How do Bible stories of the past such as those about Samuel, Saul, David, Solomon, Samson, etc. help to understand God and ourselves?

The Old Testament in the Christian Bible is one which contains major historic events that form the foundation of the Christian faith. The historical events give a detailed account of the intimate relationship between God and His chosen generation that is the tribe of Israel and how this relationship impacted upon God's children. Biblical stories of the past also give a series account of specific individuals from the tribe of Israel who were installed by God as leaders of His nation and how these men and women of God were able to perform great deeds under God's anointing. Some of the great leaders recorded in Biblical stories include David, Solomon, Moses, Abraham and Samson.

Biblical stories of the past help us understand God by having a revelation of God's laws and commandments upon our lives. The entire series of Old Testament stories are based on the commandments of God and how man is to abide by these laws. Men of God who abide by God's rule such as Samuel, David and Solomon receive divine blessing from God and are able to surpass human power in achieving excellent leadership in Israel. On the other hand, men such as Saul who go against God's expectation receive divine condemnation and eventual failure in life. Through these stories, one is able to understand God by understanding His commandments and expectations upon our lives.

When it comes to a personal understanding of ourselves, Biblical stories have been key in enabling human beings explore their spiritual identities that is their spirit and soul. This is due to the fact that Biblical stories contain supernatural occurrences that are beyond human understanding. Such occurrences include the supernatural strength of Samson, Moses parting the Red Sea or even the vast wealth of Solomon. Such great men were only able to perform such acts by having a close connection with God and hence act as an influence upon with human beings desire to explore their spirituality with the intent of achieving such great heights.