M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Chapter 19
Jehoshaphat Rebuked. 1 When King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned in safety to his palace in Jerusalem, 2 Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went forth to meet him, and he said to the king: “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord will strike you. 3 Even so, some good can be found in you, for you have removed the sacred poles from the land and have set your heart on seeking God.”
Jehoshaphat’s Appointments. 4 Jehoshaphat resided in Jerusalem, but he regularly went forth among the people, from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 5 He also appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.
6 Jehoshaphat said to the judges: “Pay careful attention to what you are doing. You are to judge not on behalf of human beings but on behalf of the Lord, who will be with you when you pronounce sentence. 7 Now let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful in your judgments, for the Lord, our God, will not tolerate the perversion of justice, or partiality, or the taking of bribes.”
8 Jehoshaphat also appointed some of the Levites, priests, and heads of families in Jerusalem to administer justice in the name of the Lord and to settle disputes. 9 He gave them this command: “You shall act at all times in the fear of the Lord, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart. 10 Whenever a case is brought before you from your kinsmen who live in other towns, whether in regard to bloodshed or offenses against the law or the commandments, statutes, or ordinances, then you shall instruct them in such a way that they do not incur guilt before the Lord; and the wrath of the Lord will not descend upon you and your kindred. 11 Amariah, the chief priest, will be your superior in all matters that concern the Lord; and Zebadiah, the son of Ishmael, the leader of the house of Judah, is your superior in all matters that concern the king,[a] while the Levites will serve as your officers. Act firmly and with courage, and may the Lord be with those on the side of the good.”
Chapter 20
War against Edom. 1 A short time afterward, the Moabites and the Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites,[b] came to engage Jehoshaphat in battle. 2 The following communiqué was sent to Jehoshaphat: “A great multitude is coming forth against you from Edom, from beyond the sea.[c] They are already at Hazazon-tamar, that is, En-gedi.” 3 Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and he hastened to seek the guidance of the Lord, while proclaiming a fast throughout all Judah. 4 The people of Judah assembled, to seek help from the Lord, as they came from all the towns of Judah to consult the Lord.
Prayer of Jehoshaphat. 5 Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the Lord before the new court 6 and said: “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God in heaven, and do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hands are power and might, and there is no one who can withstand you. 7 Was it not you, our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land for your people Israel and gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham? 8 They have lived in it and have built you a sanctuary there to honor your name, saying: 9 ‘Should any disaster befall us, whether the sword of judgment or war or blood or pestilence or famine, we shall stand before this temple that bears your name and call out to you in our distress, and you will hear our cries and save us.’
10 “But now, behold the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the people of Mount Seir, whom you would not permit the Israelites to invade when they came from the land of Egypt and whom they avoided and made no attempt to destroy them. 11 See how these people repay us by coming forth to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 O God will you not pass judgment against them? For we are powerless against this vast horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are turned toward you.”
13 Prophecy of Victory. All the men of Judah were standing before the Lord, with their infants, their wives, and their children. 14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly.
15 Jahaziel said: “Listen attentively, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not fear or lose heart at the sight of this vast horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. 16 March down against them tomorrow. They will be coming up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will encounter them at the end of the gorge near the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will have no need to fight in this battle. Take your position, stand firm, and behold the victory of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed. Go forth against them tomorrow, for the Lord will be with you.’ ”
18 Then Jehoshaphat knelt down with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord to worship him. 19 After that, the Levites from among the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and sang the praises of the Lord, the God of Israel, with a powerful voice.
20 Overcoming the Invaders. Early the next morning they rose and hastened to set out for the wilderness of Tekoa. As they departed, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: “Listen to me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem. Hold firmly to your faith in the Lord, your God, and you will be secure. Believe in his prophets and you will be successful.”
21 After conferring with the people, Jehoshaphat appointed some to sing to the Lord and praise the splendor of his holiness as they marched forth at the head of the army:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”
22 At the moment they began their hymn of praise, the Lord set an ambush against the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the people from Mount Seir who were invading Judah. As a result, they were routed. 23 For the Ammonites and the Moabites turned against the people of Mount Seir and completely destroyed them. Then, when they had finished off the inhabitants of Mount Seir, they proceeded to destroy each other.
24 When the warriors of Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness and looked toward the multitude, what they beheld were nothing but corpses lying on the ground. No one had escaped. 25 Then, when Jehoshaphat and his men came to collect the booty, they found an immense number of livestock as well as personal property, clothing, and precious articles which they took for themselves until they were unable to carry any more. They spent three days gathering the booty because of its abundance.
26 On the fourth day they all assembled, in the Valley of Berakah,[d] the name that it bears to this day, because it was there that they blessed the Lord. 27 Then all the people of Judah and Jerusalem returned to Jerusalem with joy, since the Lord had given them reason to rejoice over their triumph against their enemies.
28 They entered Jerusalem to the sound of lyres, harps, and trumpets and went into the house of the Lord. 29 The fear of God fell upon all the kingdoms of the neighboring countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 And thereafter Jehoshaphat’s kingdom enjoyed peace, since God gave him rest on every side.
31 Jehoshaphat’s Many Deeds. Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah; she was the daughter of Shilhi. 32 He followed the example of his father Asa, and he did not deviate from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. 33 However, the high places were not abolished, and the people had not as yet fixed their hearts on the God of their fathers.[e]
34 The remainder of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of Jehu, the son of Hanani, which is included in the book of the kings of Israel.[f]
35 Later King Jehoshaphat of Judah allied himself with King Ahaziah of Israel, who was guilty of wicked deeds. 36 [g]Jehoshaphat joined Ahaziah in the building of ships to sail to Tarshish. The fleet was built at Ezion-geber. 37 As a result, Eliezer, the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah, then prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying: “Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked, and they were never fit to sail to Tarshish.
Chapter 8
The Seventh Seal.[a] 1 When the Lamb broke open the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw that seven trumpets were given to the seven angels who stand in the presence of God.
3 Another angel came forward with a gold censer and stood at the altar.[b] He was given a large quantity of incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the gold altar that stood before the throne.
4 The smoke of the incense together with the prayers of the saints rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and emptied it upon the earth. Immediately, there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
6 The seven angels who held the seven trumpets now made ready to blow them.
The First Four Trumpets.[c] 7 When the first angel blew his trumpet, there was a storm of hail and fire, mixed with blood, and it fell upon the earth.[d] A third of the earth was burned up, as well as a third of the trees and all the green grass.
8 [e]When the second angel blew his trumpet, something that looked like a huge mountain ablaze with fire was hurled into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the creatures living in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 When the third angel blew his trumpet, a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch. It came down on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 This star was called “Wormwood,” and a third of the waters turned to wormwood.[f] Great numbers of people died from the waters that had become bitter.
12 When the fourth angel blew his trumpet, a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars. As a result, a third of their light was darkened, and the day lost its illumination for a third of the time, and so did the night.[g]
13 The Cry of the Eagle.[h] In my vision, I heard an eagle cry out in a loud voice as it flew high overhead, “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth because of the other trumpet blasts that the three angels have not yet blown!”
Chapter 4[a]
Vision of the Lampstand and Olives. 1 Then the angel who had talked with me returned and roused me, as though awakening someone who was asleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a lampstand of solid gold, with a bowl at the top. There are seven lamps on it, with seven openings to hold the lamps. 3 Alongside it are two olive trees, one to the right and the other to the left.”
4 I then said to the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these things, my lord?” 5 The angel who was speaking to me replied, “Do you not know what they are?” “No, my lord,” I answered. 6 Then he said to me, “This is the Lord’s message to Zerubbabel: Not by force, nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. 7 What are you, O great mountain? Compared with Zerubbabel, you are nothing more than a plain. He will bring out the capstone amid shouts of acclamation.”
8 This word of the Lord was then addressed to me as follows: 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of the house, and his hands will complete the work. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 10 For those who spoke disparagingly on that day of small beginnings will rejoice to see the chosen stone in the hands of Zerubbabel. These seven facets are the eyes of the Lord that range throughout the entire earth.”
11 Then I asked the angel, “What is the significance of those two olive trees to the left and the right of the lampstand?” 12 And I asked him further, “What is the meaning of the two olive branches that pour forth the oil through the two golden channels?”
13 “Do you not know what these are?” he said to me. “No, my lord,” I replied. 14 He answered, “These are the two anointed ones who stand in attendance on the Lord of the entire earth.”
The Light of the World[a]
Jesus, Sign of Contradiction
Chapter 7
Jesus’ Time Has Not Yet Been Fulfilled.[b] 1 After this, Jesus resumed his travels throughout Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill him.
2 However, when the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was drawing near, 3 his brethren[c] said to him, “Depart from here and go into Judea so that your disciples can perceive the works you are doing. 4 No one who wishes to be publicly known acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, reveal yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brethren believed in him. 6 Jesus answered them,
“My time has not yet come,
but your time is always right.
7 The world cannot hate you,
but it does hate me
because I testify against it
that its works are evil.
8 Go up to the feast yourselves.
I am not going to this feast,
because my time has not yet fully come.”
9 After he had said this, he stayed behind in Galilee. 10 Later, however, after his brethren had gone up to the feast, he himself also went, not publicly, but in secret.
11 During the feast the Jews were looking for him and asking, “Where is he?” 12 There was widespread murmuring about him among the crowds. Some maintained, “He is a good man,” but others insisted, “No, for he is leading the people astray.” 13 However, no one spoke openly about him for fear of the Jews.
14 Do Not Judge by Appearances.[d] When the feast was half over, Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. 15 The Jews were astonished, and they wondered, “How has this man acquired such knowledge when he has never studied?”[e] 16 Jesus answered them,
“My teaching is not my own;
rather, it comes from him who sent me.
17 Anyone who resolves to do his will
will know whether my teaching comes from God
or whether I am speaking on my own authority.
18 Whoever speaks on his own authority
is simply seeking his own glory,
but whoever seeks the glory
of the one who sent him
is a truthful person,
and there is no dishonesty in him.
19 “Did not Moses give you the Law?
And not one of you keeps the Law.
Why are you trying to kill me?”
20 The crowd shouted, “You are possessed! Who is trying to kill you?” 21 Jesus replied,
“I performed a single work,[f]
and all of you are astonished.
22 Moses gave you circumcision
—although it did not originate with Moses
but with the patriarchs—
and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.
23 Now if a man can be circumcised on the Sabbath
so that the Law of Moses may not be broken,
why are you angry with me
for making a man’s entire body
completely healthy on the Sabbath?
24 Do not base your judgment on appearances;
judge according to what is right.”
25 Where Is Jesus from and Where Is He Going?[g] Then some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is this not the man they are trying to kill? 26 And yet he is speaking publicly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities realize that he is the Christ? 27 And yet we know where this man is from. But when the Christ appears, no one will know where he is from.”
28 Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple,
“You know me,
and you also know where I am from.
Yet I have not come of my own accord,
but he who sent me is true.
You do not know him,
29 but I know him
because I am from him
and it was he who sent me.”
30 So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many in the crowd believed in him, and they said, “When the Christ comes, will he perform more signs than this man has accomplished?”
32 When the Pharisees overheard the crowd murmuring about him, the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said,
“I will remain with you
only for a short time longer,
and then I shall return
to him who sent me.
34 You will search for me,
but you will not find me,
for where I am you cannot come.”
35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not be able to find him? Will he go abroad to the people who are dispersed among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean when he says, ‘You will search for me, but you will be unable to find me,’ and ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”
37 Streams of Living Water.[h][i]On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and cried out,
“If anyone is thirsty,
let him come to me and drink.
38 Whoever believes in me,
as Scripture has said,
‘Streams of living water
shall flow from within him.’ ”
39 Now he was referring here to the Spirit whom those who believed in him were to receive. As yet the Spirit had not been bestowed because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
40 People Are Divided concerning Jesus.[j] On hearing these words, some in the crowd said, “This must truly be the Prophet.” 41 Others thought, “This is the Christ.” But still others retorted, “How can the Christ come from Galilee? 42 Does not Scripture assert that the Christ will be of the seed of David and come from Bethlehem, the city where David lived?” 43 As a result, the crowd was sharply divided because of him. 44 Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him.
45 Then the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not arrest him?” 46 The guards answered, “No one has ever spoken as this man has.” 47 Then the Pharisees said, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees come to believe in him? 49 As for this crowd, they do not know the Law—they are cursed.”
50 One of them, Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus, said to them, 51 “Does our Law allow us to pass judgment on someone without first giving him a hearing to ascertain what he is doing?” 52 They replied, “Are you too a Galilean? Look it up, and you will find that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.”
Chapter 8
Jesus, Savior of Sinners
A Woman Caught in Adultery.[k] [7:53Then each of them returned home.
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