M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Athaliah Rules Judah

11 When Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah saw that her son was dead, she got up and killed all the king’s children. ² But King Joram’s daughter Jehosheba, Ahaziah’s sister, took Joash the son of Ahaziah. She stole him away from the king’s sons who were being killed, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. They hid him from Athaliah, and he was not killed. ³ Joash was hid with his nurse in the house of the Lord six years, while Athaliah was ruling over the land.

⁴ In the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the captains of hundreds, men who watch over the king and the soldiers. He brought them into the house of the Lord, and made an agreement with them. He had them make a promise in the house of the Lord. Then he showed them the king’s son. ⁵ He told them, “This is what you must do. One third of you who come in on the Day of Rest must keep watch over the king’s house. ⁶ One third are to be at the gate Sur and one third at the gate behind the soldiers. So you will keep watch over the king’s house. ⁷ And two parts of all of you who go out on the Day of Rest must keep watch over the house of the Lord for the king. ⁸ You will stand around the king, with spears in your hands. Whoever comes near must be killed. Be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.”

⁹ The captains of hundreds did all that Jehoiada the religious leader told them to do. Each one of them brought his men to Jehoiada the religious leader. Each one brought those who were to come in on the Day of Rest, and those who were to go out on the Day of Rest. ¹⁰ The religious leader gave the captains the spears and coverings that had been King David’s, which were in the house of the Lord. ¹¹ And the soldiers stood from the right side of the house to the left side of the house. Each one held his spear. They stood by the altar and by the house, around the king. ¹² Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him, and gave him the Law. They made him king and poured oil on him. Then they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”

¹³ When Athaliah heard the noise of the soldiers and the people, she came to the people in the house of the Lord. ¹⁴ She looked and saw the king standing by the pillar, as was done in those days. The captains and those who blew horns were standing beside the king. And all the people of the land were filled with joy and blew horns. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “They are turning against the queen!” ¹⁵ Then Jehoiada the religious leader told the captains of the army, “Bring her out among the soldiers, and kill with the sword whoever follows her.” For the religious leader said, “Do not let her be put to death in the house of the Lord.” ¹⁶ So they took hold of her, and she was put to death at the horses’ gate of the king’s house.

¹⁷ Then Jehoiada made an agreement between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people. And he made an agreement between the king and the people. ¹⁸ Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They broke to pieces all his altars and objects. And they killed Mattan the religious leader of Baal in front of the altars. Then the religious leaders chose men to watch over the house of the Lord. ¹⁹ Jehoiada took the captains and the men who watch over the king, and the soldiers and all the people of the land. They brought the king down from the house of the Lord, by the way of the soldiers’ gate, to the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the kings. ²⁰ So all the people of the land were filled with joy, and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king’s house.

²¹ Joash was seven years old when he became king.

Joash Rules Judah

12 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king. He ruled for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. ² Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the religious leader taught him. ³ But the high places were not taken away. The people still gave gifts and burned special perfume on the high places.

⁴ Then Joash said to the religious leaders, “All the money of the holy things brought into the house of the Lord, money for which each man is taxed, and money that is brought in because a man wants in his heart to bring it into the house of the Lord, ⁵ the religious leaders may take this money. Each leader should take it from those whom he knows. And they should use it to build the house again in the places where it has been broken and destroyed.

⁶ But by the twenty-third year of King Joash, the religious leaders had not put together the broken places of the house. ⁷ So King Joash called for Jehoiada the religious leader and the other religious leaders. He said to them, “Why do you not put together the broken places of the house? Do not take any more money from those you know, but give it for the work that is needed on the house.” ⁸ So the religious leaders agreed that they should take no more money from the people. And they agreed that they should not do the work that was needed on the house.

⁹ Then Jehoiada the religious leader took a box and cut a hole in its cover. He put it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the Lord. And the religious leaders who watched the door put all the money into it that was brought into the house of the Lord. ¹⁰ When they saw that there was much money in the box, the king’s writer and the head religious leader came up to the house of the Lord. They found out how much money was there, and tied it up in bags. ¹¹ After weighing it, they gave the money to those who watched over the work that was being done on the house of the Lord. Then these men paid the wood-workers and the builders who worked on the house of the Lord. ¹² They paid the stonecutters and those who laid the stones in place. And they bought the cut wood and stone and all that was needed for the work on the house of the Lord. ¹³ But there were no silver cups, objects to put out the lights, pots, horns, or dishes of gold or silver made for the house of the Lord. None of these were made from the money brought into the house of the Lord. ¹⁴ For they gave that to those who did the work. It was used to put together the broken places of the house of the Lord. ¹⁵ And they did not ask the men who paid those who did the work how the money was spent. For they were men of honor. ¹⁶ The money from the guilt gifts and sin gifts was not brought into the house of the Lord. It was for the religious leaders.

¹⁷ At that time King Hazael of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took it. Then he turned to go up to Jerusalem. ¹⁸ But Joash king of Judah took all the holy things that had been set apart by his fathers, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, kings of Judah. He took his own holy things, and all the gold that was found in the storehouses of the house of the Lord and the king’s house. And he sent it to Hazael king of Syria. Then Hazael went away from Jerusalem.

¹⁹ The rest of the acts of Joash and all he did are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. ²⁰ His servants made plans against Joash, and killed him at the house of Millo on the way down to Silla. ²¹ He was killed by Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants. They buried him in the city of David. His son Amaziah became king in his place.

Be a Good Soldier

2 So you, my son, be strong in the loving-favor of Christ Jesus. ² What you have heard me say in front of many people, you must teach to faithful men. Then they will be able to teach others also. ³ Take your share of suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ No soldier fighting in a war can take time to make a living. He must please the one who made him a soldier. ⁵ Anyone who runs in a race must follow the rules to get the crown. ⁶ A hard-working farmer should receive first some of what he gathers from the field. ⁷ Think about these things and the Lord will help you understand them.

⁸ Remember this! Jesus Christ, Who was born from the early family of David, was raised from the dead! This is the Good News I preach. ⁹ I suffer much and am in prison as one who has done something very bad. I am in chains, but the Word of God is not chained. ¹⁰ I suffer all things so the people that God has chosen can be saved from the punishment of their sin through Jesus Christ. Then they will have God’s shining-greatness that lasts forever. ¹¹ These things are true. If we die with Him, we will live with Him also. ¹² If we suffer and stay true to Him, then we will be a leader with Him. If we say we do not know Him, He will say He does not know us. ¹³ If we have no faith, He will still be faithful for He cannot go against what He is.

Foolish Talk

¹⁴ Tell your people about these things again. In the name of the Lord, tell them not to argue over words that are not important. It helps no one and it hurts the faith of those who are listening. ¹⁵ Do your best to know that God is pleased with you. Be as a workman who has nothing to be ashamed of. Teach the words of truth in the right way. ¹⁶ Do not listen to foolish talk about things that mean nothing. It only leads people farther away from God. ¹⁷ Such talk will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are like this. ¹⁸ They have turned from the truth. They say the dead have already been raised. The faith of some people has been made weak because of such foolish talk. ¹⁹ But the truth of God cannot be changed. It says, “The Lord knows those who are His.” And, “Everyone who says he is a Christian must turn away from sin!”

²⁰ In a big house there are not only things made of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some are of more use than others. Some are used every day. ²¹ If a man lives a clean life, he will be like a dish made of gold. He will be respected and set apart for good use by the owner of the house.

²² Turn away from the sinful things young people want to do. Go after what is right. Have a desire for faith and love and peace. Do this with those who pray to God from a clean heart. ²³ Let me say it again. Have nothing to do with foolish talk and those who want to argue. It can only lead to trouble. ²⁴ A servant owned by God must not make trouble. He must be kind to everyone. He must be able to teach. He must be willing to suffer when hurt for doing good. ²⁵ Be gentle when you try to teach those who are against what you say. God may change their hearts so they will turn to the truth. ²⁶ Then they will know they had been held in a trap by the devil to do what he wanted them to do. But now they are able to get out of it.

Israel Will Return to the Lord Their God

3 Then the Lord said to me, “Go again and love your wife, even when she is loved by another and is not faithful. Love her as the Lord loves the people of Israel, even when they turn to other gods and love cakes of dried grapes.” ² So I bought her for fifteen pieces of silver money and ten baskets of barley. ³ Then I said to her, “You must stay with me for many days, and be faithful to me. Do not have another man, and I will also be faithful to you.” ⁴ For the sons of Israel will live many days without a king or leader, without holy gifts or holy stone pillars, and without linen vests or false gods. ⁵ After this the sons of Israel will return and look for the Lord their God and for David their king. And they will come shaking before the Lord and receive His goodness in the last days.

God Speaks against Israel

4 Listen to the Word of the Lord, O people of Israel, because He has something against the people of the land. “They are not faithful or kind, and no one in the land knows God. ² There is swearing, lying, killing, stealing, and sex sins. They are always hurting others, and there is one killing after another. ³ The land is filled with sorrow. Everyone who lives on it wastes away, together with the animals of the field and the birds of the sky. Even the fish of the sea are taken away.

⁴ “Yet let no one put blame or guilt upon another. For your people are like those who argue with the religious leader. ⁵ You will fall during the day, and the religious leaders will fall with you during the night. And I will destroy your mother. ⁶ My people are destroyed because they have not learned. You were not willing to learn. So I am not willing to have you be My religious leader. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I also will forget your children.

⁷ “The more there were, the more they sinned against Me. I will change their shining-greatness into shame. ⁸ They feed on the sin of My people, and so they want them to sin more. ⁹ The religious leaders will be punished the same as the people. I will punish them for what they have done. ¹⁰ They will eat, but not have enough. They will do sex sins, but the number of their children will not grow because they have not been faithful to the Lord.

The Worship of False Gods

¹¹ “Their sinful ways and both old and new wine take away My people’s understanding. ¹² They ask things of a wooden god and are answered by a stick of wood. A false spirit has led them the wrong way. They have not been faithful, and they have left their God. ¹³ They give gifts in worship on the tops of the mountains and burn special perfume on the hills. They do this under oak, poplar and terebinth trees, because their shadow is pleasing. So your daughters are like women who sell the use of their bodies, and your brides do sex sins. ¹⁴ I will not punish your daughters when they are like women who sell the use of their bodies, or your brides when they do sex sins. For the men themselves go with the sinful women to give gifts in worship to false gods. And people without understanding will be destroyed.

¹⁵ “Even if you, Israel, are like women who sell the use of their bodies, do not let Judah become guilty. Do not go to Gilgal or up to Beth-aven. And do not swear, ‘As the Lord lives!’ ¹⁶ The people of Israel are strong-willed like a young cow. How then can the Lord feed them like a lamb in a large field? ¹⁷ Ephraim is joined to false gods. Let him alone. ¹⁸ Their strong drink is gone. They are like women who sell the use of their bodies all the time. Their rulers love shame. ¹⁹ The wind will carry them away, and they will be ashamed because they gave gifts to false gods.

¹²¹ I have done what is fair and right. Do not leave me to those who would make it hard for me. ¹²² Promise that You will bring good to Your servant. Do not let the proud make it hard for me. ¹²³ My eyes become weak with desire for Your saving power and for Your Word that is right and good. ¹²⁴ Act in Your loving-kindness toward Your servant, and teach me Your Laws. ¹²⁵ I am Your servant. Give me understanding so I may know Your Law. ¹²⁶ It is time for You to work, Lord, for they have broken Your Law. ¹²⁷ I love Your Word more than gold, more than pure gold. ¹²⁸ And so I look upon all of Your Law as right. I hate every false way.

¹²⁹ Your Laws are wonderful, and so I obey them. ¹³⁰ The opening up of Your Word gives light. It gives understanding to the child-like. ¹³¹ I opened my mouth wide, breathing with desire for Your Law. ¹³² Turn to me and show me loving-favor, as You always do to those who love Your name. ¹³³ Set my steps in Your Word. Do not let sin rule over me. ¹³⁴ Set me free from the power of man, and I will obey Your Law. ¹³⁵ Make Your face shine upon Your servant and teach me Your Law. ¹³⁶ Tears flow from my eyes because of those who do not keep Your Law.

¹³⁷ You are right and good, O Lord, and Your Law is right. ¹³⁸ The Law You have made is right and good and very faithful. ¹³⁹ I feel weak because those who hate me have forgotten Your Word. ¹⁴⁰ Your Word is very pure and Your servant loves it. ¹⁴¹ I am not important and I am hated but I do not forget Your Law. ¹⁴² You are right forever, and Your Law is truth. ¹⁴³ Trouble and suffering have come upon me, yet Your Word is my joy. ¹⁴⁴ Your Law is right forever. Give me understanding and I will live.