Besides the fact that the Bible is a book about God’s love toward us, it contains many smaller stories about love. Check out the video of the song Amazing Love by Chris Tomlin to the right or you can catch the video directly through You Tube. Here are 5 scripture summaries about love.
Jacob and Rachel- Old Testament Love Story
After Jacob ran away from his brother Esau, he went to live with his mother’s family in Haran. While looking for his uncle Laban, Jacob met Rachel, Laban’s daughter. She was caring for her father’s sheep. Rachel took Jacob to Laban who gave Jacob a job and a place to stay.
Jacob negotiated with Laban to work for him for seven years. In return Laban would give his daughter Rachel to Jacob as his wife. The Bible says in Genesis 29:20, “And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.”
At the end of the seven years Laban offered his daughter’s hand in marriage. However, at the wedding Laban tricked Jacob into marrying Leah, the older sister. Because, he said, it was not right for the younger daughter to marry first. The Bible says that Jacob continued to work for Laban another seven years to be able to have Rachel as his wife.
Jacob originally consented to a seven year contract to wed the girl he loved. Even after the deception, he continued to work another seven years for the hand of Rachel.
Ruth and Naomi- Women of the Bible
Naomi moved with her family from Bethlehem-Judah to Moab during a famine. While in Moab her husband died and her two sons married Moabite women. Her two sons died too and Naomi chose to return to her homeland.
As she prepared to go she told her widowed daughters-in-law that they should return to their families. One of the daughters, Orpah, chose to return to her own people and traditions. Ruth, however, stayed with Naomi and promised to be by her side until death.
The verses of Ruth 1:16 and 17 are the basis for traditional wedding vows today. Ruth said to Naomi, “Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.”
Ruth and Naomi returned to Bethlehem-Judah and Ruth married Boaz, a relative of Naomi. Together they were the great-grandparents of the great king David.
David and Jonathan- Bible Story About Friends
King Saul was jealous of the young man David. This was partially because David was gaining in popularity and partly because God had already told Saul that his kingdom would not continue. Samuel had already anointed David as the next king in 1 Samuel 16 before David killed Goliath in chapter 17.
Saul’s anger toward David mounted with the passing years.
Even though Jonathan knew his father hated David and that David would become the next king of Israel, Jonathan and David became good friends. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 18:1, “…the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”
According to 1 Samuel 13 there were only two swords in the kingdom. King Saul owned one and his son Jonathan had the other. When David was preparing to flee from Saul, Jonathan gave his sword to David.
Logically Jonathan would become the next king in Israel, but he knew God’s hand was on David. He chose to help the man whom God had anointed instead of fighting him out of jealousy.
Good Samaritan- A Bible Lesson on Love
One of the parables of Jesus was the story of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10. A lawyer came to Jesus and wanted to prove to the Lord that he wasn’t a bad person. Jesus told him that he need to love God with all his heart and his neighbors around him. The lawyer wanted to find out exactly who Jesus meant were his neighbors. In response Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan.
A Jewish man was beaten and left half dead in the street. A priest and a Levite passed by. Though they were Jews too, they chose to leave the man alone thinking that he was not their responsibility. A Samaritan saw the man and offered to nurse him back to health even though the Jews despised the Samaritans. The Samaritan paid for the needed medical care and offered to pay more as necessary.
Though the Jews would not cross the street to help their fellow countryman, a Samaritan realized that all men are his neighbors and showed love and compassion. Jesus told the lawyer that he too should show love to those around him.
Jesus- The Greatest Love Story
The greatest story of love is the story of Jesus Christ. Since the very beginning of the Bible, God has shown His love to man. Even though He requires death as punishment for sin, God promised a redeemer who would come to earth to save mankind. Many stories in the Old Testament are used as examples to help us understand the love of God through Jesus Christ.
The sacrifices of the Old Testament were to point people to the ultimate sacrifice—Jesus Christ. While man has sinned, he can be made righteous in God’s sight through a substitutionary sacrifice on his behalf. This sacrifice was Jesus on the cross.
Jesus’ death on the cross in the place of sinners guarantees the salvation of those who come to him seeking forgiveness for their sins. This forgiveness can be had as a free gift (Romans 6:23).
The greatest story of love in the Bible can be summed up in the wonderful verse of John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Sources:
The Holy Bible, King James Version
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