November 22, 2024

Today's Reading: Daniel 2:24-49

Daily Lectionary: Daniel 2:24-49; Revelation 19:1-21

And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever (Daniel 2:44)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

History reveals that even the mightiest nations, no matter how long they reign, no matter how much they prosper, rise and fall like waves raging in a sea. It seems that no kingdom is immune to one day crumbling. The great nations of history are proof of this. The Mongols, Romans, Ottomans, and Persians are all examples of this. There was a time when it was said that the sun didn’t set on the Roman empire, but eventually, it would. The once mighty Rome would crumble and become simply a footnote in the annals of history. This is how it goes with kingdoms made by the hands of men. Just like everything, sin infects and causes even the firmest of foundations to decay. Leaders become corrupt, those who serve to keep order abuse their authority, and greed gets a stranglehold on the best of us. Eventually, the infection kills.

Daniel speaks of such things in this dream that he interprets. While it talks about a specific group of nations, nothing has changed. But with this word of law comes a promise that in a world where nations rise and fall, where sinners rule and reign, there will come a kingdom that will conquer all. There will come a kingdom that is holy and righteous, and this kingdom will have no end but instead will endure forever. This kingdom is the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom that Christ will bring with Him, the one that He begins to usher in at His incarnation, the kingdom which He fights for in His death, the kingdom He secures in His resurrection, and the kingdom He rules since His ascension.

This kingdom has yet to be fulfilled. It will come to completion when Christ returns on the Last Day. This kingdom will be a kingdom where there is no more death, pain, or tears. It will be glorious. Until that day, though, the kingdom of God is established through Christ’s church. It rules with the Gospel, the preaching and teaching of Jesus, who died and was resurrected. It wars against sin, death, and the devil through Word and Sacrament. Christ’s church brings about this kingdom one Baptism at a time. One day, Christ will return, and all who believe will dwell in His kingdom forever.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O sweet and blessed country, The home of God’s elect! O sweet and blessed country That faithful hearts expect! In mercy, Jesus, bring us To that eternal rest With You and God the Father And Spirit, ever blest. (LSB 672:4)

-Rev. Caleb Weight, associate pastor of Peace In Christ Lutheran Church in Hermantown, MN.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Spend time reading and meditating on God’s Word throughout the Church Year with the Enduring Grace Journal. Includes scripture readings, prayers, prompts, and space for journaling. The Church Year Journal, Enduring Grace, now available from Concordia Publishing House.