Reading Concentrations for the New Year

What will you read in 2025? For me, the start of the New Year is a time to not only think through what books I want to concentrate on but also, in which books of the Bible I want to concentrate my thoughts. As I was reading and praying this morning, I was impressed to select 12 books, one for each month of the year, to concentrate my reading in. The Book of Amos was my first choice. Over the next three days, I will post my lists of Books to read, as well as my selected 12 months of concentrated reading in 12 different books of the Bible. I hope it will inspire many of you to do something similar in your own reading and perhaps share some of your own lists here and in social media platforms. Let’s encourage one another, as long as we have breath to read more, meditate more and be more in 2025.

I will also be selecting from the list below a number of the plans and projects for Amos. Pray for me, that God will do a great work in my heart in all of my reading. And that, by the end of 2025, I might be more like Jesus.

Reading Amos

Read the book straight though in one sitting. Immediately after, try to write one clear
paragraph of your impressions of the prophet and his prophecy.
Read the book four times in a month. As you read, locate and categorize every name,
term and metaphor used for God. What do you learn from these terms and metaphors
about the character of God and how He reveals Himself.
The book has 8 prophecies of judgment against 8 different kingdoms (1:1-2:16). What
are they? Why are they being judged?
In chapters 7-8 and 9:1-10 there are five visions. What are they? Why are they given?
What is some of the opposition that Amos faces as he gives the word of God to the nation?
Make a list of every person mentioned in the book, named or unnamed? What do their
names mean? What do you learn from the book of Amos about any of these individuals?
Try to put your findings in some type of chart where you summarize your discoveries.
Read the book every day for a week. Start making notes on what seems most important
or thematic on day 3.
Chapter 1:2 refers to the summit of Carmel drying up. It doesn’t snow on Mount Carmel.
There are no rivers flowing from Mount Carmel. What might this reference mean?
Read the book every day for a week and then skip a week and do it again. Each time,
identify a key verse or two. In the between weeks, set yourself to memorize those verses.
In chapters 7-8 and 9:1-10 there are five visions. What are they? Why are they given?
What is some of the opposition that Amos faces as he gives the word of God to the nation?
Make a list of every person mentioned in the book, named or unnamed? What do their
names mean? What do you learn from the book of Amos about any of these individuals?
Try to put your findings in some type of chart where you summarize your discoveries.
Read the book again, this time tracking every geographic and time reference no matter
how small. Find them on a map. Put your interrogatives to work. Who is being spoken
of in those locations? What is being said about them? When did these things happen?
(You might need to reference a good Bible dictionary.) Why did these things happen or
what is the reason for these things being said?
“Review the list of Israel’s sins. Are you guilty of any of these? According to what you
read in Amos, could Israel or the other nations sin and not reap the consequences? Can
you?”i