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

Episode: Day 272: The Call of Nehemiah (2025)
Date: September 29, 2025
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz
Main Scriptures: Nehemiah 1–2, Zechariah 12–13, Proverbs 20:20–22

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode focuses on the beginning of the Book of Nehemiah, highlighting “the call of Nehemiah” and his response to the distress in Jerusalem. Fr. Mike Schmitz explores Nehemiah’s prayerful leadership, the prophetic context in Zechariah, and how these scriptures model a life lived in trust, repentance, and courageous action for God. The ultimate message is learning how to act, pray, and persevere according to God’s will—even amid obstacles.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Overview and Context

• Fr. Mike reminds listeners that Ezra and Nehemiah were originally a single book, and now, Nehemiah picks up the narrative in a first-person voice, offering a personal account of the events in Jerusalem.
• [00:37] "Ezra and Nehemiah were originally one book... Now we're continuing this story, but... Nehemiah is written in the first person, so Nehemiah is going to be the one telling us the story."

2. Nehemiah’s Burden for Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1)

• Nehemiah learns that Jerusalem's walls are broken and its gates burned, leaving the people vulnerable and shamed.
• His response is deep sorrow, leading him to weep, fast, and pray for days, demonstrating profound empathy and spiritual leadership.
• [03:03] (Nehemiah): "When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”
• Fr. Mike observes how often our first reaction to bad news is not to turn to God, contrasting this with Nehemiah's faithfulness.
• [19:41] “When his heart is broken, he turns to the Lord, and it’s so incredible.”

3. Nehemiah’s Repentant and Intercessory Prayer

• Nehemiah confesses the sins of his people and his own complicity, appealing to God’s covenant and mercy, asking for favor before King Artaxerxes.
• Fr. Mike highlights Nehemiah’s humility and responsibility-taking as models for honest prayer and leadership.
• [20:24] "Is my heart so hardened or am I so unfaithful that when I hear bad news, my response is not that I sit down and weep, it's not that I immediately pray?"
• [20:46] "One of the things that Nehemiah does is he acknowledges, he says, 'We deserve this.'"

4. Courage in Facing Authority (Nehemiah 2)

• Nehemiah, as the king’s cupbearer, appears sad before Artaxerxes—a risky move. The king asks what he wants, and in that instant, Nehemiah prays for guidance before making his bold request to rebuild Jerusalem.
• [22:21] “I love how Nehemiah unfolds. He was afraid... But the king said, 'For what do you make request?' And here is Nehemiah—this is the pattern for every one of us. We have a big ask... So I prayed to the God of heaven.”
• Fr. Mike relates this to the necessity of asking the Holy Spirit for help, even and especially in high-stake moments.
• [23:10] "I can't even talk to you, God, without you, God. And so it's so good—ah—Come Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray. It's like Nehemiah here."

5. Practical Planning in God’s Service

• Nehemiah doesn’t just pray—he presents the king with a detailed plan: a timeline, official letters, and a supply list. This preparation meets the king’s approval.
• Fr. Mike underscores that spiritual leadership involves concrete preparation, wisdom, and action, not just inspiration.
• [24:03] “Nehemiah knows exactly what he wants... He says, ‘I'll be gone this long. I need some letters, I need some wood.’ This is... amazing.”

6. Facing Opposition

• Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem, inspects the walls discreetly at night, and does not reveal his purpose until he has seen the problem firsthand.
• Upon declaring his mission, he faces immediate hostility, yet responds by entrusting the outcome to God, refusing to defend himself to his adversaries.
• [25:13] “Whenever you try to do a work for God, there’s always going to be someone who’s your opposition.”
• [26:36] “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build.”

7. Spiritual and Practical Lessons from Nehemiah

• Leadership: Nehemiah models prayerful, deliberate, and wise leadership—even as opposition and discouragement are inevitable.
• Self-Examination: Fr. Mike draws out the need for introspection—walking the grounds, facing reality before making announcements, applying this both literally and figuratively in life and ministry.
• Perseverance: Nehemiah's story is framed as a “masterclass” in combining trust in God with decisive human action.
• [27:28] "The book of Nehemiah is one of those things people say is a masterclass when it comes to leadership...and the ability to just listen to God's word and act on it very clearly and cleanly and decisively."

8. Zechariah’s Prophecies and Their Fulfillment

• Zechariah’s oracles paint Jerusalem as the focus of God’s protection, yet also speak of a future period of mourning “for the one they have pierced”—a prophecy Fr. Mike connects directly to Jesus Christ.
• [16:20] “They will look on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only child...Who are we talking about? Well, I think we're talking about the Lord Jesus, the only Son of God."
• Fr. Mike emphasizes the profundity of this prophecy: God’s love is personal, sacrificial, and historical.
• [17:31] "He was pierced through... because he determined... you are worth his very life. You are worth his death."

9. Proverbs: Trust, Patience, and Love

• Proverbs 20:22 teaches restraint in retaliation: “Do not say, I will repay evil. Wait for the Lord and he will help you.”
• Fr. Mike urges listeners to apply this not only to abstract enemies, but especially in family and close relationships—where subtle forms of vengeance often appear.
• [13:42] “The people I wrestle with the most, that I might say I’m going to take vengeance on...are the people that I live with, the people that I have promised to love for the rest of my life."
• He calls for repentance from this cycle, patience in returning good for evil, and surrender to God’s ultimate justice.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On responding to trouble:

• “When his heart is broken, he turns to the Lord, and it’s so incredible.” (Fr. Mike, 19:41)

On prayer before action:

• "So I prayed to the God of heaven." (Nehemiah’s prayer, cited by Fr. Mike, 22:33)
• “I can't even talk to you, God, without you, God...Come Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray.” (Fr. Mike, 23:10)

On true leadership:

• “The book of Nehemiah is one of those things people say is a masterclass when it comes to leadership.” (Fr. Mike, 27:28)

On facing opposition:

• “Whenever you try to do a work for God, there’s always going to be someone who’s your opposition.” (Fr. Mike, 25:13)

On Christ as the fulfillment of prophecy:

• “They will look on him whom they have pierced...Who are we talking about? Well, I think we're talking about the Lord Jesus, the only Son of God." (Fr. Mike, 16:20)

On God’s love:

• “He was pierced through...because he determined...you are worth his very life. You are worth his death.” (Fr. Mike, 17:31)

On personal application:

• “The people I wrestle with the most, that I might say I’m going to take vengeance on...are the people that I live with, the people that I have promised to love for the rest of my life." (Fr. Mike, 13:42)

Important Timestamps

• 00:37 – Context: Nehemiah’s first-person account and original unity with Ezra
• 03:03 – Nehemiah’s sorrow and prayer on hearing Jerusalem’s ruin
• 13:42 – Proverbs: Applying patience and love in close relationships over vengeance
• 16:20 – Zechariah's prophecy of the “pierced one” and its connection to Jesus
• 17:31 – God’s personal, sacrificial love for every listener
• 19:41 – Nehemiah’s immediate turn to God in prayer
• 22:33 – Nehemiah prays before making his request to the king
• 25:13 – The inevitability of opposition when working for God
• 27:28 – Nehemiah as a masterclass in leadership

Tone and Style

Fr. Mike’s tone throughout is warm, reflective, and deeply pastoral. He combines careful biblical commentary with practical spiritual counsel, inviting listeners to examine their own reactions to adversity, trust God’s timing, lead with wisdom, and ground all action in prayer. He relates ancient events directly to contemporary faith struggles, reinforcing the living relevance of Scripture.

Summary

In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz walks listeners through the opening chapters of Nehemiah, illustrating a model of faithful leadership, honest prayer, and resilient action in the face of communal trouble and external opposition. The readings from Zechariah point to messianic hope, while Proverbs grounds the lesson in personal and relational virtue. Fr. Mike calls the Book of Nehemiah a “masterclass in leadership,” exhorting listeners to act as God asks, trusting in His love and provision, with practical wisdom for daily life. The episode closes with an encouragement to pray for each other and remain united, even in a virtual faith community.

Final Takeaway:
“To do what God asks, as God asks, because He asks—this is the secret of life.” (Fr. Mike, 28:07)