What will we find as we read from Genesis, Mark, Luke, and Job this week?
This is Scripture for Students. I’m Steve Whitacre, president of Trinity College and a pastor at Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville. I want to help students build a daily habit for life-long Bible reading. Today is February 10, 2025 and this episode of Scripture for Students is a preview of what we’re going to read this week. Grab your Bible and let’s get started.
Over the next 7 days, we’ve got some great chapters of Scripture to read. We’ll be reading:
- Genesis 43–49
- Mark 13–Luke 2
- Job 9–15
I want to take a couple minutes to talk about what we’re going to find as we read. Think of this as a few pointers for the next seven days of reading.
Genesis 43–49. Let’s begin with Genesis 43–49
- We’re going to read up to the next to last chapter of Genesis.
- I’m sure you know this story well, so one of your main jobs here is to try to slow down as if you’re encountering it for the first time.
- We know Moses wants us to slow down. Early in Genesis, he covers hundreds and hundreds of years in just a few verses. Here at the end of the book, he’s taking chapter after chapter to narrate just a few year.
- A couple things to watch for here:
- First, think about Joseph’s character. Each chapter that we read, ask yourself: how would you describe Joseph’s character? How is he behaving towards his brothers, and what do we learn about the changes in him since we first met as the arrogant young dreamer of chapter 38.
- Second, look for the tension and the emotion of the story. Pay attention to Jacob’s responses each time he shows up. On Wednesday, when Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers in chapter 45, try to picture the scene in your mind. How would you feel if you were there? On Thursday, when you read about Joseph’s reunion with his father Jacob, what do you think they both experienced in that moment?
Mark 13–Luke 2. Next, we’ll be reading from Mark 13–Luke 2.
- First, we’ll be finishing the gospel of Mark. Of course, this is the most dramatic portion of the book, as Jesus arrives in Jerusalem for the Passover and ultimately goes to the cross for all those he came to save.
- Tomorrow, on Tuesday in Mark 14, we’ll read about the last Supper and the beginning of the Lord’s Supper, and of course Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and the betrayal and arrest and trial of Jesus. On Wednesday, we read of the actual crucifixion and death of Jesus in Mark 15. And on Thursday, in Mark 16, we will read about the resurrection.
- For these chapters, try to set aside enough time that you can read these verses in an unhurried way. This might be the most important thing you do this week. As you read about each phase of this story, think about why Jesus is here. He has come to the cross in order to rescue sinners from their sins by paying the terrible price for their sins: enduring the wrath of God. That’s for my sins and for your sins. It’s very sobering, but if we are reading it rightly, will lead us to joy and gratitude. As you read these chapters, leave a few minutes to pray and thank God for his Son on your behalf.
- On Friday, we’ll start Luke’s gospel. It will take us two days to read chapter one and then on to chapter 2 on Sunday. I’ll say some more things about Luke’s gospel next week, but for now, remember that Luke was trained as a doctor. He pays attention to details, so watch for the particulars of each paragraph that you read.
- In the first few verses of chapter 1, we will read that Luke is writing for a man named Theophilus and Luke tells Theophilus that he has written this book so that Theophilus may have certainty concerning the things he has been taught. God wants you to have certainty about the things you have been taught, too, so as you read Luke’s gospel, ask yourself: how does Luke present his stories in order to persuade us, his readers, that they are true and accurate?
Job 9–15 Finally, we will read Job 9–15.
- This long middle section of Job can be hard to get through. It can seem like an endless series of speeches by one of Job’s friends and then a reply from Job and a long speech from another of his friends and then another reply from Job, and so on. It seems like that because that is exactly what it is.
- This section will be easier to get through if you remember that all the speeches are basically variations on two themes. First, Job’s friends have a simplistic and mechanistic view of the universe. They believe that if bad things happen to you, it must be because you did something bad. They can’t conceive of a world where God would allow bad things to happen to someone in order to show that he is powerful to sustain that person and to get glory as that person continues to trust in him. So as you read, try to read their speeches as carefully as you can and remember that they are saying things that are close to being right, but are actually quite wrong, because the world is not so as simply cause-and-effect as they think.
- On the other hand, Job’s speeches depict a man who is in the anguish of suffering. He doesn’t understand why things have gone so badly for him and he is thrashing about, groping for an answer. He wants answers. But he can’t get them, so he’s not afraid to voice his frustration to God. We’ll see towards the end of the book that God does eventually answer Job, but not in the way that Job expects. In the meantime, try to imagine: if you encountered sudden and unexpected disaster the way Job did, what kind of questions would you be asking? What kind of emotions would you be feeling? If you were one of Job’s friends, how would you counsel him? That might make for an interesting dinner time conversation.
Finally, I just want to say: great work. If you’ve been reading since January 1, you’re doing amazing and I hope you are discovering the joy of reading God’s word every day. If you have joined Scripture for Students more recently, welcome! In either case, know that as you read, God is at work to shape you and make you more like his son Jesus.
That’s all for today. If you enjoyed this episode please share it with a friend and follow us on Apple Podcasts.
This content is sponsored by Trinity College of Louisville. We shape young men and young women for Christ and for the church. Learn more at TrinityCollegeLou.com. Until next time, keep growing!