The amazing story of Jonah and the whale has been a favorite of children and a target of Bible-deniers. We hold that God’s word is true in all its details and have no problem believing that God prepared a great fish that could swallow a man and spit him up still alive three days later. The messages of this story are many. God holds his man responsible for the commands he has received. We also see God as the God of mercy.

The first two chapters of Esther gave the background of the story of Esther. Chapter three reveals the true conflict of this Bible story. Haman is established as the chief of the princes of the Persian Empire. Then Haman, in his hatred of Mordecai, lashes out at the entire Jewish race within the realm of the great Persian Empire. They are to be completely destroyed.

As in the previous chapter, we see here a plain telling of events without any explanation of good or evil. However, these first two chapters are setting up the circumstances for a powerful story. As in chapter one, this lesson shows us the ways of the world.

The entire book of Esther is about God’s providential care of His people.

The victory at Jericho was sweet, but the tears of joy soon turned to tears of regret. Trials and temptations most often come on the heels of victory. The victory at Jericho will now be overshadowed by the loss against a much weaker foe in the people at Ai.

The children of Israel were to keep themselves separated from the other nations but, by intermarrying with the different nations around them, they had compromised and taken on their abominations. The answer for them, though it might seem harsh, was to separate from their heathen marriages.

The message of Haggai, chapter two, is a message of coming glory (see Haggai 2:3, 7, 9; compare 1:8). The importance of the message is shown in the time in which it was given.

Evidently, at least in the past, there was a creature in the oceans called leviathan. However, as you study the description in Job 41, you will see that it does not match any known creature today.

As God continues to confront Job with His greatness, Job makes his first feeble answer: “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee” (verse 4)? God then asks Job if he has the abilities and powers of God. God closes this chapter with a description of behemoth as the chief of the ways of God.

The purpose of this passage is to show Job the greatness of God in caring for all the beasts and the inability of Job to begin to grasp the required knowledge and wisdom for this care.