M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Saul Wins the Battle over the Ammonites
11 Then Nahash the Ammonite came and his soldiers set up their tents around Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make an agreement with us, and we will work for you.” 2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will make an agreement with you only if I may cut out the right eye of every one of you. This way I will put all Israel to shame.” 3 The leaders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, so we may send men with news through the land of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.” 4 The men came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news to the people. And all the people cried with a loud voice.
5 Now Saul was coming from the field behind the cattle, and he said, “What troubles the people? Why are they crying?” So they told him the news the men had brought from Jabesh. 6 The Spirit of God came upon Saul with power when he heard this news, and he became very angry. 7 He took two bulls and cut them in pieces and sent them through the land of Israel with the men who had brought the news, saying, “This will be done to the bulls of those who will not come out after Saul and Samuel.” The fear of the Lord came upon the people, and they all came out together. 8 Saul numbered them at Bezek. There were 300,000 men of Israel, and 30,000 men of Judah. 9 They said to the men who had brought the news, “Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead that tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have help.” So the men went and told the news to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad. 10 Then the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you. And you may do to us whatever you think is good.” 11 The next morning, Saul put the people in three groups. They came among the tents early in the morning and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who were left alive were divided, so that no two of them stayed together.
12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is it that said, ‘Should Saul rule over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, “No man will be put to death this day. For today the Lord has saved Israel.”
14 Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and make it the place for the king.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal. There they made Saul king before the Lord, in Gilgal. There they gave peace gifts to the Lord. And there Saul and all the men of Israel were filled with much joy.
9 I am telling the truth because I belong to Christ. The Holy Spirit tells my heart that I am not lying. 2 I have much sorrow. The pain in my heart never leaves. 3 I could even wish that I might be kept from being with Christ if that would help my people to be saved from the punishment of sin. They are of my own flesh and blood. 4 They are Jews and are the people God chose for Himself. He shared His shining-greatness with them and gave them His Law and a way to worship. They have His promises. 5 The early preachers came from this family. Christ Himself was born of flesh from this family and He is over all things. May God be honored and thanked forever. Let it be so.
6 I am not saying that God did not keep His promises. Not all the Jews are people God chose for Himself. 7 Not all of Abraham’s family are children of God. God told Abraham, “Only the family of Isaac will be called your family.”(A) 8 This means that children born to Abraham are not all children of God. Only those that are born because of God’s promise to Abraham are His children. 9 This was the promise God made: “About this time next year I will come, and Sarah will have a son.” (B) 10 Not only this, but there was Rebecca also. Rebecca gave birth to two sons at the same time. Both of them were sons of Isaac. 11 Even before the two sons were born, we see God’s plan of choosing. God could choose whom He wanted. It could not be changed because of anything the older son tried to do about it. It was before either one had done anything good or bad. 12 Rebecca was told, “The older son will work for the younger son.” 13 The Holy Writings say, “I loved Jacob, but hated Esau.” (C)
14 What about it then? Can we say that God is not fair? No, not at all! 15 God said to Moses, “I will have loving-kindness and loving-pity for anyone I want to.” (D) 16 These good things from God are not given to someone because he wants them or works to get them. They are given because of His loving-kindness. 17 The Holy Writings say to Pharaoh, “I made you leader for this reason: I used you to show My power. I used you to make My name known over all the world.” (E) 18 So God has loving-kindness for those He wants to. He makes some have hard hearts if He wants to.
19 But you will ask me, “Why does God blame men for what they do? Who can go against what God wants?” 20 Who are you to talk back to God? A pot being made from clay does not talk to the man making it and say, “Why did you make me like this?” 21 The man making the pots has the right to use the clay as he wants to. He can make two pots from the same piece of clay. One can have an important use. The other one can be of little use. 22 It may be that God wants to show His power and His anger against sin. He waits a long time on some men who are ready to be destroyed. 23 God also wanted to show His shining-greatness to those He has given His loving-kindness. He made them ready for His shining-greatness from the beginning. 24 We are the ones He chose. He did not only choose Jews. He also chose some from among the people who are not Jews. 25 In the Book of Hosea He says, “Those who are not My people, I will call, ‘My people.’ Those who are not loved, I will call, ‘My loved ones.’” (F) 26 “And where it said, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called sons of the living God.” (G) 27 Isaiah says this about the Jews, “Even if there are as many Jews as the sand by the sea, only a few of them will be saved from the punishment of sin. 28 For the Lord will do on earth what He says in His Word. He will work fast when He says what will happen here.” (H) 29 Isaiah said also, “If God had not left some of the Jews, we would have all been destroyed like the people who lived in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.” (I)
30 What are we to say about these things? The people who are not Jews were not made right with God by the Law. They were made right with God because they put their trust in Him. 31 The Jews tried to be right with God by obeying the Law, but they did not become right with God. 32 Why? Because they did not put their trust in God. They tried to be right with God by working for it. They tripped over the most important Stone (Christ). 33 The Holy Writings say, “See! I put in Jerusalem a Stone that people will trip over. It is a Rock that will make them fall. But the person who puts his trust in the Rock (Christ) will not be put to shame.” (J)
Moab Is Destroyed
48 About Moab, the Lord of All, the God of Israel, says, “It is bad for Nebo, for it has been destroyed. Kiriathaim has been put to shame and taken. The high, strong-place has been put to shame and crushed. 2 The praise for Moab has come to an end. In Heshbon they have planned trouble against her, saying, ‘Come, let us destroy her from being a nation!’ You, O Madmen, will be made quiet also. The sword will follow you. 3 Listen, the sound of a cry from Horonaim, saying, ‘Laid waste and all destroyed!’ 4 Moab is destroyed. The cry of her little ones is heard. 5 They go up the hill of Luhith crying all the time. For at the hill of Horonaim they have heard the troubled cry of those who are being destroyed. 6 Run fast! Run for your lives! You will be like a bush in the desert. 7 Because you have trusted in your own works and riches, you also will be taken. And Chemosh will go away to a strange land together with his religious leaders and important men. 8 The destroyer will come to every city. No city will be free from him. The valley and the plain will be destroyed also, as the Lord has said. 9 Give wings to Moab, for she will fly away. Her cities will become a waste, with no people living in them. 10 The one who does the Lord’s work without care is cursed. Cursed is the one who keeps his sword from blood.
11 “Moab has been at rest since he was young. He has been like wine which sits a long time, not being poured from jar to jar. He has not gone away to a strange land. So he keeps his taste, and his smell is not changed. 12 The days are coming,” says the Lord, “when I will send to him those who turn over jars, and they will turn him over. They will empty his jars and break them in pieces. 13 Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel that they trusted. 14 How can you say, ‘We are strong soldiers and powerful men of war’? 15 Moab has been destroyed, and men have gone up to his cities. His best young men have gone down to be killed,” says the King, Whose name is the Lord of All. 16 The trouble of Moab will soon come. His suffering comes in a hurry. 17 Have sorrow for him, all you who live around him, and all who know his name. Say, ‘How his power has been broken, the greatness of his power!’ 18 Come down from your greatness and sit on the hot ground, O you who live in Dibon. For the destroyer of Moab has come up against you. He has destroyed your strong-places built for battle. 19 Stand by the road and keep watch, O you who live in Aroer. Ask the man or woman who runs away, ‘What has happened?’ 20 Moab has been put to shame, for it is broken down. Cry out. Let it be known by the Arnon that Moab has been destroyed. 21 Punishment has come upon the plain, against Holon, Jahzah, Mephaath, 22 Dibon, Nebo, Beth-diblathaim, 23 Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul, Beth-meon, 24 Kerioth, Bozrah, and all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near. 25 Moab’s strength has been cut off, and his arm broken,” says the Lord. 26 “Make him drunk, for he has become proud before the Lord. So Moab will roll in the food he has thrown up, and be laughed at. 27 Did you not laugh at Israel? Or was he found among robbers? For each time you speak about him you laugh and shake your head. 28 Leave the cities and live among the rocks, O people of Moab. Be like a dove that has its nest in a hole in the side of the rock. 29 We have heard of the pride of Moab. He is very proud. We have heard of all his pride and how he honors himself. 30 I know his anger,” says the Lord, “but it is of no use. His proud words have done nothing. 31 So I will cry in a loud voice for Moab. I will cry out for all Moab. I will have sorrow for the men of Kir-heres. 32 I will cry for you more than for Jazer, O vine of Sibmah! Your branches have gone over the sea, even to the sea of Jazer. The destroyer has fallen upon your summer fruits and your grapes. 33 Happiness and joy have been taken away from the land of Moab with all its fruit. I have stopped the crushing of the grapes to make wine. No one crushes them under foot. The noise they make is not the sound of joy. 34 They cry out from Heshbon even to Elealeh, even to Jahaz, and from Zoar even to Horonaim and to Eglath-shelishiyah. Even the waters of Nimrim have become a waste. 35 And I will make an end of Moab,” says the Lord. “I will destroy the one who gives gifts of worship on the high place and burns special perfume to his gods.
36 “So My heart cries out for Moab like a horn. My heart cries like a horn also for the men of Kir-heres. The riches they had for themselves have been lost. 37 The hair has been cut from every head, and the hair has been cut short on every face. There are cuts on all the hands, and they wear clothes made from hair. 38 On all the roofs of Moab and in its streets there are cries of sorrow everywhere. For I have broken Moab like a pot that is not wanted,” says the Lord. 39 “How broken it is! How they cry! How Moab has turned his back in shame! So Moab has become something to laugh at and hate to all those around him.” 40 For the Lord says, “One will fly fast like an eagle, and spread out his wings against Moab. 41 Kerieth has been taken, and the strong-places built for battle have been taken. In that day the hearts of the strong men of Moab will be like the heart of a woman giving birth. 42 Moab will be destroyed and will no longer be a nation, because he was proud before the Lord. 43 Fear, traps and nets are coming upon you, O you who live in Moab,” says the Lord. 44 “The one who runs from trouble will fall into the trap. And the one who comes up out of the trap will be caught in the net. For I will bring these things upon Moab in the year of their punishment,” says the Lord.
45 “In the shadow of Heshbon, those who have run for their lives stand without strength. For a fire has gone out from Heshbon and from Sihon. It has destroyed the forehead of Moab and the top of the heads of the trouble-makers. 46 It is bad for you, Moab! The people of Chemosh have been destroyed. Your sons and daughters have been taken away in chains. 47 Yet I will return the people of Moab to their land in the last days,” says the Lord. This is the punishment of Moab.
Prayer to Be Kept Safe from Enemies
25 I lift up my soul to You, O Lord. 2 O my God, I trust in You. Do not let me be ashamed. Do not let those who fight against me win. 3 Yes, let no one who hopes in You be put to shame. But put to shame those who hurt others without a reason.
4 Show me Your ways, O Lord. Teach me Your paths. 5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me. For You are the God Who saves me. I wait for You all day long. 6 Remember Your loving-pity and Your loving-kindness, O Lord. For they have been from old. 7 Do not remember my sins from when I was young, or my sinful ways. By Your loving-kindness remember me for You are good, O Lord.
8 Good and right is the Lord. So He teaches sinners in His ways. 9 He leads those without pride into what is right, and teaches them His way. 10 All the paths of the Lord are loving and true for those who keep His agreement and keep His Laws. 11 For the good of Your name, O Lord, forgive my sin, even as big as it is.
12 Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will teach him in the way he should choose. 13 His soul will live a rich life. And his children will be given the land. 14 The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him. And He will make them know His agreement. 15 My eyes are always on the Lord. For He will take my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me and show me Your loving-kindness. For I am alone and in trouble. 17 The troubles of my heart have grown. Bring me out of my suffering. 18 Look upon my troubles and my pain, and forgive all my sins. 19 Look upon those who hate me, for they are many. And how very much they hate me! 20 Keep me safe, Lord, and set me free. Do not let me be put to shame for I put my trust in You. 21 Let what is good and what is right keep me safe, because I wait for You. 22 O God, make Israel free from all their troubles.
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