We have
here the story of the rise, glory, division and fall of the Jewish
monarchy. The people desired a king and the king sought to rule by his
own will rather than the will of God. We note God's desire to make
this nation a "Holy Nation" and its sin and failure. The function of
the prophets was to declare the sin of the nation, to set the right
way before it and seek to lead it back to God, but the nation would
not heed the voices of the prophets, hence the fall of the
monarchy. The coming of the perfect king and kingdom under the Messiah
is prophesied. The work and place of Christ is foretold by the
prophets.
Fourth Era, the Captivity. The record is found in the books of 2
Chronicles, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel and Obadiah. The people
rejecting God are taken into captivity. In this captivity the people
turn to God in their affliction, their worship is purified and the
hope of the coming of the Messiah grows very strong.
Fifth Era, the Restoration. The record is found in the books of Ezra,
Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. The people purified by their
captivity and uplifted by their hope of the coming Christ are restored
to their own land.
Sixth Era, the Christian. The record is found in the books of the New
Testament. The Christian era is ushered in by the coming of Christ and
the fulfillment of God's promises.
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