--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a Year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of Scripture.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension. 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.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: It is day 286. If you have the Bible in a Year reading plan printed out, you are on the second to last page. You're in the top of the page. It's amazing. It's incredible. We have one and three quarters, maybe pages left to go for the remainder of our time, which is not like we're trying to get it over with, but what?
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: I just 286 days. Well done. It's amazing. Today, we're reading 1st Maccabees chapter 5, Sirach chapter 13, 14, and 15, Proverbs chapter 22, verses 13 through 16.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: 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.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: If you want to download your own Bible into your reading plan, and you could also, I have blue magic marker and I write through every day after we've read it, after we've listened to it. It's a way that I track my progress. It's no big deal. You can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year. You can print that off and yeah, just maybe do the last two pages.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Either way, you can also subscribe to this podcast by clicking on subscribe and receiving daily episodes and updates. It's day 286. We're reading 1 Maccabees chapter 5, Sirach 13, 14, and 15, and Proverbs chapter 22, verses 13 through 16.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The first book of Maccabees, chapter 5, Wars with Neighboring Peoples When the Gentiles round about heard that the altar had been built and the sanctuary dedicated as it was before, they became very angry, and they determined to destroy the descendants of Jacob who lived among them.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: So they began to kill and destroy among the people. But Judas made war on the sons of Esau in Idumea at Acrobatene, because they kept lying in wait for Israel. He dealt them a heavy blow and humbled them and despoiled them.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: He also remembered the wickedness of the sons of Baan, who were a trap and a snare to the people and ambushed them on the highways. They were shut up by him in their towers, and he encamped against them, vowed their complete destruction, and burned with fire their towers and all who were in them.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Then he crossed over to attack the Ammonites, where he found a strong band and many people with Timothy as their leader. He engaged in many battles with them, and they were crushed before him, he struck them down.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: He also took Jazar and its villages. Then he returned to Judea. Liberation of Galilean Jews Now the Gentiles in Gilead gathered together against the Israelites who lived in their territory and planned to destroy them.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: But they fled to the stronghold of Dathamah and sent to Judas and his brothers a letter which said, The Gentiles around us have gathered together against us to destroy us. They are preparing to come and capture the stronghold to which we have fled, and Timothy is leading their forces.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Now then, come and rescue us from their hands, for many of us have fallen, and all our brethren who are in the land of Tob have been killed. The enemy have captured their wives and children and goods, and have destroyed about a thousand men here.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: While the letter was still being read, behold, other messengers, with their garments torn, came from Galilee and made a similar report. They said that against them had gathered together men of Ptolemaeus and Tyre and Sidon and all Galilee of the Gentiles to annihilate us.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: When Judas and the people heard these messages, a great assembly was called to determine what they should do for their brethren who were in distress and were being attacked by enemies.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Then Judas said to Simon his brother, Choose your men and go and rescue your brethren in Galilee. I and Jonathan my brother will go to Gilead.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: But he left Joseph, the son of Zechariah, and Azariah, a leader of the people, with the rest of the forces in Judea to guard it. And he gave them this command, Take charge of this people, but do not engage in battle with the Gentiles until we return.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Then three thousand men were assigned to Simon to go to Galilee, and eight thousand to Judas for Gilead. So Simon went to Galilee and fought many battles against the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were crushed before him.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: He pursued them to the gates of Ptolemaeus, and as many as three thousand of the Gentiles fell, and he despoiled them. Then he took the Jews of Galilee and Rabata with their wives and children and all they possessed, and led them to Judea with great rejoicing.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Judas and Jonathan in Gilead Judas Maccabeus and Jonathan his brother crossed the Jordan and went three days' journey into the wilderness. They encountered the Nabataeans, who met them peaceably and told them all that had happened to their brethren in Gilead.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Many of them had been shut up in Bozrah and Bosar, in Alemah, in Shaspho, Maked, and Karnaim. All these cities were strong and large, and some have been shut up in the other cities of Gilead.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The enemy are getting ready to attack the strongholds tomorrow and take and destroy all these men in one day. Then Judas and his army quickly turned back by the wilderness road to Bozrah, and he took the city and killed every mail by the edge of the sword.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Then he seized all its spoils and burned it with fire. He departed from there at night, and they went all the way to the stronghold of Dathamah. At dawn they looked up, and behold, a large company that could not be counted carrying ladders and engines of war to capture the stronghold and attacking the Jews within.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: So Judas saw that the battle had begun, and that the cry of the city went up to heaven with trumpets and loud shouts. and he said to the men of his forces, Fight today for your brethren.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Then he came up behind them in three companies who sounded their trumpets and cried aloud in prayer. And when the army of Timothy realized that it was Maccabeus, they fled before him and he dealt them a heavy blow.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: As many as 8,000 of them fell that day. Next, he turned aside to Alemah and fought against it and took it. And he killed every male in it, plundered it and burned it with fire.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: From there he marched on and took Chaspho, Maked, and Bosar, and the other cities of Gilead. After these things, Timothy gathered another army and encamped opposite Raphon on the other side of the stream.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Judas sent men to spy out the camp, and they reported to him, All the Gentiles around us have gathered to him. It is a very large force. They also have hired Arabs to help them, and they are encamped across the stream, ready to come and fight against you.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And Judas went to meet them. Now, as Judas and his army drew near to the stream of water, Timothy said to the officers of his forces, If he crosses over to us first, we will not be able to resist him, for he will surely defeat us
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: But if he shows fear and camps on the other side of the river we will cross over to him and defeat him When Judas approached the stream of water he stationed the scribes of the people at the stream and gave them this command, Permit no man to encamp, but make them all enter the battle.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Then he crossed over against them first, and the whole army followed him. All the Gentiles were defeated before him, and they threw away their arms and fled into the sacred precincts of Karnaim.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: But he took the city and burned the sacred precincts with fire together with all who were in them. Thus Karnaim was conquered. They could stand before Judas no longer.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The Return to Jerusalem Then Judas gathered together all the Israelites in Gilead, the small and the great, with their wives and children and goods, a very large company, to go to the land of Judah.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: So they came to Ephron. This was a large and very strong city on the road, and they could not go round it to the right or to the left. They had to go through it. But the men of the city shut them out and blocked up the gates with stones.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And Judas sent them this friendly message. Let us pass through your land to get to our land. No one will do you harm. We will simply pass by on foot. But they refused to open to him.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Then Judas ordered proclamation to be made to the army that each should encamp where he was. So the men of the forces encamped and he fought against the city all that day and all the night. and the city was delivered into his hands.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: He destroyed every male by the edge of the sword and raised and plundered the city. Then he passed through the city over the slain. And they crossed the Jordan into the large plain before Bet-shan.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And Judas kept rallying the leggards and encouraging the people all the way till he came to the land of Judah. So they went up to Mount Zion with gladness and joy and offered burnt offerings because not one of them had fallen before they returned in safety.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Now, while Judas and Jonathan were in Gilead, and Simon his brother was in Galilee before Ptolemaeus, Joseph, the son of Zechariah, and Azariah, the commanders of the forces, heard of their brave deeds and of the heroic war they had fought.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: So they said, Let us also make a name for ourselves. Let us go and make war on the Gentiles around us. And they issued orders to the men of the forces that were with them, and they marched against Jamnia.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And Gorgias and his men came out of the city to meet them in battle. Then Joseph and Azariah were routed and were pursued to the borders of Judea. As many as 2,000 of the people of Israel fell that day.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Thus the people suffered a great rout because, thinking to do a brave deed, they did not listen to Judas and his brothers. But they did not belong to the family of those men through whom deliverance was given to Israel.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The man Judas and his brothers were greatly honored in all Israel and among all the Gentiles, wherever their name was heard. Men gathered to them and praised them.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Success at Hebron and Philistia Then Judas and his brothers went forth and fought the sons of Esau in the land to the south. He struck Hebron and its villages and tore down its strongholds and burned its towers round about.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Then he marched off to go into the land of the Philistines and passed through Merissa. On that day, some priests who wished to do a brave deed fell in battle, for they went out to battle unwisely.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: But Judas turned aside to Azotus in the land of the Philistines. He tore down their altars and the graven images of their gods he burned with fire. He plundered the cities and returned to the land of Judah.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The Book of Sirach, Chapter 13. Responsible Use of Riches Whoever touches pitch will be defiled, and whoever associates with a proud man will become like him.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Do not lift a weight beyond your strength, nor associate with a man mightier and richer than you. How can the clay pot associate with the iron kettle? The pot will strike against it and will itself be broken.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: A rich man does wrong, and he even adds reproaches. A poor man suffers wrong, and he must add apologies. A rich man will exploit you if you can be of use to him.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: But if you are in need, he will forsake you. If you own something, he will live with you. He will drain your resources, and he will not care. When he needs you, he will deceive you.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: He will smile at you and give you hope. He will speak kindly and say, what do you need? He will shame you with his foods until he has drained you two or three times, and finally he will deride you.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Should he see you afterwards, he will forsake you and shake his head at you. Take care not to be led astray and not to be humiliated in your feasting.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: When a powerful man invites you, be reserved, and he will invite you the more often. Do not push forward lest you be repulsed and do not remain at a distance lest you be forgotten.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Do not try to treat him as an equal nor trust his abundance of words, for he will test you through much talk and while he smiles he will be examining you.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Cruel is he who does not keep words to himself. He will not hesitate to injure or to imprison. Keep words to yourself and be very watchful, for you are walking about with your own downfall.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Every creature loves its like and every person his neighbor. All living beings associate by species, and a man clings to one like himself.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: What fellowship has a wolf with a lamb? No more has a sinner with a godly man. What peace is there between a hyena and a dog? And what peace between a rich man and a poor man?
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: While donkeys in the wilderness are the prey of lions, likewise, the poor are pastures for the rich. Humility is an abomination to a proud man. Likewise, a poor man is an abomination to a rich one.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: When a rich man totters, he is steadied by friends. But when a humble man falls, he is even pushed away by his friends. If a rich man slips, his helpers are many.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: He speaks unseemly words and they justify him. If a humble man slips, they even reproach him. He speaks sensibly and receives no attention.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: When the rich man speaks, all are silent, and they extol to the clouds what he says. When the poor man speaks, they say, Who is this fellow? And should he stumble, they even push him down.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Riches are good, if they are free from sin, and poverty is evil in the opinion of the ungodly. A man's heart changes his countenance, either for good or for evil.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: The mark of a happy heart is a cheerful face, but to devise proverbs requires painful thinking. Chapter 14. Blessed is the man who does not blunder with his lips and need not suffer grief for sin
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Blessed is he whose heart does not condemn him and who has not given up his hope Riches are not seemly for a stingy man and of what use is property to an envious man.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Whoever accumulates by depriving himself accumulates for others, and others will live in luxury on his goods. If a man is mean to himself, to whom will he be generous.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: He will not enjoy his own riches. No one is meaner than the man who is grudging to himself, and this is the retribution for his baseness. Even if he does good, he does it unintentionally and betrays his baseness in the end.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Evil is the man with a grudging eye. He averts his face and disregards people. A greedy man's eye is not satisfied with a portion, and mean injustice withers the soul.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: A stingy man's eye begrudges bread, and it is lacking at his table. My son, treat yourself well according to your means, and present worthy offerings to the Lord.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Remember that death will not delay, and the decree of Hades has not been shown to you. Do good to a friend before you die. Reach out to him and give to him as much as you can.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: Do not deprive yourself of a happy day. Let not your share of desired good pass by you. Golly, I mean, honestly, do not deprive yourself of a happy day.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: How often through worry, through anxiety, through preoccupation, through just all of the things that can choke out the life of God in us, do we deprive ourselves of a happy day? Doesn't mean necessarily that we've deprived ourselves of spending money on ourselves or just relaxing, relaxing in the sense of not going to work or not taking care of our responsibilities.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: But do not deprive yourself of a happy day. How many of our days, actually, if we allowed them, would be happy days? if we just let them be what they are meant to be. And that's actually a choice we get to make.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And that's the last thing I want to say here in chapter 15. The subtitle of chapter 15 is freedom of choice and its consequences. And starting in verse 11, we realize that this author says, do not say because of the Lord, I left the right way or that God has led me astray.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: That's verse 12. The Lord hates abomination. So basically it's in James as well, the letter of James. James says, do not say that the Lord's tempting me because God doesn't tempt us to any evil at all.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: In verse 14, it was he, God himself, who created man in the beginning and he left him in the power of his own inclination. Verse 15, if you will, you can keep the commandments. They will save you. If you trust in God, you too shall live.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: This is going back all the way to Genesis. Remember when Cain was having a rough day and he was jealous of his brother Abel and he wanted vengeance upon Abel for nothing Abel had ever really done.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: He was just jealous of him. And God says, he says, listen, sin is a demon lurking at your door. Sin is a dragon monster lurking at your door, but you can overcome him.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And this is what Sirach says as well. If you will, you can keep the commandments. They will save you. If you trust God, you too shall live. And here's, he has placed before you fire and water. Stretch out your hand for whichever you wish.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And you'll get that before a man or life and death, good and evil for whichever he chooses will be given to him. And this is, this is the reality for every single one of us.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: God has made us for heaven and he gives us the choice. Stretch out your hand for heaven or stretch out your hand for hell. You'll be given whatever you've chosen. God has made it possible for us to enter into heaven by his life, death, and resurrection in Jesus Christ.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: God has opened the gates of heaven. He's made it accessible to us. But he also says, okay, stretch forth your hand to whichever you want and whatever you choose will absolutely, ultimately be given.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And so I don't know, you guys, I want heaven. I want to choose Jesus. I want to choose God. And yet I know myself and I know that all of us battle to choose God on a regular basis with every moment, every fiber of our beings.
--:-- Father Mike Schmitz: And so we pray for each other. I'm praying for you. Please pray for me that we all choose heaven. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless. Bye.
