Benefits of reading through the Bible : Baptist Bible Hour

Benefits of reading through the Bible

Posted by: Justin on October 13, 2011

I recently finished reading through the Bible for the tenth time.

While this is a personal milestone I’m thankful for, I certainly am not boasting about it — in fact, when I consider that George Mueller, who was converted at the age of 20 and died at the age of 92, read the Bible through 100 times while simultaneously caring for over 10,000 orphans — I’m a bit embarrassed and reminded I have a long way to go!

But as I pause and reflect on how regular Bible intake has truly been a blessing to me, there are a few thoughts I’d like to share and some specific benefits I’d like to mention.

First of all, I am personally not a big believer in Bible-reading plans. In fact, one of the primary reasons I did not read the Bible through for the first time until I was in my mid 20’s is that I got bogged down in several plans and just gave up over and over again. If I missed two or three days for whatever reason (e.g. finals week in college!), then I felt like I was so far behind that I could never catch up. I am not against such reading plans, of course, because there are many people/personalities that I know are greatly benefited by them — but I think it is important to express that they are not the only way of reading through the Bible.

Second, I am a big believer in daily Bible reading. In Acts 17:11, the noble Bereans are famously commended because “they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily.” And in Proverbs 8:34-35 personified Wisdom cries out, “Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates… For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.”

Now, I say “daily” Bible reading on purpose, because it indicates a life-habit not a perfect record. Things happen, schedules get thrown off, and even the best habits can be disrupted. But “daily” reading means it is your goal to read the Bible each day, with only few exceptions.

Third, it is helpful to keep a few basic statistics in mind. For instance, in general, it takes about 4 chapters in the Old Testament and 1 in the New Testament to get through the Bible in a year; obviously, you can half that in order to read through the Bible in two years. Having this in mind should at least help you set some realistic reading goals that give you an idea of what to expect. For instance, if I’m reading through the Bible at about 5 chapters a day, each day I miss shouldn’t make me feel guilty or overwhelmed, but I should realistically expect to extend my timeline for getting through by that number of days.

Fourth, Bible intake — not specifically reading words on a page or electronic tablet — is my goal. One of the best ways to make it through huge amounts of Bible material, and make your day more productive and enjoyable, is to listen to God’s Word while you are in your car. Suddenly, traffic jams can actually be exciting, because it means you’re plowing through gigantic portions of Scripture the longer you sit still or eek along!

Don’t feel guilty or as though you are “cheating” by listening instead of reading physical letters on a page: this is the way most Christians throughout most of history have taken in God’s Word, because of the rarity of personal copies until recent centuries.

And Paul reminds the saints in Ephesus of the Christ “in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” (1:13).

So harness your daily commute, or distance runs, into a time of spiritual exercise and growth with Bible CDs, apps, or MP3’s that allow you to listen to God’s Word on the go.

I also do, of course, enjoy mixing it up with personal reading time, quiet time that allows me to sit and reflect and read something over and over again if I want to.

Finally, reading through the Bible in a (somewhat) short amount of time — one or two years — yields deep and lasting rewards that no amount of pick-and-choose reading, daily devotionals, or even formal Bible study can replicate:

It gives you a big-picture, bird’s-eye view of the Bible timeline and redemption history. You begin to see how individual stories or verses that you may have known for years fit into the overall Bible narrative, and how they therefore relate (or don’t relate) to each other as well. I have to admit that, before I read the Bible through for the first time, while I had a lot of individual stuff memorized or familiarized, I couldn’t have told you whether Abraham lived before David, or how Moses’ story connects with/flows out of Joseph’s. If this is still true of you, it’s never too late to pick up your Bible and begin working your way joyfully through it!
It allows you to understand individual stories/lessons in their context and therefore more accurately and powerfully.
Like exegetical preaching, it forces you to face texts, and whole books, that you might otherwise avoid because they don’t fit your framework of understanding or they don’t seem as interesting/exciting.
Passages that you might have disliked or misunderstood in the past can suddenly become alive and meaningful. In fact, the more times you read through the Bible, the more you will see this happening. For instance, last year one of my least-favorite books Ezekiel became one of my favorites, and this year Job broke in and ransacked several strongholds in my heart!
Regardless of how you feel or how difficult it may be on particular days, you can know for certain that being in God’s Word regularly and systematically is exposing you to the “whole counsel of God” and growing you in grace and in the knowledge of your Savior Jesus Christ.

Regardless of your particular schedule, or specific reading plan, I pray this will encourage you to daily wrestle with the fulness of God’s will, and daily plunge into the greatness of God’s wisdom, by daily making your way through the complete Word he has so graciously given us.

One Response to “Benefits of reading through the Bible”

Mevelle Says:
October 31st, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Hi Justin,
Im from the Philippines.
Reading the Bible is like reading a library. I am sad, that too many people prefer to read devotional books rather than the Bible itself.
In my case, i find it effective doing the Daily in the Word. Reading 4 chapters daily before my study time, then pick a verse that struck me most, write some insights in few paragraphs, then scribble my short prayers.
I find it very fulfilling. I get to know about my progress in prayers. Check my motives and intentions.

God bless you more.

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