M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

17 Jehoshaphat, Asa’s son, became king and demonstrated his authority over the Southern Kingdom of Israel by strengthening Judah’s defenses. ² He stationed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah and built barracks throughout the territory of Judah and the cities of Ephraim, which his father Asa had conquered. ³ The Eternal was with Jehoshaphat because he ruled as David had throughout his reign and as his father Asa had at the beginning of his reign. Jehoshaphat did not seek the lords of foreign religions; ⁴ instead, he looked for the True God of his father as Azariah told Asa to do, followed His commands, and was faithful to God, unlike the Northern Kingdom of Israel. ⁵ Because of his virtues, the Eternal gave control of the kingdom to Jehoshaphat. The people living throughout Judah brought gifts to their new king, Jehoshaphat, and he had abundant riches and honor. ⁶ Jehoshaphat prided himself on supporting the ways of the Eternal by cleansing Judah of foreign cultic symbols: high places and Asherah figures.

^7-9 In his third year, Jehoshaphat sent his most worthy officials (Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah), some of the Levites (Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah), and some of the priests (Elishama and Jehoram) to all the people in Judah to teach them from the Eternal’s laws.

¹⁰ All the kingdoms and lands surrounding Judah feared the Eternal, so they would not attack Jehoshaphat. ¹¹ Some of the Philistines even brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and Arabians brought him flocks: 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats.

^12-13 Jehoshaphat grew stronger at home and abroad, he built fortresses and store cities with great supplies in Judah, and he stationed his heroic men in Jerusalem ¹⁴ according to their families: From Judah, the commanders of their divisions were Adnah, the commander of 300,000 heroic men; ¹⁵ then Johanan, the commander of 280,000; ¹⁶ then Amasiah (son of Zichri who volunteered to serve the Eternal), and with him 200,000 heroic men. ¹⁷ From Benjamin, Eliada, a valiant warrior, and with him 200,000 archers and those carrying shields; ¹⁸ then Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 equipped for war. ¹⁹ These men served the king in Jerusalem, and others served him in other fortified cities throughout Judah.

6 Then I saw the Lamb break the first of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out with a thundering voice.

² Then I looked, and what a sight! There was a white horse carrying a rider with a bow. He wore a wreath and came riding like a conqueror, intent on complete victory.

³ The Lamb broke the second seal, and the second living creature called out.

⁴ Then another horse, fiery red, sped forth. Its rider was granted the power to steal peace from the earth and received a large sword so that people would slaughter each other.

⁵ The Lamb broke the third seal, and the third living creature called out.

Then I looked; and behold, there was a black horse! Its rider held in his hand a balance scale. ⁶ And I heard a voice emanating from the middle of the four living creatures.

⁷ And when the Lamb broke the fourth seal, the fourth living creature called out.

⁸ I looked; and behold, there was a pale green horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades accompanied him. Together they were granted authority over one-fourth of the earth to kill with weapons, with famine, with disease, and with wild animals that roamed the earth.

⁹ When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the heavenly altar the souls of those murdered for holding fast to the word of God and their testimony. ¹⁰ They cried out in a great, singular voice.

¹¹ Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest for a little while longer—soon their number would be complete. In a little while, more of their fellow servants, brothers, and sisters would be murdered as they had been.

¹² When the Lamb broke the sixth seal, a great earthquake shook the earth and the sun grew dark and became black (like mourning sackcloth) and the full moon became red like blood. ¹³ The stars of heaven fell to earth as a fig tree drops its fruit during a winter storm. ¹⁴ The sky snapped back as a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain was shaken off its foundation, and every island melted into the sea. ¹⁵ The rulers of the earth, the important and the great, the generals, the wealthy and the powerful, the slave and the free person, all hid themselves in the caves and among the mountains’ rocks. ¹⁶ They pleaded with loud suicidal requests to the rocks and mountains.

2 That night I had a third vision. I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.

³ Then the heavenly messenger who had been answering my questions since my first vision left my side, and a second messenger came and met him.

⁸ So said the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies.

After His glory has arrived in the city, He will send me to the nations that stripped you bare, Jerusalem, because any nation who harms you harms the apple of His eye.

When these things happen, you will know the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, has sent me as His prophet.

When these things happen, you will know the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, has sent me to you. ¹² The Eternal will inherit Judah as His share in the holy land, and He will again choose Jerusalem as His city. ¹³ Hush, all people! Be silent before the Eternal, for He has awakened and has come in glory to Jerusalem from His holy home in heaven.

5 When these events were completed, Jesus led His followers to Jerusalem where they would celebrate a Jewish feast^[a] together.

^2-3 In Jerusalem they came upon a pool by the sheep gate surrounded by five covered porches. In Hebrew this place is called Bethesda.

Crowds of people lined the area, lying around the porches. All of these people were disabled in some way; some were blind, lame, paralyzed, or plagued by diseases[; and they were waiting for the waters to move. ⁴ From time to time, a heavenly messenger would come to stir the water in the pool. Whoever reached the water first and got in after it was agitated would be healed of his or her disease].^{[b] 5-6} In the crowd, Jesus noticed one particular man who had been living with his disability for 38 years. He knew this man had been waiting here a long time.

⁹ At the moment Jesus uttered these words, a healing energy coursed through the man and returned life to his limbs—he stood and walked for the first time in 38 years. But this was the Sabbath Day; and any work, including carrying a mat, was prohibited on this day.

¹³ The man genuinely did not know who it was that healed him. In the midst of the crowd and the excitement of his renewed health, Jesus had slipped away. ¹⁴ Some time later, Jesus found him in the temple and again spoke to him.

¹⁵ The man went immediately to tell the Jewish leaders that Jesus was the mysterious healer. ¹⁶ So they began pursuing and attacking Jesus because He performed these miracles on the Sabbath.

¹⁸ He was justifying the importance of His work on the Sabbath, claiming God as His Father in ways that suggested He was equal to God. These pious religious leaders sought an opportunity to kill Jesus, and these words fueled their hatred.