Father Mike Schmitz hosts the Bible in a Year podcast, reading through scripture using The Great Adventure Bible Timeline framework from Ascension Press. He uses The Great Adventure Bible based on the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition for this systematic journey from Genesis to Revelation.

Day 62 covers Numbers chapters 12-13, Deuteronomy chapter 11, and Psalm 94, focusing on sibling conflict between Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, the critical spy mission to Canaan, and Moses' warnings about remembering God's faithfulness. The readings span both real-time events (Numbers) occurring 1-2 years after the Exodus and Moses' retrospective teaching (Deuteronomy) delivered 40 years later.

Sibling Rivalry and Divine Authority

Aaron and Miriam challenged Moses' authority over his marriage to a Cushite woman, asking 'Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?'

God distinguished Moses' prophetic role, saying 'With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in dark speech, and he beholds the form of the Lord.'

Miriam received leprosy as punishment, but this crisis united the siblings as 'Aaron goes to Moses and says, please pray on her behalf. Moses prays on her behalf' - Father Mike

The seven-day quarantine period demonstrated how family divisions often heal when facing serious illness together.

The Canaan Reconnaissance Mission

Moses sent 12 tribal leaders to spy out Canaan for 40 days, including Caleb from Judah and Joshua (originally Hoshea) from Ephraim.

The spies confirmed the land 'flows with milk and honey' and brought back massive grape clusters requiring two men to carry on a pole.

Ten spies reported that 'the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large' with descendants of Anak (giants).

Only Caleb advocated immediate invasion, declaring 'Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.'

The majority gave an 'evil report' claiming 'we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.'

Moses' Covenant Renewal Instructions

Moses commanded the Israelites to 'bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes' - referring to phylacteries and mezuzahs.

The promised territory would span 'from the wilderness and Lebanon and from the river, the river Euphrates to the western sea.'

Moses presented a choice: 'Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse' - blessing for obedience, curse for turning to other gods.

Father Mike connects these physical reminders to Catholic practices: 'That's why we have crosses. I wear crosses. That's why we have icons.'

Historical Context and Spiritual Application

Father Mike emphasizes the timeline: Numbers records events 1-2 years post-Exodus, while Deuteronomy is Moses' retrospective 40 years later.

The Israelites' fear was understandable since 'they have spent their entire lives as slaves. They don't know how to fight' - Father Mike

God's response to their lack of faith: 'You're right. You can't. I can' - but they lacked trust in divine power.

Father Mike warns against forgetting God's works: 'we do not want to forget what God has done for us' in times of distress or abundance.