AI Summary
5 min readDay 240: Remaining Humble
On day 240 of the Bible in a Year podcast, Father Mike Schmitz reads from Jeremiah 23, Daniel 4–5, and Proverbs 16:1–4. The readings converge on a single theme: God humbles the proud, whether they are false prophets speaking their own words in God's name or kings who forget that the Most High rules over human kingdoms.
The danger of speaking for God without being sent
Jeremiah 23 delivers a sustained indictment against prophets who claim to speak for the Lord but are actually speaking from their own minds. God says through Jeremiah: "I did not send the prophets, yet they ran. I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied." The passage draws a sharp contrast between straw and wheat—between empty human words and the actual word of God, which is "like fire" and "like a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces."
Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.
Read Full Summary →Free • No credit card required
Never miss an episode of The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Get every new episode summarized in your inbox — free, ~5 minutes to read.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
What you'll learn
- 1 (01:26) **Opening & Readings Introduction** - Fr. Mike introduces day 240, the Scripture passages (Jeremiah 23, Daniel 4–5, Proverbs 16:1–4), and thanks listeners for making it two-thirds through the year.
- 2 (02:43) **Jeremiah 23: Woes Against False Shepherds & Prophets** - God denounces shepherds who scatter the flock and promises to gather the remnant and raise up a righteous Branch (the Messiah).
- 3 (08:59) **Daniel 4: Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of the Great Tree** - The king recounts a dream of a towering tree that is cut down, leaving only a stump bound with iron and bronze, while a holy watcher decrees the king will live like a beast for seven times.
- 4 (13:44) **Nebuchadnezzar’s Humbling & Restoration** - Twelve months later, the king boasts of his own glory, and immediately a voice from heaven pronounces judgment; he is driven away, eats grass like an ox, and his hair and nails grow wild.
- 5 (15:35) **Daniel 5: Belshazzar’s Feast & the Handwriting on the Wall** - King Belshazzar drinks from the sacred vessels of the Jerusalem temple and praises idols, and a disembodied hand writes a mysterious inscription on the palace wall.
- 6 (20:35) **Proverbs 16:1–4: Commit Your Work to the Lord** - Fr. Mike reads the short passage, highlighting verse 3: “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”
- 7 (22:09) **The Core Message: Humility Before the Lord** - Fr. Mike explains that Jeremiah 23 warns against using God’s name to endorse our own preferences, which is a form of taking the Lord’s name in vain.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Fr. Mike touches on Proverbs 16:3, which is about giving everything in our lives to the service of the Lord. He also emphasizes how important it is to humble ourselves before the Lord, so to avoid becoming like the false prophets Jeremiah talks about today. Today's readings are Jeremiah 23, Daniel 4-5, and Proverbs 16:1-4.
For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear.
Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.
More from this podcast
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) →