Sunday, November 17, 2024  

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Today's Scripture
Daniel 7:9–10, 13–14

As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne, his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and flowed out from his presence. A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed. (NRSV)

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Reflection

The seventh chapter of Daniel, widely believed to be the latest writing in the entire Old Testament and perhaps most akin to the book of Revelation, is a sweeping series of visions that Daniel has about Israel’s past, present, and future. In today’s passage, best known for the “Son of Man” title to which the Gospel writers later explicitly connect Jesus, Daniel seems to be writing a message of hope to those living in and around Jerusalem under the brutal reign of Antiochus IV (175–164 BCE).

Without going too deep into the time period now known as the Maccabean Revolt, Israel had been living for centuries under the control of occupying empires — the Babylonians, Persians, and Greek Seleucids — and there were certainly those who were wondering why God hadn’t intervened on their behalf.

In Daniel’s visions, though, we hear a remarkable promise that God’s future will indeed come to pass: “to [the Son of Man] was given dominion, and glory, and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away” (Daniel 7:14). The troubles of this current age will not last: Daniel is telling the people that kingdoms come and go, but the reign of God will last forever.

That message may be hard to hear or trust in the midst of challenging circumstances, but Daniel’s words remind us of the hope that comes from taking a longer view, trusting that God is indeed with us yesterday, today, and all our tomorrows.

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Prayer
Eternal God, help me to trust that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from your love, in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Amen. (prayer from Romans 8:38–39)

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Reflection written by Matt Helms, Associate Pastor for Children, Family, and Welcoming Ministries

Reflection © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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