The Bible contains many stories that are downright disturbing. Perhaps you have read the stories of Lot and his daughters (Gen. 19:30-38), the Levite and his concubine (Judges 19), Amnon and Tamar (2 Sam. 13), or Jephthah and his daughter (Judges 11), to name a few. The first time you encountered these stories, you probably closed your Bible and shook your head, wondering why in the world God would put these stories in inspired Scripture.
I believe these stories are meant to show us the ugliness of sin. We are supposed to be revolted when we read about human sacrifice, incest, and sexual assault. As sinners by nature, we are inclined to be indulgent with our pet sins. These stories are meant to hit our spiritual gag reflex. Contrary to our natural tendency to view sin favorably, sin is ugly and disturbing.
But these stories are much more than episodes in a crisis-driven soap opera. They’re even more than a sin deterrent or a moral lesson.
As Christians, we don’t preach a gospel of works, of being “good” as a means of salvation. We preach Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Cor. 1:23; 2:2).
Because Jesus Christ is God’s Word in the flesh (John 1:14), and the Bible is the written Word of God, all the stories of the written Word of Scripture point us to Jesus Christ and his salvation. All the stories of the written Word are ultimately about the enfleshed Word. When we consider the ugly stories of the Bible, these also point us to Christ and salvation. Every ugly story in the Bible points to the ugliest story: the Son of God was crucified for us. By our sins and transgressions, we killed Jesus Christ. Nobody who has ever walked the earth deserved more honor and respect than Immanuel, God with us. Nobody else deserved to be believed and obeyed more than the one who came down from heaven itself. Nobody was more innocent than the one without sin. But instead of honor, he received disgrace. Instead of obeying him, people despised him. The world will never see a more grievous evil than the crucifixion of God’s only Son. Never was a more innocent person treated so unjustly. Never was the holy ever more profaned. It is the ugliest story of all time.
When we encounter other ugly stories in the Bible, they are a window on the story of Christ crucified. When we read about the Levite dismembering his concubine, we realize the horror story of the cross. When we read the scandalous story of Lot’s daughters, how much more scandalous is a crucified Lord and Savior. The defilement of Tamar is a reflection of the greatest defilement. Jephthah’s daughter’s sacrifice is a picture of the ultimate sacrifice of Christ.
When we are shocked and appalled by ugliness in the Bible, we ought to be all the more shocked and appalled at Christ’s crucifixion. Each ugly story is a window on another aspect of the cross. Thankfully, the ugliest story ended in a victorious resurrection and eternal salvation for all those who believe in Christ. If the almighty God can bring such a glorious victory out of the ugliest story and turn it into our salvation, then God can surely do the same with all ugly stories.