Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a Year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of scripture. The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension. Using the great adventure Bible timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. It is Day 294. We're reading first Book of Maccobies, Chapter 13, Sirach 32 and 33, as well as Proverbs 23:17-21. As always, the Bible translation I'm reading from is the revised standard version, second Catholic edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in a year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress. Com/biblein a year. You can also subscribe to this podcast. When you subscribe, you will receive daily updates and daily episodes automatically. That's how it's going to work. It's like magic. Just subscribe and automatically, you receive the updates. As I said, it's Day 294. We're reading first Book of Maccobies, Chapter 13, Sirach, Chapter 32 and 33, and Proverbs, Chapter 23, verses 17-21. The first Book of Maccobies, Chapter 13, Simon takes command.

Simon heard that Trifo had assembled a large army to invade the land of Judah and destroy it, and he saw that the people are trembling and fearful. He went up to Jerusalem and gathering the people together, he encouraged them, saying to them, You yourselves know what great things I and my brothers and the house of my father have done for the laws and the sanctuary. You know also the wars and the difficulties which we have seen. By reason of this, all my brothers have perished for the sake of Israel, and I alone am left. Now, far be it from me to spare my life in any time of distress, for I am not better than my brothers. But I will avenge my nation and the sanctuary and your wives and children, for all the nations have gathered together out of hatred to destroy us. The spirit of the people was rekindled when they heard these words, and they answered in a loud voice, You are our leader in place of Judas and Jonathan, your brother. Fight our battles and all that you say to us, we will do. He assembled all the warriors and hastened to complete the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it on every side.

He sent Jonathan, the son of Absalom, to Joppa, and with him a considerable army. He drove out its occupants and remained there. Deceit and treasury of Trifo. Then Trifo departed from Ptolemaeus with a large army to invade the land of Judah, and Jonathan was with him under guard, and Simon encamped facing the plane. Trifo learned that Simon had risen up in place of Jonathan, his brother, and that he was about to join battle with him. He sent envoices to him and said, It is for the money that Jonathan, your brother, owed the Royal Treasury in connection with the offices he held that we are detaining him. Send now a hundred talents of silver and two of his sons as hostages so that when released, he will not revolt against us and we will release him. Simon knew that they were speaking deceitfully to him, but he sent to get the money and the sons, lest he arouse great hostility among the people who might say, Because Simon did not send him the money and the sons, he perished. He sent the sons and the hundred talents. But Trifo broke his word and did not release Jonathan.

After this, Trifo came to invade the country and destroy it, and he circled around by the way to Adra. But Simon and his army kept marching along opposite him to every place he went. Now, the men in the Citadol kept sending envoys to Trifo, urging him to come to them by way of the wilderness and to send them food. Trifo got all his cavalry ready to go, but that night a very heavy snow fell and he did not go because of the snow. He marched off and went into the land of Gilead. When he approached Bascoma, he killed Jonathan and he was buried there. Then Trifo turned back and departed to his own land, Jonathan's tomb. Simon sent and took the bones of Jonathan, his brother, and buried him in Modine, the city of his father. All Israel bewilded him with great lamentation and mourned for him many days. Simon built a monument over the tomb of his father and his brothers. He made it high that it might be seen with polished stone at the front and back. He also erected seven pyramids opposite one another for his father and mother and four brothers.

For the pyramids, he devised an elaborate setting, erecting about them great columns. Upon the columns, he put suits of armor for a permanent memorial. Besides the suits of armor, carved ships so that they could be seen by all who sailed the sea. This is the tomb which he built in Modin. It remains to this day. Judea gains independence. Trifo dealt treacherously with the young King Antiochus. He killed him and became king in his place, putting on the Crown of Asia, and he brought great calamity upon the land. But Simon built up the strongholds of Judea and walled them all around with high towers and great walls and gates and bolts, and he stored food in the strongholds. Simon also chose men and sent them to Demetrius, the king, with a request to grant relief to the country, for all that Trifo did was to plunder. Demetrius, the king, sent him a favorable reply to this request and wrote him a letter as follows. King Demetrius to Simon, the high priest and friend of Kings, and to the elders and nation of the Jews, greeting. We have received the gold crown and the palm branch which you sent, and we are ready to make a general peace with you and to write to our officials to grant you release for from tribute.

All the grants that we have made to you remain valid, and let the stronghold that you have built be your possession. We pardon any errors and offenses committed to this day and cancel the crown tax, which you owe, and whatever other tax has been collected in Jerusalem shall be collected no longer. If any of you are qualified to be enrolled in our bodyguard, let them be enrolled and let there be peace between us. In the 170th year, the yoke of the Gentiles was removed from Israel, and the people began to write in their documents and contracts. In the first year of Simon, the great high priest and commander and leader of the Jews. The Capture of Gazarra by Simon. In those days, Simon encamped against Gazarra and surrounded it with troops. He made a siege engine, brought it up to the city, and battered and captured one tower. The men in the Siege engine leaped out into the city, and a great tumult arose in the city. The men in the city, with their wives and children, went up on the wall with their clothes torn and they cried out with a loud voice, asking Simon to make peace with them.

They said, Do not treat us according to our wicked acts, but according to your mercy. Simon reached an agreement with them and stopped fighting against them. But he expelled them from the city and cleansed the houses in which the idol's were and then entered it with hymns and praise. He cast out of it all uncleanness and settled in it men who observed the law. He also strengthened its fortifications and built in it a house for himself. Simon regains the Citadell. The men in the Citadell at Jerusalem were prevented from going out to the country and back to buy and sell. They were very hungry and many of them perished from famine. Then they cried to Simon to make peace with them, and he did so. But he expelled them from there and cleansed the Citadell from its pollutions. On the 23rd day of the second month, in the 171st year, the Jews entered it with praise and palm branches and with harps and symbols and stringed instruments and with hymns and songs because a great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel. Simon decreed that every year they should celebrate this day with rejoicing.

He strengthened the fortifications of the Temple Hill alongside the Citadale, and he and his men dwelt there. Simon saw that John, his son, had reached manhood, so he made him commander of all the forces, and he dwelt in Gezarah. The Book of Sirach, Chapter 32. If they make you master of the feast, do not exalt yourself. Be among them as one of them. Take good care of them and then be seated. When you have fulfilled your duties, take your place that you may be merry on their account and receive a wreath for your excellent leadership. Speak you who are older, for it is fitting that you should, but with accurate knowledge and do not interrupt the music. Where there is entertainment, do not pour out talk. Do not display your cleverness out of season. A ruby seal in a setting of gold is a concert of music at a banquet of wine. A seal of emerald in a rich setting of gold is the melody of music with good wine. Speak, young man, if there is need of you, but no more than twice and only if asked. Speak concisely, say much in few words, be as one who knows and yet holds his tongue.

Among the great do not act as their equal, and when another is speaking, do not babble. Lightning speeds before the thunder, and approval precedes a modest man. Leave in good time and do not be the last. Go home quickly and do not linger. Amuse yourself there and do what you have in mind, but do not sin through proud speech. And for these the things bless him who made you and satisfies you with his good gifts. He who fears the Lord will accept his discipline, and those who rise early to seek him will find favor. He who seeks the law will be filled with it, but the hypocrite will stumble at it. Those who fear the Lord will form true judgments, and like a light, they will kindle righteous deeds. A sinful man will shun reproof and will find a decision according to his liking. A man of judgment will not overlook an idea, and an insolent and proud man will not cower in fear. Do nothing without deliberation, and when you have acted, do not regret it. Do not go on a path full of hazards and do not stumble over stony ground. Do not be overconfident on a smooth way and give good heed to your paths.

Guard yourself in every act for this is the keeping of the commandments. He who believes the law gives heed to the commandments, and he who trusts the Lord will not suffer loss. Chapter 33, Practical advice. No evil will befall the man who fears the Lord, but in trial, he will deliver him again and again. A wise man will not hate the law, but he who is hypocritical about it is like a boat in a storm. A man of understanding will trust in the law. For him, the law is as dependable as an inquiry by means of Urim. Prepare what to say, and thus you will be heard. Bind together your instruction and make your answer. The heart of a fool is like a cartwheel, and his thoughts like a turning axel. A stallion is like a mocking friend. He nays under everyone who sits on him. Why is any day better than another? When all the daylight in the year is from the sun? By the Lord's decision, they were distinguished and he appointed the different seasons and feasts. Some of them he exalted and hallowed, and some of them he made ordinary days. All men are from the ground, and Adam was created of the dust.

In the fullness of his knowledge, the Lord distinguished them and appointed their different ways. Some of them he blessed and exalted, and some of them he made holy and brought near to himself. But some of them he cursed and brought low, and he turned them out of their place. As the clay in the hand of the potter, for all his ways are as he pleases, so men are in the hand of him who made them to give them as he decides. Good is the opposite of evil, and life, the opposite of death. The sinner is the opposite of the godly. Look upon all the works of the most high. They likewise are in pairs, one the opposite of the other. I was the last on watch. I was like the one who gleanes after the grape-gatherers. By the blessing of the Lord, I excelled, and like a grape-gatherer, I filled my wine press. Consider that I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who seek instruction. Hear me, you who are great among the people and you leaders of the congregation, listen. To son or wife, to brother or friend, do not give power over yourself as long as you live and do not give your property to another, lest you change your mind and must ask for it.

While you are still alive and have breath in you, do not let anyone take your place. For it is better that your children should ask from you than that you should look to the hand of your sons. Excel in all that you do. Bring no stain upon your honor. At the time when you end the days of your life, in the hour of death, distribute your inheritance. Fodder and stick and burdens for a donkey, bread and discipline and work for a servant. Set your slave to work and you will find rest. Leave his hands idle and he will seek liberty. Yoke and thong will bow the neck, and for a wicked servant, there are racks and tortures. Put him to work that he may not be idle, for idleness teaches much evil. Set him to work as it is fitting for him, and if he does not obey, make his chains heavy. Do not act imm moderately toward anybody and do nothing without discretion. If you have a servant, let him be as yourself because you have bought him with blood. If you have a servant, treat him as a brother, for as your own soul, you will need him.

If you ill treat him and he leaves and runs away, which way will you go to seek him? The Book of Proverbs 23:17-21. Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day. Surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off. Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your mind in the way. Be not among wine, beverages, or among glutinous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the gluton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags. Father in heaven, we give you praise. We thank you so much for this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for the thousandth day in a row. We thank you for your wisdom. This just guides us and calls us to be long to you and calls us to live, not foolishly, to live wisely. We ask you to please guard our thoughts and guard our minds that everything we say and everything we think may be true, may be true things, may be good things, may be helpful things and wise things. Everything we do give you glory, Father, and help our brothers and sisters around us.

In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Okay, in first Maccobies 13, we have this story, the brothers. We have Judas, then Jonathan, now Simon. Every one of those brothers is pretty remarkable right there when it comes to battle. Now, what they've done is they've fought back. Here is the new, I guess, independent sovereign nation of Judah, the sovereign nation of Israel, essentially, you might call it, here in the land of Judah, in the city of Jerusalem, and they have freedom. This is remarkable. Again, this is one of the things we need to know that for over 100 years, the people of Israel had their own sovereign nation because they fought against the Greeks and alliances around them. They were not only willing to do that, but they also fought in such a way that they wanted to keep the law. You see this today. We have Simon, who's going all over the place. As he goes to places, here's the city of Gezarah, you have the Citadal in the city of Jerusalem, where, Yeah, I'll spare your lives, but you have to leave.

Why? Because you have not been following the law. You have not been living the covenant. Now, for us, that can be really troubling. It can be troubling for us because we're like, Well, that sounds like a theocracy. At the same time? Yes, it is. Yet we recognize that here is what God had called. God had called His people to belong to Him, to follow the law. Now, we don't, as Christians, we don't believe in a theocracy. As Christians, we believe, Oh, yes, the church is the theocracy. We belong to the Lord. But civilly speaking, we don't have that. What we do have is we have our own lives governed. Now, these are the things. A theocracy is governance of the people by the rules of the religion, ultimately by God, and those who enforce God's law as they see it. But what we do is we have a theocracy in the church. What that is, is we are governed. We are governed by the Lord, not the civil authorities, not the civil life where we're living in. But we're governed by the laws of God. We're governed by the covenant that Jesus establishes in his own blood.

We're governed by the fact that he's poured out his Spirit upon us so we can cry about Abba Father. In fact, the head of this monarchy is the Lord God himself. He been made into sons and daughters of this Lord God himself. We can make as many connections between Maccobie's Chapter 13 and our own lives, but one thing to keep in mind is that what we're called to do is we're called to surrender. We're called to submit to the Lord's laws. We're called to live out the covenant that God has established with his people and with us. He's brought us into that. Hopefully, that makes sense. I think I've been saying that for a while the last couple of days. Hopefully, that makes sense. Because as I noted, first Maccobie's, at least, is a historical book, and they don't necessarily give us a sermon out of this. They just tell us this is what happened. But Sirach definitely does. I think there is some incredible, just chapter 32. My gosh. If they make you the master of the feast, do not exalt yourself. Be among them as one of them. What advice is this? This is amazing.

That's just theAgain, this is a dad to his son. It's so good. Going on, he says, Take good care of them and then be seated. When you have fulfilled your duties, then take your place, and that you may be married on their account and receive a wreath for your excellent leadership. I love, Speak you are older for it's fitting that you should. But do it with accurate knowledge. Do not interrupt the music. Once again, a good dad giving some good advice. If you speak when you're older, that makes sense. But also don't say lies. Do accurate knowledge. Don't interrupt the music. When there is entertainment, do not pour out talk. Every one of us, we've been in a situation like that. You've been to a dinner, maybe there's a fundraiser or something like this, and they have a show and the person next to you is wanting to converse during the thing. You're like, Listen, someone's up there talking. Don't do this. Or they're playing a song right now. Don't talk. Here, if they only would have read Sirach, Chapter 32, they would have known. Don't do that. Also, gosh, a ruby seal in a setting of gold is a concert of music at a banquet of wine.

What a beautiful image. The young man, this is verse 7 in chapter 32, Speak, young man, if there is need of you, but no more than twice and only if asked. Speak concisely, say much in few words, be as one who knows and yet holds his tongue. That is just practical advice for all of us to follow and to just be kind to each other and to defer. I think that's a big piece of this is some of this wisdom in Siraq is just belong to the Lord and live for the Lord and follow the law. But another piece is just defer. Defer to the people around you, recognize that they are significant and recognize that they matter. This is one of the things that at the heart of every one of our lives is this awareness. As Christians, we realize that everyone around us matters. Everyone around us matters. Everyone around you matters. Everyone around me matters. You all, every person listening to this, you all matter. The fact that you're listening to the word of God for 294 days, that matters. The fact that you're allowing him to shape the way you think and the way you see the world and the way you act, that matters.

Because above everything else, even if there's people around you that treat you like you don't matter, you matter to God. You matter to us, this community that has walked and journeyed for almost an entire year. You matter to us. You matter to me. I'm praying for you. Please, pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.