Lessons From the Old Testament Books of History

A Nation In Covenant

After rescuing the Israelite people from slavery in Egypt, God brought them to Mt. Sinai. There He entered into a Covenant with them and gave them the Law of Moses. Their Covenant with God is central to everything which occurred during the Israelites' long history. For example, it was to fulfill some of the Covenant promises that God directed their conquest of the land of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua.

After the death of Joshua God distributed governing authority to the tribes, clans and families. Ultimately, the responsibility for keeping the Covenant devolved onto each individual.

In spite of their many lapses in keeping it, the Law of Moses acted as a unifying force during the period following Joshua's death. To the extent the people responded to the moral force embodied in the Law, the nation prospered. Unfortunately, the Israelites often broke their Covenant with God and turned away from the Law. When they did, God withdrew His protection. When the people realized their mistake and repented, God gave them Judges to defeat their enemies and renew the Covenant - that is, until the next time. From one Judge to the next the nation never seemed to regain the moral heights from which it had fallen.

Finally conditions deteriorated to such a point that the Israelites demanded a change in their governmental system. They wanted a king - a central authority which could unify the nation and impose social order. A man who could back up the Law with force. This combination worked well - until a later king forfeited his moral right to govern and alienated most of the people.

This book covers the period of time from the Conquest of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua, to the middle of the "Golden Age" of Israel which began with the reign of King David.