Old Testament

Last September I started reading the Bible through in a year and blogging about it. After a few months, I felt I was focusing too much on blogging than reading so I stopped blogging (but kept reading).

Today I finished the Old Testament so I’m really excited about starting the New Testament tmrw.

I’ve read through the Bible several times including a few times thru in a year and even chronologically once a few years ago.

I’ve LOVED it this (as I have each time) – each time seems like the first time. The Bible really is a “living word.” Each time I’ve changed and am a different person and see new things or the same things differently.

One key difference this time is really seeing the lives of the people and relating to them. Their times of faith, their failures, their obedience, their sin.

Also, a big effect of reading it the way I have this time is the mental and emotional state I’m in at the point of switching from OT to NT. The Prophetical books are painful to read. So much judgement and dryness due to the sin of the people, their rejection and exile.

I feel like even the first words of the NT will be a relief and breath of fresh air. A ray of hope and a cool drink of water in the desert.

My intention was to read the whole book in a year, but I might have to slow down and savor the NT a bit. There’s so much packed in there. Basically it’s about 4 months in the OT historical books, 2 in the poetical books and 4 in the prophets. I have it written down so I can check, but basically 10 months in the OT. Two months in the NT is going to feel too fast.