Father Mike Schmitz hosts this Bible in a year podcast episode, reading from Joshua chapters 10-11 and Psalm 128 on day 84 of the journey through Scripture. He uses The Great Adventure Bible from Ascension Press, following their timeline from Genesis to Revelation.

The episode focuses on two major themes: the miraculous day when the sun stood still during Joshua's battle against the Amorite kings, and the theological challenge of understanding God's involvement in the violent conquest of Canaan. Father Mike addresses how faith and science can coexist, drawing parallels to the 1917 Fatima miracle.

He emphasizes that while the book of Joshua contains extensive warfare and destruction, this violence represents humanity's brokenness rather than God's original design, which was always peace and unity among all peoples.

The Sun Stands Still: Miracle or Metaphor

Joshua commanded the sun to stand still at Gibeon during battle against five Amorite kings, with The Book of Joshar serving as historical documentation of this event.

Father Mike explains that good faith and good science never contradict because both pursue truth - 'truth can never contradict truth' - Mike

The Galileo controversy was 'an issue of one ego versus another ego' rather than science versus faith, since Copernicus (a Catholic cleric) had already proposed heliocentrism without religious opposition.

The 1917 Fatima miracle provides modern precedent where 'tens of thousands of people' including skeptics and atheists witnessed the sun dancing in the sky without affecting global solar mechanics.

Joshua's Systematic Conquest of Canaan

Five Amorite kings allied against Gibeon after it made peace with Israel, prompting God to tell Joshua 'Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands.'

God fought alongside Israel using supernatural warfare: hailstones from heaven killed more enemies than Israeli swords during the pursuit.

Joshua systematically conquered the southern cities (Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, Debir) leaving 'none remaining' in each location.

The northern coalition led by King Jabin of Hazor brought forces 'like the sand that is upon the seashore' with many horses and chariots, but Israel defeated them completely.

Joshua's conquests concluded with the elimination of the Anakim giants from the hill country, and 'the land had rest from war.'

God's Plan: From Violence to Ultimate Peace

Father Mike emphasizes that warfare 'isn't necessarily God's plan' but rather 'God's first plan is that his children would belong to him, that the whole world would know him.'

Violence and destruction result from 'our broken humanity and our brokenness' rather than God's original design for harmony between peoples.

The book of Revelation reveals God's ultimate vision: 'a multitude of people from every tribe, every nation on earth, every race, every ethnicity, all peoples gathered into one.'

The final goal is unity and peace: 'What God wants ultimately is our unity. What He wants ultimately is our peace' - Mike