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Stories, Genesis to Revelation
23 storiesExile and Return
Daniel 1
Daniel and the King's TableTaken far from home to be trained in the king of Babylon's palace, young Daniel is given a new name, a new language and the king's own food. He decides there is one line he will not cross, and asks for a ten-day test.
Daniel 2
The King's Impossible DreamThe king of Babylon demands that his wise men tell him not only what his dream means, but what he dreamed. No one can. Daniel and his friends pray, and God reveals a great statue and a stone that becomes a mountain.
Daniel 3
The Fiery FurnaceWhen the music plays, everyone in Babylon must bow to the king's golden statue. Three young men stay standing. Thrown into a blazing furnace, they are seen walking in the fire, and they are not alone.
Daniel 5
The Writing on the WallAt a royal feast, King Belshazzar drinks from the holy cups taken from God's temple. Suddenly a hand appears and writes on the palace wall. Only the aged Daniel can read the message: the king has been weighed and found wanting.
Esther 1–2
Esther Becomes QueenIn the dazzling court of the Persian king, a queen is sent away and an orphaned Jewish girl named Esther is chosen to take her place, while her cousin Mordecai quietly saves the king's life.
Esther 3–5
For Such a Time as ThisWhen proud Haman plots to destroy every Jew in the Persian Empire, Queen Esther must decide whether to risk her life by walking uninvited into the king's presence.
Esther 6–10
The Fall of HamanA sleepless night, a forgotten good deed and a queen's brave words turn everything upside down: proud Haman falls, Mordecai is honoured, and sorrow becomes the joy of Purim.
Ezra 1–3
Coming Home: The Return from ExileAfter long years of exile in Babylon, God moves the Persian king Cyrus to send the exiles home, and as the foundation of a new temple is laid in Jerusalem, shouts of joy and tears of memory rise together.
Nehemiah 1–6
Nehemiah Rebuilds the WallsA Persian king's cupbearer hears that Jerusalem lies in ruins, and with prayer, planning and a trowel in one hand and a sword close by, he leads the people to rebuild the city walls in just fifty-two days.
Nehemiah 8
Ezra Reads the LawWith Jerusalem's walls rebuilt, the whole city gathers to hear Ezra read God's law from dawn to noon; the people weep, and are told that the joy of the Lord is their strength.
Ezra 3:8–13
Shouts and WeepingBack from exile in Babylon, God's people lay the foundation of a new temple in Jerusalem. Trumpets sound and the young shout for joy, while the old, who remember Solomon's temple, weep aloud. No one can tell the two sounds apart.
Ezra 8:21–36
No Soldiers on the RoadEzra is about to lead families and a fortune in gold and silver across hundreds of miles of dangerous road. He has told the Persian king that God protects those who seek him, so he is too embarrassed to ask for soldiers. The travellers fast and pray instead.
Nehemiah 1–2:8
The Cupbearer's PrayerIn the Persian palace at Susa, the king's cupbearer Nehemiah hears that Jerusalem's walls lie broken. He weeps, fasts and prays for months. Then, when the king asks why he looks so sad, he sends up one more quick prayer and makes his request.
Lamentations 3:19–33
New Every MorningIn the ruins of Jerusalem, a grieving poet pours out his sorrow. Then, in the middle of the darkness, he remembers something that gives him hope: the Lord's mercies are new every morning.
Ezekiel 3:1–21
The WatchmanAmong the exiles in Babylon, the priest Ezekiel is told to eat a scroll, and it tastes as sweet as honey. Then God makes him a watchman, whose job is to warn his people faithfully, whether they listen or not.
Ezekiel 10; 43:1–5
The Glory Leaves and ReturnsIn a vision, Ezekiel watches the glory of God rise from the temple in Jerusalem and leave by the east gate. Nineteen years later he sees it come back from the east and fill God's house again.
Ezekiel 36:24–28
A New HeartAfter news arrives that Jerusalem has fallen, God gives Ezekiel a promise for the exiles: he will gather them home, wash them clean, take out their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh and his own Spirit.
Ezekiel 47:1–12
The River from the TempleIn a vision, Ezekiel sees water trickling from under the temple door. It grows deeper and deeper into a river that flows down to the Dead Sea and brings it to life, with fruit trees for food and leaves for healing.
Haggai 1
Consider Your WaysThe exiles have come home and built fine houses, but God's temple still lies in ruins. The prophet Haggai asks them to think hard about their ways, and the whole people gets up to build.
Zechariah 2
A City Without WallsIn a night vision, the prophet Zechariah sees a young man setting out to measure Jerusalem. An angel stops him: God's city will be too full of people for walls, and God himself will be its wall of fire.
Zechariah 8:1–8
Children Playing in the StreetsTo a half-empty, half-rebuilt Jerusalem, God promises a future full of ordinary joy: old people resting in the squares and boys and girls playing in the streets.
Malachi 3:6–12
Test Me in ThisThe people have been holding back their gifts to God and wondering why life feels so thin. Through Malachi, God invites them to return, bring the whole tithe, and watch him open the windows of heaven.
Malachi 3:13–18
The Book of RemembranceSome people in Judah say serving God is pointless, because proud people seem to do better. But when the faithful talk together about the Lord, God listens and has their names written in a book.