Where Should I Read the Bible When I Heartbroken
A lot of new and seasoned Christians have a story near their attempts to read the Bible comprehend to cover that goes something like this: Information technology was going great every bit they read through Genesis and Exodus, but somewhere in Leviticus or Numbers, they started to get bogged down in details they didn't quite empathize. And by the time they striking Deuteronomy, they were done.
While it's true that "all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and preparation in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16), we need to recognize that the Bible is not like any other book. It isn't necessarily meant to exist read from front to back. In fact, the Bible is actually a library.
The Protestant Bible is comprised of 66 books, and many of those books are written in a variety of different genres or types of literature. These genres all demand to be read a picayune differently. Starting at Genesis and trying to read straight through without a strategy can get frustrating if you don't know how these books and their literary genres work together.
There are a few ways to classify the genres of the Bible, merely they typically fall into these categories.
Historical narrative
Books include: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, one and 2 Kings, i and two Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Jonah, Acts
While most of the Bible's books have some element of history to them, these are the ones that are primarily focused on communicating stories of historical significance. In these books, you'll find a lot of the Bible stories you probably heard when you were a child.
Wisdom literature
Books include: Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes
Wisdom literature focuses on what information technology means to alive well. Some of the language is poetic and figurative, so it can't ever be read in the same way that you'd read the Bible's historical books. For instance, Proverbs thirteen:xiv tells united states that "the teaching of the wise is a fountain of life . . ." This doesn't mean that wise pedagogy is a literal fountain, just a rather standing source of intellectual and spiritual nourishment.
Poetry
Books include: Psalms, Song of Songs, Lamentations
While many Old Testament books incorporate portions of poetry, these three books are written as verse. Unlike English poetry that focuses more on rhyme and meter, Hebrew poetry creates an emotional bear upon by focusing on balanced, parallel lines. We can see an case of this in Psalm 24:3-4 where we're told,
"iiiWho may arise the mount of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy identify?
4The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not trust in an idol
or swear past a fake god." — Psalm 24:3–4
Both verses use repetitive lines to bulldoze the bespeak home. To ascend to the mount of the Lord and stand in his holy place both communicate a blamelessness earlier God—and faithfulness is communicated by the comparable ideas of not trusting in idols or swearing by false gods.
Prophecy
Books include: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
The Bible's prophetic literature focuses on God's give-and-take spoken through his prophets. These messages tend to emphasize Israel'due south need to repent before they experience the Lord'south judgment. When reading prophecy, it's essential to understand who God is talking to through his spokespeople and the overall message he is trying to convey.
Apocalyptic literature
Books include: Daniel, Revelation
Like some of the Bible's prophetic literature, the apocalyptic writings focus on future events. Considering and then much apocalyptic literature involves dreams and visions translated into symbols and imagery, this is ofttimes the most difficult genre to understand—and the easiest to misinterpret.
Gospels
Books include: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts
Sometimes the Gospels get lumped in with the historical narrative books of the Bible, and that makes sense. Afterward all, their unabridged value rests on their historic nature. But what separates them into their own genre is that the Gospels focus on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. And while all four Gospels concentrate on the life of Jesus, they all take a unique emphasis and each one approaches the story differently. Luke'due south Gospel and Acts are both technically epistles, merely they revolve effectually the Messiah and his establishment of the church, so they as well autumn into this literary genre.
Epistles
Books include: Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and ii Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, and 3 John, Jude
Epistles are messages, and like modern letters, they're fabricated upward of a greeting, a body, and a endmost. These letters focus on instruction, correction, and encouragement for these new offset-century churches.
Some books have multiple genres
There's definitely some genre-hopping going on throughout the books of the Bible. Daniel is both historical narrative and apocalyptic literature, and Acts works as both history and Gospel. Proverbs is a wisdom volume that includes poetic elements. But the point is that learning to see these books through the lens of genre can assistance make Scripture reading a lot easier.
So where practise I outset?
Now that you have a better picture of the Bible every bit a collection of books, y'all can exist intentional about how you arroyo it. Instead of walking into what is essentially a library and trying to read your way through the books indiscriminately, you can read them strategically. As you practice, yous'll find that with each Bible book that you read, you proceeds a improve understanding of the others.
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
The Gospel of Mark
Genre: Gospel
Capacity: sixteen
Total verses: 678
For the Christian, the Bible is ultimately nigh redemption through Jesus Christ. It makes sense and so to brainstorm your biblical journey in the Gospels, and Mark's is a great place to get-go. Running the length of a longer magazine article, information technology should accept less than two hours to read in a single sitting.
Marking'south Gospel will give yous an overview of Jesus' life without getting you bogged down in besides many details. Once you accept an agreement of this Gospel'due south narrative and all the characters, y'all'll be able to dive into the other Gospels with more clarity and understanding.
Key verse: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." —Marker x:45
The Gospel of John
Genre: Gospel
Chapters: 21
Total verses: 879
Where Mark focuses on what Jesus did, John looks closely at what Jesus said nigh himself. We find some of the clearest explanations of who Jesus was and what he came to achieve in John's Gospel account. It'due south from John'southward Gospel that we learn that "For God then loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall non perish simply have eternal life" (John three:xvi).
Key verse: In the get-go was the Give-and-take, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. —John 1:1
Genesis
Genre: History
Chapters: 50
Total verses: 1,213
Genesis sets upward many essential biblical themes. It'southward here that we learn that God was responsible for creating the heavens and earth; we witness humans as they rebel against their creator; and we picket God establish the nation of Israel. The entire biblical story of God'due south working with and redeeming humanity is established in this of import volume.
Genesis is a genuinely enjoyable read, just we realize pretty quickly that we're reading virtually an ancient, foreign culture. It'due south helpful to have some tools on hand to make sense of some unfamiliar concepts and traditions. Resources like the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible or the NIV Faithlife Illustrated Study Bible can provide a lot of helpful context.
Key verses: In the kickoff God created the heavens and the earth. —Genesis 1:1
The Lord had said to Abram, "Get from your country, your people and your father'south household to the land I volition show y'all.
"I volition make y'all into a bully nation,
and I volition bless you;
I will brand your name bang-up,
and yous volition exist a blessing.
I will bless those who bless y'all,
and whoever curses you I will expletive;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."—Genesis 12:i–iii
Proverbs
Genre: Wisdom literature
Chapters: 31
Full verses: 915
While there is of class theological truth to be found in Proverbs, it's essentially a compilation of elementary instructions for living wisely. Post-obit these principles volition help you live a life of integrity and virtue.
As you lot're reading Proverbs, it'south important to retrieve the difference between a principle and a promise. For example, Proverbs 22:6 says, "Showtime children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will non turn from information technology." The point is that it'southward important to exist intentional about teaching your values and beliefs to your children. But it's non a promise that doing so will ensure a specific consequence.
Proverbs is full of wise advice about living, but information technology shouldn't be read equally God promising sure results for specific behaviors. Recall that the wisdom that the Proverbs offers is wide-ranging and more general in nature.
Primal verse: The fright of the Lord is the beginning of cognition, but fools despise wisdom and teaching. —Proverbs 1:seven
1 John
Genre: Epistle
Chapters: v
Total verses: 105
Since the outset of the Christian church, authorship for this letter has been attributed to John the campaigner. In this epistle, John makes unproblematic contrasts similar calorie-free vs. darkness, truth vs. falsehood, and love of God vs. beloved of the world. This alphabetic character is intended in function to give Christians an assurance of their salvation.
Key Poetry: I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you lot may know that you accept eternal life. —1 John v:13
Psalm 119
Genre: Poetry
Total verses: 176
The unabridged book of Psalms is total of insight and comfort. Christians throughout history have turned to the Psalms when they needed direction, consolation, and contentment. Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm and shares David'south middle for God's Word. If you lot're diving into Scripture, Psalm 119 will aid you lot see what falling in love with the Word of God looks like.
Fundamental poesy: Your give-and-take is a lamp for my feet, a low-cal on my path. —Psalm 119:105
Bible reading plans
If yous're make new to the Bible, it'due south good to have an agreement of the Bible'south message and telescopic before yous dig into a through-the-Bible reading programme. Zondervan provides a fantastic collection of reading plans that will give you a strong working noesis of Scripture.
This reading plan starts with an overview of Jesus' ministry, so spends a month helping you to get to know and understand God amend. From in that location information technology focuses on diverse topics and readings advisable for new Christians. Past the time you're done with this reading programme, you're going to have a helpful understanding of the foundations of God and his Discussion, which will prepare yous for committing to a more than intensive Bible reading plan.
Nigh full-Bible reading plans focus on a twelvemonth, which is a very reasonable corporeality of time to read through the Bible. The average reader reads about 200 words per infinitesimal. This means that y'all should be able to get through the entire Bible in a yr by spending around 15 minutes a solar day on this endeavour.
There are a total of 1,189 chapters in the Bible, which means that you should be able to get through the entire Bible by reading three or four chapters each twenty-four hours.
Zondervan has a strong plan to get through the Bible in 1 yr. This one starts at Genesis and goes directly through to Revelation. They also have readings that include a threescore-day overview of the Bible, and a listing of not-then-famous Bible stories. You lot tin can cheque those out here.
BlueLetterBible.com has some helpful reading plan options that give yous readings for every day of the yr. These include the following:
● Canonical plan: While this entire mail service is written to offer alternatives to reading the Bible straight through, there are people who still want to follow that method. This plan breaks Scripture into daily chunks for a encompass-to-cover trip through Scripture.
● Chronological programme: This programme organizes Scripture sequentially. As you work your way through this plan, y'all'll be reading Scripture in the actual guild in which the events took identify.
● Old Testament and New Testament together programme: Going through the One-time and New Testaments simultaneously can requite you a lot of insight into God's Discussion. This reading program volition equip you to read both testaments together in 365 days.
How to stick to your reading plan
Permit'southward be honest; a year is a long fourth dimension to stay committed to something—specially when y'all're working through some of the harder-to-read passages. Here are 4 tips for seeing your one-year reading commitment through.
1. Read at the aforementioned time every twenty-four hour period
Habits are built on persistent behavior. If you lot're doing your reading at random times every solar day, it's going to be harder to establish a routine. But once you brainstorm reading your Bible at a specific time of 24-hour interval (and even in a consistent place), it's going to be a lot easier to follow through.
two. Find a Bible-reading partner
If yous're serious most your commitment, discover someone who will bring together yous. Setting goals with a friend tin can brand all the difference in the world. Not only volition the two of you hold each other answerable for your daily reading, simply you'll besides be able to go deeper by discussing what you're reading together.
3. Get a Bible you lot enjoy reading
Bible reading isn't very fun when you lot don't empathize what you're reading. Information technology's incredibly helpful to accept a Bible that can assist you sympathise what'south happening (and how information technology applies to you).
If you're looking for a helpful resource, the NIV Educatee Bible volition provide a lot of insight. Built specifically for students of the Bible, it gives you but the right amount of help without overwhelming your fourth dimension in the Word. And it has its own iii-track reading program!
Another great resource is The Books of the Bible. Cleaved into 4-volumes and past many of the genres mentioned earlier, this Bible is gratis from chapter and poesy numbers that provides a seamless reading experience. When done with a partner or group, this approach to reading the Bible tin be very enlightening and meaningful.
4. Listen to an audio Bible
For a lot of the church'due south history, people listened to God's Word instead of reading it. Sometimes it can be helpful to buy an sound Bible, then accept a walk and heed to the Bible instead of reading it. If you find that you're struggling through your daily reading, consider supplementing it with an sound Bible.
With the NIV 50th Anniversary app (bachelor for iPhone and Android), you tin can read or mind to the total Bible text—and information technology's free!
Benefitting from God's Give-and-take
The Bible can be pretty intimidating for the new Christian, simply it doesn't have to be. Knowing where to kickoff tin assist immensely. Every bit you make your way through Scripture, you'll discover the assurance, strength, and wisdom that just come from immersing yourself in God'due south Word.
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Nov
2018
Source: https://www.thenivbible.com/blog/start-reading-bible/