Reflections of God's History Books

By Julie Ryan

Reflections of God’s History Books is a direct result of Julie’s reading, reflecting, and journaling through the Bible during her daily quiet time with Jesus. The chapter-by-chapter reflections of Joshua through Esther are written in a devotional style which is designed to enhance personal Bible study.

Reflections of God’s History Books is an easy-to-understand resource that will help you:

• Internalize what you read in Scripture
• Learn and understand the Bible
• Grow in your relationship with God
• Experience life transformation by the truth of God's Word

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9798385013739

Julie Ryan

Julie Ryan is a registered nurse, Christian speaker, life coach, and author who loves Jesus. She is a Midwestern farmer's daughter, born and raised in the rural thumb area of Michigan, who has experienced life transformation from a renewed relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

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Copyright © 2024 Julie Ryan.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1372-2 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1373-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023922906

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/06/2023

I will study your commandments

and reflect on your ways.

Psalms 119:15

Heavenly Father,

As I reflect on your Word,

help me to understand and apply

your truths to my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

CONTENTS

Joshua

Joshua 1

Joshua 2

Joshua 3

Joshua 4

Joshua 5

Joshua 6

Joshua 7

Joshua 8

Joshua 9

Joshua 10

Joshua 11

Joshua 12

Joshua 13

Joshua 14

Joshua 15

Joshua 16

Joshua 17

Joshua 18

Joshua 19

Joshua 20

Joshua 21

Joshua 22

Joshua 23

Joshua 24

Judges

Judges 1

Judges 2

Judges 3

Judges 4

Judges 5

Judges 6

Judges 7

Judges 8

Judges 9

Judges 10

Judges 11

Judges 12

Judges 13

Judges 14

Judges 15

Judges 16

Judges 17

Judges 18

Judges 19

Judges 20

Judges 21

Ruth

Ruth 1

Ruth 2

Ruth 3

Ruth 4

1 Samuel

1 Samuel 1

1 Samuel 2

1 Samuel 3

1 Samuel 4

1 Samuel 5

1 Samuel 6

1 Samuel 7

1 Samuel 8

1 Samuel 9

1 Samuel 10

1 Samuel 11

1 Samuel 12

1 Samuel 13

1 Samuel 14

1 Samuel 15

1 Samuel 16

1 Samuel 17

1 Samuel 18

1 Samuel 19

1 Samuel 20

1 Samuel 21

1 Samuel 22

1 Samuel 23

1 Samuel 24

1 Samuel 25

1 Samuel 26

1 Samuel 27

1 Samuel 28

1 Samuel 29

1 Samuel 30

1 Samuel 31

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 1

2 Samuel 2

2 Samuel 3

2 Samuel 4

2 Samuel 5

2 Samuel 6

2 Samuel 7

2 Samuel 8

2 Samuel 9

2 Samuel 10

2 Samuel 11

2 Samuel 12

2 Samuel 13

2 Samuel 14

2 Samuel 15

2 Samuel 16

2 Samuel 17

2 Samuel 18

2 Samuel 19

2 Samuel 20

2 Samuel 21

2 Samuel 22

2 Samuel 23

2 Samuel 24

1 Kings

1 Kings 1

1 Kings 2

1 Kings 3

1 Kings 4

1 Kings 5

1 Kings 6

1 Kings 7

1 Kings 8

1 Kings 9

1 Kings 10

1 Kings 11

1 Kings 12

1 Kings 13

1 Kings 14

1 Kings 15

1 Kings 16

1 Kings 17

1 Kings 18

1 Kings 19

1 Kings 20

1 Kings 21

1 Kings 22

2 Kings

2 Kings 1

2 Kings 2

2 Kings 3

2 Kings 4

2 Kings 5

2 Kings 6

2 Kings 7

2 Kings 8

2 Kings 9

2 Kings 10

2 Kings 11

2 Kings 12

2 Kings 13

2 Kings 14

2 Kings 15

2 Kings 16

2 Kings 17

2 Kings 18

2 Kings 19

2 Kings 20

2 Kings 21

2 Kings 22

2 Kings 23

2 Kings 24

2 Kings 25

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 1

1 Chronicles 2

1 Chronicles 3

1 Chronicles 4

1 Chronicles 5

1 Chronicles 6

1 Chronicles 7

1 Chronicles 8

1 Chronicles 9

1 Chronicles 10

1 Chronicles 11

1 Chronicles 12

1 Chronicles 13

1 Chronicles 14

1 Chronicles 15

1 Chronicles 16

1 Chronicles 17

1 Chronicles 18

1 Chronicles 19

1 Chronicles 20

1 Chronicles 21

1 Chronicles 22

1 Chronicles 23

1 Chronicles 24

1 Chronicles 25

1 Chronicles 26

1 Chronicles 27

1 Chronicles 28

1 Chronicles 29

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 1

2 Chronicles 2

2 Chronicles 3

2 Chronicles 4

2 Chronicles 5

2 Chronicles 6

2 Chronicles 7

2 Chronicles 8

2 Chronicles 9

2 Chronicles 10

2 Chronicles 11

2 Chronicles 12

2 Chronicles 13

2 Chronicles 14

2 Chronicles 15

2 Chronicles 16

2 Chronicles 17

2 Chronicles 18

2 Chronicles 19

2 Chronicles 20

2 Chronicles 21

2 Chronicles 22

2 Chronicles 23

2 Chronicles 24

2 Chronicles 25

2 Chronicles 26

2 Chronicles 27

2 Chronicles 28

2 Chronicles 29

2 Chronicles 30

2 Chronicles 31

2 Chronicles 32

2 Chronicles 33

2 Chronicles 34

2 Chronicles 35

2 Chronicles 36

Ezra

Ezra 1

Ezra 2

Ezra 3

Ezra 4

Ezra 5

Ezra 6

Ezra 7

Ezra 8

Ezra 9

Ezra 10

Nehemiah

Nehemiah 1

Nehemiah 2

Nehemiah 3

Nehemiah 4

Nehemiah 5

Nehemiah 6

Nehemiah 7

Nehemiah 8

Nehemiah 9

Nehemiah 10

Nehemiah 11

Nehemiah 12

Nehemiah 13

Esther

Esther 1

Esther 2

Esther 3

Esther 4

Esther 5

Esther 6

Esther 7

Esther 8

Esther 9

Esther 10

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The Book of

Joshua

JOSHUA 1

Reflection:

Be strong and courageous. This was the Lord’s command to Joshua, as well as to his children today.

You can be strong and courageous if you remember that the Lord is with you—he will not fail you or abandon you.

You can be strong and courageous if you study the Bible, meditating on it day and night.

You can be strong and courageous if you obey God’s Word and do not deviate from it, turning either to the right or to the left.

You can be strong and courageous, rather than afraid or discouraged, because the Lord is with you wherever you go!

JOSHUA 2

Reflection:

Rahab was a sinful woman, a prostitute, who accepted Israel’s God as the true God. Her life shows us that God can save and use anyone who turns to him for forgiveness of sin.

The scarlet rope is a picture of the saving blood of Jesus Christ. Like all who were in Rahab’s house were saved, all who are in Christ are saved. But those who are outside will be put to death. May you have courageous faith, like Rahab did, in the saving power of the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.

JOSHUA 3

Reflection:

God did it again! He made the water of the Jordan river stand up like a wall so his children could walk through it on dry land! What a powerful display of God’s love to the Israelites. His people didn’t even have to get their feet wet. The day before this miracle happened, Joshua told the people, Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you. (verse 5)

God still lives among us, and he still does miracles for his children today. But if you expect a miracle, you should purify yourself daily through repentance and prayer and live in obedience to God.

JOSHUA 4

Reflection:

The Israelites built a memorial from twelve rocks taken from the middle of the Jordan river after they crossed it. A memorial helps us to remember what happened in the past. God knows that we are forgetful and that we need his help to remember the wonderful things he has done. So God gave us the Bible, his holy Word, to read and remember and know him. But it’s not good enough to own a Bible and sit it on a shelf, we must read it to benefit from it.

We cannot see the memorial that Joshua made, but we can read about it in the Bible. May we read, know, and experience the Lord’s all-powerful hand in our lives. And may we have a healthy fear of the Lord our God forever.

JOSHUA 5

Reflection:

After Jesus was crucified and resurrected, he walked along the Emmaus road with two disciples. The Bible tells us that Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Here in the book of Joshua, we find one of those examples. The Commander of the Lord’s army who told Joshua to take off his sandals was a preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. Joshua’s response to the Lord should be our response to him—he fell with his face to the ground in reverence and said, I am at your command. What do you want your servant to do? (verse 14)

JOSHUA 6

Reflection:

Joshua believed God and told the Israelites, who also believed, what the Lord said they needed to do to capture Jericho. Because of their faith in God, they took the next step of obedience and marched around Jericho exactly as the Lord commanded—once a day for six days, and seven times on the seventh day. Faith and obedience resulted in a miracle when the walls of Jericho collapsed, and a great victory for the Israelites when they charged into the town and captured it.

The Bible says, For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. (1 John 5:4)

JOSHUA 7