Often the Bible is thought of and taught as a history book. Politely may I disagree with that view.
I can hear the gasps 😉 Before you write me off as a heretic please let me explain.
Yes, I do believe the events written down in Scripture actually occurred. Call me crazy but I do believe God created the earth in 6 days and that there was a mass Exodus of slaves from Egypt. I believe a man named Abraham had a son named Isaac and a grandson named Jacob. I believe a boy named David actually was used by God to bring down a giant of a man called Goliath and later became king of Israel. And yes, I believe a man named Jesus really was the Son of God, born of a virgin, lived and taught for many years, died on a cross, and was raised from the dead 3 days later…
However, I still don’t think the Bible is a mere history book.
I had a prof (who I LOVED) that described the Bible as a “historical theological narrative.” Let’s break that down shall we.
Historical – it is describing true history. The places mentioned are real. The evens actually occurred, and the people did exist.
However, there are many places, events, and people that are not mentioned. Not everything that ever happened was written down in Scripture. There is a purpose and a reason for what was written down and passed on to us.
And the reason is to teach us about God.
In other words a Theological Narrative. It’s a story and the main character is God. Who He is. What He did, does, and why. What is He like? What does He like? What does He want from us? How does He expect us to live? Is He a trustworthy God? Is He a faithful God? Is He a covenant making and covenant keeping God? Who is this God?
The Bible is not just history but it is history with a purpose. To teach us God’s story. So that in learning more about God we may become more like Him, fall more in love with Him, delight ourselves in Him, bless Him, and bring Him glory. Bc the truth is it’s all about God. Even the Bible.
May we never forget this truth. It’s all about God. Life, death, even the very Word of God has God front and center. May we learn to see Him on every page and in every single verse.