Day 286: The Battle to Choose God (2026)

Fr. Mike Schmitz (0:04)

Hi, my name is Fr. 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 286, if you have the Bible in a Year reading plan printed out. You are on the second to last page. You're on the top of the page. It's amazing. It's incredible. We have one and three quarters, maybe, pages left to go for the remainder of our time. It's not like we're trying to get it over with, but 286 days. Well done. It's amazing. Today we're reading 1 Maccabees 5, Sirach 13, 14, and 15, Proverbs 22 verses 13 through 16 As always, the Bible translation I'm reading from is the Revised Standard Version 2nd Catholic Edition. I'm using The Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in a Year reading plan and you could also, I have a blue magic marker and I write through every day after we read it, after we've listened to it. It's a way that I track my progress. It's no big deal. You can visit ascensionpress.com/bible in a Year. You can print that off and yeah, just maybe do the last two pages. Either way, you can also subscribe to this podcast by clicking on subscribe and receiving daily episodes and updates. It's day 286 We're reading 1 Maccabees, Chapter 5, Sirach 13, 14, and 15, and Proverbs Chapter 22 verses 13 through 16

The First Book of Maccabees, Chapter 5, Wars with Neighboring Peoples. When the Gentiles round about heard that the altar had been built, and the sanctuary dedicated as it was before, they became very angry, and they determined to destroy the descendants of Jacob who lived among them. So they began to kill and destroy among the people. But Judas made war on the sons of Esau in Idumea at Acrebatene, because they kept lying in wait for Israel. He dealt them a heavy blow and humbled them and despoiled them. He also remembered the wickedness of the sons of Baan, who were a trap and a snare to the people and ambushed them on the highways. They were shot up by him in their towers, and he encamped against them, vowed their complete destruction, and burned with fire their towers and all who were in them. Then he crossed over to attack the Ammonites, where he found a strong band and many people with Timothy as their leader. He engaged in many battles with them, and they were crushed before him. He struck them down. He also took Jaser and its villages. Then he returned to Judea.

Liberation of Galilean Jews Now the Gentiles in Gilead gathered together against the Israelites who lived in their territory and planned to destroy them. But they fled to the stronghold of Dathema, and sent to Judas and his brothers a letter which said, The Gentiles around us have gathered together against us to destroy us. They are preparing to come and capture the stronghold to which we have fled, and Timothy is leading their forces. Now, then, come and rescue us from their hands, for many of us have fallen, and all our brethren who were in the land of Tobe have been killed. The enemy have captured their wives and children and goods, and have destroyed about a thousand men here. While the letter was still being read, behold, other messengers, with their garments torn, came from Galilee and made a similar report. They said that against them had gathered together men of Ptolemaeus, Tyre and Sidon, and all Galilee of the Gentiles, to annihilate us. When Judas and the people heard these messages, a great assembly was called to determine what they should do for their brethren who were in distress and were being attacked by enemies. Then Judas said to Simon his brother, Choose your men, and go, and rescue your brethren in Galilee. I and Jonathan my brother will go to Gilead. But he left Joseph, the son of Zechariah, and Azariah, a leader of the people, with the rest of the forces in Judea, to guard it. And he gave them this command, Take charge of this people, but do not engage in battle with the Gentiles until we return. Then three thousand men were assigned to Simon to go to Galilee, and eight thousand to Judas for Gilead. So Simon went to Galilee, and fought many battles against the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were crushed before him. He pursued them to the gates of Ptolemaeus, and as many as three thousand of the Gentiles fell, and he despoiled them. Then he took the Jews of Galilee and Arbatah, with their wives and children, and all they possessed, and led them to Judea with great rejoicing.