M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David’s Last Words
23 Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse, the man who was raised on high, the chosen one of the God of Jacob, the sweet song writer of Israel, says, 2 “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me. His Word was on my tongue. 3 The God of Israel has spoken. The Rock of Israel said to me, ‘When one is right and good in ruling over men, ruling in the fear of God, 4 he shines on them like the morning light. He is like the sunshine on a morning without clouds. He is like rain that makes the new grass grow out of the earth through sunshine after rain.’ 5 In truth, does not my house stand right with God? For He has made an agreement with me that lasts forever. It is planned right in all things, and sure. For will He not make all my help and my desire grow? 6 But those of no worth are all like thorns that are thrown away, because they cannot be taken with the hand. 7 The man who touches them must be covered with iron and have a spear. All of them will be burned up with fire as they sit.”
David’s Men of War
8 These are the names of David’s men of war. There was Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, head of the three. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed 800 men at one time.
9 Next to him among the three strong men was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was with David when they spoke against the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had left. 10 Eleazar got up and killed the Philistines until his hand was tired from holding the sword. The Lord saved many of His people that day. The men returned after him only to take what had belonged to the dead.
11 Next to him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together at Lehi, where there was a piece of ground full of lentil plants. The people ran from the Philistines. 12 But Shammah stood in the center of the piece of ground and fought for it. He killed the Philistines. The Lord saved many of His people that day.
13 Then three of the thirty leaders went down to David during the gathering time to the cave of Adullam. The Philistine army was staying in the valley of Rephaim. 14 David was in the strong place, while the Philistine soldiers were in Bethlehem. 15 David had a desire and said, “If only someone would give me water to drink from the well by the gate of Bethlehem!” 16 So the three strong men broke through the Philistine army and took water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it to David. But David would not drink it. He poured it out to the Lord, 17 and said, “O Lord, far be it from me to do this. Should I drink the blood of the men who went and put their lives in danger?” So he would not drink it. The three strong men did these things.
18 Now Abishai the brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, was head of the thirty. He fought with his spear against 300 men and killed them. His name was respected as well as the three. 19 He was the most honored of the thirty. So he became their captain. But he was not as strong as the three.
20 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a man of Kabzeel with strength of heart. He had done powerful things. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. And he went down and killed a lion in a hole while the snow was falling. 21 He killed an Egyptian, an important man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand. But Benaiah went down to him with a heavy stick and took the spear from the Egyptian’s hand. Then he killed him with his own spear. 22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things. His name was respected as well as the three strong men. 23 He was honored among the thirty. But he was not as strong as the three. David made him captain of the soldiers who kept him from danger.
24 Joab’s brother Asahel was among the thirty. Then there was Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anathothite, and Mebunnai the Hushathite. 28 There was Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, and Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin. 30 There was Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the rivers of Gaash, 31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, and Jonathan. 33 There was Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam the son of Ahithophel of Gilo, 35 Hezro the Carmelite, and Paarai the Arbite. 36 There was Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the one who carried the battle clothes of Joab the son of Zeruiah. 38 And there was Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.
3 You foolish Galatians! What strange powers are trying to lead you from the way of faith in Christ? We made it plain for you to see that Jesus Christ was put on a cross to die. 2 There is one thing I want to know. Did you receive the Holy Spirit by keeping the Law? Or did you receive Him by hearing about Christ? 3 How foolish can you be? You started the Christian life by the Holy Spirit. Do you think you are going to become better Christians by your old way of worship? 4 You suffered so much because of the Good News you received. Was this all of no use? 5 He gave you the Holy Spirit and did powerful works among you. Does He do it because you do what the Law says or because you hear and believe the truth?
6 It was the same with Abraham. He put his trust in God. This made Abraham right with God. 7 Be sure to remember that all men who put their trust in God are the sons of Abraham. 8 The Holy Writings said long ago that God would save the people who are not Jews from the punishment of sin also. Before this time the Holy Writings gave the Good News to Abraham in these words, “All nations will be happy because of you.” (A) 9 So then, all those who have faith will be happy, along with Abraham who had faith.
10 All those who expect the Law to save them from the punishment of sin will be punished. Because it is written, “Everyone who does not keep on doing all the things written in the Book of the Law will be punished.” (B) 11 No one is made right with God by doing what the Law says. For, “The man right with God will live by faith.” (C) 12 The Law does not use faith. It says, “You must obey all the Law or you will die.” (D) 13 Christ bought us with His blood and made us free from the Law. In that way, the Law could not punish us. Christ did this by carrying the load and by being punished instead of us. It is written, “Anyone who hangs on a cross is hated and punished.” (E) 14 Because of the price Christ Jesus paid, the good things that came to Abraham might come to the people who are not Jews. And by putting our trust in Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit He has promised.
15 Christian brothers, let me show you what this means. If two men agree to something and sign their names on a paper promising to stay true to what they agree, it cannot be changed. 16 Now the promise was made to Abraham and to his son. He does not say, “And to sons,” speaking of many. But instead, “And to your Son,” which means Christ. 17 This is what I am saying: The Law which came 430 years later could not change the promise. The promise had already been made by God. The Law could not put that promise aside. 18 If it had been possible to be saved from the punishment of sin by obeying the Law, the promise God gave Abraham would be worth nothing. But since it is not possible to be saved by obeying the Law, the promise God gave Abraham is worth everything.
19 Then why do we have the Law? It was given because of sin. It was to be used until Christ came. The promise had been made looking toward Christ. The Law was given by angels through Moses who stood between God and man. 20 But when the promise was given to Abraham, God gave it without anyone standing between them. 21 Is the Law against the promise of God? No! Never! If it had been possible to be saved from the punishment of sin by obeying the Law, then being right with God would have come by obeying the Law. 22 But the Holy Writings say that all men are guilty of sin. Then that which was promised might be given to those who put their trust in Christ. It will be because their faith is in Him.
23 Before it was possible to be saved from the punishment of sin by putting our trust in Christ, we were held under the Law. It was as if we were being kept in prison. We were kept this way until Christ came. 24 The Law was used to lead us to Christ. It was our teacher, and so we were made right with God by putting our trust in Christ. 25 Now that our faith is in Christ, we do not need the Law to lead us. 26 You are now children of God because you have put your trust in Christ Jesus. 27 All of you who have been baptized to show you belong to Christ have become like Christ. 28 God does not see you as a Jew or as a Greek. He does not see you as a servant or as a person free to work. He does not see you as a man or as a woman. You are all one in Christ. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you have become the true children of Abraham. What God promised to him is now yours.
The Lord Will Punish Egypt
30 The Word of the Lord came to me saying, 2 “Son of man, speak in My name and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Cry in a loud voice, ‘It is bad for that day!’ 3 For the day is near. The day of the Lord is near. It will be a day of clouds, a time of trouble for the nations. 4 A sword will come against Egypt, and Ethiopia will be very troubled. When the people are killed in Egypt, her riches will be taken away, and her country destroyed. 5 Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all of Arabia, Libya, and the people of Israel living there, all who have an agreement with Egypt will be killed by the sword.”’”
6 ‘The Lord says, “Those who help Egypt will be killed in battle. The pride of her power will come down. From Migdol to Syene they will be killed by the sword,” says the Lord God. 7 “They will be a waste among the lands that are laid waste. And her cities will be among the destroyed cities. 8 Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I start a fire in Egypt and all those who help her are destroyed. 9 On that day I will send men in ships to bring fear to Ethiopians who think they are safe. They will be troubled and afraid as when Egypt is destroyed, for their day is coming!” 10 The Lord God says, “I will put an end to Egypt’s riches by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 11 He and his people show the least pity of all the nations, and they will be brought in to destroy the land. They will use their swords against Egypt and fill the land with dead bodies. 12 And I will dry up the Nile River and sell the land to sinful men. I will destroy the land and everything in it, by the hand of strangers. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
13 ‘The Lord God says, “I will also destroy the false gods and put an end to the objects of worship in Memphis. There will no longer be a leader in the land of Egypt, so I will put fear in the land. 14 I will destroy Pathros, start a fire in Zoan, and punish Thebes. 15 I will be angry with Pelusium, the strong city of Egypt. And I will destroy the riches of Thebes. 16 I will start a fire in Egypt. Pelusium will suffer much. Thebes will be broken open. And Memphis will not have rest from troubles and fear. 17 The young men of On and Pi-beseth will be killed in battle, and the women will be taken away. 18 At Tehaphnehes the day will be dark when I break the power of Egypt. The pride of her strength will come to an end. A cloud will cover her, and her daughters will be taken away. 19 So I will punish Egypt, and they will know that I am the Lord.’”
Word against Pharaoh
20 On the seventh day of the first month in the eleventh year, the Word of the Lord came to me saying, 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And it has not been wrapped so that it could heal and be strong enough to hold the sword. 22 So the Lord God says, ‘I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt and will break his arms, both the strong one and the one already broken. And I will make the sword fall from his hand. 23 I will divide the Egyptians among the nations and spread them out among the lands. 24 For I will give strength to the arms of the king of Babylon and put My sword in his hand, and I will break the arms of Pharaoh, so that he will cry in pain in front of him like a dying man in battle. 25 I will give strength to the arms of the king of Babylon, but Pharaoh’s arms will fall. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I give My sword to the king of Babylon and he uses it against the land of Egypt. 26 I will make the Egyptians go to the different nations and spread them out among the lands. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”
38 But He showed them loving-kindness and forgave their sins. He did not destroy them. He held back His anger many times. He did not let all of His anger loose. 39 He remembered that they were only flesh, a wind that passes and does not return.
40 How many times they went against Him in the desert, and gave Him sorrow in that empty land! 41 They put God to the test again and again, and troubled the Holy One of Israel. 42 They did not remember His power and the day He saved them from those who hated them, 43 when He did His powerful works in Egypt and showed His greatness in the field of Zoan. 44 He changed their rivers into blood. They could not drink from their rivers. 45 He sent many flies among them that ate them, and frogs that destroyed them. 46 He gave their fields of food to the grasshopper, and all they worked for to the locust. 47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with cold. 48 He killed their cattle with hail and lightning. 49 He sent them His burning anger and trouble. He sent a group of angels to bring trouble and sorrow to them. 50 He made a straight path for His anger. He did not save their soul from death. But He gave their lives over to all these troubles. 51 He killed all the first-born in Egypt, the first children of their strength in the tents of Ham. 52 But He brought His people out like sheep. And He led them like a flock in the desert. 53 He led them and kept them safe, so they were not afraid. But the sea covered those who hated them.
54 He brought them to His holy land, to the hill country His right hand had taken. 55 He drove out the nations before them. He gave them parts of the land for a gift. And He made the families of Israel live in their tents.
56 But they tempted and went against the Most High God. They did not keep His Law. 57 They turned away and acted without faith like their fathers. They were like a bow that cannot be trusted. 58 They made Him angry with their sinful places of worship. And they made Him jealous with their false gods. 59 God was very angry when He heard them, and He hated Israel. 60 He left the holy tent at Shiloh, the tent He had set up among men. 61 And He let His strength be taken. He put His greatness into the hands of those who hated Israel. 62 He allowed His people to be killed with the sword. And He was very angry with those who belong to Him. 63 Fire burned up their young men. And their young women had no wedding songs. 64 Their religious leaders fell by the sword. And the women who lost their husbands could not cry.
65 Then the Lord woke up as if from sleep, like a strong man wild with wine. 66 He beat back those who hated Him. And He put them to shame forever. 67 He turned away from the tent of Joseph. He did not choose the family of Ephraim, 68 but chose the family of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved. 69 He built His holy place like the high mountains, like the earth He has built forever. 70 He chose David, His servant and took him from the flocks of sheep. 71 He brought him from caring for the sheep and their lambs to being the shepherd of Jacob His people, and Israel who belongs to Him. 72 So David was their shepherd with a heart that was right, and led them with good hands and wisdom.
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