UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE It s Easier than You Think! Bible Reading Plan

Transcription

1 UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE It s Easier than You Think! Bible Reading Plan This Bible-reading plan is designed to be used with the series, Understanding the Bible. By following the plan you will be able to derive maximum benefit from the monthly seminars. The plan commences on April 1 st and moves at a relatively slow pace (slightly faster in the first 9 months). Many of the Bible-in-a-Single-Year plans are well-constructed, but the majority of participants tend to fall behind and drop out. It s better to read a little less and take in more. So, here is the suggested plan (till the end of the year), alongside an outline of the seminar sessions. Date Seminar Readings March 25 th A Strategic Grasp of the Whole Bible Readings commence on April 1 st April 22 nd Genesis Genesis and some psalms and proverbs May 27 th Exodus Exodus and some psalms and proverbs June 24 th Leviticus Leviticus and some psalms and proverbs July 22 nd Numbers Numbers and some psalms and proverbs Aug. 26 th Deuteronomy Deuteronomy and some psalms and proverbs Sept. 15 th Matthew Matthew and some psalms Oct. 28 th Mark Mark and some psalms Nov. 25 th Luke Luke and some psalms Dec 2 nd John John and some psalms The more detailed plan follows over the page, but first I need to mention six matters. 1. Difficult and/or Offensive Passages You will come across some passages that you find puzzling and others that may even seem offensive. Occasionally one just has to ascertain what the Bible teaches and leave it at that for the time being. You are free to discuss any of these matters with us at any time. Often an answer or at least some elucidation comes as we read further or begin to understand the cultural milieu better. By all means, we need to look at the material and ask some serious questions, but first we need to try to enter the world of the original recipients and understand what is actually being recounted or taught. 2. Psalms and Proverbs I am including Psalms and Proverbs with the readings for this year (the Pentateuch and the Gospels). Occasionally, there is a thematic tie-up, but usually there is not. Later in the survey, we will look at these two fascinating books. Right now, just enjoy reading them. Ponder the proverbs and use the psalms worshipfully. You will not always feel as the psalmist felt. That s fine; just appreciate the emotion of a person pouring out their grievance or lamentation to God or exulting in his goodness. Some of the proverbs will sound a little strange to us. Think about the

2 wisdom contained in them, but do not try to build a doctrinal system on them (they were not given for that purpose). As an anthology, they may seem disjointed (some are grouped ) but, for the most part, you will be reading them one by one. Psalm 119. In April we will work our way, eight verses at a time, through the longest Psalm (and, indeed, the longest chapter) in the Bible. You may have wondered about the Hebrew letters that appear at the beginning of each stanza. This is an acrostic psalm. In other words, each verse in the first stanza of eight verses commences with an Aleph (the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet), each verse in the next stanza with Bet (the second letter), and so on, right through the Hebrew alphabet. Imagine doing that! We can only admire the literary skill of the psalmist and appreciate the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Despite the literary artistry, the psalm certainly does not feel stilted. By the way, this is not the only acrostic passage in the Bible. 3. Lists and statistics In the Pentateuch, we encounter some genealogies and census statistics. You could painstakingly read each line and try to pronounce every name because these lists are part of Scripture. Or you could simply skip over them. I suggest that you skim them rather than skip them altogether. 4. Chapter Divisions For the most part, we are going with the chapter divisions in the Bible. These do not always come in the right place. On occasion, you may feel that you want to read on because you are absorbed in the section/story and want to finish it. That s fine; you will have broken no laws -. The idea is to simply stay in touch. By covering the chapters in the plan, you will be in sync with the seminars and will cover the necessary reading. 6. Occasional Repetition Here and there I have included a reading that you will have done previously. This is usually to highlight a theme or to summarize a section. 2

3 3 April May June 1 Gen 1:1-2:3; Psa Exod 1-2; Prov 3 1 Lev 1; Prov 11:1-8 2 Gen 2:4-3:24; Psa 8 2 Exod 3-4; Prov 4 2 Lev 2; Prov 11:8 3 Gen 4-5; Psa 1 3 Exod 5-6; Prov4 3 Lev 3; Prov 11: Gen 6-8; Psa 119:1-8 4 Exod 7-8; Prov 5 4 Lev 4:1-5:13; Prov 11: Gen 9-10; Psa 119: Exod 9-10; Prov 6: Lev 5:14-6:13 6 Gen 11; Psa 119: Exod 11:1-12:30; Psa 32 6 Lev 6:14-30; Prov 12: Gen 12-13; Psa 119: Exod 12:31--13:16; Psa Lev 7:1-10; Prov 12: Gen 14; Psa 119: Exod 13:17--14:31; Psa Lev 7:11-38; Prov 13:1-8 9 Gen 15-16; Psa 119: Exod 15:1-21; Prov 6: Lev 8; Prov 13: Gen 17; Psa 119: Exod 15:22-16:36 10 Lev 9:1-10:20 11 Gen 18-19; Psa 119: Exod 17; Prov 7 11 Lev 11; Psa 2 12 Gen 20-21; Psa 119: Exod 18; Prov 8 12 Lev 12; Psa 3 13 Gen 22; Psa 119: Exod Lev 13:1-46; Psa 4 14 Gen 23-24; Psa 119: Exod 21:1-22:15; Prov 9 14 Lev 13:47-59; Psa 5 15 Gen 25-26; Psa 119: Exod 22:16-23:19 15 Lev 14; Psa 6 16 Gen 27; Psa 119: Exod 23:20-24:18 16 Lev 15; Psa 7 17 Gen 28-29; Psa 119: Exod Lev 16; Heb 9 18 Gen 30-31; Psa 119: Exod Lev 16 (Repeat); Heb 10: Gen 32-33; Psa 119: Exod Lev 17; Psa Gen 34-36; Psa 119: Exod Lev 18; Psa Gen 37-38; Psa 119: Exod Lev 19; Psa Gen 39-40; Psa 119: Exod Lev 20; Psa Gen 41; Psa 119: Exod Lev 21; Psa Gen 42-43; Psa 119: Exod 35:1-36:7 24 Lev 22; Psa Gen 44-45; Psa 119: Exod 36:8-36:38 25 Lev 23:1-22; Psa Gen 46; Psa Exod 37-38; Prov 10: Lev 23:23-44; Psa Gen 47; Prov 1: Exod ; Prov 10: Lev 24; Psa Gen 48; Prov 1: Gen 3, 12:1-3; 28: Lev 25; Prov 14: Gen 49; Prov 1: Gen 46:1-7; 50: Lev 26; Prov 14: Gen 50; Prov 2 30 Exod 3:1-10; 12: Lev 27; Prov 14: Exod 19:1-8; 34:1-7

4 4 July August September 1 Num 1; Psa 20 1 Deut 1; Psa 42 1 Matt 1; Psa 50 2 Num 2; Psa 21 2 Deut 2-3; Psa 84 2 Matt 2; 2 Sam 11 3 Num 3; Psa 22 3 Deut 4; Psa 43 3 Matt 3; 2 Sam 12 4 Num 4; Psa 23 4 Deut 5; Psa 44 4 Matt 4; Psa 51 5 Num 5-6; Psa 24 5 Deut Matt 5; Psa 52 6 Num 7; Psa 25 6 Deut 8; Psa 45 6 Matt 6; Psa 53 7 Num 8; Psa 26 7 Deut 9; Psa 46 7 Matt 7; Psa 54 8 Num 9; Psa 27 8 Deut 10; Psa 47 8 Matt 8; Psa 55 9 Num 10; Psa 28 9 Deut 11; Psa 48 9 Matt 9; Psa Num 11; Psa Deut 12; Psa Matt 10; Psa Num 12; Psa Deut 13; Prov 19: Matt 11; Psa Num 13-14; Psa Deut 14; Prov 19: Matt 12; Psa Num 15; Psa Deut 15; Prov Matt 13; Psa Num 16; Psa Deut 16; Prov 21: Matt 14; Psa Num Deut 17; Prov 21: Matt 15; Psa Num 19-20; Psa Deut 18; Prov 22: Matt 16; Psa Num 20; Psa Deut 19; Prov 23: Matt 17; Psa Num Deut 20; Prov 23: Matt 18; Psa Psalm Deut 21; Prov 24: Matt 19; Psa Num 24; Psa Deut 22; Prov 24: Matt 20; Psa Num 25; Psa Deut 23; Prov 25: Matt 21; Psa Num 26; Psa Deut Matt 22; Psa Num 27; Psa Deut 26; Prov 25:18-26:11 23 Matt 23; Psa Num 28-29: Psa Deut 27; Prov 26: Matt 24; Psa Num 30; Prov 15: Deut 28; Prov Matt 25; Psa Num 31; Prov 15: Deut 29; Prov Matt 26:1-35; Psa Num 32; Prov 16: Deut 30; Prov Matt 26:36-75; Psa Num 33; Prov 16: Deut 31: Prov 30: Matt 27:1-31; Isa 52:13-53:12 29 Num 34; Prov 17: Deut 32; Prov 30: Matt 27:32-66; Psa Num 35; Prov 17: Deut 33; Prov 31: Matt 28; Psa Num 36; Prov Deut 34; Prov 31:10-31

5 5 October November December 1 Mark 1; Psa 74 1 Luke 3:1-38; Psa John 4: Mark 2; Psa 75 2 Luke 4:1-30; Psa John 5:1-15; Psa Mark 3: Psa 76 3 Luke 4:31-5:32; Psa John 5:16-47; Psa Mark 4:1-34; Psa 77 4 Luke 5:33-6:16; Psa John 6:1-24; Psa Mark 4:35-5:20; Psa 79 5 Luke 6:17-49; Psa John 6:25-59; Psa Mark 5:21-43; Psa 80 6 Luke 7; Psa John 7: Mark 6:1-56; Psa 81 7 Luke 8:1-39; Psa John 8:1-20; Psa Mark 7:1-8:13; Psa 82 8 Luke 8:40-9:17; Psa John 8:21-58; Psa Mark 8:14-30; Psa 83 9 Luke 9:18-10:24; Psa John 9 10 Mark 8:31-9:13; Psa Luke 10:25-37; Psa John 10; Psa Mark 9:14-29; Psa Luke 10:38-11:32; Psa John 11; Psa Mark 9:30-50; Psa Luke 11:33-12:59; Psa John 12: Mark 10:1-16; Psa Luke 13; Psa John 12: Mark 10:17-31; Psa Luke 14; Psa John Mark 10:32-52; Psa Luke 15; Psa John Mark 11:1-26; Psa Luke 16; Psa John Mark 11:27-12:12; Psa Luke 17-18; Psa John Mark 12:13-27; Psa Luke 19:1-27; Psa John 17; Psa Mark 12:28-44; Psa Luke 19:28-20:19; Psa John 18:1-27; Psa Mark 13; Psa Luke 20:20-47; Psa John 18:28-19:15; Psa Mark 14:1-26; Psa Luke 21; Psa John 19:17-42; Psa Mark 14:27-42; Psa Luke 22:1-62; Psa John 20; Psa Mark 14:43-65; Psa Luke 22:63-23:25; Psa John 21; Psa Mark 14:66-15:15; Psa Luke 23:26-56; Psa Isa 9:1-7; Luke 1: Mark 15:16-41; Psa Luke 24:1-35; Psa Isa 11:1-16; Luke 1: Mark 15:42-16:8; Psa Luke 24:36-53; Acts 1: Isa 42:1-9; Luke 2: Mark 16:9-20; Psa John 1:1-18; Psa Luke 2: Luke 1:1-38; Psa John 1:19-51; Psa Matt 1 29 Luke 1:39-80; Psa John 2:1-25; Psa Matt 2 30 Luke 2:1-20; Psa John 3:1-36; Psa Matt 3 31 Luke 2:21-51; Psa Mark 1