From the Author and Administrator, Rodney Harrier
Hi Friends, sorry to have to do this to you, but I need to shut down this site. I’ve worked for months to fix technical issues on chronologicalbiblestudies.com and its sister sites, so they work properly online. Failing that, I updated and renovated them like new sites, but that has proved to be a much bigger challenge than expected.
Finally, because there are many websites, podcasts, and YouTube videos doing similar things that I am doing, I am shutting our sites down. I know that is disappointing, maybe even disheartening, but God has blessed us since 2011.
You, who have completed the Bible in one-year, are the winners. You know more about God and how he works in people’s lives, and especially yours. Now, you know the Bible well enough to explain it to others, and you can see how the prophets, kings, and other sections of the Bible fit in chronological order. You know the basic chronology and teachings of the Bible and could defend yourself.
Thank you for joining me as we journeyed through the Scriptures in a year. It was a pleasure to lead you.
Thank you for the many kind comments you sent me.
I am happy when I hear a parent thank me because their twelve-year-old son or daughter reads the chronological Bible studies often, and it helps him understand the God’s Word.
I rejoice when a pastor from a third-world country writes and thanks me for providing these resources for free; they have so little.
It makes my day when someone writes that he had gotten away from the Lord, and the Lord is using these Bible studies to help him draw nearer to God and follow him.
I am humbled that many of you have been reading my Bible studies every year (I do edit them); they are part of your daily time with God. I know you are the most affected by this transition, and it grieves me to disappoint you. I am so glad that now there are so many other chronological Bible studies, podcasts, and YouTube videos for you to choose from.
Before I go, I want you to know some of the things God has done through this ministry. Maybe that will inspire people to take up the mantle and run with it. It won’t be easy, but what worthwhile project ever is?
Chronological Bibles have been out for a long time, but they have not enjoyed the popularity they now have. Since the 1980’s there has been a significant interest in understanding the Bible as all one story. Surveys indicate about 1 in 5 will purchase a chronological Bible, and the interest has been built through online studies. The LORD challenged me to write them and offer them to you. They were always free. My joy is to see people finally read the Bible through and understand it. Now, to the praise of God and your benefit, many others have published Chronological Bibles, reading guides, chronological Bible studies, podcasts, websites. Social media, and YouTube have greatly expanded our opportunities to learn the Bible and connect with each other.
My Spiritual Journey
Although I graduated from a very good Bible college in 1987 and had a very good understanding of the Scriptures, there were still some things I couldn’t put together.
How was the triunity involved in creation?
Where did the events of the kings and prophets fit together?
What was the probable order and occasion of the Psalms?
What events did some of the minor prophets describe, and which prophets were contemporaries?
Why did God often repeat his warnings?
How do future events come together according to the Old and New Testament writings?
In 1995, I started reading The One-Year Chronological Bible (ISBN 0-8423-5090-X). I did this every year, and I liked it because it arranges the Bible in the order the events probably (or at least possibly) occurred. I found the Bible easier to understand when put together that way, and it gave me insights that I would have otherwise overlooked. I knew others could also profit in the same way.
In 2008 I searched for a Bible study for the Chronological Bible for my own use and for that of my adult students. I searched in bookstores and on the internet but could not find one. It was at that time that the Lord spoke to my heart to write the Bible studies myself. This was a daunting task, bigger than I could ever have imagined; I was overwhelmed with the thought of writing 365 Bible studies! Research, writing, editing, repeat, repeat, repeat—you get the picture. I prayed often for God’s help and guidance.
In 2009 I began writing the Bible studies and sharing them with others. For the next four years I spent much time reading God’s Word, researching the meaning of the text, determining chronological order, praying, writing, and editing until the first online publishing was complete. This was in addition to teaching an adult Bible class, and serving in church leadership, and owning and operating a cleaning business. The life of a writer isn’t easy, especially if you have a full time job and part time ministry. I owe my family a lot for their patience with me. But to answer an obvious question, yes I did still spend significant time with them.
In 2011, The beginnings of a website, mtbiblestudies.com, publishing the New Testament
A friend agreed to design my website and create all the links for the New Testament. When she was done, she volunteered to create all the links for each day’s Bible study for the New Testament. After a couple of years working on this, she finished. Just after she told me she was done, I prayed, and another friend, recently retired, heard what I was doing and agreed to make all the links for each day’s Bible study for the Old Testament.
Then, an associate pastor at our church, who had a higher theological degree than me, volunteered to suggest edits if needed. Then, a former high school English teacher volunteered to suggest grammatical edits for my Bible studies.
All of these friends graciously donated their time. The Lord sent me just the right people to help me get this ministry started and make it available to the world.
2012-2013: Finished the Old Testament and published it online.
2014: Started an app
2015 re-editing site, updating pictures
2019: New podcast started, chronologicalbiblestudiespodcast.org, started a new app
2020: Began applying best SEO practices to websites
2021: Changed the name and address of the website URL to chronologicalbiblestudies.com to focus the site on one type of Bible study. Sharpened my writing and editing skills through membership with a Word-Weaver’s writer’s group. Started an automated email service to help members complete the Bible in a year.
2023: Started a blog called Connecting Truth to Life on a WordPress format
2025 Changed the website name again to distinguish our site as the Best Chronological Bible Studies. They are the best because they preserves the themes or messages of God’s Word, instead of excessive rearrangement of texts. My prayer is that others will catch this vision. God will honor you for that.
From our beginning through 2025, our site has reached millions of people all over the world, even in China and Iran.
I encourage you to keep going and join another group. God’s Word, arranged in historical chronological order, is enlightening. It can bring you from confusion to clarity and conviction. A word of advice: avoid chronological themed Bible studies if you want to understand how the Bible and events fit together in historical chronological order. If you find a chronological Bible studies group that seeks to keep the themes and messages of God’s Word intact, do that. God will bless you, for the texts will not be excessively rearranged according to technicalities, and you will have smoother transitions without missing God’s intended messages.
It has been my pleasure to serve you. Until we connect again, go with God, my friend, and He goes with you.
P.S. until you go somewhere else on a consistent basis, you may see broken links to my sites everywhere. It is unavoidable because I will be taking these offline soon.