Reading Plan
This year, we will journey from creation to the cross by reading the eleven historical books of the Old Testament and the Gospel of Matthew.
For a little background...
The Bible is composed of 66 books written by an estimated 40 different authors over a time span of approximately 1,500 years. It is divided into 2 parts: the Old and New Testaments.
The Old Testament can be categorized into 3 parts: the historical books (17), poetical books (5) and prophetical books (17). Of the 17 historical books, eleven of them tell the story of the Old Testament in chronological order. Therefore, by reading just the eleven historical books, you can understand the story of the Old Testament and the events leading up to the life of Christ.
The remaining 6 historical books elaborate or summarize what is shared in the other eleven books. The poetical and prophetical books shed further light on the Old Testament story and fit within the same time period of the eleven historical books.
It has been well said, “The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed. The New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.” In other words, the truths of the Old Testament are more fully revealed in the New Testament. Likewise, the New Testament is best understood against the backdrop of the Old Testament. The Bible is one book with one central figure, Jesus Christ.
Journey with us, and witness the faithfulness of God throughout the generations and why Jesus’ birth marks the point by which we date all of history . . . “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children” (Galatians 4:4-5).
