"But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days." Daniel 12:13
Rev. Dr. Michael Ziegler, the Lutheran Hour speaker, delivered a message yesterday everyone should hear (click here for that message). First, the church in China is growing. That growth is fueled by the Spirit working through brothers and sisters in Christ willing to risk all earthly status and belongings. They grow in homes instead of churches which may be taken if it's discovered they are worshiping in them. They use prison as a place to teach the word when they've been sentenced to prison for teaching the Gospel. In the face of persecution, they have grown to 100,000,000 in China.
Ziegler takes that to the POW's in Vietnam, and one in particular mentioned in the book "Good to Great." In the chapter called "The Stockdale Paradox," Jim Collins interviewed and cites Admiral Stockdale, a former POW (and one-time VP candidate to Ross Perot), who talked of survival. "What was the one characteristic that was a fatal flaw to survival in the POW camp?" Collins asked. "Those who were optimistic that we would be freed soon." The paradox, it seems, is that survival is facing the brutal reality of the situation. In China, it's preaching the Word of God knowing the earthly cost if you are apprehended. In Vietnam, it was knowing that the situation was not good, but survival required that sober assessment to communicate in the face of torture, deprival, and substandard conditions.
Ziegler then takes that to the prophets. They were not given good assignments from God. They were told to go tell Israel the truth. In the New Testament, we read of Elizabeth, old in her years, becoming pregnant with a son who will prepare the way for Christ. He will get Israel to turn from their ways to ask for repentance to prepare for Christ who will offer that forgiveness. Luke chapter 1 has Gabriel telling Zechariah of the impending pregnancy and birth of John. Daniel, the prophet, was given a difficult assignment as well. He's helping the occupied land of Israel survive that occupation with God's hand guiding him every step of the way.
Like all prophets, their message is dire but there is also hope (the paradox). We see the last verse in Daniel as Daniel has lived a long life a prisoner of the various kings of Babylon who is occupying Israel. Daniel has maintained that sober assessment of his life. Now God gives him the future he will enjoy (as did Isaiah in chapter 61 yesterday in church). That's the "Prophet's Paradox." Knowing and speaking to Israel and to us about our current condition, but reminding us God has a plan.
In a year like 2020, we need to hear that and know the conditions we face, but also know God has a plan. We pray we listen to God and seek His plan for us.
(Lutheran Hour, Michael Ziegler, December 13, 2020 message)
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