| In What Order Should I Study the Bible? |
| Written by Matt Tague | |
| Monday, 22 June 2009 | |
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If you have started to read the Bible, you have begun a great thing. Unfortunately, it is easy to get frustrated or defeated while reading the Bible if you don't know where to get started. Logically, the beginning seems like the right place to start, but that would be a mistake. Today I will show you a plan to read and understand the Bible. If you think it is arbitrary in the beginning, keep on reading. I have found a plan to help you understand what you read, making sense of the flow and thought of the Bible as you read.
If you have started to read the Bible, you have begun a great thing. Unfortunately, it is easy to get frustrated or defeated while reading the Bible if you don't know where to get started. Logically, the beginning seems like the right place to start, but that would be a mistake. Today I will show you a plan to read and understand the Bible. If you think it is arbitrary in the beginning, keep on reading. I have found a plan to help you understand what you read, making sense of the flow and thought of the Bible as you read. First, when you start, don't begin at the beginning. Find the contents page and make your way to the Gospel of John. John is located about two thirds of the way through your Bible, right after Luke but before Acts. Reading the Gospel of John first is important because it familiarizes you with the most important character in the Bible, Jesus. Additionally, John helps you understand the whole point of the Bible, which is why most people read it. Just read one chapter a day. Don't overwhelm yourself. Take time to think, read and reflect. You can write down your thoughts and questions as you read. If you read four to five times a week, the Gospel of John should take you about a month to read. Once you are finished with John, go right to the next book, Acts. Acts details the lives of the Apostles after Jesus went back to heaven. Reading through Acts will help you understand the other books in the New Testament. Most of the other New Testament books were written by the Apostle Paul, who you will learn about in Acts. Acts is only a few chapters longer than John, so it should also take you about a month to read. Now, go all the way back and read the first book in the Bible, Genesis. Genesis will teach you about the beginning of the earth and how God picked a certain group of people to affect all of human history. Genesis is a longer book, so it will take you about two months to read. In Genesis, you will get to know people like Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob and Joseph. Once you are finished with Genesis, flip back to the New Testament and read the book of Romans. Romans is right after the book of Acts. Romans was written by the Apostle Paul. In Romans, Paul teaches the reader about Biblical history and the point of it all. A lot of what you just read in Genesis will help you as you read Romans. Romans is thought to be the height of Biblical teaching by many scholars. If you would like to read more than just one chapter a day, try reading a Psalm or a Proverb. Psalms is found in the middle of the Bible. The Psalms are a collection of prayers and songs to God. They aren't very long to read. Proverbs comes right after the Psalms. They are a collection of writings that teach wisdom for life in general. They are great to read if you want to gain knowledge about life, leadership skills or just plain old common sense. So far you have already read about Jesus, the apostles and the beginning of the world. Now I think it is time for you to pick where you want to read in the Bible. Remember, there are lots of different types of literature in the Bible, so take time to understand what you are reading. The Bible contains poetry, history, prophecy and much more. I have written a book to help you make sense of them all. Most importantly though, pray and ask God to give you understanding as you read. If you ask, God will help you. The Article Author: Finally, a book that teaches you how to study the Bible. Find out how to avoid the top 5 mistakes people make when reading the Bible. |
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