January – God’s Design and Purposes

See A Plan for Bible Reading for the year-long schedule of reading with downloadables.

Genesis and Job together provide a cornerstone for understanding who God is, who we are, and why this world is both a beautiful and painful place to live. The story begins with a declaration: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” This is God’s story, but it is also the story into which we have been placed—the story of reality itself. From its opening words, Scripture establishes God as Creator and everything else as His creation, setting the stage for everything that follows.

Genesis and Job then begin to unfold the great questions that will run throughout Scripture: What is God’s design and purpose? What has gone wrong with His creation? Why do people rebel against Him? How should we understand suffering and justice? And how does God remain faithful to His purposes in the midst of human sin and suffering? As we begin this year, these questions will help us see not only the individual stories we are reading, but the larger story that connects them all.

Week 1 — Setting the Stage: The Primary Themes of the Big Story

This first week introduces many of the foundational themes that run throughout all of Scripture. As you read Genesis 1–11 alongside Job 1–11, pay attention to the big-picture ideas that surface repeatedly.

Total reading: 22 chapters — Genesis 1–11; Job 1–11

Reflection questions:

• What recurring themes do you notice across these chapters (e.g., creation, order and chaos, blessing, rebellion, judgment, mercy, faithfulness, suffering)?
• What do these themes suggest about what God values most and what He is ultimately working toward?
• Try to identify at least one key theme each day. (This may feel more challenging in Job — note why that might be.)

Jesus tells His disciples that all Scripture ultimately points to Him. Read Luke 24:25–27.

• How does viewing these passages through the lens of Christ help clarify or deepen the themes you identified?
• In what ways do Genesis and Job already raise questions that find their answer in the person and work of Jesus?

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Week 2 — Perspectives on Suffering and God’s Sovereignty

The theme of sin and its consequences continues this week, especially through the dialogue between Job and his friends. Their debate reveals competing assumptions about God’s justice, human righteousness, and the meaning of suffering.

Total reading: 22 chapters — Job 12–33

Reflect first on Job 10:15–17 and Job 11:13–15.

• How do Job and Zophar differ in their understanding of God’s justice and human suffering?
• What assumptions does each make about the relationship between sin, suffering, and God’s favor?

As the discussion unfolds:

• Does the ongoing debate shed further light on these contrasting perspectives?
• Can Job be righteous before God (Job 9:2), and what does Job’s question reveal about his understanding of God and himself?
• Is it ever appropriate to ask God to explain His purposes or His approach to justice? Under what conditions?

Finally, look ahead through a Christ-centered lens:

• How does Job’s suffering anticipate the suffering of Christ described in Isaiah 53?
• What does this week reveal about God’s character and His larger redemptive plan?

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Week 3 — God’s Purposes Revealed Through Abraham’s Story

This week places God’s dealings with Job alongside His calling of Abraham. In both stories, God reveals Himself through words, promises, commands, and covenant faithfulness. These stories provide deep insight into God’s character even in the midst of difficult or unclear circumstances.

Total reading: 21 chapters — Job 34–42; Genesis 12–23

Reflection questions:

• How does God describe Himself in His interactions with Job and with Abraham?
• What actions does God take, and what responses does He call for?
• How would you describe Abraham’s faith based on how he responds to God’s promises and commands?

Abraham’s story becomes foundational for understanding the rest of Scripture.

• What clues does his life provide about God’s purposes for His people?
• How does Abraham’s story help move the Big Story forward?

Read Romans 4 alongside Genesis 12–23.

• How does Paul describe Abraham’s faith and its results (Rom. 4:16–25)?
• What does this teach us about the nature of faith, both for Abraham and for us?
• How does faith enable God’s people to live within His purposes, even when outcomes are uncertain?

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Week 4 — God’s Blessing in the Lives of the Patriarchs

The stories of Isaac, Jacob, and his growing family continue to unfold God’s purposes for Abraham and his descendants, even as human sin, conflict, deception, and broken relationships complicate that calling. We see the continuing struggle to understand and live within God’s blessing, yet God remains faithful to His promises despite the failures of His people.

Total reading: 22 chapters — Genesis 24–45

Reflection questions:

• How do these stories reflect the ongoing fulfillment of God’s blessing to Abraham and his descendants?
• Who seems to understand and live in light of God’s blessing and in what circumstances?
• What challenges and consequences arise when God’s blessing is misunderstood, manipulated, or resisted?

Despite sin, conflict, and brokenness, God remains faithful.

• Where do you see God’s faithfulness clearly displayed?
• How do these stories show both the consequences of sin and the possibility of redemption?

Look for signs of beauty, truth, and goodness:

• Where do you see restoration beginning to emerge?
• Who initiates it, and how does God work through imperfect people?
• Why are these stories essential to the Big Story of Scripture?

As a concluding reflection, consider Luke 15 (the parable of the two sons):

• How do themes from Genesis echo in Jesus’ teaching about lostness, repentance, and grace?

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January 29-31 — God’s Purposes Continue: From Family to Nation

Israel in Egypt – These final chapters for January mark a major transition in the Big Story. What began with God’s promises to one man and his family now moves toward the formation of a people, even through unexpected and painful circumstances.

Total reading: 8 chapters — Genesis 46–50; Exodus 1–3

Reflection questions:

• How does God use suffering, displacement, and injustice to accomplish His purposes for Jacob’s family?
• In what ways does Joseph’s story demonstrate God’s sovereignty working through human sin and hardship?
• How does God’s promise to Abraham continue to unfold as Israel settles in Egypt?

As Exodus begins:

• What changes do you notice in Israel’s situation from Genesis to Exodus?
• How does God reveal His concern for His people in Exodus 1–3?
• What does God’s self-revelation to Moses (Exod. 3:1–12) teach us about His character and His commitment to redemption?

Looking ahead:

• How does this transition prepare the way for God’s work of deliverance?
• How does it reinforce the idea that God’s purposes are larger than any one generation and always faithful to His promises?