How do you read the Bible? Thematically? Book-by-book? Only NT? Commentary in hand?
For the past few years, I've been reading Daily Bibles that get you through the Bible in a year. Most of them have a daily OT passage, a psalm, a proverb, and a NT passage. It is amazing, as this is sequenced to just keep moving through each of these four sections how often the content from one portion complements the contents of another. Such an amazingly integrated and inter-connected book!
This year, it's the NKJV Daily Bible -- "Read the Entire Bible in One Year"!!!
I get hopelessly lost when it comes to the kings of Israel vs. Judah. I wish someone would come out with a translation that simply inserts [of Judah] or [of Israel] next to the king's name every time he is mentioned, e.g., Rehoboam [of Judah], Jeroboam [of Israel]. I also wish they would include a little inset map to remind me which kingdom sits on top of the other -- Israel is north of Judah, and Judah has Jerusalem, and part of Israel became Samaria, right?
I have two or three Daily Bibles in different translations lined up for future years. I usually manage to buy them when they are on sale. I see one; I get it. However, I'm thinking of reading through the Chronological Bible next year, just to refresh my memory of the likely chronological order of things. Very difficult to keep it all straight.
Does anyone know any Bible aids out there that might help me navigate through the chronology of the OT as I read through the Bible?
PS -- I'm three weeks behind right now -- July 8th. Does this make me a bad person?!
3 comments:
Have you tried any Bible computer programs? I use the Nelson Electronic Bible Reference Library (NEBRL) which includes various reference books that can be linked together by topic, verse, etc. I find it very helpful, especially when using the KJV linked to Strong's numbers.
Also included are a number of study guides, including J Vernon Mcgee's 5-year "Thru the Bible" commentary that includes the notes and outlines, the only problem being that you do not get to hear his accent.
There are other programs than NEBRL available that may provide better tools for you, but as a concept, the computer can be a mighty "sword of the Spirit".
I have not.
I like to have my Daily Bible "with me", so I can read while waiting in line, wherever, I am, that kind of thing.
When I was a newborn Christian I used to read the Bible constantly going through a version every 6 months to a year. I also used devotional aids and commentaries in trying to tweeze the meaning out of the more difficult passages. One day I read 1 John which says "You don't need anyone to teach you because the anointing you have received teaches you all things". I then decided to rely on that anointing as I sought the deeper meaning in Christianity. It was worth it. I often would be led to a short passage of Scripture and I would meditate upon it for days until the meaning became absolutely clear. Other times the meaning would become clear before I would find the passage of Scripture came to mind. I then found that when I preached the Bible spoke to my audience because I wasn't trying to force meaning. A pastoral friend commented that what I did was almost isogetical in nature except I didn't deviate from the Truth. I laughed at that saying well I have sat through enough exogetical sermons to know that the speaker doesn't always know the truth. In summary I would say it is far better to know the Author than His Book.
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