![]() 5 I do not wish to force any one to believe as I do neither will I permit anyone to deny me the right to believe that the last day is near at hand. We should be careful, therefore, to note whether the signs are being fulfilled now, or have been or will be in the future. “Lift up your heads, because your redemption draweth nigh.” There must then be some, at least, who do recognize the signs, and lift up their heads and wait for their redemption, although they do not really know on what day that will come. “When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh.” Then, V.28. Were this not true, the admonition of Christ would have been in vain: V.31. 4 There is now no doubt that Christ did not foretell these signs in the expectation that no one would note nor recognize them when they should appear although few indeed will do so, just as in the days of Noah and Lot but few knew the punishment in store for them. After the same manner it shall be in the day that the Son of man is revealed.” These words abundantly show that people will rest so secure and will be so deeply buried beneath the cares of this life, that they will not believe the day is at hand. Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. ![]() They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. “As it was in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. The same further appears in what follows in verses 26-29: V.26-29. 3 The words of Christ in say the same: “For as the lightning, when it lighteneth out of the one part under the heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven so shall the Son of man be in his day.” See here again that the day will break upon the world with the utmost suddenness. In this figure he gives us clearly to understand that the world will continue its carousing, eating and drinking, building and planting, and diligently seeking after earthly things, and will look upon the day of judgment as yet a thousand and more years off, when, in the twinkling of an eye, they may stand before the terrible judgment bar of God. But he says, it will come as a snare by which birds and beasts are caught at a time when most concerned about their food and least expecting to be entrapped. ![]() For, were there no such security and heedlessness, that day would not break in unawares. “Take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare: for so shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth.” From these words it is clear, that men in great measure will give themselves over to surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that, drowned as it were in these things, they will rest secure and continue to dwell on the earth as if the dreadful day were far away. Christ says in the 34th and 35th verses: V.34, 35. ![]() That there will be such security and indifference among men, let us prove by the words of Christ and the apostles. Though men see these signs, yea, be told that they are signs of the last day, still they will not believe, but in their security mockingly say: “Thou fool, hast thou fear that the heavens will fall and that we shall live to see that day?” 2 Some, indeed, must see it, and it will be those who least expect it. For two things must take place according to the Word and prophecy of Christ and the apostles: first, that many and great signs will be made manifest and secondly, that the last day will come unawares, the world not expecting it, even though that day be at the door. Mat 24:45 | Luther | STEP | 1 The first thing for us to understand is that although the signs preceding the judgment day are many and great, they will all be fulfilled, even though none or very few men take note of or esteem them as such.
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