Full Text for CTM Behold, He Shall Come! 4-12 (Text)
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If the trumpet live an UDcertain IOUDd.
who .h:lll prepare hlDUleif to the battle t
1 OM. ~.8.
Published for the
Ev. Luth. Synod of lttissouri, OhiO, and Other States
CONCORDIA. PUBLlSHIN'G HOUSE, St. Louis, Mo.
"Behold, He Shall Come!" 927
!Bu~es: !Bon ber ~uben ~iigen lUiber bie \l.'etfon unfers lieben .\d~trn ~~fu ~~tifti.
~er bierie steil bes !Bud)es: mlas ftir ein Unterfd)ieb 3lUif~en ber ~~tiften unb
~uben Iffieffia. (St. ~ouifer sausgabe XX, 1860-2029.)
1543. "mom S~em .Idamjlljoras unb bom ®cfd){e~t ~ljtifti." - ~iefe S~rift
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gonnen; benn fie lUar fd),on am 7. Iffiiita DoUenbet unb fonnte am 28. b. 9Jt ber.
fanbt lUerben. .\dier finbet fi~ ~utljers Uaffifd)e sausfti~tUng tiber bie !Bebeutung
bon "saIma", unb bie ganae Scljrift {egt ,seugnis ab Don 13utljers grtinbHcljer
srenntniS bes ljcbriiifd)en ste!;tes. (St. ~ouifer sausganc XX, 2028-2109.)
sa n mer fun g. Untet ben ScljtiftausIegungen bicfes ~aljres finben ficlj
bie ~!:egefe "mon ben {etlten mlorten ~abibs" unb bie ~ietticljfclje sausgabe ber
.\dauspoftiUe. ~icljt feljr range banad) etfcljien auel) bie IImOtIefung tioer :;Sef. 53".
('ii:lie e!;egetifcljen Sd)tiften finbcn ficlj I-IX unb XIV.)
1544. IIsruraes !BefenntniS bom ljeiHgen Saframent lUiher 'nie ScljlUiir.
met,1I - 'ii:liefe Sd)tift, hie oefonbers aUf Sd)luenffelb gemtin3t Inat, abet auclj
bie anbern SatramentsfcljlUiitmer im ~luge ljatte, ljatte 13utljet am 8. sauguft in
sarbeit. ~r fd)eint fie ljanbfcljriftHc£j etlna bis ~nbe bes Iffionats fertiggefteUt au
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'ii:lie ~ljo:to:ftetifm net Scljtniirmer unb bie sausftiljrungen tiber ben UnioniSmus
finb befonbers tnid)tig. (St. ~ouifer ~Tusgabe XX, 1764-1791.)
1545. IImlibet bas \l.'ajlfttum au ffiom, born steufeI geftiftet. 1I - 'ii:liefe ge.
tnaltige Stteitfcljrift, bie lette, bie tnir aus 13utljers jJeber ~o:ben, ljat 5.)utljer f~on
au_ ~_ :: l\: oiefe!! ~', - • : Iant. sam M , --- er an bet m_c,", '~nb am
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fau)1ic£j fonnte bie 6cljrift fu)on am 25. Iffiiiq berlanbt tnerben. ;tiie 6prad)e ift
oft reiclj1iclj fdjarf, aber bie 'ii:lar!egung ber ~eljten, fonherlidj Me bon bet .ll'irc£je,
iit feljr tnertboU. (6t. 5.)ouifer sausgaoe XVII, 1019-1132.) !p. ~. sr.
"Behold, He Shall Come!"
A Series of Advent Se'rmons on Mal. 3, 1-6.
I.
MAL. 3, 1-3.
Malachi, the last of the prophets, announces that now at last
Jehovah is about to send that messenger who was to prepare the way
for the coming Messiah. That long period of waiting and expectation
was drawing to its close. Nine-tenths of the appointed time had ex-
pired. No more prophets should arise in Israel, but a messenger, who
should prepare the way for the Lord of hosts. And then suddenly,
unexpectedly, shall the Lord, whom they sought, come to His temple,
even the Messenger of the Oovenant, whom they delighted in.
Behold, He Shall Come, the Messenger of the Covenant.
1. II e is the promised JYI essiah. 2. H eis the Lord of hosts.
1.
V. 1. vVho is this Messenger of the Oovenant? It is none other
than the Messiah, promised for the :first time to fallen mankind in
Paradise (mention other important prophecies), for whom believers
had looked, Gen. 4, 1; 5,29; 49,18; Ps. 14, 7; Is. 64, 1. This Mes-
928 "Behold, He Shall Come!"
senger is none other than Jesus of Nazareth. Malachi says that pre-
ceding this Messenger the Lord of hosts would send another mes-
senger, and then suddenly the Messenger Himself would come. There
can be no doubt as to the identity of the preparing messenger. This
is stated by the angel, Luke 1, 17; by Zacharias, filled with the Holy
Ghost, Luke 7, 76; by the three synoptists, Matt. 11, 10, and par-
allels. Just so surely the :Messenger of the Oovenant is none other
than Jesus. For He it is whose way John prepared, John 1, 26-33.
While John was still preaching, suddenly, unexpectedly, Jesus came
out of the wilderness to be pointed out by John as the pl'Omised Mes-
siah and Savior of His people. Unknown to the mass of people, He
had grown up at Nazareth, and His appearance came as a surprise to
all and as a shock to many. Thus did the Lord long expected still
come, suddenly and unexpectedly.
2.
This Messiah, according to the words of our text, is the true God.
V. 1 He is called the Lord, the Ruler, one endowed with power and
authority. We ask, Was He a ruler human or superhuman, a Lord
mortal or divine? The very fact that a divinely appoint~d messenger
was sent before Him and that His coming was announced four hun-
dred, yea, four thousand years before His birth stamps this Lord as
a Ring unique. Which human king can lay claim to such an honor?
Again, we read: v. 2. Oan language such as this be applied to
any hum:m king or lord? Does not this word place this King far
above all principality, etc., Eph. 1, 21. 22?
V. 3. The Messenger sits and purifies even those who were the
divinely chosen purifiers of the people, making their offerings accept-
able to God. Oan He who comes to purge the sons of Levi be a mere
human being? As Purifier of the hearts of men is He not God?
Once more we read that the Lord whose way is being prepared shall
come to His Temple, v. 1. There is not a single instance in which the
Temple is called the temple of any man. It is God's house. So also
the counter-type of the Old Testament Temple, "the Ohurch on
prophets and apostles built, and Ohrist the Oorner-stone," is not the
temple of any man, of any angel; it is God's Ohurch. If He that
cometh, cometh to His Temple, He must be God.
Finally we read, "Behold I will send My messenger, and he shall
-prepare the way before Me." "Behold, He shall come, saith the Lord
of hosts," v. 1. So it is the Lord of hosts Himself that is coming to
His people. Jehovah, before whom the angels fall down in adoring
worship, before whom even the cherubim and seraphim veil their
faces; Jehovah, beside whom there is no god, comes to His people.
Before His face the appointed messenger prepares the way. Since it
is Jesus whose way John the Baptist prepared, it is Jesus, who is the
Lord God of hosts, that is speaking here. He is the Me~nger sent
"Behold, He Shall Come!" 929
of God; not, however, on that account inferior to God, but of equal
power and majesty. This, then, is He that cometh, whose birth we
are preparing to celebrate. It is Jesus of Nazareth, the long-promised
Messiah, the Lord of hosts. Him let us worship, to Him promise our
untiring service, let Him be the joy and rejoicing of our heart, until
we shall join those hosts falling down before the throne and exclaim-
ing: Rev. 5, 13. T. L.
II.
MAL. 3, 1.
He that cometh is the Lord of hosts. In Him the Day-spring
from on high hath visited His people. In Him God Himself was made
manifest in the flesh. Now, what was the purpose of His coming~
Malachi answers this question.
The Lord of Hosts Shall Come as the Messenger of the Covenant.
1. He Himself establishes this covenant.
rJ. He HimseZfmakes us partake1's of this covenant.
1.
The Bible makes mention of two covenants whieh God made with
man. One He proclaimed from 1Ylount Sinai, promising God's favor
only on condition of perfect obedience and holiness in accordance with
the divine Law as laid down in the Ten Oommandments, Luke 10,
25-28; Deut, 27,26. Malachi has in mind a covenant altogether dif-
ferent. Describe this covenant on the basis of such passages as J er.
31,33.34; Is. 55, 1-3. 12; 32,18; 35,8-10; 25,6-8. Truly, a won-
derful covenant, granting divIne grace and everlasting loving-kindness
all the days of our lives, throughout eternity, forevermore.
The establishment of this covenant was the purpose for which the
Messenger of the Oovenant, Jesus Christ, the God-man, was sent into
this world. Without this Messenger of the Oovenant there is no
covenant of grace and pardon, there is no hope of salvation for fallen
mankind. In Eden, God based His promise on the one fact that the
Woman's Seed should bruise the Serpent's head. Wilen God estab-
lished His covenant with Abraham, it was again the Seed of Abraham
in whom and by whom this blessing was to be made possible, Gen,
22, 18. All the visions of Isaiah had for their background, their con-
tent, yea, for their source and author, that Messenger of the Oovenant,
Is. 53. So throughout the Old Testament the covenant of God's grace
and forgiveness is based entirely on the work of the Messenger of the
Oovenant. The New Testament only serves to establish this truth,
Acts 4,12; 2 Cor. 5, 14--21; 1 John 1, 7. Oillist is indeed the Mes-
senger of the Covenant, without whom God would never have entered
into this covenant of grace and forgiveness and loving-kindness with
fallen mankind.
59
930 "Behold, He Shall Come!"
2.
Having established this covenant, the Messenger now invites man-
kind and makes all believers partakers of it. Throughout the Old and
New Testaments we see Him who in the Old Testament is so often
called the Angel of the Lord setting forth on His mission of mercy to
make men partakers of the covenant established by Him. For this
purpose He calls sinners to repentance. Appearing to Hagar, the run-
away maid of Sarah, He tells her of her sin: "Hagar, Sarai's maid,
whence comest thou, and whither wilt thou go 1" Gen. 16, 8. Apostate
Israel is rebuked for its faithlessness, J udg. 2, 1 ff. Self-righteous
Nicodemus is told: ,T ohn 3, 3, and bigoted Saul must hear: Acts 9, 4. 5.
When sinners stand repentant before Him, their heads bowed down in
shame, their hearts heavy with consciousness of sin and guilt, then
He, the Messenger of the Oovenant of Grace, gives them of His ful-
ness and grace for grace, Zech. 3, 1-5. The same promise of forgive-
ness and pardon is given to wayward, erring Hagar, filling her heart
with peace and comfort. "Thou, God, seest me," so she exclaims and
returns to her home rejoicing, assm'eel of the favor of her God. And
whosoever comes to Him, whether it is a Nicodemus, blameless before
men, or a publican and sinner; whether they are little children,
brought to Him in infancy or early youth, or hardened criminals,
who, like the thief on the cross, turn to Him in the last hour - for all
He has that selfsame message of pardon and peace: "Him that cometh
to Me I will in no wise cast out. Be of good cheer, thy sins be for-
given thee. Depart in peace." The Messenger of the Oovenant is also
our gracious Friend and Helper in all bodily ills and woes. To weary
Hagar and Ishmael dying of thirst in the wilderness; to Jacob fleeing
from the wrath of his brother; to Israel groaning in sl avery in Egypt;
to Joshua facing Jericho with its seemingly impregnable walls; to
hundreds and thousands who came to Him applying for His help while
He walked the soil of Palestine; to all those millions who since that
time have called upon His holy name, - to all, to each and everyone
of them, He has proved Himself the Messenger of the Oovenant of
Grace, graciously hearing their prayer, graciol1sly aiding them with
His advice, His comfort, His almighty power; freeing them from
their woe or giving them strength to carry their cross willingly or fill-
ing their hearts and souls with His wonderful peace, standing ever at
their side, never fOT a moment leaving or forsaking them, finally de-
livering them from all evil, and graciously taking them from this
vale of tears to Himself in heaven.
Have you accepted the invitation of this Messenger? Now,
while you hear His voice, harden not your hearts. Accept the grace,
tEe peace, the salvation, which He offers, and eternal life is yours.
Is. 54, 10. T. L.
"Behold, He Shall Come!" 931
III.
MAL. 3, 2. 3.
The covenant which the Messenger establishes is a covenant for-
giving sin, but not granting permission to sin. The ].iessenger of the
Covenant is not only the Redeemer, He is also the Purifier of His
people.
Behold, He Shall Come, the Purifier of His People!
Let us consider-
1. The vurpose of His ptirifying; 2. The means of His purifying,
1.
Silver and gold, as found in their native state, are, as a rule,
not pure and free from imperfections, but are mixed with impurities,
from which the silver and gold must be separated in order to be of any
value to its owner. The rock in which the silver is enclosed must
first be broken into small pieces and then put through the refining
process. There sits the refiner before his crucible. Having kindled
his fire, he fills the silver-bearing rock into the crucible. See him
stirring up the fire, adding a fresh supply of fuel to the already
fiercely burning fire in order to keep the heat at a maximum degree.
So he continues his refining process until the silver becomes so clean
that his face is clearly reflected in it. Not until then is his work
TInished, not until then i8 that silver as pure as it ought to be. And
as he looks again, he rejoices. No longer is his face a mere shadow
·on the cloudy metal. Gradually and with ever-increasing distinctness
his features begin to show, until in sharp outline his face is mirrored
in the pure silver, until he sees in it his own image looking back
at him.
What a beautiful picture of Christ purifying His people! All
Christians, all believers, are sons of Levi, are priests before God,
1 Pet. 2, 9a; Rev. 1,5.6. As priests God expects us to offer unto the
Lord an offering in righteousness, v.3. Cpo Rom. 12,1; 1 Pet. 2,
1) b. 11 f. Alas, we are like the sons of Levi of old, in constant need of
purifying, Rom. 7, 15-23; Phil. 3, 12. 13. That precious metal of
godliness and true holiness implanted in us by the power of the Holy
Spirit is still mingled with much that is ungodly and unpleasant to
behold and sinful in the sight of God and man. It very often re-
13embles a thin vein of silver running through a hard rock of stubborn-
ness and selfishness, through much dross and impurity of worldly lusts
and sinful desires. Time and again not the silver and gold of a truly
Christian life are to be seen, but only the dross, the unsightly rock,
the impurity of sin and wrong. True, Ohrist forgives all the sins
-of all His Ohristians, thus cleansing and purifying them. But
He does more than that. He purifies and refines His people by
932 "Behold, He Shall Come!"
teaching them and enabling them to lead a truly holy life, to over-
come sin, and to walk in godliness and good works. Like the
refiner's fire and the fuller's soap He is the inveterate enemy, the
irreconcilable foe, of all impurity and dross of sin and wrong-doing.
Wherever He sees sin, He at once attacks it until all slag and dross
of sin and iniquity fall crushed and crumbled to the ground, while,
free from impurity, the precious silver of true holiness rises to the
surface, until His Ohristians come unto a perfect man, until He Him-
self and all that see them behold in them the likeness of their holy
and spotless Redeemer.
2.
V. 3. How does the divine Refiner purify His people ~ The means
whereby He purifies His people is His Word, J er. 23, 29. Both Law
and Gospel, each in its own proper sphere, are used by Ohrist in His
refining process. Ohrist has need of the Law in purifying His people.
The Law, like the refiner's hammel', crushes their pride, strikes fear
and tenor into their hearts, and like fiercely burning fire crumbles the
rock of self-righteousness, self-satisfaction, and false security. Then
Ohrist applies the life-giving fire of His GospeL In this Gospel He
points out the love of the Father, who in abounding loving-kindness
sent His only-begotten Son that through Him we might be made the
children of God; and then He admonishes us: lPet.l, 13-15. This
Gospel directs us to that boundless grace of Ohrist, the Son of God,
2 Oor. 8, 9, and then plGads with us: 1 Pet. 2, 24; 2001'.5,15. The
Gospel tells us of the communion of the Holy Spirit, the Oomforter
and Advocate of all Ohristians, and then admonishes us: Eph. 4,
30-32. This Gospel does not only admonish and exhort; as a living
and life-giving fire it purges out the love of sin and worldliness and
perfects more and more the precious metal of Ohristian love, which is
the source and fountainhead of all Ohristian virtues. This Gospel is
the means whereby Ohrist, the divine Refiner, purifies unto Himself a
peculiar people, Titus 2,12.14; 2 Pet. 1,5-7.
The Bible calls attention to another crucible which Ohrist uses
in His Tefining process, Is. 48, 10; Ps. 66,10-12. So the divine Re-
finer uses the fire of trials and tribulation to cleanse and refine His
Ohristians, to keep them on the highway of holiness, from which it
is so easy to wander, Ps. 119, 67. Again, many of the most beautiful
Ohristian virtues are brought to perfection only through fiery trials.
Would Joseph's unfailing trust in God, his splendid chastity, his
humility, his submission under God's will, have reached such per-
fection had they not been tried and tested in the furnace of affliction?
Heb. 12, 11. Hence David exclaims: Ps. 119,71. And St. Paul re-
joices: Rom. 5, 3-5. So the divine Refiner sits and purifies His
people. While in this life, Ohristians never attain perfection; yet He
rejoices as gradually sins are overcome, evil habits are put off, His
"Behold, He Shall Come!" 938
image becomes clearer and more defined. So He keeps on refining,
purifying, sanctifying His own, until their eyelids close in death.
Then His work of sanctifying is finished. Issuing from the grave
at His divine command, all dross, all imperfections, are gone forever,
Ps. 17, 15. Till then, Lord Jesus, sanctify, purify, refine us, Thou
divine Purifier of Thy people. T. L.
IV.
MAL. 3, 2. 5. 6.
A brief review of the preceding sermons. The Lord of hosts,
the Messenger of the Oovenant, the Purifier of His people, is also
the Judge of the W orId.
Behold, He Shall Come, the Judge of the World!
1. He shall come surely, but suddenly;
2. He shall be a swift Witness against all that fear not the Lord;
3. He shall give to all believers etemal life.
1.
V. 5. Throughout the Old and New Testaments we healo that mes-
sage repeated over and over again: Is. 2, 10-22; Zeph. 1, 14 .. --18. The
last word recorded as spoken by the glorified Savior to His Ohurch on
earth is: "Surely, I come quickly." The prayer of the bride, the
Ohurch, for 1900 years has been: "Amen. Even RO; come, T"orn J eRuR."
Of the coming of the Lord to Judgment there can be no doubt.
Though scoffers scoff, yet He will come. He that spoke these words,
"I will come near to you to Judgment," is the Lord of hosts, who
changes not, who neither lies nor deceives.. Just as surely as at the
appointed time the Messenger of the Oovenant came to establish this
covenant; just as surely as He has for 1900 years made men partakers
of this covenant, just so surely will He fulfil the last part of His
promise, just so surely will He come as Judge of the world.
As Ohrist's coming into the flesh was preceded by the coming of
a messenger preparing His way before Him, so His coming to J udg-
ment will be heralded by many messengers, Luke 21, 10 .. 11, etc. Yet
as His first coming so His second coming will be sudden and un-
expected. All attempts at foretelling the exact year and day of His
coming are doomed to disappointment. 2 Pet. 3, 10; Mark 13, 32.
2.
That day will strike fear and terror into the hearts and souls of
men, v.2. Zech.1, 14-18; Luke 21, 25-27. Then shaH He sit upon
the throne of His glory, and before Him shall be gathered all nations,
and then v. 5 will be fulfilled. Not only those workers of iniquity who
in open defiance of God's holy will and Word trample under foot His
authority and find their delight in transgressing His commandments;
934 "Behold, He Shall Come!"
not only those who ride rough-shod over every right of their fellow-
men, cpo Ps.14, 4; 12,2-4; 36,1-4, but everyone in whose heart
there is no fear of God, Matt. 15, 8; not only Modernists, who under
thc guise of Ohristianity deny its very essence, but all outwardly
orthodox who make not God's Word, but their own carnal mind their
norm of life. How will they tremble when they see Him whom they
rejected, whose Word and will they despised, sitting on the throne of
glory, their God, their Judge! Rev. 6, 15-17; Amos 9, 2f. Then He
Himself will rise as a swift Witness against them. Not only will their
fellow-men accuse them, not only will the sighs and lamentations of
the oppressed and the tears of the widows and fatherless testify
against them, not only will the blood of all those whose souls were
murdered by their false and blasphemous doctrines cry out against
them, but He, the all-knowing God Himself, who understood their
very thoughts afar off, will stand as Witness against them, Ps. 90, 8;
50,21. He, the "swift Witness," will swiftly answer all their argu-
ments, swiftly convict them of their guilt, swiftly stop every mouth
and silence every lip. What will His sentence be? If Jesus Ohrist
as 1,Vitncss has established their guilt beyond the shadow of a doubt,
can He as Judge do aught but punish the guilty ones ~ God against
you, the Lord of hosts against you, Jesus, the Savior and Purifier of
His people, against you, can there be a thought more terrible, more
horrifying? On earth He still called them to repentance; He, the
faithful J'vIeSS'Jllger of the Oovenant of Grace, was rcady to accept and
purify, also to justify and sanctify them; but that day is no longer
a day of grace, it is a day of wrath. On that day He, the Lord God,
will no longer place them in the refining and purifying fire, but: Ezek.
22, 19:1f. This Judge no man can bribe, Deut.l0, 17. From the sen-
tence of this Judge there is no appeal to a higher authority. He is
the Lord of hosts. If He has spoken, all the world must keep silence.
Neither will He change His sentence, v.6a. Heb.l0,28-31. They
shall go away into everlasting punishment; the smoke of their torment
ascendeth up forever and ever.
Shall that be your fate? There is but one way of escape.
3.
V. 6. The sons of Jacob shall escape the sentence of eternal woe.
Why? Because they are sons of Jacob. Like Jacob they have learned
to confess that they are not worthy of the least of the mercies of God.
Like .r acob they have learned to put their faith in the Messenger of
the Oovenant. Like Jacob they will not let their Savior go. On their
deathbed they, like Jacob, turn their breaking eye upon their Re-
deemer and exclaim: "Lord, I have waited for Thy salvation." For
such there is no condemnation; for the Lord, who changeth not, has
said: John 5, 24.
Miscellanea. 935
Accept Him who comes to us as the Lord of hosts, the Messenger
of the Oovenant, the Purifier of His people, Rev. '7, 14; Titus 2,12.
Then we need not fear His coming to Judgment, but: Titus 2, 13 ;
Luke 21, 28. This is most certainly true; for thus says the Lord of
hosts, the 1'Iessenger of the Oovenant, the Purifier of His people, the
Judge of the world: v. 6. T. L.
Miscellanea.
~iue bendjten~luerle Stimme nuB S)eutfdjlnub.
~ie firdjIidjen morgiinge unb (freigniffe in ;3)eu±fdjlanb briingen fidj fo
aufeinanber, baB man faum mit i~nen @:ldjritt ~aIten fann, audj tuenn
man regefmiiBig 3uberIiiHige faeridj±e er~iiIt unb Heft. (f~ ift f djtuer, aUf
oeidjriinfiem maum ein einigermaBen berf±iinbIidjc~ unb bo[ftiinbige~ faUb
bon ben morgiingen 3U enttuerfen. ~ie Wrtifel in ben l'irdjIidjen faliittern
unb 2ei±fdjrif±en finb 3a~IIo~; baou fommen iSlugfdjriften auf iSlug~
fdjtiften, bie bon ben berfdjiebenen @:ltanbpunfien aui3 bie firdjHdje 2age
.6el)anbeln. Woer HiroHdj erfc~ien ein ~rrtifeI (in ber @:lcptemoernummet
;:'ct ,,:t~eorogifdjen R:lli:itter" in 2eiiJoig) bon llSrof. &;>ermann @:laffe in (fr~
langen, bem fTeiBigen 1mb gefdjicHm .l;?erauBgeoer be§ oefannien "Sl:irdj~
Iidjen ~'{l~roudj§u, bet liefonber§ lieadjten§tnett erfdjeint. ;3)et merfaffet
l)at in freunbIidjet lffieife perfi.inHdj i~n un~ ilugefanbt. @r iff lie±iteIt ,,~ie
beu±fdje Union bon 1933" unb ±tiff± bie @:ladje. lIDit teilen einige Wlifii~e
baraui3 mit, ba bie @:ladje liefonbet~ liebeutfam unb lDidjtig erfdjein± unb
tnit bet f8mr±eiIul1g bet morgiinge nm: oUftimmen fEnnen. ;3)er ~rttifer
lieginn± mit biefen lffior±en: ,,;3)er 11. ~uIi 1933 tnirb tn ber (frinnerung
fiJi:i±eret @efdjledj±et aI§ einet ber bunfeIften :tage tn ber @efdjidj±e be5
2ut~et±um~ fortIelien. ;3)enn an biefem ~age ~alien bie faifdjofe bet ru±l)e~
rifdjen 2anbe§fitdjen ;3)eu±fdjIanM ein ;3)ommen± unteraeidjnet, ba§, tuenn
feine @ebanfen fonfequent burdjgefiil)r± tnerben, ba;ll @nbe ber ebangeIifdjen
~irdje Wug~liurgifcljer Sl:onfefflon im beu±fdjen 2anbeMitdjentum liebeuten
muB. (fine @n±l1JiclIung, bie mit bet bet~i:ingni~bo[en ~uoeIfeier bet ffie~
formation im ~al)re 1817 liegann unb bie bon ben lu±l)etifdjen SHtdjen
SEleu±fdjlanM ein ~al)t~unbcrt lang djaraftetbo[ liefi:iU1jJj't tuorben ift, fjat
bamit i~ten borIiiujigen 2rlifdjIuB gefunben. SElie Union ift aUf lJa5 ge~
famte meidj5geliiet atl~gebe~nt tuorben. ;3)enn nidjg anbete~ aHl cine
Union ift bie @inigung, bte je~t atuifcljen ben Iut~etifdjen, reformierten
unb unieden SWtdjen aUftanbe gdonunen ift. lIDenn am 10. lllobemliet
bet 450. @eliurgtag bei3 beutfdjen meformatot~ mit unetfjortem @Iana
gefeiert tnirb, tuie man e§ liealifidjtigt, bann fonnte e~ fein, baB bie @locfen
biefe5 iSef±tag~ bte @:lterlieglocfen ber Iutfjetifdjen ~itc~e tn ~e1ttfdjlanb
finb./I msei±et unten ~etnt e~ bann in bem Wttife!: ,,;3)ie lu±fjettfdjen
~irdjen finb, ol)ne msibetfprudj au et~elien, @Iieber einer ~irdje geroorben,
bie nadj bem Haren unb unmi13betftiinbHdjen lIDortIau± be§ 7. WttHeHl bet
Ilfuguftana teine S'Hrclje im @linne bet Iut~etifdjen meformation ift. @lie
~aben bamit in einet @ntfdjeibung;llftunbe bet ~itdjengefdjidjte i~r fae~
fenn±ni~ an einem gana tnefentlidjen llSUnfte iJtei~gegelien unb tuerben nun
bie iSolgen biefet llSrei5gaoe tragen miiifcn."