The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 86: The Real Presence of God (2025)

Episode Date: March 27, 2025

Fr. Mike reminds us that God is present with us in every step of our journey, even the seemingly mundane aspects. He also encourages us to not be discouraged on this journey, but to focus on relating to the historic stories of our biblical brothers and sisters. Today's readings are Joshua 15-18, and Psalm 130. 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 86 and we are reading three chapters in Joshua. They are exciting, action-packed chapters of Joshua where we hear a lot about a map.

And if you've ever heard all these words without a lot of context, it's going to be a great journey because it's part of God's Word. And so we're going to hear from Joshua chapter 15, 16, 17, and 18. That's four chapters of Joshua. And also praying Psalm 130 130 the Bible translation that I am using is the Revised Standard Version second Catholic edition I'm using the great adventure Bible from ascension to download your Bible in a year rating plan You can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year. You can also subscribe in your podcast app Did you know you can subscribe to this podcast? That's just blows the mind like you didn't have to keep searching for it every single day like you've been doing for the last

84 days or 85 days on this day 86 just hit that subscribe button and it finds you you don't have to find it It finds you as I said today is day 86 reading from Joshua 15 16 17 18 and praying psalm 130 The book of Joshua chapter 15 the territory of Judah The lot for the tribe of the people of Judah, according to their families, reached southward to the boundary of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin at the farthest south, and their south boundary ran from the end of the salt sea from the bay that faces southward. It goes out southward of the ascent of Akrabim, passes along to Z Zin and goes up south of Kadeshbarnea along by Hezrun up to Adar, turns about to Karka, passes along to Asman, goes out by the brook of Egypt, and comes to its end

at the sea. This shall be your south boundary. And the east boundary is the salt sea, to the mouth of the Jordan. And the boundary on the north side runs from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan, and the boundary goes up to Beth-Hogla, and passes along north of Beth-Arabah. And the boundary goes up to the stone of Bohan, the son of Reuben. And the boundary goes up to Dabir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, turning toward Gilgal, which is opposite the ascent of Adumim, which is on the south side of the valley, and the boundary passes along to the waters of En-Shamesh and ends at En-Rogal. Then the boundary goes up by the valley of the son of Hinnom, at the southern shoulder

of the Jebusite, that is, Jerusalem. And the boundary goes up to the top of the mountain that lies over against the valley of Hinnom, on the west, at the northern end of the valley of the mountain that lies over against the valley of Hinnom on the west, at the northern end of the valley of Rafaim. Then the boundary extends from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Neftoah and from there to the cities of Mount Ephron. Then the boundary bends around to Ba'ala, that is, Kiryat Jireem. And the boundary circles west of Ba'ala to Mount Sa'ir, passes along the northern

shoulder of Mount Jireem, that is, Chesalan, and goes down to Beth Shamesh and passes along by Timnah. The boundary goes out to the shoulder of the hill north of Ekran. Then the boundary bends around to Shekaron and passes along to Mount Ba'ala and goes out to Jabnil. Then the boundary comes to an end at the sea and the west boundary was the great sea with its coastline. This is the boundary round about the people of Judah according to their families. Caleb occupies his portion. According to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua,

he gave to Caleb the son of Jefhenna a portion among the people of Judah, Kiriath-arba, that is Hebron. Arba was the father of Anak and Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Shashai and Achiman and Talmai, the descendants of Anak and he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir. Now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sefir and Caleb said, Now, the name of Dabir formerly was Kiryat-Sephir. And Caleb said, Whoever strikes Kiryat-Sephir, and takes it, to him will I give Aksha, my daughter, as wife. And Othniel, the son of Canas, the brother of Caleb, took it.

And he gave him Aksha, his daughter, as wife. When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field, and she alighted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, What do you wish? She said to him, Give me a present, since you have set me in the land of the Negev, give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. The Towns of Judah This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah according to their families.

The cities belonging to the tribe of the people of Judah in the extreme south toward the boundary of Edom were Kabzeel, Edir, Jagur, Kinnah, Dimunah, Adada, Kadesh, Hazor, Ethnan, Zif, Talim, B'aloth, Hazor Hadatha, Kerron, that is, Hezor, Amam, Shema, Mulada, Hazar Gada, Hashmon, Beth Palette, Hazar Shual, Bir Shiba, Beziothiah, Ba'ala, Ayim, Izzim, El-Tolad, Chazil, Horma, Ziklag, Madmanah, Sansana, Lebauth, Shilkhim, Ain, and Rimon. In all 29 cities with their villages, and in the lowland, Eshtah ol, Zorah, Ashnah, Zanua, Enganim, Tapua, Enam, Jarmuth, Adulam, Soko, Azekah, Sha'a Ra'im, Adita'im, Gede Ra, Gede Rotha'im, 14 cities with their villages. Zanan, Hadasha, Migdal Gadd, Dillian, Mizpa, Jokthael, Lakshish, Bozkath, Eglan, Kavon, Lamam, Chitlish, Gediroth, Beth-Degan, Naama, and Makkada, sixteen cities

with their villages. Libna, Aether, Ashan, Ifta, Ashna, Nezib, Ke'ilah, Aqsib, and Marasha, nine cities with their villages. Ekran, with its towns and its villages, from Ekron to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod with their villages. Ashdod, its towns and its villages, Gaza, its towns and its villages, to the brook of Egypt and the great sea with its coastline. And in the hill country, Shamir, Jatir, Soko, Dana,yat Sanaa, that is Dibir, Anab, Eshtemo,

Anim, Goshen, Holon, and Gilo, 11 cities with their villages. Arab, Dumah, Eshan, Janim, Beth Tpua, Afakah, Humta, Kiryat Arba, that is Hebron, and Ziur, 9 cities and their villages. Ma'on, Carmel, Zif, Judah, Jezreel, Jukda'am, Zanua, Ka'in, Gibiya, and Timna. Ten cities with their villages. Halkhul, Beth-Zur, Gidur, Ma'arath, Beth-Anath, and El-Takan, six cities with their villages. Kiryath-Ba'al, that is Kiryath-Jerim, and Rabah, two cities with their villages. In the wilderness, Beth-Arabah, Medin, Sakakhah, Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and Ein Gedi, six cities with their villages.

But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the people of Judah, could not drive out. So the Jebusites dwell with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day. Chapter 16. The Territory of Ephraim. The allotment of the descendants of Joseph went from the Jordan by Jericho, east of the waters of Jericho, into the wilderness, going up from Jericho into the hill country to Bethel, then going from Bethel to Luz. It passes along to Ataraath, the territory of the Arkites, then it goes down westward

to the territory of the Japhletites, as far as the territory of lower Beth-Haron, then to Gezer, and it ends at the sea. The people of Joseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim received their inheritance. The territory of the Ephraimites by their families was as follows. The boundary of their inheritance on the east was at Arath-Adar as far as upper Bethharon, and the boundary that goes thence to the sea on the north is Mikmatha. Then on the east the boundary turns round toward Taanath Shiloh and passes along beyond it on the east to Genoa. Then it goes down from Genoa to Atroth and to Naara and touches Jericho, ending at the Jordan.

From Tapua the boundary goes westward to the brook of Kana, and ends at the sea. Such is the inheritance of the tribe of the Ephraimites by their families, together with the towns which were set apart for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manasseites, all those towns with their villages. However, they did not drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer. So the Canaanites have dwelt in the midst of Ephraim to this day, but have become slaves to do forced labor. Chapter 17. The Territory of the Half-Tribe of Manasseh West.

Then the allotment was made to the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. To Makir, the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, were allotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a man of war. And allotments were made to the rest of the tribe of Gilead, were allotted Gilead in Bashan, because he was a man of war. And allotments were made to the rest of the tribe of Manasseh by their families, Abi-Ezir, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hefer, and Shemida. These were the male descendants of Manasseh by the son of Joseph, by their families. Now, Zilophahad, the son of Hefer, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, but only daughters, and these are the names of his daughters, Mala, Noah, Hogla,

Milka, and Tirzah. They came before Eliezer the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the leaders, and said, The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance along with our brethren. So according to the commandment of the Lord, he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father." Thus there fell to Manasseh ten portions besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side of the Jordan, because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. The land of Gilead was allotted to the rest of the Manassites. The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Miqmetath, which is east of Shechem. Then the boundary goes along southward to the inhabitants of N-Tapua. The

land of Tapua belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tapua on the boundary of Manasseh belonged to the sons of Ephraim. Then the boundary went down to the brook of Cana. The cities here, to the south of the brook, among the cities of Manasseh, belong to Ephraim. Then the boundary of Manasseh goes on the north side of the brook and ends at the sea, the land to the south being Ephraim's and that to the north being Manasseh's. With the sea forming its boundary, on the north Asher is reached and on the east Issachar. Also in Issachar and in Asher, Manasseh had Beth-Shean and its villages, and Ibleim and its villages, and the inhabitants of Dor and its villages,

and the inhabitants of Endor and its villages, and the inhabitants of Tanakh and its villages, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages. The third is Nefath. Yet the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land. But when the sons of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and did not utterly drive them out. The tribe of Joseph protests. And the tribe of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, Why have you given me but one lot and one portion as an inheritance, although I am a numerous people, since hitherto the Lord has blessed me?

And Joshua said to them, If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest, and there clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you. The tribe of Joseph said, The hill country is not enough for us, yet all the Canaanites who dwell in the plain have chariots of iron, both those in Bethshan and its villages, and those in the Valley of Jezreel.

Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, you are a numerous people and have great power. You shall not have one lot only, but the hill country shall be yours. For though it is a forest, you shall clear it and possess it to its farthest borders. For you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.

Chapter 18. The Territories of the Remaining Tribes. Then the whole congregation of the sons of Israel assembled at Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there. The land lay subdued before them. There remained among the sons of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned. So Joshua said to the sons of Israel, How long will you be slack to go in and take possession

of the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you? Provide three men from each tribe, and I will send them out, that they may set out and go up and down the land, writing a description of it with a view to their inheritances, and then come to me. They shall divide it into seven portions, Judah continuing in his territory on the south, and the house of Joseph in their territory on the north. And you shall describe the land in seven divisions, and bring the description here to me, and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.

The Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of the LORD is their heritage. And Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them." So the men started on their way, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, Go up and down, and write a description of the land, and come again to me, and I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh. So the men went, and passed up and down in the land, and set down in a book a description of it by towns in seven divisions.

Then they came to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh, and Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord. And there Joshua apportioned the land to the sons of Israel to each his portion. The Territory of Benjamin The lot of the tribe of Benjamin, according to its families, came up, and the territory allotted to it fell between the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Joseph. On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan. Then the boundary goes up to the shoulder north of Jericho, then up through the hill country westward. It ends at the wilderness of Beth-Aven. From there the boundary passes along southward in the direction of Luz,

to the shoulder of Luz. Same is Bethel. Then the boundary goes down to At-Tirath-Adar, upon the mountain that lies south of lower Beth-Haron. Then the boundary goes in another direction, turning on the western side southward from the mountain that lies to the south, opposite Beth-Haron, and it ends at Kiryat Baal, that is Kiryat Jareem, a city belonging to the tribe of Judah. This forms the western side, and the southern side begins at the outskirts of Kiriath-Jarim and the boundary goes up from there to Ephron, to the springs of the waters of Neftuah. Then the boundary goes down to the border of the mountain that overlooks the valley

of the sons of Hinnom, which is at the north end of the valley of Raphayim. And then it goes down the valley of Hinnom, south of the shoulder of the Jebusites, and downward to En-Rogel. Then it bends in a northerly direction, going on to En-Shemesh, and thence goes to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adumim. Then it goes down to the stone of Bohan, the son of Reuben, and passing on to the north of the shoulder of Beth-Arabah, it goes down to the Arabah. Then the boundary passes on to the north of the shoulder of Beth-Arabah, it goes down to the Arabah. Then the boundary passes on to the north of the shoulder of Beth-Hogla.

And the boundary ends at the northern bay of the salt sea, at the south end of the Jordan. This is the southern border. The Jordan forms its boundary on the eastern side. This is the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin, according to its families, boundary by boundary, roundabout. Now, the cities of the tribe of Benjamin, according to their families, boundary by boundary, roundabout. Now the cities of the tribe of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, Beth-Hogla, Emek-Kaziz, Beth-Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, Avim, Parah, Ofrah, Chephar-Amonai, Ofnai, Giba, 12 cities with their villages, Gibeon, Ramah, Be'eroth, Mizpah, Cheferah, Mosah,

Rakham, Erpiel, Tarala, Zeila, Ha Elaph, Jebus, Jerusalem, Ghibia, and Kiryath Jareem, 14 cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin according to its families. Psalm 130 Waiting for Divine Redemption A Song of Ascents Out of the depths I cried to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If you, O Lord, should

mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared. I wait for the Lord. My soul waits, and in his word I hope. My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption and he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. Father in heaven, we give you praise and glory. We thank you for this time together. We thank you for the names and the fact that God this is a real story. It's a true

story with real places and real people in a real time and we are giving you praise because we also are real people at a real place in a real time and we know that just as you acted in the lives of the people of Israel, you act in our lives today. Help us to see your hand and to see your work, to follow your will and do it in all times and all things. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit amen as I said super exciting reading today oh my goodness but that's the case I mean that's one of the reasons why and this is not a commercial but it is definitely a reason why the great adventure Bible is so helpful because in the back there are these things called maps and those maps you can look and see okay this is my invitation I should have said at the very beginning of this the reading for today, but we're going on to two more descriptions tomorrow So keep that in mind But one of the things you can do is I love the fact that since I'm reading this out loud and you're listening to this

You could go back to say for example page 1595 in your great adventure Bible and you can actually follow with your eyes what you're hearing with your ears And so it's not just kind of this in your Great Adventure Bible, and you can actually follow with your eyes what you're hearing with your ears. And so it's not just kind of this, okay, here's some names, and they're going southward toward the desert and over this to the river and over this to this city. Instead, you can see it with your eyes

and see that, oh no, this is a real place. It was in a real time divided among these real people. And that's kind of the lesson I wanna take is that we recognize that Judeo-Christianity, Christianity itself, is an historical religion. It's not just this idea that came kind of the lesson I want to take is that we recognize that Judeo Christianity, Christianity itself is an historical religion. It's not just this idea that came out of nowhere. It actually is God himself who took flesh and dwelt among us at a particular time in a particular place and following Christ is the same.

We are not just kind of this esoteric kind of floating in the haze. We are actually called to be here and now. And so as you're driving to work or as you're coming home from work, as you're out for a walk or doing your dishes or whatever you're doing when you're listening to this, sitting down and reading your Bible maybe, know that God is with you,

just as he was with the people of Israel, not somewhere in the future, not somewhere in the past, but right now and right here. And that's the lesson, one of the lessons from today. Oh gosh, let's keep praying for each other because days like today, sometimes are a little bit discouraging. We're like, man, I didn't get anything out of that.

But know that the Lord is with you and the Lord does guide you as he's guiding all of us who want to be faithful to him. I'm praying for you. I know you are praying for me. I'm so grateful for that. My name is Father Mike and I cannot wait to see you tomorrow.

God bless.