Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”
When we go to a bookstore, we look around and see category titles, or genres, inviting us to consider different kinds of books. We may see Historical Fiction, Romance, Sci-Fi, Drama, Comedy, Non-Fiction, and many others. When we read a comedic book, we approach it differently than a dramatic book. The same is true for Scripture.
Just as a bookstore has many genres of books, the Bible has many different genres within it. There are historical accounts, narrative, poetry, prophecy, letters, apocalyptic, and many others. We would read a poetical book, like the Psalms, differently than we would read an apocalyptic book, a book describing the end of times like Revelation and parts of Daniel.
The passage we are reading during this sermon series, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, is part of a letter or an epistle. We read these words as if someone is speaking directly to us. But, Paul, the author of 1 Corinthians, directs our attention back to narrative stories of the Old Testament. Paul is encouraging us to consider Moses and the Israelites and to learn from their mistakes. As we read through narrative literature in the Bible, we can enjoy the stories as benign accounts of things that happened very long ago. Or, we can read these stories and observe the successes and failures of God’s people and learn from them. Due to the Israelites’ evil actions, God was not pleased with them. We need to guard our hearts from evil by staying focused on God and His direction.
As we read through Scripture, we must be careful to consider the genre and interpret accordingly. As we address narrative Scripture, instead of reading them as simple stories, we must seek to learn from those who have journeyed before us. Paul encourages us to see our ancestors as examples so we can run this race of life well.
Blessings,
Pastor Amy
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