The Kingdom is Near

 ~~~ Daniel 7:2-14 ~~~ (Psalm) Daniel 3:75 ~~~ Luke 21:29-33

 

 Daniel has a vision in reference to the four major empires...
Babylonian, Median, Persian, and Greek.
The kingdom of God by contrast, is not depicted as a grotesque beast,
but by a human person.

Just as nature has a life cycle so too is it with God.
He will return; no one can say exactly when.
There is a natural circle of life.
New life springs from the apparent ruins of death.

...the Kingdom of God is near.

 

 

 When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.

 

 When all is said and done here on earth, greater things will happen in heaven.
Everything, all of creation will pay homage to Jesus.
We will be given the vision of what our heart longs for today.
Everything will bend down to give honor and glory to the Son.

We have been promised life everlasting.
On the last day his words will come to full fruition.
The Kingdom of Heaven will be revealed like never before.

...bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
 

 Blessings as we try to praise him more perfectly.
Holy is his name and worthy of our complete praise.

Come, O Wisdom, Come

~~~ Fourth Sunday of Advent ~~~

~~~Micah 1:1-4a~~Psalm 80~~Hebrews 10:5-10~~Luke 1: 39-45~~~

Greatness will come forth from the small and lowly.

One too small to have its own clan will be the birthing place

of one who's origin is ancient.

 

I have visited the giant ancient redwoods of the West coast and they are very impressive. The tower so high into the sky that you cannot see the tops.

Their trunks are so massive that a road can be carved out of the middle.

 

Ancient has to do with the passage of time, but in this scenario

ancient is referring to an infant.

 

"...his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace..."

 

The infant Christ child.

The Ancient One embodies the wisdom of the ages.

Even as a child Jesus carried with him great wisdom.

Wisdom brought with him from the Father.

 

 

Jesus came first to do the will of the Father.

 

"...And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"

 

Let this question echo in our hearts

as the words were spoken by Elizabeth.

 

Mary not only brought forth Love and Mercy into our world

she also brought the ancient Wisdom of God.

Jesus is the complete gift.

He satisfies every need.

He, Jesus, should be all we want for Christmas...

a greater intimacy with the Ancient One

born into this world as an infant...

The Word made flesh.

 

Blessed is She among women...

filled with Grace...

She gave birth to a Son.

Come, O Wisdom, Come!

Dwell among us.

Live with us!

Robed in Majesty

~~~ Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe ~~~

 

~~~ Daniel 7:13-14 ~~~Psalm 93 ~~~ Revelation 1: 5-8 ~~~ John 18:33b-37 ~~~

 

 The prophet Daniel is having a sleepless night filled with visions
of Jesus entering into his rightful role as King.

The one like the son of man was presented to the Ancient One,
God the Father,
where he received dominion, glory, and kingship.
God the Father is the one who bestows the title of King upon Jesus.
"...His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed."

All peoples of every nation and language serve him.

He will come in splendor robed...robed in majesty.

He says to all...
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, " says the Lord God,
"the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty."

 

 

Pilate in his ignorance and confusion questions and doubts the kingship of Jesus.

 

Jesus tells Pilate his kingdom is not of this world further

complicating his lack of understanding.

 

Out of frustration Pilate declares Jesus to be a king?

He orders the sign made to on the top of the cross.

 

Jesus, King of the Jews. 

 

Jesus answered, "You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

 

Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega...

The one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.

Jesus is the King of Kings.

 

The king born in a stable, rides in on a donkey and

wears a crown of thorns...

This is who we honor as our King today!