The Good Book Company has produced a phenomenal series called God’s Word For You.” Tim Chester has written a set of books within this series on 1 and 2 Samuel (1 Samuel For You & 2 Samuel For You).
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“God’s Word for You” Series
The Good Book Company has produced a phenomenal series called “God’s Word For You.” This series aims to be Bible-centered, Christ-glorifying, relevantly applied, and easily readable. The volumes in this series are created (1) to read, (2) to feed, and (3) to lead. Each volume is written in such a way so that the reader may read, feed, and and/or lead. In other words, this book could be read from cover to cover, or as a daily devotional, or as a resource that assists in preparation to lead others through the study of God’s Word.
These are not technical commentaries dealing with original languages or interacting with historical and recent scholarship. However, they are verse by verse expository guides to books of the Bible. Though not intended to be exhaustive in their interaction with the text, they are nevertheless quite thorough in their treatment of each verse.
About the Author: Tim Chester
Tim Chester has written a set of books within this series on 1 and 2 Samuel (1 Samuel For You & 2 Samuel For You). They can be purchased separately or as a set. After reading many of these volumes within this series, I have greatly appreciated Chester’s contributions. He shows himself to be a wonderful pastor who rightly handles the Word of Truth. He understands people and how to minister to them, and this is evident in how he teaches through 1 and 2 Samuel. He understands the Word of God, and he also displays great wisdom in teaching and leading others to apply the Word of God to their lives.
1 & 2 Samuel For You
The volume on 1 Samuel is 13 chapters and just over 200 pages long. The 2 Samuel volume consists of 10 chapters and is just under 170 pages. Perhaps the greatest aspect of this series of books is the way in which Chester guides the reader in seeing that the Old Testament Scripture is Christian Scripture. In other words, 1 and 2 Samuel are all about Jesus Christ! Chester doesn’t attempt to unnecessarily push Christ into every passage. Instead, he helps the reader to see how much all of Scripture is actually pointing to Jesus Christ through types, shadows, prophecies, sacrifices, etc. You will see Jesus in these books, and rightly so!
Chester moves through every single verse of these two biblical books (originally one book in the Hebrew text) and doesn’t miss a beat. Again, though these are not technical or exhaustive works on these biblical books, they are exceptionally written and great for personal Bible study, group study, or for preparation to lead and teach.
It’s also worth noting that both of these volumes contain a really nifty appendix in the back that links a list of Psalms to the life of David as found in 1 and 2 Samuel. I found this to be very neat and helpful.
Layout and Content
Each chapter is divided into two parts. As one works through the chapter, each verse is found in bold (making it very easy for those who are using this as a resource to teach). There are also bold headings that help the reader to know what each section of the text is about. I also like the added touch of the indented quotes found on some of the pages.
Each chapter includes questions for reflections. Now, please hear me out at this point! Many books provide questions at the end of a chapter. I am guilty of skipping over those questions at times because of how poorly they can be written (not always practical; sometimes too easy, sometimes too complicated; etc.). Chester writes out questions that are actually helpful and useful! Don’t skip over these.
Lastly, I just want to mention that there is a glossary included at the back of the book. Every now and then, the reader will come across a word that is gray, indicating that the word is found in the glossary due to it being a word that is not used in everyday language outside of the church. This can be very helpful!
I recommend this volume within the series “God’s Word For You”. I have come to love this series, and it is because of excellent volumes like this one by Chester. Tolle Lege, take up and read!
Other Book Reviews in the “God’s Word For You” Series:
- 1 & 2 Timothy For You
- 2 Corinthians For You
- Colossians & Philemon For You
- Ephesians For You
- Exodus For You
- Galatians For You
- John For You
- Luke For You
- Philippians For You
- Psalms For You
- Revelation For You
- Romans For You
- Titus For You
Related Book Reviews by The Good Book Company:
Disclaimer: My thanks to The Good Book Company for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Matt became a joyful follower of Jesus at the age of 21. He is very grateful to be a husband to Lindsey, and a father to four boys. He is an ordained minister (teaching elder) in the PCA. He previously served as a pastor of biblical counseling and is currently a corporate chaplain in southern Delaware. Matt received his Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and holds an advanced certification in biblical counseling from the Association of Biblical Counselors. In his free time, he loves playing with his boys, traveling with his wife, and reading (and buying!) books.
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