And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall this kingdom be left to another people. It shall crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand for ever; just as you saw that a stone…
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To these four young men God gave knowledge and skill in every aspect of literature and wisdom; Daniel also had insight into all visions and dreams. From Daniel 1:1-6,8-20, NRSV The four young men referred to in the reading were Israelite boys who had been brought into the service of King Nebuchadnezzar. Not content with…
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His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away,and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed. From Daniel 7:13-14 , NRSV At the time when Daniel made this prophecy, the Jews were suffering great persecution at the hands of the Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes. Daniel offered them a different vision of…
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But now I remember the wrong I did in Jerusalem. I seized all its vessels of silver and gold, and I sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judah without good reason. I know that it is because of this that these misfortunes have come upon me; here I am, perishing of bitter disappointment in a…
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Then Judas and his brothers said, ‘See, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.’ So all the army assembled and went up to Mount Zion. From 1 Maccabees 4:36-37,52-59, NRSV After the death of Mattathias, whose stand against King Antiochus was related in yesterday’s reading, his son…
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But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: ‘Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his commandments, everyone of them abandoning the religion of their ancestors, I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of…
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I will not obey the king’s command, but I obey the command of the law that was given to our ancestors through Moses. But you, who have contrived all sorts of evil against the Hebrews, will certainly not escape the hands of God. From 2 Maccabees 7:1,20-31, NRSV In yesterday’s reading we heard of the…
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When he (Eleazar) was about to die under the blows, he groaned aloud and said: ‘It is clear to the Lord in his holy knowledge that, though I might have been saved from death, I am enduring terrible sufferings in my body under this beating, but in my soul I am glad to suffer these…
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But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Very great wrath came upon Israel. From 1 Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-64, NRSV It is testimony…
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‘At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in…
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