The Good Samaritan: Photo credit: Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture
Several Bible-related articles and topics consistently
capture readers' interest due to their profound themes, historical depth, and
relevance to faith and life. One widely discussed topic is the nature of faith,
which highlights figures like Abraham, Noah, and Moses, illustrating how faith
bridges the seen and unseen.
Forgiveness is another powerful theme, emphasized by Jesus,
who taught that forgiving others is essential to receiving forgiveness from
God, a concept reinforced in the Lord’s Prayer. The idea of salvation,
particularly through Jesus’ sacrifice, is a core teaching, summarized in John
3:16, which states that whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life.
Below are a few selected interesting biblical stories with
moral lessons
Noah and the Ark
The righteous Noah and his family's miraculous deliverance are
only one aspect of this tale. Since the Almighty used the Great Flood to nearly
wipe out all of his creation after growing enraged with humans, it is actually
about the revival of life on our planet.
The only people who survived the test and saw the return of
both humans and the animal kingdom in all its richness were the righteous Noah
and his family. The destiny of Noah's ark is still unknown, despite the fact
that his story is very clear.
Noah and his ark landed close to the Ararat Mountains,
according to historical accounts. The ark was situated high in the mountains,
making it challenging for an untrained individual to approach, considering the
height of the water rise, which was measured in kilometers.
Noah's family and methods of survival have not yet been
found, despite several centuries of concerted expeditions to locate the ark.
The Tower of Babel
The building of this structure serves as an illustration of
how resources shouldn't be abused. There were no conflicts among the
resurrected humanity following the devastating Great Flood. People concentrated
their efforts on making products that they could use.
Additionally, different countries were able to interact
without help because they spoke the same language. However, wealth has the
power to influence individuals. The mere amassing of wealth during King
Nimrod's reign gave rise to pride, which overwhelmed the earthly monarch and
made him want to become like God.
Nimrod made the decision to construct a huge structure that
would stretch up to the heavens because it is known that God resides there.
Construction immediately started because the rest of humanity was subject to
the earthly ruler's word. But the Almighty did not approve of Nimrod's
attempts.
At one point, everyone working on the tower abruptly stopped
using the common language and started speaking only in their individual
languages. The construction process was abruptly halted as a result. The
incomplete Tower of Babel started to fall apart, and eventually, the desert
engulfed its remnants.
Sodom and Gomorrah
The once affluent towns of the Five towns, Sodom, Gomorrah,
Admah, Sebom, and Zeboiim, were destroyed thousands of years ago. It's unclear
what will happen to the latter. The Almighty chose to destroy these towns
because they were rife with immorality, gluttony, wickedness, and other
behaviors that the Lord forbade.
Abraham, the Jewish patriarch, even engaged in talks with
God in an attempt to preserve his nephew, who was living in Sodom at the time,
and other locals. But there weren't even a dozen virtuous people in Sodom, so
his attempt failed. Since then, the names Sodom and Gomorrah have become
well-known, signifying incredibly repulsive human behavior.
The Exodus of the Jews from Egypt
The Exodus of the Jews from Egypt, who sought safety and
happiness in other places, is arguably the largest migration of people in
history. It would seem that a large number of individuals might abruptly go and
venture into the unknown after residing in a nation for many hundreds of years.
The Jews continued on their path to freedom despite having
to take only the bare necessities for the journey. Moses, the Jewish leader,
instilled faith in the people.
They would get up each morning, prepare their camp, and
resume their arduous journey. They journeyed through the Sinai Peninsula's
deserts for forty years before arriving in the Promised Land, where they
founded the state of Israel.
The capture of Jericho
The Jews arrived at the Promised Land after being forced to
wander through the desert for forty years. However, other people who had come
together to form a single Canaanite monarchy already lived in the region.
Additionally, the Jews had to retake the promised lands from the indigenous people before they could settle there.
Because cities during the period were strongholds, this proved
to be a challenging endeavor. This also applied to Jericho, which blocked the
Jews' path. Nowadays, it is hard to believe that Jews with inadequate training
could overrun a well-defended settlement. It is known that the Jews
were helped by the Lord himself, who provided them with a means of taking the
city.
His counsel enabled the Jews to capture Jericho, which
signaled the start of their triumphant advance throughout the Canaanite
territories.
David and Goliath
The Jews were always at war with someone, which is what
defines the Israel of the Judges. The Philistines, a warlike nation that
founded its own little state in the Mediterranean coastline region, were the
nation's most formidable adversaries.
They were not hesitant to seize a plot of land for
themselves because they claimed the Promised Land. As a result, there were
frequent conflicts between the Jews and the Philistines. Two distant relatives,
the Philistine Goliath and the Jewish David, met on the battlefield during one
of these conflicts.
Goliath was a real giant with exceptional weaponry skills,
whereas David was an ordinary shepherd. However, using force isn't always a
sign of success. In this instance, however, Goliath's strength was outweighed
by the shepherd David's wisdom.
Consequently, even before the actual conflict started, the
Jews prevailed over the Philistines. Later on, David ascended to the throne of
Israel. Solomon, the greatest of all world leaders, is his most well-known descendant.
King Solomon's Ring
Israel reached the pinnacle of its development thanks to the
Jewish monarch Solomon, who was the son of David. The kings who ascended to the
summit of the Israeli and later the Judean Olympus would never again be able to
attain such a degree of expertise, discernment, and public favor.
According to one account, King Solomon's ability to exercise
restraint was made possible by a special gift: a gold ring bearing the words
"All passes, and this will pass." It took some time for the ring to
reveal its secret, and even the king was unaware of its magical qualities for a
long period.
Although it is difficult to determine the veracity of the
mythology surrounding King Solomon's ring, it is known that its possessor was
regarded as a paragon of knowledge and serenity who could solve even the most
difficult problems.
The Story of Samson
Perhaps the chosen people would not have had such a great
hero if the Philistines had not deceived the little Jewish lad Samson; however,
that's how things ended up. Samson, a Jew, fell in love with a Philistine girl,
but at their wedding, he was initially tricked.
Although the Philistines suffered the consequences of their
deceit, their conflict with Samson had only just begun. Over the years, the
Philistines made numerous attempts to destroy Samson, but this only made the
Jewish hero more determined to exact revenge. However, they were able to outwit
Samson one day.
The Philistines chose Delilah, a young, attractive lady, as
a weapon. Delilah was given a substantial amount of money in exchange for
disclosing Samson's secret. Samson was apprehended and put in jail when Delilah
managed to obtain the information she required. Samson did, however, accomplish
one last valiant deed while in captivity: he brought down the roof of the
temple where the Philistines were feasting.
The Good Samaritan
There is still no precise explanation for how and when
Samaritans first came to Israeli soil. They believe that they are descended
from the tribe of Joseph. The non-Judean Samaritans who fled Egypt during the
Exodus are the ancestors of real Jews.
Additionally, the tale of Jesus Christ's life at the time
gave us the idea of the "good Samaritan." It is thought that Christ
told his disciples this. It narrates the tale of a traveler who had been robbed
and battered to death and was without the strength or capacity to assist
himself. The traveler was assisted by a Samaritan.
After cleaning and bandaging the traveler's wounds, the
unidentified Samaritan provided him with refuge. Samaritans have been linked to
goodness and love ever since.
Each of these biblical narratives teaches the transformative
power of forgiveness and unconditional love, emphasizing that everyone deserves
a second chance and that reconciliation brings peace.
