You've probably seen the tiktok trends or the "express" Bible studies promising you the moon in under an hour. It sounds like a gimmick. Honestly, it mostly is. But there is a weird, specific subculture emerging around the idea of spending exactly 40 minutes in the Old Testament to try and crack the code of these ancient, often dusty-feeling texts.
The Old Testament is massive. It’s 39 books of chaos, poetry, weird laws about shrimp, and some of the most violent war stories ever written. Trying to "do" the Old Testament in 40 minutes is like trying to learn the entire history of China during a lunch break. You can’t. But you can find the pulse.
Most people approach the Bible like a chore. They open it to Genesis, get through the "cool" parts where things are getting created, and then they hit the "begats" or the architectural blueprints for the Tabernacle in Exodus and give up. That’s where the 40-minute philosophy comes in. It’s not about reading the whole thing; it’s about a targeted strike.
Why 40 Minutes in the Old Testament is a Magic Number for Some
The number 40 isn't random. If you've spent any time in a Sunday school, you know 40 is the Bible's favorite number. It rained for 40 days during Noah’s flood. Moses hung out on a mountain for 40 days. The Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years. Jesus—even though that’s the New Testament—fasted for 40 days.
So, when people talk about spending 40 minutes in the Old Testament, there’s a bit of a symbolic nod there. They aren't just timing themselves; they’re trying to sync up with a biblical rhythm.
Does it work? Kinda.
If you spend that time just flipping pages, you’ll end up more confused than when you started. You’ll see a guy getting swallowed by a fish, some guy named Melchizedek who has no parents, and a lot of talk about goats. However, if you use those 40 minutes to track a single thread—like the concept of "Covenant"—the whole library starts to make sense.
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The Problem With Quick-Fix Theology
Let’s be real. We live in an era of "hacks." We want the 5-minute workout and the 10-minute meal. Religion doesn't really work that way. Dr. John Walton, a massive name in Old Testament scholarship at Wheaton College, often talks about how we treat the Bible like it was written to us. It wasn't. It was written for us, but it was written to ancient Israelites.
When you dive in for a quick 40-minute session, you’re a tourist. You don't speak the language. You don't know the social cues. You might see a verse about "an eye for an eye" and think it's about revenge, but in its own time, it was actually a law of limitation. It meant you couldn't take more than an eye. It was a step toward mercy, not a leap toward violence.
Without that context, your 40 minutes in the Old Testament might actually make you less informed.
What Actually Happens in 40 Minutes of Deep Reading?
If you actually sat down and focused, what could you get through?
You could read the entire Book of Ruth. It’s short. It’s a beautiful story about a Moabite woman who refuses to leave her mother-in-law. It’s got drama, a bit of ancient "dating" etiquette involving a threshing floor, and it ends with a genealogy that links back to King David.
Or you could read about half of the Book of Job. But I wouldn't recommend it if you’re already having a bad day. Job is heavy. It's basically a long-form poem about why bad things happen to good people, and spoiler alert: God’s answer at the end is basically "I’m God and you’re not."
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Most people use their 40 minutes in the Old Testament to hit the "greatest hits."
- Psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd).
- Isaiah 53 (The suffering servant).
- Genesis 1-3 (The beginning and the fall).
But the real meat is in the stuff nobody reads. Have you ever looked at Hosea? The guy was told by God to marry a woman who would be unfaithful to him, just to prove a point about how the people were treating God. It’s gritty. It’s uncomfortable. It’s a far cry from the "inspirational" quotes you see on coffee mugs.
The "40-Minute" Strategy for Non-Scholars
If you’re going to do this, don't be a hero. Don't start at page one and hope for the best.
- Pick a Genre. The Old Testament is a library, not a book. You have Law (Torah), History, Wisdom Literature (the cool stuff like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes), and the Prophets. If you want to feel something, go to the Psalms. If you want to think, go to Ecclesiastes.
- Use a Modern Translation. Unless you are a glutton for punishment, put down the King James Version for a second. Try the NRSV (New Revised Standard Version) or the ESV. You want to understand the words, not decipher 17th-century English.
- Look for the "Big Story." Scholars like N.T. Wright or the late Timothy Keller argue that the whole point of the Old Testament is a "longing." It’s a story of a people who keep failing, waiting for a king who won't.
Common Misconceptions About the Old Testament
People think the God of the Old Testament is just an angry guy in the clouds throwing lightning bolts. That’s a caricature. Honestly, it's lazy.
If you spend your 40 minutes in the Old Testament looking at the character of God in Exodus, you see someone who hears the cries of slaves and stages a massive prison break. You see a God who is "slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." Yes, there is judgment. Yes, there are parts that make a modern reader cringe. But there’s also a level of social justice—looking out for the widow, the orphan, and the immigrant—that was radical for the Bronze Age.
Another big mistake? Thinking it's a science textbook.
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Genesis wasn't written to argue with Darwin. It was written to argue with the Babylonians. The Babylonians thought the world was created through a violent war between gods. Genesis says, "No, it was one God, and He did it with His word, and He called it good." That’s a massive theological shift, but you miss it if you're too busy arguing about carbon dating.
Is it Worth the Time?
Is 40 minutes in the Old Testament enough to change your life? Probably not. But it’s enough to realize that the Bible isn't a flat, boring book of rules.
It’s a record of people struggling with the same stuff we do: fear, failure, lust, power, and the nagging feeling that there’s something bigger out there. It’s messy because people are messy.
The Old Testament is the foundation. If you skip it to get to the "easier" New Testament, you’re watching the sequel without seeing the original movie. You’ll get the gist, but you’ll miss all the callbacks. You’ll miss why it mattered so much when Jesus said he was the "Bread of Life" (that’s a Manna reference) or why he chose twelve disciples (those are the twelve tribes of Israel).
Actionable Steps for Your Next 40 Minutes
If you want to make the most of a short window in the Hebrew Bible, don't just read. Engage.
- Focus on Ecclesiastes. If you think the Bible is all sunshine and rainbows, read this. It was written by a guy who had everything—money, power, wisdom—and concluded that it was all "hevel" (a Hebrew word meaning vapor or smoke). It's the most "relatable" book for anyone who has ever had an existential crisis.
- Use a Study Bible. The ESV Study Bible or the Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible are gold. They have notes at the bottom that explain what's actually happening in the text. It’s like having a nerd in your ear explaining the context.
- Watch a summary first. Check out The Bible Project on YouTube. They have short, 5-minute animated videos for every book. Watch the video for 5 minutes, then spend the remaining 35 minutes reading the actual text. Your comprehension will skyrocket.
- Track the "Remnant." Look for the small group of people who stay faithful when everyone else is jumping ship. It’s a recurring theme that shows up from Noah to the prophets.
- Write down one weird thing. The Old Testament is full of them. Instead of ignoring the parts that don't make sense, circle them. Look them up later. That’s where the real learning happens.
Stop trying to master the whole thing in one go. You won't. Just sit with it. Let it be weird. Let it be ancient. The 40 minutes in the Old Testament you spend today isn't about finishing a task—it's about starting a habit of curiosity that most people lost the moment they left school.
Go find a quiet spot. Turn off your phone. Open to the middle. See what happens when you actually pay attention to the foundation of Western civilization for two-thirds of an hour. You might be surprised at what actually sticks.