1. Since you zealously desired to know (below) the chapters offered to you from me, my beloved brother Theophilus, I considered it expedient, richly drawing, as from a sacred source, from the Holy Scripture itself, to present to your eyes what you ask, so that You, not only having received this by ear, rejoiced, but by this, having examined the very things, for everything you could glorify God. May this from us be a comfortable parting word for you in this life, so that for many you will take from the ready-made word something incomprehensible and incomprehensible, sow it on the space of your heart, as it were, on fat and pure earth. By this you will put to shame both those who oppose and those who oppose the word of salvation. But look, do not pass these words on to the unbelievers and slanderers (there will be no small danger), but communicate them to pious and faithful people who want to live holy and righteous, with fear. It is not in vain that the blessed apostle, instructing Timothy, says: “O Timothy, keep the tradition, avoiding the filthy vainglory and contradictions of a falsely named mind, about which none who boast about faith have sinned”(). And further: “You, my child, are able in grace, even about Christ Jesus, and even you have heard many witnesses from me, this betray a faithful person, who will be content to teach others”(). So, if the blessed apostle was careful to convey what not everyone could know, foreseeing with the spirit that "not everyone has faith"(), how much more danger are we exposed to, if imprudently and how it happens, we transmit the words of God to ungodly and unworthy people.
2. The blessed prophets were eyes for us, since they despised by faith the mysteries of the Word, which served even after the former generations, spoke not only about the past, but also about the present, and announced the future, so that the prophet was not only a prophet for his time, but, predicting the future for all generations, was truly recognized as a prophet. For these fathers, prepared by the spirit of prophecy and worthy of reverence from the Word Himself, like musical organs enclosed in themselves, always had the Word in themselves as a striking instrument, and the prophets moved by it proclaimed what was pleasing to God. They did not speak by their own power (do not be deceived), and not what they themselves wanted, they proclaimed to others (), but first, they were directly wise by the Word, then in visions they were well taught about the future, and thus they spoke with firm confidence what was revealed to them alone was from God. Otherwise, how could a prophet be called a prophet if he did not foresee the future by the spirit? If a prophet spoke of something past, he would not be a prophet, speaking of what is before everyone's eyes; but the one who announces the future is rightly called a prophet, therefore it is prudent that the prophets from ancient times are called seers (). Therefore, having studied their predictions well, we do not speak from our own invention and do not allow ourselves to replace with other new words what was said of old by the prophets, whose writings, offering (in the church), we read to those who are able to believe: insofar as there is a common benefit for both of them. : for the speaker, the one that, keeping in mind what is offered, correctly explains it, and for the listener, the one that he applies his mind to what is being said. And so, when even now there is a common work for both of us - to convey to the speaker without error, and to the listener, having correctly heard, to accept what is offered, then I ask you, together with me, to lift up a prayer to God about this.
3. You wish to know: how did the Word of God reveal Himself to the blessed prophets of old, who is the Son of God, who of old was called the Word? Precisely so, that the Word, through all the saints, shows its mercy and impartiality, enlightening them and directing them, like an experienced physician, to what is saving for us, because He knows human weakness. It tries to teach unbelievers, turns those who are mistaken on His true path, those who seek Him with faith are easily found, and if with a bright look and a pure heart they strongly desire to knock on the door, immediately opens it (). He does not open any of His servants as unworthy of the Divine Mysteries, He does not prefer the rich to the poor, neither humiliating the poor for his poverty, nor blaming the barbarian, nor excommunicating the eunuch as not a man, nor hating his wife, for her former disobedience at first, but he accepts all and wants to save everyone, wants to make everyone sons of God, and calls all the saints into one perfect man. For there is one Word and the Son of God, through which we, having received rebirth by the Holy Spirit, all desire to come into one perfect and heavenly man ().
4. Since the Word of God was incorporeal, but It was clothed in holy flesh from the Holy Virgin, like a bridegroom, seeking for Himself clothing in suffering on the Cross, so that, dissolving our mortal body with His power and mixing the corruptible with the incorruptible, the weak with the strong, save a perishing person.
Thus, the cross on which the suffering of the Lord took place is a weaving mill, the basis on it is the power of the Holy Spirit, ducks are holy flesh woven by the Spirit, nichenki are grace, fastening and uniting one and the other together with the love of Christ, shuttles are the Word, and workers weavers - patriarchs and prophets, who made for Christ a beautiful podir and a perfect tunic: passing through (a row of) them, the Word, like a shuttle, weaves what the Father wants.
5. But since it is time for us to proceed to our very subject, so it is enough that what has been said in the preface hitherto to the glory of God, then it is fitting for us now, having taken the Holy Scripture, to show from it: what is and what will be the coming of the Antichrist? At what time and in what years will this wicked man appear? where will he be from and from what tribe and what is his name, the number (letters) indicated in the scripture? how will he work deceit in the people, having gathered them from the ends of the earth? how will he raise up tribulation and persecution against the saints and magnify himself as God? what will be its end? how does the appearance of the Lord come from heaven, and how will the whole world be burned? what will be the glorious and heavenly kingdom of the saints who reign with Christ, and what will be the torment in the fire of the unclean?
8. I could convey this to you in other words, but I decided to offer the text itself; but since his words require explanation, I will not leave this. Truly these are divine and glorious words, capable of benefiting the soul. Skimn Lvov was called by the prophet Christ, who descended in the flesh from Judas and David, not from the seed, however, of David, who was born, but conceived from the Holy Spirit, while he came from a holy branch - from the earth. For Isaiah says: “A rod will come out of the root of Jesse, and a flower will spring up from its root”(). This color, called by Isaiah, Jacob called branch. For first He arose as a branch, then he flourished in the world. And when it says: “lay down, fell asleep like a lion and like a skimen”, then the three-day Assumption of Christ is shown, as Isaiah says: “What is the faithful city of a harlot, Zion full of judgment? the truth is more restful in it, but now there are murderers in it ”(). Likewise David: “I fell asleep and spah; Arise, for the Lord will intercede for me"(), showing in this saying both His Assumption and the subsequent uprising. And Jacob says: "who will excite him"? That is, he says the same thing as David, like Paul: and God the Father "who raised him from the dead" ().
9. When he says: “The prince from Judah, and the leader from his loins, will not fail, until the one set aside for him comes: and that is the expectation of the tongues”, it shows the prophecy fulfilled in Christ. For He is our expectation: we wait for Him, and by our faith we see him coming from heaven in power.
10. "Bind your lot to the vine", that is, people who exist from circumcision to their calling, for he himself was a vine (). And "to the winery of your donkey's stallion", - people from the Gentiles, calling for circumcision in one faith.
11. "Smear your garments with wine"- means the grace of the Holy Spirit, descended from the Father on the Jordan. "And with the blood of the bunch your garment", - the blood of what bunch, if not your own flesh, like a bunch of grapes squeezed on a tree? From her rib came two springs - water and blood: by washing with them, the nations are cleansed, which He considers His clothing.
12. “His eyes are more joyful than wine”. What eyes does Christ have but the blessed prophets? They, foreseeing by the Spirit and proclaiming the sufferings that were to come to Him, seeing Him with this power with spiritual eyes, rejoiced (), being accomplished by the Word itself and His grace.
13. In words: "and his teeth are whiter than milk" means the commandments proceeding from the holy mouth of Christ, pure as milk.
14. So, when Christ was proclaimed by the scripture as a lion and a leopard of Lvov, the same is said about Antichrist. Moses says this: “Dan, the skimen of lions, and will spring from Bashan”(). But lest anyone should sin, thinking that this word was said about the Savior, let him pay attention to it. "Dan", says, "skimen of lions"; naming the tribe of Dan, declares that the Antichrist is to be born from it. For just as Christ is born from the tribe of Judah, so the Antichrist will be born from the tribe of Dan. And what is this - James says: "let the serpent be given", on the ground "sit down, biting the horse's heel"(). What kind of serpent is this, if not the Antichrist, the deceiver mentioned in the book of Genesis (3:1), who seduced Eve and stumbled Adam? But as this must be proved by many more testimonies, we do not refuse this.
15. That a tyrant and a king, a terrible judge, the son of the devil, is really about to be born and rise from the tribe of Dan, the prophet says about this: “Dan judge to have your own people, as if there is one tribe in Israel”(). But someone will object that this is said about Sampson, who, born of the tribe of Dan, judges the people for twenty years. This came true on Sampson only in part, and it will fully come true on the Antichrist. For Jeremiah says, "From Dan" let us hear a voice “the neighing of his horses: from the voice of the neighing of the eating of horses, the whole earth shook”(). Another prophet also says: He will gather all his strength from the rising of the sun to the west, those whom he called and whom he did not call will go with him. He will turn the sea white with the many sails on the ships, and the field will turn black with the large shields of heavily armed infantry, and whoever meets him in battle will fall by the sword. That this is said not about anyone else, but about this shameless and ungodly tyrant, we will show below.
16. And Isaiah says this: “And it shall come to pass, when the Lord has finished all His work in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, that He will bring to mind a great mind, to the prince of Assyria, and to the height of glory in his eyes. Speech bo: I will create a fortress and take away the wisdom of the mind, I will captivate the limits of tongues and their strength. And I will shake the inhabited cities, and I will embrace the whole world with my hand, like a nest and like an abandoned egg I will take; and there is no one who runs away from me or speaks against me: and not like that. But the Lord of Hosts will send dishonor on your honor, and the fire of grief will be lifted up on your glory. And the light of Israel shall be unto the fire, and shall sanctify it with burning fire, and the hay matter shall be girder.” ().
17. Also elsewhere: “How simple are you torturing, and how difficult are you to force? Crush the princes of sinners with a yoke, striking the tongue with rage and an incurable ulcer, striking with an incurable ulcer, do not spare others, rest in hope. The whole earth cries out with joy, and the trees of Lebanon rejoice over you, and the cedar of Lebanon: from now on, thou hast fallen asleep, do not cross us. Hell is grieved, shit you, rise up with you, you are a giant, possessing the land rulers from their thrones, all pagan kings, you together answer and say: and you are captive, as we are, and you are imputed to us. Descend your glory into the ground, your great joy: rottenness will be settled under you, and your cover will be a worm. How does the daylight fall from heaven, rising in the morning? broken on the ground sending to all tongues. But you said in your mind: I will ascend into heaven, I will set my throne above the stars of heaven, I will sit on high mountains even to the north, I will ascend above the clouds, I will be like the Most High. Now descend into hell, and into the foundations of the earth. Those who see you will be surprised at you and say: this man irritates the earth, shakes the kings, laying the whole universe empty and scattering hail, do not let the captives. All the kings of tongues rest in honor every one in his house. You will be defeated in the mountains, like a vile dead man with many dead men, cut with a sword, going to hell. Just as a garment soaked in blood will not be clean, so you will not be clean either: you destroyed my land and beat my people. Thou shalt not abide in eternity, evil seed: prepare thy children to be killed by the sins of thy father, lest they rise up and inherit my land. ().
18. Similarly, Ezekiel speaks of him thus: “This says the Lord God; your heart was lifted up, and said: I am seven, in the village of God you settled in the heart of the dead: you are a man, and not God, and you have laid your heart, like the heart of God. Wise food are you Daniel? wisdom did not punish you with his cunning. Food, by your cunning or your sense, did you create strength for yourself, and silver and gold in your treasures? Or have you multiplied your strength in the multitude of your cunning and in your purchase? lift up thy heart in thy strength. For this reason, the Lord God says: Thou hast given thy heart, as the heart of God, instead of this, I will bring alien destroyers on thee from the tongue, and they will draw their swords on thee and on the goodness of your cunning, and will spread your goodness to destruction, and will bring thee, and die the death of those who are ulcerated in the heart, we die. Whenever thou shalt say before them that kill thee: Am I God? You are a man, and not God in the hands of those who kill you. The death of the uncircumcised, die in the hands of strangers: like Az rivers, says the Lord "(Ezek. 28:2-10).
19. After the exposition of these words, let us see more specifically what Daniel says in visions. He, speaking separately about the kingdoms that will be later, showed in the last times both the coming of the Antichrist and the end of this world. He says, explaining Nebuchadnezzar's vision: “You, the king, have seen you: and this body is great, standing before your face, its head is pure from gold, its muscles and frame are silver, the belly and stegna are copper, the legs are iron, the legs are some kind of iron and some part is poor. You saw, until the stone was torn away without hands, and hitting the body in the nose is iron and meager, and wear them to the end. Then, shaking together the scant, iron, copper, silver and gold, and it was like dust from the threshing floor of the summer: and I took a lot of wind, and I did not find a place for it, but the stone that hit the body, be a great mountain and fill the whole earth " ().
20. Adding to this also Daniel's own visions, we will make one explanation for both, showing how they agree with each other and are true. He says this: “I saw Daniel, and behold, the four winds of heaven are light on the great sea, and the four great beasts that come out of the sea are different from each other. The first is like a lioness, and his wings are like eagles: in vain, until his wings were uprooted, and rising up from the earth and onto a hundred human feet, and a human heart was given to him. And behold, the second beast is like a bear, and in the land of one hundred, and three ribs in his mouth. Videh, and this beast, like a lynx, the same wings of four birds over it, and four heads to the beast. Behind this I saw, and this fourth beast is terrible and terrible and strong in excess; his teeth are iron and his nails are copper, poisonous and thin, the remains of the legs of their trample, the same differing more than all the former animals: and ten horns to him. I examined him in his roses, and another gray horn was small in their midst, and three roses before him were plucked from his face: and behold, the eyes of a man are in that rose, and a great mouth speaks. ().
21. “In vain until the thrones are set up, and the Old Denmi is gray, and his clothes are white like snow, and the hair of his head is like waves clean, his throne is a fiery flame, his wheels are scorching fire. A river of fire flows before him: a thousand thousand serve him, and we stand before him: judge the gray, and the books are opened. Then I saw from the voice of great words, even as that horn was spoken, until the beast was killed and perished, and his body was given into a fiery burning, and the power of other animals ceased. ().
“I saw in a dream at night, and ate in the clouds of heaven, as if the Son of Man had gone bye, and even in the Old Day, I came, and I was brought before him: and power and honor and a kingdom were given to him, and all people, tribes and nations will work for him: his power power is eternal, but it will not pass away, and his kingdom will not crumble” ().
22. Inasmuch as this sacrament of what has been said seems incomprehensible to some, then we will not hide anything that is necessary for understanding for those who have a sound mind. Speaking of a lioness emerging from the sea, the prophet meant the Babylonian kingdom in the world, as well as the fact that the head of her body was golden. The fact that the “krile” of the lioness “like orli” means that the king of Babylon has exalted himself and ascended against God. And that her wings were uprooted, it means that his glory was taken away: for he was expelled from his kingdom. And with the words: "and the heart of a man was given to him, and on a hundred man's feet", it is shown that he repented, knowing himself that he was a man, and gave glory to God.
23. After the lioness, I saw a second beast like a bear: they were the Persians, for after the Babylonians the Persians ruled. In words: "three ribs in his mouth"- shows three peoples: Persians, Medes and Babylonians; the same thing shows in the (seen) body after gold the mentioned silver. Then the third beast - a lynx: these were Hellenes. For after the Persians, Alexander the Great, who defeated Darius, took power: he is signified in the body by copper. Noticing that he "four wings of a bird"(and four chapters), obviously indicates how the kingdom of Alexander will be divided: for in "four chapters" means four kings who rose from it, since Alexander, dying, divided his kingdom into four parts.
24. Then he says: "the fourth beast is terrible and terrible: his teeth are iron and his nails are copper".
25. Who are they if not the Romans? This is "iron" - the kingdom (Roman) now standing: for its legs are iron. After this, it remains (to explain) to us the feet in the body, in which part is a certain iron and part of clay, mixed with each other. Through his toes, the prophet mysteriously showed the kings that have to rise from him, as Daniel says: “When you look at that beast, and behold, there are ten horns behind it, in them is another small horn, like a branch, and three roses ahead of it will uproot it”. Sim is shown none other than the Antichrist, who will also restore the Kingdom of Judah. Three horns, he says, will be uprooted by him: these are the three kings: Egyptian, Libyan and Ethiopian, whom he will kill in the war in battle (col.). And having greatly taken possession of everything, he, being a cruel tyrant, will raise sorrow and persecution on the people over whom he will rise. For Daniel says: “In vain in that rose, and your gray horn made war with the saints, and strengthened on them until the beast was killed and perished, and his body was given to burning fire” ().
26. After a little while, a Stone will come from heaven, striking the body and crushing it, presenting all the kingdoms and giving the kingdom to the saints of the Most High. He became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth, Daniel says of him: “I saw in a dream at night, and on the clouds of heaven, like the Son of Man, who came by, and even reached the Old Days and was brought before him: and to him was given power and honor and a kingdom, and thou shalt people, tribes and nations work for him: his power is eternal power, I will not pass away, and his kingdom will not crumble"(). Shows the power given by the Father to the Son (), who is appointed king "heavenly, earthly and underworld"() and judge of all. Heavenly because the Word of the Father existed before all others, earthly ones - because It was born as a man in men, renewing Adam by Himself, the underworld - because It was reckoned in the dead, preaching the gospel to the souls of saints () and defeating death with His death.
27. When it comes to pass that even the ten toes (at the feet) of the image are formed into national powers, and the ten horns of the fourth beast are divided into ten kingdoms: then we would see all of the above more clearly and see it visually.
28. The golden head of the body and (according to another vision) the lioness were Babylonians; shoulders and muscles of silver and a bear - Persians and Medes; a womb and a stegna copper and a lynx - Hellenes who took power from the time of Alexander; iron legs and a terrible and terrible beast - the Romans, now possessing; feet of clay and iron and ten horns signified having to be (kingdoms); one small horn that arises in them is the Antichrist; the stone that strikes (the body and fills) the earth and brings judgment to the world is Christ.
29. This to you, beloved, we commit with fear, but favorably, according to the abounding love of Christ. For if the blessed prophets who were before us, seeing this, did not want to preach openly, so as not to stir up the souls of men, but set forth mysteriously in parables and divination, saying: “Here is the mind, who has wisdom”(): then how much more are we in danger, daring to speak openly, what they said in secret? Let us now see what, finally, has to happen to this unclean (Roman) harlot, what kind and how much, according to the wrath of God, will she suffer before the (universal) judgment?
30. Come, blessed Isaiah, arise, say clearly what you prophesied about the great Babylon. For you also spoke about Jerusalem, and it came true. You said it clearly: “Your land is empty, your cities are burned with fire, your country is devoured by strangers before you, and is devastated by strangers. The daughter of Zion will be left, like a vineyard, and like a vegetable warehouse in a garden, like a city at war.(). What? hasn't it already happened? Has not what you said come true? Was not their land of Judah devastated? Has the sanctuary been burned? Are not their walls toppled down? Are the cities destroyed? Do not aliens devour the country? Do not the Romans own the land? And so the wicked, hating you, cut you to pieces, and crucified Christ likewise. You died in the world, but now you live in Christ.
31. Which one of you will I love more than you? but Jeremiah is also stoned. If more than Jeremiah, then Daniel testifies as a martyr. Daniel, I will praise you most of all; but John does not lie. With what mouth and tongue do I glorify you, more than the Word that spoke in you? You died with Christ, but you will also live with Christ. Listen and rejoice: behold, what you said in time has come true. You saw it at first and then proclaimed it to all generations, with the words of God you ministered to all generations. You are called prophets so that you can save everyone. For then a true prophet (is a prophet) when, having foretold the future, at last shows it to be fulfilled. You were the disciples of a good Master. I proclaim this worthily to you, as to the living: for you already have the crown of incorruption life, kept for you in heaven ().
32. Tell me, blessed Daniel, assure me, please. You prophesy about a lioness in Babylon, for you were a captive there; you discover the future about the she-bear: you were still living in the world then and saw it fulfilled. Then you tell me about the lynx: and how do you know that? for then you were already asleep. Who taught you to say this, how not "He who created you in your mother's womb"(cf. Jeremiah 1:5)? you say. You said and did not lie: the lynx rose up (), the goat came, struck down the ram, crushed its horns, trampled it underfoot, ascended in its fall, the four horns under it () rose up. Rejoice, blessed Daniel: you have not sinned - all this has come true.
33. After this, tell me more about the fourth beast, terrible and terrible: "his teeth are iron" and his nails are copper, "poisonous and thin, the remains are kicked by their tramples". Truly, this iron now rules, here it humbles and refines everything, here it involuntarily subdues everyone. This we see now, and now, taught by you, we glorify God.
34. But since it was our intention to speak about the harlot (cf. chap. 29), then come, blessed Isaiah, we will hear what you are talking about Babylon. “Come down, sit down on the land of the virgin, daughter of Babylon, sit on the land of the daughter of Chaldea, as if you didn’t add to this being called soft and young. Take the millstones, grind the flour, open your veil, open your gray hairs, roll up your legs, cross the rivers: your shame will be revealed, your reproaches will appear: I will take righteousness from you, to that I will not give by man, (speech) delivering you the Lord of Hosts, his name is the Holy One of Israel : sit down tenderly, enter into the darkness, daughters of Chaldea, for this you will not be called the fortress of the kingdom ” ().
35. “I was angry with my people, you defiled my heritage: I let you in your hand, you didn’t give them mercy, you burdened the elder with a yoke. And thou didst say: I will be mistress forever: thou didst not think of these in thy heart, thou didst remember the last below. Now sleep siv young, sitting, trusting, saying in her heart: I am, and there is no other, I will not sit down as a widow, and I will not know orphanhood. Now, these two will come to you in one day, childlessness and widowhood will suddenly come to you, in your magic, and in the fortress of your magicians, in the hope of your fornication. Thou didst say: I am. And destruction will come upon you, and do not weigh down the abyss, and fall into the nude: and sorrow will come upon you, and you will not be able to be pure: and destruction will suddenly come upon you, and do not weigh you down. Now stand with your magicians and with many of your spells, you also learned them from your youth, if they can help you. Thou hast labored in thy counsels: may the astrologers of heaven, who gaze upon the stars, stand and save thee, may they announce to thee what to come upon thee. All of them, like fire, will burn with fire, and they won’t take their souls out of the flames, if you have coals of fire, sit on them. These will be your help: you have labored in change from youth, a man will be deceived in himself, but there will be no salvation for you. ().
This is what Isaiah tells you; Let's see if John said the same thing.
36. For he, while on the island of Patmos, saw the revelation of terrible mysteries, which he abundantly expounds, and teaches others. Tell me, blessed John, apostle and disciple of the Lord, what have you seen or heard about Babylon? Get excited and say: for he sent you into exile. “And one angel came from the seven, having seven phials, and with verbs, saying: Come, let me show you the judgment of the great whore, sitting on many waters, with her the king of the earth, who lives on the earth, and who dwells on the earth has been cleansed from the wine of her fornication. And lead me into an empty place in spirit: and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, and having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and gilded with gold and precious stones and beads, having a cup of gold in her hand full of abomination and filth of fornication of the earth. And on her forehead was written the name: Mystery: Babylon the Great, mother to the whores and the abominations of the earth. ().
37. “And I saw the woman Pian with the blood of the saints, cutting off the witnesses of Jesus: and I marveled, seeing her, a great marvel. And the angel said to me: Why are you wondering? I tell the river the mystery of this woman, and the bearer of the beast, seven heads of possessions and ten horns. The beast, you saw him, be and carry, and have to rise from the abyss, and go to destruction; and the inhabitants of the earth will be amazed, but their names are not written in the book of the animal from the foundation of the world, seeing that it was like a beast and would not be, and will appear. ” ().
38. “Here is the mind, who has wisdom: the seven heads of the mountain are seven, where the woman sits on them. And there are seven kings: five of them have fallen, and one is, and the other has not yet come, and when he comes, it is not enough for him to stay. And the beast, which is not even there, and that one is, and from the seven is, and goes into destruction. And ten horns, which thou hast seen, are ten kings, even though they have not yet received the kingdom, but the region, as if the kings for one hour will receive with the beast. These have one will, and they will give strength and territory to the beast. These battles will be made with the Lamb, and the angel will conquer me, as the Lord is the Lord and the King is the king: and whoever is with him called and chosen and return ” ().
39. “And they said to me: water, even if you saw, where the harlot sits, people and peoples are, and tribes and tongues: and ten horns, which you saw on the beasts, these will hate the harlot, and they will create a desolation, and the naked, and her flesh they will eat it, they will burn it with fire. for he gave to eat in their heart, do his will and do one will, and give his kingdom to the beast, until the words of God end. And the woman, who saw thou, the city is great, who has a kingdom over the kings of the earth " ().
40. “According to these, another angel was seen descending from heaven, having a great region: and the earth was enlightened from his glory. And I cried out to the fortress, with a great voice saying: fall, fall, great Babylon, and be the dwelling place of a demon, and the guardian of every unclean spirit, and the repository of all unclean and hated birds: as if from the wine of the rage of your fornication, drink all tongues: and the king of the earth is loving with her deyasha, and the merchants of the zemstia became rich from the power of her sweets. And I heard a voice from heaven saying: come out of her, my people, do not partake of her sin, and do not be harmed from her ulcers. As if clinging to her sin, even to heaven, and remember the God of her iniquity " ().
41. “Repay her, as she also repaid, and make it worse for her purely according to her deeds: with a cup, draw it for you, draw purely for her. If you glorify yourself and enjoy yourself, give her so much torment and sobs: as if in your heart he says: I am sitting as a queen, and I am not a widow, and I cannot see sobs. For this reason, in one day, plagues will come to her, and weeping and famine: and she will be burned with fire, for the Lord God is mighty, judge her. And the kings of the land will mourn and weep for her, lovingly acting with her and enjoying, when they see the smoke of burning her, from afar, standing behind the fear of her torment, saying: woe, woe, the great city of Babylon, the strong city, as if in one hour your judgment will come. And the merchants of the zemstia will weep and weep over him, as if no one buys their burden (goods), the burden of gold and silver, and precious stones and beads, and whistle and porphyry, and silk and worms, and every fiinn (fragrant) tree, and every a vessel of ivory, and every vessel of honest wood, and copper, and iron, and marble, and cinnamon, and incense, and myrrh, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and sevendal, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and goats, and horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. And the vegetables of the lusts of thy soul have departed from thee, and no one should be able to obtain them. Merchants enriched by these, from afar will stand for fear of her torment, weeping and weeping, and saying: Woe, year, great city, clothed with viss and purple and scarlet, and gilded with gold and (decorated) with precious stone and beads, as if in one hour a lot of death wealth. And every helmsman, and all the people in the ships, and shipwomen and fir trees in the sea, make a stash from afar, and cry, seeing the smoke of his birth, saying: which is like a great city? and put the dust on their heads, and cry out weeping and weeping, saying: Woe, grief, great city, in it you are enriched by those who have rich grief, the ships in the sea from its wealth, like a single hour, will be empty. ().
42. “Rejoice in this, heaven and saints, and the apostles and prophets, as God judge your judgment from him. And one strong angel was taken, a stone as great as a millstone, and thrown into the sea, saying: such a desire will cast down Babylon, the great city, and not to be found by anyone: and the voice of the buzzer of music, and squeakers and trumpets (pipes and trumpeters) not to be heard by anyone in you; and every cunning person of all cunning will not turn out to anyone in you: and the light of the lamp should not shine in you to anyone, and the voice of the bridegroom and the bride should not be heard in you by anyone: as your merchants were the nobles of the land, as if your sorcery was seduced by all the tongues, and in it the blood of the prophets and of the saints was found, and of all the slain on the earth" ().
43. In these words it is very clearly spoken of the frequent condemnation to torment, in the last times, coming to Babylon, from the tormentors who then will be. But it is now up to us, after careful testing, to state the time at which those torments will take place, and how a small horn will arise between the tormentors. This will be when the iron legs, hitherto containing power, reach the steps of the feet and the toes, according to the appearance of the idol and the appearance of the terrible beast, as explained above, when the iron and clay are displaced into one. And (more precisely) Daniel will show us this. He says: "And he shall establish the covenant of many weeks one: and in the half of the week my sacrifice and libation shall be taken away"(). He meant one week of years, the last, which will be in the last times, at the end of the whole world: half of this week will be taken by the prophets Enoch and Elijah. They, clothed in sackcloth, will preach for days one thousand two hundred and sixty(), proclaiming repentance to people and all nations.
44. For as the holy scripture shows two comings of the Lord and our Savior: one of them, the first, which was according to the flesh, is dishonorable because of His humiliation, as Isaiah proclaimed, saying: “And I saw him, and not the name of his appearance, nor kindness, but his appearance is dishonorable, less than all people: a man with ulcers and knowing to endure illness, as if his face was turned away, dishonorably, and not imputed”(). His second coming is shown as glorious when He comes from heaven with the power of angels and the glory of the Father (), as the prophet said: "behold the king with glory"(), (and other) “I saw in the clouds of heaven, as if the Son of Man had gone byashe, and even reached the Old Day, and was brought before him, and to him was given: power and honor, and glory, and the kingdom, all people, tribes and nations will work for him: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, hedgehog will not crumble"(). So two forerunners are shown. The first - John, the son of Zechariah, was in everything the forerunner and herald of our Savior: proclaiming the heavenly light that appeared in the world, he preceded Him from the very womb of the mother, being conceived by Elizabeth before Him, in order to show the new ones coming to them from the womb of the mother. birth (of Christ) from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin.
45. He heard the greeting of (Mary) Elizabeth, "jump in the womb" mother (), rejoiced, seeing in the womb of the Virgin the conceived God-Word. Then he appeared in the wilderness with a sermon, proclaiming to people the baptism of repentance, presenting salvation to the pagans living in the wilderness of the world. After this, on the Jordan, he points personally to the Savior Himself and says: "Behold the Lamb of God, take up the world"(). He was the first, who was killed by Herod, and announced the gospel to those in hell, becoming a forerunner there too, revealing the descent of the Savior to be there, in order to deliver the souls of the saints from the hand of death.
46. But since the Savior was the beginning of the resurrection of all people, it was necessary that the Lord alone rose from the dead: since from Him there is judgment for the whole world, so that those who worthily fought worthily and were crowned from Him, a good ascetic, the first who passed the field, ascended into heaven and sat at the right hand of God and the Father, and again at the end of the world having to appear as a judge. At the same time, it was necessary to first appear to His forerunners, as the Lord said through Malachi the angel: “I will send you Elijah the Thesbite before the coming of the great and enlightened day of the Lord: who will arrange the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the adversaries in the wisdom of the righteous, but not having come I will strike the earth to the end”(. ). When they come, they will preach the coming of Christ from heaven, and they will work wonders and signs, in order to at least touch and turn people to repentance because of their increased iniquity and wickedness.
47. For John says: “And I will give both my witnesses, they will prophesy for a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth”(), that is, half of the week that Daniel () said: “These are two olives and two candlesticks standing before the Lord of the earth. And whoever does iniquity to them, fire will come out of their mouths and encircle their enemies, and whoever desires to offend them, this befits a murderer. These have an area shut up the sky, so that the rain does not fall on the earth in the days of their prophecy: and they have an area on the waters, turn me into blood and smite the earth with every plague, if they ever rise. And when they have finished their course and their testimony, what does the prophet say? The beast that comes out of the abyss will make war with them, and will overcome them and I will kill.”(), because they did not want to give glory to the Antichrist. This is the little horn that has arisen. He, then haughty in heart, will begin to exalt and glorify himself as a god, persecuting the saints and blaspheming Christ, as Daniel says: “They will look in the rose, and behold, the eyes are like the eyes of a man in the rose, and the mouth is speaking great”(), and open his mouth to blasphemy against God. And this horn will make war with the saints and will strengthen on them, until the beast is killed and perishes, and its body is given to be burned by fire ().
48. But we need to say more about him, in particular, how the Holy Spirit mysteriously indicated his very name by number; Therefore, we will state more clearly what concerns this point. John says this: “And I saw another beast rising up from the earth, and having two horns, like a lamb: and he said like a serpent. And the power of the first beast did all before him: and he created the earth and all those living on it bow down to the first beast, and the mortal ulcer was healed by him. And perform great miracles, and fire will create descend from heaven to earth before men. And he flatters those who live on the earth, for the sake of signs, even if it was given to him to work before the beast, saying to those who live on the earth, make an image for the beast, who has a weapon wound, and live fast. And it was given to him to give the spirit to the image of the beast, and pronounce the image of the beast, and create, and even if he does not bow to the image of the beast, he will be killed. And he will make all small and great, rich and poor, free and working, let him give them a mark on their gums on their hands or on their foreheads, but no one will be able to buy or sell, except who has the mark of the name of the beast, or the number of his name. There is wisdom here: whoever has a mind, let him honor the number of beasts: there is a human number, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six. ().
49. By the beast rising from the earth, he calls the kingdom of Antichrist that is to be, and the two horns signify both himself and the false prophet with him. "Horns him," says "like a lamb" because he has to become like the son of God and show himself to be a king; "he will talk like a snake": because he is a flatterer and not true. And what is said: “and the power of the first beast, and creating the earth and living on it, bow down to the first beast, and the mortal ulcer was healed by him”, then this means that according to the spirit of the laws of Augustus, from whom the Roman Empire was formed, he will also command and issue laws, hoping to confirm everything and win great glory for himself. For this is the fourth beast, whose head is smitten and again healed, because the (Roman) empire is about to collapse, or even though it will come to humiliation and be divided into ten kingdoms - and then this Antichrist, being cunning in everything, will, as it were, heal it and renew it. . For this means what the prophet said, "he will give spirit to the image, and pronounce the image of the beasts": he will again give vigor and strength to this image by means of laws issued by him, and will make sure that whoever does not worship the image of the beast will be killed. Here the faith and patience of the saints will appear. For it says: “And he will make all things small and great, rich and poor, free and working, let him give them a mark on their gums, on their hands or on their foreheads, so that no one will be able to buy or sell, except whoever has the mark of the name of the beast, or the number of his name ». He, deceitful and arrogant in relation to the servants of God, wishing to destroy and expel them from the world, because they do not give him glory, orders everyone to put incense burners everywhere, so that none of the saints could neither buy nor sell, if will not make a sacrifice first. This is the seal of the Antichrist, which is given on the right hand. And the seal on the forehead means that everyone will be crowned, wearing a fiery crown, but the crown is not of life, but of death. This is what Antiochus Epiphanes, the former king of Syria, a descendant of Alexander the Great, intended to do with the Jews. And he, in those days, exalted in heart, issued a command that all, having placed altars in front of the doors (of houses), made sacrifices and, crowned with ivy, performed a triumph in honor of Dionysus, and those who did not want to obey this, after torment and torture, he ordered to put to death (see 1 Macc. 5:2; 2 Macc. 6:7). But he also received a worthy retribution from the Lord, the righteous Judge and All-Seer - God, for he died being eaten by worms. Whoever wants to know this in detail, will find the story of this in the books of Maccabees.
50. And we will talk about our subject (Antichrist), who also tries to embitter the saints. The prophet and apostle speaks of him: “Here is wisdom: whoever has a mind, let him honor the number of beasts: there is a human number, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six”(). As for his name, we cannot say exactly how Blessed John thought and knew about him; about which we can surmise. When the Antichrist appears, then time will show us what we are looking for now. Let us say, however, that we now think this or that. For we find many names equal to this number, such as: "Titan" - an ancient and glorious name, or "Epanthas": for he gives the same number; many other names can be imagined. We have already indicated this before, saying that the wound of the first beast is healed, and he, the Antichrist, gives the image the opportunity to speak, that is, it will give it power; but everyone knows that those who hold power even hitherto are Latins. If we translate the name into one person, then a Latin will come out; so it is impossible to assert in advance that this was the actual name of the Antichrist, and on the other hand, it is impossible not to see that he can be called in no other way. But having the sacrament of God in our hearts, we must guard with fear what was foretold by the blessed prophets, so that when it comes to pass, knowing beforehand, we do not hesitate. For times to come will also reveal to us the one about whom this is said.
51. But desiring not only by what has been said to convince those who love to exercise in the words of God, we will reveal our subject from many still other sides. Daniel, for example, says: "These shall be saved out of His hand, Edom and Moab, and the beginning of the sons of Ammon"(). Ammon and Moab, the sons of Lot, born of daughters (), whose offspring continues to this day. And Isaiah says: “and they will fly in foreign ships: they will captivate the sea, and those who are from the rising of the sun, and lay the first hand on Moab, but the sons of Ammon will first submit” ().
52. So, having appeared at that time, the Antichrist will go to war, and having mastered three horns out of ten on the battlefield and uprooted them, that is, Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia (col.), taking captivity and booty, when the other horns also submit to him, having suffered harm from him, he will begin to be puffed up in his heart and, possessing the whole universe, will be exalted against God. His first attack will be on Tire and Beretus and the surrounding country. And having taken these cities first, he will strike fear in the rest, as Isaiah says: “Be afraid, Sidon, the sea speaks: the fortress of the sea speaks: no pain, no breeds, no young men to feed, lower maidens exalted. Whenever it is heard in Egypt, I will take sickness about Tyre.” ().
53. When this happens, beloved, and three horns are cut off by him, he will manifest himself as God, as Ezekiel foretold: “before lifting up your heart and saying: I am God”(). Likewise Isaiah: “But you said in your mind: I will ascend to heaven, I will set my throne above the stars of heaven, I will be like the Most High. Now you will descend into hell and into the foundations of the earth.”(). So Ezekiel says: “When you say a word before those who kill you: God am I? You are a man, not a God"(Ezek. 28, 9).
54. So, when from the above places the tribe from which the Antichrist will come, and his appearance and destruction, and the name mysteriously signified, was revealed, then let's see what he will do. He will call to himself all the Jewish people from all the countries in which he is scattered, adopting them as his own children, promising them to restore their land and restore their kingdom and people, so that they worship him as a god, as the prophet says: he will gather all his kingdom from the east of the sun to the west; those whom he called and whom he did not call will go with him. And Jeremiah also, using a parable, speaks of him like this: do not give birth to them, create your wealth not by judgment, in the middle of your days will leave her, and at the end of your days will be mad " ().
55. It will not hurt our cause if we show both the cunning of this bird, and that it was not in vain that the prophet expressed his thought in this way, using a comparison with an animal. For a partridge, being a vain animal, when she sees near the nest of another partridge that has chicks, as soon as their father flies off to get food, imitating someone else's voice, calls the chicks to him. And these, thinking that this is their true father, run to her. And she is proud of other people's children as her own. When the real father returns and screams with his own voice, having recognized it, the chicks, leaving the deceiver, go to the true father. In the same way, applying this to Antichrist, the prophet says of him that he will call the human race to himself, trying to make strangers his own and promising liberation to everyone, while he cannot save himself.
56. This one, having gathered unbelieving people from everywhere, will begin, according to their conviction, to persecute the saints, enemies and rivals of those unbelievers, as the apostle and evangelist says: “The judge is in the city. God is not afraid and man is not put to shame. But a certain widow was in that city, and she came to him saying: Mark me from my adversary. And if you don’t want to spend a lot of time, follow the words in yourself: if I don’t fear God, and I’m not put to shame: but this widow works for me in the zone, I will avenge her ” ().
57. The unjust judge, who is not afraid of God and is not ashamed of people, the Savior, no doubt, calls the Antichrist - the son and instrument of Satan. For he will begin, having reigned, to exalt himself to God, truly not fearing God and not being ashamed of the Son of God, the Judge of all. Naming the widow who is in the city, means Jerusalem itself, which truly became a widow, left by the perfect and heavenly bridegroom - God. She calls him her rival, and not the Savior, not heeding what the prophet Jeremiah said: because they did not believe the truth, they will then say “to this people and to Jerusalem a spirit of error”(Jeremiah 4:11). Like Isaiah: “Because these people do not want to drink the waters of Siloamli, the flowing yew, but they want to have Rasson and the son of Romeli king over you: for this reason, the Lord raises up the water of a mighty and many river, the king of Assyria”(). By the image of the king the prophet means the Antichrist, as another prophet says: "And there will be peace when Asshur comes to your land and ascends to your mountains" ().
58. Similarly, Moses, foreseeing that the people want to drive away and reject the true Savior of the world and indulge in error, choosing an earthly king and rejecting a heavenly one, says: “Is this not all gathered with me, and imprinted in my treasures? On the day of vengeance I will repay, at the time when their foot is offended.”(). Thus, they (the Jews) stumbled in everything, finding themselves disagreeing with the truth in nothing: neither in relation to the law, since they became its criminals, nor in relation to the prophets, because they killed the prophets themselves, nor in relation to the voice of the gospel because they crucified the Savior Himself; they did not believe the apostles either, because they were persecuted, everywhere they became malefactors and traitors to the truth, they turned out to be God-haters, and not God-lovers. At that time, they will take advantage of the opportunity to ask for vengeance from a mortal man, rising up against the servants of God. And he, arrogant against these, will begin to send decrees to the saints, in order to kill everywhere all those who do not want to honor him and worship him as God, as Isaiah says: “Woe to the ship's wings of the earth, even about the land of the Ethiopian rivers. Messengers were sent by sea as a pledge, and book messages were sent to the top of the water: messengers of light will go to the tongue high and to people strange and obstinate on them, the language is hopeless and trampled. ().
59. It is we, who trust in the Son of God, who endure persecution from the unbelievers, being trampled on by them. The wings of ships (the essence with sails) are the essence of the church, the sea is the world in which, like a ship, it is overwhelmed in the abyss, but does not die, for it has with it an experienced helmsman - Christ; in the middle she carries the invincible banner over death, bearing the cross of the Lord. Her nose is east, her stern is west, the middle or volume is noon, the rudders are two testaments, the ropes are stretched around - the love of Christ, which binds, the sail that is on it, - "bath of resurrection, renewing" believers (), henceforth they have these light white clothes. Instead of wind, the Spirit from heaven is inherent in it, with which believers are sealed to God, iron anchors follow with it - the holy commandments of Christ Himself, as strong as iron. She also has sailors, sitting on the right and left sides, as if holy angels, who are continuously kept and guarded. The staircase on it, which leads to the height of the rain, is an image of the sign of the passion of Christ (i.e., the crucifixion), attracting believers to ascend to heaven. The bowl over the rain, made at the very top of the mast, is the order of the prophets, martyrs and apostles, who rest in the kingdom of Christ.
60. And about the sorrow of persecution, which has to be on from the enemy, John also says: “And I saw a great and marvelous sign, a woman clothed in the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown from a double star, and in the womb of her possessions she cries out in pain, and the afflicted give birth: and the serpent stands before the woman who wants to give birth, but always give birth, sweep away her child. And give birth to a son of a man, who had to fall down all tongues, and her child was caught up to God and His throne. And the woman fled into the desert, where a place was prepared for her by God, and there she eats for a thousand two hundred and sixty days. And when you see a snake, chasing a wife, even give birth to a man. And two wings of a great eagle were given to the wife, and soared into the desert, where it was saturated with that time and times and pop of time, from the face of the serpent. And let the serpent out of my mouth after the woman, I lead it like a river, but drown it in the river. And help the earth to the woman, and open her mouth, and devour the river, and bring the serpents out of her mouth. And the serpent was angry with the woman, and went to make war with the saints from her seed, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus” ().
61. Under the image of a woman clothed with the sun, John very clearly shows the Church clothed in the Word of the Father, shining more than the sun. Saying that "the moon is under her feet", lets you know that she is adorned with heavenly glory, like the moon; because "on her head is a crown of twelve stars", indicates the twelve apostles through whom the Church was founded. And in the womb of possessions, crying out in pain, and giving birth in suffering, this means that the church will not stop giving birth from the heart of the Word, persecuted in the world from the unbelievers. "And give birth", says "the son of a man who has to fall all languages", that is, the Church, always giving birth to the masculine and perfect child of God - Christ, preaching God and man, teaches this to all peoples. In words: “And her child was caught up to God and His throne”, it is shown that this is the heavenly King, and not the earthly one, who is always born by her, as David declares, saying: “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”(). "And the sight, - says (the secret seer), - serpent and chasing a wife, who give birth to a man. And two winged wings of a great eagle were given to the wife, and soared into the desert, where time and time and half time were saturated by that time and time from the face of the serpent. This is the essence of one thousand two hundred and sixty days. half of the week in which the tyrant will rule, persecuting the Church, fleeing from city to city, and hiding in the mountains in the wilderness, having with her nothing but the two wings of a great eagle, that is, the faith of Jesus Christ, who, Spread out Your holy hands on the holy tree, unfolded two wings, right and left, calling all believers to Himself, and covering them, "Like Kokosh chicks"(). What Malachi says: “and the sun of righteousness will shine on you who fear my name, and healing is in its wings” ().
62. But the Lord also says: “When you see the abomination of desolation, standing in a holy place: whoever honors and understands: then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; and those who are on the roof, let him not come down to take his robe, and those who are in the village, let him not return to take it in his house. Woe to those who are not idle and who milk in thy days. For then there will be great sorrow, but Jacob has not been from the beginning of the world. And the days had not yet ceased, for all flesh would not have been saved.” (). “And Daniel says, And they will give the abomination of desolation for the days of a thousand two hundred and ninety. Blessed are those who endure and reach ninety-five. ().
63. And the blessed Apostle Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, says: “But we pray, brethren, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for our gathering about him (coming), not to be soon ascetic from your mind, nor be terrified, lower in spirit, lower in word, or a message like sent from us, as if the day has already come Christ. Yes, no one will deceive you in a single image: as if the apostasy does not come first, and the man of lawlessness, the son of perdition, the adversary, is revealed, and be exalted more than any God spoken or honor, as if he would sit in the church of God, showing himself that God exists. Don't you remember that I am still alive with you, this is what I said to you? And now, holding back the message, in a hedgehog appear to him in his own time. The mystery of more lawlessness is already happening, keep it now, until it will be from Wednesday. And then the lawless one will appear, and the Lord Jesus will kill him with the spirit of His mouth and annihilate him with the appearance of His coming: he is the coming according to the work of Satan in all power and signs and lying wonders, and in all deceit of unrighteousness in those who perish: for the love of the truth is not welcome. And for this reason, God will send them an act of deceit, in a hedgehog to believe them a lie: that the judgment may be received by those who did not believe the truth, but favored in unrighteousness.(). And Isaiah says: "Let the wicked take it, let it not see the glory of the Lord" ().
64. When this will be, beloved, and when one week is divided into two halves and the abomination of desolation appears, and when the two prophets and forerunners of the Lord complete their course, and the whole world will come to an end: what remains but the appearance of the Lord from heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ, the God in whom we trust? He will create the burning of the world (cf. ch. 5) and a righteous judgment for all those who did not believe in Him. For the Lord says: “To those who are new to this, rise up and lift up your heads: for your deliverance is not at hand. And the hair of your head will not perish" (). “For as the lightning comes from the east and comes to the west, so will the coming of the Son of man. Wherever there is a corpse, the orlys gather there"(). This corpse was in paradise: for there Adam fell. And it says again: Then the Son of Man will come “His angels and will gather His elect from the four winds of heaven”(). And David, foretelling the judgment and coming of the Lord, says: “From the end of heaven, his departure, and meeting him to the end of heaven: and there is none, even his warmth is hidden”(). Heat is called combustion. And Isaiah says: “Come, my people, enter into your temple, shut your doors, hide yourself a little, until the wrath of the Lord passes by”(). Likewise, Paul: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who contain the truth in unrighteousness” ().
65. And about the resurrection and the kingdom of the saints, Daniel says: “And many will rise from those who sleep into earthly dust, these into eternal life, and they into reproach and eternal shame”(). Isaiah says: “the dead will rise, and the hedgehog will rise in the tombs: the dew is from you, there is healing for them” (). And again the Lord says: “then the righteous will be enlightened, as the sun shines in its glory”(). And say to the saints: “Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”(). What will he say to the wicked? "Depart from Me, cursed, into eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels"(), which my Father has prepared. And John says: “outside are dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and idolaters and everyone who does and loves lies”(): for your "part" is in fiery hell (). Likewise, Isaiah says: “And they will go out and see the corpses of men who transgressed Me: for their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched, and they will be in disgrace to all flesh” ().
66. And Paul the Apostle, writing to the Thessalonians, says about the resurrection of the righteous: “I do not want you not to lead about the dead, but do not grieve, like others who do not have hope. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so God will bring those who died in Jesus with him. Cue, we speak to you by the word of the Lord, as if we are living, left at the coming of the Lord, not imams to anticipate the dead: as the Lord Himself will descend from heaven in command, in the voice and in the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first: then we who are alive are left in bulk we will be raptured with them in the clouds at the meeting of the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord ” (
Christ and Antichrists is a burning topic in our time! I would like to draw attention not so much to the apocalyptic as to the evangelical and historical aspects. Who are the Antichrists, where do they come from? The Lord addresses the Jews: “I have come in My Father's Name, and you do not receive Me; but if another comes in his name, you will receive him.”(John 5:43). What means "in your name"? A person who does something in his own name is called an impostor. Such an impostor, Christ says, you will accept. Moreover, this impostor will not even hide behind the Name of the Heavenly Father. The Lord warns: “Then if anyone says to you, Behold, Christ is here, or there, believe it not. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I told you beforehand. Therefore, if they say to you, “Behold,[He] in the desert, do not go out; "here,[He] in secret rooms,” don’t believe; For as lightning comes from the east and is visible even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man» (Matthew 24:23-27).Great Tuesday of Holy Week, there is very little time left before Golgotha, and the Lord is talking on the Mount of Olives with His disciples, proclaiming to them the future. "False Christs and False Prophets Will Rise"... A false prophet is a phenomenon more or less understandable to everyone - a person who has an unusual spirit (but not God's) in himself and with the help of this spirit broadcasts something, but who are false Christs? The Apostle John, who heard the Savior Himself, said: “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; And every spirit that does not confess Jesus Christ who has come in the flesh is not from God, but it is the spirit of the Antichrist, about whom you heard that he would come, and now is already in the world.(1 John 4:2-3). John the Theologian makes a kind of diagnosis: the Antichrist is a spirit that does not confess Jesus Christ, who came in the flesh.
Even then, in the 1st century, the Antichrist was spoken of in the present tense, although it was also spoken of the coming Antichrist. The spirit of the Antichrist has always been there, and it is still there today. Many people do not confess Jesus Christ who came in the flesh. What does the word "antichrist" mean in translation into Russian? The Greek word "anti" has two meanings. The main meaning is “instead of”, that is, the replacement of one with another, forgery, substitution. Another meaning of this word was formed by the Greeks, and then passed to other languages. This is “opposition”, that is, “against”.
In this case, the word "antichrist" means "in place of Christ." Ancient Romans, Jews, pagans, sometimes adherents of other religions, and finally, communists opposed the Savior. But if you delve into these phenomena, it turns out that these speeches were never directed against Christ Himself.
Anyone who goes against the Lord is doomed to offer someone (or something) instead of Him. This is anti-Christianity, about which John the Theologian spoke: "The spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard that he would come and now is already in the world".
To be antichrist is to pretend to be Christ. What kind of person (or phenomenon) is this, which offers itself instead of Him? In other words, how can one come to such a life as to offer oneself in place of Christ? Thinking about this, let's highlight four reasons. The first is insanity in the truest sense of the word. This really happens. People with deep mental damage often impersonate someone, for example, Julius Caesar or Napoleon. Of course, sick people deserve pity, but not only pity. Of course, there are brain injuries, but why did this damage lead to such a result, predetermined precisely such a sense of self? In psychiatry there is a term "megalomania". But after all, this “mania” begins long before entering a psychiatric clinic. Insanity can also happen to an intelligent person who manifests himself as a talented leader.
The second reason is self-hypnosis. It is difficult to say how people get to this point, but in any case, somewhere, somewhere, a person allowed himself to cross a certain line, and this is always the border between truth and lies. Satan himself is called a liar and the father of lies. Once upon a time, a person lied to himself, at least that he was talented, smart, strong or handsome. And he did it like this: “I am smarter than that”, “I am better than that”, finally - “I am holier than that”!
The third reason is possession by an unclean spirit (possession). If the first reason, one might say, is psychiatric, and the second is moral and psychological, then the third already belongs to the field of demonology. Such a person can also be smart and talented and able to behave quite adequately in all other life situations. Such people are found even among parishioners. This may be a very devoted and faithful Christian, but God allowed the presence of an unclean spirit in him, which manifests itself in a certain way. In this case, the antichrist-false Christ turns out to be a messenger, a messenger of an unclean spirit, that is, the devil himself.
A fourth reason can also be indicated - ordinary deceit and charlatanism. A person is well aware that he is not who he claims to be, but at the same time, for some purpose, continues to play his role. This is a swindler, a deceiver, a charlatan.
Let's take a brief historical excursion. When we talk about the Antichrist, we mean that his appearance will take place in the future. There are well-known fears regarding the adoption of the "seal of the Antichrist." This fear arose twenty centuries ago. Often we are confident in the exceptional nature of the current moment, in the extraordinary nature of the events taking place "here and now", in the grandeur of what, in our opinion, should happen tomorrow, or at least in our lifetime. That's why it's good to know the history. It warns and restrains us from certain impulses to which we are subject.
The history of antichrists, those who came "in place of" Christ, begins with Christ. Not everyone knows that in those days Christ was not alone. As in our time, many pretended to be Him. The references contained in the "Acts of the Apostles" find their confirmation in the annals of Josephus Flavius.
Here is what the book of Acts says about Judas the Galilean, or, as he was otherwise called, the Gaulonite: but he perished, and all who obeyed him were scattered” (Acts 5:37). Flavius Josephus writes about him in the book “The Jewish War”: “Further in Sepphores in Galilee, Judas, the son of that Hezekiah, who once at the head of a band of robbers ravaged the country, but was defeated by King Herod, raised a rather large crowd to their feet, broke into the royal arsenals , armed his people, and attacked those who aspired to dominance.
Such was the man who claimed to be the Messiah. He died, and his rebellion ended in nothing. Judas the Galilean raised a war against the census: “Look, Jews, the Roman emperor wants to rewrite us, as if we were things!” But precisely because of the participation of Joseph and Mary in the census, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, where he was supposed to be born according to biblical prophecy.
About Theudus in the book “Acts of the Holy Apostles” it is said: “... Theevdas appeared, posing as someone great, and about four hundred people stuck to him; but he was killed, and all who obeyed him were scattered and disappeared” (Acts 5:36). Here is what Josephus writes about this in his book “Antiquities of the Jews”: “A certain Thebda, a deceiver, persuaded a large mass of people to take all their property with them and follow it to the Jordan River. He pretended to be a prophet and assured that he would order the river to part and let them through without difficulty. With these words, he misled many. However, Fab, the governor, did not allow their madness. He sent a detachment of cavalry against them, which suddenly fell upon them. Many of them were killed, many were captured alive. Furious, the soldiers cut off Theevda's head and took it to Jerusalem.
Another native of Samaria, brought up in Alexandria, who lived under Christ, but did not communicate with Him, is Simon Magus. After the Lord ascended to Heaven, Simon returns to the Holy Land: “There was a certain man in the city, named Simon, who had previously worked magic and amazed the people of Samaria, pretending to be someone great”(Acts 8:9). At this time, Deacon Philip, one of the seventy apostles, was walking around Samaria. He preached, baptized and cast out demons from the possessed. Then the apostles Peter and John come, lay on their hands, and the Holy Spirit descends on those who believe. Seeing this, Simon felt a power greater than his own, and he wanted to receive this power by offering money to the Apostle Peter, Saying, Give me this power also, so that whoever I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter said to him: let your silver be in destruction with you, because you thought to receive the gift of God for money. You have no part and lot in this, for your heart is not right before God. So repent of this sin of yours, and pray to God."(Acts 8:19-22). However, Simon did not repent and continued to pretend to be "the power of God." "Everyone listened to him, from the smallest to the largest, saying: This is the great power of God."(Acts 8:10).With him was a certain woman named Selena, who called herself "The Wisdom of God." Simon and Selene traveled around the Empire, embarrassing people. This story ended ingloriously in Rome. Simon, in the presence of Emperor Nero, promises to ascend to heaven. Then the apostle Peter preached in Rome. Simon really got off the ground and flew through the air. The Apostle Peter fervently prayed that the Lord would confound this demonic action, and by the power of the name of Christ would drive away the unclean spirit. Simon Magus fell from a height to the ground, crashed and died in agony. Thus ended the grandiose scam of Simon Magus, a sorcerer who performed many amazing miracles, seduced and confused many.
Further, the history of anti-Christianity proceeds in different ways. One of them is Jewish anti-Christianity. The Jewish people did not accept Jesus of Nazareth as the true Christ. The promise that Christ will come is the core of the entire Jewish faith, its essence. It is often said that the Jewish faith is the law. But legalism is not at all its foundation. The heart of the Jewish faith is the expectation of the Messiah. Abraham lived with this expectation, Moses lived, these expectations were supported in the Jewish people by the ancient biblical prophets, and since Jesus of Nazareth was not accepted as the Messiah, the Jews lived with this expectation for another twenty centuries. Today's Judaism is faith in Christ, but not in that Christ, which is spoken of in the "Symbol of Faith", but in Christ the Messiah, who must come, under whom all the promises of the prophets must be fulfilled, who must establish the Kingdom of God on earth.
There is no need to exaggerate the Jewish ideas about messianism. It is often said that the Jews dream of their Jewish kingdom, strive to dominate other peoples. But the true basis of their aspirations is the establishment of the Kingdom of God. The people of Israel are the firstborn of God, and all other nations must come to the Messiah and believe in God through Him. In this, Judaism almost completely corresponds to the Christian faith.
The Messiah was also expected in the time of Jesus Christ. In the New Testament we meet several times the expression: “He was one of those looking forward to the comfort of Israel”. So it is said, for example, about Anna, about Simon, about Simeon the God-bearer. This tense expectation is the essence of Judaism. It acquired its new form after the people rejected Christ. For this, the Jews lost Jerusalem, they lost their Temple (since the purpose of the Old Testament temple was fulfilled), they lost their land. In the year 70, after the Roman emperors Titus and Vespasian ravaged Jerusalem, the Jews were scattered all over the world, and the expectation of the Messiah acquired a new, special meaning for them. It turned into a dream of returning to their homeland, of restoring their statehood, of reviving the desecrated Holy Land. When you really want something, when you look forward to something, then what you want, as a rule, comes, and you don’t have to wait long for it. Therefore, the Jewish "messiahs" appeared more than once.
The beginning of the 2nd century was marked by the appearance of Simon Bar Kokhba (Son of the Star), in the Talmud called Bar Koziba (Son of Lies). The attitude towards this man was ambiguous, but the most authoritative rabbi of that time, Rabbi Akiba, accepted him, believed, blessed and proclaimed him the Messiah. Declared the Messiah, Bar Kokhba raises a second rebellion against the Romans.
At that time, the Roman Emperor Hadrian begins the rebuilding of Jerusalem under the name Aelia Capitolia. On the site of Golgotha and the Temple of Solomon, he erects the temples of the Roman gods and goddesses. The Jews took this as the greatest desecration of their shrines. And so Bar-Kochba, as the Messiah, raises a rebellion and leads the Jews. His prayer, preserved in the Talmud, is interesting: “Lord, you can not help, just don’t interfere!” These words are obviously imbued with the spirit of antichrist. “I came in the name of the Father, and they did not accept me. Another will come in his name, and accept him ... " It was not long to wait; only a hundred years have passed since the time of Christ. It all ended with the defeat of the uprising by the Roman army. Since then, the Jews have been scattered throughout the earth. The Jewish synagogue itself was forced to recognize Bar Kochba as a false messiah.
Imagine the tragedy of the Emaus travelers. We rarely think about it. After all, they believed in the living Christ, and now for the third day it turns out that Jesus of Nazareth, the same Jesus who fed five thousand people with five loaves, the same Jesus who delivered the Sermon on the Mount, healed and cast out demons, is dead! Did He turn out, it is terrible to utter this word, a deceiver? It is already the third day that He has not been on earth, which means that the prophecies have not come true!
The travelers tell the Risen Jesus about this, and, as we know, the Lord reveals himself to them in the breaking of bread. But what a test of faith! What a tragedy of the spirit these people were destined to go through! The Jews also had to lose faith in Bar Kokhba. But the anti-Christianity did not end there.
The history of Judaism knows another false messiah - Sabbatei (Shabtai) Zvi. It was the 17th century. This time was unkind to the Jews. The bonfires of the Inquisition were still blazing, there were ghettos - Jewish quarters, beyond which Jews were forbidden to go, pogroms were systematically organized, causing Jews to respond with hatred towards Christians.In 1648, in the synagogue of the city of Smyrna, located on the territory of modern Turkey, Sabbatei Tzvi pronounces aloud the sacred tetragram, that is, the Name of God, which no one was allowed to pronounce and which was pronounced only by the High Priest once a year on the feast of purification (Yom Kippur), entering into Holy of Holies. For sixteen centuries not a single Jew has heard this Name, it was transmitted secretly. And today we do not know exactly how the Name of God is pronounced, we only know its spelling. Among the Jews to this day, for the pronunciation of this Name, violators are punished with a curse. The Jews believe that the Messiah, having come to Earth, will pronounce the Name, which is known only to the high priests. At the same time, the Messiah will not be either a high priest or a Levite, but he will pronounce this Name as a sacred password.
And now Sabbatei Zvi pronounces this Name. For this, he is immediately excommunicated from the synagogue. However, he begins his sermon, and more than half of the Jews of the whole world accepted him and followed him. According to Jewish beliefs, the Messiah's birthday should coincide with the day of the destruction of the first and second temples in Jerusalem. The destruction occurred under Nebuchadnezzar and under the Romans, seven centuries apart, but on the same day. Sabbatei Zvi was indeed born on this day, he was thirty years old, and he correctly pronounced the Name of God.
He was a widower. Sabbatei married a girl who had a vision that she would marry the Messiah. When his wife died, he entered into a sacred marriage with the Torah (Pentateuch of Moses). Sabbatei Tzvi had a peculiar prayer: “Praise be to Thee, O Lord, who permits the forbidden!” He began by breaking all the Jewish prohibitions. This led to the creation of a teaching calling for doing what is forbidden. It is not difficult to guess where such "morality" will lead!
Sabbatei went to Istanbul in order to convert the Sultan, who was supposed to accept him as the Messiah. The Koran also says that Christ must come again. The Sultan offered Sabbatei Zvi the choice of either converting to Islam or undergoing the death penalty. Of course, everyone expected that the Messiah would refuse to convert to Islam and be killed, thus fulfilling what was said by the prophet Isaiah. However, to the horror of the entire Jewish world, Sabbatei Zvi converted to Islam, explaining this with the intention to unite all religions. Many Jews turned away from him. Sabbatei Zvi created his own sect, which lasted until the beginning of the 20th century.
In the 18th century, a certain Jacob Frank announced that the spirit of Sabbath Tzvi had moved into him. He was impressed by morality, which allowed him to violate the prohibitions, and he said that it was possible to fight evil only by tasting it. That is, by tasting sin, you eradicate this sin (the heresy of the Nicolaitans). This inevitably led to outright atrocities. Later Jacob Frank and his followers converted to Catholicism.
Another phenomenon of false messianism originated in the depths of the Christian Church, where false Christs also appear from time to time. The Lord said that he would come a second time, and some of the mysteriousness of the words about the Second Coming, present both in the gospel and apostolic prophecies, and even more so in the Apocalypse, allows us to interpret this coming great event in different ways and even speculate on it.
However, for Christianity this phenomenon is less typical. The Jews had and will have it, because they are waiting for the Messiah, outwardly - an ordinary person, called to save them, restore the Temple, and lead the people to the Kingdom of God. There is no such teaching in Christianity. The Second Coming of Christ is the Coming in glory. The Apocalypse says that Christ will come, bind Satan, and the millennial kingdom on earth will begin (chiliasm). Even some of the ancient holy fathers, such as Papias of Hierapolis (c. 70–155 or 165), Justin the Philosopher (+ c. 165) and Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130–c. 202), accepted the teaching that when the Lord will come a second time, finally, and not only internally (in the heart), but also externally, the Kingdom of God will be established on earth. In those days it was not considered heresy. Speculating on this teaching, false Christs appeared.
We know from history books about the peasant war that broke out in Germany in 1525. At the heart of this uprising were not only social, but also religious reasons. Essentially, it was anti-Christian. In 1517, Martin Luther begins the Reformation, which is rapidly gaining momentum. And the peasant uprising led by Thomas Müntzer takes place under the slogan of "establishing the Kingdom of God on earth." Luther himself was horrified to see this bloody uprising, and urged the German Electors to "crush the rebels like mad dogs," which, in the end, happened. As a result of this temptation, many people died.
No less tragic events unfolded in North German Münster, where Jan Leiden, declaring himself "King of the New Israel", proclaims the "Kingdom of Christ". Troops sent by the bishop surrounded the city. For a long time it was under siege; a terrible famine began, leading to cannibalism. The city was taken, the false Christ and several of his “prophets” were executed after severe torture, and their decapitated bodies were taken all over Germany in metal cages, and then these cages were placed on the tower of the church of St. Lambert as a warning to everyone. There they are to this day.
Something similar happened in Russia, where there was such a thing as “Khlysty”. The members of this sect were, as a rule, illiterate commoners. They were also called "jumpers", since prayers were accompanied by characteristic dances - "sacred dances". This is how they tried to acquire the Holy Spirit.
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In 1645, under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, a “miracle” happened in the Starodubskaya volost of the Kovrov district of the Vladimir province. “Three angels ascended into heaven,” and the Lord of Hosts incarnated in the “pure flesh” of a certain Danila Filippovich. The angels ascended, but the "Lord of Hosts", that is, Danila Filippovich, remained. Soon he finds himself a "son-Christ". They became a peasant of the Murom district, Ivan Timofeevich Suslov, who followed Danila. They said that he was crucified, but he was resurrected. Then they found a girl who became "Holy Mother of God". These peasants had followers. The time has come, and "Ivan-Christ" "ascended to heaven", and "Danila-Sabaoth" remained on earth "forever".
The Russian sectarians lived by such notions. They were persecuted by the rulers up to Emperor Peter III - an unfortunate man who, by the will of fate, found himself on the Russian throne. His power-hungry wife, the future Catherine II, was tired of this, Peter "died suddenly", and she ascended the throne. But the sovereign still managed to do a lot, including proclaiming the “Manifesto on the Liberty of the Nobility”, abolishing the Secret Chancellery, issuing a decree on freedom of foreign trade, which, among other things, contained a requirement to respect forests as one of the most important wealth of Russia and a decree that qualified the murder of peasants by the landowners as "tyrannical torment" and provided for life exile for this.
It was Peter III who removed the persecution of eunuchs and began to patronize them. Grateful eunuchs called the emperor a "white dove", claimed that he, they say, had been castrated before marriage, and therefore Catherine could not give birth to a child from him. It was even rumored that his mother, Princess Anna Petrovna, was “the immaculate Virgin”… Here are the poetic lines of that time describing the birth of Peter III: “I was blessed by the Holy Spirit, the womb dissolved, the child was born well, the walls of hell fell down.”
Peter III was declared Christ, but since his death was announced, and Catherine reigned, rumors spread that he allegedly escaped. On November 22, 1772, a certain guest appeared in the house of the Ural resident Denis Pyanov, to whom Pyanov retold these rumors. The guest promised that he would lead all the dissatisfied to the Turkish lands, where they would all live well. To the question: “How is this possible?”, the guest replied that he had enough money for this, and then he leaned over and whispered: “I am Peter.” This mysterious guest was none other than Emelyan Pugachev. Following this, just as once in Germany, a great civil strife began in Russia. Pugachev's uprising is not just a peasant war, in fact it is another attempt to establish the "Kingdom of God" on earth. Emelyan Pugachev - Peter III, he is also "Christ" and "God" ... All this ended, as usual, with the brutal suppression of the uprising, and Emelyan Pugachev was taken to St. Petersburg in a steel cage. So from time to time these adventures were repeated and failed, for which thousands of people paid with their lives.
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In a more subtle, philosophical, deep form, this is realized in the doctrine of avatars. Christ said: “All, however many of them come before me, are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not listen to them"(John 10:8). The Christian faith is firmly rooted in the fact that once "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth"(John 1:14), once“the great mystery of godliness took place: God appeared in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16). It only happened once and will never happen again. All who were before Christ are thieves and robbers, and those who come after Him are false Christs and false prophets. The Second Coming will certainly be, but, as Christ said: “As lightning comes from the east and is visible even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man”(Matthew 24:27). When they say: “... he is in this room”, or “in that room”, or “in the desert”, do not believe. The Lord Himself taught us this.
One of the world famous avatars is Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who was born in India in 1926 and died in 2011. According to the beliefs of his adherents, he was the reincarnation of an avatar of Sai Shirdi. Indeed, the most unique phenomenon… Already in childhood, he demonstrated his ability to materialize objects by opening empty bags and taking food out of them at the request of those present. This happened publicly, in front of many. Today, millions of people are his followers. This is a worldwide movement. He is a living "deity", he performed miracles, healed the sick. They say he even raised from the dead...
Such an amazing case is described. One of the Indian governors was on the train. Suddenly, an electric motor caught fire, a catastrophe seemed to be inevitable. Then the governor mentally called on Sai Baba. Suddenly an electrician enters, repairs the damage at full speed and just as suddenly disappears. After arriving at their destination, the governor boards the plane, which has landing gear failure. Another passenger, by some inner urge, rushes into the cockpit, pulls some kind of lever (although he was not a pilot and did not understand anything about it). As a result, the landing gear fires and the plane lands safely. When the governor called Sai Baba to thank him for saving him from the plane crash, he replied, “Why didn’t you mention the electrician?” That is, miracles in the truest sense of the word ... Physicists, chemists, biologists, psychologists and criminologists came to him to study these anomalous phenomena.
However, this person is not unique. People like him met in ancient Greece, forming the basis of ancient Greek mythology. Mythical characters are not just the fruit of a violent human imagination, as well as our epic heroes. Behind them are always real prototypes.
Finally, our contemporary, who does not perform miracles, does not do anything supernatural, but stubbornly repeats: "I am Christ." He came "in his own name" and also drew thousands of people with him. In the same row is the “White Brotherhood” by Marina Tsvigun - “Devi Christos” ...
All of these are false Christs, whose coming the Lord predicted, the forerunners of that final Antichrist, which is spoken of in the Holy Scriptures. That antichrist is unlikely to be significantly different from these, except that his role will be worldwide. Possessed people are enslaved by unclean spirits, the same will be controlled by Satan himself. Everything else will proceed approximately according to the same scenario: this is the solution of political issues, and the onset of universal peace, abolishing wars on earth, and the resolution of economic problems, and the world kingdom, and "God on earth." The same "Danilas" and "Ivans", only of a different scale ...
The advent of the "great" Antichrist, the "man of sin" will end this stage of human history. It will be destroyed by Christ himself, who will come and by His Spirit will kill the Antichrist. Not by human forces, but by the very Second Coming of Christ, all this will be destroyed and destroyed.
Müntzer Thomas (Thomas) (c. 1490-1525) - a radical preacher of the Reformation, the spiritual leader of a social movement that preached universal equality based on evangelical ideals and terror against the traditional Church and the nobility. The powerful action of the German peasants against the feudal lords (the German peasant war of the 16th century) was connected with the movement of Müntzer.
Jan Leiden (c. 1509-1536) - the leader of the Münster Anabaptists.
Avatar, sometimes avatar (Skt. "अवतार" - "descent"), is a term in Hindu philosophy, usually used to refer to the descent of God from the spiritual world to the lower realms of being.
Some remarks on the doctrine of the Antichrist by professor of theology Viktor Mikhailovich Chernyshev.
Before proceeding to consider this topic, which today causes fierce debate and gives rise to all kinds of speculation, we should point out the signs of the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, since His coming to earth will precede the reign of the Antichrist according to Scripture by three and a half years.
What are these signs?
The first sign is the widespread spread of the gospel: “The gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a witness to all nations; and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).
The second sign is the appearance of false Christs: “Many will come under my name and say, I am the Christ” (Matthew 24:5). “And many false prophets will arise and deceive many” (Matthew 24:11).
The third sign is a deep decline in morality: “Because of the increase of iniquity, the love of many will grow cold” (Matt. 24:12).
The fourth sign is destructive wars: “You will also hear about wars and rumors of war, for nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matthew 24:6,7).
The fifth sign is natural disasters: “There will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in places” (Matt. 24:7). “The sea will make a noise and rage” (Luke 21:25).
But, as was said above, before the Coming of the Lord, to judge the nations, the Antichrist will first have to come, whom the devil puts forward as his special instrument of evil.
Who is this?
In Greek, the word "anti" can have two meanings: "against" and "instead of". In relation to the Antichrist, both meanings are valid, since the Antichrist will be both the opponent of Christ, destroying Christianity in every possible way, and those who will try to take his place.
In a broad sense, the character of the Antichrist should be understood as anyone who denies the divine humanity and divine sonship of Jesus Christ (1 John 2:22).
The apostle Paul calls the Antichrist "a man of sin and a son of perdition" (2 Thess. 2:3). Moreover, his coming according to the action of Satan will be with all "power and signs and lying wonders" (2 Thess. 2:9).
The name of the Antichrist is unknown, but his number is known - 666, more precisely the numerical equivalent of his name. We do not know what these three sixes mean, although there was enough speculation on this topic not only among sectarians regarding the “decoding” of these sixes (for example, among Adventists), but also in the near-Orthodox environment, where booklets and leaflets with enviable regularity appear new "revelations" about them. People are trying hard to decipher this number. Unfortunately, this is accompanied by inadequate actions, excitement in society, calls for “leaving the world” (by analogy with the Penza burrowers), the rejection of identification numbers, cell phones, computers, a decisive struggle against the Masons (I wish I knew where to look for them! ) and so on.
The New Testament says the following about the Antichrist:
1. He will come in his name: "... he who exalts himself above everything that is called God or holy things" (2 Thess. 2:4), "... he will come in his name" (John 5:43), that is, he will fight against all religions, for blasphemy will be its characteristic (Rev. 13:5,6).
2. He will pretend to be God: “He will sit in the temple of God as God, showing himself to be God” (2 Thess. 2:4).
3. He will have false prophets who will “show great signs and wonders” (Matthew 24:24).
4. Satan's religious power will be combined with political power - a kind of satanocracy: it will be "...over every tribe and people and tongue and nation" (Rev. 13:7).
5. His reign will last 3.5 years (Rev. 13:5) - or 42 months, to be exact 1260 days (Rev. 12:6). This period is equal to the duration of Christ's public ministry on earth.
6. All who will not accept his authority will be exterminated: "...everyone was killed who would not worship the image of the beast" (Rev. 13:15).
7. The church will be forced to "hide in the wilderness" (Rev. 12:1-6). But "the gates of hell shall not prevail against her" (Matt. 16:18), and the Eucharist will not cease until the Second Coming (1 Cor. 11:26).
8. Individual saints will be allowed to be defeated by this satanic power: “And it was given to him to make war with the saints and overcome them” (Rev. 13:7).
The forces of evil will be crushed finally and irrevocably by Jesus Christ Himself; He will smite the Antichrist "...with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy him with the manifestation of his coming" (2 Thess. 2:8). After all these events, the Judgment of Christ will begin.
Let us quote some well-known holy fathers, both ancient and of the 19th century, about the Antichrist in order to give a patristic interpretation of this phenomenon.
Saints about the Antichrist
Venerable Ephraim the Syrian(IV century) wrote: “The wicked and formidable thief will come first, in due time, with the intention of kidnapping, slaughtering and destroying the chosen flock of the True Shepherd, they will immediately recognize the deceiver, because the voice of the wicked one is in no way similar to the voice of the True Shepherd, but is sarcastic: tatya's voice is pretended and soon becomes known what it is ... ".
Saint John Chrysostom(V century) wrote: “The Antichrist will come to human perdition in order to offend people. In fact, what will he not do at that time! All will be thrown into turmoil and confusion, both by command and by fear. He will be terrible in every respect: both by his power, and harshness, and lawless commands ... The apostle calls the Antichrist a man of lawlessness, because he will commit thousands of lawlessness and induce others to commit them. And he calls him the son of perdition, because he himself will perish. Who will he be? Is it Satan? No, but a certain man who will receive all his (Satan's) power. He will not lead to idolatry, but will be an opponent of God, will reject all gods and will order to worship himself instead of God and will sit in the temple of God, not only in Jerusalem, but also everywhere in the churches ... He did not say that he would call himself a god, but that will try to show himself as a god. He will do great things and show wonderful signs.”
Venerable Anthony the Great(IV century) announced this time as follows: “The time will come, my beloved children, when the monks will leave the deserts and flow instead to rich cities, where instead of these desert caves and cramped cells proud buildings will be erected that can argue with the chambers of kings, instead of poverty will increase the love of collecting wealth, humility will be replaced by pride, many will be proud of knowledge, but naked, alien to good deeds corresponding to knowledge; love will grow cold; instead of abstinence, gluttony will increase, and very many will take care of luxurious meals, no less than the laity themselves, from whom the monks will not differ in anything else, except for their robe and headdress; and, although they will live in the midst of the world, they will call themselves solitary.”
Saint John of Damascus(VIII century) says: “In the church of God (sits down) - not in ours, but in the ancient, Jewish one; for he will not come to us, but to the Jews; not for Christ, but against Christ and Christians: that is why it is called Antichrist. Therefore, the gospel must first be preached to all nations (Matt. 24:14). “Then the lawless one will appear, and his coming is according to the working of Satan in all power and signs and lying wonders, and in all deceit of unrighteousness, perishing, but the Lord will kill him with the voice of His mouth and make him void by the manifestation of His coming” (2 Thess. 2:8) . So, it is not the devil himself who becomes a man, like the incarnation of the Lord - so be it! But man is born of fornication and takes upon himself all the work of Satan. For God, knowing in advance the depravity of his future will, allows the devil to inhabit him ... At the beginning of his reign, or rather, tyranny, he hides behind the guise of holiness; when he becomes victorious, he will begin to persecute the Church of God and show all his malice. He will come in false, fictitious, and not true signs and wonders, and those who have a weak and unsteady mind, he will deceive and turn away from God.
Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov(XIX century) instructs: “The Antichrist will reveal himself as meek, merciful, full of love, full of every virtue: they recognize him as such, and those who recognize the fallen human truth as truth, and did not renounce it for the sake of truth, will submit to him because of his most exalted virtue. Gospels.
The signs of the Antichrist will predominantly appear in the air layer: this layer is dominated by Satan. ... The retreat of the new Israel from the Savior by the end of time will take on an extensive development, and then, as a consequence and fruit of the retreat, a man of lawlessness, the son of perdition, will be revealed, who will dare to call himself the promised Messiah ...
Abundant earthly prosperity and huge earthly enterprises, as obvious to everyone, are set forth by the word of God as a sign of the last time and the ripened sinfulness of mankind, which is mostly implicit and incomprehensible with a superficial and inexperienced look at humanity. Temporary and eternal disasters befell the old Israel for the rejection of the Redeemer: these disasters are a weak image of the terrible disasters that should be the punishment of the new Israel for its crime ...
The Church will be brought down by the sword - from the murderous violence of temptations - and very empty. The multiplied apostates, naming themselves and appearing outwardly as Christians, will be the more convenient to persecute true Christians; the multiplied apostates will surround true Christians with innumerable machinations ... They will act against the servants of God with the violence of power, and slander, and malicious intrigues, and various seductions, and fierce persecutions.
About the Antichrist, the saint writes: “With his outward ostentatious side of life, he will try to imitate Christ. Most Christians, guided by ... carnal wisdom, will not see deceit and recognize the Antichrist as Christ, who came to earth a second time ... Terrible trials for the saints of God will come: deceit, hypocrisy, miracles of the persecutor will intensify, the desire to deceive and seduce them, refined and thoughtful, covered with insidious ingenuity persecution and constraint, the unlimited power of the tormentor will put them in the most difficult position ... The opponents of the Antichrist will be considered rebels, enemies of the public good and order, they will be subjected to covert and open persecution ... ".
At Vladimir Solovyov there are in the "Tale of the Antichrist" characteristics that coincide with the patristic thought about him almost in detail. A certain emperor became the prototype of the Antichrist.
“The emperor, standing near the throne and with majestic benevolence, holding out his hand, said in a sonorous and pleasant voice: “Christians of all stripes! My beloved subjects and brothers! From the beginning of my reign, which the Most High blessed with such wonderful and glorious deeds, I have never had a reason to be dissatisfied with you; you have always performed your duty in faith and conscience. But this is not enough for me. My sincere love for you, beloved brothers, yearns for reciprocity. I want you not out of a sense of duty, but out of a feeling of heartfelt love, to recognize me as your true leader in every work undertaken for the good of mankind. And besides what I do for everyone, I would like to show you special favors. Christians, how could I make you happy? What can I give you, not as my subjects, but as fellow believers, my brothers? Christians! Tell me what is most dear to you in Christianity, so that I can direct my efforts in this direction?
And then this emperor-antichrist begins active charitable activities in relation to all Christian branches, where, in particular, he offers the Orthodox: “Dear brothers! I know that among you there are those for whom the most precious thing in Christianity is its sacred tradition, old symbols, old songs and prayers, icons and the rite of worship. And indeed, what could be more precious than this for a religious soul? Know, beloved, that today I signed a charter and assigned rich funds to the world museum of Christian archeology, in our glorious imperial city of Constantinople, for the purpose of collecting, studying and preserving all kinds of monuments of church antiquity, mainly Eastern, and I ask you to choose tomorrow from among my a commission to discuss with me the measures that should be taken with a view to the possible approximation of modern life, customs and customs to the traditions and institutions of the holy Orthodox Church! Orthodox brothers! Whoever likes this my will, who can call me his true leader and master by heartfelt feeling, let him come here. And most of the hierarchs of the East and North, half of the former Old Believers and more than half of the Orthodox priests, monks and laity, with joyful cries went up to the stage, looking askance at the proudly seated Catholics.
The vast majority of the cathedral, including almost the entire hierarchy of East and West, was on the stage. Below, there were only three crowds of people that had come together, huddling around Elder John, Pope Peter, and Professor Pauli.
The emperor turned to them in a sad tone: “What else can I do for you? Weird people! What do you want from me? I don't know. Tell me yourself, you Christians, abandoned by the majority of your brothers and leaders, condemned by popular feeling: what is most dear to you in Christianity? Here, like a white candle, Elder John rose and meekly answered: “Great Sovereign! In Christianity, Christ Himself, He Himself, is dearest of all, and everything comes from Him, for we know that all the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwells in Him. But even from you, sir, we are ready to accept every blessing, if only in your generous hand we recognize the holy hand of Christ. And to your question: what can you do for us, - here is our direct answer: confess here now before us Jesus Christ the Son of God, who came in the flesh, rose again and is to come - confess Him, and we will lovingly accept you as His true forerunner second glorious coming. He paused and stared into the emperor's face. There was something wrong with that. The same hellish storm arose inside him, like the one he experienced that fateful night. He completely lost his inner balance, and all his thoughts were concentrated on not losing his outer self-control and betraying himself prematurely. He made inhuman efforts not to throw himself with a wild cry at the speaker and start gnawing at him with his teeth. Suddenly he heard a familiar unearthly voice: "Be quiet and don't be afraid of anything." He was silent. Only the dead and darkened face of the emperor was all distorted, and sparks flew out of his eyes. … Through the open windows of the temple it was clear that a huge black cloud had found it, and soon everything went dark. Elder John did not take his astonished and frightened eyes off the face of the silent emperor, and suddenly he recoiled in horror and, turning back, shouted in a strangled voice: “Kids, Antichrist!” At this time, along with a deafening clap of thunder, a huge round lightning flashed in the temple and covered the elder. Everything froze for a moment, and when the stunned Christians came to their senses, Elder John lay dead.”
The days are evil
Today we see active preparations for the advent of the Antichrist into the world, which is preceded not only by various multidimensional parapsychological phenomena through which “the elect will be deceived, if possible” (UFO, poltergeist, teleportation, telekinesis, etc.), where all this nonsense varies from one purpose is to steal our precious time, which belongs to God. These phenomena, which intrigue and fascinate the researcher, are chronophages, for it is said that "the days are evil" (Eph. 5:16). Oversaturation with information has already reached a critical level, beyond which the management of the well-being, mood, worldview of a person in particular and society as a whole becomes a reality, especially considering the technical means that allow information impact on a level unconscious by the person himself.
Recently, many scientists have noted an increase in the number of people with psychic abilities. In this regard, there is a danger of manifestation of the so-called "phenomenon of an open personality", the essence of which is as follows. It turns out that a significant part of humanity is not psychologically protected from the influence of individuals and groups with developed extrasensory abilities or corresponding technogenic capabilities. This poses a threat to the formation of a society consisting of a submissive, weak-willed crowd controlled by "supermen".
During his reign, A. Hitler, who was a great adherent of the occult, in order to manipulate the enemy's subconscious, created a special unit of people of the "Himalayan race", trying to use their extrasensory abilities during military operations.
In our time, almost everyone is not protected from the influence of someone else's will. Moreover, psychics and sorcerers do everything to increase the hypnotizability (suggestibility) of people and deprive them of their will, consciousness, character and worldview - in a word, their "I". And it is already yielding results. People quickly believed in magic, aliens, transmigration of souls, divination and predictions, they trust charlatans and swindlers, they are treated for non-existent diseases and invest their last money in dubious banks, stocks, enterprises, although common sense could keep trust from this bacchanalia to those who does not deserve.
The path to the "superman" has been beaten.
Only a person who is protected by God's grace, lives by the Christian faith, takes part in the Church Sacraments and wholly trusts in His mercy can resist all this.
Priest Peter ANDRIEVSKY
Be careful man.
Do you know the signs of the Antichrist:
not alone remember them,
but give generously to everyone.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
Recently, many Orthodox Christians have been in great bewilderment associated with the introduction of taxpayer identification numbers (TIN) in the world. Is the TIN not the same seal of the Antichrist that the Apocalypse warns us about? It's no secret to anyone now that in both barcode systems - UPS (USA and Canada) and EAN (Europe) - the lines separating two groups of numbers are read by the computer as sixes. It turns out that the apocalyptic number 666 is implicitly present in all barcodes. Implicitly - because three elongated lines are read as sixes not by a person, but by a computer. Moreover, these implicit sixes are separated by groups of some explicit numbers. The number 666, therefore, in barcode notation has a rather abstract character. It may be remarked that the apostle writes: "Here is wisdom. Whoever has a mind, count the number of the beast: for this is the number of a man. Its number is six hundred and sixty-six"(Rev. 13, 18). But the apostle here does not mean at all three elongated lines read by a computer as sixes, but the name of the antichrist which every reasonable person can calculate. It is known that each letter of the Hebrew alphabet corresponds to a certain numerical value. The sum of the numerical values of the letters of the name of the Antichrist will be the number 666. In other words, the apostle says: when the Antichrist appears, then, along with his other signs, there will be the name of the Antichrist, the sum of the letters of which will be the number 666. If three elongated lines of a barcode designation for some crazy enough present as the apocalyptic number 666, that is, as the number of the name of the Antichrist, then let them enough mind tell us the name of the Antichrist, so that we can be sure that they have the same mind of which the apostle speaks.
But what is surprising: the seal of the Antichrist seems to be already spreading through bar codes, and no one has heard or seen the Antichrist himself, no one knows his name, while, according to the 13th chapter of the Apocalypse, the Antichrist must first appear in the world, who only then will put his seal, his name, the sum of the letters of which will be the number 666. And this, according to the apostolic words, is one of the signs of the Antichrist. I emphasize: one of the signs. Along with this sign, the Holy Scriptures and the Fathers of the Church give us others. The Antichrist will be a Jew from the tribe of Dan; he will choose for himself false apostles, whom he will send to all the ends of the earth; he will come to the Jews, for whom he will build a temple in Jerusalem; will have an exceptionally pious appearance, although inside it will remain a wolf; will perform many false miracles and signs. The fact that the Antichrist has already come will be announced to the peoples of the earth by miraculously returned from heaven to earth the prophets Enoch and Elijah.
The Apocalypse tells us the exact duration of the Antichrist's reign over the world: "forty-two months"(Apocalypse 13:5). TIN, in many states, has already been distributed much longer than the indicated period. Obviously, the TIN is not the seal of the Antichrist. But perhaps this issue is the threshold of the seal of the Antichrist, is it the means by which the Antichrist, hidden from the world, acquires slaves for himself?
No. The Holy Scriptures and the Fathers of the Church convince us that the Antichrist will reign over the world not with the help of the computerization of mankind, but with the help of false piety and similar miracles. antichrist "advent" the apostle says - according to the working of Satan, it will be with all power and signs and lying wonders "(2 Thess. 2:9). The Antichrist is not just a man, but a man who will be inhabited by the prince of darkness himself. Therefore, for his accession in the world, the prince of darkness does not need any secret preparation. Satan always ready come into the world to deceive mankind. And if God had allowed him, then a thousand and five hundred years ago Satan, using man as his tool, would have deceived the world with the help of false signs and wonders. The devil needs only God's permission, for God is the Provider of the world. Not the Bilderberg Club or the Trilateral Commission, not the European Union, not the prince of darkness himself determines the fate of the world, but the Providence of God. And this faith in the Providence of God is sometimes lost by readers of anti-Masonic writings, who begin to believe in the omnipotence of the secret Masonic super-government. But the plans of the Masons are human assumptions, and even the help of the father of the Masons, the devil, does not give these plans any solidity. And therefore, Orthodox Christians should still learn the final fate of the world not from the "Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion" and other documents compiled by Masons, but from Holy Scripture and from the works of the Fathers of the Church, which did not leave us in the dark about the origin of the Antichrist, the causes and circumstances of his accession.
Origin of Antichrist
The Fathers of the Church, explaining the passages of Holy Scripture relating to the last times, unanimously teach us that the Antichrist will be a man in whom the prince of darkness himself will dwell. For "God," says St. John of Damascus, "knowing in advance the impudence of the future volition him, allows the devil to dwell in him ". St. Irenaeus of Lyons writes that the prophet Jeremiah revealed to us not only the sudden coming of the Antichrist, but also the tribe of Israel from which he will come: “From Dan we will hear the neighing of his swift horses, and from the sound of the neighing of his galloping horses the whole earth will shake, and he will come and devour the earth with what fills it, and the city with its inhabitants”(Jer. 8, 16). And therefore, this tribe is not considered in Revelation among those saved (Rev. 7, 5-7) ". About the origin of the Antichrist from the tribe of Dan, St. Hippolytus of Rome also teaches us: "Scripture proclaimed Christ lion and lion skim; the same is said of the Antichrist. Indeed, Moses says this: Dan is the skimen of lions, and comes from Bashan(Deut. 33, 22). But lest anyone should err in recognizing these words as spoken in the appendix to Christ, let him pay attention to the following. Dan, - says (Scripture), - skimen lions: having named the tribe descending from Dan, it actually made an indication of (the tribe) from which the Antichrist is to be born. Thus, just as Christ was born from the tribe of Judah, so the Antichrist is to come from the tribe of Dan. And that this is indeed the case, this is partly indicated by James: "let the serpent be given, on the way, gray-haired, biting the heel of the horse"(Genesis 49:17). So, what kind of serpent is this, if not a seducer from time immemorial who is spoken of in the Book of Genesis and who deceived Eve and stumbled Adam?"
Why would God allow the coming of the Antichrist?
In the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, the apostle Paul pointed out, in the words of St. Irenaeus of Lyon, "the cause of the coming of Antichrist". The Antichrist will come to the people "because they did not receive the love of the truth for their salvation. And for this God will send them a force of error, so that they will believe a lie. May all those who did not believe the truth, but love unrighteousness, be condemned"(2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). Explaining these apostolic words, the ecumenical teacher St. John Chrysostom asks the question: “Why, you say, God will allow all this to happen? And what is His intention? What is the use of the coming of the Antichrist, if it will be to our destruction? which the apostle says: (Antichrist) will prevail only over those who are perishing, who, though he had not come, would not have believed. "They would not believe in Christ, even though the Antichrist did not come; but he will come for the purpose of convicting them. So that they would not then say: because Christ called Himself God, although He Himself nowhere said this clearly but only those who were after Him preached, then for this reason we did not believe in Him, because we heard that God is one, from Whom everything is, and as a result we did not believe — this is their pretext (to justify ) will take away the Antichrist from them.When he comes and despite the fact that he commands nothing righteous, but only one iniquity, they will believe in him, solely for the sake of his false miracles, then their mouths will stop."
This is the reason why the Antichrist will act on earth before the Last Judgment. God will allow the coming of the Antichrist, in order thereby to take away every pretext for justification at the Judgment, firstly, from the Jews, and secondly, from all those who do not believe in Christ at all. For for the sake of the Antichrist they will leave their faith in Buddha, and in Mohammed, and in Confucius, and even in themselves. For the sake of Christ, the true God, now they do not want to leave this faith of theirs, having in their soul various pretexts for justifying themselves, but for the sake of Antichrist, his false piety and miracles, they will leave .... Thus, the Antichrist among the Jews, and among all who do not believe in Christ in general will be taken away by every pretext for justification, will make them unanswerable at the Judgment. And this reason for the coming of the Antichrist makes groundless the fears of some Orthodox Christians regarding the TIN. All who have received the seal of the Antichrist, according to the word of the Apostle, before that believe in the Antichrist as God, for his false signs and wonders. This is precisely what will take away from them every pretext for justification and will make them unanswerable at the Last Judgment.
External circumstances of the accession of the Antichrist
Addressing the Thessalonica Christians, among whom rumors spread about the alleged imminent day of the second coming of Christ, the apostle Paul writes: “Let no one deceive you in any way: for that day will not come until the apostasy comes first and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above everything that is called God or holiness, so that he sits in the temple of God as God, presenting himself as God... ...And now you know what prevents him from being revealed in due time.For the mystery of iniquity is already at work, only it will not be completed until the one who now restrains is taken from the midst. "(2 Thess. 2:3-4, 6-7).
Who is this restraining? What the mystery of iniquity, which already in action? And why is the apostle forced to express himself so veiledly?
According to the interpretation of St. John Chrysostom, restraining is the Roman state. And since here we are talking about the Roman state, then “it is clear,” says St. John Chrysostom, “why he only hints at this and speaks covertly for the time being. He did not want to incur excessive enmity and useless danger. Indeed, if If he had said that the Roman state would collapse in a short time, then immediately he, as a rebel, would be wiped off the face of the earth and (together with him) all believers, as living and striving for this. The apostle had a pretext for expressing himself veiledly, also because under the secret of iniquity he meant Nero, who was a type of the Antichrist. The apostle "did not want to directly point to him (Nero)," says the ecumenical teacher, "not out of fear, but to teach us that we should not incur excessive enmity when nothing compels us to do so."
Thus, St. John Chrysostom teaches us that under restraining the apostle understands the Roman state, the power of which prevents the reign of the Antichrist over the world. “... When the existence of the Roman state ceases,” says the universal teacher, “then he (the Antichrist) will come. it will be destroyed, anarchy will be established, and he will strive to steal all - both human and divine - power ... ... And Daniel conveys all this to us with greater clarity.
The vision of the prophet Daniel about the fourth beast was explained by the Angel of God as follows: "... the fourth beast - the fourth kingdom will be on earth, different from all kingdoms, which will devour the whole earth, trample and crush it. And ten horns mean that ten kings will rise from this kingdom, and after them another will rise, different from the former, and will put down the three kings, and will utter words against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High; even he will dream of abolishing the holidays and the law from them, and they will be delivered into his hand until a time and times and half a time "(Dan. 7:23-25).
The fourth beast that will rule on earth until the very reign of the Antichrist is the Roman Empire, with ten kings (many states) that have risen from it. The horn (Antichrist) that appeared between the ten horns of the fourth beast will first uproot three of the ten horns that are obviously closest to him. And since the Antichrist will be the king of the Jews, the states closest to Israel will be destroyed and subjugated. St. Hippolytus of Rome writes that the Antichrist "will destroy and devastate the city of Tire, conquer and destroy the land of Egypt, destroy the entire country of Libya to the ground, and destroy the king of Ethiopia with all his army with the sword. Rising above all the kings and over by every god, he will build the city of Jerusalem and rebuild the destroyed temple, he will return the whole country and its borders to the Jews. Then, having freed them from slavery to the peoples, he will declare himself their king, and then the unbelievers will bow their knees before him and worship him as God.
So, according to the teaching of the Fathers of the Church, the external circumstances for the reign of the Antichrist over the world should be anarchy and anarchy in the states that had risen from the Roman Empire. Using anarchy and vacillation in the Roman states, the Antichrist will annex to Israel all nearby territories, including Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia, restore the Temple of Jerusalem and, thus, fulfill the conditions that the Jews now impose on their mashiach, the false Christ.
Antichrist will come to the Jews and sit as God in the Jewish temple
Rebuking the cruelty of the Jews, the Lord said to them: "I have come in the name of my Father, and you do not receive me; but if another comes in his name, you will receive him"(John 5:43). Here, by another, the Lord means the Antichrist, whom the Jews must accept. And He did not say that the Antichrist would come, but if it comes"sparing the hearers, because their wickedness was not yet fully revealed." “That is why,” St. John Chrysostom writes further, “He was silent about the reason for the coming of the Antichrist; and Paul accurately indicated this reason for people who were able to understand, and thus deprived the Jews of any excuse.” The Antichrist will certainly come to Israel and be received with delight by them. And all this will be allowed by God in order to thereby take away from the Jews every pretext for justification at the Last Judgment of Christ.
Antichrist will come not to Christians, but to Jews, and "He will sit in the temple of God as God, presenting himself as God"(2 Thess. 2:4), not in the Christian, but in the Jewish. In the aforementioned words of the Epistle to the Thessalonians, the apostle “understands the devastated Jewish temple. May it not be so,” writes St. Cyril of Jerusalem, “to understand this temple in which we are! But why do we say this? Let them not think that we speak out of flattery If Antichrist comes to the Jews like Christ, and desires worship from the Jews, then, in order to further deceive them, he will show great zeal for the temple, suggesting about himself the idea that he is from the lineage of David and that a temple should be created for him, created by Solomon. He will come when in the Jewish temple there will be no stone left on stone, according to the Savior's definition (Matt. 24, 2) ".
Conversion to Christ of the Jews by the prophets Enoch and Elijah
The Jewish acceptance of the Antichrist as the true Messiah is an undeniable truth. The same undoubted truth is the disappointment of the Jews in the Antichrist and their conversion to the true Messiah - our Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul reminds us of this: "... I do not want to leave you, brethren, in ignorance of this mystery, so that you do not dream about yourself that hardening has occurred in Israel in part, until the time when the full number of the Gentiles will enter"(Rom. 11:25). The conversion of the Jews to Christ will be facilitated by the prophets Elijah and Enoch, sent by God from heaven to earth, who were previously taken to heaven alive. Interpreting the words of the prophet Malachi: "...behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, so that when I come, I will not strike the earth with a curse"(Mal. 4, 5-6), St. John Chrysostom writes that "the aforesaid words of the prophet show that the Thesbite will come before that coming, when there will be judgment. He also shows the reason for his coming. What is this reason? Christ is coming, not all of them are completely lost, and therefore Christ, bringing this to their memory, said: and arrange all, that is, correct the unbelief of the Jews of that time. That is why the prophet very accurately said; He did not say: will suit the heart son to father, but father to son. Since the fathers of the apostles were Jews, it is said: He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the teaching of the sons, that is, the apostles, that is, the disposition of the people of the Jews.
St. Hippolytus, turning our gaze to the last week of the world before the coming of Christ (Dan. 9, 27), notes that "here (that is, at the prophet's. — P.A.) a week is indicated, divided into two (halves) because for three and a half years these two witnesses will preach, and in the rest of the week the antichrist will be at enmity with the saints and devastate the whole world ". Obviously, "enmity with the saints and devastate the whole world" Antichrist will become after his final reign over the world. The time of his reign is precisely determined by the Holy Scriptures: "forty-two months"(Rev. 13:5). Just such a period: forty-two months, or (Rev. 12:6) "woman clothed with the sun"(Apoc. 12, 1), which, according to the interpretation of St. Methodius of Patara, shared by other Fathers of the Church, is the Church of Christ, will be forced to flee from the malice of Antichrist into the wilderness.
the first half of the week, or "one thousand two hundred and sixty days"(Apoc. 11, 3), the prophets Enoch and Elijah will prophesy, denouncing the Antichrist. Obviously, as soon as God allows the devil to inhabit the last enemy of Christ, the Antichrist, the prophets will descend from heaven. The presence of Enoch and Elijah on earth at this time will be extremely necessary for mankind. Antichrist in the first half of the week will not be as evil as we imagine him to be. On the contrary, as Rev. Ephraim the Syrian, the Antichrist, "to deceive everyone, a humble, meek, hater, as he says about himself, lies, averse to idols, preferring piety, kind, poor-loving, highly fine-looking, constant, affectionate to all; respecting especially the Jewish people, because the Jews will expect his coming, and with all this, with great power, he will perform signs, wonders, and fears, and he will take cunning measures to please everyone, so that the people will soon fall in love with him. but with a noble appearance he will deceive the world until he reigns in. Therefore, when many estates and peoples see such virtues and powers, all will suddenly have one thought and with great joy proclaim him king, saying to each other: "Is there still a man so good and truthful?"
Antichrist, at the first time of his coming into the world, will seem to people deceived by him as a most pious person, adorned with all the virtues. This will perform various miracles. As St. Hippolytus, the Antichrist "will cleanse leprosy, restore the paralyzed, cast out demons, announce the distant future, as if the present, raise the dead... into darkness and night into day, to move the sun wherever he wants; in general, by the power of his obsession, he will show before the eyes of the audience that all the elements of the earth and sea are obedient to him.
To understand why people will still believe the Antichrist and not believe the prophets who denounce him, it should be borne in mind that the Antichrist at that time will be outwardly kind and philanthropic, while the Holy Scripture testifies about Enoch and Elijah that during their sermon , that is, for three and a half years, "they have the power to close the sky so that it does not rain on the earth ... in the days of their prophecy, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every sore whenever they want .... And if anyone wants to offend them then fire will go out of their mouth and devour their enemies; if anyone wants to offend them, he must be killed"(Rev. 11, 6, 5). That is why, when God allows the Antichrist to kill the prophets, "Those who dwell on the earth will rejoice and be glad, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth"(Rev. 11, 10).
The murder of Enoch and Elijah by the Antichrist will contribute to the final reign of the Antichrist over the world, he will throw off the mask of piety and show everyone his bestial essence, and "this serpent will vomit his bitterness, crush the universe, move its ends, oppress everyone and begin to defile souls, not reverence already showing in himself, but in any case acting like a stern, cruel, angry, irritable, impetuous, disorderly, terrible, disgusting, hateful, vile, fierce, destructive, shameless person, who tries to plunge the whole human race into the abyss of wickedness. Antichrist will be especially rampant at this time against the Church of Christ. And his hatred will intensify due to the fact that the Jews dear to him, under the influence of the preaching of Enoch and Elijah, will believe in the true Christ and join the Orthodox Church. And the Church of Christ woman clothed with the sun) will be forced to flee "into the wilderness, where a place was prepared for her by God, that they might feed her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days"(Apoc.12, 1, 6). “This is the essence,” writes St. Hippolytus, “those same thousand two hundred and sixty days — half a week — during which the tyrant will have power and persecute the church, fleeing from city to city, having with him nothing but two wings a huge eagle, that is, faith in Jesus Christ, Who, spreading his holy hands on a tree, unfolded two wings - right and left, thus calling all who believe in Him and covering them like a hen - her chicks ".
On the Seal of the Antichrist
St. Hippolytus of Rome writes that the Antichrist in everything will be "likened to the Son of God. The lion is Christ, the lion and the Antichrist; the King is Christ, the king - although earthly - and the Antichrist. The Savior appeared like a lamb; in the same way, he will appear as the lamb, though inwardly it will remain a wolf. The Savior came into the world circumcised, and in like manner will he also appear. The Lord sent apostles to all nations, in like manner he will send his false apostles. The Savior gathered His scattered sheep, in like manner He will gather that scattered people of the Jews: the Lord hath given a seal to them that believe in him, and he shall likewise give it."
It is obvious that, imitating Christ, the false Christ will also create his own false church, in which his false apostles and false priesthood will seal in the name of the Antichrist all those who believe in the Antichrist, as in the true God, communicating, as it were, God's grace, but in fact instilling in the sealed demon. It is known that even the new Pentecostal movements instill demons in their adherents, who become the spiritual leaders of the unfortunate. The same demonic infestation will obviously take place during the anointing in the name of the Antichrist.
The possessed demons will communicate supernatural gifts to those who are sealed, all the fans of the Antichrist will discover unusual abilities in themselves, everyone will become a little miracle workers. There will come a time of universal euphoria and joy, exactly the same "golden age" that occultists of all stripes have been trumpeting about - the time of universal extrasensory perception. If now our Lord Jesus Christ limits the activity of evil spirits and providentially few of the people reveal themselves to be psychics, then during the time of the Antichrist, all those who voluntarily bowed to the Antichrist and accepted his seal will become possessed by evil spirits.
The Evangelist John the Theologian indirectly convinces us that the seal of the Antichrist is the sacrament of the antichrist false church. "And I looked he says, And behold, a Lamb stood on Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having the name of His Father written on their foreheads."(Rev. 14:1). All those redeemed by Christ in the sacraments of the Church have the name of Christ imprinted on their foreheads. All those who believe in the name of the Antichrist will have the name of the Antichrist imprinted on their foreheads. What is the name? The Holy Fathers do not give us his exact name. St. Hippolytus writes: “Regarding his name, it is impossible for us to say anything definite; we can only assume how exactly in this case blessed John thought and was taught. After all, only when he (Antichrist) himself appears, time will reveal what is being sought.”
So, we can say with confidence that the name of the Antichrist will be a human name, the sum of the letters of which will give "the number of a man...: his number is six hundred and sixty-six"(Rev. 13, 18). This is what we know. When the Antichrist himself appears, we will also know his name, the sum of the letters of whose name will be the number 666.
Is it time to run away from the Antichrist?
Unfortunately, in the recent "strichophobia" and hysteria around the TIN, some of the Orthodox Christians did not notice the net laid before them. The reason for this is the conscious, and sometimes even unconscious neglect of the patristic teaching. What this leads to, we know from the history of the Old Believer schism. If some part of the then Orthodox Christians had more confidence in the patristic teaching, then they would not have invented their false teaching about the spiritual Antichrist, supposedly reigning in the world since 1666, they would not have fallen into schism, thereby destroying their immortal souls. The fact that it was the doctrine of the Antichrist reigning in the world that fascinated and kept the Old Believers in schism is evidenced by our well-known missionary, Archimandrite Paul of Prussia. “It often happened to me myself to hear and be a witness,” writes Father Pavel, “how the non-priest mentors, through the interpretation of the coming of the Antichrist, attracted inexperienced, little-informed people into the sect.”
The number 666 is present in barcodes in a rather abstract way. In real life, this number is often found in explicit form. How many were and are parties, public and other organizations, whose members had and still have membership cards and certificates. A membership card or a certificate with the ordinal number 666 fell out and falls out for someone. In large cities there are schools, and in large houses there are apartments with the ordinal number 666. Even in the Holy Bible there is a page with such an ordinal number. If the number 666 were harmful in general, then in the published books of Holy Scripture, page 667 would follow after page 665. And this would be natural and understandable to everyone.
Have all the holders of such membership cards, all the residents of such apartments, students of schools with such a serial number, sold their souls to the devil? Is it really more pleasing to live in an apartment or go to school, for example, with the serial number 7 (the number that symbolizes the seven sacraments of the Church, the seven Ecumenical Councils) than with the serial number 666? The Pythagorean, who appeared in the history of the Church under various forms, and at the beginning of the century appeared under the guise of a name-worshipper, will say that, of course, it is not by chance that a person goes to school or lives in an apartment with such a diabolical mark. But an Orthodox Christian who is not committed to a vain faith, for he believes in the Living God, knows that in the same way you can save your soul or destroy it by living in an apartment with any serial number.
The number 666 is simply the number preceded by the number 665 and followed by the number 667. And nothing more. It is no worse, no better than any other number. The number 666 is not Satan at all, just as the number 3 is not the Holy Trinity. We do not worship the number 3 and are not at all afraid of the number 666. We are not Pythagoreans, but Orthodox Christians. Not every name Jesus is a sacred and divine name, for in history, besides the God-man, there were other bearers of this name. But related to our Lord, the name Jesus is a holy and divine name. Likewise, the number 666 is not a harmful number. But the number by which the worshipers of the Antichrist will be sealed will undoubtedly be a pernicious number, plunging into hellfire all those who believe in the Antichrist as God for the sake of his false miracles. And the purpose of the Seer was not at all to instill in us a mystical horror before the number 666 as simply before the number. When the Antichrist appears, then, without a doubt, the sum of the letters of his name will be calculated by this number. This is one of the signs of the Antichrist. In order for us to have no doubt that the builder of the Jerusalem temple, who was most pious in appearance and a great miracle worker, is the last enemy of Christ, Christ, through St. John the Theologian, revealed to us this sign of the instrument of Satan.
As for the ever-increasing process of computerization of many aspects of the life of a modern person, which, according to some, violates our rights and restricts the freedom of the individual, which is observed at the present time, it should be noted that our individual freedom is limited and rights have been violated for a long time, since the fall our forefather. Since that time, evil spirits have access to our souls, waging a continuous mental battle with us. And the information about us, which is owned by the prince of darkness, the one who will inhabit the Antichrist, is very complete. Very often we forget our evil deeds, but Satan does not forget them. No matter how successfully the computer industry develops, it will never achieve the collection of information about us that evil spirits already have today. However, neither the mental scolding of evil spirits, nor their complete awareness of the saints of God who lived on earth, did not prevent these saints, with God's help, from fulfilling their life worthily and settling in heavenly abodes. All this will not interfere with us if we believe in Christ and are guided in this life by the patristic writings, and not by illiterate and very dubious publications.
Of course, one can understand the concern that some Orthodox Christians showed when barcodes first appeared and began to spread. The doubts about barcodes that the Athonite elder Paisios expressed to his students in 1984 are understandable. However, two decades have passed since the introduction of plastic cards with barcode numbers in the world, and one must understand the concern of those who believe the Word of God and the patristic creations, convincing us that the persecution of the Church of God by the Antichrist will be within a thousand and two hundred sixty days (Rev. 12:6). And even if we take into account that seven years will pass from the time of the sudden appearance of the Antichrist to his final overthrow by Christ, then in this case the time of existence of the imaginary seal of the Antichrist (barcodes) exceeds all conceivable periods. Supporters of the opinion that plastic cards are the seal of the Antichrist, instead of calling those who doubt it the forerunners and friends of the Antichrist, should explain to the doubters: why, with such a long period of allegedly spreading the Antichrist seal in the world, there is not a single sign of the Antichrist coming into the world? If people are already accepting the seal of Antichrist, then where are those who turn people away from accepting the seal of Enoch and Elijah?
They object: although the TIN is not yet applied to the forehead and to the right hand, nevertheless it is impossible to accept the TIN (or barcodes): they are the forerunner of the Antichrist seal, the grace of the Holy Spirit departs from those who have accepted the TIN; when the antichrist comes, those who accepted the TIN will worship the antichrist himself.
But if the grace of the Holy Spirit departed from those who received the TIN and they would bow to the Antichrist in the future, then at the present time (it would be better to say, already 20 years ago) we would see preaching and forbidding accepting bar codes not of some pious fathers and brothers, but descended from the sky of the prophets Enoch and Elijah. It is the preaching of the prophets who came down from heaven that will do, according to the word of St. Ephraim the Syrian, unanswered at the Judgment of all those who believed in the Antichrist.
The opinion that barcodes are the forerunner of the seal of Antichrist, that the seal of Antichrist will take the form of a barcode designation, is also a very dangerous opinion. It is no coincidence that the Fathers of the Church, who were people of much higher spiritual gifts than some modern pious fathers and brethren, nevertheless attributed the question of the type and nature of the seal of the Antichrist to the time of the action of the Antichrist himself on earth. Rigidly tying the type of antichrist's seal to a barcode designation can be fatal for many Orthodox Christians if the antichrist's seal is not similar to a barcode designation. The Orthodox faith is not only a faith for the intellectuals (specialists in modern computer technology), it is also the faith of the common people. Yes, and the Apostle says that the number of the beast will be the number human , and by no means computer. But it turns out that Orthodox grandmothers in remote Russian villages or monks who have renounced the world should leave their prayer work and hastily sit down at textbooks on computer programming, reading special literature on barcoding to make sure the presence or absence of sixes in barcodes. And how can you not sit down for such reading, if some publications do not get tired of frightening people with the imminent general computerization of mankind! What kind of general computerization can we talk about when in many regions of Russia people are sitting for months without electricity at all?
Orthodox Christians should not bow to the speeches of some preachers and publicists who paint before them pictures of the Apocalypse allegedly coming true before our eyes: "And he will make sure that everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, will have a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead; and that no one will be able to buy or sell, except he who has is the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name"(Rev. 13:16-17).
It is precisely this, they say, that the matter is leaning towards: TIN, then - plastic cards, then - the abolition of cash and the widespread transition to electronic money. Then, they say, when people start losing their cards, then, at their request, they will be implanted with chips with their numbers on their right hand and forehead...
Really, Orthodox Christians, struck in their imagination by such pictures, have never heard of computer viruses, hackers? Have you forgotten how anxiously the world recently looked forward to the year 2000, fearing the failure of computer systems and the possible catastrophes associated with it?
Let us also imagine that the world has switched to electronic money, and this failure (either through some kind of virus, or the work of hackers) occurred with the loss of all data on the financial income of both the rich and the poor in the central and other computers. The cause of this failure can be not only viruses and hackers, who, along with computerization, also improve their art, but also natural disasters and natural disasters. What nightmare awaits humanity then?
The computer, no matter how much it is improved, will never turn into an incorporeal spirit, which would not be threatened by external physical factors, but will always remain a piece of iron, according to the wise remark of our elder Fr. John (Krestyankina). This piece of iron, which "was made the scarecrow of our time," rightly writes the elder revered by many, can be useful and harmful to people using it, but it should not be turned into an apocalyptic "beast". Moreover, this "piece of iron" - the "Zver" supercomputer from Strasbourg, which has been used to scare Orthodox Christians for a decade and a half - should have rusted over the years and technically become obsolete long ago. But to the real turmoil, he suddenly turned out to be the most modern computer again, capable of putting all the inhabitants of the world and Russia, in particular, under total control.
The identification of bar codes with the seal of the Antichrist is associated with the name of the Athonite elder Paisios (Eznepidis). This very identification of Fr. Paisius did it because of the three computer sixes available in barcodes. But, identifying barcodes with printing, Fr. Paisius entered into a clear contradiction with the Orthodox teaching, according to which only those who believe in Antichrist as God will be sealed with the seal of the Antichrist, solely for the sake of his false miracles. But if the seal is already spreading, then the Antichrist is already in the world? Precisely such a natural question was asked by Fr. Paisia during the interview. Hearing the elder’s vague reasoning about the Freemasons and the mechanisms by which they want to establish a dictatorship over humanity, the interlocutor asked him a direct question: “In other words, Father, in general, all mechanisms are evidence of the coming of the Antichrist?” The question, as they say, in the forehead. If the seal of the Antichrist is spreading, then the Antichrist must already be in the world. But if he is in the world, then who is he? It is clear that o. Paisius cannot point out to his interlocutor someone as the Antichrist, therefore he answers: "No." After such an answer, the elder should have asked him a question: “If the Antichrist has not yet come, then why are you, father, spreading rumors about people accepting the seal of the Antichrist? annually to the treasury of King Solomon, why do you embarrass the simple, saying that by accepting the seal, a person renounces God"? Unfortunately, quite a few simpletons took the false opinion of Fr. Paisia. One of them is Hieroschemamonk Raphael (Berestov). To further intimidate his readers, Fr. Raphael in his "Appeal" quotes the saying of Fr. Paisia: "If someone accepts a new passport with a barcode or cards with secret three sixes, with an identification number, he will lose the Grace of God and demonic energy will inhabit him." Father Raphael should have known that there is no demonic energy in nature. The opinion that Satan has some kind of evil energy, the opposite of the energy (grace) of God, is the false teaching of the Manichaeans and modern occultists. At o. Raphael, there are other occult statements; This is also evidenced by a phrase from his other message. According to him, the TIN is "a mystical coding of us - the sheep of Christ" ("Russian Bulletin", 2001, No. 7).
As for the new world order that is being built, where do some draw their confidence that this order will be built after all? The Word of God and the Fathers of the Church say that the Antichrist will suddenly appear and reign over the world, using anarchy in the states that have risen from the Roman Empire, and will not at all be a consequence, the final stage of the gradual construction of some kind of world order. Have we forgotten how the construction of one such world order, the communist one, collapsed ten years ago? But at the dawn of its construction, not only the communists themselves, but also many Christians were confident in the final triumph of the globalization project of the communists throughout the earth. In the coming to power in Russia of the Bolsheviks, many Christians saw the onset of the Antichrist time, fearing to stain themselves with the seal of the Antichrist, refused to join the collective farms, to take passports. The Orthodox Church, which prayed for the Soviet government, was called the servant of the Antichrist. Churches preferred the catacombs. But all these years, when the unreasonable catacombs fled from the Antichrist, the blessed Fire on the Holy Sepulcher, as before, received the Orthodox Patriarch, as before in the Church, the saints grew with the Holy Spirit. And where are the immortal souls of those who died in schism with the Catacomb Church now? Will the Lord remember the many hardships of voluntary exiles? Their prayers, fasts and vigils?.. "Do not delude yourself, my brethren! - commands the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-bearer. - Whoever follows the one who introduces a schism, he will not inherit the Kingdom of God."
Of course, one must agree that bar codes and TINs are an invention of forces hostile to Christ and His Church. But what was the purpose of these strategists, persistently introducing three computer sixes into barcodes? Obviously to create the illusion of the "seal of the Antichrist", pushing Orthodox Christians to abandon barcodes, to disorder and schism in the Church and to confrontation with the state. The purpose of these cunning enemies of the Church of Christ was to, First of all , mock the Orthodox, and Secondly, discredit the Orthodox in the eyes of the authorities and at the same time present the Orthodox to the so-called "civilized" world community as senseless people who in the future can easily be declared an obscurantist sect with all the ensuing consequences. Some crafty wise men are deliberately trying to push the Church against the state. But we must not forget that the ecumenical teacher of the Church, St. John Chrysostom strongly recommends that Orthodox Christians avoid unnecessary conflicts with the state.
Some Orthodox Christians are so convinced that plastic cards with barcode numbers have the seal of the Antichrist that giving up the TIN is equated with the greatest spiritual feat. "It's such an amazing time.- writes the author of the article "Is it possible to avoid a TIN" (Russian Bulletin, 2000, No. 43-45), - when people without other merits before Christ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven by simply refusing numbers. And, on the contrary, those who have accepted the "seal" with satanic symbols will lose their salvation, regardless of all past services to the Church." 2001, No. 7) someone who signed "Prot. Nick. A.", speaks of those who signed numerous appeals against the adoption of the TIN: "Now their names are written in the Book of the Life of the Lord." But the author himself, condemning in this article the spirit-bearing elder of our Church and confessor of the faith, Fr. his article in full, i.e. in his terminology, did not want to be included in The Book of the Life of the Lord.
The Fathers of the Church indeed place the feat of the last martyrs higher than the feat of the first Christian martyrs. But for what? “The martyrs who have been hitherto,” says St. Cyril of Jerusalem, “fought with the same people. Under the Antichrist, they will wage war personally with Satan himself.” For "Satan will use" the Antichrist as an instrument, "acting through him personally."
It is noteworthy that Russky Vestnik, in its consistent rejection of the TIN, comes to the conclusion that the Orthodox (perhaps according to the plan of Masonic strategists) should come to: "It's time to give up hopes of remaining faithful to Christ and at the same time surviving in large cities"(2000, no. 43-45). The sale of their apartments by the Orthodox in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other large cities and flight to places far from the center of Russia is seen by Russky Vestnik as the surest means of achieving the Kingdom of Heaven. Of course, the Lord will not allow this, but imagine that all Orthodox followed this advice: they left their houses, apartments, prayerful churches, monasteries - and fled to distant lands, having voluntarily chosen the Pale of Settlement or the Orthodox ghetto... What will happen to Orthodox Russia then? Do the authors of such articles feel at least some responsibility for the unpredictable actions and broken lives of many of their readers (dismissal from work, which dooms some families to a half-starved existence, leaving Moscow, etc.)? And will God please God with such a sacrifice of oneself, performed rather in fear for the sake of an imaginary Antichrist, and by no means for the sake of Christ?
As is now reliably known on the basis of examination, the TIN, when entered into a computer system, no longer contains the EAN-13 / UPC bar coding system, but uses a completely different one, without three sixes. This has recently been recognized by the zealots of the struggle "For the right to live without a TIN" (see "Russian Bulletin", 2001, No. 7), but at the same time they slyly stipulate that sixes "will be added automatically without our permission already in the computer during international registration in the global information system". Let's ask the authors: what if they don't add them? But the authors probably really, really want these sixes to be added, otherwise who and what will they fight against? At the same time, it should definitely be said that if they (sixes) are added "without our permission", then this cannot in any way be imputed to us as a sin.
It should also be said about one more grave temptation for possible Orthodox "fugitives into the forests." At the end of time, the Antichrist will certainly come to deceive all who live on earth. And the coming of Antichrist will be accompanied by precisely those signs that the apostles and Fathers of the Church point out to us. In particular, the sum of the letters of the Antichrist's name will be the number 666. The prince of darkness, who, by God's permission, will inhabit the Antichrist, knows better than any conceivable computer information about the smallest details of the life of all mankind, both antediluvian and post-Flood, which is why he will not need any computerization of mankind. The Antichrist will be like Christ in everything. And then can some Orthodox Christians see him as their savior? Can't they, running for a long time from the imaginary Antichrist, bow down to the real Antichrist? And, fleeing from the imaginary seal, to accept the true seal of Antichrist?
Unfounded fears of a new world order
Globalization, world government, new world order - these words are heard by many. But what do they mean? Does the power of the world government really extend to the whole world, and the new world order by barcoding is about to cover the peoples of the whole earth?
Under globalization refers to the formation of a single economic, informational, cultural and financial space. The process of integration taking place in Europe and the world is an economic process. If anyone naively believes that this process can soon end with a single political leadership for the whole world, then he is mistaken. Even among the countries that are members of the European Economic Community (EEC), there are irreconcilable contradictions. Moreover, these contradictions exist between the countries of the world. In addition to the countries of North America and Western Europe, Russia, China, India, the Arab and the Muslim world in general can influence the fate of the world. The Chinese army is the largest in the world. So the outcome of a possible conflict between the US and China remains unclear. Let's also not forget that the Chinese living in the US identify themselves first of all as Chinese, and only then as Americans. The countries of Western Europe already now reckon with the public opinion of the Muslims living in these states. Neither China, nor India, nor the Arab countries currently fit into the American globalist world order that we are constantly afraid of. There will be no winners in this fight. And the world is threatened not by the new world order, but by disorder and anarchy who will reign on the ruins of states that now determine the fate of the world. So the fears of Orthodox Christians before the supposedly coming new world order are completely unfounded. And the editorial staff of Russkiy Vestnik (as well as other publications, by the way), which regularly brandishes the scarecrow of the imminent onset of a new world order on the pages of its newspaper and thereby causes Orthodox Christians to fear and tremble, should have listened to their own analytical conclusions: China's clash with the countries of the so-called world order is inevitable. The outcome of this future fight is unclear (2000, no. 51-52). In addition to China, which, according to S. Yu. Glazyev, generally puts forward claims to global leadership in the world and in the "new world order", there are other centers of influence on world politics. And how important it is for Orthodox Russia to be strong on the eve of possible "fights" between these centers of influence.
But will Orthodox Russia be strong when the legitimate desire of the state authorities to collect taxes, bumped into the understandable unwillingness of the new Russian (?) oligarchy to pay these taxes, is fanned by Orthodox patriotic newspapers into a fire on a universal scale? Will Russia be strong when the editorial offices of patriotic newspapers call on the Orthodox to protest, oppose the state, and even flee to the forests, like the schismatic Old Believers in the 17th century?
The editors of the Serbian Cross (chief editor K. Gordeev) inspire their readers that if protests do not help (and they will not help, since the powers that be should streamline the collection of tax revenues), then "another way is to leave the places that have fallen under the hand of the prince of this world, and plunged into darkness." And so that any of the Orthodox Christians does not doubt the need for protests and an escape from Moscow, the Analytical Center "Holy Russia" (aka the "Serbian Cross") inspires that the adoption of a TIN is "a sacramental action corresponding to initiation or initiation, in meaning directly opposite to Christian Baptism". This illiterate pseudo-theological nonsense should inspire Gordeev's readers with the idea that the assignment of a TIN is some kind of mystical sacrament of "baptism" in the name of the Antichrist. The Orthodox Church does not and cannot recognize such occult mysticism. The question immediately arises: who in this case acts as antichrist false priests-initiators? And by what rank of such an “initiated” person would the “theologian” K. Gordeev recommend us to accept back into the Church? And isn't the editor of Serbian Cross, Gordeev, going to sell his Moscow apartment and run away from Moscow to the forests? Unlikely. The man is not stupid. As well as the editor of the newspaper "Tomorrow" - the "eternal oppositionist" Prokhanov, who dreams of seeing an irreconcilable opposition in the Church and for this he regularly gathers "round tables" against the TIN on the pages of the newspaper.
And here we come, perhaps, to the main question: who is behind all this? Who is the inspirer and conductor of all this anti-INN hysteria, the purpose of which, without any doubt, is an attempt to provoke instability and schism in the Russian Orthodox Church? The history of the Old Believer schism convinces us that schisms in the Church do not happen by themselves, but occur according to a pre-planned scenario, most often from outside. Behind the Old Believer schism was the Vatican and its paid agent, the secret Catholic Paisios Ligarides, deprived of his episcopal rank and excommunicated from the Church.
The Russian Church is the consolidating force of the Russian people and the spiritual support of the Russian statehood. To knock out this pillar of the Russian state has always been the dream of the enemies of Russia. Experienced analysts from the CIA and from other special services, who closely follow the inner life of our Church, especially closely study the history of church schisms and essays on the eschatological theme, which outline the main signs of the coming of the Antichrist. It seems highly likely that these analysts have decided artificially program these signs in order to sow premature psychosis and panic among believers in Russia. And they succeeded brilliantly! Fighters against "INNization" - Messrs. Gordeev, "Yuri Yuryev" and other activists of the "Movement for the Right to Live Without TIN" do not even suspect that they are miserable puppets in the hands of analysts and political technologists from the CIA, that is, unwitting agents of the very globalists with whom they seem to be fighting.
* * *
Here are the instructive words of the modern elder Archimandrite John (Krestyankin) regarding the assignment of taxpayer identification numbers (TIN). "With regard to new documents passing through the computer, everything has already been said by the Holy and our Synod. Now these documents in that form and with such presentation do not pose a danger to us ... We will not write a petition for assigning numbers to us, and if they are carried out without our will, we will not resist. After all, we received passports at one time and were all in the state accounting system, and so now. Nothing has changed. Caesar's to Caesar, and God's to God."
Let us also remember the apostle's warning: "... let no one deceive you in any way"(2 Thess. 2:3).
Often the deceit that the apostle warns us about can come from the most well-meaning people. One primate of the Pontic Church, according to St. Hippolyta of Rome, "a God-fearing and humble man, but not diligently studying Scripture, but trusting more in his visions," said that in a year there would be a Last Judgment. With these words, he brought Orthodox Christians "into such fear and trembling that they left their farms and fields, and many of them destroyed their property." And, having recklessly lost their property, they “later,” says St. Hippolytus, “found themselves in the position of beggars.”
We must be extremely careful about the words about the alleged time of the Antichrist. These words are not based on Holy Scripture and the works of the Fathers of the Church, but on the vague assumptions of other zealots not in reason and irresponsible publicists who are of the same mind with them.
Notes
1. Rev. John of Damascus. Exact presentation of the Orthodox faith. SPb., 1894. p. 266.
2. St. Irenaeus of Lyons. Creations. M., 1996. S. 511.
3. Saint Hippolytus of Rome. Creations. Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra. 1997. Issue. 2. P. 16.
4. St. Irenaeus of Lyons. Decree. op. S. 500.
5. St. John Chrysostom. Creations. T. 11. St. Petersburg, 1905. S. 599.
6. Ibid. pp. 597-598.
9. St. Hippolytus of Rome. Creations. Issue. 1. S. 160.
10. St. John Chrysostom. Creations. SPb., 1902. T. 8. S. 273.
11. St. Cyril of Jerusalem. Creations. M., 1855. S. 259.
12. St. John Chrysostom. Creations. SPb., 1901. T. 7. S.585.
13. St. Hippolytus of Rome. Creations. Issue. 1. S. 161.
14. St. Ephrem the Syrian. Creations. Sergiev Posad, 1908. Part 2. S. 255.
15. St. Hippolytus of Rome. Creations. Issue. 2. S. 71, 73.
16. St. Ephrem the Syrian. Creations. Part 2. S. 255-256.
17. St. Hippolytus of Rome. Creations. Issue. 2. S. 42.
18. Ibid. pp. 13-14.
19. Ibid. pp. 35-36.
20. Collected works of the Nikolsky Edinoverie Monastery of the rector, Archimandrite Pavel. M., 1883. Part 1. S. 63.
21. Electronic sting of the antichrist. M., 2000. S. 58.
22. Russian Bulletin. 2000. number 15-16.
23. Early Christian Fathers of the Church. Brussels, 1978, p. 129.
24. St. Cyril of Jerusalem. Creations. M., 1855. S. 261, 258.
25. Serbian Cross. 2001. number 2
26. St. Hippolytus of Rome. Creations. Issue. 1. S. 128-129.
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W. M. Zoburn
The Coming of the Antichrist: Orthodox Teaching
About the end of the world
Foreword
“In all your affairs, remember your end, and you will never sin”
(Sirach 7:39).
According to the Holy Scriptures, the day will come when for the whole world there will be no more time(Rev. 10:5-6). And now, death, as if echoing this prophecy, tells thousands of our brothers every day that they have no time left, and to all of us about the approaching death (1 Pet. 4: 7).
Every hour of our life is a new step towards its end. Every day shortens life, as if to say that our time is up. Every year, relaxing the body, lower and lower our head to the grave. We know that we will die, but we don’t know when, therefore we need to look so that our hearts are not weighed down by worldly worries. and lest that day come upon us suddenly, for like a snare it will find on all who live according to the face of the earth(Luke 21:34).
Without preparing for the day of death, we will not be able to properly meet the last day of the world - the day of the Last Judgment, because after death there is no repentance. Quite often, repentance is postponed for an indefinite time, and very often what happened to proconsul Felix happens to careless people. When the Apostle Paul spoke to him about the truth, about abstinence and about the future Judgment, Felix, frightened, answered: now go, and when I find time, I will call you(Acts 24:25). But that time never came for him: he died.
Let us not miss the time for repentance. The better we prepare for the Last Judgment, the more honorably we will appear at it, and the more often we think about it, the calmer we will meet death.
In this book, we offer the reader information for reflection - the Orthodox teaching about the end of the world.
Chapter 1
About the signs of the end of the world. The Divinely Revealed and Patristic Doctrine of the Antichrist
The Holy Orthodox Church believes in the Lord Jesus Christ packs of the future with glory to judge the living and the dead(Symbol of faith). But the time of Christ's coming will remain a mystery not only for us (Matthew 25:13), but also for the Angels. Of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, but only My Father alone(Matt. 24:36) - this is what the Savior said to His disciples and ended with the words: Watch therefore, for you do not know at what hour your Lord will come.(Matthew 24:42). That is, do not spend your life in carelessness, but be always ready to meet the Lord. And when the disciples asked him: what is the sign of your coming and the end of the age?(Matthew 24:3) - The Lord indicated the following signs.
The first sign is the preaching of the gospel all creatures(Mark 16:15), when there will not be a single place left in the whole earth that has not been announced by the preaching of the Gospel, not a single people that has not heard about eternal life. And this will be done so that later, at the Last Judgment, no one will excuse himself by saying that he did not hear the sermon about Christ. Then the light of Christ will shine on all who sit in darkness; many unbelievers will turn to Christ, and Christians immersed in sins will hasten to cleanse their consciences from iniquities.
But the fire of faith kindled by the preaching of the gospel will quickly die out. In the last days, says the apostle Paul, people will be proud, lovers of money, proud ... slanderers, intemperate, cruel, not loving good, traitors, insolent, pompous, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of piety, but denying its power(2 Tim. 3:1-5). With the fall of morality love will grow cold in many(Matthew 24:12), the basic law of Christian life will be shaken, and at the same time, faith will also decrease: When the son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?(Luke 18:8).
Then great wars will begin on earth; nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues and earthquakes in places ...(Matthew 24:7), for then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, and will not be(Matthew 24:21). Then the heavens will not give rain, the earth will not bear fruit, the springs will dry up, the rivers will dry up. Grass will not grow, will not appear green on the ground; the trees will freeze at the roots and will not give offspring; fish and whales will die in the sea. And such a sea will emit an infectious stench, and such a terrible noise that people will fall unconscious and die of fear. 1
"The second word on the coming of the Lord." Rev. Efrem Sirin.
Finally, the final sign of the imminent coming of Christ will be the coming of the Antichrist.
Since the Lord Jesus Christ often referred to the objects of the visible world to explain the spiritual meaning of the word of God, He took the fall of Jerusalem (Lk. 21:20-20), which happened 36 years after His prophecy, as an example of the future end of the world. And therefore, it is not surprising that soon after the fall of Jerusalem, Christians began to expect the end of the world, since the signs indicated by the Savior coincided with the circumstances of that time. Moreover, in the face of Nero, the cruel persecutor of Christians, they saw the Antichrist.
In subsequent times, the end of the world was timed to the year 1000 A.D., on the basis of the Apocalypse: When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth.(Rev. 20:7).
The end of the world was also expected in 1584. According to the famous astrologer Leovitius: The fright this year was so great that the churches could not contain all those who sought refuge in them, that many made their spiritual testaments without reasoning that it was completely useless if the world was to perish. 2
K. Flammarion.
They expected the end of the world in 1812, 1881, 1885, and even in 1899. In some places in Russia there were riots, because in November of this year, according to Falba's prediction, the end of the world was to take place. (Now they are talking about 2012. - Comp.)
These predictions were not fulfilled, but it cannot be concluded from this that the prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ will not be fulfilled, for the words of the Savior will not pass away(Matthew 24:35).
All the mistakes of various soothsayers depended mainly on the fact that they tried to comprehend a secret unknown to the Angels, and forgot that all their calculations were naive. According to the Savior, the Lord will warn everyone in time about His coming by the appearance of the Antichrist, who is so definitely represented in the Holy Scriptures and in the works of the Holy Fathers that it will be impossible not to recognize him. The word "antichrist" is Greek and translated into Russian means "opponent of Christ." Antichrist, according to the teaching of Holy Scripture, is any opponent of Christ who rejects His Divinity and teaching (1 John 2:18). But in the literal sense, the antichrist is the one who appears before the end of the world to oppose the Holy Church of Christ (John 5:43; 2 Thess. 2:3-5).
Antichrist, according to the teaching of Holy Scripture, is any opponent of Christ who rejects His divinity and teaching. But in the literal sense, the one who appears before the end of the world to oppose the holy Church of Christ is called Antichrist.
The Old Believers asserted that the kingdom of the Antichrist had already come, that in 1666 the Antichrist reigned in the Greek-Russian Church and reigned in it "spiritually."
In 1666-1967, the Great Moscow Council was held, at which the correction of liturgical books by Patriarch Nikon was recognized as correct, and “anathema” was pronounced on those who were baptized with two fingers. The ignorant people in the book correction saw a violation of the Orthodox faith, and they began to say about Patriarch Nikon that he "changed his faith", therefore, he is the Antichrist. But since Antichrist, according to Holy Scripture, should be a king, the schismatics began to call Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Antichrist, because, they said, Nikon made a change in faith, but did this with the consent of the king.
After the death of Patriarch Nikon and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the schismatics tended to understand by antichrist the totality of heresies that allegedly exist in the Orthodox Church. True, with the accession of Peter I, the schismatics began to consider this tsar the Antichrist, and they saw the seal of the Antichrist in the barbershop and German clothes. But since under him the end of the world did not follow, the schismatics began to teach that the Antichrist is not a man, but a collection of "heresies" contained in the Greek-Russian Church. Under the woman from whom the Antichrist is born, in their opinion, one must understand the society of ungodly people, and under the very birth - their apostasy from the Gospel. This retreat, according to the schismatics, began under Patriarch Nikon, when "new rites and books" were introduced. The teachings of the Antichrist, according to the schismatics, are minor deviations in rituals; The seal of the Antichrist is not in one thing, but in different signs: the inscription of the name of the Savior "Jesus" instead of "Jesus", five prosphoria, three-finger addition, and so on.
Among the schismatics, there was also a small sect of wanderers, or runners, who claimed that in the Greek-Russian Church the "sensual Antichrist" reigns, that is, a succession of ruling persons.
As for the teaching of the Holy Scriptures regarding the accusers of the Antichrist - the prophets Elijah and Enoch, the schismatics are trying to prove that here they mean not certain persons, but all in general accusers of apostasy from the Gospel ... That is, it turns out that the schismatics themselves.
In addition to the schismatic Old Believers, the Studists, Pashkovites, and in general all the sectarians who appeared in Russia under the influence of the Protestant West, held the wrong opinion about the Antichrist. All of them saw in the Antichrist not a specific person, but in general an anti-Christian direction.
In refutation of all these false teachers, we will present the Orthodox teaching about the Antichrist, contained in the Holy Scriptures, revealed and explained in the works of the holy fathers and teachers of the Church.
The doctrine of the Antichrist as a specific person was uttered by Jesus Christ. I came, he says, in the name of my Father, and you do not receive me; but if another comes in his name, you will receive him(John 5.43). Of whom does Christ say: “He will come in his name”! - St. John Chrysostom asks - and answers: here He alludes to the Antichrist, and at the same time presents irrefutable proof of the indiscretion of the Jews. If you are persecuting Me, He says, then it would be much more necessary to do this with the Antichrist, for he (Antichrist) will not say anything like that, that is, that he was sent from the Father, that he came according to His will, but quite the opposite, he will steal everything that does not belong to him and call himself a god 3
From the 41st conversation of St. John Chrysostom, Part II, p. 83 (ed. 1855).
The fact that in the words of the Savior a certain person is meant by the Antichrist, as St. John Chrysostom believes, is beyond doubt, because:
1. The Lord contrasts with His personal actions, the actions of the Personality, the actions of the Antichrist - also, therefore, a specific person.
2. The Antichrist will come in the future; therefore, the Lord could not in any way mean by antichrist the false teachers of his day.
3. Various false teachers tried to elevate their teaching by allegedly being messengers of God, but the Antichrist will not be like that, he will come in his own name, with his own teaching.
In complete agreement with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostle John the Theologian also taught about the Antichrist. Children! recent times. And as you have heard that the Antichrist will come, and now there are many Antichrists, then we know from the fact that the last time(1 John 2:18). Here the word "antichrist" is used in a double sense: 1) as one specific person who is yet to come, 2) as many "antichrists" who have already appeared. What these many Antichrists are, St. John explains elsewhere: Who is a liar if not one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist who rejects the Father and the Son(1 John 2.22).
What properties will the Antichrist have, explains the Apostle Paul. Wishing to calm the Thessalonica Christians, who were embarrassed by the false teachers about the imminent coming of Christ, the apostle Paul writes that this day will not come, until the apostasy first comes and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, resisting and exalting himself above everything that is called God or holiness, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself to be God.(2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). So, the Apostle Paul indicates two circumstances that will precede the appearance of Christ on earth - to judge the living and the dead: 1) the apostasy will come first, 2) a man of sin will appear who will pretend to be God.
The question now is what is meant by retreat? It is impossible here to understand a private, so to speak, apostasy from the faith, because its representatives - heretics - were in the time of the Apostle Paul. Obviously, we are talking about a general retreat, it will come before the end of the world such that When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?(Luke 18:8). An indispensable consequence of this apostasy will be the appearance of a man of sin - Antichrist, who will not be Satan incarnate, as some thought, but a man who, as it were, embodied all wickedness in himself - a man of lawlessness. He will call himself a god and demand divine worship. In order to gain the trust and respect of people as a higher being, Antichrist will work miracles. his coming, according to the work of Satan, it shall be with all power and lying signs and wonders(2 Thess. 2:9). In addition to miracles, the Antichrist will attract people to himself with a false teaching, he will appear, according to the apostle, with every unrighteous deception of those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth for their salvation. And for this God will send them a force of error, so that they will believe a lie(2 Thess. 2:10-11).
The Apostle Paul indicates two circumstances that will precede the appearance of Christ on earth - to judge the living and the dead: 1) the apostasy will come first, 2) a man of sin will appear who will pretend to be God.
Antichrist will appear just before the second coming of Christ, but the mystery of iniquity is already in
action(2 Thess. 2:7), says the Apostle Paul. That is, the evil spreading in the world is preparing the coming of the Antichrist. Already in the time of the apostles there were "many antichrists" - heretics and schismatics. So, Simon conjured (conjured), posing as the great power of God in Samaria (Acts 8: 9-10), and then Arius appeared, rejecting the divinity of the Son of God. And in public life there were also many opponents of Christ, such were the Roman emperors - the persecutors of Christians.
The mystery of iniquity is being done even now. 20 centuries have passed since the time when the Only-begotten Son of God brought to earth the doctrine of love for neighbor, unparalleled in pre-Christian times. But while the Son of God was sowing in the hearts of men the pure wheat of the heavenly doctrine, the enemy sowed weeds that sprouted abundantly before the eyes of all. Indeed, how else can one explain the failure of the 1899 Hague Conference? Why did the peoples respond to the call of the holy Tsar Nicholas II for the peace of the whole world only in word, and not in deed? But because the earth was corrupt before the face of God and the earth was filled with wickedness(Gen. b. 11).
In our time, the number of suicides and mental illness is increasing, bloody atrocities, wars, famines, earthquakes, and revolutions are becoming more frequent. Yet this is the beginning of disease(Matthew 24:7-8). People hate one another because of the multiplication of iniquities. Family love cools, false prophets (foretellers, psychics) appear, sow despondency, grumbling and despair, and deceive many 4
“The Beginning and the End of Our Earthly World”, St. Petersburg, 1900, p. 160.
Everything seems to be ready for the coming of the Antichrist, but something is holding back him, as the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians. The Thessalonians knew about this “restraint” from the oral instructions of the Apostle Paul, but this is not revealed to us either in other places of Holy Scripture or in Tradition. Therefore, the interpretation of this place varies greatly, and Blessed Augustine says directly: What the Apostle means by restraining, I do not know. Here is the opinion of St. John Chrysostom. The saint says that by “withholding” one cannot understand: 1) the grace of the Holy Spirit, for, according to the Savior, the Church is invincible and, therefore, grace will never fail. This means that the Antichrist could never have appeared; 2) it cannot be considered deterrent that preaching has not yet been spread among all nations (Matt. 24:14). In our opinion, the one holding back is the Roman state and the Roman emperor. Because, according to St. John Chrysostom, the apostle says to the Thessalonians: “You know the one holding back,” but does not name him, so as not to incur attacks on Christians from the Roman state, which was to fall before the coming of the Antichrist.
The opinion of the saint is shared by Blessed Theodoret and others, and we can accept it with some limitation. Despite the fact that the Roman state ended its existence long ago, it must be recognized that what holds it back is the existence of the state (state power), not only the Roman one, but any one in general. And indeed, no matter who governs the state: be it a republic or a monarchy, but as long as religion, morality, public good and tranquility are considered its fundamental foundations, until then the Antichrist cannot appear. But as soon as state power is undermined, the Church and the state are in the greatest danger, as evidenced by historical examples. When, by God's permission, widespread anarchy reigns on earth, this will be the most suitable time for the coming of the Antichrist.
The essence of the reign of the Antichrist, in addition to the excerpts we have already cited from the epistle to the Thessalonians, although somewhat covertly, is presented in the book of the prophet Daniel and in the Apocalypse.
The holy prophet Daniel, in his vision of the four beasts, describes the last of them thus: the fourth beast, terrible and terrible and very strong; he has big iron teeth; he devours and crushes, and tramples the remnants under his feet; he was different from all the former beasts, and he had ten horns. I looked at these horns, and, behold, another small horn came out between them, and three of the former horns were uprooted before it, and behold, in this horn were eyes like human eyes, and a mouth that spoke arrogantly. (Dan. 7:7-8). Then the time of judgment came, and the Ancient of Days(God) pronounced the verdict, according to which the last beast was killed and burned (Dan. 7. 9-12). In other places, the prophet Daniel more specifically characterizes the Antichrist: he will be a conqueror (Dan. 8.24), and, moreover, the most wicked (Dan. 11.36-37); through him the abomination of desolation will arise in the temple, which will continue for 2290 days (Dan. 12:11). But the antichrist will come to its end and no one will help it(Dan. 11:45) - the power to destroy and destroy will be taken away from him (Dan. 7:26), since the Lord will kill the Antichrist with the spirit of His mouth (2 Thess. 2:8).
In a similar way - in the form of a beast - the Antichrist is depicted in the Apocalypse. The Antichrist will be the conqueror to whom Satan will give dominion over every kindred and people and tongue and nation. And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life.(Rev. 13:7-8). They bow down to the beast, saying: who is like this beast? and who can fight him?(Rev. 13:4).
The means by which the Antichrist will attract many will be false signs and wonders; for example, he will be mortally wounded, but will be healed, so that the whole earth will marvel (Rev. 13:3). It can be assumed that the performance of these miracles will be based on the knowledge of the laws of nature, just as the Egyptian magi performed miracles before the pharaoh. Without a doubt, this knowledge will be strengthened by the action of Satan in the Antichrist, who will raise up a false prophet to help the beast. This false prophet will perform such amazing signs and wonders that he will even bring down fire from heaven (Rev. 13:13-14). Whoever does not worship the beast will be killed (Rev. 13:15), and those who recognize him will be sealed, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name, on the right hand or on the forehead (Rev. 13: 16-17). However, Antichrist will be able to take possession only of the wicked (Rev. 13:8), and as for the saints, he will be given victory in the war and kill (Rev. 13:7,15) their bodies, but not their souls. And the first victims of his wickedness will be two great prophets sent by God to warn people about the coming of the Antichrist (Rev. 11:3). One of these prophets will be Elijah, once taken alive to heaven. And the second, based on the message of the Apostle Jude (Jude 14-15), the holy fathers call Enoch, like Elijah in the mortal body ascended to heaven.
The power of Antichrist will continue for forty-two months (Rev. 13:5), that is, three and a half years, after which the beast will go to death(Rev. 17:11). The beast will be seized, says St. John the Theologian, and with him a false prophet, who worked miracles before him ... both were thrown alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone(Rev. 19:20), where the devil will be thrown to them, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever(Rev. 20:10).
The means by which the Antichrist will attract many will be false signs and wonders; for example, he will be mortally wounded, but will be healed, so that the whole earth will marvel.
Here is the data about the Antichrist, which is contained in the Holy Scriptures. On the basis of their God-revealed teaching about the Antichrist, we can briefly present it in the following form.
The Antichrist, who will appear before the glorious coming of Christ, will be a specific person - a man chosen by Satan as an instrument to counteract the Church of Christ. The merciful Lord will send the prophets Elijah and Enoch to warn the saints about the coming Antichrist. He, coming with false signs and wonders, will kill these two prophets, and with the help of the false prophet, he will deceive the whole world. Having come in his name, the Antichrist will demand divine worship for himself, and many will follow his call, and those who remain faithful to God will be killed. After three and a half years of the destructive reign of the Antichrist, Christ will appear on earth and kill him with the spirit of his mouth.
His own, that is, he will deprive him of power and plunge him into the lake of fire for eternal torment.
Based on Revelation, the doctrine of the Antichrist found confirmation in the works of the holy fathers and teachers of the Church.
The Apostle Paul calls the Antichrist “apostasy”, since he will destroy many and lead to apostasy, to deceive, if possible, even the elect(Matthew 24:24). He also calls him a man of iniquity, because he will commit thousands of iniquities and prepare others to commit them. And they call him the son of perdition, because he himself will perish. Who will he be? Satan? No - but a certain person who took all his power.
He will not lead people to idolatry, but will put himself in the place of God and sit in God's temple. He will not call himself God, but will try to look like him, doing extraordinary deeds and showing amazing signs.
But, says the apostle, the Lord Jesus Christ will kill the Antichrist with the spirit of His mouth and will nullify all his deeds by His coming.
What is the use of this coming of the Antichrist, if it will serve to our destruction? Do not be afraid, beloved, but listen to what the Apostle says: the Antichrist will prevail only over those who are perishing, who, even though he had not come, would not have believed. What will be the use of this, you say? The one that will stop the mouths of those condemned to perdition. How? They would not believe in Christ, even though this Antichrist did not come, but he will come with the aim of convicting them ... For when he comes, and despite the fact that he does not command anything righteous, but only one lawlessness, they they will believe in him, solely for the sake of his false miracles, when their mouths stop. For if you do not believe Christ, how much more must you not believe the Antichrist. 5
From the conversation on the 2nd epistle to Thessal., 3 and 4. “Collection of articles on interpretations. reading the "Apocalypse" by M. Barson. Simbirsk, 1894
A similar opinion about Antichrist, as a specific person, a person whom Satan will choose to oppose the Church of Christ, is also held by St. Ephraim the Syrian, who describes the character of Antichrist as a false miracle worker, his reign and, finally, death.
Our Lord, like a terrible lightning, will come to earth: but the enemy will not come like that, because he is an apostate. He, born of a defiled virgin, will come in such a way as to deceive everyone - humble, meek, supposedly a hater of injustice, pious, kind and generous, handsome and affectionate to everyone. He will perform many signs and wonders, and with the help of cunning, he will try to please everyone in order to win the love of the people.
So the Antichrist will deceive the world until he reigns, because many nations will proclaim him king with great joy, saying to each other: “Will there be another man so good and truthful?”
And soon his kingdom will be established, and he will defeat the three great kings. And then, having risen, he will oppress everyone and begin to defile souls, acting already as a stern, cruel, irritable and vile person, who will try to plunge the entire human race into the abyss of wickedness.
Many signs created by the Antichrist will be false. In front of a crowded crowd, he will command the mountain to cross the sea, and the mountain will cross, but only in the eyes of the audience, in fact, not moving at all from its foundation. Because over what the Almighty God placed at the beginning of creation, this all-bad one will not have power, he will deceive the world with circus illusions.
The Antichrist will deceive the world until he reigns, because many nations will proclaim him king with great joy, saying to each other: “Will there be another man so good and true?”
Many will believe him and glorify the Antichrist as God. But those who sincerely believe in the true God, those who have bright eyes of heart, will know without a doubt that the mountain did not move from its place.
And then there will be a great tribulation, a famine, and only those who have the seal of the Antichrist on their hand or on their forehead will be allowed to buy a little food. Then the babies will die in the bosom of their mothers, the mother will also die over her offspring, the father will also die with his wife and children in the marketplace, and there will be no one to bury and put them in a coffin. From the many corpses thrown down in the streets, a stench is everywhere, strongly affecting the living ... A lot of gold and silver and silk clothes will not benefit anyone during this sorrow, but all people will call blessed the dead, buried before this great sorrow came to earth …
Many of the saints that are found then, at the advent of the defiled, will shed tears in rivers to the Holy God in order to get rid of the serpent, with great haste they will run into the desert and with fear will hide in mountains and caves ... And it will be granted to them from the Holy God His grace will lead them to the places designated for this place, and they will be saved, hiding in the abysses and caves, not seeing the signs and fears of the Antichrist, because the coming of the Antichrist will be made known without difficulty to those who have knowledge ...
Then all the earth and the sea will mourn, the air will mourn, and together the wild beasts and the birds of the air will mourn; the mountains and hills and the trees in the plains will weep; the luminaries of heaven will also weep for the human race, because all have deviated from the Holy God and believed the flattery, taking upon themselves, instead of the life-giving Savior's cross, the mark of the wicked and God-fighting. The earth and the sea will mourn, because the voice of psalms and prayers will suddenly cease in the mouths of men; all the Churches of Christ will weep with great weeping, because there will be no priestly service.
After the completion of three and a half years of the power and actions of the unclean, and when all the temptations of the whole earth are fulfilled, the Lord will finally come, according to what has been said, the Lord, like lightning flashing from heaven, our holy, most pure, terrible and glorious God will come, with incomparable glory ... Torturer with all the demons, bound by angels, also all who have received his seal, all the ungodly and sinners bound, will be brought before the judgment seat. And the King will give them a sentence of eternal condemnation into unquenchable fire. All those who did not accept the seal of the Antichrist, and all who hid in the caves, will rejoice with the Bridegroom, forever nom and heavenly chamber, with all the saints in the boundless ages of ages 6
"Word for the Coming of the Lord" in Russian. transl. (Moscow. Spiritual Acad.), 39, part III, “Creation. St. Ephraim the Syrian.
Prophet Moses says: About Dan he said: Dan is a young lion that runs out of Bashan.(Deut. 33:22). Just as Christ is born from the tribe of David, so the Antichrist will be born from the tribe of Dan. James says the same: Dan will be a serpent on the road, an asp on the way, piercing the leg of the horse, so that his rider will fall back.(Gen. 49:17). Who is this serpent, if not the Antichrist, the deceiver mentioned in the book of Genesis (3:1), who seduced Eve and Adam?
That a tyrant and a king, a terrible judge, the son of the devil, will be born from the tribe of Dan, the prophet says about this: Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel(Gen. 49:16). Someone will object that this is said about Samson, who, born of the tribe of Dan, judged the people for twenty years. But after all, this prophecy was only partly fulfilled on Samson, but it will be completely fulfilled on the Antichrist. For Jeremiah says: From Dan, the snoring of his horses is heard, from the loud neighing of his stallions, the whole earth trembles; and they will come and destroy the earth and all that is in it, the city and those who dwell in it(Jer. 8, 16). Another prophet says: He will gather all his strength from the rising of the sun to the west; those whom he called and whom he did not call will follow him. He will turn the sea white with the many sails on the ships, and the field will turn black with the large shields of heavily armed infantry, and whoever meets him will fall by the sword.
But let's see what the prophet Daniel says.
In the form of a lioness emerging from the sea, the prophet designated the Babylonian kingdom, also by the fact that the body had a golden head. The fact that the wings of a lioness are eagles means that the king of Babylon has exalted himself and ascended against God. And the fact that her wings were “torn out” means that his glory was taken away from him: he was expelled from his kingdom. In the words and the heart of a man was given to him, and on a man's foot his repentance is shown, he understood that he was a man, and gave glory to God.
After the lioness, I saw a second beast, like a bear: these were the Persians, who ruled after the Babylonians. Three ribs in his mouth - three peoples: Persians, Medes and Babylonians: also in the seen body, after gold, silver is mentioned. Then the third beast - a lynx: these were Hellenes. Since after the Persians, Alexander the Great, who defeated Darius, took power: he is signified in the body by copper. The remark that he has four bird wings (and four heads) obviously indicates the division of Alexander's kingdom: four heads - four kings who rebelled against him, since Alexander, dying, divided his kingdom into four parts.
Then the prophet says: the fourth beast is terrible and terrible: his teeth are iron, and his nails are copper.
Who is this if not the Romans? Iron is the kingdom of Rome: his legs are iron. It remains to explain why clay and iron parts are mixed in his feet. In the toes of the beast, the prophet mysteriously showed the kings who had risen from him, as the prophet Daniel says: look at that beast, and behold, there are ten horns behind it, in them another small horn rises like a branch, and three roses ahead of it will uproot it.
This shows the Antichrist, who will restore the kingdom of Judah. Three horns will be uprooted by him: these are the three kings - Egyptian, Libyan and Ethiopian, whom he will kill in battle. Having taken possession of everything by force, he, being a cruel tyrant, will raise a persecution against the people over whom he has ascended. Prophet Daniel says: I saw then that for the utterance of arrogant words, which the horn spoke, the beast was killed in my eyes, and his body was crushed and delivered to the burning fire(Dan. 7:21).
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