M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
King Abijah’s War with King Jeroboam(A)
13 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah began to rule Judah. 2 He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Micaiah, daughter of Uriel from Gibeah.
There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3 Abijah prepared for battle with an army of 400,000 of the best soldiers, while Jeroboam arranged to oppose him with 800,000 of the best professional soldiers.
4 Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the mountains of Ephraim. He called out, “Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me! 5 Don’t you know that Yahweh Elohim of Israel gave the kingdom of Israel to David and his descendants forever in a permanent promise?[a] 6 But Jeroboam (Nebat’s son) rebelled against his master. He had been the servant of David’s son Solomon. 7 Worthless, good-for-nothing men gathered around him. They opposed Rehoboam, son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was too young and inexperienced to challenge them. 8 Do you now intend to challenge Yahweh’s kingdom, which has been placed in the hands of David’s descendants? You are a large crowd, and you have the gold calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. 9 You forced out Yahweh’s priests who were Aaron’s descendants, and you forced out the Levites so that you could appoint your own priests, as the people in foreign countries do. Anyone who has a young bull and seven rams can be ordained as a priest of nonexistent gods.
10 “However, Yahweh is our Elohim. We haven’t abandoned him. The priests who serve Yahweh are Aaron’s descendants, and the Levites assist them. 11 They sacrifice burnt offerings to Yahweh every morning and every evening. They offer sweet-smelling incense and rows of bread on the clean[b] table. The lamps on the gold lamp stand burn every evening. We’re following the instructions Yahweh our Elohim gave us, but you have abandoned him. 12 Elohim is with us as our leader. His priests will sound their trumpets to call the army to fight you. Men of Israel, don’t wage war against Yahweh Elohim of your ancestors. You won’t succeed.”
13 But Jeroboam had set an ambush to attack them from behind. So Jeroboam’s army was in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14 When Judah’s soldiers looked around, the battle was in front of them and behind them. They cried out to Yahweh, the priests blew the trumpets, 15 and the men of Judah shouted. When they shouted, Elohim attacked Jeroboam and all Israel in front of Abijah and Judah. 16 The Israelites fled from Judah’s army, and Elohim handed them over to Judah. 17 So Abijah and his men defeated them decisively, and 500,000 of the best men of Israel were killed. 18 So the Israelites were humbled at that time, and the men of Judah won because they trusted Yahweh Elohim of their ancestors. 19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured some of his cities: Bethel and its villages, Jeshanah and its villages, and Ephron and its villages.
20 Jeroboam never regained power during Abijah’s time. Yahweh caused Jeroboam to become sick, and Jeroboam died.
21 But Abijah became strong. He married 14 wives and fathered 22 sons and 16 daughters.
22 Everything else about Abijah—how he lived and what he said—is written in the history by the prophet Iddo.
A Letter to the Church in Sardis
3 “To the messenger of the church in Sardis, write:
The one who has God’s seven spirits and the seven stars says: I know what you have done. You are known for being alive, but you are dead. 2 Be alert, and strengthen the things that are left which are about to die. I have found that what you are doing has not been completed in the sight of my God. 3 So remember what you received and heard. Obey, and change the way you think and act. If you’re not alert, I’ll come like a thief. You don’t know when I will come. 4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have kept their clothes clean. They will walk with me in white clothes because they deserve it.
5 Everyone who wins the victory this way will wear white clothes. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life. I will acknowledge them in the presence of my Father and his angels. 6 Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.
A Letter to the Church in Philadelphia
7 “To the messenger of the church in Philadelphia, write:
The one who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens a door that no one can shut, and who shuts a door that no one can open, says: 8 I know what you have done. See, I have opened a door in front of you that no one can shut. You only have a little strength, but you have paid attention to my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are in Satan’s synagogue come and bow at your feet and realize that I have loved you. They claim that they are Jewish, but they are lying. 10 Because you have obeyed my command to endure, I will keep you safe during the time of testing which is coming to the whole world to test those living on earth. 11 I am coming soon! Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your crown.
12 I will make everyone who wins the victory a pillar in the temple of my God. They will never leave it again. I will write on them the name of my God, the name of the city of my God (the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from my God), and my new name. 13 Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.
A Letter to the Church in Laodicea
14 “To the messenger of the church in Laodicea, write:
The amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the source of God’s creation, says: 15 I know what you have done, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. 16 But since you are lukewarm and not hot or cold, I’m going to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I’m rich. I’m wealthy. I don’t need anything.’ Yet, you do not realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I advise you: Buy gold purified in fire from me so that you may be rich. Buy white clothes from me. Wear them so that you may keep your shameful, naked body from showing. Buy ointment to put on your eyes so that you may see. 19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. Take this seriously, and change the way you think and act. 20 Look, I’m standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I’ll come in and we’ll eat together.
21 I will allow everyone who wins the victory to sit with me on my throne, as I have won the victory and have sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”
A Call to Rebuild the Lord’s House
1 On the first day of the sixth month in Darius’ second year as king, Yahweh spoke his word through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel and was governor of Judah) and to the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak). He said, 2 “This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: These people say it’s not the right time to rebuild the house of Yahweh.”
3 Then Yahweh spoke his word through the prophet Haggai. He said, 4 “Is it time for you to live in your paneled houses while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, this is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: Carefully consider your ways! 6 You planted a lot, but you harvested little. You eat, but you’re never full. You drink, but you’re still thirsty.[a] You wear clothing, but you never have enough to keep you warm. You spend money as fast as you earn it. 7 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: Carefully consider your ways!
8 “Go to the mountains, get lumber, and build the house. I will be pleased with it, and I will be honored,” declares Yahweh.
9 “You expected a lot, but you received a little. When you bring something home, I blow it away. Why?” declares Yahweh Tsebaoth. “It’s because my house lies in ruins while each of you is busy working on your own house. 10 It is because of you that the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 I called for a drought on the land, the hills, and on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, and whatever the ground produces, on humans and animals, and on all your hard work.”
The Work on the House Resumes
12 Then Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel), the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak), and the faithful few who returned from Babylon obeyed Yahweh their Elohim. They also obeyed the words of the prophet Haggai because Yahweh their Elohim had sent him and because the people feared Yahweh.
13 Then Haggai, the messenger of Yahweh who had received Yahweh’s message, said to the people, “I am with you, declares Yahweh.”
14 Yahweh inspired them to rebuild his house. So Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel and was governor of Judah), the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak), and the faithful few who returned from Babylon began working on the house of Yahweh Tsebaoth, their Elohim. 15 They began on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in Darius’ second year as king.
Jesus Changes Water into Wine
2 Three days later a wedding took place in the city of Cana in Galilee. Yeshua’s mother was there. 2 Yeshua and his disciples had been invited too.
3 When the wine was gone, Yeshua’s mother said to him, “They’re out of wine.”
4 Yeshua said to her, “Why did you come to me? My time has not yet come.”
5 His mother told the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Six stone water jars were there. They were used for Jewish purification rituals. Each jar held 18 to 27 gallons.
7 Yeshua told the servers, “Fill the jars with water.” The servers filled the jars to the brim. 8 Yeshua said to them, “Pour some, and take it to the person in charge.” The servers did as they were told.
9 The person in charge tasted the water that had become wine. He didn’t know where it had come from, although the servers who had poured the water knew. The person in charge called the groom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the best wine first. When people are drunk, the host serves cheap wine. But you have saved the best wine for now.”
11 Cana in Galilee was the place where Yeshua began to perform miracles. He made his glory public there, and his disciples believed in him.
12 After this, Yeshua, his mother, brothers, and disciples went to the city of Capernaum and stayed there for a few days.
Jesus Throws Merchants and Moneychangers out of the Temple Courtyard
13 The Jewish Passover was near, so Yeshua went to Jerusalem. 14 He found those who were selling cattle, sheep, and pigeons in the temple courtyard. He also found moneychangers sitting there. 15 He made a whip from small ropes and threw everyone with their sheep and cattle out of the temple courtyard. He dumped the moneychangers’ coins and knocked over their tables.
16 He told those who sold pigeons, “Pick up this stuff, and get it out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!”
17 His disciples remembered that Scripture said, “Devotion for your house will consume me.”
18 The Jews reacted by asking Yeshua, “What miracle can you show us to justify what you’re doing?”
19 Yeshua replied, “Tear down this temple, and I’ll rebuild it in three days.”
20 The Jews said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple. Do you really think you’re going to rebuild it in three days?”
21 But the temple Yeshua spoke about was his own body. 22 After he came back to life, his disciples remembered that he had said this. So they believed the Scripture and this statement that Yeshua had made.
23 While Yeshua was in Jerusalem at the Passover festival, many people believed in him because they saw the miracles that he performed. 24 Yeshua, however, was wary of these believers. He understood people 25 and didn’t need anyone to tell him about human nature. He knew what people were really like.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.