How to Read Weird Bible Storiesნიმუში

When the Bible Gets Violent

Let’s talk about probably the most challenging type of Scripture to read, the violent stories.

In Joshua 6, God’s people march around Jericho for seven days, the walls fall, and the city is destroyed. This is a story told to kids, yet in the story, they kill almost everyone, including women and children. To modern readers, it can feel extreme, because it is.

To be clear, we’re not going to try to justify the violence. Too often, these kinds of stories get misused to perpetuate modern violence. But that’s a gross misrepresentation of what the whole story of the Bible is trying to do.

So how do we read these kinds of stories today? First, let’s remember the context in which the Bible was originally written. It’s hard for many of us to understand just how brutal life was in the ancient world. War and conquest everywhere. But when Jesus arrives in the biblical story, He fulfills and transforms our understanding of God.

The book of John tells us that no one knew what God was really like until we met Jesus. He is the one who truly made God known to us.

And how did Jesus live? With kindness and compassion. Instead of defeating enemies through battle, He calls His followers to love their enemies, pray for them, and live as peacemakers. This shift does not erase the older stories but shows us God’s ultimate goal—mercy, reconciliation, and peace through Christ.

If you stick with the Bible, even through the confusing parts, you’ll see God’s love, His justice, and His mercy in ways you might never expect. You’ll start to notice that the “weird” stories often have something to teach us about God’s patience, creativity, and desire to bring people closer to Him.

Big Idea: When the Bible’s violence troubles us, we can hold it alongside Jesus’ example as He reveals the depth of God’s heart for peace and mercy.

Challenge: If you come across a violent passage, take a moment to read one of Jesus’ teachings about loving your enemies and reflect on how His life reshapes our understanding.

This Bible Plan was inspired by this Finds article.