God And Hitler: Who Was In Charge? Part 1

1936 Olympics were held in Berlin witnessed the victory of Jesse Owens on the track below then a race against time to rise and fall. How could it happen was God in charge stay with us, the Moody Church in Chicago this with Dr. Erwin Sir who is clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line, pastor, loser, this series sounds eerily familiar. As we see very disturbing changes happening here in America and Dave of course we see changes not only here in America but really around the world were thinking for example of what is happened between Russia and the rain we've seen war on our television screens we've seen its devastation really beyond belief. The question is how do we continue to trust God in the midst of such evil, this series of messages is different from some of the others that I have preached because this is really looking at history through a biblical lands specifically what happened in Nazi Germany because we need to be able to learn lessons that the church in Germany teaches us some lessons of success. Some lessons of failure and so I think it's important that this series of messages be carefully heard and that we respond appropriately so I want you to just sit back now I want you to listen to the introduction to this series and then we'll see some of its implications for our own future. Today it seems to me confidential faith would have chosen Brown now on the in bed is on the in River is my birthplace. That's the opening line of Hitler's famous book mine comfort which means my struggle.

Don't you find it interesting as I do that this man who perhaps was the most notorious dictator who ever lived, attributed virtually everything in his life to fate or Providence speaking to people in Vienna. He said that it was fate to the decreed that he would capture Austria and he says I believe it was God's will to send to you from here to the right. That is, to the rule or the kingdom to raise him to be the leader of the nation to lead his homeland into the right.

He says there is a higher ordering.

I felt the call of Providence to the people in Munich. He said we knew that we were carrying out the will of Providence we were being guided by higher powers recently as I've been reading Mein Kampf I been underlining all the references to fate and to Providence and I discover that there's a reference to it in almost every other page. In fact, when you stop to think of Hitler's call into politics. It is interesting indeed the final confirmation came on November 10, 1918, he was in a hospital suffering because of some mustard gas that had come to his eyes and while he was there a pastor came to say that Germany had lost World War I and that a Republic would now be formed and Hitler went into deep despair that all this effort had been for not and it was at that time. He says I became the one with the universe in a mystical union with the universe. Also, he says he felt the pressure of destiny and now get this. He said I was summoned by a Providence to do the will of Providence and go into politics.

It's interesting that Hitler in his writings and in his diaries referred to the fact that his life was a series of miracles in a series of miracles. It was what I'd like to do is to do something that I normally don't do it a message and that is to give you just a little bit of history so that we might understand why it is that he believed so strongly.

His life was determined by fate. For example, regarding his birth did you know that by all accounts Adolf Hitler should have grown up being called Adolph Shackle Gruber. The story behind it is a little complicated but I think I can summarize it very briefly.

His father aloe lists was actually LOS shackle Gruber for the first 39 years of his life. He was an illegitimate child, and even though his mother remarried the man whom she married. Never did legitimatize the union and because of that he never did recognize this boy as his, and does so he grew up with that name. Well, as fate would have it, that man wandered around for 30 years, having left the family comes back at the age of 84 recognizes the paternity of this boy who is now 39 years old and changes his name to all of us. Hitler, who of course turned out to be the father of Adolf Hitler. Why is that interesting or necessary. Well, historians have debated whether or not it would have even been possible for Hitler to achieve the dizzy heights in Germany that he did with the name like shackle Gruber you really think that those crowds would've said Ohio shackle Gruber which in German is a comical name. I doubted very much. Hitler was actually the third child of the third marriage of Allah's and of the first two children of that union died. Adolph of course was the third child is spared by Providence and then another child died in all only two out of the five live ever thought of how much different history had been if Hitler had died in his infancy with his brothers and sisters.

If you ever thought of the change that. That would have brought in Europe without a Hitler to come to power. No wonder Hitler looked at the change of name and even his birth is a mark of Providence but now let's fast-forward the videocamera and go to World War I, he volunteered in the German army and because he was Austrian.

He needed special permission to do so in the very first battle. There were 3500 men in his regiment of those all were killed except 600. He of course was among the 680 came a messenger during the war and always volunteered for some very difficult communication run sometimes.

In fact, he would run through a hail of bullets and shells would be exploding around him. I know that he was decorated for bravery, but actually it turns out that he was trying to attempt fate.

He was trying to prove. Already, then his in district ability.

The fact that he believed that he was called to play a great role in the world and to confirm that he wanted to show that no matter what he did, he would always live his life would be spared by Providence or by fate one time in World War I. He was sitting there in a mess hall leading with soldiers and something came over him that made him realize that he should leave and he picked up his plate and he went to eat alone.

Moments later a bomb fell at all those at the table with whom he had been eating were killed. Is it any wonder that he wrote in his diary that he was actually controlled by higher powers. By fate let's think to 1923.

During that porch in Munich. The word putsch means uprising when he tried to capture the Bavarian government. I was leading a tour to the sites of the Reformation. This time we were in Munich we took what it I call the Hitler walked and we went to the Plaza where this happened and I gave a brief lecture on Hitler. There he was marching along with his brownshirts and they came to a certain place. The police confronted them 16 Nazis were put to death. Hitler was taken off in a car and for two days because he was so discredited. It had been so poorly planned. It was such an embarrassment.

Even his friends were embarrassed for two days he sat in a villa with a revolver in his hand, trying to get up enough nerve to commit suicide, but the woman who was the wife of a friend of his talk him out of it and so Hitler did not commit suicide. What is of interest to me is how he viewed this tremendous failure.

Years later he sought as a very important twist of Providence or fate, he says, but fate mantle well with us.

It did not permit an action to succeed, which, if it had succeeded would have been the end because he says the movement was to immature. In other words, he says it's a good thing we didn't win then because we would not have won the big prize if you know anything about Hitler's ascendancy to dictatorship in Europe or in Germany, you know that the twists of fate involved are absolutely incredible. You read it and you simply say I cannot believe this.

After all, Germany since 1918 had a Republic they had written the Constitution they had opted for democracy and it is true that democracy was not working, but that was the direction under which Hitler went in through elections eventually having an important place and then being nominated to the role of Chancellor and then getting the Reichstag to agree that he should be the supreme ruler and that he should do away with constitutional privileges. It is mind-boggling how else can you explain it except that it is Providence or fate one more example comes to us from 1944 and all of the attempts that were made on his life. One time a bomb was placed in a plane by one of his generals. The bomb actually went off. That is to say at least a hammer went off was inspected later and they could not understand why you did not detonate. There was a man by the name of the girders door who wanted to commit suicide. He was one of Hitler's generals and he was willing to lay down his life to get data theater out of the way Hitler was coming to Berlin so he was supposed to give a brief speech and then inspect some materials that had been gotten from the Russians some trophies for 30 minutes and so the man had two bombs on him. It took 15 minutes for the bombs to detonate after they were lit.

He wanted to light them after this speech so that he could be close to Hitler during this inspection only to discover that the news was Hitler would only be staying for five minutes to the bombs were never lit and Hitler lived the most famous time if Stauffenberg many of you know the story. He finally is promoted to Col. when he takes his briefcase and puts it under the table, 6 feet from Hitler. He leaves to make a telephone call or so he said he goes away a couple of hundred yards, he sees an explosion that rips the building apart bodies flying all over.

He sends word to Berlin that Hitler is dead. In fact, I saw the telegram that arrived in Berlin and end there is data theater is told he's dead. Well, Hitler wasn't dead some of you know that a colonel by the name of Brandt came along and hit his leg against that briefcase and to get it out of the way, took it and moved it at the far end of the table in the heavy oak table saved Hitler's life that night. Speaking to the German nation. He said it is obvious that nothing is going to happen to me. Undoubtedly, it is my fate to continue on my way and bring my task to completion.

Everything will be brought to a good and Providence has decreed it well. I think that's enough of that is that I think I've scared up enough rabbits. It's time for me now to back up and start shooting some of them, wouldn't you agree. In the next few moments. What were going to do is to look at all of this from the lens of Scripture and try to figure it out. I need to tell you that I don't want you to judge this message until it is over I will be saying some things that may be difficult for you to accept. There may be some misunderstanding in your mind as you are going through and what I have to present is a whole piece of cloth. So no matter what reaction you have through this message or during it.

Save your final reaction to the end when we hope to tie it together and make some sense out of Adolf Hitler.

Nazism in Germany. Stay with me because were going to be navigating through some very deep waters this morning and I want all of us to end on the same side of the lake.

What is Providence. You'll notice that in your bulletin today. We did the print out some of the material or I should say at least an outline for you to follow and I give their a definition of Providence. It cannot be improved upon. Breakoff defines it as that continual exercise of divine energy whereby the creator preserves all of his creation operates in all that comes to pass, and directs all things to their appointed and that the providential government of God in the universe. How do we sort out all of the factors that we have talked about how do we understand the fate and Providence in relationship to Adolf Hitler. What I like to do today is to give you five pillars that will build a foundation upon which we can understand Providence five pillars that will guide us five pillars upon which you can build a lighthouse to guide us to help us to navigate through the waters of divine providence and Hitler's Germany number one dog rules in the affairs of men. God rules in the affairs of men. Take your Bibles if you would please and turned to Daniel chapter 4 Daniel chapter 4 the whole book of Daniel is a commentary on God's leadership and rule in the affairs of men. You'll notice in chapter 4 verse 17.

Daniel says this sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers and the decision is a command of the holy ones. Now get this and it could not be clearer in order that the living may know that the most high is ruler over the realms of mankind. And this does it on whomever he wishes and dissents over it.

The lowliest man.

God rules and bestows on it on the kingdoms of the world whom ever she wishes same chapter. Near the end Nebuchadnezzar has been straightened out in his theology. He is a live like an animal and finally he is saying again and he understands. Middle of verse 34 is as I blessed the most high and praised and honored him who lives forever.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion, his kingdom endures from generation to generation.

All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but he does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and no one can ward off his hand or say to him, what hast thou done God rules how you like this text. Psalm 75 verses six and seven. Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, or from the south, but God is judge he sets up one and he takes down another one day Jesus was standing before Pilate, and Pilate was so exasperated with him because Christ wasn't answering his questions and Pilate finally looked in the eyes of Jesus and said, do you not know that I have power to put you to death and Jesus turned to him very calmly and said you can have no power at all against me unless it were given to you from above. No power at all unless it were given to you from above God rules the people in Rome were experiencing all kinds of turmoil under Nero and the apostle Paul wrote in Romans chapter 13 there is no authority except from God. Those who rule rule under God's authority. There is no rule apart from God behind the events of life behind the headlines that you read on the newspapers with the dictators of the world as well as the good rulers of the world God rules God rules. He does not have a hands off policy. He rules that's number one number two God delegates authority God delegates authority to angels to demons and to men.

He delegates authority. How shall we understand Hitler's voices. How shall we understand his references to faith or what he sometimes called Providence how do we understand the fact that he was in communication with the powers was he in communication with God. Obviously, the answer is no. That's very clear. First of all, he predicted that his right the rule that he would begin would last a thousand years, and it only lasted 12 years and six months for one thing, but for another Hitler was a thoroughly demonized beginning. He was taken through the deepest levels of culture transformation until a friend a set of him that his body is, but the shell for the spirit that inhabited him.

If anyone was directly inhabited by Satan himself. It was Adolf Hitler.

So we know what Hitler's relationship was with Satan.

Hitler made a series of choices, but the devil took great advantage of. But what about the relationship of Hitler and Satan and God, who is it that granted them the authority who is in the decree agent them who is at the delegated authority to his creation except God. God, I'm going to say something that is difficult to accept, but I want you to hang on and remember don't judge this message until we get to the end. So now that we are up in the air and we are flying I will bring you down on a gentle landing but think of it, think of it, the Holocaust could not have happened was God gave permission for it to happen could not happen except God gave permission he signed off on it.

He initialed the memo. If you're struggling with that. Just hang on for a few moments, but it can be no other way. No man generally will accept it being given to him of God and Pilate instigated the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and said yes go ahead and crucify him. And Jesus said, that could never have happened unless it were granted to you by God.

Now that your Bibles are open turn to Revelation chapter 13 for just a moment. Revelation 13.

This is an awesome passage because the Bible teaches another Hitler is coming. Verse seven and it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority over every tribe and People and tongue and nation was given to him.

This is breathtaking in its scope and all who dwell upon the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. Think of the awesome authority that antichrist is going to be given there's a part of me that reads that it recoils I save all God. How can this be the only part that gives me hope is that it was given and when it is taken away. Antichrist will fall and be humiliated and spend eternity in hell. That's the only thing that gives me comfort. This is Pastor Luther and of course I want to clarify that God himself does not do evil point that I'm simply making in the message here is that he does permit it.

And if you asked the ultimate question permitted, for what reason we only received glimmers to that answer in the Scripture. There's a lot of mystery connected with God's purposes, but you know I've written a book entitled Hitler's cross how the cross was used as a symbol to promote the Nazi agenda.

I really do believe that this book has tremendous lessons for us today. It outlines some of the failures of the church.

It talks about the streams that fed the Holocaust, how it is that people are willing to give up their freedoms in exchange for security in exchange for living and that's what the Germans did and all of that is relevant to us it's relevant to other countries in the world.

But my hope is that in the midst of all this that we see clearly that ultimately God rules, you know, the Christians in Nazi Germany who were faithful to God. They were the ones that understood that Hitler was not the final power above him was a God. This book is available to you were making this resource available to you.

We think it will be a tremendous blessing in the sense that it will give you insight into Nazi Germany, but also insight in what is happening in today's world for a gift of any amount. It can be yours. Now here's what you do. I hope you have a pen or pencil you can go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or if you prefer you can call us at 1-888-218-9337. By the way, you can call right away. 1-888-218-9337 or go to RTW offer.com and thanks in advance for helping us in this ministry you can write to us at running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 four Germans in the 1940s. Adolf Hitler led the nation on the road to ruin Hitler almost destroyed your millions were killed leaving those who survived to ask the question why why would God allow such a thing to happen next time in our message God and Hitler who was in charge. Dr. Luther will take us into waters too deep to thread plan to join us for pastor Erwin lutes are this is Dave McAllister going to win is sponsored by the Moody Church