Read the Bible in a Year: Week 8 – Galatians and Isaiah 1-18

Embarking on Week 8 of our year-long Bible reading journey, we dive into the profound texts of Galatians and Isaiah.

Exploring Galatians: A Letter of Faith and Freedom

The book of Galatians is a poignant letter from Paul that is addressed to the churches he started in the region of Galatia. While scholars aren’t certain which exact churches were intended, the central message could apply to them all, rendering the specific location moot. The cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe are all mention in Acts 13 and 14. Paul then re-visits Iconium and Lystra in Acts 16, and then Antioch and other places in Galatia in Acts 18.

Paul opens his letter to the Galatians with a fervent call to action, urging them to be discerning and not easily swayed by false teachings. Just as we hold our church leadership accountable to the truth of the Bible, the Galatians were to scrutinize every message they received to ensure its alignment with the original gospel. Throughout the rest of the letter, Paul passionately defends the doctrine of justification by faith and implores the Galatians to embrace their freedom in Christ by casting off the bonds of ceremonial law. However, he also cautions against taking their newfound liberty too far, reminding them that every choice has consequences – whether for good or ill. Paul reminds them that “a man reaps what he sows.”

Read: More Blog Posts about Galatians

Journey into Isaiah: Prophetic Insights and Divine Revelations

Moving into Isaiah, we will read the first of the books of the prophets. With vivid prophesies of Jesus, and major themes of both judgement and salvation, this is one of the most powerful books of the Old Testament. The first 12 books of Isaiah deal with themes like the wickedness of Judah, the anger of God, the call of Isaiah, the prediction of Jesus’ birth, the predictions of the rise of Assyria, and the need and predictions of a savior. Chapter 13 then begins the “oracles against the nations,” and continues through chapter 23. This week, we will read the oracles regarding Babylon, Assyria, the Philistines, Moab, Damascus, Israel, and Cush.

Read: More Blog Posts about Isaiah

Flexible Plan: Reading for Week 8

If you are following the flexible plan for reading the Bible in a year, here is your reading assignment. You can break up the reading however you like throughout the week!