M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Gifts Are Brought for Building the Temple

29 Then King David spoke to the whole community. He said, “God has chosen my son Solomon. But Solomon is young. He’s never done anything like this before. The task is huge. This grand and wonderful temple won’t be built for human beings. It will be built for the Lord God. ² With all my riches I’ve done everything I could for the temple of my God. I’ve provided gold for the gold work and silver for the silver work. I’ve provided bronze for the bronze work and iron for the iron work. I’ve given wood for the things that will be made out of wood. I’ve given onyx and turquoise for the settings. I’ve given stones of different colors and all kinds of fine stone and marble. I’ve provided everything in huge amounts. ³ With all my heart I want the temple of my God to be built. So I’m giving my personal treasures of gold and silver for it. I’m adding them to everything else I’ve provided for the holy temple. ⁴ I’m giving 110 tons of gold and 260 tons of pure silver. Cover the walls of the buildings with it. ⁵ Use it for the gold work and the silver work. Use it for everything the skilled workers will do. How many of you are willing to set yourselves apart to the Lord today?”

⁶ Many people were willing to give. They included the leaders of families and the officers of the tribes of Israel. They included the commanders of thousands of men and commanders of hundreds. They also included the officials who were in charge of the king’s work. ⁷ All of them gave to the work on God’s temple. They gave more than 190 tons of gold and 380 tons of silver. They also gave 675 tons of bronze and 3,800 tons of iron. ⁸ Anyone who had valuable jewels added them to the treasure for the Lord’s temple. Jehiel was in charge of the temple treasure. He was from the family line of Gershon. ⁹ The people were happy when they saw what their leaders had been willing to give. The leaders had given freely. With their whole heart they had given everything to the Lord. King David was filled with joy.

David’s Prayer

¹⁰ David praised the Lord in front of the whole community. He said,

¹⁴ “But who am I? And who are my people? Without your help we wouldn’t be able to give this much. Everything comes from you. We’ve given back to you only what comes from you. ¹⁵ We are outsiders and strangers in your sight. So were all of our people who lived long ago. Our days on this earth are like a shadow. We don’t have any hope. ¹⁶ Lord our God, we’ve given more than enough. We’ve provided it to build you a temple where you will put your holy Name. But all of it comes from you. All of it belongs to you. ¹⁷ My God, I know that you tested our hearts. And you are pleased when we are honest. I’ve given all these things just because I wanted to. When I did it, I was completely honest with you. Your people here have also been willing to give to you. And I’ve been happy to see this. ¹⁸ Lord, you are the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel. Keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever. Keep their hearts faithful to you. ¹⁹ Help my son Solomon serve you with all his heart. Then he will keep your commands and rules. He will do what you require. He’ll do everything to build the grand and wonderful temple I’ve provided for.”

²⁰ Then David said to the whole community, “Praise the Lord your God.” So all of them praised the Lord. He’s the God of their people who lived long ago. The whole community bowed low. They fell down flat with their faces toward the ground. They did it in front of the Lord and the king.

Solomon Becomes the Next King

²¹ The next day they offered sacrifices to the Lord. They brought burnt offerings to him. They sacrificed 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams and 1,000 male lambs. They also brought the required drink offerings. And they offered many other sacrifices for the whole community of Israel. ²² They ate and drank with great joy that day. They did it in front of the Lord. Then they announced a second time that Solomon was king. He was the son of David. They anointed Solomon in front of the Lord. They anointed him to be ruler. They also anointed Zadok to be priest.

²³ So Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord. He ruled as king in place of his father David. Things went well with him. All the people of Israel obeyed him. ²⁴ All the officers and warriors promised to be completely faithful to King Solomon. So did all of King David’s sons.

²⁵ The Lord greatly honored Solomon in the sight of all the people. He gave him royal majesty. Solomon was given more glory than any king over Israel ever had before.

David Dies

²⁶ David was king over the whole nation of Israel. He was the son of Jesse. ²⁷ He ruled over Israel for 40 years. He ruled for seven years in Hebron and for 33 years in Jerusalem. ²⁸ He died when he was very old. He had enjoyed a long life. He had enjoyed wealth and honor. David’s son Solomon became the next king after him.

²⁹ The events of King David’s rule from beginning to end are written down. They are written in the records of Samuel, Nathan and Gad, the prophets. ³⁰ The records tell all about David’s rule and power. They tell about what happened concerning him and Israel and the kingdoms of all the other lands.

The Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders. I want to encourage you to think in a way that is pure. ² I want you to remember the words the holy prophets spoke in the past. Remember the command our Lord and Savior gave through your apostles.

³ Most of all, here is what you must understand. In the last days people will make fun of the truth. They will laugh at it. They will follow their own evil desires. ⁴ They will say, “Where is this ‘return’ he promised? Everything goes on in the same way it has since our people of long ago died. In fact, it has continued this way since God first created everything.” ⁵ Long ago, God’s word brought the heavens into being. His word separated the earth from the waters. And the waters surrounded it. But these people forget things like that on purpose. ⁶ The waters also flooded the world of that time. And so they destroyed the world. ⁷ By God’s word the heavens and earth of today are being reserved for fire. They are being kept for the day when God will judge. Then ungodly people will be destroyed.

⁸ Dear friends, here is one thing you must not forget. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years. And a thousand years are like a day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow to keep his promise. He is not slow in the way some people understand it. Instead, he is patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed. Instead, he wants all people to turn away from their sins.

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar. Fire will destroy everything in them. God will judge the earth and everything done in it.

¹¹ So everything will be destroyed in this way. And what kind of people should you be? You should lead holy and godly lives. ¹² Live like this as you look forward to the day of God. Living like this will make the day come more quickly. On that day fire will destroy the heavens. Its heat will melt everything in them. ¹³ But we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth. Godliness will live there. All this is in keeping with God’s promise.

¹⁴ Dear friends, I know you are looking forward to this. So try your best to be found pure and without blame. Be at peace with God. ¹⁵ Remember that while our Lord is waiting patiently to return, people are being saved. Our dear brother Paul also wrote to you about this. God made him wise to write as he did. ¹⁶ Paul writes the same way in all his letters. He speaks about what I have just told you. His letters include some things that are hard to understand. People who don’t know better and aren’t firm in the faith twist what he says. They twist the other Scriptures too. So they will be destroyed.

¹⁷ Dear friends, you have already been warned about this. So be on your guard. Then you won’t be led astray by people who don’t obey the law. Instead, you will remain safe. ¹⁸ Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Glory belongs to him both now and forever. Amen.

The Lord Brings Charges Against Israel

6 Israel, listen to the Lord’s message. He says to me,

³ The Lord says,

⁶ The people of Israel say,

The Lord Will Punish His Guilty People

The Story of the Lost Sheep

15 The tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were whispering among themselves. They said, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

³ Then Jesus told them a story. ⁴ He said, “Suppose one of you has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Won’t he leave the 99 in the open country? Won’t he go and look for the one lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ When he finds it, he will joyfully put it on his shoulders ⁶ and go home. Then he will call his friends and neighbors together. He will say, ‘Be joyful with me. I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you, it will be the same in heaven. There will be great joy when one sinner turns away from sin. Yes, there will be more joy than for 99 godly people who do not need to turn away from their sins.

The Story of the Lost Coin

⁸ “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the house? Won’t she search carefully until she finds the coin? ⁹ And when she finds it, she will call her friends and neighbors together. She will say, ‘Be joyful with me. I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰ I tell you, it is the same in heaven. There is joy in heaven over one sinner who turns away from sin.”

The Story of the Lost Son

¹¹ Jesus continued, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger son spoke to his father. He said, ‘Father, give me my share of the family property.’ So the father divided his property between his two sons.

¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son packed up all he had. Then he left for a country far away. There he wasted his money on wild living. ¹⁴ He spent everything he had. Then the whole country ran low on food. So the son didn’t have what he needed. ¹⁵ He went to work for someone who lived in that country. That person sent the son to the fields to feed the pigs. ¹⁶ The son wanted to fill his stomach with the food the pigs were eating. But no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ “Then he began to think clearly again. He said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough food! But here I am dying from hunger! ¹⁸ I will get up and go back to my father. I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven. And I have sinned against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer fit to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

“While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him. He was filled with tender love for his son. He ran to him. He threw his arms around him and kissed him.

²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer fit to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattest calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ This son of mine was dead. And now he is alive again. He was lost. And now he is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “The older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants. He asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come home,’ the servant replied. ‘Your father has killed the fattest calf. He has done this because your brother is back safe and sound.’

²⁸ “The older brother became angry. He refused to go in. So his father went out and begged him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve worked like a slave for you. I have always obeyed your orders. You never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But this son of yours wasted your money with some prostitutes. Now he comes home. And for him you kill the fattest calf!’

³¹ “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me. Everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad. This brother of yours was dead. And now he is alive again. He was lost. And now he is found.’ ”