Final Judgment

Nov 16 - 22

Jeremiah, Daniel, Matthew, Revelation

Judah is surrounded and under siege. All of Isreal’s enemies have their eyes on the weakened kingdom. The promised judgment of the LORD is about to happen. The kingdom will collapse and many will be carried into exile. Never again will Israel have a king.

God’s judgment also looms in Revelation. The wickedness of the earth is illustrated in Babylon, a prostitutional, self-declared queen, brazen in her sin, luring the people of the earth into her rule. Her kingdom, however, faces the same fate. All of it vanishes in a day, and her crown is brought to nothing.

At Jesus crucifixion, the enemies of the LORD believe they are casting a false king into the dustbin of history, never to rule again. But his death is different: darkness covers the sky, the earth shakes, and the dead are raised. It would seem to be a terrifying preview of the world’s end

But it isn’t the whole story. The crucified Jesus has risen, atoning for our sin and conquering death itself. The women who see this risen Lord immediately fall at the feet of the true king, one above all others. In Revelation, he rides in on a white horse, followed by an enormous army, then proceeds to obliterate the evil forces of the earth, destroying their kingdom forever.

That should change the way we think about the final judgment. This world will continue in its wickedness, and our days here will be difficult. But those days are numbered. The great palatial stone crumbles and every crown will be lost. But the true king is on the throne, victorious over death itself. For those he has redeemed, there is no judgment to fear. Heaven rejoices and the feast is nearly ready. Let us look forward to the day we get to go in!

Pentecost 22

Nov 9 - 15

Jeremiah, Matthew

Weak in the flesh, unwilling to serve, ready to betray, and about to be scattered. This is the miserable spiritual condition of God’s people. Jeremiah is nearly put to death for preaching the Word. Jesus’ disciples insist they would die for him, but cannot stay awake to pray, and are nowhere to be found when he is condemned for blasphemy. And it is true of us, too. The spirit is willing, but the weak flesh nods away in drowsy distraction. It lives in fear, hiding away what God has given to it, and fleeing when confronted by the powers of this world. It seeks its own good and does not serve the Lord. So, our sin drives us into exile.

 But, though he is angry, our Lord does not put an end to us. The promise to his people remains: we will one day come home. This is not a vague hope; it is made a certainty in Jesus Christ, whose condemnation brings about our salvation, turning our hearts away from evil and back to him.

And now we know. The constant struggle against temptation and the flesh will end. There will be no more betrayal, injustice, weakness, or oppression. God will live with his people in perfection, and his kingdom will not end.That day is closer than ever, but until then, we can hear the echoes of it in his Word, spoken by prophets. We can touch and taste it in his Sacrament. We can see it in the good work his Spirit brings about in his church. With this assurance, we are made worthy servants in Jesus, going confidently forward in his work until that day comes.