The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 299: Jeremiah Hides the Ark (2022)

Episode Date: October 26, 2022

Fr. Mike discusses the story of Jeremiah and the Ark of the Covenant, offering insight on where it was hidden and how that affected the people of God. He also looks ahead to the rest of 2 Maccabees and poses a question for all of us: What will the people who love us remember about us? Today’s readings are 2 Maccabees 2, Sirach 42-44, and Proverbs 24:8-9. 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 299. You guys, I can do the math today.

There are 66 more. This easy math for me. Tomorrow will be even easier. We have 65 days tomorrow, 66 days left today. It is day 299. We're reading the second book of the Maccabees, chapter 2, also Sirach, chapter 42, 43, and 44, as well as Proverbs 24, verses 8 and 9. As always, the Bible translation 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. If you haven't done it yet, why not? Get in on the last 66 days. Why not do it today? Also, did you know that you can subscribe to this podcast by clicking on subscribe in whatever place you like to listen to podcasts, except for Hallow,

which is great because the benefit about Hallllow, you don't have to subscribe, but you do get to have those sounds in the background. I still haven't tried it. I'm gonna though very soon. As I said, today is day 299. We're reading second Maccabees chapter two, Sirach 42, 43, and 44 Proverbs chapter 24 verses eight and nine. The second book of the Maccabees, chapter 2. Jeremiah hides the tent, ark, and altar. One finds in the records that Jeremiah the prophet ordered those who were being deported to take some of the fire as has been told, and that the prophet after giving them the law instructed those who were being deported not to forget the commandments of the Lord,

nor to be led astray in their thoughts upon seeing the gold and silver statues and their adornment. And with other similar words, he exhorted them that the law should not depart from their hearts. It was also in the writing that the prophet, having received an oracle, ordered that the tent and the ark should follow with him and that he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and had seen the inheritance of God. And Jeremiah came and found a cave, and he brought there the tent and the ark and the altar of incense, and he sealed up the entrance. Some of those who followed him came up to mark the way, but could not find it. When Jeremiah learned of it, he rebuked them and declared, This place shall be unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy. And then the Lord will disclose of wisdom, Solomon offered sacrifice for the

dedication and completion of the temple. Just as Moses prayed to the Lord and fire came down from heaven and devoured the sacrifices, so also Solomon prayed and the fire came down and consumed the whole burnt offerings. And Moses said, they were consumed because the sin offering had not been eaten. Likewise, Solomon also kept the eight days. The same things are reported in the records and in the memoirs of Nehemiah, and also that he founded a library and collected the books about the kings and prophets, and the writings of David, and the letters of kings about votive offerings. In the same way, Judas also collected all the books that had been lost on account of the war

which had come upon us, and they are in our possession. So if you have need of them, send people to get them for you. Since therefore we are about to celebrate the purification, we write to you. Will you therefore please keep the days? It is God who has saved all his people and has returned the inheritance to all and the kingship and priesthood and consecration as he promised through the law. For we have hope in God that he will soon have mercy upon us and will gather us from everywhere under heaven into his holy place, for he has rescued us from great evils and has purified the place. The Compiler's Preface

The story of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, and the purification of the great temple and the dedication of the altar, and further the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes and his son Eupator and the appearances which came from heaven to those who strove zealously on behalf of Judaism, so that though few in number, they seized the whole land and pursued the barbarian hordes and recovered the temple famous throughout the world and freed the city and restored the laws that were about to be abolished, while the Lord, with great kindness, became gracious to them. All this, which has been set forth by Jason of Cyrene in five volumes, we shall attempt to condense into a single book. For considering the flood of numbers involved, and the difficulty there is for those who wish to enter upon the narratives of history because of the mass of material, we have aimed to please those who wish to read, to make it easy for those who are inclined to memorize, and to profit all readers.

For us, who have undertaken the toil of abbreviating, it is no light matter, but calls for sweat and loss of sleep, just as it is not easy for one who prepares a banquet and seeks the benefit of others. However, to secure the gratitude of many, we will gladly endure the uncomfortable toil, leaving the responsibility for exact details to the compiler while devoting our efforts to arriving at the outlines of the condensation. For as the master builder of a new house must be concerned with the whole construction, while the one who undertakes its painting and decoration has to consider only what is

suitable for its adornment, such, in my judgment, is the case with us. It is the duty of the original historian to occupy the ground and to discuss matters from every side and to take trouble with details. But the one who recasts the narrative should be allowed to strive for brevity of expression and to forego exhaustive treatment. At this point, therefore, let us begin our narrative, adding only so much to what has already been said, for it is foolish to lengthen the preface while cutting short the history itself. The Book of Sirach, Chapter 42 Of the following things, do not be ashamed, and do not let partiality lead you to sin.

Of the law of the Most High and His covenant, and of rendering judgment to acquit the ungodly of keeping accounts with a partner or with traveling companions and of dividing the inheritance of friends of accuracy with scales and weights and of acquiring much or little of profit from dealing with merchants and of much discipline of children, and of whipping a wicked servant severely. Where there is an evil wife, a seal is a good thing, and where there are many hands, lock things up. Whatever you deal out, let it be by number and weight, and make a record of all that you give out or take in. Do not be ashamed to instruct the stupid or foolish

or the aged man who quarrels with the young. Then you will be truly instructed and will be approved before all men. A daughter keeps her father secretly wakeful. A worry over her robs him of sleep when she is young lest she not marry or if married lest she be hated. While a virgin lest she be defiled

or become pregnant in her father's house or having a husband lest she prove hated. While a virgin, lest she be defiled, or become pregnant in her father's house. Or having a husband, lest she prove unfaithful. Or, though married, lest she be barren. Keep strict watch over a headstrong daughter, lest she make you a laughingstock to your enemies, a byword in the city and notorious among the people, and put you to shame before the great multitude. Do not look upon anyone for beauty,

and do not sit in the midst of women. For from garments comes the moth, and from a woman comes woman's wickedness. Better is the wickedness of a man than a woman who does good, and it is a woman who brings shame and disgrace. I will now call to mind the works of the Lord, and will declare what I have seen. By the words of the Lord his works are done, and in his will justice is carried out. The sun looks down on everything with its light, and the work of the Lord is full of his glory. The Lord has not enabled his holy ones to recount all his marvelous works, which the Lord the Almighty has established, that the universe may stand firm in his glory. He searches out the abyss in the hearts

of men and considers their crafty devices. For the Most High knows all that may be known, and he looks into the signs of the age. He declares what has been and what is to be, and he reveals the tracks of hidden things. No thought escapes him, and not one word is hidden from him. He has ordained the splendors of his wisdom, and he is from everlasting and to everlasting. Nothing can be added or taken away, and he needs no one to be his counselor. How greatly to be desired are all his works, and how sparkling they are to see. All these things live and remain forever for every need, and all are obedient. All things are twofold, one opposite every need, and all are obedient. All things are twofold, one opposite the other, and he has made nothing incomplete.

One confirms the good things of the other, and who can have enough of beholding his glory? Chapter 43. God's Greatness in Creation. The pride of the heavenly heights is the clear firmament, the appearance of heaven in a spectacle of glory. The sun, when it appears, making proclamation as it goes forth, is a marvelous instrument, the work of the Most High. At noon it parches the land, and who can withstand its burning heat? A man tending a furnace works in burning heat, but the sun burns the mountains three times as much. It breathes out fiery vapors, and with bright beams it blinds the eyes. Great is the Lord who made it, and at his command it hastens on its course. He made the moon also, to serve in its season, to mark the times and to be an everlasting sign.

From the moon comes the sign for feast days, a light that wanes when it has reached the full. The month is named for the moon, increasing marvelously in its phases, an instrument of the hosts on high shining forth in the firmament of heaven. The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven, a gleaming array in the heights of the Lord. At the command of the Holy One they they stand as ordered. They never relax in their watches. Look upon the rainbow and praise him who made it exceedingly beautiful in its brightness. It encircles the heaven with its glorious arc. The hands of the Most High have stretched it out. By his command, he sends the driving snow and speeds the lightning of his judgment. Therefore, the storehouses are

opened and the clouds fly forth like birds. In his majesty, he amasses the clouds and the hailstones are broken in pieces. At his appearing, the mountains are shaken. At his will, the south wind blows. The voice of his thunder rebukes the earth. So do the tempest from the north and the whirlwind. He scatters the snow like birds flying down, and its descent is like locusts alighting. The eye marvels at the beauty of its whiteness, and the mind is amazed at its falling. He pours the hoarfrost upon the earth like salt, and when it freezes, it becomes pointed thorns. The cold north wind blows, and ice freezes over the water. It rests

upon every pool of water, and the water puts it on like a breastplate. He consumes the mountains and burns up the wilderness, and withers the tender grass like fire. A mist quickly heals all things. When the dew appears, it refreshes from the heat. By his counsel, he stilled the great deep and planted islands in it. Those who sail the sea tell of its dangers, and we marvel at what we hear. For in it are strange and marvelous works, all kinds of living things and huge creatures of the sea. Because of him, his messenger finds the way, and by his word, all things hold together. Though we speak much, we cannot reach the end, and the sum of our words is, he is the all. Where shall we find strength to praise him? For he is greater than all his works. Terrible is the Lord, and very great and marvelous is his

power. When you praise the Lord, exalt him as much as you can, for he will surpass even that. When you exalt him, put forth all your strength, and do not grow weary, for you cannot praise him enough. Who has seen him, and can describe him, or who can extol him as he is? Many things greater than these lie hidden, for we have seen but few of his works. For the Lord has made all things, and to the godly he has granted wisdom. Chapter 44. Praise of Our Fathers. Let us now praise famous men and our fathers in their generations. The Lord apportioned to them great glory, his majesty from the beginning. There were those who ruled in their kingdoms

and were men renowned for their power, giving counsel by their understanding and proclaiming prophecies. Leaders of the people in their deliberations and in understanding of learning for the people, wise in their words of instruction. Those who composed musical tunes and set forth verses in writing. Rich men furnished with resources, living peaceably in their habitations. All these were honored in their generations and were the glory of their times. There are some of them who have left a name so that men declare their praise. And there are some who have no memorial, who have perished as though they had not lived. They have become as though they had not been born and so have their children after them.

But these were men of mercy whose righteous deeds had not been born, and so have their children after them. But these were men of mercy, whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten. Their prosperity will remain with their descendants, and their inheritance to their children's children. Their descendants stand by the covenants, their children also for their sake. Their posterity will continue forever, and their glory will not be blotted out. Their bodies were buried in peace and their name lives to all generations. People will declare their wisdom and the congregation proclaims their praise. Enoch pleased the Lord and was taken up. He was an example of repentance to all generations. Noah was found perfect and righteous. In the time of wrath, he was taken

in exchange. Therefore, a remnant was left to the earth when the flood came. Everlasting covenants were made with him that all flesh should not be blotted out by a flood. Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and no one has been found like him in glory. He kept the law of the Most High and was taken into covenant with him. He established the covenant in his flesh, and when he was tested, he was found faithful. Therefore the Lord assured him by an oath that the nations would be blessed through his posterity, that he would multiply him like the dust of the earth, and exalt his posterity like the stars, and cause them to inherit from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. To Isaac also he gave the same assurance, for the sake of Abraham his father.

The blessing of all men and the covenant he made to rest upon the head of Jacob. He acknowledged him with his blessings and gave him his inheritance. He determined his portions and distributed them among twelve tribes. The book of Proverbs chapter 24 verses eight and nine. He who plans to do evil will be called a mischief maker. The devising of folly is sin and the scoffer is an abomination to men. Father in heaven, we give you praise and glory. Thank you so much. In the name of your son, Jesus, please receive our thanks today. Please, Lord God, receive our prayer

of giving you praise and giving you the blessing that is yours. You are good. You are glorified. Help us to glorify you in our speech. Help us to glorify you in our actions and everything we choose to do today. Help us to glorify you by the things we choose not to do.

Lord God, there are things that will come across our plates today that we, Lord, you call us to say no to them. You call us to let them go. You call us to put them down. You call us to set them free. And by doing so, setting ourselves free for loving you and for loving the people around us. Help us to let go of anger and bitterness and resentment. Help us to let go of greed and of pride and vanity. Lord, help us to let go of anger and bitterness and resentment help us to let go of greed and of pride and vanity lord help us to let go of anything and everything that keeps us from you in jesus name we pray amen in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen gosh you guys how awesome is the second book of the maccabees i told you i told you that first maccabees kind of what's the word i don't want to say dry, but kind of just, you know, going through the motions. Second Maccabees, you got some insights here, including the insight of what the heck happened

to the ark. If you listened to Jeff and my introduction to this Maccabean revolt time period, you already heard that Jeremiah at one point, right? 500 BC, 500 plus BC. At some point with all the stuff going down, what did Jeremiah do? Jeremiah took the tent and the altar and the ark and he put them in a secret cave, right? Basically where Moses had been buried as well

and left it unmarked. Now this is, gosh, this is gonna be so incredible. You know, you guys, in 60-ish days, we're gonna hear something from the book of Revelation, chapter 12, where from this moment, the moment of Jeremiah, 500 plus years before Jesus, is the last time anyone saw the ark. It's the last time.

Remember, the presence of God would abide in the ark. Inside the ark were the three things, right? The Aaron's staff, the symbol of the high priest, the man of the bread from heaven, as well as the law of Moses, or the 10 commandments, the symbol of the high priest, the man of the bread from heaven, as well as the law of Moses or the 10 commandments, the word of God. And so we realize, of course, that Mary's the new ark and Jesus is what, he is the great high priest. He is the word become flesh and dwelling among us.

And he is the true bread from heaven, as he says in John chapter six. And so in Revelation chapter 12, where's the next time we're gonna see the ark of the covenant. But at this point, here are the people and they have a temple and the temple is empty. When I say this point, I mean 500 years ago or 400, 300 years before the Maccabees here. They're rewinding to show that, yes, there may be a rebuilding or a re-consecration of the temple,

but that temple is going to be empty. Yes, there's going to be sacrifices offered there, but the temple is going to be bereft of the presence of God in this particular way that's signified and made real by the Ark of the Covenant. And this is just, man, bonkers, so good, so cool, that here in 2 Maccabees 2, what happened. Also, I love the compiler's preface.

That's the end of 2 Maccabees 2, where it basically says, there's a five volume set out there by Jason of Cyrene telling the entire story of Judas Maccabeus and all of his brothers and everything that happened with Antiochus Epiphanes and his son, Jupiter and all these. This is a summary. It basically says for the next, you know, basically I think there's total 15 chapters.

So for the next 13 chapters, beginning with chapter three till chapter 15, 12 chapters, I'm so bad at math. You guys, I'm so sorry. The next number of chapters from three until 15, this is a summary. And I'm going to distill this into making this as short and brief as possible, but I'm going to highlight, he doesn't really say this, but he kind of says this. I'm going to highlight God's role in all of this. I'm going to highlight the faithfulness of the people, not just the battles of Judas Maccabeus and the other people who are involved in this, but I'm going to highlight where God was in this and how people were called to be great heroes in not abandoning the faith and how some did abandon the faith. And that's just, this is remarkable. And there's something about this. There's something about reading these stories of people that we know their names now, right?

Even the last, gosh, what was it? 16 days of reading Maccabees, first Maccabees, we got to know Judas Maccabeus, you know, and the son of Mattathias and their brothers, Jonathan and Simon and his son, John, and all these people, their names are remembered by us. We realize that there are folks who are remembered and there are folks who are not remembered. You know, it's important to remember history, obviously. It's important to honor those who have gone before us as much as we possibly can. But at some point, as we've said before here, every one of us will be forgotten. But it's still good to live in such a way that when people remember us, what do they remember? You know, we may not be remembered by the world around people around the world, but

when your kids remember you, maybe even your grandkids, probably not our great, I say our, but your great grandkids. But when your kids remember you, what would they remember? You know, at the end of the reading of Sirach today, chapter 44, it talks about praise of our fathers, praise of those people who have gone before us. And there's Noah and there's Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. What will the people who love us remember about us? I think it's a pretty good question. Will they remember this thing? Will they remember that we loved them? Will they remember that we loved the Lord and that they know Jesus just a little bit

better because of us? I hope so. I hope so that I hope that's true for my, my, my family. I hope that's true for the students that I work with. I hope that they can say, you know, if they forget me, no problem. But if they know Jesus because of the witness that we're able to give to them, that's enough. Even if they forget our names, if they'd never forget his name, that would be enough. Because I just want to end with this from chapter 43 of Sirach. It is verse 27.

Though we speak much, we cannot reach the end. And the sum of our words is, four words here, he is the all. We can talk about God forever. We could praise God forever. That we speak much we cannot reach the end. And the sum of all of our words is he is the all. It goes on to say, where shall we

find strength to praise him? For he's greater than all his works. Terrible is the Lord and very great and marvelous is his power. When you praise the Lord, exalt him as much as you can, for he will surpass even that. When you exalt him, put forth all your strength and do not grow weary, for you cannot praise him enough. Gosh, what an incredible gift. It's true. To be able to know the Lord like that, to be able to praise him like that is an incredible gift.

And so we pray for that. We pray for that gift. He is the all. God, you are the all. And we thank you. We praise you and we love you. Help us to love you better. Brothers and sisters, my friends, I am praying for you. Please pray for me. What a gift. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.