Introduction to Reading the Bible in a Year

The Old Testament World

Week 1: Genesis 1-22

Week 2: Genesis 23-50

Week 3: Exodus 1-19

Week 4: Exodus 20-40

Week 5: Leviticus 1-27

Week 6: Numbers 1-36

Week 7: Deuteronomy 1-14

Week 8: Deuteronomy 15-34

Week 9: Joshua 1-24

Week 10: Judges 1-21

Week 11: 1 Samuel 1-31

Week 12: 2 Samuel 1-24

Week 13: 1 Kings 1-22

Week 14: 2 Kings 1-25

Week 15: Amos 1-9; Micah 1-7; Hosea 1-14

Week 16: Psalms 1-25

Week 17: Isaiah 1-39

Week 18: Nahum 1-3; Zephaniah 1-3; Joel 1-3; Habakkuk 1-3

Week 19: Psalms 26-50

Week 20: Jeremiah 1-21

Week 21: Jeremiah 22-52

Week 22: Psalms 51-75

Week 23: Lamentations 1-5; Obadiah 1; Psalm 137

Week 24: Ezekiel 1-21

Week 25: Ezekiel 22-48

Week 26: Isaiah 40-66

Week 27: Ezra 1-10; Nehemiah 1-13

Week 28: Haggai 1-2; Zechariah 1-14; Malachi 1-4; Esther 1-10

Week 29: Psalms 76-100

Week 30: 1 Chronicles 1-29

Week 31: 2 Chronicles 1-36

Week 32: Ruth 1-4; Song of Songs 1-8; Ecclesiastes 1-12; Jonah 1-4

Week 33: Psalms 101-125

Week 34: Proverbs 1-31

Week 35: Job 1-42

Week 36: Psalms 126-150

Week 37: Daniel 1-12

The New Testament World

Week 38: Mark 1-16

Week 39: Matthew 1-28

Week 40: Luke 1-24

Week 41: John 1-21

Week 42: Acts 1-28

Week 43: James 1-5; 1 Thessalonians 1-5; 2 Thessalonians 1-3

Week 44: Galatians 1-6; Philippians 1-4

Week 45: 1 Corinthians 1-16

Week 46: 2 Corinthians 1-13

Week 47: Romans 1-16

Week 48: Colossians 1-4; Philemon 1; 1 Peter 1-5; 2 Peter 1-3

Week 49: Ephesians 1-6

Week 50: 1 Timothy 1-5; 2 Timothy 1-4; Titus 1-3; 1 John 1-5; 2 John 1; 3 John 1; Jude 1

Week 51: Hebrews 1-13

Week 52: Revelation 1-22

Week 1, read: Genesis 1-22

At Least Know This

God gave Abraham a promise—a covenant (Genesis 12:1-3). Abraham’s descendants (physical and spiritual descendants) would be a people to unify the world back to God.

Author and Date

Jesus once referred to the first five books of the Bible as the “Books of Moses” (Mark 12:26). So, through most of church history, people assumed that Moses wrote those books. Modern analysis of the ancient Hebrew text shows that there were many people (or many groups) that edited the book.

The book of Genesis was probably put in its final form during the Babylonian Exile (587-538 BCE). Abraham, the main character in the first part of Genesis, probably lived around 1750 BCE (give or take a couple hundred years).

Historical Situation

At the time of Abraham, people were largely nomadic and agricultural, driving their herds from one place to another. God calls Abraham out of Ur (a pretty cool city in Mesopotamia), and Abraham goes to Palestine.

Important Passages

Genesis 12:1-3 is one of the central passages of Genesis, if not the whole Bible. God promises that Abraham’s spiritual and physical descendants will bring people back to God.

The stories after Genesis 12 are meant to keep you on the edge of your seat—wondering how God will keep the covenant to Abraham. For example, in chapter 12, we see that the Egyptian Pharaoh talks about kidnapping Abraham’s wife, Sarah. We’re supposed to say, “Oh my gosh, how can God keep his covenant if the Pharaoh keeps Sarah?” In chapter 14, Abram fights in a battle. We’re supposed to wonder, “What if Abraham gets killed in the battle? How will God keep his covenant?” The rest of the stories in Genesis show how God keeps his promises, even when all seems lost.

Faith Insights

Why did God choose Abraham? A common idea is that God chose Abraham because he was so righteous. But there is nothing in the text that says that. In fact—it says just the opposite. Joshua 24:2 states that Abraham was worshipping idols when God called him. The point is that God called Abraham, not because Abraham was good, but because God is good.

Why does God choose us? It’s not because we are good, but it’s because God is good. This is grace—undeserved love and kindness. We don’t ever have to measure up, we don’t have to perform at a certain level, and we don’t have to do tricks to impress God. God loves us right now, as we are; not as we should be, or as we ought to be—God loves us right now.

The covenant God gave to Abraham was a one-way covenant. This means that God gave Abraham a promise, and asked for nothing in return. Abraham didn’t have to do anything to get the promise. God, out of his grace, gave this promise. Our relationship with God is a one-way covenant. God promises his love and presence and salvation—and there’s nothing we have to do to earn it.