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“In Life, In Death, O Lord, Abide With Me!” Daniel 12:1-3 *Click for Audio* Pastor Kevin Vogts Trinity Lutheran Church Paola, Kansas Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost—November 18, 2018 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Today’s Old Testament Reading is the final part of a dramatic vision seen by the prophet Daniel. The Lord declares to Daniel: “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” In order to appreciate this text, we must first understand the historical setting in which this vision was given—and how that historical setting closely parallels OUR world today. Daniel lived in tumultuous times of catastrophic change. In the 200 years between 600 and 400 B.C. the entire world was turned upside down. The mighty Assyrian empire crumbled, and the power shifted to the Babylonians. But, then the mighty Babylonian empire crumbled, and the power shifted to the Persians. But, then the mighty Persian empire crumbled, and the power shifted to the Greeks, and eventually to the Romans. We also live in tumultuous times of catastrophic change. It was 29 years ago last week that the Berlin Wall fell, and overnight the whole world was totally transformed. Many of us grew up with the constant threat of the Soviet Union and the cold war getting hot, but the Soviet Union doesn’t even exist anymore. Like the people in Daniel’s day, we witnessed as a mighty empire crumbled. For a decade or so after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the changes in our world were so dramatic you couldn’t even purchase an accurate globe. And, lately, Russia has been trying to re-establish a new Russian empire, attempting to slowly piece the old Soviet Union back together again. So, the mapmakers and globemakers don’t know what to do with places like Crimea, once part of Russia, then part of Ukraine, now claimed by Russia again. Here in the United States, the past few years have seen changes and developments that were impossible to conceive just a few years ago. A Canadian man and his American wife were held hostage with their young children by Islamic terrorists for over five years, completely cut off from the outside world. During that time they were often taunted with the false hope of being released, only to be told at the last minute that it was a cruel hoax, and they weren’t being released after all. Shortly after the 2016 election, their captors announced to the couple that the new American President Donald Trump had arranged for their release. They absolutely refused to believe it. “This just shows how you know nothing about America,” the man told his captors. “This time we know you’re lying and trying to fool us. Because, Donald Trump isn’t even a politician, he’s just a TV star, and there’s no possible way HE was elected President of the United States.” Like Daniel and the people of his day, we wonder: What will be the outcome of these tumultuous times of catastrophic change? Daniel and his fellow Hebrews were caught right in the middle of the upheavals of their time. Their nation was conquered by the Babylonians, and they were taken off into captivity and exile in Babylon. And then Babylon itself was conquered by the Persians, so that the Hebrews became a twice conquered people. But, even in exile, the Lord blessed his people, especially Daniel. Daniel became an important, high official, serving the Babylonian and Persian kings. Eventually, King Cyrus of Persia issued an edict allowing the Hebrews to return to their homeland. But, over sixty years had passed since Daniel was taken off to Babylon. At the time he sees the vision in our text, Daniel is an old man, and he has decided not to return. Daniel experienced tumultuous times of catastrophic change, and very soon he himself will be facing his own death. On the banks of the Tigris River, the Lord appears to him in a two-part vision. In the first part of the vision, which comes before our text, the Lord assures Daniel that HE is in control of the world and all its events. And in the second part of the vision, which is our text, the Lord assures Daniel, and us, that he will never abandon his people, in life or in death. As the beloved hymn says, “In Life, In Death, O Lord, Abide with Me!” “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.” This part of Daniel’s vision begins with the comforting promise that in this “time of distress” which is to come, the angels of the Lord, led by Michael, the great archangel, will arise and protect God’s people. As the psalm says, “He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.” This “time of distress” is a prophecy of the end times, and we are in the end times right now. St. Paul warns: “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” Is that not a perfect description of us in our day and age? Are we not seeing these prophecies fulfilled before our very eyes? As St. John says, “Dear children, this is the last hour.” “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.” Have you ever seen gag book that has a fancy cover which reads something like, “Everything I Know About Money,” but when you open the book all the pages are blank? Some people think “the book” spoken of in our text, and several other places in the Bible, is a listing of all those who have lived such perfect lives or done so many good works that they have earned their way into heaven. But, such a book would be like that gag book, with all the pages blank. For, we are all sinners, and our works can never make up for our sin. “The book” spoken of in the Bible is instead what Revelation calls “the Lamb’s book of life.” It is a symbolic image, representing all those who have faith in “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” How can you be certain your name is written in “the book”? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Trust in his sacrifice on the cross, by which he earned you complete forgiveness; trust in his saving blood, which cleanses you from every sin. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.” “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” Martin Luther’s explanation of the Apostles’ Creed concludes: “And will at the Last Day raise up me and all the dead, and give unto me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true.” “Do not be amazed at this,” Jesus says, “for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear the voice of the Son of God and come out.” Those who in their earthly lives do not have faith in Christ as their Savior will be raised to eternal condemnation in hell. But you, along with all believers in Christ, will be raised to eternal life in heaven. As Jesus promises, “I am the Resurrection and the Life; whoever believes in me, even though he dies, yet shall he live.” Just as on the third day Jesus rose again from the dead, so on the Last Day you will rise from the dead. The very same body you have now will be raised. As the Lord declares in Ezekiel, “O my people, I will open your graves and bring you up from them.” The very same body you have now will be raised and restored. As Job says, “After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another.” The very same body you have now will be raised and restored and renewed. As St. Paul says, “We will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. . . He will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” The word “wise” here doesn’t mean to be learned or intelligent. It means to know the way of salvation. As St. Paul says, “wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.” Those who have this wisdom will both behold and be part of the radiant splendor of heaven. And shining with the brightest glory, “like the stars for ever and ever,” will be those, like Daniel, who faithfully labored for the Lord and led many to righteousness. When we understand the historical setting in which this vision was given, and how that historical setting closely parallels our world today, we see how these verses from Daniel are comforting words for tumultuous times of catastrophic change. An assurance from the Lord, to Daniel, and to us, that he will not abandon his people, in life or in death. “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” “Change and decay in all around I see . . . In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me!” Amen. 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“In Life, In Death, O Lord, Abide With Me!”
Daniel 12:1-3

Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost—November 18, 2018

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today’s Old Testament Reading is the final part of a dramatic vision seen by the prophet Daniel. The Lord declares to Daniel: “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”

In order to appreciate this text, we must first understand the historical setting in which this vision was given—and how that historical setting closely parallels OUR world today. Daniel lived in tumultuous times of catastrophic change. In the 200 years between 600 and 400 B.C. the entire world was turned upside down. The mighty Assyrian empire crumbled, and the power shifted to the Babylonians. But, then the mighty Babylonian empire crumbled, and the power shifted to the Persians. But, then the mighty Persian empire crumbled, and the power shifted to the Greeks, and eventually to the Romans.

We also live in tumultuous times of catastrophic change. It was 29 years ago last week that the Berlin Wall fell, and overnight the whole world was totally transformed. Many of us grew up with the constant threat of the Soviet Union and the cold war getting hot, but the Soviet Union doesn’t even exist anymore. Like the people in Daniel’s day, we witnessed as a mighty empire crumbled. For a decade or so after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the changes in our world were so dramatic you couldn’t even purchase an accurate globe. And, lately, Russia has been trying to re-establish a new Russian empire, attempting to slowly piece the old Soviet Union back together again. So, the mapmakers and globemakers don’t know what to do with places like Crimea, once part of Russia, then part of Ukraine, now claimed by Russia again.

Here in the United States, the past few years have seen changes and developments that were impossible to conceive just a few years ago. A Canadian man and his American wife were held hostage with their young children by Islamic terrorists for over five years, completely cut off from the outside world. During that time they were often taunted with the false hope of being released, only to be told at the last minute that it was a cruel hoax, and they weren’t being released after all. Shortly after the 2016 election, their captors announced to the couple that the new American President Donald Trump had arranged for their release. They absolutely refused to believe it. “This just shows how you know nothing about America,” the man told his captors. “This time we know you’re lying and trying to fool us. Because, Donald Trump isn’t even a politician, he’s just a TV star, and there’s no possible way HE was elected President of the United States.”

Like Daniel and the people of his day, we wonder: What will be the outcome of these tumultuous times of catastrophic change?

Daniel and his fellow Hebrews were caught right in the middle of the upheavals of their time. Their nation was conquered by the Babylonians, and they were taken off into captivity and exile in Babylon. And then Babylon itself was conquered by the Persians, so that the Hebrews became a twice conquered people. But, even in exile, the Lord blessed his people, especially Daniel. Daniel became an important, high official, serving the Babylonian and Persian kings. Eventually, King Cyrus of Persia issued an edict allowing the Hebrews to return to their homeland. But, over sixty years had passed since Daniel was taken off to Babylon. At the time he sees the vision in our text, Daniel is an old man, and he has decided not to return.

Daniel experienced tumultuous times of catastrophic change, and very soon he himself will be facing his own death. On the banks of the Tigris River, the Lord appears to him in a two-part vision. In the first part of the vision, which comes before our text, the Lord assures Daniel that HE is in control of the world and all its events. And in the second part of the vision, which is our text, the Lord assures Daniel, and us, that he will never abandon his people, in life or in death. As the beloved hymn says, “In Life, In Death, O Lord, Abide with Me!”

“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.” This part of Daniel’s vision begins with the comforting promise that in this “time of distress” which is to come, the angels of the Lord, led by Michael, the great archangel, will arise and protect God’s people. As the psalm says, “He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.”

This “time of distress” is a prophecy of the end times, and we are in the end times right now. St. Paul warns: “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” Is that not a perfect description of us in our day and age? Are we not seeing these prophecies fulfilled before our very eyes? As St. John says, “Dear children, this is the last hour.”

Have you ever seen gag book that has a fancy cover which reads something like, “Everything I Know About Money,” but when you open the book all the pages are blank? Some people think “the book” spoken of in our text, and several other places in the Bible, is a listing of all those who have lived such perfect lives or done so many good works that they have earned their way into heaven. But, such a book would be like that gag book, with all the pages blank. For, we are all sinners, and our works can never make up for our sin.

“The book” spoken of in the Bible is instead what Revelation calls “the Lamb’s book of life.” It is a symbolic image, representing all those who have faith in “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” How can you be certain your name is written in “the book”? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Trust in his sacrifice on the cross, by which he earned you complete forgiveness; trust in his saving blood, which cleanses you from every sin. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.”

“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Martin Luther’s explanation of the Apostles’ Creed concludes: “And will at the Last Day raise up me and all the dead, and give unto me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true.” “Do not be amazed at this,” Jesus says, “for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear the voice of the Son of God and come out.”

Those who in their earthly lives do not have faith in Christ as their Savior will be raised to eternal condemnation in hell. But you, along with all believers in Christ, will be raised to eternal life in heaven. As Jesus promises, “I am the Resurrection and the Life; whoever believes in me, even though he dies, yet shall he live.”

Just as on the third day Jesus rose again from the dead, so on the Last Day you will rise from the dead. The very same body you have now will be raised. As the Lord declares in Ezekiel, “O my people, I will open your graves and bring you up from them.” The very same body you have now will be raised and restored. As Job says, “After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another.” The very same body you have now will be raised and restored and renewed. As St. Paul says, “We will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. . . He will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

The word “wise” here doesn’t mean to be learned or intelligent. It means to know the way of salvation. As St. Paul says, “wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.” Those who have this wisdom will both behold and be part of the radiant splendor of heaven. And shining with the brightest glory, “like the stars for ever and ever,” will be those, like Daniel, who faithfully labored for the Lord and led many to righteousness.

When we understand the historical setting in which this vision was given, and how that historical setting closely parallels our world today, we see how these verses from Daniel are comforting words for tumultuous times of catastrophic change. An assurance from the Lord, to Daniel, and to us, that he will not abandon his people, in life or in death.

“Change and decay in all around I see . . . In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me!”

Amen.

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