Daily Readings - Tue Nov 26 2019

³And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.⁹But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.¹⁰The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.²⁷Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;³¹Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.³²This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,³³His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.³⁴Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.³⁵Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.³⁶This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.³⁷Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.³⁸And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.³⁹And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.⁴⁰And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.⁴¹And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.⁴²And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.⁴³And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.⁴⁴And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.⁴⁵Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

Luke

Chapter 21

⁵And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,⁶As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.⁷And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?⁸And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.⁹But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.¹⁰Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:¹¹And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about the nature of human existence and the eternal reign of God. The first reading from Daniel describes a dream of a statue representing successive kingdoms, each less glorious than the last, culminating in their destruction by a stone symbolizing God's kingdom. This serves as a reminder that all earthly powers are transient, while God's kingdom endures forever. The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus warning about the temple's destruction and the chaos preceding the end times, urging vigilance against deception and false messiahs. Both readings are set in contexts where hope was scarce. Daniel's vision came during the Israelites' exile, offering comfort that God's plan would prevail despite their current hardships. Luke's passage is part of Jesus' Olivet Discourse, preparing his followers for Jerusalem's fall and future trials, emphasizing trust in God's timing and plan. These readings relate by highlighting the impermanence of human structures and the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom. Daniel's progression of kingdoms leading to God's reign mirrors Luke's warning against earthly securities, urging faith in eternal truths. Applying this to daily life, we are reminded to trust in God's plan amidst uncertainty, focusing on eternal values over temporary concerns. The moral lesson is clear: faith and trust in God are our anchors amidst life's turmoil. We are encouraged to live with hope, knowing God's kingdom will prevail, and to remain steadfast, avoiding the allure of false promises. Let us embrace this truth, finding strength in God's eternal plan.