A Sermon for Septuagesima (Daniel 9:2-10)
Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God our Father in heaven and from Jesus Christ our Lord—
Beloved Saints in Christ,
Daniel had been in Babylon for 70 years. Almost immediately, he had seen friends thrown into a blazing, fiery furnace. Later in his life, he himself was cast into a den of lions. Yet through it all, Daniel remained faithful. His confession never wavered.
While in Babylon, Daniel saw visions, both great and terrifying. He saw beasts rising up to destroy and to devour—one of them unable to even be described for the terror it brings. Yet he would also see one like a “Son of Man” coming to the Ancient of Days. This One comes with the clouds in glory. This One will save.
In all of these visions, there is a call to repentance. It is most certainly true that salvation would come for the people. They would indeed be delivered from Babylon. But for those who failed to turn away from their sin, destruction would befall them—a destruction far worse than what Babylon could bring. For Daniel had seen visions beyond Babylon and even Persia. He had seen visions of Greece sweeping through the world as a leopard and the wicked one who would rise up from among them—Antiochus IV—the epitome of evil according to Daniel. And he had even seen a greater bringer of destruction after him. Ships would come from Kittim (that is Rome). In that time, the abomination of desolation would make its stand. Truly great and terrible days! But even that would not be as horrifying as where true unrepentance leads. For destruction by a worldly army lasts but a few years. When God destroys sin, it is eternal—and in hell.
In the text written by Daniel for today, Daniel recognizes the time. In 538 BC he knows that God has fulfilled His promise. He has overthrown the Babylonians as promised in Isaiah 13 at the exact time He said He would, as promised in the book of Jeremiah. Before the people leave on this new and greater exodus in order to return home to Judea, Daniel wants the people to remember why they were exile in the first place, that is, unrepentant idolatry, and to turn from their sin once and for all. He also knows that they cannot turn from their sin if they remain in Babylon. For the cry of “Marduk ma-surru” or “Marduk reigns” drowns out the truth that Yahweh is the One true King, Yahweh reigns.
Before the people can rejoice, there must be a time of repentance. Repentance is not a time when you get to the end of the day and say, “You know, I tried really hard today. Overall, it was pretty good. Sure, there were a few slip ups, but I didn’t mean to! At least my mistakes weren’t as bad as all of those people I saw in the paper!” Repentance is not a time for any to stand over another as if greater than them.
If anyone among God’s people in Babylon could have done that, it was Daniel. He hadn’t eaten the unclean foods there. He never bowed down to the golden statue Nebuchadnezzar had made. Despite the decree (which was made to trap and accuse Daniel), Daniel continued to pray to the One true God rather than to bow down to any king or false God. Daniel was faithful. Yet here, Daniel cries out for the mercy of God. He fasts. He puts on sackcloth and sits in ashes. He confesses. Would that all be so humble as Daniel and recognize that no matter how seemingly righteous, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God!
Today is Septuagesima. That means we are about 70 days until Easter. In connection to the 70 years that God’s people were exiled in Babylon, we, too enter a time of fasting, repentance, and crying out for God to have mercy upon us. These weeks are preparatory. Our foreheads do not yet adorn ashes, but we begin even now to remember and to reflect on why there is destruction and death. It’s not “his sin” or “her sin.” It’s your sin and my sin. And trust me: it’s much easier to say “yours” than “mine,” but in the same way that Daniel did not escape the ashes, neither do I.
We are about 70 days until Easter. Before we can rejoice, there must be a time of repentance. The visions Daniel saw were both great and terrifying. The Son of Man is assuredly coming in the clouds in power and great glory, but before that day, there are kingdoms yet that will rage and seek to destroy. And know this: that the time is coming when they will not rage against another because they want to expand their territory or for financial gain. According to the Scriptures, the enemy will turn against the faithful ones of God. And in that day you will see historic enemies joining forces and taking aim upon the Church. It’s time already to repent. Do not wait. Already now be hearing the Word and receiving the Sacrament to strengthen you for this road. For the Word will confirm what I am saying, but it will give you confidence that though the times may grow dark, salvation is coming. How do I know? Because what is true of Jesus is true of His disciples.
Jesus had been about His ministry for three years. Almost immediately, He was sought out to be destroyed and not by one or two but historic enemies had already joined forces against Him in the 3rd chapter of Mark. It is written:
“Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.”
What else? Jesus returned to His own town of Nazareth. Surely He would be welcomed there! While enemies were all around, He could take a break and find refuge among the ones most familiar with them. So He returned and went to his hometown synagogue. How was He received? After He had finished reading from the prophet Isaiah, it is written:
“And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph's son?” And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.”
But by far, the worst of all, worse than even fiery furnace or lion’s den, was the spit, the mocking, the stripping, beating, and shaming—the nailing to the cross. Yet, though it all, Jesus remained faithful. His confession never wavered. And His greatest confession of all if for you, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
There are about 70 days until Easter. Begin your preparations now. Reflect and repent for there will assuredly be times of trial and of test. But through whatever may come our way, Jesus is triumphant over all of His enemies—even death and the grave—and when He comes again in the clouds, you will see that triumph, too. In the name of the Father and of the ƚ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.