When people read the Bible, they may be surprised to find shocking stories of wickedness mixed with stories of great faith, sometimes in the very same people. In other words, it contains stories of people like us. Judges reports on the chaotic situation in Israel after the death of Joshua during which a series of deliverers rescued God’s people time and time again from self-inflicted problems. At the end of the book, things spiraled out of control, but this failure reveals the main point of the book. In the end, the judges could not have lasting success but were signposts pointing forward to the answer to their failures and ours.
The Thessalonian Christians show us what it looks like to live out God’s grace under persecution.
In his greeting, Paul previewed coming attractions in the rest of the letter, including the main event of Christ’s humiliation and exaltation.
In the famous story of Daniel in the lions’ den, we learn about being blameless and see again that God reigns and rescues.
