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...

Only one chapter long, the book of Obadiah is the shortest in the Old Testament, and prophesies the destruction of Edom, the neighboring city to Judea. Obadiah warns of the dangers of pride, rebellion and sin, and reveals the vengeance of God against nations who reject Him.

The book of Haggai was written after the return of the Jews from their exile in Babylon. Surrounded by enemies and struggling to repair their lives and city, the Jewish people despair and realize their need for God's help. Haggai instructs them to rebuild their temple to restore favor with God and warns them of the consequences of attempting to succeed without His blessings.

Not ony is Genesis the first book in the Bible, it is also the first of the five books of the Torah, a set of instructional and historical volumes which recount the early history of mankind and provide the list of rules under which the Hebrews lived in accordance to their covenant with God. Many of the best known biblical stories can be found in Genesis, including the story of creation, the fall of man through Adam and Eve and the Great Flood's cleansing...

The book of Judges depicts one of the most violent and immoral times for the Israelite people who underwent a continuous cycle of disobedience and sin followed by repentance. These chapters show the unrelenting love of God and His patient attempts at rehabilitation through the mighty judges who rose up to lead them. Some of the most famous Biblical characters are found within this book, including Samson, Gideon and Deborah. Once again, Judges serves...

The book of Jonah was written by the prophet whom God sent to the wicked city of Nineveh in order to warn them of the judgment to come because of their sinful ways. One of the most beloved tales in the Bible, the story of Jonah teaches valuable lessons, including the consequences of running away from God and the magnitude of His forgiveness for repentant sinners.

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....

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...

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...

Only one chapter long, the book of Jude is an epistle written by the half-brother of Jesus, who became a Christian only after His crucifixion. This book uses examples from the Old Testament to show the importance of obeying God and following His teachings. Jude condemns the false teachers and urges the Christians to unite and strengthen each other's faith in order to withstand their deception.