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Hi. My

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name is father Mike Schmidt, and you're listening to the Bible

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in a year podcast. where we encounter god's

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will read all the way from Genesis to Revelation

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discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how

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we fit. In a vast story today, it is day two

0:21

hundred and ninety four We're reading

0:23

first book of McAfee's chapter thirteen, CRAC

0:25

thirty two and thirty three, as well as Proverbs

0:27

chapter twenty three versus seventeen two twenty

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one as always the level translation I'm reading from is

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that the revised standard version second Catholic edition.

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It's like magic. Just subscribe and automatically.

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You receive the updates. As I said, it's day two hundred

0:54

and ninety four. We're reading first book of Macabese

0:56

chapter thirteen. Ciroc's chapters

0:59

thirty two and thirty three and Proverbs chapter

1:01

twenty three verses seventeen through

1:03

twenty one.

1:05

The first book of Macadamia, chapter thirteen,

1:08

Simon takes command. Simon

1:11

heard that Trifo had assembled a large army

1:13

to invade the land of Judah and destroy it.

1:15

And he saw that the people are trembling and fearful.

1:18

So he went up to Jerusalem. In gathering

1:20

the people together, he encouraged them, saying

1:22

to them. You yourselves know what

1:24

great things I and my brothers and the house of

1:26

my father have done for the laws and the sanctuary.

1:29

You know also the wars and the difficulties

1:31

which we have seen. By reason

1:33

of this, all my brothers have perished for

1:35

the sake of Israel, and I alone am

1:37

left. And now, far

1:39

be it for me to spare my life in any

1:41

time of distress for I am not better than

1:43

my brothers. But I will avenge

1:45

my nation and the sanctuary and your wives

1:47

in children for all the nations have gathered

1:50

together out of hatred to destroy us.

1:52

And the spirit of the people was rekindled

1:54

when they heard these words and they answered

1:56

in a loud voice. You

1:58

are our leader in place of Judas and

2:00

Jonathan your brother. fight our battles,

2:03

and all that you say to us, we will do.

2:05

So he assembled all the warriors

2:07

and hastened to complete the walls of Jerusalem

2:09

and he fortified it on every side. He

2:12

sent Jonathan the son of Epsilon to Japa

2:14

and with him a considerable army. He

2:16

drove out its occupants and remained there.

2:19

defeat and treasury of trifo. Then

2:22

trifo departed from TolpiMist with a large

2:25

army to invade the land of Judah, and Jonathan

2:27

was with him under guard. and Simon

2:29

encamped in Adida facing the plane.

2:32

Trifel learned that Simon had risen up in place

2:34

of Jonathan, his brother, and that he was about

2:36

to join battle with him, so he said unvoiced

2:38

to him and said, it is for the

2:40

money that Jonathan your brother owed the royal

2:42

treasury in connection with the offices

2:44

he held that we are detaining him. send

2:47

now a hundred talents of silver and two

2:49

of his sons as hostages so that

2:51

when released, he will not revolt against us

2:53

and we will release him. Simon

2:56

knew that they were speaking deceitfully to him,

2:58

but he sent it to get the money and the sons

3:00

lest he arose great hostility among

3:02

the people who might say because

3:05

Simon did not send him the money and the

3:07

sons he perished. So

3:09

he sent the sons and the hundred talents,

3:11

but trifle broke his word and did not release

3:13

Jonathan. After this,

3:15

Trifo came to invade the country and destroy

3:17

it, and he circled around by the way to

3:19

Adirat. But Simon and his army

3:21

kept marching along opposite him to every

3:23

place he went. Now, the men

3:25

in the citadel kept sending envoys

3:27

to trifo urging him to come to them

3:29

by way of the wilderness and to send them

3:31

food. So Trifel got all

3:33

his cavalry ready to go, but that

3:35

night a very heavy snow fell and

3:38

he did not go because of the snow. He

3:40

marched off and went into the land of Gilead.

3:42

When he approached Bascomeaux, he killed

3:45

Jonathan, and he was buried there.

3:47

then trifo turned back and departed

3:49

to his own land. Jonathan's

3:52

tomb. And Simon

3:54

sent and took the bones of Jonathan his brother

3:56

and buried him in Modine, the city of his fathers.

3:59

All

3:59

Israel

3:59

be wailed him with great lamentation and

4:02

mourned for him many days.

4:04

and Simon built a monument over the tomb

4:06

of his father and his brothers, he made

4:08

it high that it might be seen with polished

4:10

stone at the front and back. He

4:13

also erected seven pyramids opposite

4:15

one another for his father and mother

4:17

and four brothers. And for the

4:19

pyramids, he devised an elaborate setting

4:22

erecting about them great columns. And

4:24

upon the columns, he put suits of armor

4:26

for a permanent memorial. And beside

4:28

the suits of armor carved ships,

4:30

so that they could be seen by all who sailed the

4:32

sea. This is the tomb which

4:34

he built in Modine. It remains

4:36

to this day. Judah

4:39

gains independence. Trifo

4:42

dealt decorously with the young king, Antiochus.

4:45

He killed him and became king in his place,

4:47

putting on the crown of Asia. and he

4:49

brought great calamity upon the land.

4:51

But Simon built up the stronghold of

4:53

Judea and walled them all around with

4:55

high towers and great walls and gates

4:57

and bolts. and he stored food in the

4:59

strongholds. Simon also

5:01

chose men and sent them to Demetrius the

5:03

king with a request to grant relief to

5:05

the country for all that trifo did was

5:07

to plunder. Demetrius,

5:09

the king sent him a favorable reply to

5:11

this request and wrote him a letter as

5:13

follows. Kingdomrius, to

5:15

Simon, the high priest and friend

5:17

of kings, and to the elders and

5:19

nation of the Jews greeting. We

5:22

have received the Gold Crown and the Palm

5:24

Branch which you sent. and we are ready

5:26

to make a general peace with you and to write

5:28

to our officials to grant you release from

5:30

tribute. All the grants that we

5:32

have made to you remain valid. and let the

5:34

stronghold that you have built beer possession.

5:37

We pardon any errors and offense is committed

5:39

to this day and cancel the crown tax

5:41

which you owe. And whatever other

5:43

tax has been collected in Jerusalem shall

5:45

be collected no longer. And

5:47

if any of you are qualified to be enrolled

5:49

in our bodyguard, let them be enrolled.

5:51

and let there be peace between us. In

5:53

the one hundred and seventieth year, the yoke

5:56

of the gentiles was removed from Israel.

5:58

And the people began to write in their documents

6:00

and contracts in the first year of

6:02

Simon, the great high priest and commander

6:04

and leader of the Jews. The

6:07

capture of Gegarra by Simon. In

6:10

those days, Simon encamped against

6:12

Ghazara and surrounded it with troops.

6:14

He made a siege engine, brought

6:16

it up to the city and battered and captured

6:19

one tower. The men in the siege

6:21

engine leaped out into the city and a

6:23

great tumult arose in the city. The

6:25

men in the city with their wives and children

6:27

went up on the wall with their clothes torn

6:29

and they cried out with a loud voice asking

6:31

Simon to make peace with them. They

6:33

said, do not treat us according to our wicked

6:35

acts but according to your mercy.

6:38

So Simon reached an agreement with them and

6:40

stopped fighting against them. But he

6:42

expelled them from the city and cleansed the

6:44

houses in which the idols were and

6:46

then entered it with hymns in praise.

6:48

He cast out of it all uncleanness and

6:50

settled in it men who observed the law.

6:53

He also strengthened his fortifications and

6:55

built in it a house for himself. Simon

6:58

regains the Citadel. The

7:01

men in the Citadel at Jerusalem were

7:03

prevented from going out to the country and

7:05

back to buy and sell. So they were

7:07

very hungry, and many of them perished

7:09

from famine. Then they cried to

7:11

Simon to make peace with them, and he did

7:13

so. But he expelled them from

7:15

there and cleansed the citadel from its

7:17

solutions. On the twenty

7:19

third day of the second month, in the one

7:21

hundred and seventy first year, the

7:23

Jews entered it with praise and palm branches

7:25

and with harps and symbols and streamed

7:27

instruments and with hymns and songs

7:29

because a great enemy had been crushed and

7:31

removed from Israel. And

7:33

Simon decreed that every year they should celebrate this

7:35

day with rejoicing. He strengthened

7:37

the fortifications of the temple hill alongside

7:40

the Citadel, and he and his men

7:42

dwelt there. And Simon saw

7:44

that John and his son had reached manhood.

7:46

so he made him commander of all the forces, and

7:48

he dwelt in Ghazara.

7:55

The book of Siroc chapter thirty two.

7:58

If they make you master of the beast, do

8:00

not exalt yourself. be among

8:02

them as one of them. Take

8:04

good care of them and then be seated.

8:06

When you have fulfilled your duties, take

8:08

your place that you may be marry on

8:10

their account and receive a wreath for your

8:12

excellent leadership. Speak,

8:15

you who are older, for it is fitting

8:17

that you should. but with accurate

8:19

knowledge and do not interrupt the

8:21

music. Where there is entertainment,

8:23

do not pour out talk. Do not display

8:25

your cleverness out of season. A

8:28

ruby seal in a setting of gold is

8:30

a concert of music at a banquet of

8:32

wine. A seal of Emerald in

8:34

a rich setting of gold is the

8:36

melody of music with good wine.

8:39

Speak young man if there is need of

8:41

you, but no more than twice

8:43

and only if asked. Speak

8:46

concisely, say much in few

8:48

words, be as one who knows

8:50

and yet holds his tongue. Among

8:52

the great, do not act as

8:54

they're equal. And when another is speaking,

8:56

do not dabble. Lightning

8:59

speeds before the thunder and approval

9:01

precedes a modest man. Leave

9:04

in good time and do not be the last.

9:06

Go home quickly and do not linger.

9:09

Unmuse yourself there, and do what you have in

9:11

mind, but do not sin through proud speech.

9:13

And for these things, bless him

9:15

who made you and satisfies you with

9:17

his good gifts. He who

9:19

fears the Lord will accept his discipline,

9:22

and those who rise early to seek him will

9:24

find favor. He who

9:26

seeks the law will be filled with it.

9:28

but the Hippocratic will stumble at

9:30

it. Those who fear the Lord will

9:32

form true judgments. And like a

9:34

light, they will kindle righteous deeds.

9:37

A sinful man will shun reproof

9:39

and will find a decision according to

9:41

his liking. A man of

9:43

judgment will not overlook an idea.

9:45

and an insolent and proud man will not

9:48

cower in fear. Do nothing

9:50

without deliberation. And when you

9:52

have acted, do not regret it.

9:54

Do not go on a path full of hazards

9:56

and do not stumble over stoney

9:58

ground. Do not be overconfident

10:00

on a smooth way

10:01

and give good heed to your

10:03

paths. Guard yourself in

10:05

every act for this is the keeping

10:07

of the commandments. He

10:10

who believes the law gives heed to

10:12

the commandments, and he who trusts

10:14

the Lord will not suffer loss.

10:17

Chapter thirty three, practical

10:19

advice. No evil will

10:21

befall the man who fears the lord. But

10:23

in trial, he will deliver him

10:25

again and again. A wise

10:27

man will not hate the law. but he

10:29

who is hypocritical about it is like a boat

10:32

in a storm. A man

10:34

of understanding will trust in the law

10:36

for him the law is as dependable as

10:38

an inquiry by means of urim.

10:41

Prepare what to say, and thus you will

10:43

be heard. Find together your

10:45

instruction and make your answer. The

10:47

heart of a fool is like a cartwheel,

10:50

and his thoughts like a turning axle.

10:52

A stallion is like a mocking friend.

10:54

He nays under everyone who sits on him.

10:58

Why is any day better than another?

11:00

when all the daylight in the year is from the sun.

11:02

By the Lord's decision, they were

11:04

distinguished, and he appointed the different

11:06

seasons and feasts. Some of

11:08

them he exalted in hallowed, and

11:10

some of them he made ordinary days.

11:12

All men are from the ground,

11:15

and Adam was created of the dust.

11:17

In the fullness of his knowledge, the

11:19

Lord distinguished them and appointed their

11:21

different ways. Some of them he

11:23

blasted and some of them he made

11:25

holy and brought near to himself. But

11:28

some of them, he cursed and brought

11:30

low, and he turned them out of their

11:32

place. As the clay

11:34

in the hand of the potter for all his

11:36

ways or as he pleases, So men

11:38

are in the hand of him who made them

11:40

to give them as he decides. Good

11:42

is the opposite of evil.

11:45

and life the opposite of death.

11:48

So the sinner is the opposite of the

11:50

godly. Look upon

11:52

all the works of the most high. they

11:54

likewise are in pairs, won the opposite

11:56

of the other. I was

11:58

the last on watch. I was

12:00

like the one who cleans after the great

12:02

gatherers By the blessing of the Lord, I

12:05

excelled, and like a great gatherer, I

12:07

filled my wine press. Consider

12:09

that I have not labored for myself alone,

12:11

but for all who seek instruction. hear

12:14

me. You who are great among the

12:16

people and you leaders of the congregation listen.

12:19

To son or wife, to brother

12:21

or friend, Do power over

12:23

yourself as long as you live, and do not give

12:25

your property to another, lest you change your

12:27

mind and must ask for it.

12:30

While you are still alive and have breath in you,

12:32

do not let anyone take your place.

12:35

For it is better that your children should ask

12:37

from you then that you should look to

12:39

the hand of your sons. Excel

12:41

and all that you do. Bring no stain

12:43

upon your honor. At the time when

12:45

you end the days of your life, in the hour

12:48

of death, distribute your

12:50

inheritance. Father and

12:52

stick and burdens for a donkey, bread

12:54

and discipline and work for a servant.

12:57

Set your slave to work and you will find

12:59

rest. Leave his hands idle

13:01

and he will seek liberty. Yoke

13:03

and thon will bow the neck. And for a

13:05

wicked servant, there are racks and tortures.

13:07

Put him to work that he may

13:09

not be idle. For idleness, teaches

13:11

much evil. Set him to

13:13

work as it is fitting for him. And if he

13:15

does not obey, make his chains

13:17

heavy. Do not act immoderately

13:20

toward anybody. and do nothing without

13:22

discretion. If you have

13:24

a servant, let him be as

13:26

yourself because you have bought him

13:28

with blood. If you have a servant,

13:30

treat him as a brother. For as your own

13:32

soul, you will need him. If

13:34

you ill treat him and he leaves and

13:36

runs away, Which way will you go to

13:38

seek him?

13:40

The Book

13:43

of Proverbs chapter twenty three

13:45

verses seventeen through twenty one.

13:47

Let not your heart envy

13:49

sinners, but continue in the fear

13:51

of the Lord all the day. Surely,

13:54

there is a future and your hope will not

13:56

be cut off. Hear

13:58

my son and be wise and direct

13:59

your mind in the way.

14:01

be not among wine bribers or

14:04

among glutinous eaters of meat.

14:06

For the drunkard and the glutton will

14:08

come to poverty, and drowsiness will

14:10

clothe a man with rags.

14:16

other than having we give you praise. We thank you so much for this

14:18

day. We thank you for your word. We thank

14:21

you for the thousands to enter bro. We

14:23

thank you for your wisdom. This just

14:25

guides us and and calls us to be

14:27

long to you and calls us to live

14:29

live not foolishly to

14:31

live wisely. We ask you to please and

14:33

guard our thoughts, and guard our minds

14:35

that everything we say and everything

14:37

we think may

14:39

be true. Maybe true things, maybe good things,

14:41

maybe helpful things, and wise

14:43

things. Everything we

14:45

do, give you glory father and help our brothers

14:47

and sisters around us. and Jesus'

14:49

namely pray. Amen. In the name of the father and of the son

14:51

and of the holy spirit, amen. So okay.

14:53

In first back of these thirteen, we have this, you know,

14:55

story, the brothers. We have Judas, then

14:57

Jonathan, now Simon. and every one of

14:59

those brothers is pretty remarkable

15:01

right there when it comes to battle. You

15:03

know, what they've what they've done

15:05

is they've fought

15:07

back And here is

15:10

the new, I guess, independent sovereign

15:12

nation of Judah. The sovereign nation

15:14

of Israel essentially, you might call it, here

15:16

in the land of Judah, in the city

15:18

of Jerusalem, and they have freedom.

15:20

And this is remarkable. And this is, again, this

15:22

is one of the things we need to know that for over

15:24

a hundred years, the people of Israel

15:26

had their own sovereign nations because they fought

15:28

against the Greeks and alliances

15:30

around them. And yeah, they

15:32

were not only willing to do that, but they

15:34

also fought in such a way that

15:36

they wanted to keep the law. Right? I mean,

15:38

you see this today. We have Simon

15:40

who's going all over the place And

15:42

as he goes to places, here's, you know, the

15:44

city of Ghazara. You have the

15:46

citadel in in the city of Jerusalem.

15:49

We're Gell, I'll spare your lives, but

15:51

you have to leave. Why? Because you have

15:53

not been following the law. You have not been

15:55

living the covenant. Now, for

15:57

us, that it can be really that's

15:59

troubling. It can be troubling

15:59

for us because we're like, well, that sounds like a

16:02

theocracy. At the same time,

16:04

yes.

16:04

kind of this. And

16:05

yet, we recognize that

16:08

here is what got it called, got it called his

16:10

people to belonged to him

16:12

to follow the law. Now we don't, as

16:14

Christians, we don't believe in a theocracy. And

16:16

as as Christians, we believe, oh, yes, the

16:18

church is the theocracy. We belong to the

16:20

lord. But, Sibley speaking, we

16:22

don't have that. What we do have is

16:24

we have our own lives

16:26

governed. Now, these are the things. So, right? Theocracy

16:28

is governance of the people. by

16:30

the by the rules of the religion. Right? By the rules

16:32

of, you know, ultimately by by god and

16:34

those who enforce god's law as they

16:36

see it. But what we do is we have

16:39

atheocracy in the church.

16:41

And what that is is we are

16:43

we are governed. We are governed by the by

16:45

the lord. Not the civil authorities, not the

16:47

civil life where we're living in. but we're

16:49

governed by the laws of God. We're governed

16:51

by the covenant that Jesus establishes in his

16:53

own blood. We're governed by the fact that he's poured out

16:55

his spirit upon us so he can

16:57

crowd Ava Father. In fact, the

16:59

head of this monarchy

17:01

is the lord god himself

17:03

and you've been made into sons and

17:06

of this lord God himself. And

17:08

so, you know, we can make

17:10

as many connections between Nacogdoches

17:12

chapter thirteen and our own lives,

17:14

but one thing to keep in

17:17

mind is that what we're called to do is we're

17:19

called to surrender, we're called to submit

17:21

to the lord's laws, we're called

17:23

to to live out the covenant that God has

17:25

established with his people and with

17:27

us. He's brought us into that. Hopefully, that

17:29

makes sense. I I think I've been saying that

17:31

for a while the last couple days. Hopefully, that

17:33

makes sense. because as I

17:35

noted, McAfee's first McAfee's at

17:37

least is an historical book and they

17:39

don't necessarily give us a sermon out of

17:41

this. They just tell us this is what

17:43

happened. but Sarak definitely does.

17:45

I think there is some

17:47

incredible just first

17:49

chapter thirty two. my

17:52

gosh, if they make you the master of the beast, do not

17:54

exalt yourself, be among them as one of

17:56

them. What what kind of advice is this?

17:58

This is amazing. This is this is,

17:59

again, this is a dad to his son.

18:02

It is so good. Going on, he

18:04

says, take good care of them and then be seated.

18:06

When you have fulfilled your duties, then take your

18:08

place and that you may be married on their

18:10

account and receive it wreath for your excellent leadership.

18:12

I love it. Speak, you are older for spitting

18:14

that you should. but do it with accurate knowledge.

18:16

Do not interrupt the music. Like once again,

18:19

a good dad to give him some

18:21

good advice. If you speak

18:23

when you're older, That makes sense.

18:25

But also don't, like, say

18:27

lies, do accurate knowledge, and don't

18:29

interrupt the music. When there was entertainment,

18:31

did not pour out a talk. every one

18:33

of us. We've been in a situation like that. Right? You've been to,

18:35

like, a a dinner, maybe there's a fundraiser or

18:37

something like this. And they have a show, and

18:39

the person next to you, is

18:41

wanting to converse during the thing.

18:43

You're like, listen. Someone's up there talking. Don't

18:45

do this or they're playing a song right

18:47

now. Don't talk. Here, if they only would have read Sirex, chapter thirty

18:49

two, they would have known, don't do that.

18:51

And also, oh, gosh, a

18:54

ruby seal in a setting of

18:56

gold. He's a music banquet of wine. What

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a beautiful image. The young man, this

19:00

is verse seven in chapter thirty two, speak

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young man, if there is need of

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you, But no

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more than twice and only if asked.

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Speak concisely, say much in

19:11

few words, be as one who knows and yet

19:13

holds his tongue. that is just in

19:16

practical advice for all of us

19:18

to follow and to just

19:20

be kind to each other.

19:22

and to defer. I think that's that's a big

19:24

piece of this is is some of this wisdom

19:26

in Sarak is is, yes, belong to the lord

19:28

and live for the lord and follow

19:31

the law. but other pieces just defer. Defer to

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the people around you. Recognize that they are

19:35

significant and recognize that they matter. And

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this is one of the things that at the

19:39

heart of every one of

19:41

our lives is

19:43

this awareness. Right? As as Christians,

19:45

we realize that everyone around

19:47

us matters. Everyone around us matters,

19:49

everyone around you matters. And

19:51

so, everyone around me matters, you

19:53

all every person listening to this,

19:55

you all matter. The

19:57

fact that you're listening to the word of God for two hundred and

19:59

ninety four days,

20:01

that matters. The fact that you're allowing him to

20:03

shape the way you think and the way you

20:06

see the world and the way you act, that matters

20:08

because above everything else. Even if

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there's people around you that that treat you like you

20:12

don't matter, you matter to

20:15

God. and you matter to us,

20:17

this community that has walked and journeyed

20:19

for almost an entire year,

20:21

you matter to us, you matter to me.

20:23

And so

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I'm praying for you. Please, please pray

20:26

for me. My name's Father Mike. I cannot wait

20:28

to see you tomorrow.

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God bless.