Luc. 21, 25-36.
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth men shall be afraid, and shall tremble; and the sea and the waves shall roar. And men shall faint for fear, and for waiting of the things that are to come upon the earth: for the powers of heaven also shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption draweth nigh. And he said unto them a like thing, Behold the fig tree, and all the trees. When they now shoot forth, ye see it in them, and know that summer is now at hand. So also ye, when ye see all these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away. But take heed lest your hearts be troubled with eating and drinking, and with cares of food, and let that day come upon you quickly; for as a snare it shall come upon all them that dwell on the earth. Be ye therefore always valiant, and pray that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
1 Our Lord God has always kept this way since the beginning of the world, when he wanted to make something new, he let special great signs go beforehand. When he wanted to punish Egypt and lead his people out of it and make a special nation out of it, all kinds of glorious signs went out, evil and good. For the frogs, locusts, hail, boils and the like did great harm to the Egyptians, until at last all the first birth was strangled in one night and the rest of the people were drowned in the Red Sea. But with the Jews these were good signs, that he led them dry through the Red Sea, drowned their enemies in it, gave them bread from heaven, and the like. This was an indication that God wanted to start something new with this people and establish a new regime and a new being. The same happened when He wanted to punish the unbelieving, hardened Jews and establish the new kingdom of grace through the Gospel in all the world. For when the Lord Jesus was hanging on the cross, the tombs were opened, the dead came out and went into the city of Jerusalen. There was a great and unusual darkness, the curtain in the temple was torn. All this was a beginning of a new being and a downfall of the al-
*) Held in the house 1533.
It was found in the work that Judaism had fallen and Christ had established a new kingdom.
The Jews knew this well and learned it from their own experience. Therefore the apostles come to the Lord Christ and ask him what signs will come before the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world, before the eternal kingdom of Christ begins?
3 Now concerning the destruction of Jerusalem the Lord answers them here: When they shall see an army encamped about Jerusalem, they shall know that the end is not far off; therefore give them this counsel, that they should get out of the land, and flee to the mountains; for there shall be no mercy, Judaism must be laid waste.
4 He also teaches them about the last day, saying, "When you see signs in the sun, in the moon, in the stars, in the sea and the waters, in men and in the sky, when these things come to pass," he says (for one should not wait so long as to think that all is over or that one has seen such things before), "then be courageous, and do not joke about such signs, for they are certain indications that the last day is now at the door.
(5) Now here is the question whether all such signs will happen before the last day. But one must not ask about such things. For the Lord saith, When these things begin to come to pass, they shall be seen. Therefore I believe that some and perhaps most of the signs will come to pass afterwards, just when the last day is about to dawn. Therefore let us be content with the fact that the Lord teaches us where to see and wait for such signs; namely, in the heavens, the sun, the moon, and the stars, and in men and the sea. Now when one sees some of these, one should look forward to this future, and not wait until they have all happened. For otherwise we would be overhasty.
(6) Two signs happen to the sun and the moon: first, they lose their light. Such a thing, although it is not strange and natural (for one can actually know it from art before it happens), is nevertheless a sign, as Christ himself clearly interprets it in Matthew. But besides this also such signs can happen at the sun, which one cannot know before, but happen suddenly, and fall in against all mathematics, like the darkness at the time, when Christ hung at the cross. For art holds that the eclipse of the sun must occur at the beginning of the moon, when it becomes new. But if it happens in the full moon, as at that time, or on another day in the moon, it is not natural. That is why such an eclipse was such a great miracle. Even if we have not seen such a thing, it can still happen very soon.
And we have seen these years about many other strange things, which are all unusual and strange. As that a rainbow should go around the sun, that the sun should divide itself equally and that many suns should be seen *) etc. So it is not unbelievable that there is also something like that behind, which we have not seen before. Therefore we have all ready warning at the sun
Enough that we should not be sure, but wait for the blessed future of our Lord Christ.
(8) The other signs of which Christ speaks are the great roaring of the waters, as if all were about to perish. For just as a man, when he is to die naturally, first becomes ill, catches a fever, pestilence, or some other disease; all these are signs that he is to perish: so also the world will be ill in a moment, that heaven, sun, moon, stars, men, waters, and all things will be troubled, writhing, and evil, before they even go down.
(9) I consider the sign to be entirely in the people, that we have experienced it. For the sorry pope helped a lot with his sermon, so that the pious hearts were greatly frightened, because it was preached how great a mortal sin it was not to confess, pray, fast, hear mass, and the like. In such terror, no one knew what to do, because the true consolation, the forgiveness of sins through Christ, had disappeared. Then the torment began, now with these, now with other works; so that I believe this was the greatest sorrow on earth. As I have seen many of them myself, who could not bear such heartache and terror, and fell into despair from great fear and terror, so that they did not dare to stand before God's judgment.
(10) For the preaching of the priest drove us with power to fear Christ, the judge, to death. I was also one of them, and I could not think of anything good to say to Christ as a strict judge, so I called upon the Virgin Mary to help me and to be my support against such a judge. For there was no one else. We had lost Christ and had to confess that we were bad boys. There was no other way than to fear them and be afraid of the judge. Therefore, I think that such a sign is over for most of us. Just as I think that most of the other signs in the sky have already happened. But even if there are still some more behind, it can still happen every day that they are also
come. But we should not therefore refrain from preparing ourselves for that day, as the Lord will teach below.
11) At the end, the Lord speaks of another fear, saying, "People will pine away for fear and for waiting for the things that are to come on earth. Here he speaks of another fear, which is a very great fear, and arises from the fact that people will be afraid of the signs of the last day. Such are not godless, unbelieving people, but pious and God-fearing. Therefore they accept the warning with the signs, which the godless surely despise, so that they think that many such signs have happened before, and yet the last day has remained outside. Therefore they let this sign and warning pass by today and another tomorrow, and remain today as far away as last year, and today as yesterday, without any improvement, and do not care at all how it will go with the last day.
(12) The Lord lets such ungodly, secure people go. For since they can see signs and despise them, they will not ask anything, especially about the word and the sermon. But the pious, who perceive such signs, and are terrified, the Lord will command them, and comfort them most kindly, saying, Because they confess Christ, and love his word, and would not willingly fall away from it, nor deny it; they shall not be terrified or affrighted at such signs, though they be somewhat terrible.
13 Then, says Christ, they will see the Son of Man coming in the cloud with great power and glory. This will be a different splendor than when emperors and kings come in. For the whole air will be full of angels and saints, who will shine brighter than the sun, and the Lord Christ will hover in the midst of them, and with His saints pronounce judgment on the damned, who stand below on earth with the devil, trembling and shaking.
014 When therefore, saith Christ, these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, and be joyful and of good cheer; for it must so come to pass. If the world is to be destroyed
If it is to break, it must first crack, otherwise such a large building cannot collapse, and everything must move and be shaken. Just like a man who now wants to die, he writhes and writhes, his eyes are turned back, his mouth is curved, his face turns pale and he becomes completely shapeless. The world will do the same.
15 But I say unto you, Be not dismayed at this; lift up your heads, as they that love to see it from the heart. For know that your redemption is at hand. Yours, saith he, which believe; the rest, if they believe not, shall be damned. For this reason they should be afraid, but they are not. For the Lord Jesus will bring both heaven for those who believe and have been righteous, and hell and damnation for the others.
16 The Lord speaks these things to the pious. They will also be terrified when the sun and moon turn their eyes like this and the world will be full of fire. For the saints are not so strong; even St. Peter and St. Paul would be terrified if they were alive. But, says the Lord, be of good cheer; it will look miserable and frightening to you, but this is not for you; it is for the devil and the unbelievers. But to you comes blessedness and joyful salvation, since you have groaned and prayed so long for my kingdom to come to you, for your sin to be forgiven and for you to be delivered from all evil. What you have now asked with all your heart for so long, that shall come to you. For it is called a day of your redemption.
17 Therefore the last day may well be called a day of condemnation and redemption, a day of sorrow and joy, a day of hell and the kingdom of heaven. As the Lord says in Matth. 24, 30: "Then all the families of the earth will howl. Then, whether God wills it, we will not be with them, but will leave the pope, the rotten spirits, the wicked nobility, the wicked citizens and peasants, who are now doing all they can, persecuting the gospel, and causing all misery and misfortune; they will have to pay. But we, who now have to cuddle up to them, weeping and grieving, will laugh at that time and see that they have to go down with the devil into the abyss of hell.
(18) Therefore, though the creature be disguised, and the sun and the moon be black and dark, and look upon you sourly, be not dismayed; crawl not into the corners when these things come to pass, but lift up your heads, and be not displeased; remember that ye have thus desired me. For if I am to deliver you, I must first attack those who hold you captive. As if you were a prisoner in a castle, in a tower, and heard how they were shooting and storming, you would not be afraid of such shooting and storming, but would be glad of it, if you knew that it was for your sake that they had begun to deliver you.
19 So do to him here also; do not let it frighten you that the world will bend and writhe like this; this rod is not for you, but for those who have cried out over you. Therefore accept this future as the future of your salvation. For I do not come to cast you into hell, but to help you out of this shameful, sick, sickly, hopeless world, and to separate you from the devil and his servants, and to set you among the angels, where you shall not suffer, but live in everlasting glory.
20 To such comfort now also serves the beautiful similitude with the trees. In spring, he says, when winter shall now cease, and the whole earth shall be new; when the cold shall depart, and the warmth come, and the dry trees shall bud and green, tell me, how does this begin? Is it not true that the trees first bud and then bud; so everyone says that the winter is over and now the beautiful summer is coming.
(21) Let this likeness be your doctor, and the trees of the field your art book, that ye may learn how ye shall wait for the latter day. For as the summer follows, when the trees grow lush and put forth leaves; so when the earth trembles, the heavens shake, and the sun and moon look sad and sour, be not dismayed, any more than you are dismayed by the young leaves that come forth from the trees, when it is about to be summer. For such signs shall be unto you as the sap and the leaves.
The little ones on the trees, so that you may wait for the eternal summer with joy. For this miserable life on earth here is like the shameful, unfruitful winter, since it dries up and spoils everything. Then it shall come to an end, and the beautiful eternal summer shall come, namely the kingdom of God, through which the devil's kingdom shall be destroyed, for the sake of which you had to suffer so much on earth. For you live among godless, evil, false, stingy people etc. who blaspheme and desecrate the gospel and desire to cause all kinds of misfortune. This you must see and hear, and expect daily trouble. From such I will deliver you through my future, so that you may no longer see such willfulness.
(22) Therefore such a terrible thing is not for you, but for your enemies the wicked: let them mourn and be dismayed. But you rejoice that your salvation is near. As the pious Lot also did in his time, he lived in the midst of the wicked people of Sodoma, who caused him all sorrow with their lewd conduct, and tormented his righteous soul from day to day with their unrighteous works, not to speak of which he had to see and hear, until they became overripe and God could no longer pause. Then two angels came and led the righteous Lot out of the city. There must have been a terrible sight, that the sky became black, flashed and thundered, and the clouds opened, sulfur and fire rained down, and the earth also opened and sank everything. It is not possible that Lot should not have been terrified by this. But he was comforted by the fact that he knew that such a terrible sight was not meant for him, but for the sodomites, who had been bad, desperate boys and did not want to mend their ways. They were not only terrified by such fiery rain, but also perished in it and went into the abyss of hell. But to the pious Lot it was like a beautiful tree that sprouts and now begins to green. For he felt God's help and gracious salvation against the wicked.
(23) So it will happen to us on the last day, if we live to see it. It will be terrible
When heaven and earth begin to mourn, and in a moment we die. But a Christian should not follow the appearance, but hear how Christ interprets it, namely, that it is a beautiful blossom, a beautifully juicy twig; so that, although reason is horrified at the horrible, ugly appearance, the heart nevertheless clings to the word and strengthens itself against the outward appearance, and says: "Do not be alarmed, it is neither evil nor harmful; yes, it means, as Christ himself says, not evil, but that my Redeemer and redemption are near. So now welcome me, my dear Lord Christ, and come, as I have often asked and desired all my life, that your kingdom should come to me. Whoever can receive the Lord Christ in this way will in a moment enter into glory, so that he will shine like the beautiful sun.
(24) In this way our dear Lord Christ teaches us to know the last day, so that we may know what we have in Him and for what we should wait and hope for His future. The pope preaches about Christ, that he is a strict judge, against whom one must send oneself with works, item, call upon the saints and enjoy their intercession, if one does not want to be condemned otherwise. For this is how Christ was painted everywhere in the papacy, as coming to judgment and holding a sword and a rod in his mouth, both of which signify wrath. But because Mary and John are at his side, intercession of them and other saints has been sought and hoped for. As the good Father Bernard also thinks: if the mother Mary shows her breasts to her son, then he cannot deny her anything. This is a certain indication that one did not trust in Christ, but believed that Christ would come as a judge. But in this gospel he teaches us differently, namely, that he will come, not to judge and condemn us, but to save and help, and to fulfill what we have asked of him, and to bring his kingdom to us. But to those who have not believed in him, and who have mocked and afflicted his Christians on earth, he will be their judge and punish them. These things, he says, believe firmly and do not doubt.
And rejoice in my future; for it shall be for your good, that ye may be delivered from sins, from the devil, from death, and from the world; and through me ye shall be eternally saved. That means gloriously and abundantly comforted.
(25) But there is one more thing, of which the wicked consciences are sore afraid. For the Lord says that the last day will come unawares, that it will happen to people like a little bird of the forest, which flies along in the morning, is hungry and seeks its food, hopes to find it, as before, finds it, sits down on the hearth, is happy and in good spirits; but in a snap, before it is aware, the yarn falls over it, is caught and strangled. Such things are taken to heart by godly people, and because they know from daily experience how soon it happens that one falls, they become stupid and despondent about it. For they think: Who knows how this day will find you. Perhaps it will come at the hour when you are most clumsy, and least expect it, or lie in this or that sin; so it is done with you, and this day of joy becomes an eternal day of mourning.
(26) Neither will the Lord leave us in despair here, and teacheth his Christians how they ought to relieve themselves of these troubles, saying, Take heed lest your hearts be troubled with devouring, and with fretting, and with cares of food, and that day come upon you quickly. For it will come like a snare upon all who dwell on the earth. Be ye therefore always valiant, and pray that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."
This is a very noble and necessary teaching, which should never leave our hearts. The Lord does not forbid eating and drinking; neither does he say, as the pope does, that one should leave everything behind, go into a monastery and become spiritual. No, eat and drink, God is pleased with you; also seek your food, for that is why God has commanded the work. But beware lest your hearts be so burdened with all these things that you forget my future; rather, beware lest you forget my future.
20 L. i, 27-Ä. On the third Sunday of Advent. W. xm, p8.59.68-70. 21
But be courageous, that is, wait all the hours and moments, and for that reason keep yourselves in the fear of God and a good conscience. Let that be the first thing.
28 Then pray also that you may escape all temptation and sorrow, and be worthy to stand before the Son of Man. As this is finely understood in the last two petitions of the Lord's Prayer: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. If you do this, there will be no need; then the last day will find you over the table, or in bed, in church or in the market, awake or asleep, and it will be all the same. For he will find you in God's protection.
29. but here one must also notice this, that one cannot call upon God properly nor pray, where one does not knowingly sin.
Therefore, a righteous repentance belongs to the right prayer, and that one should beware of wanton sins, and keep oneself in good conscience, and then pray to God's goodness in the name of Jesus Christ, that He may preserve us in His fear, keep us from sins by His Holy Spirit, and keep us in a right faith until the end, so that we may await this blessed day with joy, and accept our Lord Jesus as our Savior with heartfelt confidence. Such prayer is heard through Christ, there is no doubt about it. Therefore we should follow such advice and teaching, and prepare ourselves for this gracious day of eternal salvation. May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ grant this to us all, amen.