Some consider anything to be written and published to be literature. If this is the case, then the Bible definitely qualifies as literature. Literature also has different purposes. The main purposes for writing are to describe, to persuade, to inform, and to entertain. The Old Testament, and the rest of the Bible, does all of these. I think that literature tends to be better when it impacts us as humans, showing us how to live and love well.
             Much of what we learn is from stories, whether told orally or from written work. As a Christian, the Old Testament teaches me much about God's truth and His Laws. Throughout the Word I am shown over and over again about the character of God and His promises to me as His child. The Old Testament teaches me about life and the sanctity of it, and helps me to know more about relationships with others.
             Literature often contains running themes, which might include that of a hero, journey, rivalry, and relationships. For instance, there is Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, or prophets such as Isaiah, Amos, and Elijah. These human heroes were chosen by God to do God's will and obey His commands. Although they may be considered to heroes in the Old Testament, this didn't exclude them from failures. By these failures we often are able to have more glimpses of their relationships with others. We see David and Bathsheba's act of adultery, Solomon's oppressing of the people, and Job's faith in God despite his hardships.
             Within the Old Testament we see different types of literary forms, such as monologues (Ecclesiastes. 1), parables (Isaiah. 5; Ezekiel. 15-19), and proverbs. There are law codes (in Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, and Leviticus), extended poems (as in Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations), short stories (Jonah, Esther), essays (Ecclesiastes. 1-12), and acrostics (Proverbs 31). These are to name only a few of the different forms of l...