The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 365: The Beginning and the End (2022)

Episode Date: December 31, 2022

Congratulations, you have made it to the last day of the Bible in a Year journey! Fr. Mike concludes our journey through the Bible by reflecting on the promise of a new heaven and a new earth in Revelation 21. It is this profound promise that reassures us that Christ is the beginning and the end, the one who makes all things new, the one who wipes away every tear, the one who conquers death, and the only one who offers us everlasting life, a life without end. Today's readings are Revelation 21-22, Hebrews 11-13, and Proverbs 31:30-31. 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 365. Praise the Lord. We're reading from the Revelation to John, chapter 21 and 22, the conclusion of the Bible,

as well as the letter to the Hebrews, chapter 11, 12, and 13. We're also reading Proverbs chapter 31, verses 30 through 31. 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 in a year reading plan to see what you've done, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year or print it off today. Get ready for tomorrow, year two, day one. You can also, you know what? I'm not asking. I'm not even going to mention it.

I'm not even going to mention it. You do what you want. It's been an incredible walk through the Bible with you. So I'm not even going to say the word. Not today. Okay. It's day 365. We're reading the Revelation to John chapter 21 and 22, the letter to the Hebrews chapters 11, 12, and 13 and Proverbs chapter 31 verses 30 and 31. The revelation to John chapter 21, the new heaven and the new earth. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away. And he who sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. Also he said, Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true. And he said to me, It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water without price from the fountain of the water of life. He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars. Their lot shall be in the lake that

burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Vision of the New Jerusalem Then came one of the seven angels, who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, and spoke to me, saying, Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. And in the Spirit he carried me away to a great high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper clear as crystal. It had a great high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes

of the sons of Israel were inscribed, on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he who talked to me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies four square, its length the same as its breadth. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and breadth and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by a man's measure, that is an angel's.

The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass. And I saw no temple in the city, for the temple is the Lord God the Almighty

and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light shall the nations walk, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it, and its gates shall never be shut by day, and there shall be no night there. They shall bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations, but nothing unclean shall enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. Chapter 22, River of the Water of Life. Then he showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal,

flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. Also on either side of the river, the tree of life with its 12 kinds of fruit yielding its fruit each month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There shall no more be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall worship him. They shall see his face, and his name shall be on their foreheads, and night shall be no more. They need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God

will be their light, and they shall reign forever and ever. And he said to me, These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. Epilogue and Benediction. I, John, am he who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. But he said to me, You must not do that. I am a fellow servant with you and your brethren, the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God. And he said to me, Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy. Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense

to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. I, Jesus, have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him who hears say, come. And let him who is thirsty come. Let him who desires take the water of life without price. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described

in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, surely I am coming soon. Amen. Come Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen. The Letter to the Hebrews, Chapter 11. The Meaning of Faith. Now, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it, the men of old received divine approval. By faith, we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear. The examples of Abel, Enoch, and Noah.

By faith, Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he received approval as righteous, God bearing witness by accepting his gifts. He died, but through his faith he is still speaking. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found because God had taken him. Now, before he was taken, he was attested as having pleased God, and without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning the events as yet unseen, took heed and constructed

an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness which comes by faith. The Faith of Abraham By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.

For he looked forward to the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore, from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received what was promised, but having seen it and greeted it from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they

had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promise was ready to offer up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, Through Isaac shall your descendants be named. He considered that God was able to raise men even from the dead. Hence, he did receive him back, and this was a symbol. By faith, Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith, Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the

sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith, Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his burial. The Faith of Moses By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. By faith, Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered abuse suffered for the Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt,

for he looked to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. The faith of other heroes in Israel's history. By faith, the people crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith, Rahab the harlot did not perish with those who were disobedient because she had given friendly welcome to the spies. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah,

of David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned. They were sa and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats,

destitute, afflicted, ill-treated, of whom the world was not worthy, wandering over deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Chapter 12. The Example of Jesus. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself,

so that you may not grow weary or faint-hearted. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons? My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him. For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them. Shall we not much more

be subject to the father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time at their pleasure, but he disciplines us for our good that we may share his holiness. For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant. Later, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Exhortation to be strong and avoid sin. Therefore, lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one failed to obtain the grace of God, that no root of bitterness spring up and cause trouble, and by it that many become defiled. That no one be immoral or irreligious like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers entreat that no further messages be spoken to them.

For they could not endure the order that was given. If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned. Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, I tremble with fear. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel. See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less

shall we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. His voice then shook the earth, but now This phrase, yet once more, indicates the removal of what is shaken, as of what has been made, in order that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving order that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. Chapter 13. Sacrifices Well-Pleasing to God Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them,

and those who are ill-treated, since you also are in the body. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money and be content with what you have. For he has said, I will never fail you nor forsake you.

Hence, we can confidently say, the Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings. For it is well that the heart be strengthened by grace, not by foods which have

not benefited their adherents. We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing abuse for him. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city which is to come. Through him, then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls as men who will have to give account. Let them do this joyfully and not sadly, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. I urge you the more earnestly to do this, in order that I may be restored to you the sooner. Benediction. Now, may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep

by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Final exhortation and greetings. Amen.

The book of Proverbs chapter 31 verses 30 and 31. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands and let her works praise her in the gates. Father in heaven, thank you. Father in heaven, thank you. Thank you. In Jesus' name, receive our thanks. In the name of the Father and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit, amen. Okay. So, this is it. One thing, just highlight about the end of Revelation, the end of the letter to the Hebrews, the end of our journey

this year, is the new heavens and the new earth. That God restores everything. God restores hearts. We heard yesterday, we're judged by what we've done on the earth. Of course, God's grace enables us to have access and to walk in faith and to be able to do good, but we have to choose to do that. But God wants us to do that. Jesus declares, I'm the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. He says this to the thirsty in chapter 21, to the thirsty, I will give water without price from the fountain of the water of life. He who conquers shall have this heritage and I will be his God and he shall be my son. God loves you already. He will never ever stop loving you. His plan for you is this, is again,

chapter 21 in verse three and four. He says, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them and they shall be his people. And God himself will be with them and he will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. I know that over the last 365 days, over the last year, you have experienced death. You've experienced loss. Siblings, you've lost parents, you've lost children.

You've lost your own children. Your spouses, lost children. You've lost your own children. Your spouses. And in this time, God has been speaking to you. This whole time, you know, he didn't abandon you in the midst of suffering. And he will never abandon you in the midst of suffering. It was in the midst of loss that he kept speaking to you. Because death is not the end. That loss is not the end. And truly, because the death is not the end. That loss is not the end. And, and, and truly, truly, this is not the end. Here's John looking into the, into heaven. He

sees this as he said, I saw no temple in the city for the temple is the Lord God, the almighty and the lamb. And the city has no need for sun or moon to shine on it for God himself gives the light. And God truly, he has not abandoned you, has not forsaken you. He has been speaking with you through this entire year. And this year may be the first year you ever listened every day and listened to his voice. And we're not afraid to take him with you into the suffering and not afraid to continue to listen to him in the midst of pain. And you didn't walk alone. And this is this incredible thing. This incredible word.

In the letter to the Hebrews. One of my favorite chapters is the beginning of chapter 12. After the author talks about the faith of Moses. And the faith of Abraham and Isaac. Israel's other heroes. He gives the example of Jesus in chapter 12. And he says, therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, all the saints right in heaven, all the saints have gone before us. Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every

weight and sin, which clings so closely and let us run with perseverance. The race that is set before us. You've been running. You've been running this last year. You haven't done it alone. There have been hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people running with you, this community that has been racing with you, running alongside of you, and you haven't been alone. Every time I've asked for prayers, you've been praying. Every time someone's been praying for you, in fact, not just someone, but many someones have been praying for you. You have not been on this journey alone. Every single

day, there have been brothers and sisters in the Lord at different places in our faith, right? Different places of knowing him or not knowing him, of doing well or failing and falling. I've been praying for you and been running next to you. We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, not only those in heaven, but also our brothers and sisters here on earth, especially this last year. And so what do we do? Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, looking to Jesus. Oh my gosh, how good is this? Looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

Keeping your eyes, like remember Peter stepped out of the boat and the moment he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the wind and the waves, he began to sink. Here is the author saying, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or faint-hearted. My brothers and sisters, this is the first trip, first trip around the sun

with our first trip through the word of God, so that you may not grow weary or faint-hearted, especially in those moments of discouragement. Here is the author says, in your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. So keep on going.

Keep on going because grace is with you. I have just two more things. First, some business. One of the things I want you to know is that I know people have written to me and saying, hey, do we get t-shirts? Or do you get like, I want a certificate. And actually, their certifications will be available for those who have completed this podcast. If you want a certification for having completed this Bible in a Year, go to ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year, because we want to give you certification. This is fantastic. So ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year, if you want certification. There's also, I mean, we ripped through so fast the book

of Revelation and the letter to the Hebrews at the end here. You know, Jeff Cavins, who has been part of our journey as well, he has a number of Bible studies on Hebrews and on Revelation. He and a man, Dr. Andrew Swofford, have another one on Romans and on other books of the Bible. So please check those out from Ascension Press. Those Bible studies have, over the course of the last maybe 20 years of my life, have really helped me. And so I just want to recommend those Ascension Bible studies. Also, look forward to in the upcoming years, upcoming, you know, who knows when, we'll have an opportunity to walk again.

Okay, here's the last thing. I'm really bad at goodbyes. So I've been thinking about this a lot of times with our students who it's their time to leave, you know, it's time to leave campus. And I've been thinking about this a lot of times with our students who it's their time to leave. It's time to leave campus. And I've let them know that, oh, Father Mike's bad at goodbyes. And the reason I've been praying about that a lot and thinking about what I would say on this day 365, I realized why I'm bad at goodbyes. It's not because I feel awkward, not just because I want to escape the moment. It's more because I don't have words to honor this moment. I don't have words to honor you. I don't have the words that

could honor what God has done in my life over this last year and being able to be able to walk with you. I don't have the words that can capture that. And so I don't, I'm not sure exactly how to end this. I just, maybe I'm not good at goodbyes, but it's not because I don't care. It's because I care so much and I can't put it into words.

This last year, you and God's word have meant everything. And I'm so grateful for every one of you. So grateful for your prayers. So grateful for your support. So grateful for just being able to know that I'm speaking to you as I'm reading the word of God. And I'm speaking to you as I'm reading the word of God. And I'm so grateful. And I don't have words that can capture the weight of how much you have meant to me,

how much this has meant to me. So I don't know how to say goodbye. So maybe I'll just say, praying for you, please pray for me. My name's Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.