The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Episode: Day 254: Judgment of Nations
Date: September 11, 2025
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz
Scripture Readings: Jeremiah 47–48, Lamentations 2, Proverbs 18:1–4
Episode Overview
On Day 254, Fr. Mike leads listeners through the intense prophetic passages of Jeremiah 47 and 48 (judgments against the Philistines and Moab), Lamentations 2 (the aftermath of Jerusalem’s fall), and practical wisdom from Proverbs 18:1–4. The central theme is the judgment of nations—how God’s justice extends not just to Israel but to surrounding peoples, and what this reality reveals about God’s mercy, love, and the call to personal repentance. Fr. Mike reflects on the relevance of ancient judgments for our own lives, urging listeners to honestly examine their hearts and respond to God’s loving call before harsher correction comes.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Prophetic Judgments on Surrounding Nations
(Jeremiah 47–48) [02:00–12:00]
- Jeremiah’s prophecies shift from Israel to her neighbors—the Philistines and the Moabites—demonstrating that God’s justice is not limited to His chosen people but encompasses all nations.
- Key insight: Even those outside Israel are subject to God’s standards and will face consequences for pride, idolatry, and opposing God’s people.
- “The judgments of the Lord against the nations surrounding Israel… all these judgments against the nations… we have the judgment against the Philistines, the judgment against Moab today.” (Fr. Mike, 16:10)
2. Justice, Mercy, and the Reality of God’s Judgment
[13:00–17:00]
- Fr. Mike addresses common discomfort with the idea of a loving God executing judgment, destruction, or allowing people to choose hell.
- “I can’t believe a good God would ever judge someone, would ever allow destruction, would ever even, you know, let someone choose Hell.” (Fr. Mike, 18:40)
- He explains that God’s love is inseparable from His justice—out of respect for human freedom, God sometimes allows people or nations to reap what they have chosen by their persistent hardness of heart.
- “He loves his people so fully. In fact… He calls people to repentance; if they don’t say yes… he allows them to get what they’ve chosen.” (Fr. Mike, 19:30)
3. Personal Reflection: Repentance & Indifference
[17:10–20:00]
- Fr. Mike challenges listeners to not keep the prophetic words distant, but to let them provoke self-examination.
- “Have I repented? Have I picked and chosen the places I want to repent and ignored the places I don’t want to repent? Or have I surrendered and said, God, my whole life, You get my whole life?” (Fr. Mike, 20:25)
- He warns against selective attention in faith, highlighting how we can take God for granted or be indifferent, welcoming God’s love while ignoring His justice.
- There’s an urgent call: before God needs to correct us with “severe mercy,” may we proactively return to Him with undivided hearts.
4. Lamentations: Honest Sorrow and God’s Involvement in Suffering
[12:10–14:30]
- The reading from Lamentations is described as brutally honest prayer, reflecting Jeremiah’s grief over Jerusalem’s destruction and his recognition that even in tragedy, God is present and has allowed it for a redemptive purpose.
- “Here is Jeremiah… he’s talking to the Lord about what he’s seeing. And he recognizes that God’s involved in this even when there is judgment… In fact, you, O God, who are good, have allowed this to happen. In fact, you’ve brought it about so you can save our souls.” (Fr. Mike, 21:05)
- Fr. Mike highlights the value of authentic lament—acknowledging pain and questioning, while ultimately trusting in God’s plan.
5. Proverbs: Humility and the Folly of Self-Expression
[14:45–15:30]
- Proverbs 18:2 receives a special, self-deprecating reflection:
- “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion… I think we could stitch that on a pillow, put that on a T-shirt somewhere.” (Fr. Mike, 15:05)
- Fr. Mike admits the irony of giving commentary as a podcaster but clarifies his aim: not merely to express opinions, but to relay and meditate on God’s Word.
6. The Challenge and the Hope
[21:50–23:00]
- The episode doesn’t end with doom, but with a sober, hope-filled plea to let the readings convict us today, not as ancient history, but as God’s living word.
- “Allow this story of Jeremiah… to not simply be something from way back when, but to recognize this is a mercy of God... and he’s calling me to repent to him before he needs to extend it to me, this same severe mercy.” (Fr. Mike, 23:08)
- A gentle reminder that the next few days are a final opportunity in this section to open our hearts before the “Messianic Checkpoint” (the New Testament shift, starting with Matthew).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On self-examination:
“Okay, God, have I been reading the prophets for... what, 90 days, maybe more? Have I repented? Have I picked and chosen the places I want to repent and ignored the places I don’t want to repent?”
— Fr. Mike, (20:25) -
On God’s justice and mercy:
“He loves his people so fully. In fact, we know this. He loves perfectly. He loves infinitely… If they don’t say yes... he allows them to get what they’ve chosen.”
— Fr. Mike, (19:40) -
On Proverbs 18:2:
“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. Convicting, I don't know, maybe, possibly... I think we can put that on a... stitch that on a pillow, put that on a T-shirt somewhere. Gosh. Because that is... so often where we find ourselves.”
— Fr. Mike, (15:05) -
On owning the call to repentance:
“We could be like Jeremiah: Lord, I'm an unclean person living among people of unclean lips... It's not to look at the people around us rather than our own hearts, but it is to look at our own hearts and say, ‘Okay God, where do you need me to convert?’”
— Fr. Mike, (21:47) -
On the nature of God’s warnings:
“To allow this story of Jeremiah, to allow his poem of lamentations to not simply be something from way back when, but to recognize this is a mercy of God.”
— Fr. Mike, (23:08)
Important Timestamps
- Scripture Reading Intro: [00:04–02:00]
- Jeremiah’s Judgments (Philistines, Moab): [02:00–12:00]
- Lamentations 2 Reading/Reflection: [12:10–14:30]
- Proverbs 18:1–4 Noted & Reflected On: [14:45–15:30]
- Fr. Mike’s Reflection & Application: [16:00–23:00]
- God’s judgment and mercy [16:10–21:00]
- Call to repentance and self-examination [20:25–23:00]
- Closing Words & Blessing: [23:00–end]
Final Thoughts
Fr. Mike’s tone is honest, humble, and pastoral—mixing gravitas with everyman relatability. The episode is “subdued,” as he admits, but deeply relevant: a firm yet compassionate challenge to take stock of our own lives in light of God’s justice, and, before it is too late, return wholeheartedly to God, trusting both His love and His warnings.
Closing reminder:
“We need his grace. We need his help. And so we need each other. We need to pray for each other. I am praying for you. Please pray for me.” (Fr. Mike, 24:30)