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.