First Wave ~ Gospels & The Storyline

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Ironically, the beginning of the Bible Study Plan is not "The Beginning." Several million people have already learned the hard way that The Bible is not easily read left to right, and that the book of Genesis is a tough place to start. Genesis is awesome, and it will be covered soon enough, but it is no place to start your study.  It contains the  origins of everything, so it should be studied very slowly, in the light of Jesus-who completed all that begins here.

It is not cheating to start at the climax.  

All the other books of The Bible point towards, lead from, or expound upon the Gospels. So, starting in the Gospels is the best way to approach the LIBRARY of books that is The Bible. Beautifully, there are four different perspectives from which to choose and whether you read one, two or four Gospels before starting Genesis, make it a life long habit to circle back on them. 

This First Wave of readings will also include more than a dozen other historical books that wind down the centuries to Jesus, so it might help to take "Gospel breaks" along the way. It is a long journey, a dozen books, and nineteen centuries from Abraham through David to Jesus.

This First Wave is "horizontal" in nature to establish the storyline and provide a framework upon which to build. By melding the Gospels within the chronology it provides a foundation that will be deepened in the Second Wave.

• JOHN: The eyewitness to the Crucifixion and the Empty Tomb (slides)
• Genesis: Foundation of all: Paradise, Lost, The Plan, The Promise (How to Read Genesis)
• Exodus: Moses frees his people, he is the great prototype of Jesus (slides)
• Numbers: 40 years in the desert as punishment for lacking faith
• MATTHEW: Jesus has fulfilled OT prophecy
• Joshua: Israel finally enters the Promised Land
• Judges: Deborah, Gideon, Samson & Delilah 
• 1 Samuel: The boy David slays Goliath
• 2 Samuel: David the King, the Ark of the Covenant comes to Jerusalem
• MARK: Peter's story of Jesus as told to Mark 
• 1 Kings: King Solomon, Building of the Temple, Elijah the prophet 
• 2 Kings: Elisha the prophet, Descent into Exile 
• Ezra: Return from Babylon after 70 years in Exile
• Nehemiah: Rebuilding the Temple
• 1 Maccabees: Alexander the Great, Greek culture, Jewish Rebellion (OC)
• LUKE: Paul's companion, The Annunciation, The Nativity, The Road to Emmaus
• Acts of the Apostles: Ascension, Pentecost, The adventures of Peter and Paul

         O - Orthodox |  C - Catholic | P - Protestant | OCP - All traditions with variance