Who's ? Right: Top 7 Old Testament Stories

While the Holy Bible's Old Testament is filled with a wide variety of collective stories, the following Top Seven narratives was chosen by the Who's ? Right blog to represent the most well known tales.

7 - Samson and Deliah ... 

Samson (Shimshon, in Hebrew) was a mighty judge who led and rescued the people of Israel from Philistine oppression. It is recorded in the Bible that Samson was the seventh judge. From the tribe of Dan, Samson was born to Moanoah and Zealphonis, in their old age, after they had been childless for many years. A Nazarite from birth, Samson was endowed by the Creator with herculean strength, which he used to fight the Philistines who were occupying the Land of Israel. He was a somewhat shy leader that took many matters into his own hands, preferring to deal with the Philistines himself, instead of asking his kinsmen for help. He is noted for killing a lion with his bare hands, killing 30 Philistines with the jawbone of that same lion, and taking Philistine wives; some Hebrews considered this an act of defiance, but Samson believed it was a wise political move.  Samson led the people for 20 years until he was betrayed by his second wife, Delilah, and captured by the Philistines. Learning that the source of his strength came from his long hair, Delilah was coerced into cutting the judge's hair. Later he was captured and blinded by gouging out his eyes. Calling upon his Hebrew god for forgiveness, Samson’s life ended when he was granted his remarkable strength one last time and knocked down the pillars supporting the building he had been taken to, killing himself and the thousands of Philistines inside. 

The story of Samson is recorded in the book of Judges, chapters 13-16.

6 - Jonah and the Whale ...

This is the story of a reluctant prophet. Jonah, son of Amittai,  was an Israelite whom God had called to be a prophet but who refused to accept his divine mission of informing the people of Ninevah to repent of their sins. Not only was Nineveh known for its wickedness, but it was also the capital of the Assyrian empire, one of Israel's fiercest enemies. Instead, Jonah left on a sea voyage trying to escape the commandment of the Creator.  The Israelite god, seeing that Jonah was defecting, caused a great storm upon the sea. The sailors, realizing that Jonah's disobedience had caused the storm, hesitantly threw him overboard in an attempt to save their ship. Almost immediately the storm was calmed and Jonah was swallowed by a large fish; there he remained inside the belly of the whale for three days and three nights. While inside the great fish, Jonah himself repented and prayed to God in his affliction. On the third day the Creator commanded the whale, and it vomited the reluctant prophet onto dry land. This time Jonah obeyed his god. He walked through Nineveh proclaiming that in forty days the city would be destroyed. Surprisingly, the Ninevites believed Jonah's message and repented. The Israelite god had compassion on them and did not destroy them. Jonah became angry and questioned the god who had commanded him, asking why Israel's enemies had been spared. The story ends with God expressing concern even about the wicked. The purpose of this book is to show that the Creator is a merciful and gracious god. Although the wicked city of Nineveh deserved to be crushed immediately, God was patient towards them.

The story of Jonah and the whale is recorded in the book of Jonah, chapters 1-4.

5 -  David and Goliath ...

David was the youngest of eight sons born to Jesse and descended from the tribe of Judah. For forty days and forty nights a Philistine giant known as Goliath taunted Saul, the king of Israel, daring his men to fight him and the winner would gain all the land of what later would become Judea. Saul's army was terrified of Goliath and all the warriors refused to volunteer their services of fighting the giant. When the Creator saw that the king of Israel was not obeying his commands to conquer the Philistine army, which included Goliath, the Israelite god asked the prophet Samuel to find a new king. David was chosen to be Saul's successor. David, a mere shepherd of his father's flock, was not intimidated by Goliath; he put all his faith in the Israelite god protecting him. Both sides of the impending armies were shocked when David accepted the challenge of fighting Goliath one-on-one. The giant thought this was a joke and accused King Saul of being weak. David did not find the situation amusing and proceeded to load a rock into a slingshot as Goliath moved to attack him. After a couple of rotations of the slingshot lassoing in circles, David let the rock fly from the sling and hit the giant between the eyes. Bringing the giant down, the young shepherd boy finished the battle by cutting off Goliath's head. David battling Goliath is one of the most striking scenes in the Bible. David thereupon became the greatest national hero of all the Israelite tribes; he would later go on to become the second king of Israel. 

The story of David and Goliath is recorded in the book of I Samuel, chapter 17.

4 -  Daniel in the Lion's Den ...
    

Daniel, whose lineage is somewhat sketchy in the Bible, was a notable prophet, who prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. The narrative of Daniel in the lions' den tells how Daniel is raised to high office by his royal master Darius the Mede, but jealous rivals trick Darius into issuing a decree which condemns Daniel to death. Hoping for Daniel's deliverance, but unable to save him, the king has him cast into the pit of lions. At daybreak he hurries back, asking if God had saved his friend. Daniel replies that God had sent an angel to close the jaws of the lions, "because I was found blameless before him." The king has those who had conspired against Daniel, and their wives and children, thrown to the lions in his place, and commands to all the people of the whole world to "tremble and fear before the God of Daniel". It's interesting to note, the story of Daniel in the lions' den [in chapter 6] is paired with the tale of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the "fiery furnace" [in Daniel 3]. The parallels include the jealousy of non-Jews, an imperial edict requiring Jews to compromise their religion on pain of death, and divine deliverance. Each story climaxes with the king confessing the greatness of the God of the Jews and issuing an edict of royal protection. In each case life is preserved through divine presence in the fire or the pit.

The story of Daniel in the Lion's Den is recorded in the book of Daniel, chapter 6.

3 - Adam, Eve and the Garden of Eden ...
    

This story is commonly known to all three Abrahamic religions and all agree that Adam and Eve were the first historic people on the planet, created by a supreme being. These first humans were placed in a land that provided everything they needed to survive. This land was called the Garden of Eden. They were given free reign of this lush paradise and had only one rule to abide by... they were not to eat from a tree known as the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The newly formed humans were tricked into believing it was alright to eat from this forbidden tree by a serpent [snake] that suddenly appears out of nowhere! The snake is generally connected with Satan. Adam and Eve disobeyed the Creator and ate the forbidden fruit from the tree that was off-limits to them. As a result of their disobedience, this superior god evicted them from the Garden of Eden. Many Christians refer to this as the "original sin" that led to mankind's downfall, which has since produced many hardships. While the narrative is short, quick and to the point, it is one the most well-known stories of the Bible that leaves one wondering what really happened inside the Garden of Eden. It is interesting to note that the Garden of Eden has never been discovered by mankind unto this day.

The story of Adam, Eve & Garden of Eden is recorded in the book of Genesis, chap. 2.

2 - Moses and the Exodus ...
    

Moses, who was the son of Amram and Yochebed of the tribe of Levi, is one of the most noteworthy characters in the Bible. His story begins when he is just an infant; his mother puts him in a basket and sets it afloat upon the Nile River to help him to escape from the slaughter of the Hebrew male children; the pharaoh of the time decreed and approved the killing of innocent children after learning that a powerful prophet would one day arrive and set his slaves free. Moses is found by the princess of Egypt and raised to manhood in the Pharaoh's palace. Skip ahead 40+ years and it is discovered that Moses could not handle watching the Hebrews being mistreated, having killed an Egyptian guard in defense of an Hebrew slave. He basically runs away to discard himself from Egypt's way of life. But the Creator had other plans for Moses. He was instructed to approach the pharaoh and demand that he let the enslaved gain their freedom. Moses was hesitant, but the Creator promised to be with him. Incorporating his brother [Aaron] to help him with this mission, they approach the pharaoh as instructed. When the pharaoh refused to set the people free, a series of supernatural events occurred. From the river turning to blood to the invasion of frogs and locusts, ten horrible plagues ensued. When the last plague happened, which killed all the firstborn sons of Egypt, the pharaoh finally relented and allowed the Hebrews (who would later become known as the Israelites) to gain their freedom. However, his agreement to set the slaves free did not last and the king pursued the captives to bring them back to Egypt. The most marvelous part of this story is when the Hebrews reached the Red Sea and thought themselves to be trapped until Moses was instructed to part the sea so the people could cross on dry land. With the Egyptians hot on their trail, the slaves were able to reach the other side of the sea safely; the Egyptians were not so lucky. When the last Hebrew slave was cleared from the sea, the Creator caused the waters of the deep to come crashing down upon the pursuers, thus killing the majority of the Pharaoh's army. Knowing he was defeated, the pharaoh of the exodus returned to Egypt. It was during this time that the Creator gave ten commandments for his people to follow.  Moses and his people would wander in the wilderness for 40 years before reaching the land that was promised to them. Sadly, Moses was not allowed to go into this promised land because he had disobeyed his god by catering to the wishes of the people he had saved. However, he was allowed to see the promise land before dying.

The story of Moses and the Exodus is recorded in the book of Exodus, chapters 2-40.

1 - Noah and the Great Flood ... 
     

This is the most well-known story in the Bible and, besides the Abrahamic religions, almost all religions have heard this tale and even have narratives of their own about this great man named Noah. He was the son of Lamech and the tenth generation from Adam in the pre-flood world. When the Creator saw the wickedness of the people on the planet, he devised a plan which involved an unsuspecting Noah. The Lord who created everything came to Noah and instructed him to build a large boat. Finding this to be an odd request, Noah went ahead and erected the ark according to the specifications given unto him. Next he was instructed to collect a pair of animals [male and female], including birds and reptiles. Again obeying this command, Noah collected animals of all kinds and ushered them into the large boat. Whether he ever questioned the Creator or how the people reacted to him building this ark, it is not recorded in the Bible. Noah was 600 years old when his god sent forth rains that lasted 40 days and 40 nights, and thus flooded the entire world, killing everything on the planet as he had said He would do. They family of Noah remained upon the flood waters for 150 days. Three times Noah sent birds out of the ark to see if land was nearby. Twice the birds - the first one a raven, the second one a dove - came back to the ark. The third time, and seven days later, he sent out the dove again to which this time the bird returned with an olive branch in its beak. Again, Noah waited seven more days then sent the dove out again. This time the bird did not return to the ark. Knowing that land was nearby, he readied the family and animals for disembarking the boat. Noah was 601 years old when the ark landed on top on the mountains of Ararat. The Creator told Noah that his family needed to be fruitful and multiply to repopulate the world. After sacrificing a clean animal, as a means of thanking this god, the Creator made a covenant with Noah to never flood the world again. The result of this covenant, as well as a sign for mankind, is the rainbow we see in our skies today.

The story of Noah and the Ark is recorded in the book of Genesis, chapters 6-9.

The Prophet Muhammad and the Origins of Islam

The following article was obtained from www.metmuseum.org -

The rise of Islam is intrinsically linked with the Prophet Muhammad, believed by Muslims to be the last in a long line of prophets that includes Moses and Jesus. Because Muhammad was the chosen recipient and messenger of the word of God through the divine revelations, Muslims from all walks of life strive to follow his example. After the holy Qur'an, the sayings of the Prophet (hadith) and descriptions of his way of life (sunna) are the most important Muslim texts.

Early Life

Muhammad was born into the most powerful tribe in Mecca, the Quraysh, around 570 A.D. The power of the Quraish derived from their role as successful merchants. Several trade routes intersected at Mecca, allowing the Quraish to control trade along the west coast of Arabia, north to Syria, and south to Yemen.

Mecca was home to two widely venerated polytheistic cults whose gods were thought to protect its lucrative trade. After working for several years as a merchant, Muhammad was hired by Khadija, a wealthy widow, to ensure the safe passage of her caravans to Syria. They eventually married.

Divine Revelations

When he was roughly forty, Muhammad began having visions and hearing voices. Searching for clarity, he would sometimes meditate at Mount Hira, near Mecca. On one of these occasions, the Archangel Gabriel (Jibra'il in Arabic) appeared to him and instructed him to recite "in the name of [your] lord." This was the first of many revelations that became the basis of the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. These early revelations pointed to the existence of a single God, contradicting the polytheistic beliefs of the pre-Islamic Arabian Peninsula.

Initially overwhelmed by the significance of what was being revealed to him, Muhammad found unflinching support in his wife and slowly began to attract followers. His strong monotheistic message angered many of the Meccan merchants. They were afraid that trade, which they believed was protected by the pagan gods, would suffer. From that point forward, Muhammad was ostracized in Mecca. For a time, the influence and status of his wife and his uncle, Abu Talib, the chief of the clan, protected Muhammad from persecution. After they died, however, Muhammad's situation in Mecca became dire.

The Hijra

Emigration became the only hope for Muhammad and his followers' survival. In 622, they headed to Medina, another oasis town, where they were promised freedom to practice their religion. The move from Mecca to Medina is known as the hijra—the flight—and marks year 1 of the Islamic, or hijri, calendar.

Spreading the Message of Islam

In Medina, Muhammad continued to receive divine revelations and built an ever-expanding community around the new faith. The conflict with the Quraish continued, but after several years of violent clashes, Mecca surrendered. Muhammad and his followers soon returned and took over the city, destroying all its pagan idols and spreading their belief in one God.

The Night Journey and Ascension of the Prophet

Accounts of the ascension (mi'raj ) of Muhammad have captured the imaginations of writers and painters for centuries. One night, while the Prophet was sleeping, the Archangel Gabriel came and led him on a journey. Mounted on the heavenly steed Buraq, Muhammad traveled from the Ka'bah in Mecca to the "Farthest Mosque," which Muslims believe to be the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. There he prayed with other prophets such as Moses, Abraham, and Jesus, and ascended to the skies, where he was led by Gabriel through Paradise and Hell, and finally came face to face with God. He then returned to earth to continue spreading the message of Islam. According to Islamic belief, Muhammad was the only person to see Heaven and Hell while still alive.

After the Prophet's Death: Emergence of Shi'i and Sunni Sects of Islam

When Muhammad died in 632, he had not named a successor. One faction, the Shi'a, believed that only individuals with direct lineage to the Prophet could guide the Muslim community righteously. They thought that 'Ali, Muhammad's closest surviving blood male relative, should be their next leader (caliph). The other faction, the Sunnis, believed that the Prophet's successor should be determined by consensus and successively elected three of his most trusted companions, commonly referred to as the Rightly Guided Caliphs (Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Uthman), as leaders of the Muslim community; 'Ali succeeded them as the fourth caliph.

Today the Islamic community remains divided into Sunni and Shi'a branches. Sunnis revere all four caliphs, while Shi'as regard 'Ali as the first spiritual leader. The rift between these two factions has resulted in differences in worship as well as political and religious views. Sunnis are in the majority and occupy most of the Muslim world, while Shi'a populations are concentrated in Iran and Iraq, with sizeable numbers in Bahrain, Lebanon, Kuwait, Turkey, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Depictions of the Prophet Muhammad

Featured in this unit are several depictions of the Prophet Muhammad. These portrayals, while somewhat rare, are not unheard of as there were (and still are) many different attitudes toward depicting the Prophet, and humans in general, in the Islamic world. These attitudes varied dramatically from region to region and throughout history; the societies that produced the works discussed here are among those that allowed the depiction of the Prophet. Commissioned by Muslims for Muslims, these images appear in biographies of the Prophet and his family, world and local histories, and accounts of Muhammad's celestial journey (mi'raj), as well as in literary texts. In each context, they serve a distinct purpose. They illustrate a narrative in biographies and histories, while in literary texts they serve as visual analogues to written praises of the Prophet. An image of the Prophet Muhammad at the beginning of a book endows the volume with the highest form of blessing and sanctity. Thus, illustration of him was a common practice, particularly in the eastern regions of the Islamic world.

Depicted are Muhammad and the archangel Gabriel. c/1425 A.D.