About the Book

Book: The Bible Companion Book 8 Isaiah-Daniel Author: Karen Westbrook Moderow Genre: Non-Fiction, Bible Study Release Date: December, 2025

Are you or someone you love on the wrong path? The Bible Companion Book 8 Isaiah–Daniel helps us see both warning and hope in the messages of the prophets. A simple one-chapter-a-day format lets you engage with Scripture without the pressure of schedules, homework, or heavy reading loads. Short daily readings and thought-provoking questions connect your story to God’s Word. For personal, group, or homeschool Bible study. The Major Prophets give us perspectives of judgment that challenge our lifestyles and understanding of God. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel help us see the Lord at work in dark times. Whether you are suffering the consequences of your own sin or caught in the fallout of the choices of others, The Bible Companion Book 8 points you toward a sovereign God whose power redeems tragedies and transforms them into new beginnings.

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About the Author

KAREN WESTBROOK MODEROW is a Bible teacher and author who brings a storyteller’s perspective to Scripture. She holds master’s degrees in theology and creative writing and loves introducing others to Jesus through the stories told in God’s Word.

More from Karen

In 1997 the car my 18-year-old son Michael and four other teenagers were riding in flipped on a country road. Mike suffered a permanent traumatic brain injury. Before that night, we already knew he was in trouble. He’d been in rehab. Through his program, I’d received an education in drugs and alcohol that opened my naive eyes (and nose) to substances I’d had no experience with. Pot was the least of Mike’s problems but the pungent odor from the water pipe he used to smoke it—a bong—would permeate his clothes and tip me off that he had broken house rules once again. In a sad attempt at humor in those dark days, I became so sensitive to the smell of marijuana that I could probably tell you what country it came from. I hated the stench but more than that, I hated what it told me—that Mike didn’t respect us or the boundaries we’d set to protect him, that he was headed for tragedy, and we were powerless to stop him. This is probably how the prophets felt as they watched their beloved nations of Israel and Judah rebel against the Lord. The people in these kingdoms blatantly disregarded the laws God gave for their protection. They embraced lifestyles that brought shame to His name and His house. God warned that the path they were on would lead to famine, war, disease, and deportation but they ignored Him even though He described judgment in detail. He named names, times, places. To no avail. Would Mike have changed his ways if I had been able to see into the future and describe the car accident, the excruciating physical rehab, the permanent mental and physical impairments, and the loneliness he would suffer? Probably not. At least that is what he tells me. (He has given me permission to share his story.) So why wouldn’t he listen? The prophets tell us that sin blinds people to the consequences of their actions. So, if sinners cannot take the truth to heart, why did God give us the books of prophecy? Second Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” There’s always a chance someone will listen. Pain gets the attention of saint and sinner alike. The prophetic books do warn those on the wrong path, but they also encourage godly people who are caught up in the judgment of the wicked. Anyone who lost a loved one to addiction or drained family resources to give someone a chance at a new life knows what I mean. Mike required 24-hour care after he was discharged from the hospital. My husband Joe and I built an apartment in our walk-out basement for him. Mike had a caregiver during the day. My younger son David (a high-school junior), my husband Joe and I shared duties at night. We had no elevator. We could walk down the stairs to Mike but for him to join us on the upper level required pushing him up a steep ramp outside. Having dinner together took monumental effort. In winter, it meant dressing Mike warmly then one of us had to don a heavy coat, hat, and gloves, and roll him up the ramp. After dinner, we’d reverse the process. One night I decided to fix my signature spaghetti dinner and serve it downstairs, thinking it might be a better solution. It was a disaster from beginning to end. Joe and David were not home yet, and Mike’s caregiver was gone for the day. I was on my own. As I wore myself out with multiple trips up and down the stairs—setting the table, bringing down salad, bread, and drinks—the spaghetti sauce burned. I felt sick looking at the charred flecks bubbling up through the gravy that I had nursed for over three hours. Still, I refused to give up. I ladled sauce over hot pasta and hoped for the best. At last, the family gathered around the small table downstairs, held hands, and gave thanks. David took the first bite then sat straight up. “Mom,” he said, “what’s up with the spaghetti? It tastes like bong water!” Michael laughed hysterically. I burst into tears. I don’t know what all I said. I sobbed through a litany of frustrations about the dinner and my failures as a wife, mother, caregiver, and person. To put it politely, I was inconsolable. David put his arms around me and said, “Dad, I’m going to put Mom to bed.” Joe—wide eyed because I’d never lost it like this before—nodded and quietly gathered up the plates. David led me upstairs and tucked me in bed like I was a two-year old. It was oddly comforting. He closed the door softly behind him and then I cried it out. Bong water? To have my cooking compared to the symbol of the rebellion that had led us to this point was too much. I wasn’t just upset over a ruined meal—I was overcome by exhaustion from a journey that I had not asked for. A journey I had done everything to divert Mike from. A journey that was far from over. It is precisely when we realize we’re in a difficult place for the long haul that we most need the message God gives through the prophets. He says, “Don’t give up, pain doesn’t last forever. Cry, I hear you. Rest, I’ll restore you. Trust me, I will take care of you. I am using this tragedy to prove myself to you and everyone watching you.” It took a while before I could believe it, but God keeps His word. I found that out the hard way. Ever so-often when I fix spaghetti (still a family favorite) one of us will bring up the bong water incident. Today, we can laugh about it because in the intervening years, Mike has come to the Lord, and God has sustained our family with miracle after miracle. Thinking about burned spaghetti sauce no longer brings tears because what God has done has stripped that moment of its power. The despair I felt then has been redeemed. That dinner is now a memory that binds our family together. It reminds us how far we’ve come and how faithful God is. That’s what the books of the prophets will do for us. If God can redeem that stubborn, sinful people, He can redeem us. If He can give them a future, He can do the same for us. The Lord transforms tragedy into triumph. Every time. For believers, bong water is never the end of the story.

Interview with the Author

Why do you think the topic of your book is important?

The Bible Companion Book 8 helps readers work through the Major Prophets. These are books of warning. They confront the reality that everyone—even believers—are prone to wander from God’s ways.

Why do you think this topic is needed?

We live in a time that celebrates our right to determine our own truth. The prophets challenge that presumption. They affirm what God says in Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” The prophetic books stand as a giant stop sign posted at the top of a cliff. They point out the disasters that await those who rebel against God. But walk away from that cliff and we see other signs—signs that show us the way of life. Today, people need to know not only what is wrong with how they’re living but how knowing God can change their lives and change them.

What is your favorite hymn and why?

Oh, I have many favorites. I love “Great is Thy Faithfulness” because God’s faithfulness is the only reason any of us have a relationship with Him. But a hymn that has gotten me through many difficult times is “Draw Me Nearer.”

What is your favorite verse and why?

I have to takes verses 4 and 2 together. Verse 4 says, “There are depths of love that I cannot know till I cross the narrow sea; there are heights of joy that I may not reach till I rest in peace with Thee.” These words remind me that all I long for may not be realized in this world. If I expect people to give me a pure and perfect love, I will be disappointed. Only God can do that. I cope with that reality by offering myself to Jesus. Verse 2 says, “Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord, by the pow’r of grace divine; let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, and my will be lost in Thine.” The only way we can live in this world with hope and purpose is by drawing near to the Lord.

Do you have a favorite Puritan? If so, who and why would you choose them?

John Bunyan. His book, Pilgrim’s Progress, an allegory of the Christian life. Using visual images, he awakens us to Satan’s schemes. His allegories embed spiritual realities into our hearts so we can access their lessons when we experience both trials and victories. His stories inspire us to be watchful and persevere. (C.S. Lewis does a similar thing with Screwtape Letters). However, I chose Bunyan because of his life story. He was arrested for preaching the gospel in 1659. (King Charles II forbid anyone but Anglican clergy to preach.) After serving three months in prison, authorities offered to release Bunyan provided he agreed to stop preaching. He famously said, “If I am freed today, I will preach tomorrow.” He spent twelve and a half years in prison, was released then arrested again three years later. During this second imprisonment he wrote “Pilgrim’s Progress.” Bunyon reminds me of Paul who penned much of the gospel in prison. They make me think about the cost of following Jesus. Such powerful works are almost always born in times of great distress. As an author, I’d love to have their impact but am I willing to pay the price?