SEEK 22. WHERE TO START WITH THE BIBLE
BIBLE READING: Psalm 119:9-16
TEXT: ‘I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you’ (Psalm 119:11).
When you read a book, you start at the beginning, and you read it through to the end. It seems obvious, doesn’t it? But I would suggest that’s not the best approach to reading the Bible. There are around 727,969 words in the Bible, 31,102 verses, 1,189 chapters and 66 books. That’s a lot of reading. It’s also not like a novel or a history book which follows a plot line or a historical narrative. Nor is it a puzzle book, a science textbook, or a collection of fables. The Bible was written by around forty different authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit, over a period of around 1,500 years. The sixty-six books are of different genres. There is law (the five books of Moses), history, poetry, prophecy, gospel and letter.
So where do you begin? After a particularly lively discussion in a library in Brighton, England, a young man approached me and told me that the Bible was rubbish. When I asked him if he had read it, he admitted that he hadn’t. So, I challenged him to do so. He asked your question
- where do I begin? I suggested that he not start in Genesis and that he should not use the King James A month later I received an e–mail from him. He apologised that he had forgotten my advice, so he had just started reading from Genesis 1 in the KJV! He had reached chapter 38 and admitted that it was freaking him out because it was beginning to make sense!
Nonetheless I would still give the same advice. Find a modern English version and begin with one of the Gospels – personally I would suggest the Gospel of Luke, because then you can go on to the book of Acts which is really Luke part 2 and tells the story of the early church. Then, in no particular order I would read Genesis, the Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, Romans and 1 John! By then you should be well on your way!
My own personal habit is to use something called the McCheyne calendar (https://www.mcheyne.info/calendar. pdf) which is a Bible reading calendar which enables you to read the whole Bible every year – the Psalms and the New Testament twice. That sounds a lot – but it is only four chapters per day. It starts with the four great beginnings of the Bible: creation (Genesis), Christ (Matthew), the Church (Acts) and the return of Israel from exile (Ezra).
There are also some basic principles to bear in mind when reading the Bible. It is the Word of God, inspired by the Spirit of God, so it’s a great idea to pray and ask God to speak to you through his Word. It’s also a living Word, not a dead book. You will be amazed how often this ancient book speaks right into our contemporary society and your personal needs. (That’s why I am writing this book – to show how the Word gives answers to the questions of this world). But remember it’s not all about you. It is primarily a book about God. It brings us Christ and it reveals the will of God to us. Sometimes the Bible is difficult, and we won’t always grasp what is going on – but that’s fine. You will return to it. One of the wonderful things about God’s Word is that there is always more light to come out of it. One other thing to bear in mind – remember that much of the Bible is descriptive (telling us what happened), not prescriptive (telling us what should happen). It is an honest book, showing every one of its heroes as flawed. Except Christ.
But what about memorisation? Why should we do that? Who memorises things nowadays – especially when we can just Google them on our phones? But what if your battery runs out! The reason for memorising the Word of God is summed up in the word ‘meditation’. When we memorise, we slow down, we stop, we think, we reflect. The Word goes deep into our minds and hearts. Without memorisation we have a tendency to skim read, and as a result we don’t go deep, and we lose a lot of the value of the Word.
Let me make a confession to you. I have not always followed this advice – even as a pastor. I don’t even remember if I remembered the memory verses we used to get in Sunday school. But over the past couple of years, I have started memorising chapters of the Bible – it has been the single most life transforming thing I have done. You are young – and you have a great advantage over this older man! Your mind is keen and can absorb so much more. You can fill it with trivia and garbage – or you can fill it with the eternal words of God.
CONSIDER: What do you think the value is in reading the Bible? What chapters or verses would you like to memorise? Martin Luther once said that if you are tired of the Word of God, you are tired of life’. Do you agree?
RECOMMENDED FURTHER READING:
The Bible; McCheyne Calendar
My 1st Book of Memory Verses – Carine MacKenzie
A good way to remember something is to sing it! Try Colin Buchanan’s Baa Baa Doo Baa Baa: The Memory Verses which will help you get Scripture into your head and heart.
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/why–i–memorize– books–of–the–bible
PRAYER: O Lord, how can we live pure and good lives? By living according to your Word. But how can we live according to your Word if we don’t know it? Lord teach me your Word. Show me your ways. Reveal to me your beauty. Help me to hide your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Help me to meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees. I will not neglect your Word. Amen.
May you know the Lord’s blessing for your persistent blogging/vlogging. This is not easy especially on an a daily basis.