Dan. 12:1–13
12:1 “At that time Michael,
the great prince who watches over your people,
will arise.
There will be a time of distress
unlike any other from the nation’s beginning
up to that time.
But at that time your own people,
all those whose names are found written in the book,
will escape.
2Many of those who sleep
in the dusty ground will awake—
some to everlasting life,
and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence.
3But the wise will shine
like the brightness of the heavenly expanse.
And those bringing many to righteousness
will be like the stars forever and ever.
4“But you, Daniel, close up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will dash about, and knowledge will increase.”
5I, Daniel, watched as two others stood there, one on each side of the river. 6One said to the man clothed in linen who was above the waters of the river, “When will the end of these wondrous events occur?” 7Then I heard the man clothed in linen who was over the waters of the river as he raised both his right and left hands to the sky and made an oath by the one who lives forever: “It is for a time, times, and half a time. Then, when the power of the one who shatters the holy people has been exhausted, all these things will be finished.”
8I heard, but I did not understand. So I said, “Sir, what will happen after these things?” 9He said, “Go, Daniel. For these matters are closed and sealed until the time of the end. 10Many will be purified, made clean, and refined, but the wicked will go on being wicked. None of the wicked will understand, though the wise will understand. 11From the time that the daily sacrifice is removed and the abomination that causes desolation is set in place, there are 1,290 days. 12Blessed is the one who waits and attains to the 1,335 days. 13But you should go your way until the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will arise to receive what you have been allotted.”
(NET Bible)Ps. 119:105–112
119:105 נ (Nun)
Your word is a lamp to walk by
and a light to illumine my path.
106I have vowed and solemnly sworn
to keep your just regulations.
107I am suffering terribly.
O Lord, revive me with your word.
108O Lord, please accept the freewill offerings of my praise.
Teach me your regulations.
109My life is in continual danger,
but I do not forget your law.
110The wicked lay a trap for me,
but I do not wander from your precepts.
111I claim your rules as my permanent possession,
for they give me joy.
112I am determined to obey your statutes
at all times, to the very end.
(NET Bible)1 John 3:11–24
3:11 For this is the gospel message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another, 12not like Cain who was of the evil one and brutally murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.
13Therefore do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have crossed over from death to life because we love our fellow Christians. The one who does not love remains in death. 15Everyone who hates his fellow Christian is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 16We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians. 17But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?
18Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth. 19And by this we will know that we are of the truth and will convince our conscience in his presence, 20that if our conscience condemns us, that God is greater than our conscience and knows all things. 21Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have confidence in the presence of God, 22and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him. 23Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he gave us the commandment. 24And the person who keeps his commandments resides in God, and God in him. Now by this we know that God resides in us: by the Spirit he has given us.
(NET Bible)It was self-evident to Luther that the evangelists gave consideration to the plan according to which they would relate the history of Jesus and, with that in mind, selected and arranged their materials accordingly, abbreviating here and expanding there. In the Church Postil Luther says in the Sermon for the Twenty- fifth Sunday after Trinity (St. Matt. 24:15-28): “In this chapter is described the conclu-sion and end of both kingdoms, that of Judah and that of the whole world. But the two evangelists, Matthew and Mark, mingle the two and do not keep the order that has been preserved in Luke, for they are concerned only about telling and repeating the words without troubling themselves as to the order in which the words were spoken.” “So understand that Matthew here weaves together and combines the end of the Jewish nation and of the world, mixes them into one dish. But if you wish to understand it you must separate it and apply the parts to their respective ends.” (60–61)
–Johann Michael Reu, Luther on the Scriptures
This daily Bible reading guide, Reading the Word of God, was conceived and prepared as a result of the ongoing discussions between representatives of three church bodies: Lutheran Church—Canada (LCC), The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). The following individuals have represented their church bodies and approved this introduction and the reading guide: LCC: President Robert Bugbee; NALC: Bishop John Bradosky, Revs. Mark Chavez, James Nestingen, and David Wendel; LCMS: Revs. Albert Collver, Joel Lehenbauer, John Pless, and Larry Vogel.