Today's Reading: Daniel 7:9-14
Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 31: 1-17, 23-34; St. Matthew 27:1-10
And to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:14)
In the name of Jesus. Amen. What a glorious vision the prophet Daniel sees! He sees the second coming of Jesus, the Son of Man. God the Father, the Ancient of Days, gives Jesus all things. Jesus becomes the eternal King to reign in God’s kingdom forever.
However, before he sees all of this, God shows Daniel terrifying visions of horrible beasts. The beasts are powerful and dreadful. They resemble ferocious animals, but have other strange characteristics that make them even more frightening. No wonder Daniel is greatly alarmed.
Daniel sees the mighty power of the great kingdoms that have dominion on the earth. Evil and wickedness seem to reign with great power on this earth. Daniel lived in the midst of mighty Babylon, a real place, but also the great representation of evil within Scripture. You and I live in a world filled with evil, hostile to our Christian faith. Even the evil within our own hearts can scare us to death at times.
Fear not, dear Christian! The Son of Man reigns as King! His is a kingship and a reign like no other. It began not with a visible display of might, but in a manger with smelly animals. He wore a crown of thorns. His throne was a cross, but there He destroyed the dominion of evil forever by taking all evil upon Himself and dying. Because of this, God has given Him everlasting dominion. The books are open, but by grace you are judged according to His righteousness and you live under Him in His kingdom to serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
You are the king of glory, O Christ; You are the everlasting Son of the Father. When you took upon Yourself to deliver man, You humbled Yourself to be born of a virgin. When you had overcome the sharpness of death, You opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You sit at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father. We believe that You will come to be our judge. We therefore pray You to help Your servants, whom You have redeemed with Your precious blood. Make them to be numbered with Your saints in glory everlasting. (Te Deum, LSB 223:4-7)