Father Mike Schmitz concludes day 365 of the Bible in a Year podcast, a project brought by Ascension using the Great Adventure Bible timeline. The episode marks the completion of reading through the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation over the course of one year.

The final reading covers Revelation chapters 21-22, depicting the New Heaven and New Earth and the New Jerusalem. These chapters describe God's ultimate restoration plan where He dwells with humanity, eliminates death and suffering, and creates a city of unimaginable beauty with foundations of precious stones and gates of pearl.

Hebrews chapters 11-13 provide the theological framework for faith, cataloging heroes from Abel through Moses to the prophets who lived by faith without seeing the fulfillment of God's promises. The letter emphasizes Jesus as the pioneer and perfecter of faith, encouraging believers to persevere through trials while surrounded by a cloud of witnesses.

Father Mike reflects emotionally on the year-long journey, acknowledging listeners who experienced loss, suffering, and personal trials while staying committed to daily Scripture reading. He emphasizes that the community of hundreds of thousands ran this race together, supported by prayer and mutual encouragement throughout the entire year.

The New Heaven and Earth: God's Ultimate Restoration

Revelation 21 opens with John's vision of "a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more"

"Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" - Revelation 21:3-4

God declares "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty, I will give water without price from the fountain of the water of life"

The vision contrasts eternal life for conquerors with judgment for "the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars" whose lot is "the lake that burns with fire and brimstone"

Architecture of Eternity: The New Jerusalem

The holy city Jerusalem descends from heaven "having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper clear as crystal" with a great high wall containing twelve gates

The city's dimensions form a perfect cube - "its length and breadth and height are equal" - measured at 144 cubits by an angel's measure

The wall's foundations are adorned with twelve jewels in sequence: jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst, with each of the twelve gates made from a single pearl

"I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light"

The river of the water of life flows "bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb" with the tree of life on either side bearing twelve kinds of fruit monthly, its leaves "for the healing of the nations"

Final Warnings and Promises from Jesus

"Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" - Jesus

"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and that they may enter the city by the gates"

Jesus identifies himself as "the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star" and sends his angel "with this testimony for the churches"

The Spirit and the bride issue the invitation: "Come. And let him who hears say, Come. And let him who is thirsty come. Let him who desires take the water of life without price"

Severe warning given against adding to or removing from "the words of the book of this prophecy" with consequences affecting one's share in the tree of life and the holy city

Revelation concludes with Jesus saying "Surely I am coming soon" and John responding "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints"

Hebrews 11: The Hall of Faith

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it, the men of old received divine approval"

"By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain" and "through his faith he is still speaking" even after death

"Without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him"

Abraham's faith demonstrated through obedience: "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was to go"

"By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac" considering "that God was able to raise men even from the dead"

Moses "by faith refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin"

The chapter catalogs faith heroes including Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets "who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions"

"All these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect"

Running the Race with Jesus as Pioneer

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith" - Hebrews 12:1-2

Jesus "for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God"

"Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or faint-hearted. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood"

God's discipline explained: "The Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives" for our good "that we may share his holiness"

"Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord"

Practical Instructions for Christian Living

"Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares"

"Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have"

God's promise: "I will never fail you nor forsake you" enabling believers to say confidently "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings"

"Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God"

Final benediction: "Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good"

Father Mike's Reflection on the Year-Long Journey

Father Mike acknowledges listeners who experienced profound loss during the year: "I know that over the last 365 days, you have experienced death, you've experienced loss. Siblings, you've lost parents, you've lost children, you've lost your own children, your spouses"

"God has been speaking to you this whole time. He didn't abandon you in the midst of suffering, and He will never abandon you in the midst of suffering. It was in the midst of loss that He kept speaking to you because death is not the end"

The community aspect emphasized: "You haven't done it alone. There have been hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people running with you, this community that has been racing with you, running alongside of you"

Father Mike explains his difficulty with goodbyes: "I don't have words to honor this moment. I don't have words to honor you. I don't have the words that could honor what God has done in my life over these last year"

"This last year, you and God's word have meant everything. And I'm so grateful for every one of you. So grateful for your prayer. So grateful for your support"

Practical information shared: Certificates of completion available at ascensionpress.com/Bible-in-a-year, and Jeff Cavins' Bible studies on Hebrews, Revelation, and Romans recommended for deeper study