The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 205: Promise to Zion (2023)

Episode Date: July 24, 2023

Fr. Mike breaks down God's incredible promise of redemption to Zion and reminds us that God always wants to fight for us, so that our shame may be turned into glory. Today's readings are Isaiah 30-31, Zephaniah 3, and Proverbs 11:13-16. 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.

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. 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. It is day 205. We're reading Isaiah chapter 30 and 31. Also Zephaniah chapter 3. There's only three chapters in Zephaniah. I'm not sure if I said there were four yesterday,

but if you divide chapter 3 into two parts, there's three and four. That's not how it is, though. We're only Zephaniah chapter 3. Also reading Proverbs chapter 11 verses 13 through 16. As always, the Bible translation that I'm reading from is the Revised Standard Version, the Second Catholic Edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in a Year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a Year. You can also subscribe to this podcast. And if you do, you get to receive,

you get the great prize of daily episodes that you probably have already figured out after 200 or so days. Because today is 205, and we're reading Isaiah 30 and 31, Zephaniah chapter three, which is also the last chapter of Zephaniah, and Proverbs chapter 11, verses 13 through 16. The book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 30,

a rebellious people. Woe to the rebellious children, says the Lord, who carry out a plan, but not mine, who make a league, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin, who set out to go down to Egypt without asking for my counsel to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt. Therefore, the protection of Pharaoh shall turn to your shame and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation. For though his officials are at Zoan, and his envoys reach Hanes, every one comes to shame through a people that cannot profit them, that brings neither help nor profit, but shame and disgrace. An oracle on the beasts of the Negev. Through a land of trouble and anguish, from where come the lioness and the lion, the viper and the

flying serpent, they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys and their treasures on the humps of camels to a people that cannot profit them. For Egypt's help is worthless and empty. Therefore I have called her Rahab who sits still. And now go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever. For they are a rebellious people, lying sons, sons who will not hear the instruction of the Lord, who say to seers, see not, and to the prophets, prophesy not to us what is right. Speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore, thus says the Holy One of Israel, because you despise this word and trust in

oppression and perverseness and rely on them, therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a break in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse, whose crash comes suddenly in an instant, and its breaking is like that of a potter's vessel which is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth or to dip up water out of the cistern. For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and in trust shall be your strength. And you would not.

But you said, no, we will speed on horses, therefore you shall speed away. And we will ride upon swift steeds, therefore your pursuers shall be swift. A thousand shall flee at the threat of one. At the threat of five you shall flee till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill. Therefore, the Lord waits to be gracious to you. Therefore, he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him. God's promise to Zion. Yes, O people in Zion who dwell at Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be God's promise to Zion. But your eyes shall see your teacher, and your ears shall hear a word behind you saying,

This is the way, walk in it, when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Then you will defile your silver-covered graven images and your gold-plated molten images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, Be gone! And he will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and grain the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. In that day your flock will be given pasture, and the lamb will graze in open fields, and the oxen and the donkeys that till the ground will eat salted food,

which has been winnowed with shovel and fork. And upon every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water in the day of the great slaughter when the towers fall. Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold as the light of seven days in the day when the Lord binds up the hurt of his people and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow. Behold, the name of the Lord comes from far, burning with his anger, Judgment on Assyria and to place on the jaws of the peoples a bridle that leads astray. Judgment on Assyria You shall have a song as in the night when a holy feast is kept,

and gladness of heart as when one sets out to the sound of the flute to go to the mountain of the Lord, to the rock of Israel. And the Lord will cause his majestic voice to be heard and the descending blow of his arm to be seen in furious anger and a flame of devouring fire with a cloudburst and tempest and hailstones. The Assyrians will be terror-stricken at the voice of the Lord when he strikes with his rod. And every stroke of the staff of punishment which the Lord lays upon them will be to the sounds of timbrels and lyres. Battling with

brandished arm, he will fight with them. For a burning place has long been prepared. Yes, for the king it is made ready, its pyre made deep and wide, with fire and wood in abundance. The breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, kindles it. Chapter 31. Help from Egypt is futile. Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord. And yet he is wise and brings disaster. He does not call back his words, but will arise against the house of the evildoers and against the helpers of those who work iniquity. The Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, the helper will stumble, and he who is helped will fall, and they will all

perish together. For thus the Lord said to me, As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey, and when a band of shepherds is called forth against him is not terrified by their shouting or daunted at their noise. So the Lord of hosts will come down to fight upon Mount Zion and upon its hill. Like birds hovering. So the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem.

He will protect and deliver it. He will spare and rescue it. Turn to him from whom you have deeply revolted, O people of Israel. For in that day, everyone shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which your hands have sinfully made for you. And the Assyrian shall fall by a sword not of man, and a sword not of man shall devour him. And he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be put to forced labor. His rock shall pass away in sword, and his young men shall be put to forced labor. His rock shall pass away in terror, and his officers desert the standard in panic,

says the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and whose furnace is in Jerusalem. The Book of the Prophet Zephaniah, Chapter 3. Wickedness of the Nations Woe to her that is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city. She listens to no voice. She accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord. She does not draw near to her God. Her officials within her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning. Her prophets are wanton, are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning. Her prophets are wanton, faithless men.

Her priests profane what is sacred. They do violence to the law. The Lord within her is righteous. He does no wrong. Every morning he shows forth his justice. Each day he does not fail. But the unjust knows no shame. I have cut off nations.

Their battlements are in ruins. I have laid off nations. Their battlements are in ruins. I have laid waste their streets so that none walks in them. Their cities have been made desolate without a man, without an inhabitant. I said, surely she will fear me. She will accept correction. She will not lose sight of all that I have enjoined upon her. But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt. Therefore, wait for me, says the Lord, for the day when I arise as a witness, for my decision is to gather nations,

to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all the heat of my anger, for in the fire of my jealous wrath all the earth shall be consumed. Restoration of Israel. Yes, at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering. On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me. For then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones,

and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. For I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord, those who are left in Israel. They shall do no wrong and utter no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue, for they shall pasture and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion. Shout, O Israel. Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord has taken away the judgments against you. He has cast out your

enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst. You shall fear evil no more. On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem, Do not fear, O Zion. Let not your hands grow weak. The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will renew you in his love. He will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you so that you will not bear reproach for it. Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors and I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time, I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you together. Yes, I will make you renowned and praised among all

the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord. When I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord. The Book of Proverbs, chapter 11, verses 13 through 16. He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing hidden. Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors, there is safety. He who gives surety for a stranger will smart for it, but he who hates suretyship is secure.

A gracious woman gets honor and violent men get riches. Father in heaven, we give you praise and thank you. Thank you for this opportunity to be together. Thank you for your word that you continue to speak to us. And thank you for the Holy Spirit that helps us to unpack and unlock your word because of your teaching, your truth, and the way in which you reveal your heart through the word that you've spoken to us, to the prophets that we'll hear today, Isaiah and Zephaniah, and through even the wisdom of Solomon, who assembled these pieces of wisdom so that we can understand and we can live our lives in a way that he failed to live his life, so we can be guided by your wisdom, by your truth, and by your word. Thank you, Father. Help us to not only hear

your word, but to listen to it. Help us not only to know of it, but to accomplish it in our lives by your grace. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen. Okay, so we have chapter 30 and 31 of Isaiah. So good. One of the reasons why I think it's so good is because it's a story that, gosh, we hear Isaiah preaching, and he's preaching in a context that we completely know, because in chapter 30 and 31, he's talking about this rebellious people who do it.

They carry out a plan, but not mine. They make a league, but not of my spirit that they may add sin to sin. What do they do? They set out to go down to Egypt without asking for my counsel to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt. Remember this, when the Assyrians were coming in the kingdom of Judah, Southern kingdom, they wanted to go down to Egypt and say, okay, let's make an alliance because the Assyrians are coming in, the kingdom of Judah, southern kingdom, they wanted to go down to Egypt and say, okay, let's make an alliance because the Assyrians are coming in. And if we can make an alliance with you, then you're going to be the ones who fight with us against the Assyrians. And remember, Isaiah is speaking to the king, speaking to the people against this saying, no,

you don't need to do this because the Lord God wants to fight for you. Remember the history of how God has fought against the Egyptians to set you free from slavery. He's going to fight for you. Remember the history of how God has fought against the Egyptians to set you free from slavery. He's going to do it again if you just trust him. And also it just, it goes on, it talks about this. It says, the protection of Pharaoh shall turn to your shame in the shelter, in the shadow of Egypt, to your humiliation. We're going to talk about shame a little bit today, just a little bit, not too much, but why? Because everyone comes to shame through a people that cannot profit them, that brings neither help nor profit, but shame and disgrace.

Well, what is that? Because his officials, his officials being the Egyptian officials, are at Zoan. His envoys reach Hanes. And everyone comes to shame through people that cannot profit them. Who's them? The Egyptians. So the Egyptian delegates are there. The officials are there right at Zoan.

The envoys reach Haines. And basically Judah has nothing to offer the Egyptians that they would be willing to accept in order to form an alliance. And so they even reach out and they have nothing that would bring their alliance, nothing that brings help or profit, but only shame and disgrace. help or profit, but only shame and disgrace. It's embarrassing how desperate the kingdom of Judah is. But even then, even then, God is saying that's not the point. The point is not that you're embarrassed because they won't help. But I'm telling you, Egypt's help, this is verse 7 of chapter 30, Egypt's help is worthless and empty. So therefore, I've called a Rahab who sits still. Basically, you can reach out to Rahab, reach out to Egypt, and they're not going to do anything. But here's what's going on.

They're a rebellious people, lying sons. And this is important for us too. Sons who will not hear the instruction of the Lord, who say to seers, see not. And to prophets, prophesy not to us what is right, but speak to us smooth things. Prophesy illusions. And let us hear no more of the Holy One of Israel. And this is so important because this is maybe what we want to hear.

I think a lot of times, the voices we put into our ears and we put into our minds that form our hearts are not necessarily the voice of the Lord. I mean, that's one of the reasons why this is day 205, right? And we've been listening and reading scripture because we do want to say, God, you have permission. God, I know what I think. I know what the people that I like think, but I want to know what is the truth that you want declared, Lord God. And that is so important because our temptation is to say to the seers, see not into the prophets,

prophesy not. Our temptation is to skip over Isaiah and Zephaniah and Nahum and Joel and all these other prophets we're going to hear in the future. And yet, no, it's okay, Lord, actually speak to me. And that's why as verse chapter 30 goes on, it says, ah, God's promises to Zion. God's promise to here, here's Zion where Jerusalem is built. The Assyrians are going to come against you. But even though the Lord will give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your teacher and your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, this is the way, walk in it. And then you'll turn away from your idols.

And this is so important because this is what happens, right? The word of the Lord brings judgment and God himself brings judgment upon Assyria. Remember that King Sennacherib, they marched against Jerusalem and he was saying that, no, we're gonna completely destroy you. I have destroyed everyone else. Why do you think your God is gonna protect you?

And then in a single night, the Lord God defeats the Assyrians. And again, God promises, this is what's gonna happen. The rod of the Lord will strike against the Assyrians. And then he reminds us, he reminds them in chapter 31, help from Egypt is futile. So chapter 31, verse six, turn to him from whom you have deeply revolted, O people of Israel. For on that day, everyone shall cast away as idols of silver and as idols of gold, which

your hands have sinfully made for you. And the Assyrian shall fall by a sword, but not of man. And this is so important again, for all of us, we recognize, yes, this is the historical context of Isaiah preaching to the people and to the king to say, no, not by alliance with Egypt, but by God's power, will he deliver you just have to wait. That's we hate, right? We hate the fact that I have to wait. That's what we hate, right? We hate the fact that I have to wait. And yet that's also the word of God from Zephaniah. Zephaniah talks about this. And remember, I mentioned yesterday that there are five condemnations of the people of Judah in Zephaniah chapter one. There's also five condemnations of the people of Judah in Zephaniah chapter three.

And they're all in the very first, say even almost four verses actually concludes with verse seven. Basically those are that they fallen into rebellion. Chapter three, verse one, woe to her that is rebellious and defiled the oppressing city. So not only are they in rebellion, but the oppressing city, again, Jerusalem, uh, one of the things that is being said there, that, that term, the oppressing city is not only are they themselves rebellious, not only are they themselves defiled, but they're spreading it around. They're oppressing others, meaning they're bringing their rebellion to others. So basically, um, you know, it's one of those realities that we have that sometimes our

sin doesn't end with us. Like our rebellion doesn't end with us. How many times have you been in a situation where you find yourself saying something critical that you never would have said, but you heard someone else say it or doing something that you never would have done, but you saw someone else do it. And then you receive someone else doing the same thing because you, they saw you do it, or they're saying the same thing because they heard you say it. And that's this, this rebellion, right?

That spirit of criticism, that spirit of rebellion, that's maybe we got from someone else that we pass on to others. This is what the first condemnation is. That not only are you in rebellion, but you have also oppressed others. You've soiled others. So next one is she ignores, she listens to no voice, she accepts no correction. And so they're ignoring the voice of God. And this can be us as well. The kingdom of Judah, the Jewish people were ignoring the voice of God, accepting no correction. And that's one of the virtues to be, it's called docility. And docility simply means I'm open to being taught. So question, am I open to being taught? Just like remember in Isaiah, or do I want to say, Hey, to the seer, see not the prophet prophesy not, or am I open

to the voice or am I open to accepting correction? The third condemnation is she does not trust in the Lord. She does not draw near to her God. So they withdrew their trust from God. So the first three here, rebellion, and you're spreading your rebellion to others. You ignore the voice of the Lord. You don't accept any correction. Third, you withdraw your trust from the Lord and you don't even go near to him. Fourth Fourth is this interesting in verse three, her officials within her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning. That's basically here's the leaders and they are, they eat all in the night. They don't leave anything for the next day.

They are self-indulgent to the point where they aren't giving any forethought to the future. They're not giving any, they're living in such a way that, yeah, I'm taking care of myself right now, but I have no vision for what will provide people after me or even the people around me with enough. And that's that sense of being able to say, um, I'm overindulgent and I have no longer have a vision, no long-term vision. And in verse three, the next, the fifth one is her prophets are wanton, faithless men,

her priests profane what is sacred. They do violence to the law. And this is so critical for all of us, that sense of being able to say, yes, prophets and the priests, they're doing evil things and they're wanton, faithless people, but they do violence to the word of God. That's the law. They do violence to the law. They distort the law.

And this is critical because this could be what we do. law. And this is critical because this could be what we do. We just, whether we ignore the voice of God, we ignore the word of the Lord, or even twist God's word to mean what we want it to mean. So all these five condemnations, like rebellion, you spread your rebellion, you ignore the voice of God, you're not trusting God, you're not drawing near him, you have no vision for the future, for caring for others beyond yourself. You're self-indulgent. And then lastly, you're doing violence to the word of God. And then this last word in verse five, but the unjust or the sinner knows no shame. The unjust knows no shame. Remember in Isaiah, he talked about shame as well, that I'll bring shame to you. Now, here's an interesting thing.

Shame can be a horrible, horrible experience. And's, and I know all of us have probably experienced that. We might call it toxic shame, right? That sense of just, uh, we'll beat ourselves up and beat ourselves down, uh, without, without mercy, without, without even truth. But there's also a good part of shame. There's a, there's a double meaning of shame. Even John Paul II, St. John Paul II, he talks about this when it comes to the Garden of Eden, right? Where the man and woman were naked, yet they knew no shame. And

then when they fell in sin, then they actually knew they were naked and they experienced shame. And they covered themselves. And John Paul points to that and says, actually, their experience of shame has a dual thing. One is they experienced the shame, right? That I don't want to be seen. But secondly, then they cover themselves, which is to say that they recognize there was something still good in them that ought to be covered. That even though they felt shame, there was still something good in them that needed to be covered up. In that sense, you know, gosh, we can be oftentimes a shameless culture, right? It's that we've got nothing to be embarrassed about, nothing to be ashamed of, where it's like, actually, yeah, I ought to be ashamed of my sin in some ways, right? Not toxic,

not in a way that I beat myself down to the point where I can't stand up, but I ought to be ashamed to some degree of, you know, what is shameful in my life because the unjust knows no shame. The unjust is shameless. But those of us who like, no, Lord, correct me. Lord, let your word open my mind and open my eyes to be able to see, okay, here is where I've fallen short. But here's the thing, it doesn't end there. And this is the thing, we can get afraid, right, of accepting shame. We can get afraid of recognizing that the shame that ought to be there. That's because the world doesn't have any remedy for shame. What does God say in the same chapter in verse 11? He says, but when I come, basically when I arrive, and this is such good news for every one of us who experienced shame, both the

toxic kind and the good kind, God says on that day, you shall not be put to shame. Even because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me, even if that is your fault, even if actually you have something to be ashamed of, on that day, you shall not be put to shame. On that day, actually, he goes on to say in verse 19, he says, Behold, at that time, I will deal with all your oppressors. I will save the lame, gather the outcast, bam, and here it comes. And I will change their shame into praise

and renown in all the earth. When verse 14 happens, it says, sing aloud to daughter of Zion, shout to Israel, rejoice and exult with all your heart. Why? Because the Lord has taken away the judgment against you, cast away all your enemies and the King of Israel, the Lord is in your midst. This is an incredible prophecy of Jesus Christ coming. Jesus Christ, who is the King, he is going to be coming in your midst. Emmanuel, God with us, God dwelling in us. You shall fear evil no more. On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem, do not fear, O Zion, let not your hands grow weak because the Lord your God is in your midst. He is a warrior who gives victory. And this is Jesus, right? Who conquers death through his cross. He conquers sin through

his cross. He conquers Satan through his cross. He is the warrior. Jesus Christ is a warrior who gives victory. And then lastly, he will rejoice over you with gladness. He will renew you in his love. He will exalt over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. God himself is the image. This is why we have to embrace that shame at first, right? In the healthiest possible way, we have to embrace the shame at first, right? In the healthiest possible way, we have to embrace the shame because then it says, and then he will rejoice over you. He will turn your shame into praise and glory. He will turn your shame into something else. But if I say, no, no, no, I don't have any shame, then he doesn't have anything to turn into glory.

On that day, God himself will sing over you in joy. On that day, God himself will sing over you in joy. On that day, God himself will sing over you with joy. And right now, that's what he wants to do. Right now, even, is a day of redemption, right? If you've been made into God's son or daughter, this is a day already. He already rejoices over you. He already sings over you.

And he wants to turn the shame that all of us have into something incredible. He will turn your shame into glory and his praise forever and ever. So you don't have to hide. We don't have to run away. We don't have to deny it. We just have to let him have access to our shame so we can turn it into something incredible. Shame is not our end. Shame is the tool that God is using to transform into glory. He loves you. He exalts over you.

God himself sings over you. Therefore, raise your head and do not be ashamed. I'm praying for you. Please pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.