17. Such sighing and agony of the creature is not audible to me, nor
is it to you. But Paul tells us he sees and hears it, not expressed
by one creature alone, but by all God has made. What does he mean?
What is the sighing and longing of creation? It is not that annually
the leaves wither and the fruits fall and decay: God purposes that
every year new fruits shall grow; he decrees the shattering of the
fallen tree. But Paul refers to the creature's unwilling subjection
to the ungodly; "subject to vanity," he phrases it.
For instance, the blessed sun, most glorious of created things,
serves the small minority of the godly, but where it shines on one
godly man it must shine on thousands and thousands of knaves, such as
enemies of God, blasphemers, persecutors, with whom the world is
filled; also murderers, robbers, thieves, adulterers. To these it
must minister in all their ungodliness and wickedness, permitting its
pure and glorious influence to benefit the most unworthy, most
shameful and abandoned profligates. According to the apostle, this
subjection is truly painful, and were the sun a rational creature
obeying its own volition rather than the decree of the Lord God who
has subjected it to vanity against its will, it might deny every one
of these wicked wretches even the least ray of light; that it is
compelled to minister to them is its cross and pain, by reason of
which it sighs and groans.
Just as we Christians endure many kinds of injustice and consequently
sigh for and implore help and deliverance in the Lord's prayer, so do
the creatures sigh. Although they have not human utterance, yet they
have speech intelligible to God and the Holy Spirit, who mark the
creatures' sighs over their unjust abuse by the ungodly.
18. Nowhere else in the Holy Scriptures do we find anything like
Paul's declaration here concerning the earnest expectation and
waiting of the creatures for the revelation of the children of God;
which waiting the apostle characterizes as a sighing in eager desire
for man's redemption. A little later he compares the state of the
creature to a woman in travail, saying it cries out in its anguish.
The sun, moon and stars, the heavens and earth, the bread we eat, the
water or wine we drink, the cattle and sheep, in short, all things
that minister to our comfort, cry out in accusation against the world
because they are subjected to vanity and must suffer with Christ and
his brethren. This accusing cry is beyond human power to express, for
God's created things are innumerable. Rightly was it said from the
pulpit in former times that on the last day all creatures will utter
an accusing cry against the ungodly who have shown them abuse here on
earth, and will call them tyrants to whom they were unjustly
subjected.
19. Paul presents this example of the creatures for the comfort of
Christians. His meaning is: Be not sorrowful because of your
sufferings; they are small indeed when the ensuing transcendent glory
is considered. You are not alone in your tribulation and your
complaint at injustice; the whole creation suffers with you and cries
out against its subjection to the wicked world. Every bleat of the
flock, every low of the herd, is an outcry against the ungodly as
enemies of God and not worthy to enjoy the creatures' ministrations;
not even to receive a morsel of bread or a drink of water. Along this
line St. Augustine is eloquent. "A miserly wretch," he says, "is
unworthy the bread he eats, for he is an enemy of God."
Paul tells us the whole creation groans and travails with us, as if
desiring relief from anguish; that it suffers like a woman in
travail. For instance: the heavenly planets would gladly be freed
from serving, yes, in the extent of their anguish would willingly
suffer eclipse; the earth would readily become unfruitful; all waters
would voluntarily sink from sight and deny the wicked world a
draught; the sheep would prefer to produce thorns for the ungodly
instead of wool; the cow would willingly yield them poison rather
than milk. But they must perform their appointed work, Paul says,
because of him who has subjected them in hope. God will finally
answer the cry of creation; he has already determined that after the
six thousand years of its existence now passed, the world shall have
its evening and end.
20. Had not our parents sinned in paradise, the world would never be
dissolved. But since man has fallen in sin, we all--the whole
creation--must suffer the consequence; because of our sins, creation
must be subjected to vanity and dissolution. During the six thousand
years, which are as nothing compared to eternal life, all created
things must be under the power of a condemned world, and compelled to
serve with all their energies until God shall overthrow the entire
world and for the elect's sake purify again and renew the creature,
as Peter teaches. 2 Pet 3, 13.
21. The sun is by no means as gloriously brilliant as when created.
Because of man's ungodliness its brightness is to an extent dimmed.
But on the day of visitation God will cleanse and purify it by fire
(2 Pet 3, 10), giving it a greater glory than it had in the
beginning. Because it must suffer in our sins, and is obliged to
shine as well for the worst knave as the godly man, even for more
knaves than godly men, it longs intensely for the day when it shall
be cleansed and shall serve the righteous alone with its light.
Neither would the earth produce thistles nor thorns were it not
cursed for our sins. So it, with all creatures, longs for the day
when it shall be changed and renewed.
22. This is the explanation of Paul's remarkable declaration
concerning the "earnest expectation of the creation." The creature
continually regards the end of service, and freedom from slavery to
the ungodly. This event will not take place before the revealing of
the sons of God; therefore the earnestly expectant creation desires
that revelation to come without delay, at any moment. Until such
manifestation the world will not consider godly souls as children of
the Father, but as children of the devil. So it boldly abuses and
slanders, persecutes and puts to death, God's beloved children,
thinking it thereby does God service. In consequence the whole
creation cries: "Oh, for a speedy end of this calamity, and the
dawning of glory for the children of God!"
23. We have plain authority for the interpretation of the groaning of
creation in Paul's further words, "the creation was subjected to
vanity, not of its own will." He thus makes all creation--sun and
moon, fire, air, water, heaven and earth with all they
contain--merely poor, captive servants. And whom do they serve? Not
our Lord God; not for the most part his children, for they are a
minority among those ministered unto. To whom, then, is their service
given? To the wicked--to vanity. The created things are not, as they
would be, in righteous service. The sun, for instance, would choose
to shine for Paul, Peter and other godly ones. It begrudges to wicked
characters like Judas, Pilate, Herod, Annas and Caiaphas the least
ray of light; for it is useless service, yielding no good. To serve
Peter and Paul would be productive of pleasure and profit; well may
its benefit be bestowed upon these godly ones. But the sun must shine
as well for the wicked as for the ungodly. Indeed, where it fittingly
serves one godly individual, thousands abuse its service.
The case is similar with gold and other minerals, and with all the
articles of food, drink and clothing. To whom do these minister?
Wicked desperadoes, who in return blaspheme and dishonor God, condemn
his holy Gospel and murder his Christians. This is wasted service.
24. So Paul says, "The creature was made subject to vanity;" it must
render service against its consent, having no pleasure therein. The
sun does not shine for the purpose of lighting a highway robber to
murder. It would light him in godly deeds and errands of mercy; but
since he follows not these things the service of the blessed sun is
abused and that creature ministers with sincere unwillingness. But
how is it to avoid service?
A wicked tyrant, a shameful harlot, may wear gold ornaments. Is the
gold responsible for its use? It is the good creature of the Lord our
God and fitted to serve righteous people. But the precious product
must submit to accommodating the wicked world against its will. Yet
it endures in hope of an end of such service--such slavery. Therein
it obeys God. God has imposed the obligation, that man may know him
as a merciful God and Father, who, as Christ teaches (Mt 5, 45),
makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good. For the Father's sake
the blessed sun serves wickedness, performing its service and
bestowing its favors in vain. But God in his own good time will
reckon with those who abuse the glorious sunlight and other
creatures, and will richly recompense the created things for their
service.
25. Beloved, Paul thus traces the holy cross among all creatures;
heaven and earth and all they contain suffer with us. So we must not
complain and excessively grieve when we fare ill. We must patiently
wait for the redemption of our bodies and for the glory which is to
be revealed in us; especially when we know that all creatures groan
in anguish, like a woman in travail, longing for the revealing of the
sons of God. For then shall begin their redemption, when they shall
not be slaves to wickedness but shall willingly and with delight
serve God's children only. In the meantime they bear the cross for
the sake of God, who has subjected them in hope. Thus we are assured
that captivity will not endure forever, but a time must come when the
creatures will be delivered.
"Do ye likewise, beloved Christians," Paul would advise, "and reflect
that as the creature will rejoice with you on the last day, so does
it now mourn with you; that not you alone must suffer, but the whole
creation suffers with you and awaits your redemption, a redemption so
great and glorious as to make your sufferings unworthy to be
considered."
_Fourth Sunday After Trinity_
Second Sermon. Text: Romans 8, 18-22.