Micah 4,1-5 5824
25. Trinitatis. Trinity xxv 72
Florentia of Agde, France Martyr 303 (Diocletian, 284-311/12; persecution 302-11)
Leo I of Rome, Bishop and Teacher ✠ 461
Baptism 1968
10. November 2024
1. ℣ Have mercy on me, O Yahweh, for I am afflicted:
℟ Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and from those who persecute me. (Psalm 30,10a.16b vul lxx mas).
Miserere mei, Domine, quoniam tribulor; eripe me de manu inimicorum meorum, et a persequentibus me. lxx
Miserere mei, Domine, quoniam tribulor; libera me de manu inimicorum meorum, et persequentibus me. mas
O Lord, make us to know our end and the measure of our days, that we may know how frail we are. We have here no continuing city, but we seek one that is to come. Amen. (Stark 308; English 228-29).
2. »It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of Yahweh shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall go, and say: „Lo, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob, so that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in his paths.“ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the Word of Yahweh from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of Yahweh Sebaoth has spoken. For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.«
3. The Prophet Micah (750-686 bc) ministered to Judah’s kings Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. He told Judah of Yahweh’s grand plan of salvation: the Messiah will bring peace among the nations, end all conflicts and establish Divine justice. When this occurs, all humanity, not just Judah, will have Jesus as their Savior.
4. We do not live in the era of this implementation of the reign of God. The 21st century is an era of endless wars, nationalistic pride and a plethora of man-made divisions that thwart God’s Kingdom. In the U.S. we have recently concluded a brutal year of Federal and State elections that pitted voters on one side or the other where neither seem willing to end the verbal attacks and vicious rhetoric. We do well to ponder the Psalmist: »nolite confidere in principibus … cui non est salus. Put not your trust in princes … in whom there is no salvation« (Psalm 145,2b.3b mas; Psalm 146,3).
5. Even in Christ’s Church there are heated and deep divisions among Christians on theological, moral and social issues. Often times this division is the result in holding to a different gospel from that in the Scriptures and having a Jesus who is antithetical to the Jesus found in the Gospels. These divisions are not easily resolved.
6. The Word of Yahweh, particularly His law, will clear the way for His gospel. His law critiques our sinful tendencies towards violence, pride and insecurity. His law calls out any attempt to impede God’s goal of peace and justice throughout the world. His law challenges our opinions about doctrine and morality if they are opposed to His Word. His law also serves as precepts and instructions for peace and righteousness which are only the result as the gift God gives to people. His law exhorts us to seek God and His Messiah.
7. As His law does its work in us and in all people, it is clearing the path for the reception of Christ and His gospel of peace. The final prophetic words spoken to Judah were from Malachi circa 430 bc: »Thus says Yahweh Sebaoth: „Lo, I will send you the Prophet Elijah before the great and awesome day of Yahweh arrives. He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers“« (Malachi 4,5-6a). 400 years later John prepared the way for Jesus, and the Prophets Micah and Malachi were fulfilled. The people will hasten to the house of the Lord—namely, Christ (Cyril of Alexandria 3,222).
8. The Spirit of Yahweh draws all the nations to Christ. He draws them to the mountain of the house of Yahweh where the Angel of Yahweh redeemed all people on the cross. Divine justice was meted out at the cross. Jesus bore the justice of His Father’s wrath against sin on the cross. The righteous blood of Jesus justified us on the cross. The cross is the act by which Jesus establishes His righteousness, saves and justifies (Hummel 336). We need a God who is somewhere (Nagel); the ultimate and definitive somewhereness of God is Christ on the cross.
9. Christ rendered justice to many peoples beyond counting—namely, those who had been wronged—and justified them by mercy and faith. He cast out “the ruler of this world” and canceled his rule over us, convicting him of being unjust, unholy, murderous, an oppressor of the earth and under heaven (Cyril of Alexandria 3,224). Cast out and canceled along with the Devil are all his fallen angelic minions, every false christ and false prophet, all men and women, be they prince or pauper, who do his bidding knowingly or unknowingly, in short all who would hinder the reign of God and His kingdom. They are all of them defeated although they like to shout and prance around as if they are still large and in charge. In this temporal life, Christ still allows them to cling to what they once had so that they are still shouting and prancing. But Christ is now, at this moment, seated on His throne at the right hand of His Father. He rules and reigns from heaven through His Church on earth. „Our victory has been won; The Kingdom ours remaineth“ (lsb 656,4).
10. Our hearts for You, they truly ache,
Though in our minds, You’re ever near,
With love, You’ve managed to make.
Us yearn for You to soon appear.
You give us peace
And joy, no less,
A glorious life that’s blessed.
(Wir warten dein, o Gottes Sohn selk 504,3 2021 Philipp Friedrich Hiller 1767).
This is most certainly true.
18. Et pax Dei, quæ exuperat omnem sensum, custodiat corda vestra, et intelligentias vestras in Christo Jesu. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7). Amen.
19. Let us pray. O Almighty God, Maker of heaven and earth, Giver of light and life, so teach us those things which belong to the heavenly kingdom and those duties which are of the earth that we, stirred by the light and life of the peace of God, may be enabled faithfully to do the things committed to us, looking ever unto Thee for light and life that, being lifted above ourselves, the life of God in the soul of man may be ours, and the peace of God which passeth all understanding may then keep our hearts and minds. Amen. (Trinity XXV, 1st Vespers Collect. The Daily Office).
To God alone be the Glory
Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm
✠
All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, Septuaginta, Vol. I and II 2. Revised Edition © 2006 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.
Evangelisch-Lutherisches Kirchengesangbuch. Copyright © 2021 Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche, Hannover.
Cyril of Alexandria. Commentary on the Twelve Prophets, Volume 2. Copyright © 2008 The Catholic University of America Press.
Hummel, Horace D. The Word Becoming Flesh. Copyright © 1979 Concordia Publishing House.
Starck, Johann. Tägliches Hand-Buch. Copyright © 1852 Enßlin & Laiblin.
Starck, Johann. Tägliches Handbuch. Franz Pieper, tr. Copyright © 19oo Concordia Publishing House.
Starck, Johann. Starck’s Prayer Book. Copyright © 2009 Concordia Publishing House.
The Daily Office. Copyright © 1965 Concordia Publishing House.
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