Opening reflection
Much of the Old Testament is the story of one people: Israel. Their history is often messy, their leaders are often flawed, and yet the story keeps turning back to grace. Reading it well helps us see what kind of God the Bible is describing — patient, just, faithful, and committed to a long project of putting the world right.
- Tell the Exodus story in outline as a rescue story.
- See the law and worship of Israel as part of life with God, not just rules.
- Recognise the rise of the monarchy and its mixed legacy.
- Understand the prophets as covenant messengers calling Israel back to faithfulness.
Key Bible passages
Exodus 3:1–15
God’s name revealed and Moses called — the heart of the rescue story.
1 Samuel 16:1–13
David, an unlikely king, anointed by Samuel.
Amos 5:21–24
A prophet calling for justice and authentic worship.
Isaiah 6
The call of a prophet — a glimpse of God’s holiness and Isaiah’s response.
Open these in your Bible, or in a free reader like Bible Gateway or YouVersion.
Teaching
Exodus: rescue at the heart of the story
Exodus tells how Abraham’s descendants, enslaved in Egypt, are rescued by God through Moses. This rescue becomes the defining memory of Israel: a story they retell every year at Passover, and a pattern the New Testament later picks up when it describes salvation in Jesus.
The exodus also introduces the law given at Sinai — not as a set of arbitrary rules but as the shape of life together with God and with each other. Justice, generosity, honesty, rest and worship are all woven into it.
Land, kings and a fragile kingdom
After years of wandering, Israel enters a land and slowly forms a settled life. Eventually they ask for a king ‘like the other nations’. The result is mixed. Saul, David and Solomon each leave a complicated legacy. The kingdom later splits in two — northern and southern — and over time both come under threat from larger empires.
Through it all, the question runs: what does it mean to be God’s people in the real world of politics, power, war and worship?
The prophets: voices for the covenant
Prophets in the Bible are not mainly fortune-tellers. They are covenant messengers. They speak into specific situations — usually situations where worship has gone cold, the powerful are exploiting the weak, or the people have drifted from God — and call them back.
Some prophets bring warnings. Some bring comfort. Many do both. Reading them well means asking who is speaking, who is being addressed, and what situation is being named.
Justice, worship and faithfulness
A striking feature of the prophets is how strongly they tie worship to justice. God is not impressed by religious activity that ignores the poor. ‘Let justice roll down like waters,’ says Amos. ‘What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?’ asks Micah.
This thread runs forward into Jesus’ own teaching and the New Testament letters. It’s one of the most enduring contributions of the prophets.
How this helps you read the Bible
- You’ll read the historical books knowing they’re building towards something, not just listing events.
- You’ll read the prophets with the right expectations — engagement with real situations, not vague predictions.
- You’ll begin to see how Jesus stands in continuity with both Moses and the prophets.
Read these two passages side by side — one a king’s anointing, one a prophet’s challenge.
- 1 Samuel 16:1–13
- Amos 5:21–24
Questions to ask
- What surprises you about how David is chosen as king?
- What does Amos say is missing from Israel’s worship?
- What does it mean for the prophets to call Israel back to the covenant?
- Where might the prophets’ link between worship and justice challenge how we think about faith today?
- Ask: is there a small step towards justice or kindness this passage is inviting?
The next session looks at what happens when the story seems to collapse — exile — and how hope survives.
Mark this session as complete to keep track of where you are.