M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

25 Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. He marched out against Jerusalem. His whole army went with him. It was in the ninth year of the rule of Zedekiah. It was on the tenth day of the tenth month. Nebuchadnezzar set up camp outside the city. He brought in war machines all around it. ² It was surrounded until the 11th year of King Zedekiah’s rule.

³ By the ninth day of the fourth month, there wasn’t any food left in the city. So the people didn’t have anything to eat. ⁴ Then the Babylonians broke through the city wall. Judah’s whole army ran away at night. They went out through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They escaped even though the Babylonians surrounded the city. Judah’s army ran toward the Arabah Valley. ⁵ But the Babylonian army chased King Zedekiah. They caught up with him in the plains near Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him. They had scattered in every direction. ⁶ The king was captured.

He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah. That’s where Nebuchadnezzar decided how he would be punished. ⁷ Nebuchadnezzar’s men killed the sons of Zedekiah. They forced him to watch it with his own eyes. Then they poked out his eyes. They put him in bronze chains. And they took him to Babylon.

⁸ Nebuzaradan was an official of the king of Babylon. In fact, he was commander of the royal guard. He came to Jerusalem. It was in the 19th year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. It was on the seventh day of the fifth month. ⁹ Nebuzaradan set the Lord’s temple on fire. He also set fire to the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. He burned down every important building. ¹⁰ The whole Babylonian army broke down the walls around Jerusalem. That’s what the commander told them to do. ¹¹ Some people still remained in the city. But Nebuzaradan the commander took them away as prisoners. He also took the rest of the people of the land. That included those who had joined the king of Babylon. ¹² But the commander left behind some of the poorest people of the land. He told them to work in the vineyards and fields.

¹³ The Babylonian army destroyed the Lord’s temple. They broke the bronze pillars into pieces. They broke up the bronze stands that could be moved around. And they broke up the huge bronze bowl. Then they carried the bronze away to Babylon. ¹⁴ They also took away the pots, shovels, wick cutters and dishes. They took away all the bronze objects used for any purpose in the temple. ¹⁵ The commander of the royal guard took away the shallow cups for burning incense. He took away the sprinkling bowls. So he took away everything made out of pure gold or silver.

¹⁶ The bronze was more than anyone could weigh. It included the bronze from the two pillars, the huge bowl and the stands. Solomon had made all those things for the Lord’s temple. ¹⁷ Each pillar was 27 feet high. The bronze top of one pillar was four and a half feet high. It was decorated with a set of bronze chains and pomegranates all around it. The other pillar was just like it. It also had a set of chains.

¹⁸ The commander of the guard took some prisoners. They included Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the priest who was next in rank. They also included the three men who guarded the temple doors. ¹⁹ Some people were still left in the city. The commander took as a prisoner the officer who was in charge of the fighting men. He took the five men who gave advice to the king. He also took the secretary. He was the chief officer in charge of getting the people of the land to serve in the army. And he took 60 of those people serving in the army who were still in the city. ²⁰ Nebuzaradan the commander took all of them away. He brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. ²¹ There the king had them put to death. Riblah was in the land of Hamath.

So the people of Judah were taken as prisoners. They were taken far away from their own land.

²² Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had left some people behind in Judah. He appointed Gedaliah to govern them. Gedaliah was the son of Ahikam. Ahikam was the son of Shaphan. ²³ All of Judah’s army officers and their men heard about what had happened. They heard that the king had appointed Gedaliah as governor. So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, came. So did Johanan, the son of Kareah. Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth, also came. And so did Jaazaniah, the son of the Maakathite. All their men came too. Seraiah was from Netophah. ²⁴ Gedaliah promised to help them and their men. He spoke in a kind way to them. He said, “Don’t be afraid of the Babylonian officials. Make your homes in the land of Judah. Serve the king of Babylon. Then things will go well with you.”

²⁵ But in the seventh month Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, came with ten men. He killed Gedaliah. He also killed the people of Judah and the Babylonians who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah. Nethaniah was the son of Elishama. Ishmael was a member of the royal family. ²⁶ After he had killed Gedaliah, all the people ran away to Egypt. Everyone from the least important of them to the most important ran away. The army officers went with them. All of them went to Egypt because they were afraid of the Babylonians.

Jehoiachin Is Set Free

²⁷ Awel-Marduk set Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, free from prison. It was in the 37th year after Jehoiachin had been taken away to Babylon. It was also the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon. It was on the 27th day of the 12th month. ²⁸ Awel-Marduk spoke kindly to Jehoiachin. He gave him a place of honor. Other kings were with Jehoiachin in Babylon. But his place was more important than theirs. ²⁹ So Jehoiachin put his prison clothes away. For the rest of Jehoiachin’s life the king provided what he needed. ³⁰ The king did that for Jehoiachin day by day as long as he lived.

Melchizedek the Priest

7 Melchizedek was the king of Salem. He was the priest of God Most High. He met Abraham, who was returning from winning a battle over some kings. Melchizedek blessed him. ² Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of what is right.” Also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” ³ Melchizedek has no father or mother. He has no family line. His days have no beginning. His life has no end. He remains a priest forever. In this way, he is like the Son of God.

⁴ Think how great Melchizedek was! Even our father Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had captured. ⁵ Now the law lays down a rule for the sons of Levi who become priests. They must collect a tenth from the people. They must collect it from the other Israelites. They must do this, even though all of them belong to the family line of Abraham. ⁶ Melchizedek did not trace his family line from Levi. But he collected a tenth from Abraham. Melchizedek blessed the one who had received the promises. ⁷ Without a doubt, the more important person blesses the less important one. ⁸ In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die. But in the other case, it is collected by the one who is said to be living. ⁹ Levi collects the tenth. But we might say that Levi paid the tenth through Abraham. ¹⁰ That’s because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in Abraham’s body.

Jesus Is Like Melchizedek

¹¹ The law that was given to the people called for the priestly system. That system began with Levi. Suppose the priestly system could have made people perfect. Then why was there still a need for another priest to come? And why did he need to be like Melchizedek? Why wasn’t he from Aaron’s family line? ¹² A change of the priestly system requires a change of law. ¹³ We are talking about a priest who is from a different tribe. No one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. ¹⁴ It is clear that our Lord came from the family line of Judah. Moses said nothing about priests who were from the tribe of Judah. ¹⁵ But suppose another priest like Melchizedek appears. Then what we have said is even more clear. ¹⁶ He has not become a priest because of a rule about his family line. He has become a priest because of his powerful life. His life can never be destroyed. ¹⁷ Scripture says,

¹⁸ The old rule is set aside. It was weak and useless. ¹⁹ The law didn’t make anything perfect. Now a better hope has been given to us. That hope brings us near to God.

²⁰ The change of priestly system was made with a promise. Others became priests without any promise. ²¹ But Jesus became a priest with a promise. God said to him,

²² Because God gave his word, Jesus makes certain the promise of a better covenant.

²³ There were many priests in Levi’s family line. Death kept them from continuing in office. ²⁴ But Jesus lives forever. So he always holds the office of priest. ²⁵ People now come to God through him. And he is able to save them completely and for all time. Jesus lives forever. He prays for them.

²⁶ A high priest like that really meets our need. He is holy, pure and without blame. He isn’t like other people. He does not sin. He is lifted high above the heavens. ²⁷ He isn’t like the other high priests. They need to offer sacrifices day after day. First they bring offerings for their own sins. Then they do it for the sins of the people. But Jesus gave one sacrifice for the sins of the people. He gave it once and for all time. He did it by offering himself. ²⁸ The law appoints as high priests men who are weak. But God’s promise came after the law. By his promise the Son was appointed. The Son has been made perfect forever.

1 These are the words of Amos. He was a shepherd from the town of Tekoa. Here is the vision he saw concerning Israel. It came to him two years before the earthquake. At that time Uzziah was king of Judah. Jeroboam, the son of Jehoash, was king of Israel. Here are the words of Amos.

² He said,

The Lord Judges Israel’s Neighbors

³ The Lord says,

⁶ The Lord says,

⁹ The Lord says,

¹¹ The Lord says,

¹³ The Lord says,

A psalm of David.