M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Elijah Rebukes King Ahaziah
1 Moab rebelled against Israel[a] after Ahab died. 2 Meanwhile, Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice in his upper room in Samaria and lay injured. He sent messengers to Ekron with these orders: “Go and consult with Ekron’s god Baal-zebub to find out[b] if I’m going to recover from this injury.”[c]
3 But the angel of the Lord spoke to Elijah the foreigner,[d] “Get up and go meet the messengers from the king of Samaria. Ask them ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you’re going to consult with Ekron’s god Baal-zebub? 4 Now therefore this is what the Lord says: “You won’t be getting up from that bed of yours on which you’re lying. You will most certainly die!”’” So Elijah got up and[e] went.
5 The messengers returned to the king and he asked them, “What’s this? You’ve come back?”
6 They replied, “We met a man who told us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and ask him, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you’re going to consult with Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you won’t be getting up from that bed on which you’re lying. You will most certainly die!”’”
7 He told them, “Describe the man who met you and told you these things.”
8 They answered, “The man was a hairy fellow. He wore a leather sash around his waist.”
The king[f] responded, “It’s Elijah, that foreigner!”[g]
Fire from Heaven Destroys the King’s Henchmen
9 So the king sent out 50 men, along with their leader.[h] The leader[i] approached Elijah, who was sitting at the top of a hill. He ordered Elijah,[j] “Hey, man of God! The king orders you to come down!”
10 Elijah responded to the leader who was in charge of the 50 soldiers, “So I’m a man of God, am I? If so, may fire[k] fall from heaven and devour you and your 50 soldiers…”[l] Just then, fire fell from heaven and devoured that leader and his 50 soldiers.[m]
11 Later the king tried again—he sent another company of 50 soldiers, along with their leader, who ordered Elijah, “Hey, man of God! This is what the king orders: ‘Come down!’”
12 Elijah responded to the leader and to his entire company,[n] “So I’m a man of God, am I? If so, may fire[o] fall from heaven and devour you and your 50 soldiers…”[p] Just then, fire fell from heaven and devoured him and his 50 soldiers.[q]
13 Then the king tried yet again! The king sent a third company of 50 soldiers along with their leader. The third leader went up the hill,[r] approached Elijah,[s] fell on his knees in front of him, and begged him,[t] “Hey, man of God, please treat[u] my life and the lives of these servants of yours as precious! 14 Look how fire fell from heaven and devoured the two other companies of 50 soldiers, along with their captains, but now please treat me as if my life were precious!”
15 The angel of the Lord told Elijah, “Go down the hill with that man. Don’t be afraid of him!” So Elijah[v] got up and went down with him to meet the king.
16 Then Elijah spoke to the king, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Since you sent messengers to consult with Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel with whom to consult regarding his word?—therefore you’re not getting up from the bed on which you’re lying. You certainly will die!’” 17 And die he did, just as the Lord had said and just as Elijah had spoken!
After this, Jehoram ascended to the throne during the second year of the reign of Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram from Judah. He took the place of Ahaziah, who had no son. 18 The rest of Ahaziah’s activities are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel,[w] are they not?
Greetings
1 From:[a] Paul, Silvanus,[b] and Timothy.
To: The church of the Thessalonians in union with God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.[c]
2 May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[d] be yours!
Endurance in Affliction
3 Brothers, at all times we are obligated to thank God for you. It is right to do this[e] because your faith is growing all the time and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4 As a result, we rejoice about you among God’s churches—about your endurance and faith through all the persecutions and afflictions you are experiencing. 5 This is evidence of God’s righteous judgment and is intended to make you worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you are suffering. 6 Certainly it is right for God to pay back those who afflict you with affliction, 7 and to give us who are afflicted relief when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in blazing fire. He will take revenge on those who do not know God and on those who refuse to obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 Such people will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction by being separated from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious power 10 when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be regarded with wonder on that day by all who have believed—including you, because you believed our testimony.
11 With this in mind, we always pray for you, asking[f] that our God might make you worthy of his calling and that through his power he might help you accomplish every good desire and faithful action. 12 That way the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by him, according to the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus, the Messiah.[g]
Belshazzar’s Festival
5 King Belshazzar put on a great festival for a thousand of his officials. He joined all[a] one thousand of them in getting drunk. 2 Under the influence of wine, Belshazzar ordered that the gold and silver vessels his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem be brought in so the king, his officials, his wives, and his mistresses[b] could drink from them. 3 As ordered, they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the sanctuary of God’s Temple in Jerusalem, and the king, his officials, his wives, and mistresses[c] drank from them. 4 As they drank the wine, they praised gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
The Handwriting on the Wall
5 At that moment, humanlike fingers of a hand appeared near the lamp stand of the royal palace and wrote on the plaster of the wall. 6 While the king watched the back of the hand as it was writing, his facial expression changed. Utterly frightened, he lost control of his own bowels[d] and his knees knocked together.
7 The king cried out to bring in enchanters,[e] Chaldeans, and astrologers. He announced to the advisors[f] of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me its meaning will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain placed around his neck, and will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
8 Then all the king’s advisors came in, but they were unable to read the writing or tell the king what it meant. 9 So King Belshazzar became even more frightened, and his facial expression showed it. His officials also were thrown into confusion.
10 Hearing[g] the voices of the king and his officials, the queen entered the banquet hall. “Your majesty, live forever,” the queen said. “Don’t be frightened by your thoughts or allow your facial expression to show it. 11 There’s a man in your kingdom in whom dwells[h] the spirit of the holy gods. During your grandfather’s reign, he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom, like that[i] of the gods. Your grandfather, King Nebuchadnezzar—your kingly predecessor—appointed him to be chief administrator over the magicians, enchanters,[j] Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 because he was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and understanding, along with an ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. His name is Daniel, whom the king renamed Belteshazzar. Call for Daniel, and he will reveal the meaning of the writing.”[k]
Daniel Interprets the Handwriting
13 Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king spoke up and told Daniel, “So you are Daniel, one of the Judean exiles whom my grandfather the king brought from Judah! 14 I’ve heard about you, that a spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, discernment, and extraordinary wisdom. 15 Take note that the advisors[l] and enchanters[m] were brought before me to read the writing and explain its meaning, but they were unable to do so.[n] 16 However, I’ve heard that you can provide meaning and interpretation, and that you can solve difficult problems. If you are able to read the writing and report its meaning, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
17 At this, Daniel answered, speaking directly to[o] the king, “Let your gifts and rewards be given to someone else. However, I’ll read the writing for the king and tell him its meaning. 18 Your majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty, as well as greatness, glory, and splendor. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages revered and feared him. He executed those whom he desired to execute, he spared those whom he wished to spare, he promoted those whom he desired to promote, and he humbled those whom he wished to humble. 20 But when he[p] became arrogant and his spirit hardened, he was removed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. 21 He was driven away from human society[q] and given the mind of an animal. He lived with wild donkeys, ate grass like cattle, and his body was soaked with dew from the sky until he realized that the Most High God is sovereign over human kingdoms and places over them whomever he desires.
22 “But you, Belshazzar, his grandson, haven’t humbled yourself, even though you knew all of this.
23 “You’ve exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven.
“You’ve had the vessels from his Temple brought into your presence.
“And you, your officials, and your wives and mistresses drank wine from them.
“You praised gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which can’t see, hear, or demonstrate knowledge.
“But you didn’t honor God, who holds in his power your very life and all your ways.
24 “Therefore, the hand[r] that wrote this inscription was sent from his presence. 25 This is the written inscription:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL and PARSIN
26 These are the meanings of the words:
MENE: God has audited[s] your kingdom—and has ended it.
27 TEKEL: You’ve been weighed on the scales—and you don’t measure up.[t]
28 PERES: Your kingdom has been divided—and will be given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then Belshazzar gave orders to clothe Daniel in purple, to place a chain of gold around his neck, and to proclaim him the third highest ruler of the kingdom.
30 That night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was killed, 31 [u]and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of 62.
A Davidic psalm
A Priestly Ruler
110 A declaration from the Lord[a] to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
2 When the Lord extends your mighty scepter from Zion,
rule in the midst of your enemies.
3 Your soldiers[b] are willing volunteers on your day of battle;
in majestic holiness, from the womb,
from the dawn, the dew of your youth belongs to you.
4 The Lord took an oath and will never recant:
“You are a priest forever,
after the manner of Melchizedek.”
5 The Lord is at your right hand;
he will utterly destroy kings in the time of his wrath.
6 He will execute judgment against the nations,
filling graves[c] with corpses.
He will utterly destroy leaders far and wide.
7 He will drink from a stream on the way,
then hold his head high.
Praise for God’s Amazing Deeds[d]
111 Hallelujah!
I will give thanks to the Lord with all of my heart
in the assembled congregation of the upright.
2 Great are the acts of the Lord;
they are within reach of[e] all who desire them.
3 Splendid and glorious are his awesome deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He is remembered for his awesome deeds;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5 He prepares food[f] for those who fear him;
he is ever mindful of his covenant.
6 He revealed his mighty deeds to his people
by giving them a country of their own.[g]
7 Whatever he does is[h] reliable and just,
and all his precepts are trustworthy,
8 sustained through all eternity,
and fashioned in both truth and righteousness.
9 He sent deliverance to his people;
he ordained his covenant to last forever;
his name is holy and awesome.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
sound understanding belongs to those who practice it.
Praise of God[i] endures forever.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.