The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 86: The Real Presence of God (2026)

Episode Date: March 27, 2026

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's 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. We are reading three chapters in Joshua. They are exciting action-packed on chapters of Joshua, where we hear a lot about a map.

And if you 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. The Bible translation that I am using is the revised standard version, second Catholic edition. I'm using the rate 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. 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 even have to find it. It finds you.

As I said, today is day 86. Reading from Joshua 15, 16, 17, and 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, 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 Zinn, and goes up south of Kadesh-Barnia, along by Hezran, up to Adar, turns about to Kharka,

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 Araba, and the boundary goes up to the stone of Bohan, the son of Rubin, and the boundary goes up to De Beir from the valley of Acor, and so northward, turning toward Gilgall, 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 Nshamesh,

and ends at N. Rogal. Then the boundary goes up by the valley of the sun 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 Raffaim. Then the boundary extends from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Nufthoa,

and from there to the cities of Mount Ephron. Then the boundary bends around to Ba'ala, that is Kiryath Jirim. And the boundary circles west of Ba'ala to Mount Sa'er, passes along the northern shoulder of Mount Jirim, that is Cheselon, and goes down to Beth Shamesh, and passes along by Timna. The boundary goes out to the shoulder of the hill north of Akron.

Then the boundary bends around to Shikaron, and passes along to Mount Ba'u'a, and goes out to Jabneal. 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 Jeffernah, 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, Anachiman, and Talmay, the descendants of Anak.

and he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debeer. Now, the name of Debeer formerly was Kiryath Sefir. And Caleb said, whoever strikes Kiryath Sefir, and takes it. To him will I give Akshah, my daughter as wife? And Athnal, the son of Kanaz, the brother of Caleb, took it. And he gave him Akshah, 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 Nigev, 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 Kabzil, Ider, Jagur, Kina, Dimunah, Adada, Khadesh, Hazor, Ifnan, Zif, Tehams. Lim, B. Alas, Hazor Hadata, Karioth, Hezran, that is, Hazor, Amam, Shima, Moolada, Hazar Gadda, Hesmone, Beth Pellet, Hazar Shoual, Ain, and Rimaeot, and Rimaeot, and Riemon. In all 29 cities with their villages, and in the lowland, Eshtha Oul, Zora, Ashna, Zanoa, and Ghanim, Tapua, Enam, Jarmuth, Adelam, Sokho, Azika, Sha'a Raim, Aditaim, Giderara, Jeterothaim, 14 cities with their villages.

Zanan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, Dilian, Mizpah, Jukthe-El, Lakshish, Bozkath, Eglan, Kabon, Lamam, Chitlish, Gidharoth, Beth Deghan, Na'amah, and Makadah, 16 cities with their villages. Leibna, Ithar, Ahtha, Asna, Nizib, Keila, Aksib, and Marisha. Nine cities with their villages. Ekron, with its towns and its villages, from Ekron to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdad with their villages. Ashdad, 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, Zokh, Dana, Kariath Sana, that is, Debir, Anab, Ahtamon, Ghosian, Holon, and Gilo, 11 cities with their villages. Arab, Dumas, Ashan, Janim, Beth Tepua, Afaka, Humta, Kiryath Arba, that is Hebron, and Zior. Nine cities and their villages. Ma'on, Carmel, Zip, Juta, Jezriel, Joktaam, Zanua, Kain, Gibia, and Timna, 10 cities with their villages Halhul

Beth Zur, Gidor Ma'arath, Bethanath and Elta Khan six cities with their villages Keriath Baal that is Kariath Jirim and Rabah, two cities with their villages. In the wilderness

Beth Araba, Medin, Sackha, Nibshan and the city of salt and I'mgeti 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 Ataroth, the territory of the Arkites. then it goes down westward to the territory of the Jafflatites, 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 Atarath Adar as far as upper Beth-Horon.

And the boundary that goes thence to the sea on the north is Micrmethah. then on the east the boundary turns round toward Ta'anath Shiloh and passes along beyond it on the east to Genoa. Then it goes down from Genoa to Atteroth and to Naara, and touches Jericho, ending at the Jordan. From Tapua, the boundary goes westward to the brook of Cana 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 Manassites, all those towns with their villages. However, they did not drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gizier. So the Canaanites have dwelt in the midst of Ephraim to this day, but that 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 Manassah, the father of Gilead, were allotted, Gilead, and because he was a man of war, and allotments were made to the rest of the tribe of Manasa by their families, Abiyazir, Hec, Asri-El, Shechem, Heifer, and Shemida. These were the male descendants of Manasa by the son of Joseph, by their families.

Now Zalofahad, the son of Heifer, son of Gilead, son of Makhir, son of Manasa, had no sons, but only daughters, and these are the names of his daughters, Malah, Noah, Hogla, Milka, and Tirza. They came before Eliezer the priest and Joshua, the son of none, 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 Manassah ten portions besides the land of Gilead and Bishan, which is on the other side of the Jordan, because the daughters of Manassah 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 Micmethath, which is east of Shechem. Then the boundary goes along southward to the inhabitants of Ntapua. The land of Tapua belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tapua, on the boundary of Manassah 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 Manasa belong to Ephraim. Then the boundary of Manasa 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 Manassas. With the sea forming its boundary, on the north, Asher is reached, and on the east, Isacar.

Also in Isakar, Manasa had Beth Cheyhan, and its villages, and Ibrahim and its villages, and the inhabitants of Dore and its villages, and the inhabitants of Tenak, and its villages, and the inhabitants of Tannach, and its villages, and the inhabitants of Meghiz. 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 they're clear ground for yourselves in the land of the parasites and the Raffaim, 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 Betshan and its villages,

and those in the valley of Jazeal. 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,

for 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 Rubin 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 Atarath Adar, upon the mountain that lies south of of lower Bethoron. Then the boundary goes in another direction, turning on the western side southward from the mountain that lies to the south, opposite Bethoron, and it ends at Kiryath Baal, that is Kiryath Jherim, a city belonging to the tribe of Judah. This forms the western side, and the southern side begins at the outskirts of Kiryath Jarm, and the boundary goes up from there

to Ephron, to the springs of the waters of Neftwa. 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 Raphahim, and then it goes down the valley of Hinnom, south of the shoulder of the Jebusites, and downward to N. Rogel. Then it bends in a northerly direction, going on to N Shamesh, and thence goes to Geli Lov, which is opposite the ascent of Adomim. Then it goes down to the stone of Bohan, the son of Rubin, and passing on to the north of the shoulder of Beth Arrabah, it goes down to the Araba. Then the boundary passes on

to the north of the shoulder of Beth Hoagla 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 were Jericho, Beth Hogla, Emekaziz, Beth Arabah, Zimarayim, Bethel, Avim, Parah, Offra, Chafar Amonai, Offnai, Giba, 12 cities with their villages, Gibyan, Ramah, Beeroth, Mizpa, Chifera, Moza, Raqam, Irpiel, Tarala, Zela, Ha Elaf, Jebus, that is Jerusalem, Gibia, 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 a sense. 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 in fact, 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 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 event. Bible is so helpful because in the back, there are these things called maps. And in 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 more descriptions tomorrow. So keep that in mind. But one of the things that 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 1,595 in your Great Adventure Bible, and you can actually follow with your eyes what you're hearing with your ears. And so it's just kind of this, okay, here's some names, and they're going southward toward the desert and over to 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 that 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.