The Bible — Episode 2: Homeland - The Presbyterian Lay Committee

By the Rev. Mary Holder Naegeli

In my quest for enrichment material to aid my Bible teaching, I am watching with interest a dramatic rendition of the Bible in ten hours of television. The second installment in History Channel’s five-part miniseries The Bible covers the period in Israel’s history from the conquest of Jericho (from the book of Joshua) through King David’s later reign (through 2 Samuel 12). We witness in vivid and violent detail four main chapters in Israel’s life:

Conquest of Jericho (the two Israelite spies, Rahab’s help and redemption, the fall of Jericho’s walls, the taking of the city)
Period of the Judges (the Philistine threat, Samson’s rise in resistance, Delilah’s role in Samson’s demise)
The Era of Kings (the people looking to Samuel for a king, the anointing of Saul, Saul’s disobedience and the consequences, the rise of David and his friendship with Saul’s son Jonathan, David as a loyal king-in-waiting ministering to Saul, Saul’s paranoia and jealousy, Saul’s demise at his own hand after Jonathan’s fall in battle).
David’s ascension to the throne of Israel (victory over Goliath, short glimpse into his years-long success, the capture of Jerusalem, the encounter with Bathsheba, the cover-up including Uriah’s murder, Nathan’s rebuke, the birth of Solomon, the postponement of temple building to Solomon’s reign).