Category: Bible Study

The Bible often uses the image of rain to describe God’s provision for His people. He uses rain to water the earth and provides nourishment to it. Yet, rain symbolism includes other significant elements.

Table of Contents

• The Symbol of Rain
• God Our Provider
• Judgment and Destruction
• Rain as God’s Punishment
• Renewal, Restoration, and Revival
• Seasons Matter
• Hebrew Words for Rain
• Physical Need for Rain
• Rain Can Symbolize the Anger of God
• Rain Also Symbolizes God’s Blessing
• Rain Reflects God’s Eternal Grace
• God’s Rainbow of Promise
• God’s Rainbow of Faithfulness and Hope
• The Bottom Line

The Symbol of Rain

Rain is a powerful symbol that you can interpret in a variety of ways depending on the context in which it appears. Rain depicts God as your source of physical and spiritual life. Yet rain can also appear as God’s act of judgment against sin or wrongdoing.

Rain (or some form of it) appears over 100 times in the holy Bible. It holds special significance that is important to understand along your spiritual journey. Personally, I love rainy days.

Sometimes, the season of rain or amount of rainfall can make a difference. The biblical meaning of rain can point to a thirsty land, a natural phenomenon, or a symbol of the Holy Spirit. What exactly does rain symbolize throughout Scripture?

God Our Provider

In the Old Testament, God is the provider who gives life-giving water to all living things (Genesis 2:5, ESV; Psalm 145:8, ESV). He is also seen as the source of refreshing rain for the land.

For example, the farmer’s hope in times of drought and hunger (Deuteronomy 11:10, ESV). In this way, your loving Father provides sustenance and refreshment in times of need.

Judgment and Destruction

But what does rain symbolize when God sends a deluge over the whole land? Flooding rain is often associated with God’s judgment. Remember the story of Noah in the book of Genesis?

The Great Flood recorded in Genesis 7-8 resulted from God’s wrath against sin. God sent rain for 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:12, ESV) on ancient people, which flooded the entire earth.

The floodwaters rose so high that they covered even mountaintops. All dry land disappeared and killed every living creature except those aboard Noah’s Ark. Even though rain is often associated with giving life, it can be destructive to human life when wielded by the Lord’s anger. 

There are instances when God withheld rain from falling as a conditional blessing. Without water, nothing can grow, crop yields cease, and disease becomes rampant. You cannot survive without life-giving water droplets that God sends from His heavenly storehouses.

Rain as God’s Punishment

But what does rain symbolize when it does not come? Withholding rain is often associated with God’s punishment, though not always complete destruction. When you see references to rain in the Bible, you need to keep in mind that it might not always be a positive thing. 

Here are some ways that rain appears in the negative sense that foretells God’s punishment:

• Dark Clouds
• Dry Ground
• Rainy Season
• Difficult Times
• Hard Times
• Dry Season
• End Times
• Last Time
• Late Rain

Renewal, Restoration, and Revival

Even though the Great Flood was God’s judgment, there were blessings when the pouring rain ended. When the weather forecast cleared and Noah’s ark landed after being afloat for almost a year, Noah sent out a dove to find out if there was any dry land.

After a few tries, the dove returned carrying an olive branch. Noah realized that his family could soon disembark and begin their new life together in great abundance. The first thing they did was worship the Lord and begin planting a vineyard to make new wine. Revival!

Seasons Matter

Christ-followers know that seasons not only occur in nature, but they occur in our own life journeys. Some seasons bring joy, while others usher in hardship. Yet each season holds God’s specific purpose.

Spring seasons bring new life and growth to every living thing. Rain of the autumn brings the harvest of God’s plenty. And rain in winter months remind you that rest is necessary for all other seasons to reach peak production. So let’s look at what rain symbolized in Scripture during various seasons.

Hebrew Words for Rain

Three main Hebrew words denote rains of different seasons. Yoreh or moreh refers to the early (or former) rain. Melqosh refers to the latter rain. The Hebrew word Geshem refers to the winter rains.

The Early Rain

The rain of autumn commenced around late October or early November. These early rains (also called former rains) lasted for two months as heavy downpours. Each time I have toured the Holy Land in November, cloudless beautiful days greeted our group. Perhaps climate change has altered this in our current times.

In God’s Word, these early rains appear in Hosea and the book of Joel:

• Yoreh: “Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth” (Hosea 6:3, NIV).
• Moreh: “Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given you the autumn rains because He is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before” (Joel 2:23, NIV).

The Latter Rain

The rain of spring falls in March and April. These latter rains (melqosh) serve to mature the planted grain and new grass. No rain usually falls after April until the early rains in October or November:

• “He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil” (Deuteronomy 11:14, ESV).
• “In the light of a king’s face there is life, and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain” (Proverbs 16:15, ESV).

The Winter Rain

The rain of winter commences in the middle of December and lasts through March. Heavy winter rain (geshem) often refers to an ominous, damaging, or destructive showers of rain. They are not a good omen. There is no prolonged fair weather in Israel between October and March.

• “And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights” (Genesis 7:12, ESV).
• “Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain” (Ezra 10:9, ESV).

Physical Need for Rain

Rainfall is vital to agriculture, which is also true throughout the Bible. Crops such as olives, dates, figs, wheat, barley, and grapes all thrive in the Middle East. Without sufficient rainfall, these crops would not be able to grow.

Livestock such as sheep and goats also enjoy rainfall, as they need water to drink and grass to eat. 

Not only is rainfall important for plants and animals, but it is also essential for every human being. Water is necessary for all human life and wild animals; without it, we would perish. This is especially true during the long time of hot summer months.

Absent rainfall, rivers and wells run dry leaving no source of fresh water. Disease and death often result from unclean or stagnant water. We need rain and the clean water it brings to survive.

Rain Can Symbolize the Anger of God

In 1 Kings 17, God’s anger is evident. It says “Now Elijah…said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word?” (1 Kings 17:1, NIV)

At this point, Elijah challenged Ahab (the king of Israel) because they had endured a 3-year drought. The prophet Elijah wanted to see if Ahab would turn back to God despite any other consequences.

First Kings 17 later reveals: “For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land’” (1 Kings 17:14, NIV).

True to His Word, God sent a heavy downpour within 24 hours that amounted to seven years worth of rainfall. That’s a LOT of rain.

Rain Also Symbolizes God’s Blessing

One of the most common ways rain shows up in the Bible is in reference to the blessings of God.

Psalm 147 offers a great example of this symbolism of rain. This symbol of God represents the many blessings God bestows on His people. “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre! He covers the heavens with clouds; He prepares rain for the earth; He makes grass grow on the hills” (Psalm 147:7-8, ESV).

Here are some ways that rain appears in the positive sense that reflect part of God’s blessing:

• showers of blessing
• good luck
• abundant day of rain
• rain dreams
• appearance of the rainbow
• sign of the Covenant
• power of God
• good land

Rain Reflects God’s Eternal Grace

Isaiah 30 paints a beautiful picture of the eternal blessings believers will experience.

“And He will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and bread, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. And on every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water” (Isaiah 30:23, 25a, ESV).

God’s Rainbow of Promise

After talking at length about the significance of rain, I would be remiss to leave out rainbows. Rainbows are one of the most popular symbols in connection with rain. Regardless of the current popular culture’s definition, what is God’s purpose for this arc of colors? What do they mean?

In ancient times, rainbows represented a sign from God. People would see the rainbow and remember God’s promise in Genesis:

“And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh'” (Genesis 9:12-15, ESV).

God’s Rainbow of Faithfulness and Hope

God’s famous appearance of the bow to Noah is not the only time rainbows slip into the pages of Scripture. Among other places, rainbows also appear in the Book of Revelation:

“At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne” (Revelation 4:2-3, NIV).

The rainbow continues to be a symbol from God. The rainbow encircling the throne reminds believers of His faithfulness, mercy, and hope. Rainbows remind you that God is always with you regardless of the storms you experience.

The rainbow is one of nature’s most beautiful and awe-inspiring symbols from God. Apart from that vision in Revelation, rainbows symbolize hope, change, and new beginnings.

Every rainbow reminds you of God’s never-ending love and His covenant to never leave you or forsake you. No matter what storms you face in life, God is always with you and He will see you through to the other side.

The Bottom Line

God promises that every believer receives an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit in you provides the crucial discernment you need each day. In His strength, you can face every season of life you experience, whether stormy or temperate.

Rain represents many different elements in the Bible. Blessings and grace to judgment and punishment. The spiritual meaning of rain goes deep. Regardless of life’s storms, you can trust that your heavenly Father holds the weather, your life, and everything else in His mighty hands.

In the New Testament, Jesus also controlled the weather when He calmed a raging storm on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:22-32, NIV). In every instance, God commands complete control over nature.

There is no element that He cannot command into submission. What comfort!

No matter what storms or challenges God’s children face in life, our God is always in control. Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall.

Related Posts:

• Best Bible Reading Plans
• Warriors in the Bible: 13 Essential Life Lessons to Learn
• 50 Motivational Bible Verses About Aging Gracefully

About the Author
Donna is a sought-after author, speaker, and Bible teacher. Her path from being unchurched to becoming passionate about sharing Jesus was not easy. Read her God-breathed journey: “From Unchurched to Becoming a Multi-Published Author and Sought-After Speaker.” If you want to send Donna a quick message, then visit her here.

{Some of these links are affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through that link, the ministry may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!}

I did not know that Catholic and Protestant Bibles differed in their number of books until my early twenties when I began attending church regularly and digging deep into Scripture.

Naturally, my first question back then was, “Who’s right?” Thankfully, thirty years later God has matured that question into, “What does each Bible contain, how do they differ, and where did that difference originate?”

Let’s begin to answer these questions by first laying the groundwork for how scriptural books were determined and chosen as they appear in both Bibles.

The Biblical Canon

The biblical canon is the collection of scriptural books that God has given His people. They comprise the Bible we hold today, distinguished by their divine qualities, reception by God’s people, and apostolic connection (either by authorship or association).

Typical questions regarding the assembly of the biblical canon generally fall into two broad categories: historical and theological.

Historical Questions

First-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus lists 22 Old Testament books that were accepted by the Jews. His list is confirmed by another first-century Jewish source, Philo of Alexandria, which includes exactly the same books as our present thirty-nine books of the Old Testament.

By the turn of the millennium, a Jewish canon of Scripture was largely in place and defined. In fact, there is not a single instance where a New Testament author cites a book as Scripture that is not contained in the current Old Testament canon.

In the New Testament canon, 22 out of the 27 books were widely accepted as Scripture by the second century. Even though disputes over some of the smaller books (such as 2 Peter, Jude, James, and 2-3 John) were not resolved until the fourth century, the core of the New Testament canon had already been in place for roughly two centuries.

Theological Questions

Two questions lead the charge in this category. How do we know that the books included in the biblical canon were the right ones? How can we discern that a book is given by God?

Genesis 1 establishes that God created the heavens, earth, and everything in them. We know this to be true because we see God’s own attributes reflected in His creation (Psalm 19; Romans 1:20). Creation contains beauty, harmony, excellence, and power, all divine qualities we expect to find in God’s special revelation.

Believers also recognize the voice of the Lord in the Bible, as confirmed by Jesus: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27, ESV).

Also under the theological umbrella is the fact that canonical books are written by God’s inspired prophets and apostles. Only those specifically commissioned by God can be His mouthpiece (Romans 1:2; 2 Peter 3:2; Mark 3:14-15; Matthew 10:20; Luke 10:16).

How Do the Catholic and Protestant Bibles Differ?

The Pentateuch

The Pentateuch (or books of the Law) contains the same five books in both Bibles: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

The Minor Prophets

The Minor Prophets contain the same twelve books in both Bibles: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

The Major Prophets

Both Bibles contain these five books of the Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. However, the Catholic Bible has one additional book: Baruch.

Poetical and Wisdom Books

Both Bibles contain these five Poetical and Wisdom books: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. However, the Catholic Bible has two additional books: the Wisdom of Solomon and Sirach.

Historical Books

Both Bibles contain these twelve Historical books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. However, the Catholic Bible has four additional books: Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, and 2 Maccabees.

What Part Does the Apocrypha Play?

The books of the Bible not included in the Protestant Bible are usually called the Apocrypha, meaning “hidden books”), Old Testament Apocrypha (since all are included in the Catholic Bible), or deuterocanonical books (from the Greek word meaning “belonging to the second canon” or having secondary authority).

This third set of books, or “extra books”, were not considered to be divinely inspired but regarded as worthy of study by the faithful. These books were written during the Intertestamental period of those four hundred years between Malachi (the end of the Old Testament) and Matthew (the beginning of the New Testament).

Translation Issue

Since Greek was the common language of the Eastern Roman Empire, some of the later Jewish books were written in Greek instead of Hebrew. These later books were only included in the Greek translation of the Old Testament called the “Septuagint.”

Between 383 and 404 AD, St. Jerome translated the whole Bible into Latin, which was the common language of the Western Roman Empire. When he translated the Greek New Testament and the original Hebrew Old Testament into Latin, he also translated the Greek “Apocrypha” – those extra books.

However, he diligently included notations that they were not part of the original Hebrew Old Testament. Unfortunately, later copyists neglected or omitted St. Jerome’s notations, and soon his whole Latin translation was considered of equal divine authority.

What Books are in the Apocrypha?

The Apocrypha consists of the following books: Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Tobit, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, Epistle of Jeremiah, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, 3 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, Old Greek Esther, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, Prayer of Azariah, Song of the Three Holy Children, Prayer of Manasseh, 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, and Psalm 151.

The Impact of the Protestant Reformation

During the 16th century Protestant Reformation, Protestant scholars, including former Catholic priest Martin Luther, rediscovered the importance of both the original Hebrew Old Testament and the Hebrew language in which it was written. 

As a result of their rediscovery, many of these Protestant Christians did not accept the Greek additions (Apocrypha) as authoritative or part of sacred Scripture, but only the original Hebrew books of the Old Testament.  

The First Printed Bible Editions

Before Protestant Reformers lodged their objections, the very first printed edition of the King James Bible included the Old Testament Apocrypha. Consequently, Roman Catholic Bibles today include seven books of the Old Testament Apocrypha as part of sacred Scripture.

Following the objections of these Protestant early church fathers, the second and subsequent editions of the King James version excluded the Apocrypha. Protestant Bibles exclude it from the biblical canon to this day.

Today, some Bibles include the Apocrypha as an appendix or provide a companion resource that separates it from the original Hebrew Old Testament.

Interestingly, the Gutenberg Bible does not contain the Apocrypha, as it was a printed version of the 3rd century Vulgate, which also omits the Apocrypha.

The Dead Sea Scrolls

Located east of Jerusalem, the mountainous landscape of the Judean Desert plummets an astonishing 1200 meters to the lowest point on earth: the Dead Sea. This region near Qumran boasts rocky terrain, intense heat, and numerous desert caves. I have been there more than once and it is stark, to say the very least.

Some of the most dramatic stories in the Bible happened in that region. David ran from King Saul to seek refuge in those mountain caves. Jesus rejected the temptations of the devil in that barren desert.

The Greatest Discovery

Yet in 1947, a young Bedouin shepherd was tracking stray sheep among those limestone cliffs lining the northwestern rim of the Dead Sea near Qumran. He stumbled upon a cave tucked into a crevice of a steep rocky hillside. Curious, he threw a stone into the darkness and was startled to hear the sound of breaking pots.

That sound echoed around the world as what turned out to be the greatest archaeological discovery of the twentieth century: the Dead Sea Scrolls. Buried in large clay pots in the arid sands of eleven Qumran caves for thousands of years, the shepherd boy’s discovery revolutionized our understanding of history and religion.

The Significance of the Scrolls

Also known as the “Qumran Cave Scrolls“, they contain significant religious literature dated between the third century AD to the first century AD. The scrolls include biblical manuscripts (books found in today’s Hebrew Bible) and non-biblical manuscripts—other religious writings of historical fact circulating during the Second Temple era, often related to the texts now in the Hebrew Bible. 

While Hebrew is the dominant language contained in the Scrolls, approximately 15% of the Scrolls are written in Aramaic and several are written in Greek. The materials making up the Scrolls mainly consist of parchment, although some are papyrus. Interestingly, the text of one Scroll is engraved on copper.

Why are the Scrolls so Vital?

So what does this have to do with our topic? Among the Dead Sea Scrolls are partial or complete copies of every book in the Hebrew Bible, all of which are contained in the Protestant Bible.

However, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority, three works of the Apocrypha are found among the Dead Sea Scrolls: Ben Sira (also known as the Wisdom of Ben Sira, Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus), the book of Tobit, and the Epistle of Jeremiah. These are included in today’s Catholic Bible, but not the Protestant Bible.

Timeline

The official list of Catholic books was pronounced at the Council of Trent during 1545-1563 AD. The Council of Trent was convened by Pope Paul III for all Catholic clerics in response to the Protestant Reformation. 

Over three separate sessions, the council reaffirmed the authority of the Catholic Church, codified scripture, affirmed Catholic doctrines, reformed abuses, and condemned Protestant theology. They also established the vision and goals of the Catholic Counter-Reformation.

Protestants of the Reformation are credited with removing the additional seven books from the Protestant Bibles. They argued that since those seven Apocryphal books were not contained in the Hebrew Bible they should not be a part of the Christian Bible.

Bottom Line

As a Protestant, I am guided by the 66 authoritative, inspired canonical books of the Old and New Testaments. The first time I read any part of the Apocrypha was when I wrote my in-depth Bible study on the book of Esther. Since then, I have read through other books in the Apocrypha.

However, I do not hold or teach the Apocryphal books to be the inspired Word of God. They do not act as a plum line for my spiritual journey.

I trust the Holy Spirit’s work in those vastly smarter Christian biblical scholars from long ago who did the hard work of deliberating, praying through, and assembling what we hold today as the Christian (or Protestant) Bible.

Studying the Bible has been the single greatest tool (apart from the Holy Spirit) that God has used to increase my faith and come to know Jesus personally. If you are new to Bible study, start with the book of John which provides a stunning, in-depth story of Jesus our Savior. Knowing Him changes everything.

To God alone be the glory.

Related Posts:

• Best Bible Reading Plans
• Warriors in the Bible: 13 Essential Life Lessons to Learn
• 50 Motivational Bible Verses About Aging Gracefully

About the Author
Although Donna is a sought-after Bible teacher, her path from being unchurched to become passionate about sharing Jesus was not easy. Go here to read her God-breathed journey, “From Unchurched to Becoming a Multi-Published Author and Sought-After Speaker.” If you want to send Donna a quick message, then visit her contact page here.

{Some of these links are affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through that link, the ministry may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your ministry support!}

Many people have never read the Bible cover to cover. That’s not a judgmental statement, because it used to be me! Nothing has completely transformed my life more quickly than spending time reading and studying God’s beautiful words every day of the week. God’s Word is living and active, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, transformation happens from the inside out.

Perhaps as you start this new year, daily Bible reading will provide a “soul reset” that you need to combat the world’s daily chaos. And that chaos, confusion, and dissension seem to gain momentum every year. We need God’s Word in our hearts, so let’s be intentional about it.

Do you want to pick a Bible reading plan that you won’t regret committing to for the next season? I have done all the work for you digging deep to find the top ways to read the Bible broken down in daily readings. These free downloadable plans vary widely, and you will likely be surprised by all the different approaches to help you read the Bible.

Why Read Through the Bible?

Reading and hearing God’s Word increases our faith (Romans 10:17). To that end, each checklist will guide you through the entire Bible at your own pace. Some days may go faster than others, but the whole point is to stay in God’s Word. His wonderful truths instruct, guide, and teach us, and provide the encouragement we need to shine His light in a dark world. And friends, this world NEEDS His light.

During your journey through Scripture, ask God each day to speak to you directly from His Word — whether you read a whole book of the Bible, an entire chapter, or one verse at a time. Approach His words of absolute truth with expectation. His story is our story.

Print off one of these free Bible reading plans and tuck it into your Bible. Make the commitment today to read through the most profound, life-changing truths ever written. You will never be the same again. His Words will hydrate you from the inside out.

One-Year Bible Reading Plan

This 52-week Bible reading plan methodically works through the whole Bible in one year. It combines readings from the Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms each day to work through the entire book in a calendar year. Begin each day with prayer, asking God for discernment, and dive into each day’s reading. {Download here.}

Bible Reading Plan At Your Own Pace

This plan offers a lot of grace space when your days get busy. This plan allows you to pick up where you left off, no matter how long it’s been since you read the last entry. Once you get used to reading God’s Word on a regular basis, you can move back to specific books of the Bible or Scripture references where God has specifically touched your heart.

A dedicated Bible reading schedule is important, but if you are just starting out give yourself a lot of grace. If you miss a day, or a week, or feel like you are just shuffling pages, it’s okay. Your spiritual walk over the course of a year and your whole life takes diligence and patience. Trust in the Lord and how He will work through His Word in your heart and mind. {Download here.}

Historical Overview One-Year Bible Reading Plan

This Bible reading plan offers a basic outline of the Old and New Testaments, then fills in readings with more detailed books. You will read the entire Bible with this historical Bible reading plan!

The Old Testament readings follow a historical overview, then moves to the prophetic literature, followed by the wisdom literature, and Psalms (some twice). The New Testament begins with Christ’s birth, then moves into Acts (Luke’s sequel), followed by Ephesians (Paul’s teachings), the pastoral epistles, and so on. {Download here.}

Read The Bible In 90-Days

This 90-Day Bible reading plan is very different from the others. In biblical times, the Word of God was passed orally, learned orally, and memorized by hearing it orally. A pen and paper were not standard staples back then. Usually, only the rabbis in synagogues had printed copies of God’s Word. This plan allows you to hear the Bible as those people back in biblical times.

This is not a competition with yourself just to say that you have completed it. You WILL see God move in ways that you haven’t before if you walk through the Bible passages and listen. Even if you actually retain only a small portion of what the Bible says in each reading, you will retain what He wants you to hear for a long time – perhaps for your lifetime.

Pray each time you read to hear what God wants you to hear and be able to let the rest go. This is not a Bible study. This is a Bible reading. Absorb what you can. Listen. He will help you.

Setting a goal is important with this particular plan because each day’s reading takes an average of 45-60 minutes. Since our listening can easily become distracted, commit to actually reading a Bible rather than listening to an audio version. Take your Bible everywhere!

You are on an important mission, so grab additional reading time whenever possible: waiting to meet friends, waiting for the oven to preheat, a 10-minute break at work, waiting in your child’s school car pick-up line, or even arriving early at church and read before worship. Even 10 increments help. {Download here.}

Bottom Line

As you commit to walking through your daily or weekly readings, you will discover what a tremendous asset and great springboard it is to know what it means to live a Christ-centered life. That’s the bonus part of the plan!

Over time, you may discover a preferred Bible version, choose to jot down study notes as you read, write down some meaningful passages in your own words, or even venture past the daily reading assignments as God moves your heart toward His. The key is following those spiritual nudges as God brings them about. And He will.

There will be parts of the Bible that will be difficult to understand, but do not lose heart! The history of Israel in the Old Testament historical context sometimes seems harsh. We see a wrathful side of God in some of the battles.

But as you spend time in God’s Word on a daily basis, you will see God work and move in different ways. You will see His helping hand, His good way, and His unquestionable love for you.

Keep Going

When you finish a year plan, select another year’s reading plan! Studying the Bible is a lifelong adventure that never becomes stale. If you are not part of a bible class at church or in your community, I challenge you to find one. Such group Bible studies are a good resource to engender a stronger tie and accountability to maintain your own desire to keep moving forward.

There is no one way to read the Bible — that’s the beautiful part. There are many foundational passages of Scripture (such as John 3:16), and reading them in context is key to understanding God’s Word and His plan for your life.

I pray that this journey draws you closer to Jesus and inspires you to show His love and forgiveness to a world that desperately needs them.

All Four Plans for Free Downloading and Printing

1. One-Year Bible Reading Plan
2. Bible Reading Plan at Your Own Pace
3. One Year in the Psalms
4. Historical Overview One-Year Bible Reading Plan
5. Read the Bible in 90-Days

God’s blessings!

Related Posts:

• Best Books of the Bible to Read First
• Warriors in the Bible: 13 Essential Life Lessons to Learn
• 50 Motivational Bible Verses About Aging Gracefully

About the Author
Although Donna is a sought-after Bible teacher, her path from being unchurched to become passionate about sharing Jesus was not easy. Go here to read her God-breathed journey, “From Unchurched to Becoming a Multi-Published Author and Sought-After Speaker.” If you want to send Donna a quick message, then visit her contact page here.

{Some of these links are affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through that link, the ministry may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your ministry support!}

The Bible is God’s breath exhaled on the page. Scripture is filled with wisdom and guidance for a Christ-follower’s faith walk, along with how we are to love, live, forgive, and interact with each other.

We can spend our whole lives studying the Bible’s contents, memorizing Bible verses, and participating in Bible study, never knowing it all. The Hebrew Bible does not contain verse divisions like our English translations, but those are certainly helpful for navigating through the books of the Bible.

So, let’s talk scope and facts first.

Facts About the Bible

Here is a quick content overview to demonstrate its complexity. The Bible contains:

• 66 books total
• 39 Old Testament books
• 27 New Testament books
• 783,137 words
• 3,116,480 letters

Verses and Chapters:

• The Bible has 1,189 chapters, which contain 31,102 verses
• There are 929 chapters and 23,145 verses in the Old Testament
• There are 260 chapters and 7,957 verses in the New Testament

Shortest and Longest:

• The book of Psalms is the longest book with 150 chapters
• Psalm 119 is the longest chapter with 176 verses (and longest psalm)
• Esther 8:9 is the longest verse with 78 words
• By word count, 3 John is the shortest book
• By word count, Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter (and shortest psalm)
• John 11:35 is the shortest verse with only 2 words: “Jesus wept.”

The Timeline and Locations of the Bible

Inspired by God, the Bible was written by forty different authors from many different walks of life, covering forty generations experiencing different times. Spanning 1,500 years (from 1400 BC to AD 100), it covers three continents (Asia, Africa, and Europe), and is recorded in three different languages (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic).

The Old Testament

The 39 books of the Old Testament contain:

• 17 Prophetic Books: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
• 5 Poetical Books: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
• 17 Historical Books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

The New Testament

The 27 books of the New Testament contain:

• 4 Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
• 21 Epistles (Letters): Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude
• 1 Historical: Acts
• The Revelation: Revelation

There is a reason that the Bible is the most printed, most read, best-selling book in history!

What is the Shortest Chapter in the Bible?

Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible. And even though it is the shortest chapter, it conveys the core message of Scripture: God’s never-ending love for us. The first half of verse 2 encapsulates this beautifully: “For great is His love toward us” (Psalm 117:2a, NIV).

God’s love for us and His creation spans the entirety of both the Old and New Testaments, yet simple enough to rest in the shortest chapter. He loves us. Period.

There are no conditions attached to His love toward us. There is no action that we can perform to earn it. God’s love is His free, extraordinary gift to us. The greatest gift, in fact, that we have ever or will ever receive – bar none.

Interesting Facts About Psalm 117

The two verses of Psalm 117 contain 17 Hebrew words. It is the shortest chapter in the Bible in both the number of verses and the number of words. Psalm 117 is also the precise center of the Bible. As the 595^th chapter, there are 594 chapters preceding it and 594 chapters following it.

God’s Enduring Faithfulness

And if God’s never-ending love was not enough, the second half of verse 2 affirms: “and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever” (Psalm 117:2b, NIV).

God’s boundless love and tender care for us never cease. You and I can spend a lifetime looking for meaningful, lasting human love. Yet the shortest chapter provides the quickest assurance that we are loved beyond measure by the One who knit us together in our mother’s wombs.

Psalm 117 is Also About Praise

Psalm 117 begins with “Praise the Lord” and ends the same way. The shortest chapter in Scripture found the space to remind us twice of the importance of praising God.

Psalm 117 is both a personal and worldwide reminder to praise God. Here we are over two thousand years after Jesus’ glorious resurrection still worshipping Him regardless of color, creed, or credit. Because of His great love for us, we are able to love and serve one another (1 John 4:19).

Whether we read a short chapter in the Bible or absorb the longest one, every verse and chapter conveys God’s unwavering truth along with lessons we can learn and apply to our lives.

Even though Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible, it is long on God’s love and faithfulness toward us. Knowing those truths enables us to live courageously to share the hope of Christ in our turbulent times when people are desperate to hear it.

Praise the Lord!

Related Posts:

• Best Bible Reading Plans
• Warriors in the Bible: 13 Essential Life Lessons to Learn
• 50 Motivational Bible Verses About Aging Gracefully

About the Author
Although Donna is a sought-after Bible teacher, her path from being unchurched to become passionate about sharing Jesus was not easy. Go here to read her God-breathed journey, “From Unchurched to Becoming a Multi-Published Author and Sought-After Speaker.” If you want to send Donna a quick message, then visit her contact page here.

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