The 10 Most Inspiring Stories Ever Told in the Bible

The bible is filled with so many fascinating stories. Some are there to teach us lessons while others are there to simply inform us.

Nevertheless, there are also stories that inspire us — stories that leave us more motivated, blessed, and devoted to God.

In the Bible we read Romans 15:4:

⁴ For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

That’s why, in this post, I want to share with you the 10 most inspiring stories you’ll find in the Scripture.

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Table of Contents

No. 1: The creation story

We read in the Genesis 1:1:

¹ “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

This statement alone should stop all of us in our tracks. It’s a statement of God’s power, sovereignty, and love for all of us.

If God created all things, it changes everything.

It changes who we are, what we are, and why we are.

The Bible clearly tells us that God created everything and that He is the Life-Giver and Creator. Unlike the Theory of Evolution that comes with so many uncertainties, Genesis 1:1 leaves no room for any doubt.

We don’t read, “In the beginning, God perhaps created the heavens and the earth.” It didn’t say, maybe or I think. There’s no assumption or doubt, but rather it’s a statement of fact.

The creation story is no doubt an inspiring one because of how it inspires a deeper understanding and consideration of our very existence.

Aside from all the material things that God created, He crowned His creation with the creation of mankind.

We read:

⁷ “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).

This is God’s final act of creation. Of all the things He created, it was the man that He personally went down from heaven and formed with his own hands. Not only that, but He moved closer to breathe the breath of life.

This indicates the intimate and close encounter of God with us, human beings from the start. He didn’t simply speak to create, but He personally formed us from the ground and gave us life.

Indeed, this story of creation is a wonderful and inspiring story!

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No. 2: The suffering of Job

What’s so inspiring with suffering?

You might ask that question, but the reality is that some of our deepest inspiration comes from the difficulties in life.

That’s why, looking into the story of Job can dramatically give us deep and long-lasting inspiration.

We read in Job 1:13-19:

¹³ Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; ¹⁴ and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, ¹⁵ when the Sabeans raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

¹⁸ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹ and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

What a dramatic turn of events!

We can see here how Job lost almost everything in one single day. He received bad news upon bad news upon bad news.

Before he could even make sense of what happened to his servants, another person came to deliver bad news. Now, his livestock is all gone!

If that’s not enough, he didn’t just lose his properties, but also his children.

It’s one thing to lose your possessions, but losing your loved ones is just another level of tragedy.

Yet, in all this, what was the response of Job?

We read in Job 1:20-22:

²⁰ Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹ And he said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.

The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

²² In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

Wow!

The statement of Job just leaves me speechless.

Can you just imagine how Job handled this situation?

Instead of questioning God, he caused himself to worship God.

Instead of getting angry, he looked for God’s goodness and mercy.

Instead of being in despair, he placed his hope in God!

Later, when his health was also attacked by Satan, Job’s wife told him:

“Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” Job 2:9

Read the response of Job:

Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity? Job 2:10

I wonder, can we also have the same attitude and spirit like Job?

Can we have the courage to refuse to question God but instead trust in his wisdom?

Can we be like Job who chose worship rather than bitterness?

If we can’t, then I pray that Job would inspire us to follow his example in the midst of adversities.

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No. 3: Joseph, from the pit to the throne

One of the inspiring and amazing stories in the Bible is the story of Joseph.

The story was just filled with ups and downs, twists and turns.

When we think that all hope is gone, we see how God weaves through the strengths and weaknesses of people to bring about his plan and purpose.

If you haven’t read the story of Joseph yet, I strongly recommend that you do. His story is found in Genesis 37 to 50. Yes, it’s kind of lengthy, but the story is worth reading.

Just to give you a summary, Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery. From his hometown to Egypt, Joseph faithfully served his master Potiphar. However, he was thrown into prison for a sin he didn’t commit.

In the prison, Joseph helped to interpret the dreams of his fellow prisoners. However, he was then forgotten when one was restored to the palace of Pharaoh.

It took years and years for Joseph’s situation to improve. It seems nothing was changing until Joseph was called to appear before the Pharaoh and interpret his dream.

From there, Joseph became the highest-ranking official of Egypt, next to Pharaoh!

We could just imagine what might have been running into the mind of Joseph while he was going through hardships.

He was just a young man when he became a slave. He stayed faithful to God and yet, he was thrown to prison for doing the right thing.

Joseph has all the reasons to compromise and throw away his principles. He had all the reason to simply give up and forget God. He had all the reasons to become like the Egyptians and adopt their way of living and religion.

However, that didn’t happen.

Joseph didn’t let his present circumstances dictate his actions. He continually relied upon the Almighty and waited patiently for his deliverance to come.

Because of Joseph, the house of Jacob was saved and all of Egypt. Because of Joseph, we have a good example to emulate. Because of Joseph, the plan of God to raise up the Messiah eventually became a reality.

Truly, Joseph’s story is inspiring for all of us!

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[If you wish to learn more, please read “5 Vital Lessons from the Life of Joseph.”]

No. 4: Parting of the Red Sea

When we think of miracles in the Bible, there’s one miracle that would most likely pop into our mind — the parting of the Red Sea.

Why not?

Aside from it being made into various movies, the parting of the Red Sea wasn’t just a demonstration of God’s power, but his deliverance to His people.

If you are in the shoes of the Israelites at that time, you know that it is beyond human capacity to escape their enemies.

On their sides were rugged mountains. Behind them was the strongest military in the world at that time. In front of them was the Red Sea.

It was a complete DEAD END!

Nothing can save them now, except God.

When the Israelites felt very sure they will perish, Moses confidently told them in Exodus 14:13-14:

“Do not be afraid. STAND STILL, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. ¹⁴ The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

What happened next was nothing short of extraordinary.

We read in Exodus 14:21:

²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.

What a spectacular sight!

God supernaturally divided a great body of water. He didn’t simply drain the sea. He didn’t simply make a bridge. He didn’t simply create a boat.

He actually divided the sea and “the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left” (Exodus 14:22).

I don’t know about you, but that will surely leave a lasting impression not just on me, but on all the people who have heard about this story.

God didn’t just divide the waters, but He also prepared the way for Israel to become a great nation.

What should this teach us? How should this inspire us?

Simple:

The parting of the Red Sea shows us that God is a way-maker.

When there’s no way, God will literally make a way!

He isn’t limited by time, matter, and space.

He is the God of the impossible because He makes impossible things POSSIBLE.

This reminds me of what Yahweh told Abraham in Genesis 18:14:

¹⁴ Is anything too hard for the LORD?”

Answer?

NOTHING.

This should help us even trust God more and have faith in Him.

No. 5: Ruth, Naomi and Boaz

The book of Ruth tells us about the story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz. The story is quite inspiring in many ways and reading through the book of Ruth should give you a better idea of how God can make hopeless situations a testimony of His love and mercy upon us.

The story begins when Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, went to Moab to escape the famine in Bethlehem.

Sadly, Elimelech died leaving Naomi a widow along with their two sons. Their children took wives from Moab, Ruth and Orpah. Eventually, the two children of Naomi also died.

Naomi pleaded to her daughters-in-law to go back to their people. Orpah left, but Ruth stayed.

That’s when Ruth said:

“Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God.

¹⁷ Where you die, I will die,
And there will I be buried.

The LORD do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me (Ruth 1:16-17).”

Ruth’s devotion to Naomi as well as to the Almighty was so strong that we read how Naomi saw her determination and stopped convincing her to leave.

So, we see Naomi and Ruth going back to Bethlehem.

Ruth’s good character was noticed by Boaz and eventually, Boaz married Ruth.

You can read the full story in the book of Ruth. It has only four chapters. You can read it in less than an hour but I can tell you that it is worth your time.

So, what’s so inspiring about this love story? Why did we include this in our list?

Well, here’s why:

Ruth is a testimony of how God longed to call all people into His Family.

We know that Ruth was a Moabite. She isn’t an Israelite.

Yet, God used her mightily to the point that from her offspring, the lineage of David would come from and eventually would give rise to the promised Messiah!

Can you believe it? God isn’t simply saving the Israelites. He just started with them, but His plan was to include the whole of mankind.

Isn’t it wonderful to see how God included gentiles in the lineage of Jesus Christ?

Because of Ruth’s faithfulness and loyalty, she became an integral part of God’s plan of salvation. Her good reputation made her shine and stand out from the crowd.

God surely blessed those who are dedicated to doing His will and staying faithful in Him.

Ruth is no doubt a great inspiration to all of us.

[7 Little-Known Lessons from the Book of Ruth]

No. 6: David and Goliath

Perhaps, the most popular battle mentioned in the Hebrew Writing is the battle between David and Goliath. You might even be familiar with their story and know very well how it ends.

David was just a shepherd boy who happened to hear Goliath mocking the army of God. He went to King Saul. David convinced the King that he will fight Goliath and win.

We can just imagine how the story unfolds.

Here was a young lad who came fresh from keeping the sheep. On the other hand, here was a great warrior who was hardened by countless battles.

Goliath wasn’t just any ordinary soldier. He was a giant. He stood about nine feet tall. He can easily kill any man with just one swing of his weapon.

Yet, David wasn’t afraid.

He said:

“You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

⁴⁶ This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

⁴⁷ Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; FOR THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:45-47).

What a powerful, courageous, and truthful expression of confidence in the Almighty. For David, there’s no doubt in his mind that God can deliver him from this formidable enemy.

As a result, David was able to kill Goliath and cut his head off with his own sword.

In all this glorious victory, David knew that he was able to accomplish this magnificent feat not through his own strength, but God’s strength.

He did it not for his own benefit, but for Israel’s benefit. David gave Israel the defeat of their enemies so that “all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.”

What a wonderful and effective way to testify to God’s majestic power.

Although the story of David and Goliath happened thousands of years ago, it has still inspired millions of people throughout history.

[Lessons from the Life of David: Defeating the GIANTS (Part 1)]

No. 7: Esther and the invisible hand of God

Did you know that the book of Esther doesn’t mention the word “God?”

Yes, that’s true, but the story of Esther dramatically demonstrates how the Almighty works behind the scene and doesn’t forsake His people.

I highly recommend you find the time to read the book of Esther. It has only 10 chapters, but the story written in it is so exciting that I’m sure you’ll read it in one sitting.

When Queen Vashti disobeyed the Persian king Ahasuerus, she was ripped off of her royal title and privilege. As a result, the Persian king looked for a new wife and that was when he found Esther.

Esther was a beautiful Jewish woman who was put by God in the palace for an important mission. It wasn’t an accident that Esther ended up in the palace.

When you continue reading the book of Esther, you will read about Haman. He was a cunning adviser of the king who plotted to kill all the Jews in the Persian Kingdom.

Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, heard about this plot and told Esther these memorable words that echoed throughout the history:

“Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. ¹⁴ For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this (Esther 4:13-14)?”

That’s right, who knows that Esther was put there for a plan all along?

Esther was in a unique position to make a great difference not just in her life, but also in the life of her people.

The problem is that in doing so, Esther will put her life in danger. She could easily die in the hands of the king for disobeying the rules in the palace.

Nevertheless, notice the reply of Esther:

“Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” (Esther 4:16)!

Esther was determined to help her people. She knew it can be like a suicide mission, but she won’t back out. She courageously did what she had to do.

As we continue reading, we see how Esther successfully turned King Ahasuerus against Haman and eventually had him hanged on the gallows he made to kill Mordecai.

So, what’s so inspiring about this story?

We see how the book doesn’t mention God, but it was made obvious how God directed the events in the story.

When God seems to be silent, remember this:

He is working behind the scenes. He arranges things so that all the pieces will fall into the right place. He removes the wrong people. Bring in the right people. He removes obstacles. He adds provisions. God ultimately makes all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)!

God’s timing could not have been more perfect. At the right moment, Haman fell down on the couch of Esther, which made the king angrier. This made the king order the demise of Haman.

The silence of God doesn’t mean He is asleep. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t care. It doesn’t mean all hope is gone.

Here’s a truth that you should know:

When He is silent, He wants you to feel His presence.

God’s silence does not mean He is absent.

In Esther’s story, we see how God was very much present in every twist and turn of events.

Maybe, you are confused right now and don’t know what to do.

Perhaps, you are praying but God seems to be silent.

Possibly, you are wondering what you should do when there’s nothing you can do anymore.

When this happens, remember the story of Esther.

God’s silence is God’s presence.

Don’t ever believe the lie of Satan that tells you God isn’t there or God doesn’t care.

He is ever-present and will always take care of you no matter what.

The time will come when you will see God’s invisible hand!

[7 Amazing Things You Should Know About Queen Esther’s Life]

No. 8: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Sometimes, doing the right thing won’t bring good results, at least, temporarily. There are times when doing the right thing means we get persecuted, ostracized, and even put to death.

That’s exactly what happened to Daniel’s three friends — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego whose Hebrew names were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

In the book of Daniel, we read about their story. King Nebuchadnezzar set up an enormous golden image. He then made a decree that we read in Daniel 3:4-6:

⁴ Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, ⁵ that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; ⁶ and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”

As righteous men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to follow the king’s edict. As high-ranking officials in the Babylonian kingdom, it is inevitable that they will get noticed. They were like a sore thumb sticking out in the sea of men bowing to the idol.

Thus, the three friends were brought before the king. They were given a chance by the king to change their mind as we read in Daniel 3:14-15:

¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”

It sounds like a good offer.

The three friends could easily just follow the king and all problems are solved!

They may try to justify their actions later to God. They may just publicly worship the image and privately worship God.

That’s a good win-win solution, right?

Well, not exactly.

Sin is sin no matter how you look at it.

And for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they know exactly what is right and they are determined to do what is right.

We read of their brave response in Daniel 3:16-18:

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Did you just notice how firm and resolute their decision is?

They were so determined to do what was right that they were ready to deal with whatever consequences they needed to face.

For them, it is better to endure hardships, persecution, and even death rather than to betray God. they would rather die than bow down to the king’s wish.

What’s so amazing here is that we can see how God sometimes doesn’t prevent us from going through life’s difficulties. However, he promised us that He will be with us through life’s difficulties.

In the case of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we see here that God didn’t prevent them from going through the fire, but God was with them in the fire.

God is faithful that He will not let us go through difficulties that we can’t handle. He supplies all our needs. He gives us strength. He comforts us. Most importantly, He loves us.

That’s why, when you go through trials right now, it is not because God is not with you. On the contrary, God is with you whether the day is sunny or rainy, whether it’s bright or dark, whether you are happy or sad.

God is with you when you are up and down.

The psalmist asked:

⁶ The LORD is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me (Psalms 118:6)?

God promised us:

“I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

So, when life hits you hard with difficulties, remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Be inspired by their obedience to God and leave the rest in His hands.

No. 9: The healing of Bartimaeus

A lot of us might not have even heard of Bartimaeus in the Bible. However, this doesn’t mean that we can’t learn a vital lesson from his life.

We read his story in Mark 10:46-52, Matthew 10:29-34 and Luke 18:35-43. We can see how the three Gospel writers included Bartimaeus’ story, showing us how impactful his story was.

Bartimaeus was blind for too long and we knew how difficult it is to live without your sense of sight. Thousands of days Bartimaeus spent in the dark. He ate his meal in the dark. He slept and woke up in the dark. He lived his life in the dark.

In a way, all of us are like Bartimaeus, the only difference is that we are spiritually blind for a long time. However, because of God’s love toward us, He has shown us the Light in the form of Christ. He gave us spiritual eyes to see and learn His way of life.

Sometimes, seeking the light is not that easy. As we can see in the life of Bartimaeus, he faced opposition when trying to get close to Yahshua.

When he was calling out to the Savior, the crowd warned him to be quiet. However, this didn’t stop Bartimaeus to call out all the more to Christ. This time, aside from just calling the Teacher’s name, he appealed to His mercy.

In the same way, we can all appeal to God’s mercy. We can all go before the Throne of Grace and pray to God to help us in our time of need.

Finally, when Bartimaeus got close to Yahshua, he asked for healing.

The response of the Messiah could not have been sweeter:

“Go your way; your faith has made you well” (Mark 10:52).

Did you notice that? YOUR FAITH.

How about your faith, friend? How’s your faith? How strong is it? Is it growing or dying? Does your faith lead to action?

You see, God is merciful, but we also have a role to play.

It isn’t simply just asking God without action.

We must do our part.

As they say, “Do your best and God will do the rest.”

The story of Bartimaeus is inspiring in many ways.

However, I believe it is most inspiring because it shows us that God sees all of us even the least among us — even the blind, the lame, and the nobody in our society.

So, be of good cheer. God is merciful. He brings light, healing, and forgiveness to all who seek Him.

Though we may be blind, we will all see the glory of God!

No. 10: The sacrifice of Jesus Christ

The greatest love story ever told is found in John 3:16:

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God so loved the world. It didn’t say, “God so loved the Christians, the Americans, the religious, the righteous, or the saints.”

It says, “the world.”

Because of this great love, the Almighty gave up His Son, Yahshua the Messiah, to die for our sins and redeem us.

Not many people really have realized the magnitude of God’s love for us. I would even say that no one can truly and fully comprehend what it’s like for the Heavenly Father to let his beloved and only begotten Son die for rebellious, stiff-necked, and apathetic human beings.

Yet, we see here that Christ was even slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). It was already determined and Jesus was destined to die for us on the torture stake or cross.

He died the most gruesome and painful death that no one of us could ever imagine going through. His visage was so marred and damaged that people who have seen Christ couldn’t believe their eyes. All they could do was look away and hide their faces. Christ was so beaten up that he didn’t look like a human being anymore!

The story of Christ’s life, suffering, and death should inspire us to live a godly life. It should behoove us to change and become more pleasing in the sight of God.

We read in Romans 5:6-11 and I want you to really read this with the intention to understand its deep meaning:

⁶ For when we were still WITHOUT strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, CHRIST DIED FOR US.

⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. ¹¹ And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Sin separated us from God. Sin has made a HUGE gap between God and mankind.

The death of Christ was like a bridge that closed that gap. If it weren’t because of Christ’s life, we would still be alienated from God —- forever separated from Him.

Because of Christ’s sacrifice, the way to God was opened. We now have a High Priest who can sympathize with us. Yahshua is now sitting at the right hand of God, interceding for us.

The story of Christ’s sacrifice should inspire us to reconsider our priorities in life. It must make us change our minds if we are going in the wrong direction.

May we not waste Christ’s sacrifice and instead “walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, ² with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, ³ endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3).