Expiration Date
A devotional by Rev. Dr. Loida Martell
Photo: Loida Martell © 2021
AUTHOR’S NOTE
The following is an excerpt from my personal journals, written as I reflect prayerfully upon my daily Bible readings in conjunction with the Scripture reading from the Spanish version of The Upper Room devotional (El Aposento Alto). HTI Open Plaza has now invited me to share these reflections, along with my photography, with you. —Rev. Dr. Loida Martell
In the book of Daniel chapter 8, Daniel has a vision of what is to come.
It is such a profound vision, that it must be explained by the angel Gabriel. It is such a disturbing one, that he lays prostrate for days after.
In this vision, he sees the rise and fall of empires in succession. He then sees one in particular that arises, and profanes all that is holy, one that verse 12 states, “echó por la tierra la verdad (flung the truth to the ground).” A voice then arises and asks, “For how long?” (v. 13).
We can hear ourselves echo that plaintive cry, “For how long?” In the face of pandemics, loss, dissension, and despair, we too have often cried, “For how long?” In Daniel’s vision another voice responded: “For 2,300 days.” Measuring this by our Roman calendar years, this calculates to be 6.4 years. I am sure that in Daniel’s time, “days” was measured differently. Regardless, what a strange number and what a strange response!
Lately, I have begun to read apocalyptic texts such as those found in the book of Daniel very differently, perhaps because I feel like I am living in an apocalyptic age. Indeed, we have experienced social and political upheavals that have divided a nation, that have sullied and almost destroyed democratic institutions that we had believed to be sacred, all in a bid for power. In a time of QAnon and Christian nationalism, we have seen how the flames of lies and ideologies have been fanned to such an extent that they have “echado por la tierra la verdad.”
People have disappeared. There were close to 3 million less people on this planet in less than a year and there are now close to 5 million dead in a year and a half! People’s rights have been trampled on and human rights have been dismissed. Refugees literally seeking refuge from storms have been hunted like cattle and deported back to their countries of origin where there is famine and drought. We have lost our humanity; lo hemos echado por la tierra…
I would live hopelessly except that Daniel 8 reminds me that powers and principalities, these death-dealing and sinful structures complicit with empires, are not gods. They have an expiration date: 2,300 days! 6.4 years! The issue here is not the literal time frame, but to point to the fact that unlike God, human empires are not eternal. They have an expiration date.
The reading in Philippians affirms that hope. Philippians 1:4 affirms that the One who began in us a good work will bring it to perfection (that is, to wholeness) in the day of Jesus Christ.
God does not have an expiration date. God does not cease to love, to do justice, to have mercy. God does not trample, destroy, dismiss. God does not hurl to the ground nor hunt us like chattel. God creates and constructs. God brings forth life and life abundant (re: Phil 1:21). God is truth and justice and love. God cannot hurl these aside because they are the essence of who God is and what God desires for all creation.
And God does not expire…
PRAYER
Dear God, may truth prevail.
May the time of the powers and principalities expire.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
