Thy Kingdom Come: A Blumhardt Reader - Plough

the coming of the light is a horror to behold and study. Butwhat of that?...It is so obvious in human history: there comes a time whensomething is born; and then things stand still and nobodyfollows up. There have been developments, and beginningshave been made, which we have failed to recognize. No onecan comprehend the mere three years of Jesus’ ministry asbeing the occasion of the greatest revolution ever to occurin human society. The rise of empires and nations’ wars,battles, and victories—these are no “events,” no “creations.”In comparison to the high calling that is mankind’s, all theempires of earth fade to nothing—as do all differences ofrace and language, all enmity, all hostility and arrogance betweenman and man. In the light of the creation that hascome to us in Jesus Christ, all these things dissolve; nothingof them remains to be found. But that which does remain,which truly is of value for us—that has the permanence ofeternity.it must yet come to pass that we will not simply holdfast to an ancient confession of faith but out of a new experiencebe able to call to one another: “He is risen indeed!He lives among us! He takes the reins in hand and leads hispeople, leads them all the way to his death, that, in the deathof the flesh, his resurrection and his life might be exalted inmankind to the eternal praise and glory of God.”For this cause is Jesus Christ risen from the dead: so that43