Day 250: Final Wave of Exile (2026)

Father Mike Schmitz begins by thanking listeners for their support of the Catechism in a Year and Bible in a Year podcasts, noting how their prayers and financial gifts enable Ascension to create authentic Catholic content that helps people grow closer to God. He then dives into Day 250 of the Bible in a Year podcast, marking a significant milestone with only 115 days remaining. Today's readings include Jeremiah 39-40, Judith 10-11, and Proverbs 17:9-12.

The Fall of Jerusalem and Zedekiah's Fate

Father Mike highlights Jeremiah 39-40, which details the fall of Jerusalem. In the ninth year of King Zedekiah's reign, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, besieged Jerusalem. By the eleventh year, a breach was made in the city walls, and Jerusalem was taken. The princes of Babylon, including Nergal-sharezer and Samgar-nebo, entered and sat in the Middle Gate, symbolizing their complete conquest and control over the city's political and economic heart. Father Mike likens this act to an invading force taking over the Oval Office in Washington D.C., sitting behind the desk with their feet up.

King Zedekiah, along with his soldiers, attempted to flee the city at night through the King's Garden, heading towards the Arabah. However, the Chaldean army pursued and captured him in the plains of Jericho. Zedekiah was then brought before Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah in the land of Hamath. There, Nebuchadnezzar passed a brutal sentence: Zedekiah's sons were slain before his eyes, followed by the execution of all the nobles of Judah. Finally, Zedekiah's eyes were put out, and he was bound in chains and taken to Babylon. This horrific act ensured that the last thing Zedekiah ever saw was the death of his children, a grim consequence of his disobedience and lack of trust in God's word delivered through Jeremiah.