M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Naboth Murdered for His Vineyard
21 Now it came about after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, next to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. 2 Ahab spoke to Naboth saying, “Give me your vineyard, so I may have it for a garden of herbs, since it’s right next to my house. I’ll give you a better vineyard than it in exchange, or if it seems better to you, I’ll give you its price in money.”
3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “Adonai forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”
4 So Ahab went into his house sullen and resentful because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him, when he said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay down on his bed, turned away his face and would eat no food.
5 Then his wife Jezebel came to him and asked him, “Why is your spirit so sullen that you are eating no food?”
6 Then he told her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and asked him: ‘Give me your vineyard for money, or if it pleases you, I’ll give you another vineyard for it,’ but he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
7 Then his wife Jezebel said to him, “Now, do you really govern the kingdom of Israel? Arise, eat some food, and let your heart be merry! I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city. 9 She wrote in the letters saying, “Proclaim a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people. 10 Then seat two sons of Belial before him, and let them testify against him saying, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11 So the men of his city—the elders and the nobles who lived in his city—did just as Jezebel had bid them, just as was written in the letters that she had sent to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast then seated Naboth at the head of the people. 13 Then the two worthless men came in and sat before him, and the worthless men testified against him, against Naboth, before the people saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king!” Then they carried him out of the city and stoned him to death. 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”
15 Now when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite which he refused to sell you for money—for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” 16 As soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite to take possession of it.
17 Then the word of the Adonai came to Elijah the Tishbite saying: 18 “Arise, go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who is in Samaria. Behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth where he has gone down to take possession of it. 19 You shall speak to him saying, ‘Thus says Adonai: Have you murdered and then taken possession?’ You shall also speak to him saying, ‘Thus says Adonai: In the same place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your blood too.’”
20 Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, my enemy?”
“I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself over to do what is evil in Adonai’s eyes. 21 ‘Behold, I will bring evil upon you, utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel. 22 I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasa son of Ahijah because you provoked My anger by leading Israel to sin.’
23 “Adonai has also spoken about Jezebel saying: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. 24 Any of Ahab who die in the city, the dogs will eat; or any who die in the country, the birds of the sky will eat.’”
25 Surely there was none like Ahab, who sold himself over to do evil in Adonai’s eyes, at the instigation of Jezebel his wife. 26 He did grossly loathsome acts in following idols just like all that the Amorites had done, whom Adonai had dispossessed before the children of Israel.
27 Now when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his body, fasted, lay in sackcloth and walked about subdued. 28 Then the word of Adonai came to Elijah the Tishbite saying: 29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but in his son’s days I will bring the evil upon his house.”
Walking in Sanctification
4 Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and appeal in the Lord Yeshua—just as you received from us the way you ought to walk and please God (as in fact you are walking)—that you keep progressing more and more. [a] 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Yeshua. 3 For this is the will of God—your sanctification:[b]
to abstain from sexual immorality;
4 to know, each of you, how to gain control over his own body[c] in holiness and honor— 5 not in the passion of lust like the pagans who do not know God;
6 and not to overstep his brother and take advantage of him in this matter—
because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, as we told you before and solemnly warned you. 7 For God did not call us to impurity, but in holiness. 8 Consequently, the one who rejects this is not rejecting man, but God, who gives His Ruach ha-Kodesh to you.
9 Now concerning brotherly love, you have no need for anyone to write you—for you yourselves are taught by God[d] to love one another. 10 In fact, you even practice it toward all your brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to keep progressing more and more 11 and aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, just as we directed you— 12 so you may behave properly toward outsiders and not have need of anything.
The Shofar Call of Messiah’s Return
13 Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, so with Him God will also bring those who have fallen asleep in Yeshua. [e] 15 For this we tell you, by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself shall come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the blast of God’s shofar,[f] and the dead in Messiah shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left behind, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air—and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
A Gold Idol and a Blazing Furnace
3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide. He set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the authorities of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3 Then the satraps, administrators, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the authorities of the provinces assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. They stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “You are commanded O peoples, nations and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will that same hour be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and pipes, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and languages fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8 At that time certain Chaldeans came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They spoke up and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 10 You, O king, made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, must fall down and worship the golden image, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. 12 There are certain Jews whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego—those men pay no heed to you, O king. They do not serve your gods, nor will they worship the golden image that you have set up.”
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar ordered Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to be summoned. When these men were brought before the king, 14 Nebuchadnezzar responded to them saying, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you don’t serve my gods or worship the golden image that I set up? 15 Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and pipes and all kinds of music you must fall down and worship the image that I have made. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire! Then what god will be able to deliver you out of my hands?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king saying, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you concerning this matter. 17 If it is so, our God whom we serve is able to save us from the furnace of blazing fire and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 Yet even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image that you set up.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage and the appearance of his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than it was normally heated 20 and commanded some of the mighty men in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego and to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, tunics, hats and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. 22 But because the king’s order was so urgent and the furnace so extremely hot, a raging flame killed those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell bound into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and leapt to his feet. He asked his ministers, “Didn’t we cast three men bound into the middle of the fire?”
They replied to the king, “Surely, O king.”
25 But he answered saying, “Look! I see four men walking about unbound and unharmed in the middle of the fire, and the fourth has the appearance like a son of the gods!”
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and exclaimed, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out from the middle of the fire. 27 When the satraps, administrators, governors and royal ministers had gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men. Not a hair of their head was singed, nor were their robes scorched, nor was there a smell of fire on them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him! They defied the king’s edict and to gave up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I hereby decree that any people, nation or language that says anything slanderous against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego will be torn limb from limb and their house made a pile of rubble, because there is no other god that is able to deliver in this way.”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in the province of Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar Acknowledges God’s Kingdom
31 King Nebuchadnezzar—
To all peoples, nations and languages who dwell in all the earth: May your peace abound!
32 It seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders that God Most High has done for me.
33 How great are His signs,
how mighty are His wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
His dominion from generation to generation.
His Chesed and His Wonders
Psalm 107
1 Praise Adonai, for He is good,
for His lovingkindness endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of Adonai say so—
whom He redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3 whom He gathered out of the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the sea.
4 Some wandered in a desert, a wasteland.
They found no way to an inhabited city.
5 Hungry and thirsty,
their souls ebbed away.
6 So they cried out to Adonai in their distress,
and He delivered them out of their troubles.
7 Then He led them by a straight way
to go to a city where they could live.
8 Let them praise Adonai for His mercy
and His wonders for the children of men,
9 for He satisfies the thirsty soul
and fills the hungry soul with goodness.
10 Some sat in darkness and deep gloom,
prisoners in misery and iron chains,
11 for they had defied God’s words,
and spurned the counsel of Elyon.
12 So He humbled their heart with trouble.
They stumbled, and no one was helping.
13 So they cried out to Adonai in their distress,
and He delivered them out of their troubles.
14 He brought them out of darkness
and deep gloom, breaking their chains.
15 Let them praise Adonai for His mercy,
and His wonders for the children of men,
16 for He shattered bronze gates,
and broke into pieces iron bars.
17 Some became fools because of their rebellious ways,
and were afflicted due to their iniquities.
18 Their soul abhorred all food,
and they drew near the gates of death.
19 So they cried out to Adonai in their distress,
and He delivered them out of their troubles.
20 He sent His word and healed them,
and rescued them from their pits.
21 Let them praise Adonai for His mercy,
and His wonders for the children of men.
22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of His works with joyful singing.
23 Some go out to the sea in ships,
doing business on the mighty waters.
24 They saw the works of Adonai,
and His wonders in the deep.
25 For He spoke and raised a stormy wind,
lifting up towering waves.
26 They mounted up to the sky
and plunged down to the depths.
In their peril their souls melted away.
27 They reeled and staggered like a drunk,
and all their skill was bewildered.
28 So they cried out to Adonai in their distress,
and He brought them out of their troubles.
29 He stilled the storm to a whisper—
the waves were hushed.[a]
30 They were glad when it became calm,
and He led them to their desired haven.
31 Let them praise Adonai for His mercy,
and His wonders to the children of men.
32 Let them exalt Him in the congregation of the people,
and praise Him at the assembly of elders.
33 He turns rivers into a wilderness
and springs of water into thirsty ground,
34 and a fruitful land into a salt waste,
because of the evil of its inhabitants.
35 He turns a desert into a pool of water,
a dry land into springs of water.
36 There He brings the hungry to live,
and they establish a city for a dwelling.
37 So they sow fields and plant vineyards
that yield a fruitful harvest.
38 He blesses them, they multiply greatly,
and He does not let their herds diminish,
39 after they were few and crushed
by oppression, calamity and sorrow.
40 He pours contempt on princes,
making them wander in trackless waste.
41 But He lifts the needy high above affliction,
and makes their families like a flock.
42 The upright see it and are glad,
and all iniquity shuts its mouth.
43 Who is wise?
Let him observe these things,
and consider Adonai’s lovingkindness.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.