p. 1 | Luther on the Advent

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 13, 1866

Luther on the Advent.

HOW CHRIST'S COMING IS TO BE REGARDED.

LUKE xxi, 25-36. The Lord here foretells his coming again at the last day, which is to be with great power and majesty. A week ago you heard of his ride into Jerusalem upon an ass, without pomp; where he did not have a place of his own, even a foot's breadth; and where he was crucified besides. This was a poor and sorrowful coming, in which he came not as a Lord, but as a servant desiring to serve, and so to serve as to die for us; as he says, Matt. xx, 28: "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." In short, in his first coming, he rendered the greatest service, such as no angel or creature could, in preparing and making ready the kingdom of believers and the elect. But when the number of his elect is complete, he shall come again, not as a servant, but as a Lord; and shall come for the purpose of delivering us from the earth, worms, death and putrefaction.

This is what he declares in his gospel, and admonishes his people to guard themselves against false security, that the day of his coming may not overtake them unawares; and at the same time comforts them, that they may not be terrified on account of the signs which are to go before that day, but rejoice the more that their redemption draweth near.

In the first place, the Lord admonishes us Christians not to place the date of our lives here upon the earth, but to know that our Lord and Redeemer shall come from Heaven, and thus to be prepared every hour to expect his coming; likewise, that we should be but half, and with the left hand, in this world, whilst with the right hand, and the whole heart, we are in waiting for that day when our Lord shall come in his glorious majesty and power, which no man can describe.

This is the admonition and warning of this passage, that we may regulate ourselves with reference to that event, for there is no abiding here; and not conduct ourselves as the ungodly, who say: "Oh, who knows when the day of judgment shall come!" Such self-secure and godless people, whose hearts are engrossed with eating and drinking, and cares of this life, we are not to imitate; for as that day approaches, all will be busy building, making marriages, eating, drinking, and be quite secure in their own esteem; and with these things shall they be taken up as if there were nothing else to be done. Such people shall that day overtake unawares.

This the Lord tells us in advance, and desires us to order ourselves accordingly. They that disregard it shall suddenly be overtaken. When they are most engaged building, rejoicing and being rejoiced, eating and drinking, and living in the greatest security, above and beneath shall be fire and brimstone. Just as it was in the days of Sodom; they ate, they drank, they danced, they frolicked, and did not care a farthing for pious Lot; as it also is this day with our towns-people, farmers, and nobles. Then Lot said to them, "God shall destroy you with fire;" but they laughed at him, and said, "You pious fool, what know you about it?" What happened? Early in the morning, at the rising of the sun, the sky became black, and a fearful storm arose, and the lightning flashed hither and thither, and in one hour they were in hell. So is it also in our day. People, when they hear of the day of judgment, say, "Oh, that I only had enough to eat and drink, and money plenty to last me till that day shall come, I should have well to do." But when they are fullest of treasure, and most wanton, and it is said to them, "Beware, the day of judgment is at hand;" and they laugh at it and say, "Ha, what a fool you are, to suppose the day of judgment near;" so shall that day break in upon them like a thunderbolt, which flashes in an instant from the rising to the setting sun. What, then, are those royal dollars, houses, chains, and sparkling show!

Hence saith Christ, "Ye, my dear followers and friends, go ye not with the secure and godless multitude, but watch. Your eyes shall behold how their hearts are occupied, and how they will laugh you to scorn; but watch ye; for the day of judgment shall come suddenly, as the lightning, from which they cannot fly. Just as a little mouse is entrapt in a moment, so quickly shall their calamity come upon them."

Such warning of the Lord Jesus we are to take to heart, and carefully mark. For we cannot help it, but must hear and see it, that everywhere people are so wanton; but let us have respect to the words of Christ, and expect his coming, and not turn our eyes after the doings of the ungodly and self-secure in the world; for the Lord Jesus faithfully admonishes us

to expect his glorious coming which shall take place, when the ungodly shall be cast into the abyss of hell, and we, on the contrary, shall be redeemed from the earth, and from all the miseries we here suffer.

This is one thing which we are this day to learn, to wit, that we prepare ourselves for the Lord's coming, as we also confess in the Creed, that the Lord Jesus Christ shall come to judge the quick and the dead. For what is thus briefly expressed in our Creed is fully and overflowingly declared in this gospel, which further adds how matters shall stand in the world as that coming of the Lord approaches, to wit, that Christ shall be neglected, and the preachers of the true gospel be accounted fools, and the godless and undisciplined multitude give themselves to excess and avarice, as if this were the only business of life. Not that it is evil and wrong to provide themselves with the necessaries of life, but that they should not have their hearts "overcharged." If they did but charge their hands, there would be nothing out of place, for there must be work; but that they should burden their hearts, this is forbidden; that is, that they should place their hope and trust in becoming great and rich, caring nothing for Christ, and deriding God's word concerning that day of judgment. To have "the heart overcharged," is to be engrossed with temporal things, so as to disable it for conforming to the words of Christ; just as in our day, people of all classes are only concerned to know how to become rich, and apart from that care not to snap a finger for the word of God.

Thus, says the Saviour, shall it be and go when the day of judgment is before the door. All the world shall be saying to itself, Peace and safety. Here do not mistake yourselves; go not with them; do not so misbehave; keep ye unto me; neither be alarmed; lift up your heads, and see, that when I shall come again from Heaven, I may so find you with nothing wanting; for I shall come for your redemption. But whosoever shall overcharge his heart with things of this world, and not concern himself about that day, thus shall it be with him; he shall suddenly find himself among the dead. He who gives himself to forbidden pleasures and delights shall suddenly be overwhelmed, and he who is busy with his filthy lucre shall presently discover himself, purse, money, and all, prostrate under the hand of judgment. So shall it be in those days, and so shall men find it.

A strong indication of our times, therefore, is, that the day of judgment is not far off; for to this is the world now pretty much given, and shall be much more given. Everything is rearing itself aloft; the passion for display has no bounds; and so great is the confidence of the common masses, that they laugh the ministers to scorn. They shall also become so confident in themselves, as not any more to endure sound doctrine, but to dash the hook from them, and say, "Thou fool! art thou concerned about what is preached?" Of such sort are there already many among the people of town and country. Whosoever lives till that day will know how to understand these words.

Hence the Saviour speaks to his disciples: "Watch, that I may not find you among this barbarous multitude." Thus was it when Lot admonished his sons-in-law; he was derided as one that mocked. For

so they thought: Oh, for many a day has this city stood, and for many a day more shall it continue! But before another day was passed, they were dead, and swimming in fire. This the world will have. It is indeed no fault of Christ; he has faithfully warned the world, and to this day permits his gospel to be preached; but it is of no avail. They should indeed become alarmed, and say, "He who so preaches to us these things is not one to deceive us;" but they go on in their carnal security, and say, "I must meanwhile quaff my glass." On, then, against the words of Jesus, so shalt thou have thy deservings: thou wouldst not hear, I have given thee warning; hence shalt thou be suddenly overtaken. Then shalt they have to say, It has served them right; but now they concern themselves not about it. But the Lord saith, "The day shall come as the lightning's stroke; upon this we may calculate."

Thus shall matters stand before the last day, to the end that people may learn and not vex themselves, that things come to such a close, but say, "Christ has declared it in advance, that thus intractable, barbarous, and greedy, shall the world become." Thus was it with Sodom in the time of Lot, and in the entire world in the days of Noah. It is all said to us by way of consolation, admonitions, and instruction, that we may be able to determine what is signified. The barbarous multitude understand it not; but we are to know, and to watch, that we do not fall into the same indifference. We must eat and drink, but not so as to overcharge our hearts, but lean them upon the Saviour's coming, and know that that which cometh is the resurrection of the dead, and eternal life. Regulating myself by such a rule, I may alike sleep, wake, study, eat or drink; and, come the day of judgment when it may, it cannot overtake me unawares.

Yea, it is our wish, for the sake of the present, that that day should come; for in this life the name of God shall not be hallowed, but more and more blasphemed; His kingdom is withstood; His will is not done on earth; our daily bread is being withdrawn; our trespasses continually increase, and temptation ceaseth not; therefore we pray: Our heavenly Father, Thy kingdom come; deliver us from evil. Help, O Lord; let the final stroke come, and make an end. If we will permit ourselves to be thus admonished, watch and pray, we may be confident that the last day shall not overtake us with dread. But all others shall be overwhelmed, and it will be their own fault; for they are not willing to regard the Saviour's coming as at hand; hence that day must overtake them suddenly, not for any fault in Christ, who amply warns them, but on account of their own guilt, in not taking the warning that is given them.

In the second place, the Lord comforts us, and incites us to rejoice, when we see the sun and the moon darkened, and comets in the sky, and all created things arranging themselves for change, and the usual order of things coming to an end. "When ye shall see," says He, "the sun and moon turning away their eyes, then has the time come for the death of nature." Just as a man, as his spirit is departing, only half sees, and rolls his eyes, is near the moment of his death, so, also, when the world rolls its eyes, and great changes are manifest, know in like manner that the time of its end has come. Lift up your heads, and be not therefore alarmed, for your redemption draweth nigh.

These are words which should be written in golden letters in the heart, for they are unmeasurably full of consolation to those whose hopes are fixed upon the life eternal. "When ye shall see," says Jesus, "that things are moving, that the world is breaking in ways of ghastly terror, be not dismayed, ye that are my followers and friends, but let them be afraid to whom it appertains." But the secure, untutored people about us concern themselves not about these things. And if there should even be three darkenings of the sun in one day, they would still lie in the beer-houses, and drink to the fill. Hence saith the Saviour: "When ye shall see that Heaven and earth are giving way; that people are wedded to their wickedness, and that everything is being borne down by the current, then take heart and rejoice. Rejoice in what? Upon yourselves? No; no; but upon me, for I come. It will be somewhat alarming; for if I throttle the world so shall it have a distressing look, and roll its eyes; but fear not, I am at hand, ye shall be delivered."

Upon this let us lay hold, that we may believe that our Lord Jesus Christ certainly cometh, and that eternal life we shall have. When this day and hour shall come, however, we cannot precisely tell; but still we may know when it is near at hand, as the Lord says: "When these things begin to come to pass, know ye that it is not far off." Hence we are admonished every day and hour.

He gives us, also, a parable of the fig-tree and other trees; not an alarming and horrifying picture of fire, but a beautiful, joyous, lovely picture concerning the trees. When the trees now put forth, says he, "So behold in them, and take note, that now the summer is nigh; likewise also ye, when the sun is darkened, say: 'The trees are putting forth;' and when the sea roars and the waves thereof, say: 'This is the beautiful bloom upon the trees.'" An indication of what? That we shall be eternally redeemed. The world shall look upon these signs in the sun, moon, water, and earth, with reference to what they are to eat and to temporal supplies; but ye, my followers and friends, shall take them for beautiful flowers. Therefore shall ye be joyful, for the kingdom of God cometh unto you that ye may have faith, to which end ye have been baptized, wherefore ye suffer, wherefore also ye are called and entreated.

These two things, then, should we learn, by way of increasing our faith, and having ourselves admonished and comforted. When we behold the manifold scandals with which the world abounds, we are not to turn ourselves to them, but guard carefully against all who move with them, like stocks and blockheads, and care for none of these things. To them shall the wrath of God suddenly come; but we are to rejoice, looking for the Lord, who shall come in the clouds with his angels, and deliver us from all adversities. This is what Christ has preached to us this day. God give us grace to lay hold of it and keep it! Amen.—Walsh's Luth., 13 vol., Cols. 34-43.