BIBLE STORIES: THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE STORIES

Bible stories can be great for teaching children. And they also have real meaning for anyone who wants
to understand God and how He wants us to act.

Bible Stories

Bible stories are helpful for teaching children, and they also have vital lessons for people of all ages.

The Bible is full of stories, from Genesis clear to Revelation. Entire books of the Bible are dedicated to
telling a specific story. Some of these are stories of good triumphing over evil, while others are
heartrending stories that tell of death and destruction. Some stories are funny; some are poignant; and
some just make you shake your head.

What is the purpose behind all of these stories? Are they simply fairy tales? Did God supply the stories
to break the monotony between genealogies and laws?

There is a purpose for the wide variety of stories. Every Bible story has a purpose—as would be
expected of a book inspired by the great and purposeful Almighty God. The apostle Paul listed some of
the purposes for the Bible in 2 Timothy 3:16: “for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness.” Bible stories can make these purposes and lessons come to life for all of us.

God also recorded these stories to help parents in the vital job of teaching their children. God wants us
to “remember His marvelous works which He has done” and to diligently teach our children His good
ways (1 Chronicles 16:12; Deuteronomy 6:7).

We hope the Bible stories in this section (see the links below this article) will help people of all ages, and
especially parents reading them to their children.

Whether for our education or to encourage us, there is always a reason God placed each story in the
Bible. Though some of the stories of the Bible, such as the parables, are illustrations used to teach a
lesson, all the examples in this article refer to real-life, historically accurate accounts that God also
recorded for our learning.

Learning from the bad examples

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/bible-study/bible-stories/
One purpose of Bible stories is so we can learn from the bad examples (1 Corinthians 10:6, 11). The Bible
has many stories that reveal to us examples of humans trying to live life without God or succumbing to
one of many human weaknesses.

For example, in 2 Chronicles 26 we read the story of Uzziah, who was actually one of Judah’s better
kings. Uzziah became king when he was only 16 years old, and he had a long reign that was full of
military victories. He was one of the few kings who had a personal relationship with God and was
successful.

Yet he started to grow proud and went against God’s law. Proud because of his power and the strength
that God had given him, he decided that he would offer incense up to God, something God had
commanded that only the priests should do. When the priests resisted Uzziah and tried to tell him that it
was not his place, he grew angry with them. While he was arguing with the priests who had dared to go
against him, God cursed him with leprosy. He was forced to live by himself for the rest of his life.

What’s the purpose behind this story, set long ago in ancient Judah?

Its purpose is so we can learn from King Uzziah’s example. His success caused him to grow prideful, and
he came to disregard God’s law. We have to be on guard so that pride doesn’t strike us when God
blesses us with success.

We have to learn from the bad examples if we don’t want to follow in their footsteps.

Learning from the good examples

Of course, the Bible doesn’t just record the bad examples that people have left behind. There are many
good examples in the Bible as well.

One of these is the example of Hezekiah, another king of Judah. When threatened with imminent
destruction at the hands of the mighty Assyrians, Hezekiah asked God for assistance. Instead of being
arrogant like Uzziah had been, Hezekiah tore his clothes and knelt before God. When he received a
letter from the enemy, he laid it before God and humbly asked God for His help (2 Kings 19).

If Hezekiah had relied on his own feeble strength to pull him through, he would have almost certainly
been annihilated. However, since he relied on God, his enemy was destroyed and his kingdom was safe
for many more years.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/bible-study/bible-stories/
Another excellent example in the Bible is that of the heroine of the book of Ruth. After losing her
husband and father-in-law, Ruth stayed loyal to Naomi, her grieving mother-in-law, and went with her
to the land of Israel.

After arriving in Israel, she worked diligently to provide for both herself and Naomi. Her loyalty and hard
work were noticed by several, including a wealthy farmer named Boaz. He made sure that Ruth and
Naomi were taken care of, and he eventually married Ruth.

Ruth’s decision to worship the God of Israel and loyally serve her mother-in-law provides us an excellent
example. She was rewarded, and God greatly blessed her and the woman to whom she was so loyal.
(Read the article about Ruth in the “Women of Faith” section of this website.)

Learning about God

Because God is a great, infinite and invisible Being, how do we come to comprehend who He really is?
How can we learn about God? How do we know who God is and what He is like?

We can learn about Him through what others say in the Bible. For example, Paul tells us that God
“cannot lie” (Titus 1:2), but that simple statement generally doesn’t fully sink in until we read through an
account like the story of the Exodus.

There we see the extreme measures to which God will go in order to keep His word. He even took on
Egypt, the world’s mightiest empire, by sending 10 devastating plagues. He did this in order to free the
enslaved Israelites due to a promise He had made to Abraham hundreds of years before. God
demonstrated clearly to the descendants of Abraham—and to us—that He is completely truthful and
fulfills all His promises.

The Gospels also help us learn more about God. In the Gospels we see the Son of God—Jesus Christ—as
a very personable Being who ached, hurt and felt like we do. More than that, these four books record
His story for us to read. If you want to know what God is like, read the accounts of Jesus’ life as a human
in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

For example, most people know that Jesus Christ was a man of peace, but did that mean He would just
always let people disrespect God and His temple? We can find the answer in Mark 11:15-17.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/bible-study/bible-stories/
It’s encouraging to know that God takes notice of not only the great, but also the small who serve
Him.During a visit to the temple in Jerusalem, Christ saw that there were profiteers who were making
money off of the poor, God-fearing people who came to worship their Creator in the temple. Angry over
the situation and the mockery of God’s holy temple that was making it like “a den of thieves,” Christ
made a whip and herded the livestock out, as well as overturning the tables full of money taken from
the poor.

We know God better and more clearly through the real-life stories documented in the Bible.

Giving encouragement

Some Bible stories are also very encouraging on a personal level.

An example of this is the story of the widow’s mites (small copper coins; Mark 12:41-44). In the midst of
all of the rich men giving large offerings to God in the temple, Jesus Christ took the time to notice a poor
widow who gave two little coins. He realized that it was everything she had, and He pointed this out to
His disciples.

It’s encouraging to know that God takes notice of not only the great, but also the small who serve Him.

There are many encouraging stories of God miraculously delivering His people as well—from Shadrach,
Meshach and Abed-Nego, whom God saved from death in an incredibly hot furnace (Daniel 3), to the
apostle Paul, who was stoned to the point that his enemies thought he was dead (Acts 14). “However,
when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city”! (verse 20). The great
Creator God healed or perhaps even resurrected Paul!

These Bible stories are very encouraging, reminding us of God’s awesome power and His love. They can
lift up our spirits when times are tough.

Answering life’s questions

There is another reason stories are in the Bible—to answer the questions of life. Why is there evil in the
world? Why do the good suffer? There are Bible stories that help us more deeply understand the
answers to many questions like these.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/bible-study/bible-stories/
The Bible tells us that there is evil in the world because of the rebellion and deceitfulness of a demonic
being called Lucifer and Satan (Isaiah 14). Once one of God’s greatest angels, Lucifer became proud and
turned into God’s greatest adversary. After swaying a third of the angels to his evil way of thinking, he
started a rebellion against the Almighty and was cast to the earth.

After his original rebellion failed, Satan later tried to destroy humankind and ruin God’s plan of
salvation. Satan tempted the first two people to eat of the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3), which set the
pattern for humanity’s awful decisions and horrible sins since then. He even tried to tempt Christ to
disobey God (Matthew 4:1-10).

Without the Bible, the answers to these key questions of life would remain hidden or only academic.
The biblical stories bring the answers to life and give us hope.

There is a purpose for Bible stories

The many stories in the Bible are given for a reason and a purpose. Whether it’s to encourage us in the
hard times or to help us learn a lesson the easy way, God has told us these stories for our eternal
benefit.

Moses: From Pharaoh’s Palace to the Burning Bush Moses: From Pharaoh’s Palace to the Burning Bush

Bible Story Moses Returns to Egypt and the 10 Plagues Moses Returns to Egypt: The 10 Plagues

A Story of the First Passover A Story of the First Passover

Crossing the Red Sea Crossing the Red Sea

Moses and the 10 Commandments Moses and the 10 Commandments

Rahab and the Two Spies Rahab and the Two Spies

Joshua at Jericho: The Walls Fall Down Joshua at Jericho: The Walls Fall Down

Gideon Part 1 Coloring Page Gideon, Baal and the Curse of the Midianites, Part 1

Gideon, Baal and the Curse of the Midianites Part 2 Gideon, Baal and the Curse of the Midianites, Part 2

Samson and the Riddle Samson and the Riddle

Samson, Delilah and the Secret Samson, Delilah and the Secret

Ruth Naomi and Boaz Are Blessed Ruth, Naomi and Boaz Are Blessed

Hannah and Samuel Hannah’s Gift—Samuel

God Chooses David to Be King

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/bible-study/bible-stories/
God Chooses David to Be King

David and Goliath David and Goliath

David and Bathsheba: story Nathan told David David and Bathsheba

Jehoshaphat and the Choir That Led an Army Jehoshaphat and the Choir That Led an Army

The Little Maid From Israel The Little Maid From Israel

King Ahaz Copies a Pagan Altar King Ahaz Copies a Pagan Altar

King Hezekiah and the Assyrian Bullies King Hezekiah and the Assyrian Bullies

Josiah Josiah: The Boy Who Became King

Jonah Disobeys God Jonah Disobeys God

Daniel and His Three Friends in Babylon Daniel and His Three Friends in Babylon

Shadrach Meshach and Abed-Nego and the Fiery Furnace Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego and the
Fiery Furnace

Darius Daniel and the Lions Darius, Daniel and the Lions

The Story of John the Baptist The Story of John the Baptist

The Birth and Baptism of Jesus Christ The Birth and Baptism of Jesus Christ

Jesus Grows Up: Mary and Joseph search for Him Jesus Grows Up

Jesus Gives the Beatitudes audience coloring page Jesus Gives the Beatitudes

Jesus and the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus and the Feast of Tabernacles

Walking on Water Walking on Water

Jesus Blesses Little Children Jesus Blesses Little Children

Miracles Jesus Did Miracles Jesus Did

Jesus Enters Jerusalem and Cleans the Temple Jesus Enters Jerusalem and Cleans the Temple

Jesus and the New Testament Passover coloring page Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet Jesus
and the New Testament Passover

The Founding of the Church The Founding of the Church

Paul and the Road to Damascus Paul and the Road to Damascus

Learn More About Bible Study

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/bible-study/bible-stories/