The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Episode: Day 271: Israel's Foreign Wives
Date: September 28, 2025
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz
Key Readings: Ezra 9–10, Zechariah 9–11, Proverbs 20:16–19

Episode Overview

This episode explores the concluding chapters of the Book of Ezra, highlighting the problem of intermarriage between the Israelites and foreign peoples, the community's response to this challenge, and the spiritual and social implications. Fr. Mike Schmitz reflects on both the sorrow and complexity of these events, drawing connections to Zechariah’s messianic prophecies and their relevance for modern faith and leadership.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Issue of Israel’s Foreign Wives (Ezra 9–10)

• Context: The Israelites, including priests and Levites, have intermarried with foreigners, violating the Law and threatening the integrity of their identity as God's people.

• Ezra’s Response: Ezra’s heartbreak is profound—his reaction (tearing garments, pulling hair, fasting) is a visible expression of grief and repentance (19:16).

• Community's Repentance: A large assembly of Israelites gathers with Ezra, weeping and mourning. Shekoniah urges making a covenant to separate from foreign wives and children (22:20).

• Notable Process: Separation is not a blanket decree but handled case by case, examining whether families were now part of the covenant community (24:30).

• Complexity and Brokenness: Fr. Mike emphasizes the immense sorrow and imperfection in this solution, recognizing the pain caused by these divisions (26:30).

• Non-Racial but Religious Motivation: The prohibition focuses on preserving covenant faith, not ethnicity (19:45).

  “This is not a racial thing. What it is, is an ideological or belief thing… The problem with intermarriage is it weakens the family. That’s what happens. It weakens the bond of the covenant.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (19:45)

• Covenant Identity: The command to be holy (“separate”) recurs, reflecting God’s intent for Israel to be distinct in faith and practice (20:30).

Sensitivity to God’s Word and Broken Solutions

• Case-by-Case Discernment: Not all foreign marriages are dissolved, showing discernment—some spouses have embraced the faith (24:30).

• Absence of Explicit Divine Command: Fr. Mike notes Ezra acts from grief, not clear divine command, raising questions about the decision (29:00).

• Later Biblical Critique: Later prophets (like Malachi) and Jesus Himself critique divorce, underscoring that even faithful responses can be marked by sin and sorrow (30:00).

  “Even sometimes the solutions are full of brokenness.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (30:40)

Prophecies and Hope in Zechariah 9–11

• Messianic Highlights (Zechariah 9):

  • The coming of the humble king “riding on a donkey” (a prophecy fulfilled in Jesus on Palm Sunday; 35:20).

  • God’s promise of restoration and victory for His people.

    “Behold, your king comes to you, triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey...”
    — Fr. Mike Schmitz quoting Zech 9:9 (35:20)

• Shepherds and Leaders (Zechariah 11):

  • Two types of leadership: Shepherds who care for the flock vs. those who exploit it (“Leaders eat last” principle).

  • Prophecy of 30 pieces of silver—the price of betrayal, foreshadowing Judas and Jesus’ passion (38:40).

    “There are shepherds who care for the sheep, and there are shepherds who care for themselves.”
    — Fr. Mike Schmitz (39:20)

  • The need for selfless, Christ-like leadership emerges as a central theme.

Application to Modern Faith

• Holiness and Separation: The challenge for Christians to “live set apart” without losing compassion or humility.
• Importance of Wise Leadership: Encouragement for all, especially leaders (parents, priests, etc.), to serve others first.
• Compassion Over Legalism: Stories like Ruth (the Moabite ancestor of King David) show God honors faith over background (27:30).
• Our Broken World: Recognition that not every “solution” fixes brokenness—and faith sometimes means lamenting imperfection while striving for trust.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ezra’s Lament for Sin:
  “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God. For our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.”
  (Fr. Mike quoting Ezra 9:6, 21:10)

• On Case-by-Case Wisdom:
  “Maybe your wife has become Jewish. Maybe your children are being raised Jewish. Maybe your family was brought into the covenant, rather than you being taken out of the covenant…”
  (Fr. Mike Schmitz, 25:00)

• Regarding Leadership:
  “The good shepherd takes care of the sheep. The bad shepherd takes care of themselves. And there’s that saying again: Leaders eat last.”
  (Fr. Mike Schmitz, 39:30)

• About Spiritual Hope:
  “There is always, always, even in the midst of brokenness, even in the midst of suffering, even the face of death, there’s always something to give you thanks for… and that is your grace.”
  (Fr. Mike Schmitz, prayer, 18:20)

Important Timestamps

• Intro & Readings Recap: 00:01–03:30
• Ezra 9–10 Reading: 03:30–16:50
• Zechariah 9–11 Reading: 16:50–18:00
• Proverbs Reading & Opening Prayer: 18:00–19:15
• Ezra’s Grief & Historical Background: 19:15–24:20
• Case-by-case Handling of Intermarriage: 24:20–27:30
• Comparison to Ruth’s Story: 27:30–28:40
• Discussion on Divine Command & Later Critique: 29:00–30:40
• Zechariah’s Prophecies & Christ Connections: 35:00–39:00
• Reflection on Shepherds & Leadership: 39:00–41:00
• Final Reflections, Encouragement, and Sign-off: 41:00–End

Summary of Takeaways

• Faithfulness sometimes means hard, imperfect choices, especially in a broken world.
• God’s commands aim to protect the deeper reality of the covenant—faith, not ethnicity, is at the heart of holiness.
• Separation and repentance can be acts of hope, not just sorrow, when they restore relationship with God.
• Old Testament stories foreshadow Jesus, the Good Shepherd and King, who fulfills God’s promises and models true selfless leadership.
• Every believer is called to live set apart, as visible witnesses of faith, hope, and integrity—kindled by gratitude, even in struggle.

Fr. Mike closes with a prayer for the listeners and a request for their prayers in return, inviting everyone to keep seeking God even amid life’s brokenness.