Reading Through the Bible - HABAKKUK

Some Books of the Bible are very short and this is one of the shortest. 

HABAKKUK  -  OLD TESTAMENT  -  PROPHECY 

35th book of the OT 

35th book of the Bible

What is it?

The Book of Habakkuk is one of the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament.

Who Wrote it?

The Prophet Habakkuk  

How does it start?

It starts with a question from the prophet Habakkuk to God ch. 1 v.2-4    

Haggai is crying out to God about justice

How Long is it?

It has only 3 chapters.

What does it contain?

It covers

•  2 questions from Habakkuk to God and God's reply,
•  a prayer by Habakkuk
•  God's comparison between the proud and the just in ch. 2v4

•  God's proclamation on the wicked

but even through the judgement of the wicked there is always hope for the world.

When was it written?

It covers the period of 615 - 605 BC.

Prophecies come true in the period 608 - 598 BC

Why was it written?

It is to encourage people to turn to God and rely on Him to do what is right though prayer and praise.

The Overview Bible  tells us the following

"Habakkuk pleads with God to stop the injustice and violence in Judah, but is surprised to find that God will use the even more violent Babylonians to do so."

 

Teach Sunday School  tells us the following

"The Prophecy is in response to heartfelt prayer and has been an encouragement to people to cry out in times of trouble."

What format does this book take?

The Overview Bible  tells us the following

1. Habakkuk asks when God will judge Judah (Hab 1:1–4)
2. God will judge Judah with the Chaldeans (Hab 1:5–11)
3. Habakkuk asks why God would use the wicked Chaleans (Hab 1:12–17)
4. God pronounces judgment on the Chaldeans (Hab 2)
5. Habakkuk responds with a song of worship (Hab 3)

How does it end?

With a Hymn of Faith in ch. 3 v 17-19

where we get the very well known passage acknowledging that we can trust God through everything.

OTHER BOOKS OF THE BIBLE ARE ADDED REGULARLY AND AN UPDATED LIST CAN BE FOUND AT OUR READING THE BIBLE PAGE 

 

Reading Through The Bible - HAGGAI

Some of the Books of the bible are very short and this is one is the second shortest in the Old Testament.    (Shortest is Obadiah)

HAGGAI  -  OLD TESTAMENT  -  PROPHECY 

37th book of the NT 

37th book of the Bible

What is it?

The Book of Haggai is one of the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament.

Who was it written to?

It was spoken to the governor of Judah and the High Priest as mentioned in verse 1.

Who wrote it?

The prophet Haggai spoke it 

How Long is it?

It has only 2 chapters and only 38 verses.

When was it written?

It covers the period of 520 BC.

We know this because it specifically mentions when in the very first verse by referring to the reign of King Darius 

"In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest," 

This book is also linked to the Book of Ezra ch.1-6

Why was it written?

God had a specific message for the leaders & the people to tell them to continue with the restoration of the Temple because they had put rebuilding of their own homes first and then didn't bother about the temple.

He wanted to get their attention for them to "consider their ways" and to make sure they took it seriously he said it at the start of His Word to them in ch.1 v 5 and then repeated himself 2 verses later.

Then when He had their attention in verse 8 God told them:

" ....build the house (temple); and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified,  saith the Lord."

The Overview Bible  tells us the following

"The people have abandoned the work of restoring God’s temple in Jerusalem, and so Haggai takes them to task."

 

Teach Sunday School  tells us the following

"Haggai's messages are simple and straightforward.  God tells the people through Haggai to rebuild the temple first.  It would keep them from falling back into errors that had caused the great exile."

What was the result of the message?

The leaders and people listened and took the words to heart v.12 and took action v.14 and they started to rebuild the temple.

The Lord spoke again and again through Haggai in ch. 2 where He spoke of the nations that He would bring to the temple in the future, that He would fill it with glory and that this latter glory would be greater than the former glory. 

What format does this book take?

The Overview Bible  tells us the following

1. God calls the people to complete the temple (Hag 1:1–11)
2. The people obey (Hag 1:12–15)
3. God responds with encouragement and blessing (Hag 2)

My Pastor tells us the following  (see his Bible Study video on Haggai)

The name Haggai means festive so it is something to get excited about.

1. God challenges the people and they obey Him (Hag 1:1–15)
2. God deals with the shattered dreams of the people (Hag 2:1–9)
3. Haggai calls them to a place of  (Hag 2:10–19)
4. The Future Hope of the Kingdom (Hag 2:20–23)

How does it end?

With encouragement, a personal word to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, saying that God had chosen him.

OTHER BOOKS OF THE BIBLE ARE ADDED REGULARLY AND AN UPDATED LIST CAN BE FOUND AT OUR READING THE BIBLE PAGE 

Reading Through the Bible - Reading Plan by Order of Size of Books

There are many ways to read the Bible and many time ordered plans to follow but if you need encouragement to even just get started reading the bible in any kind of structured way then you need a Reading Plan or List.

Perhaps you have realised that there are some Books of the Bible that you have only read parts of, then it is good to have some kind of Reading Plan to rectify that.

But the best one is a simple one that you can definitely manage to stick with and I'll give you 5 EXTRA TIPS to help you keep going.

You will also find more help about getting started and making your reading of the bible into a good daily habit in 10 Ways to Help Start A Good Daily Habit 

I know there are Books of the Bible that I have read various times and then there are some that I may only have read once.

I also know that it is more encouraging to get started if we can see some sort of goals reached quickly or some sense of satisfaction from having accomplished different steps and even be able to tick off some things from a to do list.

So I thought I would make out a Bible Reading Plan that does that, some Books of the Bible are read within a very short period of time and then when are reading others we can incorporate some of the tips at the end of this blog post.

A flexible plan, a doable plan, a very simple plan with no time limits and those 5 EXTRA TIPS so make sure to check those out at the end of the post.

Basically it all centres around 

My Order for Reading

My order for reading through the Bible is based on the length of the books starting with the shortest (chapter nos.) and a few other factors I will note throughout the way.

I am not dictating how much I will read each day or how much time I will spend reading because sometimes I know I will get bogged down in

 

1. taking notes - it always happens to me

2. writing reminders to myself that I want to make a new Bible Verse Graphic (or 2 or 3) from the chapter I am in

3. wanting to talk to Fred (my husband) about something from the day's reading

4. having less time available to read or being interrupted more that usual

5. looking up some other Bible references that may be connected or some other info.

Some Books of the bible are very short and some are very long so I'm going to go by Order of Size and start with the shortest books but use the no. of chapters for size not actual quantity of verses or word counts.

Then because of the type of person I am I will probably do most in alphabetical order but there will be a few exceptions.

MY READING LIST 

Books consisting of 1 Chapter

JUDE  -  26th Book of the NT  

OBADIAH  -  31st Book of the OT

PHILEMON  -  18th Book of the NT

Nice to have the OT Book slotted in between the two NT Books

Books consisting of 2 Chapters

HAGGAI  -  37th Book of the OT

Books consisting of 3 Chapters

HABAKKUK  -  35th Book of the OT

JOEL  -  29th Book of the OT

NAHUM -  34th Book of the OT

TITUS  -  17th Book of the NT

ZEPHANIAH -  36th Book of the OT

Good to have that one NT Book in among the OT Books to give a bit of variety especially as they were all Minor Prophets

Books consisting of 4 Chapters

COLOSSIANS -  12th Book of the NT

JONAH -  32th Book of the OT

MALACHI -  39th Book of the OT

PHILIPPIANS -  11th Book of the NT

RUTH -  8th Book of the OT

Nice mix in this grouping

Books consisting of 5 Chapters

JAMES -  20th Book of the NT

LAMENTATIONS -  25th Book of the OT

Books consisting of 6 Chapters

GALATIANS -  9th Book of the NT

EPHESIANS -  10th Book of the NT

Books consisting of 7 Chapters

1, 2 & 3 JOHN -  23rd, 24th & 25th Books of the NT

MICAH -  33rd Book of the OT

If I had stuck to the no. of chapters for each individual Epistle of John then 2nd & 3rd John would have been in the first group as they each have only one chapter but then I would have been reading them before John's first Epistle so I felt it better to combine them and read in Chronological Order.

Books consisting of 8 Chapters

1 & 2 Peter -  21st & 22nd Books of the NT

1 & 2 THESSALONIANS -  13th & 14th Books of the NT

SONG of SOLOMON -  22nd Book of the OT

As in the previous group I am combining Peter's Epistles and the Epistles to the Thessalonians to read in Chronological order.

Books consisting of 9 Chapters

AMOS  -  30th Book of the OT

Books consisting of 10 Chapters

1 & 2 TIMOTHY -  15th & 16th Books of the NT

ESTHER -  17th Book of the OT

EZRA -  15th Book of the OT

As in 2 previous groups I am combining 1st & 2nd Timothy so that they are read

 in Chronological order.

This Picture is a free printable from Children's Ministry 
check them out for this and other printables

Books consisting of 12 Chapters

DANIEL -  27th Book of the OT

ECCLESIASTES -  21st Book of the OT

Books consisting of 13 Chapters

HEBREWS -  19th Book of the NT

NEHEMIAH -  16th Book of the OT

Books consisting of 14 Chapters

HOSEA -  28th Book of the OT

ZECHARIAH -  38th Book of the OT

Books consisting of 16 Chapters

MARK -  2nd Book of the NT

ROMANS -  6th Book of the NT

Books consisting of 21 Chapters

JOHN -  4th Book of the NT

JUDGES -  7th Book of the OT

Books consisting of 22 Chapters

REVELATION -  27th Book of the NT

Books consisting of 24 Chapters

JOSHUA -  6th Book of the OT

LUKE -  3rd Book of the NT

Books consisting of 27 Chapters

LEVITICUS -  3rd Book of the OT

Books consisting of 28 Chapters

ACTS -  5th Book of the NT  

MATTHEW -  1st Book of the NT

Books consisting of 31 Chapters

PROVERBS -  20th Book of the OT

Books consisting of 34 Chapters

DEUTERONOMY -  5th Book of the OT

Books consisting of 35 Chapters

1 & 2 CORINTHIANS -  7th & 8th Books of the NT

As in 3 previous groups I am combining 1st & 2nd Corinthians so that they

 are read in Chronological order.

Books consisting of 36 Chapters

NUMBERS -  4th Book of the OT

Click Here to get a FREE PRINTABLE of the chart above

Books consisting of 40 Chapters

EXODUS -  2nd Book of the OT

Books consisting of 42 Chapters

JOB -  18th Book of the OT

Books consisting of 47 Chapters

1 & 2 KINGS -  11th & 12th Books of the OT

As in 4 previous groups I am combining 1st & 2nd Kings so that they 

are read in Chronological order.

Books consisting of 48 Chapters

EZEKIEL -  26th Book of the OT

Books consisting of 50 Chapters

GENESIS -  1st Book of the OT

Books consisting of 52 Chapters

JEREMIAH -  24th Book of the OT

Books consisting of 55 Chapters

1 & 2 SAMUEL -  9th & 10th Books of the OT

As in 5 previous groups I am combining 1st & 2nd Samuel so that they

 are read in Chronological order.

Books consisting of 65 Chapters

1 & 2 CHRONICLES -  13th & 14th Books of the OT

As in 6 previous groups I am combining 1st & 2nd Chronicles so that they

 are read in Chronological order.

Books consisting of 66 Chapters

ISAIAH -  23rd Book of the OT

Books consisting of 150 Chapters

Psalms -  19th Book of the OT

I was delighted to start with Jude as I had recently bought a book on this Epistle and of course I needed to read the actual Bible Book 

before the book written about it.

Click Here to get a FREE PRINTABLE of the chart above

For those interested in the length of time involved in reading the books of the Bible then you will find lots of interesting details on that in this post at Crossway

and even if you thought you weren't so interested you should really take a look because you will be surprised just how quickly you can read them (even the longest ones).

5 TIPS when Reading Through the Bible

• As the books start to get longer in length set yourself a reasonable goal of a small number of chapters in each reading, even only one it is not a race.

• When you are in the more complex (or more boring) books read less at each time. 

• Do not feel like you have to even read a set number of full chapters each time - perhaps the end of a timeframe, or the end of a certain story comes in the middle of a chapter and then you could end your reading to coincide with that content. 

• A good idea to help break up the longer or more complex books is to read a few Psalms or chapters of Proverbs in between the other books. (My husband is usually reading through the Psalms or Proverbs at the same time as reading other books of the Bible)

• If you are feeling like it is becoming a chore any day just read a little and then go take a break that day and sing some praise songs.

Click Here to get a FREE PRINTABLE of the 5 TIPS above

If you are already a subscriber to this blog you will find the link to all my Free Printables 

in any of the emails you have received from me.

If you want to know exactly about the ordering of size of the books of the Bible taking word count into consideration then you will find a table with that info at The Overview Bible