Day 211: Called by Name (2026)

The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

On Day 211 of 'The Bible in a Year,' Fr. Mike Schmitz explores Isaiah 43–44 and Ezekiel 4–5, emphasizing God’s promise to redeem Israel before the Babylonian exile. He highlights how God declares, 'I have called you by n

Key takeaways

• God declares to Israel: 'I have called you by name. You are mine' (Isaiah 43:1).

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:03) My name's Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of scripture. The Bible in a year podcast is brought to ascension. Using the great adventure Bible timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. It is day 211. We are reading from Isaiah chapter 43 and 44. We are in the book of consolation, and we're also reading Ezekiel chapters 4 and 5. We're also reading Proverbs chapter 12 verses 5 through 8. As always, the Bible translation that I'm reading from is the Revised Standard Version, the second Catholic edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in a year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year. You can also subscribe to this podcast by clicking on subscribe and receiving daily episodes and daily updates because it's the day of 211. And we are just into the book of consolation, starting with chapter 40. We are now in chapter 43 and 44. We're also in Ezekiel chapters four and five. Remember, Ezekiel had this incredible vision of the Lord and his, glory, the son of, he's the son of man, which basically just means he's a human being. That's going to change in Daniel chapter 7. But for now, whenever the Lord God calls Ezekiel, son of man, he's just talking like, hey, bro, you're a human being. But we're going to hear Ezekiel 4 and 5, the way in which Ezekiel is called to be a prophet through his actions, not just through his words, it's through his words and his actions. And also, that's Ezekiel 4 and 5 in Proverbs chapter 12, verses 5 through 8. The book of the prophet Isaiah chapter 43, The Lord is Redeemer of Israel. But now, thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel. Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned. And the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia, and Siba in exchange for you, because you are precious in my eyes and honored, and I love you. I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you. I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, give up, and to the south, do not withhold. Bring my sons from afar, and my daughter, from the end of the earth. Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. Bring forth the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears. Let all the nations gather together and let the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to justify them, and let them hear and say, it is true. You are my witnesses, says the Lord. And my servant, whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me, no God was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the Lord, and besides me, there is no Savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed when there was no strange God among you, and you are my witnesses, says the Lord. I am God, and also henceforth, I am He. There is none who can deliver from my hand. I work and who can hinder it. Thus says the Lord, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. For your sake, I will send to Babylon and break down all the bars, and the shouting of the Chaldeans will be turned into lamentations. I am the Lord, your holy one, the creator of Israel, your king. Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior, they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick. Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs forth. Do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself, that they might declare my praise. Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob. But you have been weary of me, O Israel. You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings or wearied you with frankincense. You have not brought me sweet cane with money or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins. You have wearied me with your iniquities. I, I am he who blots out your transgressions my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Put me in remembrance. Let us argue together, set forth your case that you may be proved right. Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me. Therefore I profaned the princes of the sanctuary. I delivered Jacob to utter destruction and Israel to reviling. Chapter 44. God's blessing on Israel. But now here, O Jacob, my servant, Israel whom I have chosen. Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you. Fear not, O Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my spirit upon your descendants and my blessing on your offspring. They shall spring up like grass amid waters, like willows by flowing streams. This one will say, I am the lords. Another will call himself by the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, the Lord. and surname himself by the name of Israel. Thus says the Lord, the King of