Reading Straight Through the Bible

I don't remember when it started and how long I've practiced it, but at some point I made it my custom to read straight through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. When I finish with Revelation, I start back at Genesis 1 and go at it again.

I don't think it's really that big of a deal. I'm not interested in trying to get people to do what I do. But from time to time, I have encouraged people to try this same model of Scripture Reading. I think it has four advantages:

1. Scripture is organized deliberately, not accidentally. Granted, much of that order is created by man (for instance, the Hebrew Canon of the Old Testament ends with Chronicles instead of Malachi) but it is still deliberate nonetheless.
2. Aside from a chronological Read the Bible in a Year program (which is very confusing and jumps all around) this is I think a good way to keep in mind the unfolding story of God's revelation.
3. It enables you to see certain things that you would miss otherwise (I'll get back to that).
4. And perhaps the best reason is that you don't need to remember what day you're on, which book you were reading, which books you haven't read, you just stick your Bible ribbon in the place you stopped, and you open up there the very next day. Easy-peesey.

The third reason is what made me think today about all of this. In my cycle of reading, I was in 2 Samuel 4-5 today. As I read 2 Samuel 5:3, I was reminded of the first time I seriously read straight through the Bible. On that day, when I read 2 Samuel 5:3, for the first time in the Bible, David is finally called the king. "So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron."

There is a joy to following the struggles of David, God's anointed king, as he battles with the one who would be king (Saul) but who God has rejected. And FINALLY, he is king!

Anyway, just some food for thought.