In the Beginning

In the beginning, God created our world—the sun and moon and stars and planets, even the earth. God created the plants, the trees, and the beautiful landscape. He created all creatures—those that live in the water, those that fly in the air, and all creatures that live on the ground. As His final act of creation, God created the first man and woman in His own image. He placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, a wonderful place to live.

Sadly, there was a crafty snake in the garden. Satan spoke through the snake in the garden in order to deceive Eve. Then she and Adam disobeyed God.

Noah and the Ark

The descendants of Adam and Eve multiplied. However, many people began doing bad things. This made God very sad, because the people’s actions it impossible for them to enjoy the loving and happy lives that God had intended. But God found one good man. His name was Noah. God told Noah about the flood He was planning to send. He told Noah to build a huge boat. Noah and his three sons built the boat just the way God had told them.

Then it began to rain. It rained for forty days and forty nights without stopping! The whole world was covered with water. Only Noah and the others in the boat were left.

A Tower to Reach Heaven

For many years after Noah's death, the people multiplied, and they all spoke the same language. At one time, they gathered in a valley and devised a plan:

"Let's build a city and a great tower that will reach all the way to heaven!" In their pride, they wanted to build a tower to show how great and powerful they were. But God was displeased with this plan, and to put a stop to this, He confused their language.

Very soon, they were no longer able to understand one another and the work on the tower stopped. The people left the area and the great tower was left unfinished.

From Shepherd to Slave to Ruler

When Joseph was a teen, his brothers sold him into slavery because they were jealous of him. Joseph was then taken to Egypt and later thrown in prison. However, years later Pharaoh had two dreams that his wise men could not interpret. When Joseph interpreted the dreams, Pharaoh put him in charge over all Egypt. As such, Joseph was able to save Egypt, his family, and much of the region from a seven-year famine.

Moses

After Joseph died, his relatives stayed in Egypt. They and their descendants continued to live there for many years and had many children. They were called the Israelites.

After hundreds of years, the Egyptians no longer remembered Joseph and all he had done to help them. The Pharaoh who was ruling Egypt at that time made the Israelites slaves to the Egyptians.

Moses led the Israelites out of their bondage as slaves in Egypt. Through him God gave the Israelites the first five books of the Bible.

Ruth, a Young Woman from Moab

After Naomi's husband and two sons died in Moab she decided to return to her homeland, Israel. Naomi suggested to both of her daughters-in-law that they should stay in their own country but one daughter-in-law, Ruth, chose to go with Naomi. They arrived in Bethlehem during the harvest season and because they were poor, Ruth went to pick up grain left behind after the men had harvested the fields. There one day she met Boaz, a land owner and a relative of Naomi.

Boaz and Ruth decided to get married. Their son, Obed, was the grandfather of King David. Eventually, Boaz and Ruth became ancestors of Jesus, God’s Son.

“Speak, Lord, Your Servant is Listening”

Little Samuel served the Lord by helping Eli the priest. One night, while he was sleeping, Samuel heard a voice calling him. He woke up and ran to where Eli slept. "Here I am," he said, because he thought that Eli had called him. But Eli said, "I didn't call you. Go back to bed." Two more times Samuel heard the same voice and ran to see Eli. Eli then realized that God wanted to talk to Samuel, and told Samuel how to respond the next time he heard the voice. When God called Samuel again, he answered, "Speak, Lord, I’m listening". God then spoke to Samuel with an important message.

When Samuel grew up, he became one of Israel’s greatest prophets.

A Shepherd Boy and a Giant

While King Saul of Israel was fighting against the Philistines, a giant soldier of the Philistines' army came and defied the Israelite army. "Send a man who dares to fight me," said Goliath, the giant. "If he kills me, we will be your servants. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves!" No one in King Saul's army dared answer the challenge. Unexpectedly, a young shepherd boy spoke up and said, "I'll do it." This young boy bravely faced the fierce giant armed with only a sling and a few stones. "You come with a sword and a spear and a shield," the boy cried. "But I come in the name of the Lord God who will give me the victory!" And God did! The name of the young shepherd was David, who later became the king of Israel.

Solomon

After many years, David died, and his son Solomon began to rule over Israel. God asked Solomon what he wanted most. When Solomon asked for wisdom, God was pleased and made him the wisest man in the world.

Solomon built the Temple for which his father David had planned. People now worshiped God and offered sacrifices to him at the Temple instead of at the Tent of Meeting. Solomon blessed the people and said, "Praise the Lord! He has kept his promise and given us peace. May the Lord help us to always obey Him."

The Prophet Daniel

Many years after the rule of King David and King Solomon, a young prophet named Jeremiah gave a warning from God that the Babylonian army was approaching. The Babylonians laid siege to the city of Jerusalem, taking some of the people captive, and eventually conquering and burning the city.

Amongst the captives taken to Babylon was a young boy named Daniel. Despite his captivity, Daniel was greatly used by God. At one point, God used him to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar's dream, foretelling the future. Daniel also received amazing visions from God of events to come.

Brave and Beautiful Queen Esther

After the Babylonian Empire faded from history, a new power arose—the empire of the Medes and the Persians. During the rule of King Ahasuerus, there lived a Jewish man named Mordecai in the capital, Shushan. In Mordecai's care was Esther, his uncle's daughter, whom he had adopted after the death of her parents.

Esther was a young Jewish girl when she caught the eye of the Persian king. After becoming queen, Esther risked her life to save her people when the king's corrupt minister, Haman, ordered all the Jews in the kingdom to be put to death.

The Runaway Prophet

God instructed Jonah to deliver a message of warning to the city of Nineveh. But Jonah didn't want to do this. Instead of going to Nineveh, he boarded a ship sailing in the opposite direction. Soon a terrible storm arose at sea. The terrified sailors suspected that their problem had something to do with Jonah. Jonah told them that they should throw him overboard and that God would then stop the storm.

Once Jonah had been thrown into the sea, the storm ceased, but God hadn't forgotten about Jonah and sent a big fish to swallow him. After three days and three nights, the fish spat Jonah out on dry land and Jonah did what God had asked him.

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Art and text adapted from original creations by Didier Martin. Used by permission.