REBUILDING THE WALLS

THE REBUILDING OF THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM BY EZRA AND NEHEMIAH IS QUAINTLY ILLUSTRATED IN LUTHER'S GERMAN BIBLE BY A WOODCUT IN WHICH THE THEME IS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE SCENERY. FROM SAXONY. THE REBUILDERS OF THE WALLS ARE THE JEWS RETURNED FROM BABYLON. THE STONES, MORTAR,LOGS, SAWS, WHEELBARROWS, INCLINED PLANES, AND DERRICKS ARE PRECISELY THOSE EMPLOYED TO REPAIR THE WALLS OF WITTENBERG. VERY SIMILAR WAS LUTHER'S APPLICATION OF CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES TO THE RECONSTRUCTION OF SOCIETY. THE PRE-EMINENCE  OF RELIGION, THE SOLE SUFFICIENCY OF CHRISTIANITY, THE OBLIGATION OF THE CHRISTIAN IS TO BE  A CHRIST TO HIS NEIGHBOR  THESE WERE THE PRINCIPLES. THE APPLICATIONS WERE CONSERVATIVE. LUTHER CAME NOT TO DESTROY, BUT TO FULFILL, AND AGAINST ALL MISCONCEPTION OF HIS TEACHING SOUGHT TO MAKE PLAIN THAT THE TRADITIONAL CHRISTIAN  ETHIC REMAINED IN TACT. THE SERMON ON GOOD WORKS IS BUILT, NOT AROUND THE BEATITUDES , BUT AROUND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, THE CORE OF THE LAW OF MOSES EQUATED WITH THE LAW OF NATURE. LIKE THOSE BEFORE HIM LUTHER EXTENDED THE COMMAND TO HONOR FATHER AND MOTHER TO INCLUDE REVERENCE FOR ALL AUTHORITY, SUCH AS BISHOPS, TEACHER, AND MAGISTRATES. HIS DOMESTIC ETHIC WAS PAULINE AND PATRIARCHAL, THE ECONOMIC ETHIC THOMISTIC AND MAINLY AGRARIAN, THE POLITICAL ETHIC AUGUSTINIAN AND SMALL TOWN. IN ONE RESPECT LUTHER WAS MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN CATHOLICISM BECAUSE HE ABOLISHED MONASTICISM AND THUS ELIMINATED A SELECTED AREA FOR THE PRACTICE OF HIGHER RIGHTEOUSNESS. IN CONSEQUENCE THE GOSPEL COULD BE EXEMPLIFIED ONLY IN THE MIDST OF SECULAR CALLINGS, EXCEPT LUTHER REFUSED TO CALL THEM SECULAR.. AS HE HAD EXTENDED THE PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS, SO LIKEWISE HE EXTENDED THE CONCEPT OF DIVINE CALLING, VOCATION, TO ALL WORTHY OCCUPATIONS. OUR EXPRESSION "VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE" COMES DIRECTLY FROM LUTHER. GOD HAS CALLED MEN TO LABOR BECAUSE HE LABORS.
 HE WORKS AT COMMON OCCUPATIONS. GOD IS A TAILOR WHO MAKES FOR A DEER A  COAT THAT WILL LAST FOR A THOUSAND YEARS. HE IS A SHOE-MAKER ALSO WHO PROVIDES BOOTS THAT THE DEER WILL NOT OUT.LIVE. GOD IS THE BEST COOK, BECAUSE THE HEAT OF THE SUN SUPPLIES ALL THE HEAT THERE IS FOR COOKING. GOD IS A BUTLER WHO SETS FORTH A FEAST FOR THE SPARROWS AND SPENDS ON THEM ANNUALLY MORE THAN THE TOTAL REVENUE OF THE KING OF FRANCE.. CHRIST WORKED AS A CARPENTER. " I CAN JUST IMAGINE," SAID LUTHER FROM THE PULPIT AND SAY ON JUDGMENT DAY. THEY WILL COME UP TO THE MASTER AND SAY," 'LORD DIDN'T YOU BUILD MY HOUSE? HOW DID YOU COME TO THIS HONOR?"
THE "VIRGIN MARY" WORKED, AND THE MOST AMAZING EXAMPLE OF HER HUMILITY IS THAT AFTER SHE HAD RECEIVED THE ASTONISHING NEWS THAT SHE WAS TO BE THE MOTHER OF THE REDEEMER, SHE DID NOT VAUNT HERSELF BUT WENT BACK AND MILK THE COWS, SCOURED THE  KETTLES, AND SWEPT THE HOUSE. PETER WAS A FISHERMAN AND WAS PROUD OF HIS SKILL. THOUGH NOT TO PROUD TO TAKE A SUGGESTION FROM THE MASTER WHEN TOLD TO CAST ON THE OTHER SIDE. LUTHER COMMENTED: I WOULD HAVE SAID, " NOW LOOK HERE, MASTER. YOU ARE A PREACHER,  AND I AM NOT UNDERTAKING TO TELL YOU HOW TO PREACH. AND I AM A FISHERMAN , AND YOU NEED NOT TELL ME HOW TO FISH"
BUT PETER WAS HUMBLE, AND THE LORD THEREFORE MADE HIM A FISHER OF MEN.
THE SHEPHERDS WORKED. THEY HAD A MEAN JOB WATCHING THEIR FLOCKS BY NIGHT., BUT AFTER SEEING THE BABE THEY WENT BACK. WHERE TO? THEIR SHEEP. THE SHEEP WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A SORRY WAY IF THEY HAD NOT.  AS GOD, CHRIST, THE VIRGIN, THE PRINCE OF THE APOSTLES AND THE SHEPHERDS LABORED, EVEN SO WE MUST LABOR IN OUR CALLINGS. GOD HAS NO HANDS OR FEET OF HIS OWN.  HE MUST CONTINUE HIS LABOURS THROUGH HUMAN INSTRUMENTS.  THE LOWLIER THE TASK THE BETTER. THE MILKMAID  AND THE CARTER OF MANURE ARE DOING A WORK MORE PLEASING TO GOD THAN THE PSALM SINGING OF A CARTHUSIAN.  LUTHER NEVER TIRED OF DEFENDING THOSE CALLINGS FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER WERE DISPARAGED. THE MOTHER WAS CONSIDERED LOWER THAN THE VIRGIN. LUTHER REPLIED THAT THE MOTHER EXHIBITS THE PATTERN. OF THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH OVERCOMES SINS JUST AS HER LOVE OVERCOMES DIRTY DIAPERS.
ABRAHAM WAS TOLD BY GOD THAT HE MUST SACRIFICE THE SON OF HIS OLD AGE BY A MIRACLE, THE SEED THROUGH WHOM HE WAS TO BECOME THE FATHER OF KINGS AND OF A GREAT NATION. ABRAHAM TURNED PALE. NOT ONLY WOULD HE
LOSE HIS SON, BUT GOD APPEARED TO BE A LIAR. HE HAD SAID, " IN ISAAC SHALL BE THY SEED." BUT NOW, HE SAID KILL ISAAC. WHO WOULD NOT HATE  A GOD SO CRUEL AND CONTRADICTORY? HOW ABRAHAM WANTED TO TALK IT OVER WITH SOMEONE!  COULD HE NOT TELL  SARAH? BUT HE WELL KNEW THAT IF HE MENTION IT TO ANYONE HE WOULD BE DISSUADED AND PREVENTED FROM CARRYING OUT THE BEHEST. THE SPOT DESIGNATED FOR THE SACRIFICE, MOUNT MORIAH, WAS SOME DISTANCE AWAY; " AND ABRAHAM ROSE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING AND SADDLED HIS ASS, AND TOOK TWO OF HIS YOUNG MEN, AND ISAAC HIS SON, AND CLAVE THE WOOD. FOR THE BURNT OFFERING" ABRAHAM DID NOT LEAVE THE SADDLING OF THE ASS TO OTHERS. HE HIMSELF LAID ON THE BEAST THE WOOD FOR THE BURNT OFFERING. HE WAS  THINKING ALL THE TIME THAT THESE LOGS WOULD CONSUME HIS SON, HIS HOPE OF SEED. WITH THESE VERY STICKS THAT HE WAS PICKING UP  THE BOY WOULD BE BURNED. IN SUCH A TERRIBLE CASE SHOULD HE NOT THINK IT OVER.? COULD HE NOT TELL SARAH? WITH WHAT INNER TEARS HE SUFFERED! HE GIRT THE ASS AND WAS SO ABSORBED HE SCARCELY KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. HE TOOK TWO SERVANTS AND ISAAC HIS SON. IN THAT MOMENT EVERYTHING DIED IN HIM: SARAH, HIS FAMILY, HIS HOME ISAAC. THIS IS WHAT IT IS TO SIT IN SACKCLOTH AND ASHES. IF HE HAD KNOWN THAT THIS WAS ONLY A TRIAL, HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN TRIED. SUCH IS THE NATURE OF OUR TRIALS THAT WHILE THEY LAST WE CANNOT SEE TO THE END. " THEN ON THE THIRD DAY ABRAHAM LIFTED UP HIS EYES, AND SAW THE PLACE AFAR OFF."  THERE ABRAHAM LEFT SERVANTS AND THE ASS AND HE LAID WOOD UPON ISAAC AND  TOOK THE TORCH AND  AND THE SACRIFICIAL KNIFE AND THE TORCH. ALL THE TIME HE WAS THINKING,"ISAAC, IF YOU KNEW, IF YOUR MOTHER KNEW THAT YOU ARE TO BE SACRIFICED."  " AND THEY WENT BOTH OF THEM TOGETHER."  THE WHOLE WORLD DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HERE TOOK PLACE. THE FAHER AND THE DEAREST SON--THE ONE NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS IN STORE, BUT WAS READY TO OBEY.  THE ONE NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS IN STORE. THE OTHER CERTAIN THAT HE MUST LEAVE HIS "SON IN ASHES." THEN SAID ISAAC, " MY FATHER." HERE IS THE FIRE AND HERE IS THE WOOD, BUT WHERE IS THE LAMB?" HE CALLED HIM FATHER AND WAS SOLICITOUS LEST HE HAD OVERLOOKED SOMETHING, AND ABRAHAM SAID, " GOD WILL HIMSELF PROVIDE THE LAMB, MY SON. WHEN THEY WERE COME TO THE MOUNT, ABRAHAM BUILT THE ALTAR AND LAID ON THE WOOD, BUT WHERE IS THE LAMB?
HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN: I AM THE SON OF SARAH BY A MIRACLE IN HER AGE, THAT I WAS PROMISED AND THAT THROUGH ME YOU ARE TO BE THE FATHER OF A GREAT NATION FATHER RAISED HIS KNIFE. THE BOY BARED HIS THROAT. IF GOD HAD SLEPT FOR AN INSTANT, THE LAD WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD. I COULD NOT HAVE WATCHED. THE LAD WAS A SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER. NEVER IN HISTORY WAS THERE OBEDIENCE, SAVE ONLY IN CHRIST. BUT GOD WAS WATCHING AND ALL THE ANGELS.
THE ANGEL CRIED, "ABRAHAM, ABRAHAM!" SEE HOW DIVINE MAJESTY IS AT HAND IN THE HOUR OF DEATH WE SAY, " IN THE MIDST OF LIFE WE DIE." GOD ANSWERS, " "NAY IN THE MIDST OF DEATH WE LIVE." LUTHER ONCE READ THIS STORY FOR FAMILY DEVOTIONS. WHEN HE HAD FINISHED, KATIE SAID, " I DO NOT BELIEVE IT. GOD WOULD NOT HAVE TREATED HI SON LIKE THAT."
. "BUT KATIE" ANSWERED LUTHER, "HE DID."