Read the Bible in a Year: Week 27 – Job 23-42, Jonah, and 2 Thessalonians

In this week of our Bible reading adventure, we will finish the book of Job and read the entire books of Jonah and 2 Thessalonians.

Job 23-42

In the final chapters of Job’s story, he continues to grapple with profound questions about suffering and God’s justice alongside his three friends. When Job has exhausted his words, a younger friend named Elihu enters the dialogue, offering a different perspective. In his extended speech, Elihu places blame on Job and fails to grasp the true nature of God’s plan. When Elihu finishes speaking, God intervenes, providing divine insight and addressing both Job and his three friends.

Jonah

We will then transition to the book of Jonah, a beloved Sunday school story that extends beyond a man swallowed by a whale and spat onto dry land. This narrative explores themes of divine calling, human disobedience, and God’s mercy. Despite experiencing God’s mercy himself, Jonah struggles to embrace God’s desire for mercy for all his children. Jonah reluctantly fulfills God’s command, yet he continues to harbor a desire for the destruction of his enemies. The story concludes with a poignant lesson as God employs a plant to challenge Jonah’s perspective, but the resolution is left open-ended, providing ample opportunity to reflect on our own situations where we might be tempted to withhold forgiveness and wish ill on others.

2 Thessalonians

Our final book of the week is 2 Thessalonians. As we explore Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, we will encounter a message of encouragement, clarification, and practical advice. Facing persecution and grappling with false teachers, the Thessalonians are encouraged to stand firm in their faith. Paul provides tips on living productive lives, avoiding laziness, understanding the Gospel message, and staying strong in their beliefs. His words offer timeless wisdom for believers navigating the complexities of faith and endurance in a world that is trying to shut them down and deceive them.

Flexible Plan: Reading for Week 27

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!

Passage 1: Job 23-42
Passage 2: Jonah 1-4
Passage 3: 2 Thessalonians 1-3

Printable Resource: Bible in a Year Reading Plan: Weekly Assignments

7-Day Reading Assignment: Week 27

If you like to be more organized, the weekly assignment can be broken into seven sections:

Day 1: Job 23-26
Day 2: Job 27-30
Day 3: Job 31-34
Day 4: Job 35-38
Day 5: Job 39-42
Day 6: Jonah 1-4
Day 7: 2 Thessalonians 1-3

Printable Resource: Bible in a Year Reading Plan: Daily Assignments

Week 27: Finishing Job, and Reading the Entire Books of Jonah and 2 Thessalonians

5-Day Reading Assignment: Week 27

Or if you know that you are likely to miss a day or two of reading, the weekly assignment can be broken into five sections:

Day 1: Job 23-28
Day 2: Job 29-35
Day 3: Job 36-42
Day 4: Jonah 1-4
Day 5: 2 Thessalonians 1-3

Printable Resource: Bible in a Year Reading Plan: 5 Days/Week Assignments

Reflections

As you read Job, Jonah, and 2 Thessalonians, consider reflecting on the following questions.

Job 23-42

How does Job’s journey in grappling with suffering and God’s justice resonate with your own experiences of questioning life’s challenges?
Reflect on Elihu’s speech. Have you ever found yourself, like Elihu, placing blame on others without fully understanding the bigger picture?
Consider God’s intervention in Job’s story. How does God’s response to Job and his friends provide insights into the nature of divine wisdom and justice?

Jonah

Explore the themes of divine calling and human obedience/disobedience in Jonah’s and Nineveh’s stories. How do these themes parallel moments in your own life where you may have accepted/resisted a call or struggled with obedience to God?
Reflect on Jonah’s reluctance to extend God’s mercy to others. Are there areas in your life where you struggle with forgiveness or wish harm on others, even when God’s mercy is evident?
Contemplate the open-ended resolution of Jonah’s story. How does this unresolved ending invite you to reflect on situations in your own life where God is clearly speaking, but you are continuing to resist?

2 Thessalonians

In the face of persecution and false teachings, how does the advice given in Thessalonians connect with your own experiences when your beliefs were challenged?
Drawing inspiration from Paul’s message to the Thessalonians, how could you provide encouragement to others whose faith is being challenged?
Explore Paul’s practical advice on living a productive and steadfast life. In what ways can you apply Paul’s wisdom to navigate the complexities of faith and perseverance in today’s world?