Father Mike Schmitz hosts the Bible in a Year podcast, a daily Scripture reading program using The Great Adventure Bible timeline from Ascension Press. The podcast guides listeners through the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation, helping them discover how the salvation story unfolds and their place within it.

On day 32 of the reading plan, Father Mike covers three distinct biblical texts: Exodus chapter 9 continuing the plague narrative, Leviticus chapter 7 detailing sacrificial laws, and Psalm 49 warning against trusting in riches. He reads from the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition using The Great Adventure Bible.

The episode focuses particularly on the theological question of God hardening Pharaoh's heart, explaining this concept through the analogy of how the same sun melts wax but hardens clay, depending on the material's disposition. Father Mike emphasizes that God never overrides human free will but works mysteriously with it through grace.

The Plague Narrative Intensifies in Exodus

Exodus chapter 9 presents three devastating plagues: livestock disease, boils, and hail, each demonstrating God's power while protecting the Israelites in Goshen.

The plague on livestock kills 'all the cattle of the Egyptians' while 'of the cattle of the sons of Israel, not one died,' showing God's precise protection of His people.

The boil plague affects even Pharaoh's magicians who 'could not stand before Moses because of the boils,' marking their complete defeat.

The hail plague destroys crops and kills people and animals in the field, but 'only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, there was no hail.'

Pharaoh temporarily admits guilt saying 'I have sinned this time. The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong,' but hardens his heart again when the plague ends.

Understanding God's Hardening of Pharaoh's Heart

Father Mike explains that God hardening Pharaoh's heart doesn't mean removing free will but rather that hearts respond differently to God's presence, like materials respond differently to heat.

'God is always good... God is goodness itself, truth itself, life itself, mercy itself' - Father Mike, comparing God to the sun that emits only light and heat.

The analogy demonstrates that 'in the presence of the sun's heat, wax melts... but clay hardens in the presence of the sun' - the same divine presence affects hearts differently based on their disposition.

Father Mike warns that we can harden our hearts 'when maybe I don't get the blessing that I'm looking for... when I'm going through dark times... maybe even in his silence.'

Sacrificial Laws and Priestly Regulations in Leviticus

Leviticus chapter 7 establishes detailed laws for guilt offerings, specifying that 'every male among the priests may eat of it' and 'it shall be eaten in a holy place.'

Peace offerings for thanksgiving must be eaten the same day, while votive or freewill offerings can be eaten 'on the day that he offers his sacrifice, and the next day.'

Strict dietary laws prohibit eating fat or blood: 'You shall eat no fat of ox or sheep or goat' and 'you shall eat no blood whatever, whether of fowl or of animal.'

The chapter establishes perpetual priestly portions, giving Aaron and his sons specific parts of offerings 'as a perpetual debt from the sons of Israel.'

Psalm 49's Warning Against Trusting in Riches

Psalm 49 addresses 'all peoples... both low and high, rich and poor together,' warning against trusting in wealth rather than God.

The psalm declares that 'truly, no man can ransom himself, or give to God the price of his life' because 'the ransom of his life is costly and can never suffice.'

It emphasizes the temporary nature of earthly success: 'when he dies he will carry nothing away, his glory will not go down after him.'

The psalm concludes that 'man cannot abide in his pomp. He is like the beasts that perish,' but 'God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol.'