M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Chapter 14
Asa the Reformer. 1 Asa did what was good and righteous in the eyes of the Lord, his God. 2 He destroyed the foreign altars and the high places, smashed to pieces the sacred pillars, and cut down the sacred poles. 3 He further commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his laws and his commandments.
4 Throughout all the cities of Judah he removed the high places and the incense altars, and under him the kingdom was at peace. 5 He also built fortified cities in Judah during those years of peace which the Lord had granted. 6 Asa then said to Judah: “Let us build up these cities and surround them with walls, towers, gates, and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought the guidance of the Lord, our God, and he has given us peace on every side.” Therefore, they built and prospered.
Zerah’s Invasion. 7 Asa had an army of three hundred thousand warriors from Judah armed with shields and spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand from Benjamin armed with shields and bows. All of them were mighty warriors. 8 [a]Zerah the Ethiopian marched out against them with an army of one million men and three hundred chariots, and they advanced as far as Mareshah. 9 Asa went forth, to confront him, and the opposing armies drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.
10 Asa then cried out to the Lord, his God, saying: “Lord, there is no one else like you to help the powerless against a mighty foe. Come to our aid, O Lord, our God, for we are relying upon you, and in your name we are prepared to confront this horde. O Lord, you are our God. Do not allow these mere mortals to prevail against you.” 11 Then the Lord enabled Asa and Judah to strike down the Ethiopians, and they fled. 12 Asa and his army followed in pursuit as far as Gerar. The Ethiopians fell mortally wounded until there were no survivors. Then the army of Judah carried off a tremendous amount of booty.
13 Following that victory, the Judahites destroyed all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the Lord had filled the people with terror. Then they plundered all these villages and carried off all the treasures that were of great value. 14 They also attacked the tents of those who had livestock and carried away great numbers of sheep and goats and camels. After that they returned to Jerusalem.
Chapter 15
Cult Reform. 1 The Spirit of God then came upon Azariah, the son of Oded. 2 He went out to meet Asa and said to him: “Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will permit you to find him, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you. 3 For a long time Israel was without a priest to impart teaching and without the law. 4 However, when in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he allowed them to find him.
5 “In those times it was not safe for anyone to come or go, since all the inhabitants of the land were afflicted with massive disturbances, 6 with nations being crushed by other nations and cities by other cities, for God troubled them with every kind of distress. 7 But as for you, be strong and do not be discouraged, for your work shall be rewarded.”
8 When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah, the son of Oded the prophet, he became resolute in his courage and ordered the removal of the abominable idols throughout the land of Judah and Benjamin as well as from the towns he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He also repaired the altar of the Lord which stood in the vestibule of the house of the Lord.
9 Then Asa assembled all the people of Judah and Benjamin, as well as those from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were residing among them, since great numbers of people from Israel had deserted to him when they came to realize that the Lord his God was with him. 10 All the people assembled at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. 11 On that day they sacrificed to the Lord seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from the plunder they had brought back. 12 After that, they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul, 13 while asserting that all those who refused to seek the Lord, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether young or old, whether man or woman.
14 Then all of them swore an oath to the Lord with a loud voice and shouts of joy, while the trumpets and the horns resounded. 15 All Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and had sought the Lord with sincere desire. As a result, the Lord had allowed himself to be found by them, and he granted them peace on every side.
16 King Asa even removed his mother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made an obscene image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down, crushed it to powder, and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 17 Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa himself remained faithful throughout his life. 18 He brought into the house of God the votive gifts[b] of his father as well as his own votive gifts—silver, gold, and sacred vessels.
19 There was no further warfare until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa.
Celestial Visions about What Is To Come[a]
Christ, Lord of History[b]
Chapter 4
Vision of the Throne.[c]1 Following this, I had a vision of heaven with an open door, and I heard the voice like a trumpet that I had heard speaking to me before, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was caught up in the spirit,[d] and there in heaven I beheld a throne. 3 Seated upon the throne was one whose appearance was similar to that of jasper and carnelian, and surrounding it was a rainbow that looked like an emerald.
4 Encircling the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders,[e] dressed in white with gold crowns on their heads. 5 Emanating from the throne were flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder. Burning in front of the throne were seven flaming lamps, the seven spirits of God, 6 and in front of the throne there was something like a sea of glass as transparent as crystal.
In the center of the throne and around it there were four living creatures,[f] and they were covered with eyes in front and in back. 7 The first living creature resembled a lion, the second resembled an ox, the third had a human face, and the fourth resembled an eagle in flight. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings, and all of them were covered with eyes all around and underneath their wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God, the Almighty,
who was, and who is, and who is to come.”
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders prostrate themselves before him who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever. As they lay down their crowns in front of the throne, they cry out:
11 “Worthy are you, O Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things;
by your will they were created
and have their being.”
3 Is there anyone left among you
who beheld this house in its former glory?
How does it appear to you now?
Does it not seem to you
as though it were not even there?
4 But now take courage, Zerubbabel,
says the Lord.
Take courage, Joshua, the high priest,
son of Jehozadak.
Take courage, all you people of the land,
says the Lord.
Begin the work,
for I am with you,
says the Lord of hosts.
5 This is the promise that I made to you
when you came out of Egypt.
My Spirit is present among you.
Do not be afraid.
6 For thus says the Lord of hosts:
In a little while from now
I will shake the heavens and the earth,
the sea and the dry land.
7 I will shake all the nations,
and the treasures of all the nations will flow in.
And I will fill this house with glory,
says the Lord of hosts.
8 Mine is the silver, mine is the gold,
says the Lord of hosts.
9 The glory of this new house
will surpass that of the former,
says the Lord of hosts.
And in this place I will grant peace,
says the Lord of hosts.
What They Offer Me Is Unclean[a]
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai. 11 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests to give a ruling on this. 12 If a man is carrying consecrated meat in the fold of his garment and he allows the fold to come in contact with bread or broth or wine or oil or food of any kind, will that also become consecrated? The priests answered, “No.”
13 Haggai then asked, “If anyone who has been defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of those, does that become unclean?” The priests replied, “It will become unclean.” 14 Then Haggai continued,
So it is with this people and this nation
in my view, says the Lord.
So also are all the works of their hands;
whatever they offer here is unclean.
15 But now, think back to recent times as you ponder the future. Before one stone was laid upon another in the temple of the Lord, how did you fare?
16 When you came to a heap
of twenty measures of grain,
you would find only ten.
When you came to a wine vat
to draw fifty measures,
you would find only twenty.
17 I struck you and all the products of your toil
with blight and mildew and hail.
Even so, you would not return to me,
says the Lord.
18 Now consider from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. From the day on which the foundations of the temple of the Lord was laid, consider:
19 Previously the seed had not sprouted,
and the vine and the fig tree,
the pomegranate and the olive tree,
had borne no fruit.
From this day forward
I intend to bless you.
Promise to the Descendants of David[b]
20 On the twenty-fourth day of the month, the word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai: 21 Tell this to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah:
I will shake the heavens and the earth;
22 I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms
and destroy the power of the kings of the nations.
I will overthrow the chariots and their riders;
both the horses and their riders will fall,
every one of them by the sword of a comrade.
23 On that day,
says the Lord of hosts,
I will take you, Zerubbabel,
my servant, son of Shealtiel, says the Lord,
and I will make you like a signet ring,
for I have chosen you,
says the Lord of hosts.
Chapter 3
Nicodemus Goes To Visit Jesus. 1 There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus,[a] a member of the Jewish ruling council, 2 who came to Jesus at night. “Rabbi,” he said, “we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one would be able to perform the signs that you do unless God were with him.” 3 Jesus replied,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
no one can see the kingdom of God[b]
without being born from above.”
4 Nicodemus asked, “How can a man be born again once he is old? Is it possible for him to enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus said,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
no one can enter the kingdom of God
unless he is born of water and the Spirit.[c]
6 What is born of the flesh is flesh,
and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 “You should not be astonished when I say,
‘You must be born from above.’
8 The wind blows where it chooses,
and you hear the sound of it,
but you do not know where it comes from
or where it goes.
So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 “How is this possible?” asked Nicodemus. 10 Jesus responded, “You are a teacher of Israel and you do not know these things?
11 “Amen, amen, I say to you,
we speak of what we know
and we testify to what we have seen,
and yet you do not accept our testimony.
12 If I tell you about earthly things
and you do not believe,
how will you believe
when I speak to you about heavenly things?
Jesus Christ, Savior and Judge[d]
13 “No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who descended from heaven,
the Son of Man.
14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,[e]
15 in order that everyone who believes in him
may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world
that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him
may not perish
but may attain eternal life.
17 “For God did not send his Son into the world
to condemn the world
but in order that the world might be saved through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe in him
already stands condemned,
because he has not believed in the name
of the only-begotten Son of God.
19 “And the judgment is this:
the light has come into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light
because their deeds were evil.
20 Everyone who does evil hates the light
and avoids coming near the light
so that his misdeeds may not be exposed.
21 However, whoever lives by the truth
comes to the light
so that it may be clearly seen
that his deeds have been done
in God.”
22 Final Witness of John the Baptist.[f] After this, Jesus went with his disciples into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them and baptized. 23 John was also baptizing at Aenon[g] near Salem, because there was an abundance of water there, and people were coming to be baptized. 24 At that time, John had not yet been imprisoned.
25 Now a dispute about ceremonial washings arose between a certain Jew and the disciples of John. 26 Therefore, they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, is baptizing, and everyone is flocking to him.” 27 John replied,
“No one can receive anything
except what has been given to him from heaven.
28 You yourselves can testify that I said,
‘I am not the Christ.
I have been sent before him.’
29 “It is the bridegroom who has the bride,
but the friend of the bridegroom
who stands by and listens for him
rejoices greatly when he hears the bridegroom’s voice.
This joy of mine
is complete.
30 He must increase;
I must decrease.
He Who Comes from Above[h]
31 “The one who comes from above is above all.
The one who is of the earth is earthly
and speaks of earthly things.
The one who comes from heaven is above all.
32 He bears witness to the things he has seen and heard,
yet no one accepts his testimony.
33 “Whoever accepts his testimony
attests that God speaks the truth.
34 For the one whom God has sent
speaks the words of God,
for God gives him the Spirit without measure.[i]
35 The Father loves the Son,
and he has entrusted everything into his hand.
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life;
whoever does not believe in the Son will not see life,
but the wrath of God rests upon him.”
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