M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Fall of Jerusalem(A)
25 On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with his entire army. They set up camp and built dirt ramps around the city walls. 2 The blockade of the city lasted until Zedekiah’s eleventh year as king. 3 On the ninth day of the fourth[a] month, the famine in the city became so severe that the common people had no food.
4 The enemy broke through the city walls that night. All Judah’s soldiers left on the road of the gate between the two walls beside the king’s garden. While the Babylonians were attacking the city from all sides, the king took the road to the plain of Jericho. 5 The Babylonian army pursued King Zedekiah and caught up with him in the plain of Jericho. His entire army had deserted him. 6 The Babylonians captured the king, brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and passed sentence on him. 7 They slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons as he watched, and then they blinded Zedekiah. They put him in bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.
8 On the seventh day of the fifth month of Nebuchadnezzar’s nineteenth year as king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, who was the captain of the guard and an officer of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 He burned down Yahweh’s temple, the royal palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem. Every important building was burned down. 10 The entire Babylonian army that was with the captain of the guard tore down the walls around Jerusalem.
11 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, captured the few people left in the city, those who surrendered to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the population. 12 The captain of the guard left some of the poorest people in the land to work in the vineyards and on the farms.
13 The Babylonians broke apart the bronze pillars of Yahweh’s temple, the stands, and the bronze pool in Yahweh’s temple. They shipped the bronze to Babylon. 14 They took the pots, shovels, snuffers, dishes, and all the bronze utensils used in the temple service. 15 The captain of the guard took all of the incense burners and bowls that were made of gold or silver. 16 The bronze from the two pillars, the pool, and the stands that Solomon had made for Yahweh’s temple couldn’t be weighed. 17 One pillar was 27 feet high and had a bronze capital on it that was 4½ feet high. The filigree and the pomegranates around the capital were all made of bronze. The second pillar and its filigree were the same.
18 The captain of the guard took the chief priest Seraiah, the second priest Zephaniah, and the 3 doorkeepers. 19 From the city he also took an army commander, 5 men who had access to the king whom he found in the city, the scribe who was in charge of the militia, and 60 of the common people whom he found in the city. 20 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 The king of Babylon executed them at Riblah in the territory of Hamath. So the people of Judah were captives when they left their land.
22 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, to govern the remaining people in the land of Judah. 23 When all the army commanders and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, they went to Gedaliah at Mizpah. They were Ishmael (son of Nethaniah), Johanan (son of Kareah), Seraiah (son of Tanhumeth from Netophah), and Jaazaniah from Beth Maacah and their men. 24 Gedaliah swore an oath to them and their men. He said, “Don’t be afraid of the Babylonian officers. Live in this country, serve the king of Babylon, and you will prosper.”
25 In the seventh month Ishmael (son of Nethaniah and grandson of Elishama, a descendant of the kings) went with ten men to kill Gedaliah and the Judeans and Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah. 26 Then people of all classes and the army commanders left for Egypt because they were afraid of the Babylonians.
King Jehoiakin Released from Prison(B)
27 On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the imprisonment of King Jehoiakin of Judah, King Evil Merodach of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, freed King Jehoiakin of Judah from prison. 28 He treated him well and gave him a special position higher than the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 Jehoiakin no longer wore prison clothes, and he ate his meals in the king’s presence as long as he lived. 30 The king of Babylon gave him a daily food allowance as long as he lived.
Christ Is Superior to Melchizedek
7 Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of the Most High God. He met Abraham and blessed him when Abraham was returning from defeating the kings. 2 Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything he had captured.
In the first place, Melchizedek’s name means king of righteousness. He is also called king of Salem (which means king of peace). 3 No one knows anything about Melchizedek’s father, mother, or ancestors. No one knows when he was born or when he died. Like the Son of God, Melchizedek continues to be a priest forever.
4 You can see how important Melchizedek was. Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had captured, even though Abraham was the father of the chosen people. 5 Moses’ Teachings say that members of the tribe of Levi who become priests must receive a tenth of everything from the people. The priests collect it from their own people, Abraham’s descendants. 6 Although Melchizedek was not from the tribe of Levi, he received a tenth of everything from Abraham. Then Melchizedek blessed Abraham, who had God’s promises. 7 No one can deny that the more important person blesses the less important person.
8 Priests receive a tenth of everything, but they die. Melchizedek received a tenth of everything, but we are told that he lives. 9 We could even say that when Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything, Levi was giving a tenth of everything. Levi gave, although later his descendants would receive a tenth of everything. 10 Even though Levi had not yet been born, he was in the body of Abraham when Melchizedek met him.
11 The people established the Levitical priesthood based on instructions they received. If the work of the Levitical priests had been perfect, we wouldn’t need to speak about another kind of priest. However, we speak about another kind of priest, a priest like Melchizedek, not a Levitical priest like Aaron.
12 When a different kind of priesthood is established, the regulations for those priests are different. 13 The priest whom we are talking about was a member of a different tribe. No one from that tribe ever served as a priest at the altar. 14 Everyone knows that our Lord came from the tribe of Judah. Moses never said anything about priests coming from that tribe. 15 The regulations were different. This became clear when a different priest who is like Melchizedek appeared. 16 That person is a priest, not because he met human requirements, but because he has power that comes from a life that cannot be destroyed. 17 The Scriptures say the following about him: “You are a priest forever, in the way Melchizedek was a priest.” 18 The former requirements are rejected because they are weak and useless. 19 Moses’ Teachings couldn’t accomplish everything that God required. But we have something else that gives us greater confidence and allows us to approach God.
20 None of this happened without an oath. The men from the tribe of Levi may have become priests without an oath, 21 but Yeshua became a priest when God took an oath. God said about him, “The Lord has taken an oath and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever.” 22 In this way Yeshua has become the guarantee of a better promise.[a]
23 There was a long succession of priests because when a priest died he could no longer serve. 24 But Yeshua lives forever, so he serves as a priest forever. 25 That is why he is always able to save those who come to God through him. He can do this because he always lives and intercedes for them.
26 We need a chief priest who is holy, innocent, pure, set apart from sinners, and who has the highest position in heaven. 27 We need a priest who doesn’t have to bring daily sacrifices as those chief priests did. First they brought sacrifices for their own sins, and then they brought sacrifices for the sins of the people. Yeshua brought the sacrifice for the sins of the people once and for all when he sacrificed himself. 28 Moses’ Teachings designated mortals as chief priests even though they had weaknesses. But God’s promise, which came after Moses’ Teachings, designated the Son who forever accomplished everything that God required.
1 These are the words of Amos, one of the sheep farmers from Tekoa. He saw a vision about Israel during the reigns of Judah’s King Uzziah and Israel’s King Jeroboam, son of Joash. This happened two years before the earthquake.
2 He said:
Yahweh roars from Zion,
and his voice thunders from Jerusalem.
The pastures of the shepherds are turning brown,
and the top of Mount Carmel is dried up.
Damascus Will Be Judged for Its Crimes
3 This is what Yahweh says:
Because Damascus has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime,
I will not change my plans.
The Arameans have crushed the people of Gilead
with iron-spiked threshing[a] sledges.
4 I will send a fire on the house of Hazael
and burn down the palaces of Ben Hadad.
5 I will break the bars on the gates of Damascus.
I will cut off those living in Aven Valley
and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.
The people of Aram will go into captivity at Kir.
Yahweh has said this.
Gaza Will Be Judged for Its Crimes
6 This is what Yahweh says:
Because Gaza has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime,
I will not change my plans.
The Philistines have taken all the people captive
in order to hand them over to the Edomites.
7 I will send a fire on the walls of Gaza
and burn down its palaces.
8 I will cut off those living in Ashdod
and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon.
I will turn my power against Ekron.
The rest of the Philistines will die.
Adonay Yahweh has said this.
Tyre Will Be Judged for Its Crimes
9 This is what Yahweh says:
Because Tyre has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime,
I will not change my plans.
The Tyrians have handed all the people over to the Edomites.
The Tyrians didn’t remember their treaty with their relatives.
10 I will send a fire on the walls of Tyre
and burn down its palaces.
Edom Will Be Judged for Its Crimes
11 This is what Yahweh says:
Because Edom has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime,
I will not change my plans.
The Edomites pursued their relatives with swords.
They refused to show any compassion to them.
Their anger was unstoppable.
They refused to control their fury.
12 I will send a fire on Teman
and burn down the palaces of Bozrah.
Ammon Will Be Judged for Its Crimes
13 This is what Yahweh says:
Because Ammon has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime,
I will not change my plans.
The Ammonites enlarged their territory
by ripping open pregnant women in Gilead.
14 I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah
and burn down its palaces
while troops are shouting on the day of battle
and winds are howling on the day of the storm.
15 Their king will go into captivity along with his officials.
Yahweh has said this.
Psalm 144
By David.
1 Thank Yahweh, my Tsur,
who trained my hands to fight
and my fingers to do battle,
2 my merciful one, my Metsuda,
my stronghold, and my savior,
my Magen, the one in whom I take refuge,
and the one who brings people under my authority.
3 O Yahweh, what are humans that you should care about them?
What are mere mortals that you should think about them?
4 Humans are like a breath of air.
Their life span is like a fleeting shadow.
5 O Yahweh, bend your heaven low, and come down.
Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
6 Hurl bolts of lightning, and scatter them.
Shoot your arrows, and throw them into confusion.
7 Stretch out your hands from above.
Snatch me, and rescue me from raging waters
and from foreigners’ hands.
8 Their mouths speak lies.
Their right hands take false pledges.
9 O Elohim, I will sing a new song to you.
I will sing a psalm to you on a ten-stringed harp.
10 You are the one who gives victory to kings.
You are the one who snatches your servant David
away from a deadly sword.
11 Snatch me, and rescue me from foreigners’ hands.
Their mouths speak lies.
Their right hands take false pledges.
12 May our sons be like full-grown, young plants.
May our daughters be like stately columns
that adorn the corners of a palace.
13 May our barns be filled with all kinds of crops.
May our sheep give birth to thousands of lambs,
tens of thousands in our fields.
14 May our cattle have many calves.[a]
May no one break in, and may no one be dragged out.
May there be no cries of distress in our streets.
15 Blessed are the people who have these blessings!
Blessed are the people whose Elohim is Yahweh!
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.