The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 312: Conclusion to the Old Testament (2024)
Thu, 07 Nov 2024
Fr Mike celebrates the accomplishment of reading the entire Old Testament and wraps up the books of 2 Maccabees and Wisdom, talking through the key themes of the Old Testament visible in the conclusions to these books. He also discusses the motivation of the Maccabees to defend the temple and maintain its purity as well as uphold God’s honor. Today’s readings are from 2 Maccabees 15, Wisdom 19, and Proverbs 25:21-23 For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.
Chapter 1: What is the focus of Day 312 in the Bible?
Using the Great Adventure Bible timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. It is day 312. We're reading the final chapter of Maccabees, the final chapter of the Wisdom of Solomon, and the book of Proverbs, chapter 25, verses 21 through 23.
As always, the Bible translation I'm reading from is the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible into your reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash bible in a year. If you had done so, you would realize that today, as I said yesterday, and maybe even the day before, today is day 312.
It is the final day in the Old Testament. We are still going to hang out with Proverbs, of course, every single day. But, my gosh, this is it, you guys. You will be able to say, basically, you've read the entire Old Testament. By the end of today, within the next 20-ish, however long we have together minutes, that's congratulations.
You would know that if you had downloaded the Bible in a Year timeline that I keep talking about all the time. Anyways, you also subscribe to this podcast and receive daily episodes and daily updates. As I said, it is day 312. We're reading 2nd book of the Maccabees, chapter 15, the book of Wisdom of Solomon, chapter 19, and Proverbs chapter 25, verses 21 through 23.
The Second Book of the Maccabees, Chapter 15, Nicanor's Arrogance. When Nicanor heard that Judas and his men were in the region of Samaria, he made plans to attack them with complete safety on the day of rest.
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Chapter 2: What significance does the final chapter of Maccabees hold?
And when the Jews who were compelled to follow him said, "'Do not destroy so savagely and barbarously, but show respect for the day which he who sees all things as honored and hallowed above other days,' the thrice-accursed wretch asked if there were a sovereign in heaven who had commanded the keeping of the Sabbath day.'
And when they declared, It is the living Lord himself, the sovereign in heaven, who ordered us to observe the seventh day, he replied, And I am a sovereign also on earth, and I command you to take up arms and finish the king's business. Nevertheless, he did not succeed in carrying out his abominable design. Judas prepares the Jews for battle.
This Nicanor, in his utter boastfulness and arrogance, had determined to erect a public monument of victory over Judas and his men.
But Maccabeus did not cease to trust with all confidence that he would get help from the Lord, and he exhorted his men not to fear the attack of the Gentiles, but to keep in mind the former times when help had come to them from heaven, and now to look for the victory which the Almighty would give them.
encouraging them from the law and the prophets and reminding them also of the struggles they had won he made them the more eager and when he had aroused their courage he gave his orders at the same time pointing out the perfidy of the gentiles and their violation of oaths he armed each of them not so much with confidence and shields and spears as with the inspiration of brave words and he cheered them all by relating a dream a sort of vision which was worthy of belief
what he saw was this onias who had been high priest a noble and good man of modest bearing and gentle manner one who spoke fittingly and had been trained from childhood in all that belongs to excellence was praying with outstretched hands for the whole body of the jews Then likewise a man appeared, distinguished by his gray hair and dignity, and of marvelous majesty and authority.
Antonius spoke, saying, This is a man who loves the brethren, and prays much for the people and the holy city, Jeremiah, the prophet of God. Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave to Judas a golden sword, and as he gave it, he addressed him thus, Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you will strike down your adversaries.
Encouraged by the words of Judas, so noble and so effective in arousing valor and awaking manliness in the souls of the young, they determined not to carry on a campaign but to attack bravely and to decide the matter by fighting hand to hand with all courage because the city and the sanctuary and the temple were in danger.
Their concern for wives and children and also for brethren and relatives lay upon them less heavily. Their greatest and first fear was for the consecrated sanctuary. And those who had to remain in the city were in no little distress, being anxious over the encounter in the open country.
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Chapter 3: How does Wisdom of Solomon contribute to the Old Testament?
Flames, on the contrary, failed to consume the flesh of perishable creatures that walked among them, nor did they melt the crystalline, easily melted kind of heavenly food. For in everything, O Lord, you have exalted and glorified your people, and you have not neglected to help them at all times and in all places.
Chapter 4: What can we learn from the battle against Nicanor?
The book of Proverbs chapter 25 verses 21 through 23.
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat. And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. For you will heap coals of fire on his head and the Lord will reward you.
The north wind brings forth rain and a backbiting tongue angry looks. Father in heaven, give you praise and glory. Thank you so much.
Thank you for not only for your justice, but also for your mercy and how you teach us to love our enemies and do good for those who hate us. Thank you for that. Help us to be able to do it. Help us to even love our neighbors. Help us to even love our friends well, because... Lord, when it comes to love, it's what we're made for and it's something we struggle to do. So help us.
Chapter 5: What themes are highlighted in the conclusion of the Old Testament?
Help us this day and every day. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Okay, here we are. You guys, day 312. This is amazing. We've just concluded the second book of Maccabees. Tomorrow, you're going to have a twofer, of course.
Whenever we have a new time period or a messianic fulfillment, we've had a twofer where Jeff and I get a chance to talk and introduce the gospel of Luke and then, you know, the whole era of the church coming up very soon. So that's coming tomorrow. Get ready, prepare yourself for that. But also it also, I want to highlight what a gift it is to have Jeff Cavins, isn't it?
I'm just, man, I, well, I can go on and on. I can gush. I'm not going to gush anymore, but let's go back to second Maccabees, the last chapter in second Maccabees. There's a line here that highlights the fact of what drives, drives? Drove. What really motivated the Maccabees, right? What really motivated those who were fighting? Here's Judas Maccabeus, who is encouraging the people to fight.
Again, not relying on their own swords or spears, not relying on their own strength of their arm, but relying upon the help that came from the Lord. But also, what is it for? What is it for? And this is chapter 15, verse 18. It said this, their concern for wives and children and also for brethren and relatives lay upon them less heavily.
Their greatest and first fear was for the consecrated sanctuary. There's something about this that just highlights what is the motivation? Of course, they love their wives and their children. They love their relatives and brethren, obviously. but it weighed upon them less heavily than for the consecrated sanctuary. The thing was to defend the temple.
The thing was to be able to keep that place of worship of God pure. I mean, just think about this. What would our lives be like if that was our passion, if that was our pursuit, was, Lord, for your honor, for the honor of your name. Not that we would go over to violence, but I just mean that we would defend, that we would keep our worship pure.
pure, that we would, when it comes to offering the sacrifice of the mass, to be able to say, Lord, that's the most important thing. More important than, like I mentioned the other day, more important than hockey, more important than the idols in my lives, but even more important than the people I love is your temple. More important than the people I love is the Eucharist.
You know, this is the foreshadow, I think, of how Jesus says to his disciples. He says, if you want to be my disciple, you've got to love me more than anything else. And that's where we're headed tomorrow. Tomorrow we're beginning the Gospel of Luke. And just what does it look like to follow Jesus? What does Jesus look like? My invitation for tomorrow and as we read through the Gospel of St.
Luke is... is that just to watch Jesus, to listen to how he acts and listen to how he lives, which is such a gift. Chapter 19 of the Wisdom of Solomon is obviously the conclusion in some ways to the story of Exodus. I mean, it's not really because we know that there's all these wilderness wanderings. But we have the Red Sea.
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Chapter 6: How do the Maccabees symbolize faith and resilience?
And yet we can still affirm, you did not neglect to help them at all times and in all places, even if there was trouble, even if there was suffering, even when there was death, you did not neglect to help them at all times and all places. And that's what God does for us to help us to have that.
God, we just pray that you help us to have eyes to see this, that you're present even in the midst of our brokenness. Let's pray for each other, you guys, because I... I say this all the time, but I know that in this community, there are people right now, this is the worst day of their life. If that's you, you are not alone. You are not alone. We are praying for you.
Brothers and sisters, I'm praying for you. Please pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.