Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“This is what he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth that shall be different from all the other kingdoms; it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces.’”
NL Daily Devotion for Thursday, December 3, 2020
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
So this is nothing new. Empires have risen and fallen and wreaked destruction on people and lands throughout history. The Bible is full of stories of how Israel dealt with the large, devouring powers around it. Assyria. Babylon. Persia. Rome. Humanity seems bent on acquiring power and wealth at any cost to those around them.
And here we are, with the United States behaving in this same devouring manner. Only this time the stakes are immeasurably higher, as we don’t just have power and influence on our immediate surroundings. In a global society, what any country does has reverberations around the world. In the U.S., for example, with just 4% of the world’s population, we consume 25% of the world’s resources.
Looming over all of this is the horrific specter of climate change. Our devouring the whole earth, trampling it down, and breaking it into pieces is literal. We are destroying God’s creation wholesale, and will leave nothing behind for future generations if we do not take drastic—and I mean drastic—action NOW.
What is to be taken away from Daniel’s divine vision? Perhaps hope. Because in his vision, this final beast is utterly destroyed by God, and all is restored to justice and righteousness. As Christians, we are called into this work for justice. How are we living out our Christian faith in ways that bring about God’s promise, and bring hope to those around us?
What can I do right now to answer God’s call to this work of justice?
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