God, The Father guarantees His present help and believers are to rely on His wisdom and strength and not our own. Jesus, The Son, also has promised that He will be with His disciples forever and will never leave them. God promised to direct, sustain and assure accomplishments. By asking Him to help, believers can conquer life challenges, if they allow the help of The Holy Spirit. God promised both Gentile and Jewish believers that they can be confident that He will always be with them, never forsake or abandon them, and never fail to help no matter if a believer feels His presence or not.

The people of Israel had to know that The Armies of Heaven were committed to God's promises. The Commander of The Heavenly Armies, who was in charge of the battles ahead of the Israelites, appeared to Joshua, for it was from this Divine Messenger that Joshua was to take his orders. Though the strategies seemed strange to him, he recognised the Authority of The commander and was determined to obey, for Joshua knew he had been commissioned to undertake battles to conquer the land of Canaan, just as Moses had been to confront Pharaoh of Egypt and lead God's people out of bondage.
JOSHUA 5.

1450 B.C. Joshua led the Israelites to the River Jordan. As soon as the Priest who were carrying the Ark of The Covenant stepped into the water, the river parted and all the people walked across into the land of Canaan which God was going to give to them as a gift as long as they acknowledged Him as their King.

The first city to be given was the fortified city of Jericho. Joshua sent 2 spies to examine the situation in The City of Jericho, they were discovered but Rahab (COLOUR IN CAMEO) hid them and helped them escape. Rahab's Inn was an excellent location for a quick escape, for it was built into the city wall near the city gates, and a normal place for strangers to spend the night. The King of the City was informed of the strangers and the guards who were sent to the Inn belonging to Rahab, knew that they were Israelites. Clumps of flax on her rooftop made an ideal hiding place. Rahab's cunning saved the lives of the two Israelite spies.

The city was built to be save from any assault. God ordered the entire army and seven priests carrying the Ark to walk around the city for six days blowing trumpets only. The Ark, which symbolised the presence of God, contained the Tablets of Stone on which were written The Commandments, Aaron's rod that budded in the wilderness and a golden jar of Manna, which was to remind them of God's care and provision through their 40 years in the wilderness. On the seventh day, seven times they circles the city. The priests gave a long loud trumpet blast, the people gave a mighty shout and suddenly the walls crumbled to the ground. So piece by piece the land was given to them, not by human strength but by Divine intervention during the physical battles. Because Rahab helped the Israelites, all of her family was rescued during the battle and lived with the Israelites. Rahab is an ancestor in the human lineage of Christ. JOSHUA 1-22.

Five kings in the south of Canaan united together to attack Joshua's allied city, Gibeon. This allowed Joshua to lead the army of Israel and confront them all at once. God helped the Israelites by destroying most of the enemy with a hailstorm. Those who were not killed in the hailstorm retreated and as the men of Israel pursued them. Joshua prayed for the light of day to continue so the battle could carry on and their enemies destroyed. God The Sovereign Creator slowed down the rotation of the earth to help allow the sun to shine to the extended time of an extra day. With God's help Israel won the battle against the five armies without the loss of any men. God also gave Israel similar victories during the conquest of Northern Canaan. JOSHUA 10.

Joshua, with God's help, took the people of Israel to victory, possessing the land God promised Abraham. Temporary earthly rest in Canaan offered to the Israelites pointed to a rest that is spiritual and eternal, the promise of God's rest in Christ still stands and is available today. Hebrews 4.

1390 B.C. In Canaan, Israel quickly forgot the acts of God and settled down but attached themselves to foreign gods, morals, and superstitious religious beliefs. In times of crisis, God raised up leaders known as Judges to help restore the land and people to peace. This was an on going situation; the people would sin greatly against God, and He would allow neighbouring nations to oppress them- the people would turn to God, confess their sin, God would forgive, strengthen and deliver them, then a rest period would occur. This time lasted approximately for four hundred years, a cycle of rebellion, disobedience, repentance and renewal. There were six major judges, one being a woman, Deborah (COLOUR IN CAMEO), and six minor judges. JUDGES 1-16.

Under Deborah's role as Judge and prophetess, the Israelites won a great victory with the help of God over the Canaanites. She was able to stir up Israel's concern about its low spiritual state, at the time when the people in the nation were feeling dejected and afraid for they had lost their hope of deliverance because the Canaanites terrorised the people. Through words of prophecy from God and Divine Wisdom, she aroused the nation from despair and encouraged them to free themselves from bondage against big odds. God had chosen Deborah to lead Israel and blessed her for her trust in Him and the people recognised God's hand upon her. She led the nation into victorious batted. The Lord inspired Deborah's victory song of praise to Him. She was aware of the importance of praise and worship, so after winning a great victory over the powerful, well-armed enemies she sang a special song to God to be remembered and sung by the people of Israel down through the years, as a reminder of God's goodness and deeds. JUDGES 4

Ruth (COLOUR IN CAMEO) was a young woman of Moab and she had married an Israelite in the country of Moab. When her husband died, she returned with her mother-in-law to Bethlehem in Judah and worked in the fields belonging to Boaz (lineage of Christ) who was a cousin of her dead husband. Ruth married Boaz and they lived in the time when the judges ruled. A son, named Jesse, was born to them who became the grandfather of the future King of Israel, King David (The Royal lineage of Christ). RUTH 1-4.

1106 B.C. Hannah (COLOUR IN CAMEO), a godly woman was married to a man from the priesthood tribe of Levi and lived the area of Ephraim. She wept before the Lord as she begged for a son, for she was unable to have children and said she would give her son back to The Lord for His service. Hannah acknowledged that God was The Author and The Giver of Life. God heard her prayer, and later, Samuel was born to her and her husband. He was to became a great prophet and servant of God. Hannah prayed again and her prayer was prophetic in the anticipation of the kingship of Israel. Ultimately her expectation finds fulfilment in Jesus Christ. A Prophecy of Christ, 1 Samuel 2:10. "He judges throughout the earth, He gives mighty strength to His King and gives glory to His Anointed One". 1 SAMUEL 1-3.

Samson (COLOUR IN CAMEO) was the last of the major judges over Israel about 1100 B.C. who lead for 20 years.. An Angel of God had appeared unto his mother, who was barren, and told her she would have a son and was to call him Samson. He became known throughout Israel for his incredible physical strength. He was significantly victorious in his confrontations with the powerful Philistines. Some of his exploits included killing a young lion with his bare hands, killing over 1000 Philistines with a jaw bone of a donkey, carrying away the metal city gate and posts of Gaza up hill for 38 miles, and setting alight the harvest fields of grain, vines and olive groves of the enemy using 300 foxes by tying their tails together and lighting them aflame sending them into the fields. Although a Nazirite, Samson did not live a devoted life and disobeyed the prohibitions of his vow. God however continued to tenderly care for him and miraculously provided spring water for him after a battle so that he could be revived. Samson's fascination with Delilah, his foreign girlfriend, finally produced his downfall. The rulers of the Philistines offered her eleven hundred pieces of silver from each of them to find out the source of Samson's strength. In her first three attempts, Samson gave her false answers. The Philistines bound him each time by Delilah betrayals. Finally, she coaxed the truth from him, that if his hair was cut, he would be rendered weak as a normal man and Samson was captured and blinded. The fact was God's Spirit had left him. His long hair had identified him as being separated for God's use. Samson's strength came through the Spirit of God who would come upon him to enable him to perform amazing feats and not come from his long hair. In his death as a prisoner, he killed more of the Philistine enemies than the total he had killed during his lifetime by pushing apart the two middle supporting pillars of their pagan temple while he was on display as the captured Israelite hero. This act caused the building to crumble and fall upon the worshipers. JUDGES. 13:1-16:31

1050 B.C. In the days of Samuel the prophet, the son of Hannah, the Israelites began to want a human king to rule over them. God granted their rebellious request, even though He was their King. God told Samuel to anoint Saul, a Benjamite, as King over Israel. Saul proved very quickly that he was unwilling to submit to God's requirements in leading the nation, so God ceased to use him. Samuel was sent to anoint David (Royal lineage of Christ) of the tribe of Judah to succeed Saul as King. With trusted belief in God and The Spirit of The Lord upon him, DAVID AS A YOUNG MAN SLEW THE PHILISTINE GIANT, GOLIATH, with only a stone in his shepherd's sling, for the Giant had challenged the armies of Israel. Fifteen miles west of the David's home at Bethlehem, near the Philistine border, both the Philistine army and the Israelite army had assembled for war. Sometimes issues of war were decided through combat between each armies chosen champions. The judgement of God was at stake to determine His reality to the Philistines and against their demi god. The Philistine camp had chosen Goliath who was over nine feet tall. He stood and shouted at the Israelites for 40 days, both in the morning and evening.

David tended sheep and was called by his father to take food to his elder brothers who were in the Israelite Army camp. David saw that all in the Israelite army were scared of Goliath, but because David had a good skill over the sling through the experience of protecting sheep from lions and bears, he was confident that God would prove faithful. He chose 5 smooth stones from the nearby stream and approached Goliath with righteous anger for defying the army of The Living God. Both the Philistine and the Israelite armies were shown their error by placing trust in human devices for personal and national security when David slew Goliath in The Name of The Lord God Almighty.

With one stone slung from David's sling, Goliath the philistine champion, was struck in the forehead. David ran over to Goliath who had fallen face down, drew the giant's sword from the scabbard and beheaded him. The Philistine army ran and fled but the now courageous Israelites caught up with them, they battled and defeated the Philistine army. The victory that David achieved was through God's sovereign will.

Saul became jealous of David and tried many times to kill him. Saul continued to reign until he died: He ruled over Israel for 40 years although Israel only became a united kingdom when David reigned. 1 SAMUEL 18-31.

1010 B.C. David began his reign after the death of Saul on the battlefield. God greatly blessed David and the people of Israel loved him. He sought The Lord's direction in how to govern the nation and was a king to the people. He had the walls of Jerusalem extended and a palace was built for his residence. David loved God and wrote many songs (Psalms) to worship and praise God. He also established regular worship services using choirs and all musical instruments of the era, such as cymbals, drums, harps, horns, lute, lyre, tambourines, trumpets and castanets, which took place in The Sacred Tent at Jerusalem, which was separate from the Tent of Meeting which was built in the wilderness under the oversight of Moses from God's directions for the religious sacrifices.

Psalms are poetry set to music, which necessarily does not have to rhyme. The Book of Psalms in The Bible were written probably 1,000 years before the birth of Christ. Of the 150 Psalms recorded, 73 are attributed to King David. Believers glean knowledge and awe of God through The Book of Psalms.

During David's reign there were two tents, one for the sacrifices and one for worship, the Ark of The Testimony was in Jerusalem and here David was a king and a priest. As King, David wanted to build a temple for God, but God said 'no' to him instead, not only would David's son build a physical temple, but his future offspring would rule forever. This is Christ, as head over the Living Temple is the universal Church. Therefore The Lord made a covenant with David. " He is The One who will build a house for my Name and I will establish the throne of His Kingdom forever. I will be His Father and He will be My son." Believers now worship under the Tent of David. (Acts 15.)
11 SAMUEL 7:1-14.

970 B.C. King David reigned for forty years. After his death his son Solomon who was the heir to the throne began to rule. Under his leadership the Israelites prospered and lived in peace. The magnificent physical Temple of The Lord was built. His father, King David had been given the plans by revelation from The Holy Spirit of God, and he had written it all down for the builders to follow and Solomon oversaw the project. God blessed Solomon with wisdom and wealth, even the Queen of Sheba from Southern Arabia heard of his wisdom and travelled to visit him. Inspired by God he wrote and collected many proverbs. The people were heavily taxed because of all the financial upkeep needed by Solomon for his Court. He added temples of pagan gods, for he declined to keep the ways of God. A division among the people began to show. He also reigned for forty years. 1 KINGS 1-11.

A proverb is usually a wise saying, which is about a commonly observed fact. Thoughout The Bible there are proverbs numerously scattered. King Solomon and King Hezekiah collected many writings of wisdom as well as being the authors of most of these pieces of insight for living in The Book of Proverbs. Proverbs help believers to make morally correct choices to live a life pleasing to God.

930 B.C. Solomon's son Rehoboam (Royal lineage of Christ) foolishly ruled as a tyrant. This caused the Kingdom to be divided. Judah became known as the Southern Kingdom and Israel was known as the Northern Kingdom. The kingdom of the north began with the reign of Jeraboam, he was rebellious and his reign caused the result of much idol worship. During Rehoboam's reign in Judah the Southern Kingdom, where there was also idol worship, the Egyptians attacked Jerusalem and stole all that was valuable in the temples and palaces that King Solomon had built. The Temple of Lord was ransacked of gold by the invaders. 1 KINGS 12-14.

Elijah in approximately the year 875 B.C. at Mt. Carmel in the Northern Kingdom, God proved that He alone was God to all the people and 850 lying prophets of false gods. KINGS 16

850 B.C. Elisha replaced Elijah as The Lord's prophet in the north. He saw Elijah carried to heaven in a whirlwind, for he did not die. Elisha caught Elijah's coat as he left, and knew that the chariot and horse were symbols of war and he understood that Elijah was the 'true warrior' of Israel and not the physical soldiers of the Nation's army. The Lord performed many visible miracles through Elisha. 11 KINGS 2

In JUDAH nineteen kings and one queen were all descendants of King David. They reigned for the duration of four hundred years. But in The Northern Kingdom the monarch's were only the leaders of rebellious attacks between themselves.

760 B.C. Micah was from Moresheth in Southern Judah. He predicted the rise and fall of Samaria in the North and the devastation to come in Judah. God showed these things to Micah by visions and a prophecy of where Christ was to be born. MICAH 5:12

752 B.C. Amos, (COLOUR IN CAMEO) although his home was in Judah, was sent to announce God's judgement on the Northern Kingdom; a time of great idolatry, immorality and corruption. God's patience ran out with them and so He sent Amos to tell them that THE HOUSE OF DAVID would again rule over all Israel. This represents the fulfilment of prophecies regarding Christ, God's Anointed King ruling over all as made in promises to Abraham and David. (See Acts 15.) Also that the people of the North would be taken into exile by the Assyrians. 722 B.C. was the year the capital city, Samaria, fell to their enemies. AMOS 1-9

740 B.C. God used the prophet Isaiah to prophesy the present and the future. He warned the people what trouble lay ahead but they also refused to listen to the man of God that had been sent to them. Isaiah spoke many prophecies of Christ. ISAIAH 28:16

At the age of 38 years King Hezekiah (COLOUR IN CAMEO) almost died from an infection that occurred from a boil. God sent Isaiah, His prophet to the King in regards of advice, for the King to get his affairs in order, and to settle the matter of succession of the throne of Judah for he had not yet had any children to succeed him as heir, for he was going to die. King Hezekiah prayed to God and wept bitterly reminding him of what he had done in The Lord's Name. His prayer was not said for divine favour that was base on good works, but on the realisation that the Lord grants favours to those who sincerely and earnestly serve him. He acknowledged that God is the one who sovereignty ordains all things and prayer and God's response is His Highest Plan. The Lord healed King Hezekiah.

When a situation looks hopeless, turn to God. You can trust and rely upon Him to be faithful to keep His Word. After repentance or justice, there is always the Love and Mercy of God. Do not rely on anyone or anything to be faithful except God, The Father or Our Lord Jesus Christ. God wants to bless those who come to Him. Devotion is not head knowledge, it is genuine recognition of God's authority, a steadfast and constant love that responds to His love and a personal acknowledgement of Him as Sovereign Lord. God desires of His servants, loyalty. Anything apart from faithfulness is unacceptable conduct of a 'royal priesthood', for God longs to give His Mercy. God wants to nourish an individual relationship with mankind and Himself. He craves for an attitude of love in the hearts of His preferred godly assemblage. God hungers for results of a repentant lifestyle, and appeals for His people to do what is right, not people just going thoughout the motions of superficial rituals with their hearts empty and far away from Him.

640 B.C. Jeremiah (COLOUR IN CAMEO) was a priest as well as a prophet of God. He prophesied that The Lord's Temple at Jerusalem would be destroyed by the people of Babylon. God had Jeremiah act out many messages symbolically so the people could understand the reality of His warnings. The King did not believe him and the people mocked him and he was put in chains. JEREMIAH 37-38.