The Bible is such an incredible book—filled with history, wisdom, poetry, prophecy, and the unfolding story of God’s redemptive plan for humanity. But for many, reading the Bible can feel overwhelming or even confusing on where to start. If you read the Bible (specifically the modern English translations) from cover to cover, you will notice it is organized by genre, not in the order the events took place.
This can be helpful in understanding the type of Biblical literature you’re reading, but difficult to see the bigger picture if you don’t have additional resources. That’s where a chronological Bible reading plan comes in.
Jump to our Free Downloadable Chronological Bible Study Plan (pdf)
The Purpose of Reading Chronologically
Reading the Bible in the order events occurred helps connect the dots between different books and historical moments. Instead of jumping between time periods, a chronological plan walks you through the unfolding story of Scripture as it happened. This can help build confidence in your Bible study and to simplify the overall narrative. For example:
- Genesis sets the stage, but the story of Job (which took place during the time of the patriarchs) fits right in-between Genesis 11 and 12!
- The Psalms gain deeper meaning when read alongside the unfolding events in David’s life in 1 & 2 Samuel.
- The Prophets’ warnings make more sense when read in the context of Israel’s kings and historical events.
- The Gospels align, allowing you to see Jesus’ ministry unfold across all four accounts.
The Benefits of a Chronological Bible Plan
- A Clearer Biblical Timeline – You’ll see how God’s plan unfolds from creation to Christ to the early church.
- Better Context – You’ll understand why certain prophecies, prayers, and events happen when they do.
- A More Engaging Reading Experience – The Bible becomes a story you follow, rather than a series of books that can feel disconnected.
- Deeper Understanding of God’s Faithfulness – Seeing His promises fulfilled over time builds trust in His Word.
A Chronological Bible plan can help you get in the habit of transforming the way you think about studying scripture. When something is confusing or doesn’t make sense, write it down! Do not be content with confusion. The Bible is meant to be studied, and the reality is, it is not about gaps in the Bible, it is confronting the gaps that you have about the Bible!
Free Downloadable Chronological Bible Study Plan (pdf)
For more on how to study scripture, check out my 8 part ‘How to Read the Bible’ series!
The Bible was and is meant to be studied over a lifetime, meaning, it will take a lifetime twice over to grasp its deep depths, just as it will take eternity to even begin to search to depths of God.
Need a little more help reading the Bible? Check out these incredible Bible Project videos on YouTube for an overview of the Old Testament and the New Testament!
If you’ve ever felt lost in Scripture, trying this chronological reading plan could be a game-changer for you! It will allow you to journey through the Bible as history unfolded, filling in the gaps and helping the big picture make sense. Let me know in the comments if you decide to embark on this journey with me!
With love,
Cosette
Lovely read! Can’t wait for part 2
obsessed, I’ll be back for more
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