M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

24 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years. Then he turned against him. ² The Lord sent armies of Babylonians, Syrians, Moabites and Ammonites against Jehoiakim. He sent them against Judah to destroy it, just as the word of the Lord had said through His men who spoke for Him. ³ This came upon Judah at the word of the Lord, to put them away from His eyes because of the sins Manasseh had done. ⁴ And it happened because of the people Manasseh had killed who were not guilty. For he filled Jerusalem with their blood, and the Lord would not forgive. ⁵ Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. ⁶ Jehoiakim died, and his son Jehoiachin became king in his place. ⁷ And the king of Egypt did not leave his land again. For the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates.

Jehoiachin Rules Judah

⁸ Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king. He ruled for three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. ⁹ Jehoiachin did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. He did just as his father had done.

¹⁰ At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon went up to Jerusalem. His soldiers gathered around the city. ¹¹ King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to the city, while his soldiers were all around it trying to take it. ¹² King Jehoiachin of Judah went out to the king of Babylon. He took with him his mother, his servants, his captains and his leaders. The king of Babylon took him away in the eighth year of his rule. ¹³ And Nebuchadnezzar carried away all the riches of the Lord’s house and of the king’s house. He cut in pieces all the objects of gold which King Solomon of Israel had made in the house of the Lord. It happened just as the Lord had said. ¹⁴ Then the king of Babylon led away all who lived in Jerusalem. He led away all the captains, all the powerful soldiers, and all those who were able to make things. He took 10,000 people away to Babylon. Only the very poor people of the land were left behind. ¹⁵ So he led Jehoiachin away to Babylon. He also led away the king’s mother, his wives, his leaders, and the most important men of the land. He took them from Jerusalem to Babylon. ¹⁶ He led away all the powerful soldiers, 7,000 men. And he led away 1,000 of those who were able to make things. All of them were strong and able to fight in battle. Nebuchadnezzar took them away to Babylon. ¹⁷ Then he made Mattaniah, the brother of Jehoiachin’s father, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

Zedekiah Rules Judah

¹⁸ Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king. He ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. ¹⁹ Zedekiah did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. He did all that Jehoiakim had done. ²⁰ For because of the anger of the Lord, this happened in Jerusalem and Judah until the Lord put them away from Him. And Zedekiah turned against the king of Babylon.

Going Ahead

6 So let us leave the first things you need to know about Christ. Let us go on to the teaching that full-grown Christians should understand. We do not need to teach these first truths again. You already know that you must be sorry for your sins and turn from them. You know that you must have faith in God. ² You know about being baptized and about putting hands on people. You know about being raised from the dead and about being punished forever. ³ We will go on, if God lets us.

⁴ There are those who have known the truth. They have received the gift from heaven. They have shared the Holy Spirit. ⁵ They know how good the Word of God is. They know of the powers of the world to come. ⁶ But if they turn away, they cannot be sorry for their sins and turn from them again. It is because they are nailing the Son of God on a cross again. They are holding Him up in shame in front of all people. ⁷ It is the same with a piece of ground that has had many rains fall on it. God makes it possible for that ground to give good fruits and vegetables. ⁸ But if it gives nothing but weeds, it is worth nothing. It will be hated and destroyed by fire.

⁹ Dear friends, even as we tell you this, we are sure of better things for you. These things go along with being saved from the punishment of sin. ¹⁰ God always does what is right. He will not forget the work you did to help the Christians and the work you are still doing to help them. This shows your love for Christ. ¹¹ We want each one of you to keep on working to the end. Then what you hope for, will happen. ¹² Do not be lazy. Be like those who have faith and have not given up. They will receive what God has promised them.

God’s Promise

¹³ When God made a promise to Abraham, He made that promise in His own name because no one was greater. ¹⁴ He said, “I will make you happy in so many ways. For sure, I will give you many children.” ^{(A) 15} Abraham was willing to wait and God gave to him what He had promised.

¹⁶ When men make a promise, they use a name greater than themselves. They do this to make sure they will do what they promise. In this way, no one argues about it. ¹⁷ And so God made a promise. He wanted to show Abraham that He would never change His mind. So He made the promise in His own name. ¹⁸ God gave these two things that cannot be changed and God cannot lie. We who have turned to Him can have great comfort knowing that He will do what He has promised. ¹⁹ This hope is a safe anchor for our souls. It will never move. This hope goes into the Holiest Place of All behind the curtain of heaven. ²⁰ Jesus has already gone there. He has become our Religious Leader forever and has made the way for man to go to God. He is like Melchizedek.

The Nations Will Be Judged

3 “In those days and at that time, I will return the riches of Judah and Jerusalem. ² I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will judge them for what they did to My people Israel. They have sent My people out among the different nations, and have divided up My land. ³ They have drawn names to see who would get My people. They have traded a boy for a woman who sells the use of her body. And they have sold a girl for wine to drink. ⁴ What are you to Me, O Tyre, Sidon, and all the lands of Philistia? Are you paying Me back for something? If you are, I will be quick to pay you back! ⁵ You have taken My silver and My gold, and brought My riches to your places of worship. ⁶ You have sold the sons of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, sending them far from their land. ⁷ So I am going to move them from the place where you have sold them, and do to you what you have done to them. ⁸ I will sell your sons and daughters to the sons of Judah. And they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far away.” The Lord has spoken.

⁹ Make this known among the nations: Get ready for war! Call your strong men! Gather all the soldiers and let them come up! ¹⁰ Beat your plows into swords, and your vine hooks into spears. Let the weak say, “I am a powerful soldier.” ¹¹ Hurry and come, all you nations on every side, and gather yourselves there. Bring down Your men of war, O Lord. ¹² Let the nations get ready and come to the valley of Jehoshaphat. For there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. ¹³ Use the long, sharp knife, for the fruit is full-grown. Come and crush the grapes, for the crushing-place is full. They flow over, for their sins are many. ¹⁴ Thousands and thousands are in the valley of God’s punishment. For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of God’s punishment. ¹⁵ The sun and moon become dark, and the stars stop shining. ¹⁶ The Lord makes a loud noise from Zion. He lets His voice be heard from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shake. But the Lord is a safe place for His people, a strong place to the sons of Israel.

¹⁷ “Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, living in Zion My holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy, and strangers will never pass through it again.

God Brings Good to His People

¹⁸ “In that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine and the hills will flow with milk. All the rivers of Judah will flow with water. And a river will go out from the house of the Lord to water the valley of Shittim. ¹⁹ Egypt will be destroyed and Edom will become a desert waste, because of the bad things done to the sons of Judah. They have killed people in the land of Judah who were not guilty of wrong-doing. ²⁰ But people will live in Judah and Jerusalem forever. ²¹ I will punish the ones who killed them, whom I have not yet punished, for the Lord lives in Zion.”

A Prayer for Help

143 Hear my prayer, O Lord. Listen when I ask for help. Answer me because You are faithful and right. ² Do not find Your servant guilty, for no man living is right and good in Your eyes. ³ For the one who hates me has made it hard for my soul. He has crushed my life to the ground. He has made me live in dark places, like those who have been dead for a long time. ⁴ So my spirit grows weak within me. My heart within me is afraid.

⁵ I remember the days long ago. I think about all You have done. I think about the work of Your hands. ⁶ I put out my hands to You. My soul is thirsty for You like a dry land.

⁷ Hurry to answer me, O Lord! My spirit is becoming weak! Do not hide Your face from me, or I will become like those who go down to the grave. ⁸ Let me hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for I trust in You. Teach me the way I should go for I lift up my soul to You. ⁹ O Lord, take me away from those who hate me. I run to You to be safe.

¹⁰ Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Let Your good Spirit lead me on a straight path. ¹¹ Give me new life, O Lord, because of Your name. Bring me out of trouble because You are right and good. ¹² In Your loving-kindness cut off those who hate me. Destroy all those who make it hard for my soul, for I am Your servant.