Full Text for CTM Behold, He Shall Come! 4-12 (Text)

loflWl, Art. ~ 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 ~at 5.Jutljcr augenf~einHd) g{ci~ na~ moUennung bet Ietltgenannten Sd)tift be. 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 ljo:ben, bo: fie o:m 27. S,eptembet im 'ii:lrud tno:t unb o:m ~nbe bell Iffiono:g erfcljien. '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 20.9)1iiq ronnte er oeticljtcn, bat er in ettna adjt stagen fertig fein lutitbc. stat. 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."