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

Episode Title: Day 53: The Twelve Tribes of Israel (2026)
Date: February 22, 2026
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz
Podcast by: Ascension

Episode Overview

In this episode, Fr. Mike explores the organization and identity of the Twelve Tribes of Israel as described in Numbers 2, recounts Moses’ summary of the Israelites’ journey in Deuteronomy 2, and reflects on Psalm 85’s prayer for restoration. The main theme is God’s formation of Israel as a people of order, identity, and purpose—centering their lives around His presence and beginning every journey with praise.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Organization of the Tribes & God’s Order (Numbers 2)

• Numbers 2 Reading: Fr. Mike walks through how the Israelite camp is meticulously organized by tribe—with the Tabernacle at the center, the Levites surrounding it, and then the other tribes arranged to the east, west, north, and south.
• Significance of Judah:
  • Judah camps to the east and is always first in the marching order.
  • "Let Judah go up first." (45:30)
  • Insight: Judah means "praise," symbolizing that praise should come first in all we do.
• Order & Identity:
  • God brings order to a people who were formerly slaves, instilling a sense of tribe, family, and specific belonging.
  • “There’s something so powerful about knowing your identity here. … God is giving them order. He’s giving them their identity. … The presence of God is at the center of everything they are and everything that they do.” (49:04)
• Application:
  • Letting praise go up first in our daily lives; organizing our lives around God’s presence.

2. Moses' Recap: Journey & Faithfulness of God (Deuteronomy 2)

• Moses gives an overview of the 40 years in the wilderness:
  • The Israelites are instructed not to attack Edomites (descendants of Esau) or Ammonites and Moabites (descendants of Lot) because God has given those lands to them.
  • The passage of time is condensed: “And the time from our leaving Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the brook Zered was 38 years. … And it was over just like that.” (05:30–06:10)
• God’s Faithfulness:
  • “I gave Esau and his descendants, the Edomites, this land. I gave Lot and his descendants, the Ammonites, this land. … And so I am faithful, and I’m going to give you your land too. But it’s not this land.” (54:35)
• Lessons on Family & Boundaries:
  • Israel is told to respect familial tribes and boundaries, emphasizing both God’s providence and the importance of peaceful coexistence.

3. Conquest, Violence, and God’s Purposes

• Moses recounts Israel’s first major conquest (defeat of Sihon, king of the Amorites).
• Fr. Mike discusses the discomfort with scriptural violence:
  • “One of the things that can bother us … is the violence. … We have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.” (56:15)
  • God does not desire violence or death; this is a result of living in a broken, violent world.
  • “God does not make death, nor does He rejoice in the destruction of the living.” (Book of Wisdom, as cited at 57:48)
  • Listeners are invited to “hang on still” for deeper explanations in upcoming episodes.
  • The history of Israel is likened to a family's: “We have great moments of glory … and some great moments of shame in our family. And this is the family of God. And the family of God is very, very similar.” (58:53)

4. Psalm 85: Prayer for Restoration & Favor

• Prayerful Reflection:
  • Fr. Mike reads Psalm 85, highlighting the plea for God’s mercy, revival, and the meeting of mercy, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace.
  • Notable Psalm lines: “Mercy and faithfulness will meet. Righteousness and peace will kiss each other.” (37:16)
• Prayer Takeaway:
  • Call to trust that God’s presence and word bring clarity, inspiration, and zeal.

5. Centering Life Around God & Praise

• Central Theme Repetition:
  • The camp’s organization around the Tabernacle is a model for centering one's personal and communal life on God's presence.
  • “Let praise go up first. … We situate our lives like the Israelites situated their tents and their families and their tribes around the tabernacle. We center God in the midst of our lives.” (01:00:20)
• Encouragement:
  • Listeners are reminded to persist despite challenges—“It sometimes can get easy to get bogged down, easy to get distracted, easy to get off track. So let’s stay on track, and let’s give God the praise that is due today.” (01:01:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Identity and Order:
  • “There’s something so powerful about knowing your identity here. … God is giving them order. He’s giving them their identity.” (49:04)
• Let Praise Go Up First:
  • “Let Judah go up first. Well, Judah, the name Judah means praise. And that is so fitting for us. … When it comes to how we begin our day, it’s so important for us to at least take a moment to praise God and to let praise go up first.” (45:30, 52:45)
• On God’s Faithfulness:
  • “I am faithful, and I’m going to give you your land too. But it’s not this land.” (54:35)
• Violence in Scripture:
  • “We have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. … It is to understand more deeply what is it that God is doing in the midst of a violent world.” (56:15, 57:15)
• On Family and the Story of God’s People:
  • “We have great moments of glory … and some great moments of shame in our family. And this is the family of God.” (58:53)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:04] – Intro and summary of daily readings
• [05:30] – Numbers 2: Organization and order of the tribes
• [25:15] – Deuteronomy 2: The journey in the wilderness (recap and reflections)
• [37:16] – Psalm 85: Reading and prayer
• [45:30] – Reflection on “Let Judah go up first”; importance of praise
• [49:04] – Significance of order, identity, and God’s presence at the center
• [54:35] – God’s faithfulness to family lineages
• [56:15] – Wrestling with violence in Scripture
• [58:53] – The family of God: Glory and shame
• [01:00:20] – Centering life around God, encouragement to praise first
• [01:01:10] – Closing encouragement and reminder

Tone & Language

Fr. Mike’s approach is warm, pastoral, and honest—mixing scriptural explanations with practical spiritual encouragement. He reassures listeners amid tough biblical passages, invites patience for ongoing explanations, and repeatedly ties ancient events to contemporary spiritual practice.

Summary

Day 53 re-centers listeners on God’s powerful act of forming Israel both as a family and a nation, showing how divine order, identity, and praise shape a people’s destiny. Fr. Mike encourages us to “let praise go up first,” to remember that God’s presence must be central in our lives, and to trust God’s faithfulness—even when confronted with passages that make us uncomfortable. Ultimately, the episode is an invitation to deeper understanding, greater praise, and steadfast journeying together.