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| Chapter XXVIII.—The distinction to be made between the righteous and the wicked. The future apostasy in the time of Antichrist, and the end of the world.
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Chapter XXVIII.—The distinction to be
made between the righteous and the wicked. The future apostasy in the time of
Antichrist, and the end of the world.
1. Inasmuch, then, as in this
world (αἰῶνι) some persons
betake themselves to the light, and by faith unite themselves with God,
but others shun the light, and separate themselves from God, the Word of
God comes preparing a fit habitation for both. For those indeed who are
in the light, that they may derive enjoyment from it, and from the good
things contained in it; but for those in darkness, that they may partake
in its calamities. And on this account He says, that those upon the right
hand are called into the kingdom of heaven, but that those on the left He
will send into eternal fire for they have deprived themselves of all
good.
2. And for this reason the apostle says: “Because
they received not the love of God, that they might be saved,
therefore God shall also send them the operation of error, that they may
believe a lie, that they all may be judged who have not believed the
truth, but consented to unrighteousness.”4690
For when he (Antichrist)
is come, and of his own accord concentrates in his own person the
apostasy, and accomplishes whatever he shall do according to his own will
and choice, sitting also in the temple of God, so that his dupes may
adore him as the Christ; wherefore also shall he deservedly “be
cast into the lake of fire:”4691
[this
will happen according to divine appointment], God by His prescience
foreseeing all this, and at the proper time sending such a man,
“that they may believe a lie, that they all may be judged who did
not believe the truth, but consented to unrighteousness;” whose coming John has thus described in the
Apocalypse: “And the beast which I had seen was like unto a
leopard, and his feet as of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion;
and the dragon conferred his own power upon him, and his throne, and
great might. And one of his heads was as it were slain unto death; and
his deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered after the beast.
And they worshipped the dragon because he gave power to the beast; and
they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto this beast, and who
is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth
speaking great things, and blasphemy and power was given to him during
forty and two months. And he opened his mouth for blasphemy against God,
to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
And power was given him over every tribe, and people, and tongue, and
nation. And all who dwell upon the earth worshipped him, [every one]
whose name was not written in the book of the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. If any one have ears, let him hear. If any one
shall lead into captivity, he shall go into captivity. If any shall slay
with the sword, he must be slain with the sword. Here is the endurance
and the faith of the saints.”4692
After this he likewise describes his armour-bearer, whom he also terms a
false prophet: “He spake as a dragon, and exercised all the power
of the first beast in his sight, and caused the earth, and those that
dwell therein, to adore the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
And he shall perform great wonders, so that he can even cause fire to
descend from heaven upon the earth in the sight of men, and he shall lead
the inhabitants of the earth astray.”4693
Let no one imagine that he performs these wonders by
divine power, but by the working of magic. And we must not be surprised
if, since the demons and apostate spirits are at his service, he through
their means performs wonders, by which he leads the inhabitants of the
earth astray. John says further: “And he shall order an image of
the beast to be made, and he shall give breath to the image, so that the
image shall speak; and he shall cause those to be slain who will not
adore it.” He says also: “And he will cause a mark [to be
put] in the forehead and in the right hand, that no one may be able to
buy or sell, unless he who has the mark of the name of the beast or the
number of his name; and the number is six hundred and
sixty-six,”4694
that is, six times a
hundred, six times ten, and six units. [He gives this] as a summing up of
the whole of that apostasy which has taken place during six thousand
years.
3. For in as many days as this world was made, in so
many thousand years shall it be concluded. And for this reason the
Scripture says: “Thus the heaven and the earth were finished, and
all their adornment. And God brought to a conclusion upon the sixth day
the works that He had made; and God rested upon the seventh day from all
His works.”4695
This is an account of the
things formerly created, as also it is a prophecy of what is to come. For
the day of the Lord is as a thousand years;4696
and in six days created things were completed: it is evident,
therefore, that they will come to an end at the sixth thousand year.
4. And therefore throughout all time, man, having been
moulded at the beginning by the hands of God, that is, of the Son and of
the Spirit, is made after the image and likeness of God: the chaff,
indeed, which is the apostasy, being cast away; but the wheat, that is,
those who bring forth fruit to God in faith, being gathered into the
barn. And for this cause tribulation is necessary for those who are
saved, that having been after a manner broken up, and rendered fine, and
sprinkled over by the patience of the Word of God, and set on fire [for
purification], they may be fitted for the royal banquet. As a certain man
of ours said, when he was condemned to the wild beasts because of his
testimony with respect to God: “I am the wheat of Christ, and am
ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found the pure
bread of God.”4697
| 4697
This is quoted from the Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans, ch. iv. It is
found in the two Greek recensions of his works, and also in the Syriac.
See pp. 75 and 103 of this volume. The Latin translation is here
followed: the Greek of Ignatius would give “the wheat of
God,” and omits “of God” towards the end, as quoted by
Eusebius. | E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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