Many in our congregation have made a commitment to read the entire Bible during 2007. Our church invested in Bibles for everyone in our church willing to make this commitment. So far, there are 70+ who have accepted the challenge. This site is designed to help keep me on track, and to help others. It only takes about 10 minutes of reading per day to read every word of the Bible in a year, although you might want to take a little longer each day and make the reading a family/group affair with some discussion time.

You'll find some interesting facts for each week of reading in the table below (scroll down or CLICK HERE for links to each week). For example the first week's reading covers a large time span, from Creation up to about 2026 BC, when Isaac (Abraham and Sarah's son) marries Rebekah. The next week's reading covers only about 109 years, from the time when Isaac and Rebekah have twin boys (Jacob & Esau) around 2006 BC, until 1898 BC, when Potiphar's desperate housewife frames Joseph and has him sent  to prison, which sets up the whole "set my people free" thing about 450 years later. I've also created a cross-reference so that you can link from a specific Bible book/chapter to the week's notes/maps about that chapter.

Note: dates after 1050 BC (Saul's reign) are known to be accurate to within about 1 year. Dates from 2200 BC to 1100 BC are may be off a bit, and before 2200 BC, we're just not sure, so we say "unknown". The traditional date of the Exodus is 1446 BC. Egyptian history records suggests these events occurred around 1280 BC. The chronological Bible we're using lists both possible dates, but I assume the traditional date for my charts. Regardless, the difference of about 150 years doesn't impact the event sequence. Here are the bookends between which there are two possible dates.

From	Genesis 11:27	Jan 4th Reading	p.12	either 2166 or 2000 BC
Until	Judges 1:1	Mar 31st Reading	p.318	either 1375 or 1210 BC

The Bible we're using is the "One Year Chronological Bible, NLT" from Tyndale. We're using the NLT (New Living Translation, 2nd ed), which is a great version for Bible Reading. While I prefer the ESV for Bible study, the NLT is ideal for reading the Biblical story. And, being sequenced in Chronological Event order, the Bible comes to life as a fascinating narrative that ties all the events together as they occurred in history. It is a very enlightening and natural way to read the Bible.

Some people enjoy a version of the Bible called The Message for Bible reading (not for study). Basically, this version is one person's translation with the intent of making the Bible as simple as possible. I can't recommend this version. Here is a view of modern translations across the spectrum of accuracy and readability. I like the more literal ESV for study, and the more reading friendly NLT for reading and devotion. The classic NIV is a good middle-of-the-road translation.



I'm creating a PDF file that contains the properly sequenced verses for each week's reading, from the English Standard Version. Each file is generally 30-40 pages in length. You might find this easier to read electronically, or to print out and carry with you to read on your lunch break, on the subway, etc. To see what that looks like, here is the file for Week #1.

Here is a high-level timeline of the entire Bible and reading year. It shows the major themes of the Bible (as listed in the Bible's timeline). Historical dates (1446 BC: 10 Commandments given to Moses on Mt. Sinai) and reading dates (Feb 7th) are listed for the one-year reading plan.

This timeline maps major events, and is not to be confused with the "7 dispensations" view invented in the mid 1800s and used to divide up the historic account into eras (Darby, Moody, Scofield, et al). The dispensation timeline, for comparison, is represented by first thin red & black horizontal line. According to that system (Dispensationalism), we're presently in dispensation #6 (Grace). They hold that the Christian Church is a historical parenthesis in God's dealings with the Jews. In contrast, the more traditional view, called "Covenant Theology", holds that the Old Testament anticipates and prepares the way for the New Testament, which is central to human history. There are two primary eras in this system, represented by the second thin line. The Covenant of Works (Adam/Eve before sin), and the Covenant of Grace thereafter. Really, those are just two different ways to think about splitting up the historical record. This reading plan is neutral and valid for all Christian viewpoints - it doesn't suggest a specific interpretation or provide commentary. It just orders the inspired Word of God in event sequence.

Some quick Bible Facts & Statistics

• Select a set time. Make it a habit. Consider asking someone to be an accountability partner.
• Begin/End with a short prayer for insight and application.
• Devotions, Reading the Bible, and Bible Study are three different things. Don't combine them.
• In general, don't read from your study Bible, and don't study from your reading Bible
• Don't read too fast (hard to comprehend), or too slow (your mind will wander and get bored)
• Read like you would a good novel, letting God speak thru the narrative

Weekly Reading Summaries:
Here are links to each week's readings. Click on the week number to open the page with more information. I'll keep this up-to-date, posting information for each week before the prescribed reading is scheduled. Note that the "Scripture List" for the week does not show the daily reading order, which may interleave verses from various books.

One aspect of each week's summary page (below) is a list of OT verses that point to Jesus. In fact, Jesus Himself validates the OT anticipation of His coming. For example, in John 5:46, Jesus says: "If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.", and in Luke 24:44: "...everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." In fact, John 1:1-3,14, and Col 1:16-17, make it clear that Jesus was the creative member of the Godhead that created all things. Therefore, it helps to read the OT in light of the redemptive game plan. For example, as we read about Moses in Num 21:8 (salvation from serpents in the desert), it will be good to compare that event to the Cross, even as Jesus does in John 3:14.


During 2007, each week's notes will be completed the week before the reading is planned. That's why future week links just bring you back to this page. Starting in 2008, all links will be available all year long, but I plan to add new information to each week in future years.

Insights for Week Starting
Jan	1	8	15	22	29
Feb	5	12	19	26
Mar	5	12	19	26
Apr	2	9	16	23	30
May	7	14	21	28
Jun	4	11	18	25
Jul	2	9	16	23	30
Aug	6	13	20	27
Sep	3	10	17	24
Oct	1	8	15	22	29
Nov	5	12	19	26
Dec	3	10	17	24	31

This is a listing of all 1,189 chapters in the Bible. This cross-reference allows you to jump directly to the week where that chapter appears chronologically. Since our chronological reading breaks the order down to the verse level, a single chapter could appear in more than one week. but that is not very common. Where that does occur, this links to the week that contains most of the chapter.

Book	Chapters
Genesis	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
Exodus	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
Leviticus	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
Numbers	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
Deuteronomy	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
Joshua	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Judges	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Ruth	1
1 Samuel	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
2 Samuel	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
1 Kings	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
2 Kings	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
1 Chronicles	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
2 Chronicles	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
Ezra	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Nehemiah	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Esther	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Job	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42
Psalm	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150
Proverbs	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Ecclesiastes	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Song of Solomon	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Isaiah	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66
Jeremiah	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
Lamentations	1 2 3 4 5
Ezekiel	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48
Daniel	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Hosea	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Joel	1 2 3
Amos	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Obadiah	1
Jonah	1 2 3 4
Micah	1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Nahum	1 2 3
Habakkuk	1 2 3
Zephaniah	1 2 3
Haggai	1 2
Zechariah	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Malachi	1 2 3 4
Matthew	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Mark	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Luke	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
John	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Acts	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Romans	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
1 Corinthians	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
2 Corinthians	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Galatians	1 2 3 4 5 6
Ephesians	1 2 3 4 5 6
Philippians	1 2 3 4
Colossians	1 2 3 4
1 Thessalonians	1 2 3 4 5
2 Thessalonians	1 2 3
1 Timothy	1 2 3 4 5 6
2 Timothy	1 2 3 4
Titus	1 2 3
Philemon	1
Hebrews	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
James	1 2 3 4 5
1 Peter	1 2 3 4 5
2 Peter	1 2 3
1 John	1 2 3 4 5
2 John	1
3 John	1
Jude	1
Revelation	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

References:

The One Year Chronological Bible, NLT (New Living Translation), Tyndale

The Application Study Bible, NLT, Tyndale

Halley's Bible Handbook, Zondervan

e-Sword Bible Software, American Bible Society Maps

http://www.ebibleteacher.com/imagehtml/batlas.html

GoogleEarth (for mapping distances)

Please send me e-mail with any suggestions of questions.
Dave@Brillharts.com