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

Episode: Introduction to Conquest & Judges (with Jeff Cavins)

Date: March 22, 2026
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz
Guest: Jeff Cavins
Podcast: Ascension

Overview:

This special episode marks the transition into the "Conquest and Judges" period of the Great Adventure Bible Timeline. Fr. Mike Schmitz and Catholic Bible scholar Jeff Cavins introduce listeners to the historical, theological, and spiritual context of the Book of Joshua and the Book of Judges. Together they set the stage for understanding Israel’s entry into the Promised Land, the ensuing struggles, cycles of faithfulness and failure, and the enduring questions these stories evoke for every believer.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Entering the Green Period: Conquest & Judges

• Main Books Covered: Joshua & Judges (+ Ruth)
• Timeline Color Coding: Green (Land of Canaan: from desert wanderings to lush promise)
• "We're entering into this time period where Israel is about to cross the Jordan river and heading on in to the promised land." (Fr. Mike, 00:39)

Not Just a “Green Light”

• Despite arriving in the Promised Land, this era is “marked by certain struggle and even catastrophe.”
• "Even though God is with his people, it's not always very clean...the road is [not] smooth. It is oftentimes marked by certain struggle and even catastrophe.” (Fr. Mike, 01:47)

2. Historical and Literary Context: What’s Happening?

• After Moses dies, Joshua leads Israel across the Jordan, beginning with the miraculous parting of the river’s waters as a sign against Baal, the Canaanite god of fertility/water. (Jeff, 02:30)
• Emphasis on the tribal divide: Joseph receives no land (divided into Ephraim and Manasseh), and Levites receive cities, not land, as "the Lord himself is your inheritance." (Fr. Mike, 07:09; Jeff, 07:15)

3. Boot Camp is Over: Now, Live Your Faith

• Wilderness years were spiritual “boot camp” for Israel (Jeff, 03:45), preparing them for the challenges of living surrounded by pagan peoples.
• Key scriptural call to "teach your children" and remain unique among nations. (Fr. Mike, 07:16)

Attitude in Reading:

• Approach these texts either with “God on trial” (skepticism) or with trust in God’s faithfulness, even when things are difficult to understand. (Jeff, 08:36)
• St. Augustine’s wisdom: “If I can’t understand it, I have to dwell here a little longer until I can see what I need to see.” (Jeff, 09:44)

4. The Cycle of Judges: Sin, Servitude, Supplication, Salvation

• After Joshua’s death, leadership vanishes, and Israel falls into a destructive cycle that repeats seven times:
  • Sin → Servitude → Supplication → Salvation
  • "Sin leads to servitude. We become slaves. The servitude, the slavery leads to supplication. We pray and we ask God, please deliver us. And that supplication leads to salvation. God raises up a judge... and then they receive victory. And then after that... sin entering in again." (Jeff, 12:06)
• The Book of Judges is thus a “mirror” for our own journey—how easy it is to forget God’s faithfulness and fall back into sin.

5. The Judges: Flawed Heroes

• 12 judges (incl. Deborah and most famously, Samson).
• Judges are not always moral exemplars—Samson, a Nazirite, “loves women” and keeps breaking his vows, yet is still used by God. (Jeff, 15:13; Fr. Mike, 16:41)
  • "Even though they're called by God, and even though God can use them, not everything they do is... a role model example for us to follow." (Fr. Mike, 16:41)

Samson as Mirror for Israel:

• Samson’s story is “a microcosm of the macro reality of Israel”—set apart, but compromising their covenant.
• “When you lose covenant faithfulness, you become weak, you become blind, and you become like all the other nations.” (Jeff, 18:44)
• The tragic line: “He didn’t realize the spirit of God had left him.”—a haunting warning for all believers (Fr. Mike, 20:24)

On Presumption and Hope:

• Presumption—assuming God will always be there even as we sin—is dangerous.
• Yet Samson’s hair regrows, symbolizing God’s mercy and the reality of second chances:
  • "Even if there has been presumption, even if there had been sin... his hair began to grow. And he called upon the Lord, and the Lord answered in a powerful way." (Fr. Mike, 23:25)

6. Deeper Themes & Questions

• “Each man did what was right in their own eyes”—the recurring refrain of Judges, a warning about rejecting God’s leadership (Jeff, 24:16).
• Tough Passages: The morality of “herem” (total destruction) warfare is flagged as a big theme and open for further discussion (weekly Facebook Live Q&A). (Jeff, 26:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This is ultimately about you. It's about you. And what happens to Israel certainly happens to us.” (Jeff, 09:57)
• “If I can’t understand it, I have to dwell here a little longer until I can see what I need to see.” (St. Augustine, cited by Jeff, 09:44)
• “As for me and my house, we're going to serve the Lord.” (Joshua’s challenge, cited by Jeff, 12:06)
• “He didn’t realize the spirit of God had left him.” (On Samson, Fr. Mike, 20:24)
• “What makes Israel strong is their uniqueness in their covenant relationship...” (Jeff, 18:13)
• "Everything is permissible, but nothing is forgivable... But God will [forgive]." (Jeff, 22:54)
• “This is not impersonal. This is incredibly, incredibly personal for all of us.” (Fr. Mike, 28:47)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:04–01:15 – Introduction & review of prior periods; entering Conquest & Judges
• 01:47–03:45 – Struggle and uncertainty in the Promised Land
• 03:45–07:09 – Boot camp in the wilderness; context for Joshua
• 07:09–08:36 – Tribal allotments; Levites and inheritance
• 08:36–10:27 – Attitude in approaching Scripture: skepticism vs. faith
• 12:06–14:20 – The cycle of Judges: sin, servitude, supplication, salvation
• 15:13–17:54 – The flawed nature of the Judges, especially Samson
• 18:13–20:24 – Lessons from Samson; the mirror for Israel and us
• 21:49–23:25 – Presumption, repentance, and divine mercy
• 24:16–25:20 – Refrain of Judges, leadership, and self-will
• 26:23–27:44 – Tough questions: “herem” warfare and open dialogue
• 28:03–28:47 – Takeaway: examining our hearts, seeking fidelity

Final Takeaways

• Let these stories reveal your own heart and your need for covenant fidelity.
• Resist the temptations to place God “on trial” or to treat Scripture as a story about others.
• Recognize the enduring pattern: blessings and sin, failure and God’s offer of mercy.
• The Book of Judges is dark, but filled with lessons in both human failure and divine faithfulness.
• Approach this journey asking: “Who will I serve? How will I live as God’s chosen in a world with competing values?”

Resources and Next Steps:

• Live Q&A on Difficult Questions, including “herem” warfare:
  Thursdays at 2pm ET on Ascension Catholic Bible Study Facebook page ([details at 26:23])
• Continue journeying daily, keeping attuned to how God’s Word holds a mirror to our own lives.

“Please know that I am praying for you. Please be praying for me and also as part of this community. Keep praying for each other.”
— Fr. Mike, 28:47