M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Ahaziah’s Sickness and Death
1 After the death of Ahab, Moab(A) rebelled against Israel.(B) 2 Ahaziah(C) had fallen through the latticed window of his upper room in Samaria(D) and was injured. So he sent messengers instructing them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub,[a](E) the god of Ekron,(F) if I will recover from this injury.”(G)
3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite,(H) “Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria(I) and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ 4 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not get up from your sickbed—you will certainly die.’” Then Elijah left.
5 The messengers returned to the king, who asked them, “Why have you come back?”
6 They replied, “A man came to meet us and said, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and declare to him: This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you’re sending these men to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore, you will not get up from your sickbed—you will certainly die.’”
7 The king asked them, “What sort of man came up to meet you and spoke those words to you?”
8 They replied, “A hairy man with a leather belt around his waist.”(J)
He said, “It’s Elijah the Tishbite.”(K)
9 So King Ahaziah sent a captain of 50 with his 50 men(L) to Elijah. When the captain went up to him, he was sitting on top of the hill. He announced, “Man of God,(M) the king declares, ‘Come down!’”
10 Elijah responded to the captain of the 50, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 men.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50 men.(N)
11 So the king sent another captain of 50 with his 50 men to Elijah. He took in the situation[b] and announced, “Man of God, this is what the king says: ‘Come down immediately!’”
12 Elijah responded, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 men.” So a divine fire[c] came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50 men.
13 Then the king sent a third captain of 50 with his 50 men. The third captain of 50 went up and fell on his knees in front of Elijah and begged him, “Man of God,(O) please let my life and the lives of these 50 servants of yours be precious in your sight.(P) 14 Already fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of 50 with their fifties, but this time let my life be precious in your sight.”
15 The angel of the Lord(Q) said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Don’t be afraid of him.”(R) So he got up and went down with him to the king.
16 Then Elijah said to King Ahaziah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel for you to inquire of His will?—you will not get up from your sickbed; you will certainly die.’”
17 Ahaziah died according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken. Since he had no son, Joram[d](S) became king in his place. This happened in the second year of Judah’s King Jehoram(T) son of Jehoshaphat.[e] 18 The rest of the events of Ahaziah’s reign, along with his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.[f](U)
Greeting
1 Paul, Silvanus,[a](A) and Timothy:(B)
To the church of the Thessalonians(C) in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
God’s Judgment and Glory
3 We must always thank God for you, brothers. This is right, since your faith is flourishing and the love(D) each one of you has for one another(E) is increasing.(F) 4 Therefore, we ourselves boast(G) about you among God’s churches—about your endurance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you endure. 5 It is a clear evidence of God’s righteous(H) judgment(I) that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering,(J) 6 since it is righteous for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you 7 and to reward with rest you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His powerful angels, 8 taking vengeance with flaming fire(K) on those who don’t know God(L) and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.(M) 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction(N) from the Lord’s presence(O) and from His glorious strength(P) 10 in that day when He comes(Q) to be glorified(R) by His saints(S) and to be admired by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed. 11 And in view of this, we always pray for you that our God will consider you worthy of His calling,(T) and will, by His power, fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith,(U) 12 so that the name(V) of our Lord Jesus will be glorified(W) by you, and you by Him,(X) according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Belshazzar’s Feast
5 King Belshazzar(A) held a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles and drank wine in their presence. 2 Under the influence of[a] the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels(B) that his predecessor[b] Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines could drink from them. 3 So they brought in the gold[c] vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines drank from them. 4 They drank the wine and praised their gods made of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.(C)
The Handwriting on the Wall
5 At that moment the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the king’s palace wall next to the lampstand. As the king watched the hand[d] that was writing, 6 his face turned pale,[e] and his thoughts so terrified him that his hip joints shook and his knees knocked together. 7 The king called out to bring in the mediums, Chaldeans, and astrologers. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and gives me its interpretation will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around his neck,(D) and have the third highest position in the kingdom.” 8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but none could read the inscription or make its interpretation known to him. 9 Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face turned pale,[f] and his nobles were bewildered.(E)
10 Because of the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen[g] came to the banquet hall. “May the king live forever,” she said. “Don’t let your thoughts terrify you or your face be pale.[h] 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him.(F) In the days of your predecessor he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the diviners, mediums, Chaldeans, and astrologers. Your own predecessor, the king, 12 did this because Daniel, the one the king named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and perception, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems.(G) Therefore, summon Daniel, and he will give the interpretation.”
Daniel before the King
13 Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the Judean exiles that my predecessor the king brought from Judah?(H) 14 I’ve heard that you have the spirit of the gods in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom. 15 Now the wise men and mediums were brought before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not give its interpretation. 16 However, I have heard about you that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around your neck, and have the third highest position in the kingdom.”(I)
17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else;(J) however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him. 18 Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty,(K) greatness, glory, and majesty to your predecessor Nebuchadnezzar.(L) 19 Because of the greatness He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages(M) were terrified and fearful of him. He killed anyone he wanted and kept alive anyone he wanted; he exalted anyone he wanted and humbled anyone he wanted. 20 But when his heart was exalted and his spirit became arrogant,(N) he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken from him.(O) 21 He was driven away from people,(P) his mind was like an animal’s, he lived with the wild donkeys,(Q) he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Most High God is ruler over the kingdom of men and sets anyone He wants over it.(R)
22 “But you his successor, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart,(S) even though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you and your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them,(T) you praised the gods made of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or understand.(U) But you have not glorified the God who holds your life-breath in His hand and who controls the whole course of your life.[i] 24 Therefore, He sent the hand, and this writing was inscribed.
The Inscription’s Interpretation
25 “This is the writing that was inscribed:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
26 This is the interpretation of the message:
MENE[j] means that God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end.
27 TEKEL[k] means that you have been weighed in the balance and found deficient.
28 PERES[l][m] means that your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then Belshazzar gave an order, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck,(V) and issued a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was killed, 31 [n]and Darius the Mede(W) received the kingdom at the age of 62.
Psalm 110
The Priestly King
A Davidic psalm.
1 This is the declaration of the Lord
to my Lord:
“Sit at My right hand
until I make Your enemies Your footstool.”(A)
2 The Lord will extend Your mighty scepter from Zion.
Rule[a] over Your surrounding[b] enemies.(B)
3 Your people will volunteer
on Your day of battle.[c](C)
In holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn,
the dew of Your youth belongs to You.[d](D)
4 The Lord has sworn an oath and will not take it back:
“Forever, You are a priest
like Melchizedek.”(E)
5 The Lord is at Your right hand;
He will crush kings on the day of His anger.(F)
6 He will judge the nations, heaping up corpses;(G)
He will crush leaders over the entire world.(H)
7 He will drink from the brook by the road;(I)
therefore, He will lift up His head.(J)
Psalm 111
Praise for the Lord’s Works
1 Hallelujah![e]
I will praise the Lord with all my heart
in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.(K)
2 The Lord’s works are great,
studied by all who delight in them.(L)
3 All that He does is splendid and majestic;(M)
His righteousness endures forever.(N)
4 He has caused His wonderful works to be remembered.(O)
The Lord is gracious and compassionate.(P)
5 He has provided food for those who fear Him;(Q)
He remembers His covenant forever.(R)
6 He has shown His people the power of His works
by giving them the inheritance of the nations.(S)
7 The works of His hands are truth and justice;
all His instructions are trustworthy.(T)
8 They are established forever and ever,
enacted in truth and in what is right.(U)
9 He has sent redemption to His people.(V)
He has ordained His covenant forever.
His name is holy and awe-inspiring.(W)
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