Bible Reading Plan Brochure LGL
Bible Reading Plan Brochure LGL
Bible Reading Plan Brochure LGL
2Pet 1:21). God revealed himself place to read it than right before the Gospels? Some daily readings may seem a little dry. Try
just pick it up and read it front to back? There is through his word over the course of time (Heb I placed the Gospels ahead of the New Testa- to remember as you are reading the genealogies, for
nothing sacred about the arrangement of the indi- 1:1). This is called ‘progressive revelation.’ ment letters. Though many of these letters were example, that each one of those names represents a
vidual books common to all Protestant English The Bible is God's self-revelation to us, and it actually written before the Gospels, the letters real person created by God. Even though we know
Bibles. This arrangement does not correspond to makes sense to read it in the order he wrote it. For were written to explain the content of the Gos- almost nothing of his or her story, God mentioned
ancient Hebrew and Greek scripture arrange- example: the books of Kings and Chronicles con- pels—the life and ministry of Jesus. The Gospel them by name for all of history. Won’t that be spe-
ments. Not only that, but the German Lutheran tain parallel content, so historical chronologies narratives were already circulating orally in the cial to you too some day?
Bible has yet a third sequence. And the current will often cut and paste them together. But those Christian community, even if they hadn’t been
arrangements are sometimes unhelpful. Take two books were written at different times and for put down in writing yet. So it made sense that we Week 1 Week 7
Paul's letters for example: in English Bibles they different purposes. Kings was written during the should read the Gospels first. (But not all the Gen. 1-4 Num. 7-9
are arranged mostly in order of their size from Babylonian exile to explain why the people of Gospels: I placed John’s gospel at the end of the Gen. 5-10 Num. 10-13
longest to shortest. I suppose this is logical to a God were seemingly rejected by God and sent reading plan along with John’s other writings. I Gen. 11-15 Num. 14-17
printer. But the arrangement is not helpful for into exile (hence the emphasis in Kings on the also placed Acts before the letters because I Gen. 16-19 Num. 18-21
comprehending the apostle’s message and minis- sins of the people and their kings). But Chronicles thought it beneficial to read both of Luke’s books Gen. 20-24 Num. 22-25
try development. Reading your Bible in the order was written some time later after the return from together.)
it's bound is not necessarily the best. exile, and its purpose seems to be to teach the Why read the Bible in this order? It gives the Week 2 Week 8
In what order should the Bible be read? There people about the legitimacy of the kingdom and reader the opportunity to read each book in its Gen. 25-27 Num. 26-29
are several alternative reading plans available. chosen status of God's people (hence all the gene- entirety without interruption; so that the message Gen. 28-31 Num. 30-33
They can be found in pamphlet form, or as a list- alogies showing the continuity of the family of of each book can be discerned. It also allows the Gen. 32-35 Num. 34-36
ing on the internet. There are also special Bibles Israel). Though God was using the same subject reader to see the progress of God’s revelation of Gen. 36-39 Deut. 1-4
that are arranged and printed for daily orderly matter, he had different points to make to the two himself to humanity; to build an understanding of Gen. 40-42 Deut. 5-8
reading. Many of these plans and Bibles are la- different historical audiences. God piece by piece.
Week 3 Week 9
beled ‘Chronological’ and they follow a historical So, if we wished to read the Scriptures in the In conclusion, I recall what I wrote at begin- Gen. 43-46 Deut. 9-13
chronology based on the internal narrative events. order God revealed them, what order would that ning about the arrangement of our Bibles. There's Gen. 47-50 Deut. 14-19
Other reading plans and Daily Bibles will jump be? The answer to that question turns out to be a nothing sacred about this arrangement either. Ex. 1-5 Deut. 20-25
back and forth between the Old and New Testa- somewhat complicated. For one thing, there is People who read through the entire Bible will be Ex. 6-9 Deut. 26-29
ments based on a theory that readers will tire of quite a wide range of dates proposed for many of blessed and will profit from it, no matter what Ex. 10-14 Deut. 30-34
reading only Old Testament for over nine months the books. Secondly, some of the books seem to order they read it in. May God bless you as you
before they get to any New Testament material. have existed in oral form long before they were read his Word. Week 4 Week 10
I never liked the back and forth a-little-of-each committed to the written form we have now. Ex. 15-18 Josh. 1-6
-testament-every-day method. It breaks up the Regarding the first issue, I have chosen to Tips for Reading Ex. 19-22 Josh. 7-9
books too much; and it underestimates the capa- follow the dating conclusions of conservative Pray before and after for understanding. Ex. 23-27 Josh. 10-13
bility of believing readers to read through the Old evangelical scholars. They don’t always agree, The readings are arranged with five readings Ex. 28-31 Josh. 14-18
Testament. but a consensus is possible in most cases. Regard- per week. This allows the reader to miss a day Ex. 32-35 Josh. 19-21
Historical chronologies ‘harmonize’ many of ing the second issue, I made choices in a few ar- now and then without falling behind.
the books of the Bible, weaving together passages eas. Firstly, the wisdom/poetry books I placed at Week 5 Week 11
from different books that tell of the same event. the end of the Old Testament (similar to the He- Don’t be discouraged by all the Old Testa- Ex. 36-40 Josh. 22-24
The benefit of reading such a chronology is that brew Bible). I did this partly because some of ment reading. This was the Scripture Jesus read Lev. 1-4 Jdg. 1-4
readers become familiar with Biblical history and them are extremely hard to put a date on (e.g. and quoted from. There are many treasures to be Lev. 5-9 Jdg. 5-8
characters. The disadvantage is that such plans Job). I also did this in particular because of the found. (I recommend Philip Yancey’s book The Lev. 10-14 Jdg. 10-12
fragment many of the original books. nature of the book of Psalms. Many of the indi- Bible Jesus Read to those who want help under- Lev. 15-18 Jdg. 13-17
Another type of chronological arrangement is vidual Psalms were composed very early on by standing the Old Testament.)
possible. It might be called the order of ‘Salvation David and others. But the book in the form we Read an introduction to each of the books Week 6 Week 12
-History.’ Christians believe that that Bible, have it now was probably a compilation of the from a study Bible. This will give you some in- Lev. 19-22 Jdg. 18-21
though written by many human authors, was existing psalms made by a priest in post-exilic sights into the historical context of the writer and Lev. 23-25 Ruth
above all inspired in its entirety by the one true Israel, just a few centuries before Christ. The the message of the book that God intended for the Lev. 26-27 Obad., Joel
God. As Paul and Peter wrote, God breathed out book of Psalms was the worship book that Israel people of that time, as well as how its message Num. 1-3 Jonah
the Scriptures through individual human authors used as they waited for the Messiah. What better may apply to you today. Num. 4-6 Amos 1-5
Week 13 Week 20 Week 27 Week 34 Week 41 Week 47
A One
Amos 6-9 Jer. 51-52 Ezek. 24-27 Job 6-10 Psa. 120-135 James
Mic. 1-4 Lam. 1-2 Ezek. 28-31 Job 11-15 Psa. 136-143 Galatians
Mic. 5-7 Lam. 3-5 Ezek. 32-35 Job 16-20 Psa. 144-150 1Ths., 2Ths.
Hos. 1-7 1Sam. 1-5 Ezek. 36-39 Job 21-27 Mark 1-4 1Cor. 1-6
Hos. 8-14 1Sam. 6-11 Ezek. 40-43 Job 28-31 Mark 5-9 1Cor. 7-12
Week 14
Isa. 1-5
Isa. 6-10
Week 21
1Sam. 12-14
1Sam. 15-17
Week 28
Ezek. 44-48
Dan. 1-3
Week 35
Job 32-37
Job 38-42
Week 42
Mark 10-12
Mark 13-16
Week 48
1Cor. 13-16
2Cor. 1-7
Year Bible
Isa. 11-15 1Sam. 18-22 Dan. 4-7 Prov. 1-5 Matt. 1-4 2Cor. 8-13
Reading
Isa. 16-21 1Sam. 23-26 Dan. 8-12 Prov. 6-10 Matt. 5-8 Rom. 1-5
Isa. 22-26 1Sam. 28-31 Haggai Prov. 11-14 Matt. 9-12 Rom. 6-10
Plan
Isa. 31-35 2Sam. 4-9 Zech. 9-14 Prov. 19-22 Matt. 16-19 Ephesians
Isa. 36-39 2Sam. 10-13 1Chr. 1-3 Prov. 23-27 Matt. 20-22 Colossians
Isa. 40-42 2Sam. 14-17 1Chr. 4-6 Prov. 28-31 Matt. 23-25 Phmn., Phil.
Isa. 43-45 2Sam. 18-20 1Chr. 7-10 Ecc. 1-6 Matt. 26-28 1 Timothy