AI Summary
5 min readOne of the most striking moments in Malachi comes when God declares, "I have loved you," and the people respond, "How have you loved us?" This exchange sets the tone for the final prophet of the Old Testament—a book that reads like an indictment of spiritual blindness. On Day 281 of The Bible in a Year, Father Mike Schmitz walks through the closing chapters of Nehemiah and the entirety of Malachi, drawing a direct line between the failures of ancient Israel and a modern religious attitude he calls "moralistic therapeutic deism."
The Cycle of Faithlessness Returns
Nehemiah’s story ends with a familiar pattern. After successfully rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls and leading a religious revival, Nehemiah returns to the court of King Artaxerxes for a time. When he comes back to Jerusalem, he finds the same corruption he thought he had eliminated. The temple storerooms have been converted into private lodging for Tobiah, an enemy of Israel. The Levites, who depend on tithes for their livelihood, have been abandoned and have fled to work their fields. People are working and trading on the Sabbath. And perhaps most painfully, the Israelites have resumed marrying foreign women who do not worship the Lord.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:03) **Episode Introduction** - Fr. Mike Schmitz opens Day 281, the conclusion of the "Return" period, and previews today's readings: Nehemiah 13, Malachi 1-4, and Proverbs 21:25-28.
- 2 (01:37) **Nehemiah 13: Reforms After Nehemiah's Absence** - The final chapter recounts Nehemiah's return to Jerusalem to find the people had fallen back into unfaithfulness, prompting him to restore temple worship, Sabbath observance, and covenant boundaries.
- 3 (06:37) **Malachi 1: God's Love and Corrupt Priesthood** - The prophet Malachi ("my messenger") opens with God declaring His love for Israel, then confronts the priests for offering blemished sacrifices and despising God's name.
- 4 (09:08) **Malachi 2: Covenant with Levi and the Sin of Divorce** - God rebukes the priests for corrupting the covenant of Levi, then condemns the people for faithlessness in marriage and for calling evil good.
- 5 (11:57) **Malachi 3: The Coming Messenger and the Refiner's Fire** - A prophecy of John the Baptist preparing the way, the Lord suddenly coming to His temple, and a call to return to God with full tithes.
- 6 (14:51) **Malachi 4: The Great Day of the Lord** - The final chapter contrasts the burning judgment on the arrogant and evildoers with the healing "sun of righteousness" for those who fear God's name.
- 7 (15:49) **Proverbs 21:25-28** - A reading on the sluggard's desire, the wicked's covetousness, the abomination of wicked sacrifices, and the false witness.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Fr. Mike summarizes the final moments of the book of Nehemiah, when Nehemiah returns to find the people of Israel being unfaithful to God’s commandments and marrying foreign wives. Fr. Mike connects this to our lives, as we too often confuse God’s unending love for us to mean that he always wants what we want.Today’s readings are Nehemiah 13, Malachi 1-4, and Proverbs 21: 25-28.
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.
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