the promised LAND of Canaan.  They needed to trust God now more than ever, to face their enemies without fear.  They could strengthen their faith by carefully studying the stories and laws in Numbers.

Deuteronomy is Moses’ goodbye message to the people he had loved for 40 long years.  Although Moses could not enter the promised LAND (see Numbers), he wanted to make sure the Hebrews did things right this time. In Deuteronomy, Moses retold the story of the Hebrews deliverance and time in the wilderness, all of which was described in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers.  Moses also reminded them of key laws, such as the 10 commandments.  If you are looking for the Shema, you’ll find it here in Deuteronomy.

In many ways, Deuteronomy is so spiritually deep, filled with spiritual truth that you could study it the rest of your life and still find more precious jewels here.

Who wrote Deuteronomy? Moses, brother of Miriam and Aaron.

When did Moses write Deuteronomy ?  Moses wrote Deuteronomy at the end of the Hebrews’ 40 year time in the wilderness.  This was AFTER Moses’s sin and Aaron’s and Miriam’s deaths and BEFORE Joshua led them across the Jordan River into the promised LAND of Canaan.

Who were the original readers of Deuteronomy ?  The younger generations of Hebrews, who had either been children in Egypt or were born during Israel’s 40-year stay in the wilderness.  All of them had been raised knowing Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus and knew much about Yahweh, who had rescued them from Egypt.  Many of them had only known the religious practices commanded in the Exodus and Leviticus. They were about to enter into battle in Canaan.

What led Moses to write Deuteronomy? Moses knew the Hebrews were about to face 2 really big challenges: first, they were going to battle armies of Canaan and second, they were going to be tempted to relax and copy the religion of the people of Canaan.  Plus, Moses also want to write to future generations, so they could understand why Israel failed to continue to obey God. 

What did Moses want to change in his original readers?  The Hebrews were just about to finish their time in the wilderness and to invade the promised LAND of Canaan.  They needed to trust God now more than ever, to face their enemies without fear.  They could strengthen their faith by remember how God had faithfully led them for 40 years, starting with the miracle of the Exodus. They could face any battle with courage because God was with them.  But they MUST be careful not to fall into idolatry.  He wanted future generations as well to read Deuteronomy to understand why Israel had failed to trust God (they had not cleansed the land of all the Canaanites).

Joshua tells the story of the Hebrews’ attack and conquest of the promised LAND of Canaan.  It is straight history with some helpful comments along the way to keep the reader aware of faith and courage and mistakes.  It was probably written sometime after Joshua died or at least finished later, but it is very possible that Joshua himself wrote much of it and someone else simply finished it. 

Who wrote Joshua?  It does not say, but it could have been mostly written by Joshua himself.

When did the author write Joshua?  Perhaps partially at the end of Joshua’s life and perhaps it was finished later.

Who were the original readers of Joshua?  Probably, Hebrews who may have been of Joshua’s generation and the generation that followed.  We can guess that they probably knew the 5 Books of Moses well.  Perhaps they were the generation which had stopped conquering and Joshua wrote (and the final editor wrote) to inspire them to start fighting again.

What led the author to write Joshua? 

Perhaps they were the generation which had stopped conquering the cities and towns in the promised LAND of Canaan and Joshua wrote (and the final editor wrote) to inspire them to start fighting again.

What did this anonymous prophet want to change in his original readers?  The author wrote to inspire the next generations to finish the job of conquering all the villages, towns and cities in Canaan, following the faithfulness and courage of Joshua.

Judges must have been a sad and painful book to write, because it tells a sad and painful story without hiding anything.  The key to reading Judges is this sentence, which shows up 4 times:  “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord” (“Israel” is the other name for “Jacob”: The Hebrews are the children [descendants] of Jacob).

If you want to know why Israel failed as a nation, the answer is clear: they worshiped Canaanite idols because the Hebrew armies stopped conquering the Canaanites.  Judges has heroes, but even most of them were pretty corrupted by sin and bad teaching.

Who wrote Judges?  This is another anonymous prophet who wrote this book.  It certainly could have been Samuel, but it simply does not say.

When did the author write Judges?  The Book of Judges has a clue that it was written when King Saul ruled Israel but before King David conquered Jerusalem.  First, the prophet wrote, “Now it came about in those days, when there was no king in Israel…”, which makes it sound as if there was a king ruling when he wrote that.  Yet, the prophet also wrote, “But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.” (Judges 1:21)  Since David conquered the Jebusites at the beginning of his kingship, this book was almost certainly written during the time of King Saul.

Who were the original readers of Judges? Hebrews who may have never lived during the time of the judges, but were living under King Saul, who forbade all idolatry or witchcraft.  They probably did not know much about God’s laws and had parents and grandparents who had worshiped idols during the period of the Judges.

What led the author to write Judges?  The anonymous prophet who wrote this book wanted the Hebrews to understand how terrible life was when everyone did what was right in their own eyes and did not seek Yahweh’s will, but preferred Canaanite wickedness and idolatry.

What did this anonymous prophet want to change in his original readers?  He certainly wanted his readers to turn away from idolatry and to devote themselves to serving Yahweh whole-heartedly in everything they might do.

This lovely story almost has to be true, because it shows that David’s great grandmother was from Moab.  Deuteronomy forbids Hebrews from marrying people from Moab.  In other words, some people might judge David as not pure enough in his family. 

Who wrote Ruth?  It does not say,

When did the author write Ruth?  It was certainly written DURING King David rule AFTER David became King (it metions David), but  BEFORE Solomon became king (it does not mention Solomon)

Who were the original readers of Ruth?  Hebrews living during the days of King David who probably did not have a very good knowledge of the 5 books of Moses but needed to understand why it is important to remain faithful to God.

What led the author to write Ruth?  Probably the author wanted to inspire the Hebrews to trust in God even in times of great sorrow and need; God can make even a terrible situation end up well.  Also, of course, he wanted them to know the story of how the SEED of Eve passed to David.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  The author wanted his readers to trust in God and to be faithful to doing what is right. 

It’s difficult to know exactly where to put the book of Proverbs, because it is several groups of wise sayings which were collected first by Solomon and then by his descendant, King Hezekiah (who lived several hundred years later) and others.  We are putting it here during Solomon rule as king, because many of these proverbs come from Solomon.  

These proverbs are advice to a young man or woman about how to be successful in general.  They are NOT prophecies nor are they Laws nor are they promises; they are advice which probably will improve a person’s life.  

Who wrote Proverbs?  Mostly Solomon (including some which were organized by a committee appointed by King Hezekiah many years later), Agur ben Jakeh, Lemuel

When did the author write Proverbs?  It was certainly written DURING King Solomon’s rule AFTER David died but  BEFORE Solomon died.

Who were the original readers of Proverbs?  Hebrews living during the days of King Solomon.

What led the author to write Proverbs?  Proverbs seems to start with advice to a young man (one of Solomon’s sons) on how to live wisely.  The next part is a collection of many wise sayings, probably all first spoken by Solomon.  More than anything, one would imagine that Solomon wanted the people who read this book to learn how to be successful in life. 

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  Solomon did not want his readers to be foolish, but to be successful in all aspects of life. 

The Song of Songs differs from every other book of the Bible.  It is not about God, the Law, the LAND, prophecy or even wisdom.  It is simply a love song and is at points quite open in what it says. 

Who wrote the Song of Songs?  Solomon

When did the author write Song of Songs?  It was certainly written DURING King Solomon’s rule AFTER David died but  BEFORE Solomon died.

Who were the original readers of Song of Songs?  Hebrews living during the days of King Solomon.

What led the author to write Song of Songs?  To openly discuss the beauty of romantic love within marriage.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  Perhaps Solomon wrote it to encourage Hebrews to enjoy an intimate romantic relationship with their spouses.

Although the author of Ecclesiastes did not say, “I, Solomon wrote this book”, there are so many clues suggesting that Solomon did write it.  But this Solomon was not Solomon as a young man, but as an old man whose life had turned bad and useless.  Solomon starts off by saying, “Vapor, vapor!  All is vapor!”  No matter how good something might seem or how pleasurable or worthwhile, everything is vapor which is here for a moment and then vanishes.

Although Ecclesiastes realizes that we must fear the Lord, most of it sounds like someone who had tried to experiment with everything–humor, food, wine, women, creativity, wisdom, success.  In the end, nothing lasted, nothing satisfied, not help.  It was all like vapor.

Who wrote Ecclesiastes?  King Solomon, son of David

When did the author write Ecclesiastes?  It was certainly written DURING the last days of King Solomon’s rule AFTER David died but right before BEFORE Solomon died.

Who were the original readers of Ecclesiastes?  Hebrews living during the days of King Solomon.

What led the author to write Ecclesiastes?  Solomon had lived life in disobedience to Moses’ commands for future kings, with far too many wives, far too much wealth and far too much pleasure.  Ecclesiastes says all of this is vapor, blown away by the wind.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  To warn people to fear God rather than seek to get all of the pleasure one can get.

Historians rarely see the story of Jonah as history.  They find it hard to believe that a man would take 3 days to make his way through the ancient city of Nineveh on foot, even though it would take that long if the man were preaching in every neighborhood along the way.

Historians also find it hard to believe that the people would have repented at Jonah’s preaching.  Assyria was a great nation and Israel was a tiny kingdom with an unknown God, Yahweh.  They are certainly right about this–it is hard to believe that ANYONE might repent from sin and turn to God; this can only happen through a miracle!  But we certainly know that such miracles do happen.

Of course, the main reason that historian reject the book of Jonah is the fish.  They argue that no one could survive for 3 days in the belly of a fish.  This ignores the most obvious answer; God appointed a fish.  If God can create the oceans and populate them with fish by a single word, why would we doubt that God could create a fish with a single word and send it to wait beside Noah’s boat.

Is it all a myth?  Jesus certainly did not see it as a myth.  “But He answered and said to them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.’” (Matthew 12:39–41)

Only through severe twisting of Jesus’ words can we say that Jonah was not in the belly of the fish.  AND only with severe twisting of Jesus’ words can we say that the men of Nineveh did not repent at Jonah’s preaching.  These very men who repented will be there on the day of judgement, suggesting that they MUST be real!

Who wrote Jonah?  This book was most likely written by Jonah himself, a prophet of the Northern Kingdom.  We see one mention of Jonah in

Where does this book fit into God’s great salvation story?  Jonah wrote long AFTER Kings David and Solomon and certainly must have finished his ministry about 80 years before the Assyria (i.e., the nation of Nineveh, where God sent Jonah) would defeat the Northern Kingdom and carry them away into exile. 

Who were the original readers of Jonah?  Our only guess is that Jonah wrote this book for the people of Israel, the northern kingdom.  .

What led the author to write Jonah?  Jonah knew that the armies of Assyria, whose capital Nineveh, was going to defeat the Northern Kingdom of Israel and carry them away into exile.  Amazingly, God sent Jonah 80 years before this happened to preach repentance and deliverance to the people of Israel’s greatest enemy. Jonah wished this book to transform the hearts of the Hebrews to have compassion on those nations who did not know Yahweh.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  Jonah clearly wanted the people of Israel (and probably Judah as well) to pray for the salvation of the people of Nineveh.  Within 180 years, the city would be destroyed by the Chaldeans, but Jonah’s book calls the readers to care about the fate of even their most hated enemies.

Amos was a herder of sheep and someone who took care of fig trees.  His home town was near Bethlehem, which was in Judah.  Amazingly, God appointed this humble man to travel to the northern kingdom of Israel to confront Israel’s king, Jereboam II.  This king was not the original Jeroboam and not even from the original Jeroboam’s family, but he was the most successful of Israel’s kings and very powerful.

Amos was astonishingly courageous.  Remember, every single king of the northern kingdom worshiped idols.  Not one king was in anyway obedient to God and His Words.  Yet Amos had the courage to speak directly to these idol worshiping people.  “Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam, king of Israel: “Amos is hatching a plot against you right here on your very doorstep! What he is saying is intolerable. 11 He is saying, ‘Jeroboam will soon be killed, and the people of Israel will be sent away into exile.’ ” 12 Then Amaziah sent orders to Amos: “Get out of here, you prophet! Go on back to the land of Judah, and earn your living by prophesying there! 13 Don’t bother us with your prophecies here in Bethel. This is the king’s sanctuary and the national place of worship!” 14 But Amos replied, “I’m not a professional prophet, and I was never trained to be one. I’m just a shepherd, and I take care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the LORD called me away from my flock and told me, ‘Go and prophesy to my people in Israel.’” (Amos 7:10–15)

Who wrote Amos?  Amos was a shepherd and fig tree farmer from the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  God sent him to the Northern Kingdom of Israel to call the people to repent and obey God’s Law.  

Where does this book fit into God’s great salvation story?  Amos wrote long AFTER Kings David and Solomon and probably finished his ministry about 70 years before the Northern Kingdom was defeated by another nation and taken away into exile.  

Who were the original readers of Amos?  Apparently, Amos spoke to the Hebrews at Bethel, a sacred site for the Hebrews idolators in Israel, a place where they worshiped many gods.  These people were completely committed to worshiping idols.  They were also oppressing the poor and cheating those who could not defend themselves.  The king led the nation of idolatry.  These people were not interested in repenting from their sins.

What led the author to write Amos?  Amos’ prophesied that disaster was coming to Israel and they would not be able to escape it.  God was judging them for their love of pleasure, their oppression of the poor and their terrible idolatry.  He urged the people to turn away from their sins and return to the Lord.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  Amos wanted the people of Israel to turn away from their sins.  Amos warned them, “Go to the LORD, and you will live. If you do not go, he will sweep down like fire on the people of Israel. The fire will burn up the people of Bethel, and no one will be able to put it out.” (Amos 5:6)

Hosea is a prophecy, but it is also a story of a prophet, Hosea and God’s call for him to marry a woman who would prove unfaithful to him.  Hosea’s wife was named Gomer and although Hosea was the true father of their first child, the next 2 children had different fathers.

God allowed this horrible situation to happen because He wanted Israel (the Northern Kingdom) to understand what they had been doing to their Creator and Lord.  Even though they received many blessings from God, the entire northern kingdom worshiped idols (remember, Judah was the southern Kingdom ruled by a descendant of David, but the northern kingdom was ruled by idol-worshiping kings who were NOT from David).  The people of the Northern Kingdom were just like Gomer, living in sin even though they claimed to belong to God.

Who wrote Hosea? The Prophet Hosea apparently lived in the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  He married a woman who committed adultery against him and gave birth to children whose fathers were not Hosea.  He confronted the Northern Kingdom about their spiritual adultery of following after other gods yet speaking as if they belonged to the Lord.

Where does this book fit into God’s great salvation story?  Hosea wrote long AFTER King Solomon’s foolish son Rehoboam angered the 10 tribes and caused them to break away and form their own nation, the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  Hosea wrote for 30 years, so that the last years of his ministry happened right as the Northern Kingdom was defeated by the Assyrian Empire and the people were carried away into exile.  

Who were the original readers of Hosea?  Hebrews living in the idol-worshiping northern kingdom of Israel.  These Hebrews probably worshiped the God of the Bible and at the same time also worshiped Canaanite gods and goddesses.  They still considered themselves God’s chosen people, even though they had left the kingdom ruled by David’s descendant. 

What led the author to write Hosea?  The prophet Hosea wanted people to understand God’s heart, which was filled with grief and sorrow.  He wanted them to see that they could not ignore God’s love for them without God’s punishments designed to bring them to repentance.  Many people consider Hosea to be one of the most powerful pictures of the heart of God in the Bible.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  Hosea wanted his readers to see themselves as spiritual adulterers and to repent from their sins and turn back to God.  He wanted them to realize that God blesses us because we are His precious bride; the many gifts He gives us must not be shared with our adulterous lovers (money, power, idolatry, pride, etc.).

An unknown prophet wrote the book of Samuel (it was originally 1 book which later on was divided into 2), but it is difficult to know when.  We are confident that the author wrote sometime after Solomon’s son King Rehoboam foolishly caused the kingdom to split into 2 (Israel in the North based in Samaria and Judah in the South based in Jerusalem). There are several places where both Kingdoms are mentioned in passing (1 Samuel 27:6; 11:8; 17:52; 2 Samuel 5:5; 11:11; 12:8; 19:42-43;  24:1, 9).  That tells us that Samuel was written AFTER the split.

Since the historical books do depend on ancient documents, we can guess that the prophet who wrote the book of Samuel depended on the Prophet Samuel’s own history of the time period, but that is only a guess.

Who wrote 1st & 2nd Samuel?  An unknown prophet after the kingdom was split in 2 by Rehoboam.

Where does this book fit into God’s great salvation story? This unknown prophet wrote the book of Samuel long after the events we read in it (i.e., long after King Saul and King David).  It does not mention Assyria conquering Samaria and carrying the people of the Northern Kingdom into exile, so it was probably written before that happened. 

Who were the original readers of 1st & 2nd Samuel?  We should assume that this book was written for Hebrews living in both Southern Kingdom of Judah and the Northern Kingdom whose capital was in Samaria.  Even though we do not know the time, we know that any readers in the Northern Kingdom were surrounded by idol worship, which also happened in the Southern Kingdom as well.

What led the author to write 1st & 2nd Samuel? This book tells how the kingship began, how David became king after Saul died in battle, how God made an unbreakable covenant with David that his descendants would always rule on the throne over Israel forever.  The Prophet who wrote this history was building a strong foundation for Israel’s hope that Israel could be reunited as one nation under a descendant of David forever.

What did the author want to change in his original readers? The author wanted his original readers (especially the kings and their counselors and ministers) to copy David in having a heart after God’s heart while being careful to avoid David’s fall into idolatry and murder.  He wanted the common people to copy David’s faith (shown especially in the battle with Goliath) and David’s trust in God (shown in many stories as he fled from Saul, who was trying to kill him).

Micah’s ministry was about the same time as Isaiah’s ministry. “The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Moreshite —what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.” (Micah 1:1)

Jotham was a mostly good king.  Ahaz was one of the worst kings of Judah, but Hezekiah was one of the very best.

Micah and Isaiah share an important passage, which is interesting, since they were both ministering during the same time period.  It is about that 1000-year period when the Messiah will rule the world.  Both Micah and Isaiah write: “and many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us about His ways so we may walk in His paths.” For instruction will go out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Micah 4:2)

Who wrote Micah? The Prophet Micah seems to have come from a humble family.  He did not seem to be interested in the political treaties that Isaiah criticized, but he was much more concerned about justice for the poor and oppress.

Where does this book fit into God’s great salvation story?  Micah wrote long AFTER Kings David and Solomon and finished his ministry at the beginning of the rule of Manasseh, the worst and most sinful of all of Judah’s kings.  Although Micah’s ministry had included preaching to the very good King Hezekiah, Hezekiah’s son King Manasseh persecuted believers.  The Bible does not tell us if Micah was still ministering when King Manasseh ruled on the throne.

Who were the original readers of Micah?  Micah’s original readers were Hebrews living during the days of King Jotham and King Hezekiah.  It seems as if much of the book is trying to help the rich and powerful landowner to treat the poor fairly.  But he also gives a whole chapter (6) about the northern kingdom of Israel, which was about to be sent into exile by the armies of Assyria. 

What led the author to write Micah?  Micah knew that terrible trouble was coming to the northern kingdom of Israel very soon and in the future also to Judah.  Micah warned his readers that they had to turn away from cheating and oppressing the poor and powerless.  He wrote: “ Mankind, He has told you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) But he also had 2 powerful prophecies about the birth of the coming Messiah and his 100-year rule on the earth.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  Micah wanted the people of Judah to practice justice to the oppressed and obedience to God. He also wanted them to trust in the coming Messiah, the Servant of the Lord, who would be born in Bethlehem and be our peace, ruling the earth as King.

Many consider Isaiah to be the greatest prophet of the Old Testament.  Certainly Isaiah’s prophecies about the coming Messiah are amazing.  He predicted that the Messiah would be called Immanuel, that the Messiah would be born a child yet be called “Mighty God”, that the Messiah would die a terrible death at the hands of God’s people and yet bear all of their sins, that the Messiah would rule forever on David’s throne, that God was going to destroy the present heavens and earth and create a New Heavens and a New Earth.

Some of Isaiah is difficult to understand because it deals with other nations, many of which seem strange to us.  Even in those passages, however, we can still find many life-changing teachings about God and His ways.

Who wrote Isaiah? The Prophet Isaiah was apparently allowed to speak to the kings of Judah, even those kings who worshiped idols.  He spoke much about the way Judah relied (foolishly) on other nations for protection, rather than God.  Isaiah has a strong emphasis on God’s grace and the coming Messiah and His kingdom.  This was probably 700 years before Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem.

Where does this book fit into God’s great salvation story?  Isaiah wrote long AFTER Kings David and Solomon and finished his ministry at the beginning of the rule of Manasseh, the worst and most sinful of all of Judah’s kings.  Although Isaiah’s ministry had included preaching to the very good King Hezekiah, Hezekiah’s son King Manasseh persecuted believers.  Very ancient Jewish stories teach that Manasseh had Isaiah sawn in half. 

Who were the original readers of Isaiah?  Hebrews living during the days of King Hezekiah and Manasseh.  It seems as if much of the book is trying to help good kings to trust in God rather than trust in foreign armies and powers, but the last part of the book is written to comfort those believers who are living during the days of evil King Manasseh.

What led the author to write Isaiah?  Isaiah knew that terrible trouble was coming and he knew that the only way to avoid the trouble would be to trust in God alone, but Judah was not willing to do this. He continually warned that God was Israel’s “Holy One”, the Creator God who knew the future and from the beginning knew what the end would be.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  Isaiah wanted the people of Judah to avoid trusting in unfaithful and idol-worshiping nations rather than trusting in God.  He wanted them to put God’s will and purposes above everything.  He also wanted them to trust in the coming Messiah, the Servant of the Lord, who would bear the sins of humanity and return to live as a joyful and righteous worldwide King.

Who wrote Zephaniah?  Zephaniah was a prophet who wrote this prophecy when Josiah (Manasseh’s grandson) was king. He almost certainly spoke this prophecy from the city of Jerusalem. 

Where does this book fit into God’s great salvation story?  Since we know that Zephaniah wrote during the days of Josiah, we know that these words were spoken in the final decades before God’s judgment came upon Judah.  That tells us a lot about this prophecy.  The wicked actions of King Manasseh (Josiah’s grandfather) led Yahweh to bring irreversible judgment on Judah, promising that in the future he would destroy the Temple and the city of Jerusalem and send the people of Judah into exile.  At the end of his life, King Manasseh had repented from his sin and had turned back to Yahweh, but it was too late; the damage had been done and God’s judgment would come soon.

Who were the original readers of Zephaniah?  The people who first heard and then read these words were almost all idolators, influenced by King Manasseh and then by his son Amon, who was just as bad as his father had been. The people’s hearts still sought to worship idols, including King Josiah at first, since he was just 8 years old when he became king.  It was not until Josiah was 16 that he began following Yahweh, perhaps influenced by Zephaniah’s preaching (we don’t know).  4 years later, when he was 20 years old, Josiah started a courageous work of cleansing Judah from the many idols and shrines that were dedicated to gods and goddesses, the sun, moon, stars, etc. 

What led the author to write Zephaniah?  Zephaniah was calling the people of Judah, possibly even including young King Josiah, to repent from their idolatry and turn to serving Yahweh alone.  God had already revealed to many prophets that judgment was coming quickly because idolatry was written deep into their hearts.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  Zephaniah preached to bring his readers to repent.  Zephaniah prophesied that not only Judah, but many other nations also would be judged by God.  There seemed to be no escape from this coming disaster (because of Manasseh’s sins), but even still, the people of Judah needed to return to Yahweh (as Josiah did when he was 16 years old).  And then, at the end of this book, Zephaniah reassures God’s people that a remnant will return and will “do no wrong and tell no lies.”  This is a promise for the future when the Messiah will rule Jerusalem.  Zephaniah wanted his idolatrous readers to turn from idolatry, but also wanted to encourage the few faithful believers to know that the Messiah would bring a remnant back to Judah in the future and will give them “renown and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes.”

Who wrote Jeremiah?  A Hebrew named Jeremiah wrote this book, speaking these prophecies over many years and to several different kings.  He was a courageous man who suffered much during his ministry, both from persecution and also from the effects of God’s judgment on all of Israel.

When did the author write Jeremiah?  Jeremiah lived EXACTLY during the time that God judged Israel for Manasseh’s idolatry and especially his cruel treatment of God’s people.  He ministered AFTER Manasseh’s rule and BEFORE Israel’s return to Judah from exile.

Who were the original readers of Jeremiah?  Hebrews living during the days of God’s punishment.  These were people who were worshipping idols and were going through a horrible experience of war, suffering, starvation and finally exile to a foreign land.  They did not want to listen to any prophet and they did not care about what Jeremiah said.

What led the author to write Jeremiah? 

God had revealed to many prophets that judgment was coming to Israel because of Manasseh’s sins and because of the people’s idolatry.  Jeremiah knew that the armies of Babylon would invade the nation and destroy the land, taking many Hebrews into exile far away.  He also knew that in the future, God would bring them back and in the distant future, the Messiah would come to lead all the Hebrews to love God and serve Him.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  Jeremiah wanted the Hebrews to repent, which means to admit their sins and turn from their sins and back to God.  Jeremiah also wanted the Hebrews to trust in God alone and to stop trusting in idols and their many false prophets.  Finally, he wanted the Hebrews to trust in God’s promise that He was sending them a Messiah who would make everything right.

Who wrote Lamentations?  A Hebrew named Jeremiah wrote this book, speaking these 5 songs these prophecies over many years and to several different kings.  He was a courageous man who suffered much during his ministry, both from persecution and also from the effects of God’s judgment on all of Israel.

The book is divided into five songs, the first four written as an acrostic based on the Hebrew alphabet (an acrostic is a technique of writing where each line is started with a specific letter of the alphabet).  The last song is a heartbreaking prayer which does not follow the acrostic pattern.

Each of the songs has a different perspective.  The first song starts off by describing the horrors in Jerusalem and then switches to speak as Jerusalem herself mourning her terrible situation.  The second song is Jeremiah’s words to Judah as Yahweh’s prophet.  The third some, however, is an intensely intimate revelation of Jeremiah’s personal grief and the unfailing hope he has because of Yahweh’s lovingkindness and faithfulness.  The fourth song returns again to a prophetic description of the suffering of Jerusalem and the final chapter is Jeremiah’s prayer to God on behalf of God’s people. 

When did the author write Lamentations?  Jeremiah lived EXACTLY during the time that God judged Israel for Manasseh’s idolatry and especially his cruel treatment of God’s people.  He ministered AFTER Manasseh’s rule and BEFORE Israel’s return to Judah from exile.

Who were the original readers of Lamentations?  Hebrews living during the days of God’s punishment.  These were people who were worshiping idols and were going through a horrible experience of war, suffering, starvation and finally exile to a foreign land.  They did not want to listen to any prophet and they did not care about what Jeremiah said.

What led the author to write Lamentations? 

God had revealed to many prophets that judgment was coming to Israel because of Manasseh’s sins and because of the people’s idolatry.  Jeremiah wrote this at the moment that the Babylonians had destroyed the city of Jerusalem.  Many and perhaps most of the Jews living in Jerusalem had died or were being dragged away into exile.  Starving children wandered through the streets searching for food that did not exist.  Jeremiah wrote this book to express his grief, appeal to the Jews still alive to seek God’s help and deliverance, and to point his readers to Yahweh and His great faithfulness. 

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  Jeremiah wanted his readers to turn back to Yahweh and trust in His mercies; accepting the harsh sufferings they were experiencing in hope that good would come to them again some day. 

No other book is like Habakkuk.  Habakkuk ministered at the worst of all times in Judah’s history.  Because King Manasseh’s sins were so terrible, the nation was to be judged and sent into exile, defeated and carried away by Babylon.  Probably Habakkuk’s ministry began after the last good king, King Josiah, was gone and Judah’s society was falling into terrible idolatry and moral wickedness.  The wealthy and powerful people were cheating and bullying those who were poor and powerless, much like the situation before that Amos spoke about.

But Habakkuk saw that the end was going to be even worse.  God had chosen wicked Babylon as His divine tool of judgment!  This prophecy is about Habakkuk’s struggle to understand how a holy God could use a wicked nation to judge a nation less wicked!  It is not so much a prediction, although it does tell the future, as it is a message explaining how God works to bring about justice.

Who wrote Habakkuk?  We do not have any information about Habakkuk except that he was a prophet named Habakkuk.

When did the author write Habakkuk?  Habakkuk lived EXACTLY during the time that God judged Israel for Manasseh’s idolatry from the past, especially for Manasseh’s cruel treatment of God’s people.  Habakkuk ministered just AFTER Josiah’s rule and RIGHT BEFORE Babylon invaded Israel the first time.

Who were the original readers of Habakkuk?  These were Hebrews living during the days of God’s punishment.  Most were worshiping idols and were about to go through a horrible experience of war, suffering, starvation and finally exile to a foreign land.  Those Hebrews did not want to listen to any prophet and they did not care about what the prophets said.  However, having said that, it does not seem that Habakkuk is writing to these people, but maybe to the righteous few who still loved the Lord.  These people would be like Habakkuk, wondering how a righteous God could use a wicked nation to do His work.

What led the author to write Habakkuk?  Habakkuk wondered how the Holy God could use filthy Babylon to accomplish His will.  Surely he was not alone in this confusion.  So, it is most likely that Habakkuk wrote this book to encourage the godly believers in Judah that God was still utterly holy and at the same time utterly just.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  Based on the main theme and the fact that the 3rd chapter is a remarkable song of praise to God, Habakkuk wanted his readers to see God in all of this holiness as being utterly righteous and just in everything He did. When facing God’s hand of judgment, these readers needed to accept God’s wrath as right and see God’s final judgment as utterly pure.  Otherwise, they might worry that the invasion of Babylon was somehow a failure on God’s part rather than a reminder that God was doing the exactly right thing; bringing justice to His wicked people (Judah) while also preparing Babylon to be judged soon enough for their own pride and wickedness.

Who wrote Kings?  Ancient Hebrew traditions believe that the Prophet Jeremiah wrote Kings (there is only 1 book–Kings–in the Hebrew Bible, which our Bibles split into 2 books, 1 and 2 Kings).  It seems as if after this, a different Jew who lived in exile in Babylon wrote the last page of the book, describing Judah’s defeat and the exile of so many Jews from Judah and Jerusalem to Babylon, so far away.

When did the author write Kings?  The best guess is that Kings was written in 2 stages.  At the end of when the kings of Judah ruled in Jerusalem, one person wrote all of what we call 1 Kings and almost all of what we call 2 Kings all the way through the end of chapter 23 and maybe even through the end of chapter 24.  Then, after Babylon defeated Judah and took the Jews from Judah into exile, from that place in exile another person wrote the last part, which would be possibly chapter 24 and certainly chapter 25. 

Who were the original readers of Kings?  Almost certainly, the first people to read Kings were Jews (Hebrews and Jews are just different words for the same people) living in exile in Babylon, there because God had punished them or their parents for idolatry and terrible sin during Judah’s last days in the promised land.  While they were there in exile, these Jews began realizing they had been fools for worshiping idols.  These Jews turn away from idolatry and began worshiping God alone.

What led the author to write Kings? 

The Jews living in exile needed to understand WHY they were so far from home and WHAT THEY COULD DO to return.   They needed to understand how idolatry had destroyed everything good, starting with Solomon onward.  They also needed to understand God’s faithful love and mercy in waiting for centuries before bringing His final judgement.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  The author wanted the Hebrews to repent, which means to admit their sins and turn from their sins and back to God.  The author wanted the Jews in exile (the name “Jew” is another word for Hebrew and is the normal word used to describe the Hebrew people in exile) to realize that the kings and the people had broken their covenant with God and the exile was the only possible result of such rebellion. 

People who read Ezekiel are surprised by strange images, shocking descriptions and confusing future prophecies.  Perhaps it might be helpful to spend more time than usual explaining this puzzling book.

• In 597 BC, Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, conquered Judah.  He took 10,000 of the Hebrew officials and craftsmen and another 7000 soldiers and brought them to Babylon.  There the King had his servants train these Hebrews in the language and customs of Babylon.  Ezekiel was one of these men.
• Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem, at first, the Jews there (another word for Hebrew) continued on with life, serving Nebuchadnezzar by paying him large amounts of money every year.  We know from the prophet Jeremiah that life was far from easy during these years.
• During the next 10 years, God spoke to the Jews in Babylonian exile through letters from Jeremiah who was in Jerusalem as well as through prophecies by Ezekiel himself. Both Jeremiah and Ezekiel warned the people that God was going to send the armies of Babylon BACK to defeat Judah and carry much of that nation into exile and destroy the city and temple, BUT THE JEWS DID NOT BELIEVE EITHER PROPHET!
• We learn from Jeremiah and Ezekiel that the Jews who were still in Jerusalem were just as idolatrous and wicked as they had been before being punished by Babylon’s armies.  We learn from Ezekiel that the exiled Jews living in Babylon hadn’t changed either!
• People today are shocked by the images that Ezekiel uses to describe the Jews living in Jerusalem during those days, because they are sometimes sexual in nature.  We have to remember the people to whom he was writing were committing horrible idolatry, offering their children as sacrifices to their disgusting idols.  We need to remember as well that their religion included male and female temple prostitutes in their so-called religious activities.  Ezekiel’s shocking images are meant to force the Jews both in exile and in Jerusalem to realize that their worship of idols was like filthy prostitution of the worst sorts!
• When we read Ezekiel, we realize that in God’s eyes, the Jews were God’s holy bride and idolatry was the worst kind of adultery one could commit!

Who wrote Ezekiel?  Ezekiel came from a family of priests, which means he was descended from Aaron.  He was 30 years old when he began prophesying, about 5 years after he had been carried away into exile by Nebuchadnezzar’s armies. We know he was married and that his wife died about 5 years after Ezekiel starting writing prophecies.

When did the author write Ezekiel?  Ezekiel lived EXACTLY during the time that God used Babylon to judge Israel for their idolatry (especially King Manasseh’s idolatry from the past, including for Manasseh’s cruel treatment of God’s people).  Ezekiel ministered just AFTER Nebuchadnezzar defeated Israel the first time in 597 BC.  He wrote about Nebuchadnezzar’s armies final conquest of Jerusalem in 587 BC, when Babylon’s armies completely destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple.  Ezekiel continued to ministry for 17 more years after this.

Who were the original readers of Ezekiel?  These were Hebrews living during the days of God’s punishment, at first some living in Jerusalem (reading Ezekiel’s letters to them) and others living with Ezekiel in Babylon.  Most were worshiping idols and were going through horrible experiences of war, suffering, starvation and finally exile to a foreign land.  These Hebrews were not ready yet to obey what any prophet said, although the ones in Babylon did actually hear his prophecies eagerly.

What led the author to write Ezekiel?  Ezekiel understood that the Jews in exile and the Jews in Jerusalem had not yet faced the fact that all of their troubles had come to them because they were in spiritual adultery, sinning against their “husband” Yahweh (the Hebrew name for God).  Until they dealt with this problem, they would never find the peace they longed for.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  Ezekiel wrote to convince the Jews living in Jerusalem to repent from their idolatry and wickedness as well as to convince the exiled Jews living with him in Babylon to humble themselves before God and beg Him for His merciful forgiveness. Although it seems as if nobody took his prophecies seriously, God must have used them, because there in exile in a very idolatrous country of Babylon, the Jews finally turned from worshiping idols to worshiping God alone.

Who wrote Daniel?  Babylon conquered Jerusalem twice.  The first time, the King of Babylon decided to bring the most talented young men and women from Jerusalem to Babylon, training them to serve him as administrator’s, skilled craftsmen, and soldiers.  Daniel was one of those young men, as was also Ezekiel. He wrote this book which contains important history as well as remarkable prophecies about Daniel’s times and especially about future events all the way to 2nd coming of Jesus Christ.

When did the author write Daniel?  Daniel wrote this book over a period of 60-70 years, starting at the point when Babylon first conquered Jerusalem, when he was a very young man and finishing some 60 to 70 about 9 years after Persia conquered Babylon.  This began AFTER Kings Manasseh and Josiah (Manasseh’s grandson) and during the time when the final kings of Judah ruled for short periods of time on the throne in Jerusalem.  Daniel’s ministry continued long after Judah ceased as an independent country. 

Who were the original readers of Daniel?  Two completely different groups of people first read Daniel’s writings.  First, Daniel wrote to the exiled Hebrews living in Babylon.  To these people, Daniel wrote in Hebrew.  In addition, however, Daniel also wrote in Aramaic, the language of his Babylonian masters.  There are many prophecies in this book which predict the futures of Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome. 

What led the author to write Daniel?  Daniel wanted his original readers to be courageous in an idolatrous exile and to strengthen themselves to remain true to Yahweh and His Law and ways.  Daniel also wanted his original readers to understand that Yahweh is Lord over all the nations and will fulfill His perfect plan to bring Messianic glory in the days to come.

What did the author want to change in his original readers?  Daniel wrote to inspire the Jews to obey God’s Law and to call his Gentile masters to turn to Yahweh, the only true God and Lord over all the nations (including Babylon and Persia). 

Who wrote Haggai? Haggai played a significant role in the post-exilic period of Israel’s history. He emerged during a time when the Jewish people had returned from Babylonian captivity and were struggling to rebuild their temple in Jerusalem. Haggai’s prophetic message emphasized the importance of prioritizing the reconstruction of the temple and renewing their commitment to God’s covenant. He encouraged the people to overcome their apathy and prioritize spiritual matters over material concerns. Haggai’s words inspired the community to resume the construction of the temple, fostering a renewed sense of hope and faith among the Israelites. His short but impactful prophetic ministry served as a catalyst for the restoration of the religious and national identity of the Jewish people in the post-exilic era.

When did the author write Haggai?  Haggai wrote this prophecy 70 years after the first Jews had gone into exile in Babylon.  The Jews had returned to Jerusalem and life there was very difficult indeed.  The city was a ruin and the temple had been destroyed.  Although the Jews had begun to work on the temple, apparently it was simply too hard and they seem to have given up.

Why did Haggai write this book?  Haggai saw both the unfinished temple and the fact that the Jews gave higher priority to many other issues in their lives, especially in their farming and home-building.  Haggai knew that the Jews first priority should have been rebuilding that temple, as hard as that would be.  He also saw the discouragement of Zerubbabel, David’s descendant and wanted to stir him to be the leader he needed to be.

Who were the original readers of Haggai?  The original readers were Jews who faced almost overwhelming obstacles in rebuilding their lives.  The Babylonians have destroyed so much of the city and the surrounding areas and the work of rebuilding the temple was too much.  Also, many of them were building nice homes for themselves rather than building the house of God.  These are people who no longer worship idols and trusted Yahweh, but needed to be reminded of their task at hand.

What led Haggai to write this book?  Haggai wanted the Jews to make the rebuilding of the temple to be their first and highest priority and He also wanted to inspire Zerubbabel to be the leader the people needed him to be.  Remember, the main purpose of the Temple was offering sacrifices to cleanse the people from their uncleanness, so the building of the Temple was the highest priority in God’s eyes.

What did Haggai want to change in his original readers?  Haggai wanted to inspire his readers to put God’s presence and Temple above their own desires and even needs and to trust Yahweh to supply everything they needed.  In fact, even though they had planted fields and vineyards, thus far nothing had grown well; God was teaching them to put His temple first so that He would fill their harvests.

Who was Zechariah?  Zechariah embarked on his ministry during a critical period of Israel’s history, following the return of the exiled Jewish community from Babylon. His prophetic messages were filled with symbolic visions and powerful imagery, revealing divine insights and encouraging spiritual renewal among the people. Zechariah’s ministry encompassed various themes, including the restoration of Jerusalem, the rebuilding of the temple, and the coming Messiah. He called the people to repentance, emphasizing the importance of righteousness, mercy, and justice. Zechariah’s prophecies also highlighted future events, such as the triumph of God’s kingdom and the ultimate reconciliation of all nations. Through his visionary messages, Zechariah played a vital role in bolstering the faith of the returned exiles, inspiring them to persevere in their mission to rebuild and reaffirm their covenant with God.

When did Zechariah write Zechariah?  Zechariah wrote this prophecy after the Jews had return to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon, where some of them had had lived for many years. The Jews had returned to Jerusalem and life there was very difficult indeed.  The city was a ruin and the temple had been destroyed.  Zechariah and Haggai spoke to the people at about the same time, but they had different focuses.  Zechariah does talk about the Temple they were building, but he most often talked about the great battles ahead leading up to a new Temple during the rule of the Messiah.

Why did Zechariah write this book?  Zechariah first spoke during the days that the Jews were rebuilding the Temple, using prophetic images and symbols to describe God’s future plans for Jerusalem AND His future judgment of nations and people unfaithful to him.  After the temple was completed, he wrote amazing predictions about the coming King, the Messiah.

Who were the original readers of Zechariah?  The original readers were Jews who faced almost overwhelming obstacles in rebuilding their lives.  The Babylonians have destroyed so much of the city and the surrounding areas and the work of rebuilding the temple was too much.  Also, many of them were building nice homes for themselves rather than building the house of God.  These are people who no longer worship idols and trusted Yahweh, but needed to be reminded of their task at hand.  These people needed to see that a glorious future awaited Jerusalem when the Messiah came in glory, although the Messiah would first be rejected and pierced.

What led Zechariah to write this book?  Zechariah knew that the true city and the true temple awaited the coming of the Messiah.  However, there would be many battles and attacks against God’s people before the Messiah finally established His throne in glory and ruled in power over all the nations. 

What did Zechariah want to change in his original readers?  Zechariah wanted his readers to understand that all of the struggles they were now facing would turn to joy during the days of the Messiah.  The Jews needed to work hard and build God’s temple now, because it was the first step for a much greater temple will be built by the branch of David, the Messiah and He will sit on His throne and bring true peace.

Who was Malachi?  Malachi, the final prophet of the Hebrew Bible, ministered during a time when the Jewish community had become disillusioned and distant from their covenant with God. With a passionate and confrontational style, Malachi fearlessly confronted the religious apathy, moral compromise, and social injustice that plagued the people. He rebuked the priests for their corrupt practices, challenged the people’s insincere worship, and addressed issues of marital unfaithfulness and economic exploitation. Through his prophetic words, Malachi sought to restore the people’s faith and commitment, reminding them of God’s love, justice, and covenantal promises. He foretold the coming of the Messiah, who would refine and purify them. Malachi’s ministry served as a stern wake-up call, urging the people to return to their God with wholehearted devotion and integrity, and rekindle their relationship with Him.

When did the author write Malachi?  Malachi may have been the last prophetic book written in the Bible, although this cannot be said for certain.  The name “Malachi” normally would mean, “My messenger”, which is a meaningful name for this messenger of Yahweh.  Malachi seems to have begun his ministry right before Nehemiah came to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Why did Malachi write this book?  The Jews had returned to Jerusalem almost 100 years before Malachi preached.  They had long ago completed building the Temple, but had, for the most part, left Jerusalem in ruin.  The people were weak in their faith, gave blemished offerings for the temple, were not generous in giving to the Lord’s work, and mistreated their wives.  These are the problems Malachi tried to fix.

Who were the original readers of Malachi?  Many of these Jews had lived in Judah their entire lives and had never experienced the exile.  They found the requirements of the Law regarding the temple sacrifices to be tiresome, because they did not have the personal experience of having seen the temple torn down by the Babylonians or being in exile and far from the Temple sacrifices.

What led Malachi to write this book?  Malachi called the people to be generous to Yahweh, faithful to their wives, joyful in their worship and longing for the coming of the Messiah. He also gave the world prophecy preparing the way for God to come to His temple after a messenger (fulfilled by John the Baptist) had prepared His way.

What did Malachi want to change in his original readers?  Malachi’s needed to realize that they must stop treating God with disrespect by bringing lame and sick animals for sacrifice.  They must treat their wives properly and teach the people God’s holy truth. And, future readers of Malachi must be ready for the Messiah’s coming in glory to the temple.

Who wrote Chronicles? (It’s 1 book, not 2) The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles in the Old Testament serve as historical records that mostly focus on the lineage of Israel’s kings, the genealogies of the tribes, and the establishment and functions of the temple and priesthood. The author’s main purpose for writing these books appears to be threefold: to provide a comprehensive account of the nation’s history, particularly from a religious and spiritual perspective, to foster a sense of national and religious identity among the post-exilic community, and especially to call his readers to prepare for the coming of the Messiah, who will bring righteousness and peace to the Jews and the entire world

When did this unnamed prophet write Chronicles (It’s 1 book, not 2)?  An unnamed prophet wrote this book a long time after the Jews (i.e., Hebrews) returned to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel. It could have been written 450 years before Jesus was born, but more likely was written later, perhaps about 430 year before Jesus or even 400 years before Jesus.  Based on the genealogies, which stop at around 400 BC, it was not written any later than that (remember, 400 BC is LATER than 450 BC!).

Why did this unknown Prophet write this book?  The history of the human race, especially God’s chosen people the Hebrews, had proven that no institution could withstand the corrupting influence of sin.  Long after the exiles of Northern kingdom of Samaria (to Assyria) and Southern Kingdom of Judah (to Babylon), the prophet who wrote Chronicles presented God’s solution, the Messiah, who would be a King after God’s heart (shown in David) who was wise, glorious, peaceful (shown in Solomon).  To prepare for this coming Messiah, Israel would need a glorious temple, purified service, proper worship and utter commitment to Yahweh and Yahweh alone.

Who were the original readers of Chronicles?  None of the first readers of Chronicles had seen the Temple designed by David and built by Solomon in its glory, but rather a poor imitation.  None of the original readers had known the fabulous wealth of Solomon at the height of Israel’s power.  Chronicles shows how the idolatry and injustice of the Kings who followed David and Solomon destroyed Israel; only the Messiah could restore them to what they should be.

What led the unknown Prophet to write this book?  The writer was calling Israel to prepare themselves for the Messiah by purifying their worship, the Temple, their priests, and their outlooks.  

What did this unknown Prophet want to change in his original readers?  Similar to the message of the prophets Zechariah, Malachi and Haggai, the Jews must prepare the way for the Lord by putting their hearts and souls into worshiping and glorifying God, especially in their service in the temple and in Jerusalem.

Who wrote Ezra? 

Ezra talks about himself in Ezra 7-10 (“Thus I was strengthened according to the hand of the LORD my God upon me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.”  We can assume that Ezra wrote this book, although a prophet might have added details, etc. in the final collection process of the whole Old Testament.

When did Ezra write this book? 

Ezra wrote this book long after the exile was over, which sometimes confuses readers of the Bible.  The first chapters in Ezra tell how the first group of exiled Jews returned to Jerusalem and began the work of rebuilding the temple, permitted by King Cyrus of the Medo Persian empire.  This happened about 539 BC.  A large group of 50,000 exiled Jews returned to Jerusalem and Judah, laid the foundation for the new temple and built a rudimentary altar. This is described also in Zechariah and Haggai.

About 80 years LATER Ezra the scribe led another group of exiled Jews to Jerusalem (this happens in Ezra 7-10).  Then after another 13 years, Nehemiah came to Jerusalem and began the process of rebuilding the destroyed city walls.  

Why did this Ezra write this book? 

Ezra tells us the important events which led to the first expedition to Jerusalem led by Zerubbabel, as well as the rebuilding first of the Altar and then of the entire second temple.  He then describes the events which ended up being completed by Nehemiah, who organized the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.  Apparently, Ezra wished to make sure that future generations appreciated the sacrifices which were made in order to rebuild the temple and then the city as a whole.

Who were the original readers of Ezra? 

None of the first readers of Ezra had seen the Temple designed by David and built by Solomon in its glory, but rather a poor imitation.  These readers were people living in a harsh environment who had suffered much.  This book writes to the generation of those who had dedicated themselves to the task of rebuilding both temple and city and to inspire the next generation to devote themselves to rebuilding Judah.

What led Ezra to write this book?  

Ezra wished the current older generation to remember the commitment necessary to return to Jerusalem and rebuild and to stir on the younger generation to devote themselves to completing the work.  

What did Ezra want to change in his original readers? 

Ezra wanted his original readers to devote themselves to sacrificial commitment to rebuild Judah and Jerusalem, not allowing themselves to be intimidated by enemies or by corrupt officials.

Who wrote Chronicles? (It’s 1 book, not 2) The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles in the Old Testament serve as historical records that mostly focus on the lineage of Israel’s kings, the genealogies of the tribes, and the establishment and functions of the temple and priesthood. The author’s main purpose for writing these books appears to be threefold: to provide a comprehensive account of the nation’s history, particularly from a religious and spiritual perspective, to foster a sense of national and religious identity among the post-exilic community, and especially to call his readers to prepare for the coming of the Messiah, who will bring righteousness and peace to the Jews and the entire world

When did this unnamed prophet write Chronicles (It’s 1 book, not 2)?  An unnamed prophet wrote this book a long time after the Jews (i.e., Hebrews) returned to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel. It could have been written 450 years before Jesus was born, but more likely was written later, perhaps about 430 year before Jesus or even 400 years before Jesus.  Based on the genealogies, which stop at around 400 BC, it was not written any later than that (remember, 400 BC is LATER than 450 BC!).

Why did this unknown Prophet write this book?  The history of the human race, especially God’s chosen people the Hebrews, had proven that no institution could withstand the corrupting influence of sin.  Long after the exiles of Northern kingdom of Samaria (to Assyria) and Southern Kingdom of Judah (to Babylon), the prophet who wrote Chronicles presented God’s solution, the Messiah, who would be a King after God’s heart (shown in David) who was wise, glorious, peaceful (shown in Solomon).  To prepare for this coming Messiah, Israel would need a glorious temple, purified service, proper worship and utter commitment to Yahweh and Yahweh alone.

Who were the original readers of Chronicles?  None of the first readers of Chronicles had seen the Temple designed by David and built by Solomon in its glory, but rather a poor imitation.  None of the original readers had known the fabulous wealth of Solomon at the height of Israel’s power.  Chronicles shows how the idolatry and injustice of the Kings who followed David and Solomon destroyed Israel; only the Messiah could restore them to what they should be.

What led the unknown Prophet to write this book?  The writer was calling Israel to prepare themselves for the Messiah by purifying their worship, the Temple, their priests, and their outlooks.  

What did this unknown Prophet want to change in his original readers?  Similar to the message of the prophets Zechariah, Malachi and Haggai, the Jews must prepare the way for the Lord by putting their hearts and souls into worshiping and glorifying God, especially in their service in the temple and in Jerusalem.