M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Judah Overrun by Enemies
24 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him. 2 The Lord sent against him bands of Chaldeans, bands of Arameans, bands of Moabites, and bands of Ammonites. He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord that He spoke by His servants the prophets. 3 Surely at the decree of the Lord this came upon Judah, to remove them from before Him, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, 4 and also for the innocent blood that he had shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord was not willing to pardon.
5 Now the rest of the deeds of Jehoiakim and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers, and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.
7 The king of Egypt did not come again from his land, for the king of Babylon had taken over from the Brook of Egypt to the River Euphrates all that belonged to the king of Egypt.
Jehoiachin, King of Judah(A)
8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done.
10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was under siege. 11 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to the city while his servants were besieging it, 12 and Jehoiachin king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, his mother, his servants, his princes, and his eunuchs. The king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
The Captivity of Jerusalem
13 He brought out from there all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the implements of gold in the temple of the Lord, which Solomon king of Israel had made, just as the Lord had spoken. 14 He exiled all Jerusalem, all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths. No one remained, except the poorest people of the land.
15 He exiled Jehoiachin in Babylon. The king’s mother, the king’s wives, his eunuchs, and the elite of the land he took into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 All the fighting men, seven thousand, the craftsmen and smiths, one thousand, all those strong and fit for war the king of Babylon brought them into exile in Babylon. 17 The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, the uncle of Jehoiachin, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah, King of Judah(B)
18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king. He reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 20 Because of the anger of the Lord this happened in Jerusalem and Judah until He threw them out from His presence. But Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
6 Therefore, leaving the elementary principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 This we will do if God permits.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to be renewed once more to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and subject Him to public shame. 7 For land that drinks in the rain that often falls upon it and bears a crop useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. 8 But land that bears thorns and thistles is rejected and near to being cursed. Its destiny is to be burned.
9 But though we speak in this manner, we are persuaded of better things for you, things that accompany salvation, 10 for God is not unjust so as to forget your work and labor of love that you have shown for His name, in that you have ministered to the saints and continue ministering. 11 We desire that every one of you show the same diligence for the full assurance of hope to the end, 12 so that you may not be lazy, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Sure Promise of God
13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could vow by no one greater, He vowed by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely I will bless you, and surely I will multiply you.”[a] 15 So after Abraham had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
16 For men indeed swear by a greater authority than themselves, and for them an oath of confirmation ends all dispute. 17 So God, wanting to show more abundantly the immutability of His counsel to the heirs of promise, confirmed it by an oath. 18 So that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19 We have this hope as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, which enters the Inner Place behind the veil. 20 This is where Jesus has entered for us as a forerunner, since He has become the everlasting High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Judging the Nations
3 In those days and at that time,
when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will gather all the nations,
and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
I will enter into judgment with them there
regarding My people and My heritage Israel,
whom they have scattered among the nations;
they have also divided up My land.
3 They have cast lots for My people,
and have traded a boy for a prostitute;
they have sold a girl for wine,
that they might drink.
4 Also, what are you to Me, Tyre and Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you repaying Me for something? If you are repaying Me, I will return your payment swiftly and speedily on your head. 5 For you have taken My silver and My gold, and you have carried off My finest treasures to your temples. 6 You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove them far from their border.
7 I am about to rouse them from the place to which you have sold them, and I will return your payment on your head. 8 I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans—to a distant nation, for the Lord has spoken.
9 Proclaim this among the nations:
Consecrate a war!
Stir up the mighty men!
Let all the men of war draw near and rise.
10 Beat your plowshares into swords
and your pruning hooks into spears;
let the weakling say,
“I am a warrior!”
11 Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations,
and gather there.
Bring down Your warriors, O Lord.
12 Let the nations be roused,
and go up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
for there I will sit
to judge all the surrounding nations.
13 Swing the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe.
Come and tread,
for the winepress is full.
The wine vats overflow,
because their evil is great.
14 Multitudes, multitudes,
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of the decision.
15 The sun and moon darken,
and the stars withdraw their radiance.
16 The Lord roars from Zion,
and sounds His voice from Jerusalem,
and heaven and earth quake.
But the Lord is a refuge for His people,
and a stronghold for the children of Israel.
The Lord Dwells in Zion
17 Then you will know that I am the Lord your God,
who dwells in Zion, My holy mountain.
And Jerusalem will be holy,
and invaders will never again pass through her.
18 And it will be that in that day the mountains will drip sweet wine,
and the hills will flow with milk,
and all the streambeds of Judah will flow with water;
a spring will proceed from the house of the Lord
and will water the Valley of Shittim.
19 Egypt will become a desolation,
and Edom a desolate wasteland,
because of the violence done to the people of Judah—
they shed innocent blood in their land.
20 But Judah will be inhabited forever,
and Jerusalem for generations and generations.
21 I will avenge their blood,
which I have not yet avenged.
The Lord dwells in Zion!
Psalm 143
A Psalm of David.
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
give ear to my supplications;
in Your faithfulness answer me,
and in Your righteousness.
2 Enter not into judgment with Your servant,
for in Your sight no one living is righteous.
3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
he has crushed my life down to the ground;
he has made me to dwell in darkness,
as those who have been long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
my heart within me is desolate.
5 I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your works;
I consider the work of Your hands.
6 I stretch forth my hands unto You;
my soul thirsts after You as a thirsty land. Selah
7 Respond to me quickly, O Lord,
my spirit fails;
do not hide Your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down into the pit.
8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;
for in You I have my trust;
cause me to know the way I should walk,
for I lift up my soul unto You.
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
I flee unto You for my protection.
10 Teach me to do Your will,
for You are my God;
may Your good spirit
lead me onto level ground.
11 Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake,
for Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 In Your mercy cut off my enemies,
and destroy all them who afflict my soul,
for I am Your servant.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.