How to Read Biblical Narrative: Understanding the Bigger Story
When we pick up the Bible, it’s easy to jump straight into a story, focus on a few verses, and draw conclusions about what it means for our lives. But the Bible isn’t just a collection of isolated tales, it’s a carefully woven narrative with interconnected layers of meaning. If we want to understand biblical stories the way they were meant to be read, we need to step back and see how each scene fits into the larger plotline.
The Building Blocks of Narrative
At its core, a biblical narrative, like any good story, has characters in a setting who face a series of events. These events don’t happen randomly; they’re arranged by the author to create a plot. A typical plot follows a pattern:
- Introduction: We meet the characters in their setting.
- Conflict: Something new or unexpected shakes things up.
- Rising tension: The problem escalates toward a climax.
- Resolution: The conflict is settled, and the character enters a new normal.
Recognizing this structure helps us avoid misreading the Bible. Every scene fits into a broader storyline, and if we isolate one moment from its context, we risk missing the bigger picture.
Gideon and the Case of the Fleeces
Take the story of Gideon, for example. Many people read his story and zero in on one scene: Gideon laying out a fleece and asking God for a sign to confirm his plans. If you take that moment in isolation, it seems like the lesson is about seeking God’s will through signs. But when you step back and view it within the larger plotline, a very different message emerges.
The story actually starts with Gideon and the Israelites living in fear, oppressed by the Midianites. God calls Gideon to rescue Israel, but instead of responding with confidence, Gideon hesitates, big time. He needs reassurance, so he asks for a miraculous sign. God graciously gives him one. But that’s not the end of it.
Gideon keeps asking for signs, not once but multiple times. First, with an altar that miraculously catches fire. Then, with the fleece – twice. Over and over, Gideon struggles to trust God. This repetition reveals the true conflict: When will Gideon finally take God at His word? The fleece isn’t about discerning God’s will, it’s about Gideon’s insecurity and doubt.
The Turning Point
As the story unfolds, God flips the script. Gideon builds an army of 30,000 men, but God steps in and says, “Too many.” He whittles it down to just 300 soldiers. And instead of traditional weapons, God arms them with trumpets and torches. This plan sounds ridiculous, but it’s God’s way of testing Gideon just as Gideon tested Him.
In the end, Gideon follows through, and God delivers victory in an unexpected way. The takeaway? This isn’t a story about how to get signs from God. It’s about how God works through weak and flawed people, people who struggle to trust but are still used to accomplish incredible things.
Seeing the Bigger Picture
Gideon’s story is part of a much larger movement in the Bible, the era of the Judges. Each judge has their own individual story, but together, they paint a picture of a time when Israel repeatedly turned away from God, and He raised up unlikely heroes to rescue them. The Gideon episode isn’t just about his personal journey, it’s a thread in a larger tapestry of Israel’s struggle and God’s faithfulness.
Zooming out even further, the book of Judges itself fits into the grand narrative of the Bible, the story of God redeeming His people, ultimately leading to Jesus. Each individual story, movement, and book contributes to this overarching story of restoration.
Reading with Context in Mind
Understanding the layers of biblical plotlines changes the way we approach Scripture. No matter where we are in the Bible, we need to consider the broader context:
- Zoom In: Look at the immediate conflict and resolution in the story.
- Zoom Out: See how this story fits into its book or section of Scripture.
- Zoom Way Out: Recognize how it contributes to the larger biblical storyline leading to Jesus.
When we take this approach, we begin to see the brilliance of the Bible’s literary design. Every plotline, every character arc, every moment of tension is woven into the grand narrative of redemption.
So, What’s the Takeaway?
The Bible isn’t just a collection of random moral lessons. It’s a unified story that reveals God’s character and his plans for humanity. The next time you read a familiar passage, take a step back. Ask yourself:
- Where does this fit in the bigger story?
- What larger conflict is being addressed?
- How does this point me to Jesus?
By reading Scripture in its full context, we not only gain a deeper understanding but also see how our own lives fit into God’s ongoing story. So, let’s approach the Bible with curiosity and a willingness to see the bigger picture, because every story, big or small, points us to the ultimate resolution found in Christ.