Bible Biography Series (27 vols.)

Joseph had such a varied life, yet in every situation he shows us how to live uprightly and faithfully for God. This great patriarch of character stands nearly alone in Scripture in his excellent conduct, for few men in the Scripture give such a great example of godly living as Joseph does. Butler examines Joseph's life and character in the following chapters:

• Joseph the Son
• Joseph the Slave
• Joseph the Scandal
• Joseph the Seer
• Joseph the Statesman
• Joseph the Stranger
• Joseph the Shepherd
• Joseph the Superior
• Joseph the Saint
• Joseph the Savior

Unlike most prophetic books in the Bible, Jonah is mostly narrative. It does not contain lengthy prophetic messages, but rather it is a record of events—dramatic, action-packed events. The lessons it teaches can effect one for eternity! Butler examines Jonah in the following chapters:

• Duty
• Disobedience
• Disturbance
• Detection
• Dialogue
• Debarkation
• Disbelief
• Devotions
• Declarations
• Directives
• Dedication
• Decisions
• Displeasure
• Denunciation

In the preface to Elijah: The Prophet of Confrontation, Butler writes "Though 'a man subject to like passions as we are' (James 5:17), Elijah excelled in dedication far beyond all of us; and his whirlwind trip to glory was a fitting crown for a life wholly given to serving God. You cannot read Elijah honestly and come away without being inspired to new heights of holy living and service." Butler examines Elijah in the following chapters:

• The Weather
• The Wadi
• The Widow
• The Weeping
• The Wanderers
• The Wavering
• The Water
• The Warrant
• The Wilderness
• The Wicked
• The Wounded
• The Whirlwind
• The Writing

Miracles were a hallmark of Elisha's ministry. People from all strata of society benefited from his ministry, which was done in times of great apostasy. As Butler writes: "So it is possible to live faithfully for God and do great things for God even when times are bad—Elisha's life proves that fact well." Butler examines Elisha in the following chapters:

• The Call
• The Commitment
• The Commencement
• The Curing
• The Cursing
• The Conquest
• The Cruet
• The Chamber
• The Child
• The Caldron
• The Contribution
• The Captain
• The Coveter
• The Chopper
• The Conspiracies
• The Calamity
• The Coincidence
• The Cutthroat
• The Coronation
• The Challenge
• The Cemetery

"Gideon's great and inspiring work of delivering Israel from the Midianites was like a meteor racing across the sky—brilliant and spectacular indeed—but lasting only a few moments." Butler examines the inspirational story of Gideon and his out-numbered army in the following chapters:

• Ruin
• Revelation
• Reformation
• Ratification
• Reduction
• Reassurance
• Rout
• Rancor
• Retribution
• Requests
• Relapse

"We need more than ever the warning lessons from the life of this strong but weak judge of Israel," writes Butler in the Preface to Samson: The Weak Strong Man. Butler examines the life of Samson in the following chapters:

• Retrogression
• Revelation
• Romance
• Rebel
• Riddle
• Retaliation
• Ropes
• Revived
• Roving
• Razor
• Revenge

The outstanding salient features of John the Baptist which this book focuses upon include such things as his miracle birth, his disciplined and self-denial living, his challenging preaching to the multitudes, his practice of baptism from which he got his name, and his great delight in and devotion to Jesus Christ. Butler examines the life of John the Baptist in the following chapters:

• Background
• Biography
• Birth
• Beginnings
• Baptizing
• Behold
• Believers
• Belligerents
• Bound
• Beheaded
• Bouquets

Changed from a sinner to a saint and from a fisherman to an apostle, an outspoken leader of the twelve disciples, and a mighty man of God who so ably led the church in its crucial early days, Peter makes for a most instructive, inspiring, and interesting study. Butler examines Peter in the following chapters:

• The Conversion
• The Call
• The Curing
• The Cruise
• The Confessions
• The Comments
• The Coin
• The Collapse
• The Confirmations
• The Catch
• The Commission
• The Choice
• The Commencing
• The Cripple
• The Confinement
• The Couple
• The Church
• The Committee
• The Comforting
• The Change
• The Chains

The study of Abraham's life will not only be an instructive and rewarding experience in seeing many Gospel truths, but it will also be a very helpful experience in learning how to walk the life of faith in God's Word; for the Gospel not only involves the saving of the soul, but it also involves a new walk of faith," writes Butler in the Preface to Abraham: The Father of the Jews. Butler examines Abraham's extraordinary life in the following chapters:

• Summons from God
• Sojourning in Egypt
• Separation from Lot
• Soldiership of Abraham
• Sovereigns and Abraham
• Sureties for Promises
• Scheme of Sarah
• Speaking with God
• Strangers from Heaven
• Shame in Gerar
• Son of Promise
• Summit with Abimelech
• Sacrificing of Isaac
• Sepulcher for Sarah
• Spouse for Isaac
• Servant of Abraham
• Sunset of Life

While writing the book on Abraham for the Bible Biography Series, Butler realized the material found in Genesis 19, and the story of Lot, deserved their own book-length treatment. Butler examines Lot in the following chapters:

• Development of Lot
• Departure from Abraham
• Deportation of Sodom
• Delegation from Heaven
• Debauchery of Sodom
• Declaration about Sodom
• Deliverance of Lot
• Destruction of Sodom
• Dame of Lot
• Daughters of Lot

"When it was time, in the gracious plan of God, to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world," writes Butler, "Paul was the special instrument chosen by God to lead the way in world missions." Butler examines one of the most important figures in the Bible, Paul, in the following chapters:

• Persecutor of Believers
• Power of God
• Preparations for Service
• Placement in Service
• Première of Missions
• Preaching in Pisidia
• Polarization in Iconium
• Problems in Lystra
• Proceeding to Completion
• Polemics about Legalism
• Parting from Barnabas
• Plan of God
• Prisoners in Philippi
• Propagating in Thessalonica
• Prudence in Berea
• Paganism in Athens
• Parish of Corinth
• Proclaiming in Ephesus
• Pandemonium in Ephesus
• Pursuing the Plan
• Pausing to Instruct
• Persisting about Jerusalem
• Purification in Jerusalem
• Plea before Troublemakers
• Provoking the Sanhedrin
• Protection from Conspiracy
• Performance before Felix
• Protesting before Festus
• Profession before Agrippa
• Peril at Sea
• Prominence in Melita
• Passing to Rome

Moses, the great emancipator of Israel, is one of the most prominent characters in the Old Testament. And although, like Elijah, he "was a man subject to like passions as we are" (James 5:17), his story encourages us that we, too, can by faith accomplish great things for God. Butler examines Moses in the following chapters:

• Slavery in Egypt
• Son of Destiny
• Separation from Pharaoh
• Shrub on Fire
• Summoned to Service
• Shrinking from Service
• Submitting to Service
• Stirring up Pharaoh
• Support from God
• Snakes and Rods
• Smiting of Egypt
• Slaying the Firstborn
• Starting to Canaan
• Sea of Deliverance
• Song of Victory
• Sweetening the Bitter Water
• Sending the Manna
• Shortage of Water
• Strife with Amalek
• Sojourn of Jethro
• Statutes for Israel
• Sanctuary of God
• Sin of Idolatry
• Speaking with God
• Second Sinai Session
• Series of Complaints
• Shutting out Miriam
• Spying of Canaan
• Sedition of Korah
• Striking the Rock
• Serpent of Brass
• Settlement of Gilead
• Sepulcher in Moab

"He [Joshua] was one of the greatest leaders Israel ever had and led them both as a military leader and as a statesman," Butler writes in the Preface of Joshua: The Conqueror of Canaan "In both positions, he excelled as few men before or after him." Butler examines Joshua in the following chapters:

• Called of God
• Commencement of Duty
• Checking out Jericho
• Crossing the Jordan
• Consecration for Combat
• Conquest of Jericho
• Corruption in Israel
• Conflict with Ai
• Craftiness of Gibeon
• Campaign for Gibeon
• Conquering the North
• Completing the Task
• Counsel for Israel

Butler's study of Samuel shows a man who was "a tower of spiritual strength, steadfast in his loyalty to God, and a great example and encouragement for all the saints of God." Butler examines Samuel in the following chapters:

• Conceived in Prayer
• Consecrated to God
• Called of God
• Crusade Against Philistia
• Change of Government
• Choosing a King
• Coronation of Saul
• Cancelling Saul's Kingdom
• Condemning Saul Again
• Commissioning of David
• Counseling in Death

Butler examines the life of David in the following chapters:

• Anointed as King
• Assignment with Harp
• Assaulting the Giant
• Attendants of Success
• Archenemy Plots Murder
• Arrows of Destiny
• Absurdities of Behavior
• Adjusting to Adversity
• Assisting at Keilah
• Avoiding the Archenemy
• Against Assassinating Saul (I)
• Affront from Nabal
• Against Assassinating Saul (II)
• Abiding in Philistia
• Avenging Ziklag's Destruction
• Addressing Saul's Death
• Ascending the Throne
• Aggravations for David
• Assassination of Rival
• Acknowledged by All
• Advancing the Kingdom
• Acquiring the Ark
• Aspiring Temple Builder
• Achievements in Conquest
• Altruism for Mephibosheth
• Abuse from Ammon
• Adultery with Bathsheba
• Arraigned for Sinning
• Atrocities Strike Family
• Acceptance of Absalom
• Abandoning of Jerusalem
• Attacked by Absalom
• Aftermath of War
• Afflicted by Famine
• Accursed for Numbering
• Authorizing a Successor

"Nehemiah will always be associated with the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem," writes Butler in the Preface of his biography on Nehemiah. Butler also examines Nehemiah's piousness, his battle against sin within Judah, his great leadership skills, and more in the following chapters:

• Conditions in Israel
• Communing with God
• Commission for Nehemiah
• Commencing the Venture
• Constructing the Walls
• Contempt from Enemies
• Conspiracy for Warfare
• Confronted by Greed
• Crafty Invitations Refused
• Completion of Walls
• Catalog of Genealogies
• Contemplating the Word
• Confessions of Sin
• Covenant with God
• City Population Changes
• Consecrating the Walls
• Contending with Evil

"If one is going to understand the history of the nation of Israel correctly and adequately, he must study Jacob's life..." writes Butler in the Preface to Jacob: The Sower and Reaper. Butler examines the inspirational life of Jacob in the following chapters:

• Birth
• Birthright
• Beguiler
• Backlash
• Bethel
• Befriended
• Brides
• Begetting
• Bargaining
• Breakup
• Burden
• Brother
• Brutality
• Betterment
• Beloved
• Bread
• Bestowal
• Benedictions
• Burial

"The books of II Kings, II Chronicles, and Isaiah all give a record of Hezekiah's time as king over Judah... and despite his prominence in Scripture and the many great lessons his life gives, he is not given much attention by the Church." Butler's biography examines the life of Hezekiah in the following chapters:

• Sovereign of Judah
• Sanctifying the Temple
• Services of Worship
• Scheduling the Passover
• Supervising more Reforms
• Sennacherib Invades Judah
• Speeches of Propaganda
• Seeking the Prophet
• Sennacherib's Evil Letter
• Sickness of Body
• Showing off Wealth

Why is the title of this book Mordecai and not Esther? Butler answers this question and delves into the life of Mordecai in the following chapters:

• Carousing in the Palace
• Choosing a New Queen
• Conspiracy Against the King
• Campaign Against the Jews
• Counsel for the Queen
• Coming to the King
• Contempt Fifty Cubits High
• Compensation for Loyal Deed
• Condemning the Jews' Enemy
• Countering the Evil Campaign
• Conquest by the Jews
• Commencing of Purim Days
• Celebrity in the Land

Butler's examines the life of Ruth as a life story, a love story, a historical story, and most importantly, a religious story, in the following chapters:

• Ruin
• Resolve
• Return
• Reaping
• Recompense
• Report
• Rest
• Romance
• Redemption
• Rejoicing

Focusing on the "practical" and not the "prophetic" holy life of Daniel, Butler examines Daniel in the following chapters:

• Conquered
• Chosen
• Convictions
• Contest
• Conclusion
• Crisis
• Capability
• Colossus
• Compensation
• Convocation
• Condemnation
• Conflagration
• Consternation
• Counsel
• Crazy
• Carousing
• Chirography
• Communication
• Conspiracy
• Consecration
• Cruelty
• Crowns
• Conquerors
• Confession
• Calendar
• Commencement
• Consummation

Solomon was blessed with wisdom and wealth, and the building of the great Temple exemplified a man of great faith. But how could a man be led astray that had so much in his favor? Butler examines the rise and fall of Solomon in the following chapters:

• Child of Bathsheba
• Coronation for Throne
• Charge from David
• Conniving of Adonijah
• Clemency for Abiathar
• Condemnation of Joab
• Confinement of Shimei
• Choice at Gebeon
• Complaint about Babies
• Conducting the Government
• Construction of Temple
• Conveying the Ark
• Consecration of Temple
• Communication from God
• Chronicles of Royalty
• Curiosity of Queen
• Catalogue of Wealth
• Corrupted by Women
• Chastening for Evil
• Conclusion of Life

"Noah's life is a great inspiration for all of God's people," Butler writes in the preface to Noah: The Ark Builder. "He lived a holy life in spite of the fact that almost everyone around him was living an unholy life." Butler examines the life of Noah in the following chapters:

• The Defilement Around Noah
• The Declaration for Noah
• The Duty of Noah
• The Deliverance for Noah
• The Deluge of Noah
• The Drying for Noah
• The Debarkation of Noah
• The Devotion of Noah
• The Decrees for Noah
• The Drunkenness of Noah

To help understand the character of Job, Butler breaks the book of Job into five parts: the character of God, the cause of suffering, the cousel of Job's friends, the criticism of God, and the confessions of Job. He then examines the life of Job in the following chapters:

• PART 1: THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF JOB

• The Assets of Job
• The Accusation Against Job
• The Atrocities for Job
• The Affliction for Job

• PART 2: THE COMFORTERS FOR JOB

• The Coming of the Comforters
• The Complaint for the Comforters

• PART 3: THE COUNSEL FOR JOB (FIRST ROUND)

• The Rhetoric of Eliphaz
• The Response of Job to Eliphaz
• The Rhetoric of Bildad
• The Response of Job to Bildad
• The Rhetoric of Zophar
• The Response of Job to Zophar

• PART 4: THE COUNSEL FOR JOB (SECOND ROUND)

• The Rhetoric of Eliphaz
• The Response of Job to Eliphaz
• The Rhetoric of Bildad
• The Response of Job to Bildad
• The Rhetoric of Zophar
• The Response of Job to Zophar

• PART 5: THE COUNSEL FOR JOB (THIRD ROUND)

• The Rhetoric of Eliphaz
• The Response of Job to Eliphaz
• The Rhetoric of Bildad
• The Response of Job to Bildad
• The Rebuttal by Job
• The Rhetoric of Elihu

• PART 6: THE CONCLUSION FOR JOB

• The Remonstrating by God
• The Results of the Trial

Son of Abraham and father to Jacob, Isaac is one of the three great patriarchs of the Jewish nation. Butler explores Genesis 26 and the life of Isaac in the following chapters:

• The Birth of Isaac
• The Belittling of Isaac
• The Burnt Offering for Isaac
• The Bride for Isaac
• The Boys of Isaac
• The Backsliding of Isaac
• The Battles of Isaac
• The Beguiling of Isaac
• The Burial of Isaac

Butler examines Saul's life as the first King of Israel, and the tragic consequences that befall him as a result of rejecting God, in the following chapters:

• Demand
• Donkeys
• Disclosure
• Decision
• Defender
• Dominion
• Decline
• Decree
• Disobedience
• David
• Distemper
• Duel
• Displeasure
• Daughters
• Dissuasion
• Deception
• Determination
• Disloyalty
• Doeg
• Disdain
• Deliverance I
• Deliverance II
• Disguised
• Death

Butler explores Hebrews 11, "Faith's Hall of Fame," a chapter written to encourage us "that no matter who you are or what your situation is, you can and should live by faith." Butler examines these heroes of the faith in the following chapters:

• Faith: Its Consequences
• Abel: His Communication
• Enoch: His Conveyance
• Noah: His Construction
• Abraham: His Calling
• Sarah: Her Childbearing
• These: Their Country
• Abraham: His Commitment
• Isaac: His Consignings
• Jacob: His Consecration
• Joseph: His Command
• Amram and Jochebed: Their Child
• Moses: His Choices
• Moses: His Courage
• Moses: His Compliance
• Israelites: Their Crossing
• Israelites: Their Compassing
• Rahab: Her Cordiality
• Faith: Its Conquests
• Faith: Its Costliness
• Faith: Its Compensation