Daily Readings - Fri Dec 01 2017
First Reading - Daniel 7.1-14
Daniel
1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.2Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.3And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.4The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.5And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.6After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.8I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.9I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.11I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.12As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.13I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Gospel - Luke 21.29-33
Luke
29And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;30When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.31So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.32Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.33Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are presented with vivid imagery from Daniel and a parable from Luke, both pointing us toward the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom. Daniel's vision, set during the Babylonian exile, describes four beasts symbolizing the rise and fall of earthly empires. The fourth beast, with its terrifying appearance, represents oppressive power, but it is ultimately destroyed. This vision culminates with the Ancient One, a symbol of God, judging the beasts and granting dominion to the son of man, a figure representing the Messiah and God's people. This vision reassures us that despite the turmoil of history, God's sovereignty will prevail.
In Luke, Jesus uses the parable of the fig tree to teach about recognizing the signs of the kingdom of God. Just as leaves signal the approach of summer, certain events will herald the nearness of God's kingdom. Jesus emphasizes the enduring nature of his words, which will outlast even heaven and earth. This parable invites us to stay vigilant and attentive to the signs around us, trusting in the fulfillment of God's promises.
Both readings converge on the theme of God's kingdom and our response to its signs. Daniel's vision calls us to trust in God's ultimate triumph over earthly powers, while Luke's parable encourages us to remain faithful and attentive, knowing that God's word endures. As we navigate our daily lives, let us stay rooted in faith, recognizing the signs of God's presence and trusting in the eternal nature of His word. May we remain vigilant and hopeful, awaiting the full realization of God's kingdom.