M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Chapter 32
Invasion of Sennacherib. 1 After Hezekiah had proved his fidelity by his deeds and his acts of faithfulness, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah and laid siege to the fortified towns, intending to take them by storm.
2 When Hezekiah realized that Sennacherib was determined to attack Jerusalem, 3 he suggested to his officers and warriors that they block up the springs of water that were outside the city, and they supported his plan. 4 Then a large number of people were summoned to block up all the springs, as well as the stream that flowed through that land, saying: “Why should the kings of Assyria come here and find an abundance of water?”
5 Hezekiah next concentrated on strengthening his defenses. He repaired every breach in the city wall that was broken down and raised towers upon it. Then he built another wall outside that first wall. He also strengthened the Millo of the City of David and gathered large numbers of weapons and shields.
6 Next Hezekiah appointed military commanders over the people, and after gathering them together in his presence in the square at the gate of the city, he spoke these words of encouragement: 7 “Be strong and brave. Do not have any fear or be discouraged when confronted with the king of Assyria and the vast horde that serves him. Remember that there is one with us who is greater than anyone who is with him. 8 He has only human strength, but we have the Lord, our God, with us to help us and to fight our battles.” The people were greatly encouraged by the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.
Sennacherib’s Threat. 9 After this, while King Sennacherib of Assyria was besieging Lachish with all his forces, he sent his representatives to Jerusalem to deliver this message to King Hezekiah of Judah and to all the Judeans who were in Jerusalem: 10 “King Sennacherib of Assyria has this to say: What gives you the confidence to remain in Jerusalem while it is under siege? 11 Hezekiah is misleading you, condemning you to die of famine and thirst, when he says: ‘The Lord, our God, will save us from the clutches of the king of Assyria.’ 12 Was it not the same Hezekiah who removed the Lord’s shrines and altars and issued this command to Judah and Jerusalem: ‘You shall worship before only one altar, and on that altar alone you shall offer sacrifices’? 13 Are you not aware what I and my ancestors have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of those nations able to save their lands from my power? 14 Of all the gods of these nations which my ancestors totally destroyed, was there even one who was able to save his people from my hand? How then will your God be able to deliver you from my power?
15 “Do not permit Hezekiah to deceive you or mislead you in this way, and do not believe him. How can you place your trust in him, since no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to save his people from my hand or from the hand of my ancestors? How much less will your God be able to save you from my clutches!”
16 Sennacherib’s officials offered further negative comments against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 In addition, Sennacherib wrote letters filled with contemptuous remarks about the Lord, the God of Israel, saying: “Just as the gods of other nations could not rescue their people from my hands, so the God of Hezekiah will not be able to save his people from my power.”
18 Then the forces of Sennacherib shouted loudly in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were stationed on the wall, trying to strike them with terror and fear, and thus hoping to be able to conquer the city. 19 They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as if he were in no way superior to any of the gods of the other peoples of the earth, simply the work of human hands.
20 The Defeat of Sennacherib. Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven. 21 Therefore, the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every valiant warrior, leader, and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. As a result, Sennacherib returned in disgrace to his own land. When he entered the temple of his god, some of his sons slew him with the sword.
22 Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hands of Sennacherib and from the hands of all their enemies, affording them rest on every side. 23 Many people brought gifts to the Lord in Jerusalem and costly gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah. From that time onward he was held in high esteem by all nations.
24 Hezekiah’s Other Deeds. In those days Hezekiah fell seriously ill. Then he prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered him by granting him a sign. 25 However, Hezekiah was a proud man, and he failed to respond with gratitude for the kindness that the Lord had shown him. As a result, the wrath of the Lord fell upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem. 26 But then Hezekiah humbled himself because of the pride of heart that he had exhibited, as did also the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not fall upon them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.
27 Hezekiah possessed great wealth and honor. He built for himself treasuries for his silver and gold, for his precious stones, for spices and shields and for all kinds of other costly things, 28 storehouses for the harvests of grain, new wine and oil, and stalls for all kinds of cattle and flocks of sheep. 29 He also built cities for himself, and he acquired flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great possessions.
30 This same Hezekiah closed the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed their course down to the west side of the City of David. In every respect he prospered in all his works, 31 although when envoys were sent by the king of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign[a] that had occurred in the land, God left him to himself in order to test him and to discover what was in his heart.
32 The rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his pious works are recorded in the vision of the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 Hezekiah slept with his ancestors, and he was buried at the ascent to the tombs of the descendants of David. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem paid him honor at his death. His son Manasseh succeeded him as king.
Chapter 18
The Fall of Babylon the Great.[a] 1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and his splendor illumined the earth. 2 He cried out in a mighty voice:
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great!
She has become a dwelling place for demons,
a haunt for every unclean spirit
and for every filthy and loathsome bird.
3 For all the nations have drunk
the wine of the wrath of her harlotry.
The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her,
and the merchants of the earth have grown rich
from her wealth and luxury.”
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying:
“Depart from her, my people,
so that you will not take part in her sins
and share in her plagues.
5 For her sins are piled up as high as the heavens,
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Pay her back as she has done to others,
and repay her double for her deeds;
mix her a double portion of her own poison.
7 Give her torment and grief
to equal the measure of her glory and luxury.
In her heart she says,
‘I rule as a queen.
I am not a widow,
and I will never experience grief.’
8 Therefore, in a single day
her plagues will come upon her:
pestilence and mourning and famine.
And she will be consumed by fire,
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
Funereal Ode over Rome.[b] 9 “The kings of the earth who committed fornication with her and shared in her luxury will weep and mourn over her when they behold the smoke of her immolation. 10 In terror at her torment, they will keep their distance and say:
“ ‘Woe, woe, O great city,
mighty city of Babylon.
In one hour your judgment has come.’
11 “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, since no one buys their cargo anymore: 12 their cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; purple and scarlet cloth, silks, and fine linens; all sorts of fragrant wood and all kinds of objects of ivory, all kinds of objects of expensive wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 cinnamon and spices; incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine and olive oil; fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and chariots; and slaves, that is, human lives. They will say:
14 “ ‘The fruit you longed for
is no longer available to you.
All your riches and splendor are gone,
and you will never find them again.’
15 “The merchants of these things who made a fortune from her will stand far off, weeping and mourning aloud, and terrified as they behold her torment:
16 “ ‘Woe, woe, O great city,
clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet,
adorned with gold, jewels, and precious stones!
17 Within one hour
all this wealth has been destroyed.’
“All the ship captains and voyagers, all the sailors and those who make their living by trading upon the sea, will stand far off 18 and exclaim as they see the smoke caused by her immolation, ‘Has there ever been a city to compare with this great city?’ 19 Then they will throw dust on their heads and with mourning and weeping cry out:
“ ‘Woe, woe, O great city,
where all who had ships at sea
became rich through her wealth!
Within one hour
she has been brought to ruin.
20 Rejoice over her, O heaven,
you holy ones, apostles, and prophets!
For God has passed judgment on her for you.’ ”
21 Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying:
“This is how
the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,
never to be found again.
22 The sound of harpists and minstrels,
flute players and trumpeters,
will never be heard in you again.
Craftsmen of every trade
never will be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
will never be heard in you again.
23 The light from a lamp
will never be seen in you again.
The voices of a bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again.
Since your merchants were the world’s great men,
all the nations were led astray by your enticements.
24 In you[c] was found the blood of the Prophets,
of the saints,
and of all who have been slain on the earth.”
VIII: The Final Combat and the New Jerusalem[a]
Chapter 14
1 Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the plunder taken from you will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for battle. The city will be taken, the houses plundered, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken away from the city.
3 Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, fighting as on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which lies to the east of Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west by an immense valley, so that half of the mountain will move north and the other half will move south. 5 You will flee by the valley of the Lord’s mountain, for the valley between the hills will be blocked, and the new valley between them will reach as far as Azal. It will be filled in, as it was by the earthquake, in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come, and all his holy ones with him.[b]
6 On that day there will be neither cold nor frost. 7 And it will be one continuous day, known only to the Lord, and there will be no more day and night, for there will be light even during the evening. 8 And when that day comes, living waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half flowing toward the eastern sea[c] and half toward the western sea, and they will continue to flow in both summer and winter. 9 The Lord will become king over the whole earth. When that day comes, he will be the only Lord, and his name will be the only name.
10 The entire land will be transformed into a plain, from Geba to Rimmon in the Negeb, but Jerusalem will remain exalted in its place and be filled with people, from the Gate of Benjamin to the site of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses. 11 It will be inhabited, and never again will it be doomed to destruction. Jerusalem will abide in security.
12 This will be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that have fought against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. 13 On that day men will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. Every man will seize his neighbor’s hand, and they will begin to beat each other. 14 Even Judah will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered up: gold, silver, and garments in great quantities. 15 In addition, a plague similar to this one will afflict the horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all other animals in those camps.
16 The survivors of all the nations that attacked Jerusalem will come up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.[d] 17 If any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, no rain shall fall upon them. 18 And should any family of Egypt fail to come up and present themselves, then upon them will fall the plague that the Lord will inflict upon those nations that fail to go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. 19 Such will be the punishment that befalls Egypt and any other nations that do not come up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.
20 On that day, the words, “Holy to the Lord,” will be inscribed upon the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the house of the Lord will be as holy as the sacred bowls in front of the altar. 21 Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord of hosts, and all who come to offer sacrifice will take them and cook in them. And there will no longer be any traders in the house of the Lord of hosts.
The Priestly Prayer of Jesus[a]
Chapter 17
Knowledge of the Father and the Son.[b] 1 After saying this, Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,
“Father, the hour has come.
Glorify your Son,
so that your Son may glorify you,
2 since you have given him authority
over all people,
so that he may give eternal life
to all those you have given him.
3 And eternal life is this:
to know you,
the only true God,
and the one you have sent,
Jesus Christ.
4 “I have glorified you on earth
by completing the work
that you entrusted to me.
5 So now, Father,
glorify me in your presence
with the glory I had with you
before the world began.
The Son and the Disciples[c]
6 “I have made your name known
to those whom you gave me from the world.
They were yours,
and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
7 Now they have come to understand
that everything you gave me is from you.
8 For the words you gave to me
I have given to them,
and they have accepted them
and know with certainty
that I have come from you,
and they have believed that you sent me.
9 “It is for them that I pray.
I do not pray for the world,
but for those you gave me
because they are yours
10 Everything I have is yours,
and everything you have is mine,
and through them I have been glorified.
11 I will remain no longer in the world,
but they will still be in the world
while I will be coming to you.
“Holy Father,
protect by the power of your name
those you have given me,
so that they may be one,
even as we are one.
12 While I was with them
I protected them by your name
that you have given me,
and I kept them safe.
Not one of them was lost,
except the one destined to be lost,[d]
so that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13 “Now I am coming to you,
and I say these things
while I am still in the world
so that my joy may come
to full measure in them.
14 I have given them your word,
and the world has hated them
because they do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
15 I am not asking you
to take them out of the world,
but I do ask you
to protect them from the evil one.
16 They do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
17 “Consecrate them in the truth.
Your word is truth.
18 As you sent me into the world,
so have I sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I consecrate myself,
so that they too may be consecrated in truth.
The Disciples and the Church To Come[e]
20 “I pray not only on behalf of these,
but also for those who through their word
will come to believe in me.
21 May they all be one.
As you, Father, are in me
and I in you,
may they also be in us
so that the world may believe
that you have sent me.
22 “The glory that you have given me
I have given to them,
so that they may be one,
as we are one,
23 I in them and you in me,
that they may become completely one,
and thus the world may know
that you have sent me
and that you have loved them
even as you have loved me.
24 “Father, allow those you have given me
to be with me where I am,
so that they may behold my glory,
which you have bestowed on me
because you loved me
before the foundation of the world.
25 “Righteous Father,
the world has not known you;
I have known you,
and they have known that you have sent me.
26 I have made your name known to them,
and I will make it known,
so that the love with which you loved me
may be in them, and I in them.”
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