M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Ahijah Prophesies against the King
14 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick. 2 Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise now, and (A)disguise yourself so that they will not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to (B)Shiloh; behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who (C)spoke concerning me that I would be king over this people. 3 (D)Take ten loaves with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.”
4 Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose and went to (E)Shiloh, and came to the house of (F)Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, (G)for his eyes were [a]dim because of his age. 5 Now the Lord had said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to [b]inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. You shall say thus and thus to her, for it will be when she arrives that (H)she will pretend to be another woman.”
6 When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet coming in the doorway, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam, why do you pretend to be another woman? For I am sent to you with a harsh message. 7 Go, say to Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel, “(I)Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over My people Israel, 8 and (J)tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you—(K)yet you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, (L)to do only that which was right in My sight; 9 you also have done more evil than all who were before you, and (M)have gone and made for yourself other gods and (N)molten images to provoke Me to anger, and have (O)cast Me behind your back— 10 therefore behold, I am bringing calamity on the house of Jeroboam, and (P)will cut off from Jeroboam [c]every male person, (Q)both bond and free in Israel, and I (R)will make a clean sweep of the house of Jeroboam, as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone. 11 (S)Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs will eat. And he who dies in the field the birds of the heavens will eat; for the Lord has spoken it.”’ 12 Now you, arise, go to your house. (T)When your feet enter the city the child will die. 13 All Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for [d]he alone of Jeroboam’s family will come to the grave, because in him (U)something good was found toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam. 14 Moreover, (V)the Lord will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam this day [e]and from now on.
15 “For the Lord will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and (W)He will uproot Israel from (X)this good land which He gave to their fathers, and (Y)will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, (Z)because they have made their [f]Asherim, provoking the Lord to anger. 16 He will give up Israel (AA)on account of the sins of Jeroboam, which he [g]committed and with which he made Israel to sin.”
17 Then Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed and came to (AB)Tirzah. (AC)As she was entering the threshold of the house, the child died. 18 (AD)All Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke through His servant Ahijah the prophet.
19 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, (AE)how he made war and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 20 The time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years; and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.
Rehoboam Misleads Judah
21 (AF)Now Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, (AG)the city which the Lord had chosen from all the tribes of Israel to put His name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. 22 (AH)Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they (AI)provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done, with [h]the sins which they [i]committed. 23 For they also built for themselves (AJ)high places and sacred (AK)pillars and [j](AL)Asherim on every high hill and (AM)beneath every luxuriant tree. 24 There were also (AN)male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel.
25 (AO)Now it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. 26 He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house, and (AP)he took everything, [k](AQ)even taking all the shields of gold which Solomon had made. 27 So King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place, and (AR)committed them to the [l]care of the commanders of the [m]guard who guarded the doorway of the king’s house. 28 Then it happened as often as the king entered the house of the Lord, that the [n]guards would carry them and would bring them back into the [o]guards’ room.
29 (AS)Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 30 (AT)There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 31 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and (AU)his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. And Abijam his son became king in his place.
Thankfulness for Spiritual Attainments
1 (A)Paul, (B)an apostle of Jesus Christ [a](C)by the will of God, and (D)Timothy [b]our brother,
2 To the [c](E)saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: (F)Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
3 (G)We give thanks to God, (H)the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 (I)since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the (J)love which you have [d]for (K)all the [e]saints; 5 because of the (L)hope (M)laid up for you in [f]heaven, of which you previously (N)heard in the word of truth, [g]the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as [h](O)in all the world also it is constantly bearing (P)fruit and [i]increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you (Q)heard of it and [j]understood the grace of God in truth; 7 just as you learned it from (R)Epaphras, our (S)beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8 and he also informed us of your (T)love in the Spirit.
9 For this reason also, (U)since the day we heard of it, (V)we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the [k](W)knowledge of His will in all spiritual (X)wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will (Y)walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, [l](Z)to please Him in all respects, (AA)bearing fruit in every good work and [m]increasing in the [n]knowledge of God; 11 (AB)strengthened with all power, according to [o]His glorious might, [p]for the attaining of all steadfastness and [q]patience; (AC)joyously 12 giving thanks to (AD)the Father, who has qualified us [r]to share in (AE)the inheritance of the [s]saints in (AF)Light.
The Incomparable Christ
13 [t]For He rescued us from the [u](AG)domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of [v](AH)His beloved Son, 14 (AI)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
15 [w]He is the (AJ)image of the (AK)invisible God, the (AL)firstborn of all creation. 16 For [x](AM)by Him all things were created, (AN)both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether (AO)thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—(AP)all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He [y](AQ)is before all things, and in Him all things [z]hold together. 18 He is also (AR)head of (AS)the body, the church; and He is (AT)the beginning, (AU)the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For [aa]it was (AV)the Father’s good pleasure for all (AW)the [ab]fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to (AX)reconcile all things to Himself, having made (AY)peace through (AZ)the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, (BA)whether things on earth or things in [ac]heaven.
21 And although you were (BB)formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now (BC)reconciled you in His fleshly (BD)body through death, in order to (BE)present you before Him (BF)holy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23 if indeed you continue in [ad]the faith firmly (BG)established and steadfast, and not moved away from the (BH)hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed (BI)in all creation under heaven, (BJ)and of which I, Paul, [ae]was made a [af](BK)minister.
24 (BL)Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh (BM)I [ag]do my share on behalf of (BN)His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking [ah]in Christ’s afflictions. 25 (BO)Of this church I [ai]was made a minister according to the (BP)stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might [aj]fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, 26 that is, (BQ)the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His [ak]saints, 27 to whom (BR)God willed to make known what is (BS)the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is (BT)Christ in you, the (BU)hope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, (BV)admonishing every man and teaching every man [al]with all (BW)wisdom, so that we may (BX)present every man [am](BY)complete in Christ. 29 For this purpose also I (BZ)labor, (CA)striving (CB)according to His [an]power, which [ao]mightily works within me.
Gate for the Prince
44 Then He brought me back by the way of the (A)outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces the east; and it was shut. 2 The Lord said to me, “This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the (B)Lord God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut. 3 As for the (C)prince, he shall sit in it as prince to (D)eat bread before the Lord; he shall (E)enter by way of the (F)porch of the gate and shall go out [a]by the same way.”
4 Then He brought me by way of the (G)north gate to the front of the house; and I looked, and behold, the (H)glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord, and I (I)fell on my face. 5 The Lord said to me, “Son of man, [b](J)mark well, see with your eyes and hear with your ears all that I say to you concerning all the (K)statutes of the house of the Lord and concerning all its laws; and [c]mark well the entrance of the house, with all exits of the sanctuary. 6 You shall say to the [d](L)rebellious ones, to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord [e]God, “(M)Enough of all your abominations, O house of Israel, 7 when you brought in (N)foreigners, (O)uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary to profane it, even My house, when you (P)offered My food, the fat and the blood; for they (Q)made My covenant void—this in addition to all your abominations. 8 And you have not (R)kept charge of My holy things yourselves, but you have set foreigners [f]to keep charge of My sanctuary.”
9 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “(S)No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel, shall enter My sanctuary. 10 But the Levites who went far from Me when Israel went astray, who (T)went astray from Me after their idols, shall (U)bear the punishment for their iniquity. 11 Yet they shall be (V)ministers in My sanctuary, having (W)oversight at the gates of the house and (X)ministering in the house; they shall (Y)slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall (Z)stand before them to minister to them. 12 Because they ministered to them (AA)before their idols and became a (AB)stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I have [g](AC)sworn against them,” declares the Lord God, “that they shall (AD)bear the punishment for their iniquity. 13 And they shall (AE)not come near to Me to serve as a priest to Me, nor come near to any of My holy things, to the things that are most holy; but they will (AF)bear their shame and their abominations which they have committed. 14 Yet I will [h]appoint them [i]to (AG)keep charge of the house, of all its service and of all that shall be done in it.
Ordinances for the Levites
15 “But the (AH)Levitical priests, the sons of (AI)Zadok, who (AJ)kept charge of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel (AK)went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to minister to Me; and they shall (AL)stand before Me to offer Me the (AM)fat and the blood,” declares the Lord God. 16 “They shall (AN)enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My (AO)table to minister to Me and keep My charge. 17 It shall be that when they enter at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with (AP)linen garments; and wool shall not [j]be on them while they are ministering in the gates of the inner court and in the house. 18 Linen (AQ)turbans shall be on their heads and (AR)linen undergarments shall be on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything which makes them sweat. 19 When they go out into the outer court, into the outer court to the people, they shall (AS)put off their garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers; then they shall put on other garments so that they will (AT)not transmit holiness to the people with their garments. 20 Also they shall (AU)not shave their heads, yet they shall not (AV)let their locks [k]grow long; they shall only trim the hair of their heads. 21 (AW)Nor shall any of the priests drink wine when they enter the inner court. 22 And they shall not [l]marry a widow or a (AX)divorced woman but shall (AY)take virgins from the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest. 23 Moreover, they shall teach My people the (AZ)difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. 24 In a dispute (BA)they shall take their stand to judge; they shall judge it according to My ordinances. They shall also keep My laws and My statutes in all My (BB)appointed feasts and (BC)sanctify My sabbaths. 25 [m](BD)They shall not go to a dead person to defile themselves; however, for father, for mother, for son, for daughter, for brother, or for a sister who has not had a husband, they may defile themselves. 26 After he is (BE)cleansed, seven days shall [n]elapse for him. 27 On the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the (BF)inner court to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his (BG)sin offering,” declares the Lord God.
28 “And it shall be with regard to an inheritance for them, that (BH)I am their inheritance; and you shall give them no possession in Israel—I am their possession. 29 They shall (BI)eat the grain offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering; and every [o](BJ)devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs. 30 The first of all the (BK)first fruits of every kind and every [p]contribution of every kind, from all your [q]contributions, shall be for the priests; you shall also give to the priest the (BL)first of your [r]dough to cause a (BM)blessing to rest on your house. 31 The priests shall not eat any bird or beast that has (BN)died a natural death or has been torn to pieces.
The Lord’s Power and Dominion.
97 (A)The Lord [a]reigns, let the (B)earth rejoice;
Let the many [b](C)islands be glad.
2 (D)Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
(E)Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 (F)Fire goes before Him
And (G)burns up His adversaries round about.
4 His (H)lightnings lit up the world;
The earth saw and (I)trembled.
5 The mountains (J)melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the (K)Lord of the whole earth.
6 The (L)heavens declare His righteousness,
And (M)all the peoples have seen His glory.
7 Let all those be ashamed who serve (N)graven images,
Who boast themselves of (O)idols;
[c](P)Worship Him, all you [d]gods.
8 Zion [e]heard this and (Q)was glad,
And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced
Because of Your judgments, O Lord.
9 For You are the Lord (R)Most High over all the earth;
You are exalted far (S)above all [f]gods.
10 (T)Hate evil, you who love the Lord,
Who (U)preserves the souls of His godly ones;
He (V)delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 (W)Light is sown like seed for the righteous
And (X)gladness for the upright in heart.
12 Be (Y)glad in the Lord, you righteous ones,
And (Z)give thanks [g]to His holy name.
A Call to Praise the Lord for His Righteousness.
A Psalm.
98 O sing to the Lord a (AA)new song,
For He has done (AB)wonderful things,
His (AC)right hand and His (AD)holy arm have [h]gained the victory for Him.
2 (AE)The Lord has made known His salvation;
He has (AF)revealed His [i]righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has (AG)remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
(AH)All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 (AI)Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
(AJ)Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.
5 Sing praises to the Lord with the (AK)lyre,
With the lyre and the [j](AL)sound of melody.
6 With (AM)trumpets and the sound of the horn
(AN)Shout joyfully before (AO)the King, the Lord.
7 Let the (AP)sea roar and [k]all it contains,
The (AQ)world and those who dwell in it.
8 Let the (AR)rivers clap their hands,
Let the (AS)mountains sing together for joy
9 Before the Lord, for He is coming to (AT)judge the earth;
He will judge the world with righteousness
And (AU)the peoples with [l]equity.
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