Father Mike Schmitz hosts day 26 of The Bible in a Year podcast, reading from The Great Adventure Bible using the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition. This episode marks the final day in both Book of Genesis and Book of Job, concluding the patriarchal period that began with Abraham in Genesis 12.

The reading covers Genesis 49-50, featuring Jacob's prophetic blessings to his twelve sons and Joseph's death, Job 41-42 with God's final response to Job and the restoration of his fortunes, and Psalm 17, David's prayer for deliverance. Father Mike emphasizes three key theological insights: Jacob's messianic prophecy about Judah, Joseph's understanding of God's permissive will, and Job's revelation that God himself is the answer to human suffering.

Jacob's Prophetic Blessings and the Messianic Promise

Jacob deliberately bypasses his first three sons (Reuben, Simeon, Levi) due to their moral failures, instead blessing Judah with the royal prophecy: 'The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet.'

Father Mike identifies this as a messianic prophecy pointing to both King David and ultimately Jesus Christ, both from the tribe of Judah, fulfilling Jacob's declaration that 'your brothers shall praise you.'

Jacob's blessing describes Judah as 'a lion's whelp' who 'stooped down, he lurked as a lion, and as a lioness, who dares rouse him up?' - imagery later associated with Christ as the Lion of Judah.

Joseph's Theology of Divine Providence

After Jacob's death, Joseph's brothers fear retribution, but Joseph weeps at their lack of trust and delivers the profound theological statement: 'You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive.'

Father Mike explains this illustrates God's permissive will versus perfect will - God doesn't want evil but allows it because 'he wants to preserve our freedom and because he knows he can bring about a greater good.'

The recurring theme throughout Joseph's story was 'the Lord was with him' - even during rejection, false accusation, and abandonment, demonstrating God's presence in suffering.

Job's Ultimate Answer to Human Suffering

Book of Job concludes with God's description of Leviathan, a creature 'without fear' who 'is king over all the sons of pride,' representing forces beyond human control or understanding.

Job's final response: 'I had heard of you by the hearing of my ear, but now my eye sees you. Therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes' - showing direct encounter with God transforms everything.

Father Mike emphasizes that Book of Job 'addresses the problem of evil, but doesn't answer the problem of evil' with logical explanations - instead, 'God has responded to all of us' by giving himself as the answer.

God restores Job's fortunes double: '14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 she donkeys' plus seven sons and three daughters, and Job lived 140 years seeing four generations.

Transition from Patriarchs to Egypt and Exodus

Joseph dies at 110 years old but makes the Israelites swear an oath: 'God will visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here' - pointing forward to the Exodus.

Day 26 concludes the patriarchal period (Genesis 12-50) that began with Abraham, and tomorrow begins 'an entirely new period' - Egypt and the Exodus with the books of Exodus and Leviticus.

The reading plan follows The Great Adventure Bible timeline, available at ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear, structuring the year-long journey through Scripture chronologically.