Why I Take the Bible Literally

Why I Take the Bible Literally

There is perhaps no other book that has had as great an influence on society as the Bible. It is a priceless collection of love songs, poems, epic plays, tragedies, and devotionals. The Old Testament is largely the story of the history of the Jewish people and God’s dealings with them while the New Testament records the birth of the Christian church.

In the pages of this epic one can find great comfort and inspiration. The stories of the Old Testament have especially been used as parables for inspiration. Consider the story of Queen Esther who goes before her husband, the King of the Persian Empire, to beg for the lives of her people. According to the customs of the day she could have been killed for going uninvited, yet she went anyway. Many have used Esther as a basis to preach about faith and perseverance in times of great conflict.

Indeed, all the stories of the Old Testament could be used in this way. Moses had faith to lead God’s people through the Red Sea. Haven’t you heard someone preach that God will make a way for you as he did for Moses? Sure you have; it is the perfect story for an inspirational message. The possibilities are endless if one wants to inspire courage. There is Daniel in the Den of Lions, The Three Hebrew Boys in the Fiery Furnace, Caleb fighting for his mountain at the age of eighty five, and the list goes on.

            If the Old Testament were only a book of inspirational stories it would still be the greatest literary masterpiece in the history of the world. It is far more than that, however. The Old Testament is a history of real events that can also be used as parables. Many of the great stories in the Old Testament are more than just inspirational; they are prophetic, speaking of the future Messiah that would save Israel from her sins.

            Consider the story of Samson, the strong man who was betrayed by the woman he loved. He was turned over to the enemy and mocked. Yet he loved his people and sacrificed for them in his death. He died while pulling down the pillars in a pagan temple and killing more Philistines in his death than in his life. This is a foreshadowing of the story of Jesus, the Strong Man of our salvation, who would sacrifice himself to save his people.

            There is Joshua, the Savior, who led God’s people into the promised land. His Hebrew name, Yeshua, is the same as Jesus’ Hebrew name. He is not just a historical figure but a type of the Messiah in the Old Testament. There is also Samuel. His name, Shem-u-el, literally translates as “Name of God.” He was raised up by God to turn the people of Israel back to God. Again, a type of Jesus, the Messiah.

            One could go on naming the figures in the Old Testament whose lives tell us something about the future Christ. There is David the Giant Killer, Jeremiah the weeping prophet, Jonah whose trip in the whale is a parable of Jesus in the tomb, Gideon, Barak, and many more. While being true historical figures, all of these people were types of the future Savior of Israel.

            Every story in the Bible is interlinked with the others. Each hero in the Old Testament points to Jesus the Messiah in the New. Each story of God’s grace is a foretelling of the ultimate story of salvation in Christ. The story of each individual character fits together like a piece of a giant jigsaw puzzle, weaving together a beautiful story of God’s love for humanity. Each person’s birth, life, and death are so detailed that these things could not have happened by accident. Only God could have arranged the details in such a way. This is why I do not take the Old Testament as just a collection of inspiring stories.

            Samson’s story is a parable of Jesus. He was the strongman sent to save Israel. Yet Samson was a flawed human and could not save himself. He died in disgrace. Samson was not enough; we needed Jesus. Hebrews 12:24 speaks of “better things.” Though there were great and mighty men in the Old Testament, they were all as flawed as we are. Jesus came as God’s perfect gift to humanity, bypassing the flawed genes of sin by being born of a virgin through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus had no sin and no flawed genetics. He did for us what the Old Testament characters could not do. He redeemed us to God through the sacrifice of his own blood. We are free to worship in Spirit and in Truth because of his redeeming sacrifice. Sure, we love the inspirational stories of the Old Testament but without Jesus they would not be enough. In Jesus we find everything that we need for life, hope, salvation, and ultimately for peace when it comes our time to die.

The Bible is not just a book of inspiring stories. It is the promise of Eternal Life through Him who loved us. If you don’t have this promise of eternal life today, the Bible tells you how to get it. You can repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and be filled with Holy Ghost. Many believe the promise of the Holy Ghost is no longer for us but I have experience and know that it is real.

This method of salvation is Biblical and will bring you great peace with God such as you have never known. I urge you today, take the scripture for what it means. Obey the plan of salvation today and see why I take the Bible literally.