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The prophet Hosea has much to say about the sinfulness of Israel, but he also has much to say about the faithfulness of God. As the Israelites worship other gods and move further away from their Creator, God's judgment comes upon them. After judgment, however, God displays acts of mercy as he acts tenderly to his people, like a loving parent would. Listen to Hosea as he reminds Israel of God's faithfulness and speaks prophesies concerning the redemption to come in latter days.

It is not known who wrote the Book of Job or when it was written. It is written poetically and is considered wisdom literature. The book starts with a dialogue between God and Satan. God first brings up Job and how noble and pious he is, then Satan contends that it is so because of the wealth and comfort which God has bestowed upon him. God allows Satan to inflict suffering upon Job. As a consequence, Job loses all his wealth, his children die, and he contracts disease.

The Book of Ezekiel narrates the story of Ezekiel, who was a priest in Israel after the Babylonian capture of the land. At about the time when he would have been appointed as a prophet, he has a vision of God's manifestation. He is instructed to warn the Israelites to follow their covenant with God. The Israelites by this time had begun to worship other gods and idols. This had spawned social ills of all kinds. So Ezekiel begins to spread the word that unless the Israelites repent and obey God, another attack would follow on Israel and the temple would be destroyed.

In this audio compilation of the Book of Jeremiah, the narrator tells the story of the prophet Jeremiah. These chapters of the Bible are broken into biographical, prose, and poetic strands - and have a heavy focus on the events leading up to the fall of Jerusalem during a forty-year period. Here we focus on Jeremiah as the prophet who, from his young age to his grown years, delivers the word of God to the people of Israel at the most volatile and troubling times of their lives.

It is unclear when this book was written or who wrote it. However, there is speculation to conclude that it might have been written by King Solomon or another descendant within the lines of King David or a figure of authority in his times. There are two distinct voices at play in this book. One belongs to The Teacher, while the other is that of the author of the book. At the beginning of the book, the author begins with repeating the word “hevel,” which roughly translates to mean "meaningless."

Introduction and reflections by T.C. Griswold.

The apostle Peter writes to churches pertaining to the false teachers and opposition among them. His letter is a reminder that God's grace is not only pardon but also power to live righteously in the face of opposition. Because we have the Holy Spirit, we can pursue holiness, bear fruit, and deny false teachers. Peter's exhortations are an encouragement to remain steadfast and firm in the faith.

Like many of us, the Thessalonians need to be reminded of the reality of Christ's second coming. In this book Paul encourages believers to look forward to the second coming as the final accomplishment of God's promise to save his people. In light of the Thessalonians' false sense of security, Paul addresses the timing of the second coming only by saying, "...the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night" (1 Thes. 5:2).

Salvation from the Lord has no barriers. The prophet Zechariah teaches God’s people that the invitation of salvation goes out to all people, regardless of their nationalities. In this book the prophet foresees people from all over the world worshipping God. Listen to Zechariah as he scolds the people for their disobedience and tells of the future restoration of the faithful.

The Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Jewish Torah, where it is called Devarim, "the words of Moses". Chapters 1 - 30 of the book consist of three sermons or speeches delivered to the Israelites by Moses on the plains of Moab, shortly before they enter the Promised Land. The first sermon recounts the forty years of wilderness wanderings which had led to that moment, and ends with an exhortation to observe the law, later referred to as the Law of Moses.

In the Bible, the first four books of the New Testament are known as the Gospels. These four books tell the story of the beginnings of Christianity, from the birth of Jesus to his death and resurrection. Each gospel is told from a slightly different perspective, though many stories and events are illustrated in multiple books.

When all of the men in her family die, Ruth is left a widow, and her mother-in-law, Naomi, is left helpless. Ruth, a very loyal daughter-in-law, decides to stay with Naomi, hunting for food to help them survive. The widow unexpectedly meets a wealthy man named Boaz, who takes an interest in her. Could this man be God’s rescue plan for Ruth and Naomi?

It is not known who wrote the Book of Nehemiah. However, it is written in the first-person narrative style, which seems to suggest that at least parts of the book were written by Nehemiah himself. Nehemiah was a cupbearer for King Artaxerxes of Persia. On a particular day, he broke down before the king and mentioned how Jerusalem had been destroyed. The king ordered him to go back and build the walls around the city. He was also given supplies and an armed escort. As Nehemiah began to build the walls with his team, there was fierce opposition from the countries surrounding Jerusalem.

In light of Jesus' second coming, we should not be compelled to hide out until his return; rather, we should be actively participating in his restoration plan for the world as we wait in anticipation. Paul teaches the Thessalonians that the second coming should not paralyze believers from doing work for the kingdom. Instead it should motivate them to live in a way that is pleasing to God. We all have duties to complete before Jesus' return, so we should "...not grow weary in doing good" (2 Thes. 3:13).

An entire generation of faithless Israelites have come and gone, Moses has just died in the presence of the Lord, and now it's up to Joshua to lead the Israelites into victory. Journey with Joshua as he faces many obstacles on the quest to capture the Promised Land while remaining completely committed to God.

There is an inseparable link between our faith and how we live our lives. In his letter to his coworker, Titus, Paul gives us practical instruction on godly living as well as qualifications for Church leaders. While Paul paints a picture of what a healthy Church looks like, he also emphasizes the Gospel as the source of godliness: "...he saved us not because of works done by us in righteousness but according to his own mercy...."

The Church has always been in danger of “secret agents” who gain entry into the Christian community and thwart the Gospel, consequently leading believers astray. We see this in Jude’s letter as he tackles the same issues Peter did in his second letter. Unfortunately, believers in the Church are using God’s grace as a ticket to sin freely. The author insists that Christians must defend the true Gospel aggressively for the sake of the church’s well-being.

A plumb line and a basket of ripe fruit: two things the prophet Amos sees in visions. But what could these things symbolize? Listen to Amos, a lowly shepherd, as he warns the wealthy and religious Israelites about their idolatry and injustice to the poor. Could God be giving this prophet signs of the coming judgment?

Edom was at odds with Israel ever since its forefather, Esau, had struggled in the womb with his twin brother, Jacob, the patriarch of Israel. After Edom played a role in the destruction of Jerusalem, the prophet Obadiah gives warning to the nation of their coming judgment, fulfilling God's promise from hundreds of years earlier: "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curseth thee" (Gen. 12:3).

God is faithful and always keeps his promises. In 1 Chronicles, God's promise to David is fulfilled when David becomes king over all of Israel. The genealogies in this book remind us that every one of God's children plays a role in his redemption plan. We can rest assured that we are each playing a vital role in this plan as well.