Welcome to Volume 2 of a 5-volume collection of devotional thoughts from the Old Testament. Morning Conversations on The Rise and Fall of Kings and Kingdoms takes the reader through nine books of biblical history. Once again, I invite you to join with me in a fresh devotional read through the pages of the Old Testament text. My goal in writing is not to exhaustively interpret, translate, or provide full commentary on every chapter of the Old Testament, but to help you engage with the text and perhaps draw some meaningful application for each day. I have discovered a number of fascinating ways the truth of God's Word leaps off the page and into my heart. It is my hope that some of my reflections will help you with your discovery of scripture and the role of faith in your life. I use the word "Conversations" with great intentionality. I think Bible study should happen that way. God is revealed to us through God's story, and then we reflect and offer back to God the thoughts of our hearts. It is a conversation... a back-and-forth dialogue. Conversations invite us to ponder, reflect, inquire, learn, and grow. As you read through these volumes, my hope is that you will take the time, not to simply read what I have written, but to reflect with me on what the ancients have written. Let me challenge you each morning to take a moment to read the suggested focus chapter from a trusted translation before you dive into the words I have written. Read and reflect. As you make your way through this book, and the other volumes in the set, you will discover a lot of my life story written into these pages. But more importantly, I hope you will discover a lot about God's story... the one carefully crafted and preserved for you. For in hearing God's story, you will hear the echoing refrain of God's desire to know you, to love you, and to redeem you. Welcome to the conversation. Morning Conversations Volumes 1-5 Morning Conversations on the Creation of a People and Place is the first volume of a set that follows the natural order of the Old Testament canon, and spans the Biblical narrative from the opening chapter of Genesis to the end of the book of Ruth. Morning Conversations on the Rise and Fall of Kings and Kingdoms continues the orderly progression, spanning the books of 1 Samuel through Esther. Morning Conversations on the Wisdom of the Ages covers all five books of wisdom literature from Job to the Song of Solomon. Morning Conversations on the Prophetic Word wraps up the Old Testament with a look at the books of prophecy, covering both the Major and Minor prophets, Isaiah through Malachi. Additionally, Morning Conversations on the New Testament is the final volume of this collection, offering perspective from each chapter of the New Testament.