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| Chapter XLVI
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Chapter
XLVI.
It is thus that the apostle expresses
himself: “We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, that ye be
not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by word, nor by
spirit, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of the Lord is at
hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day
shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that
man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth
himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he
sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these
things? And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be
revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already
work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken
out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the
Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with
the brightness of His coming: even him, whose coming is
after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying
wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that
perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they
might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong
delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned
who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.”4515
To explain
each particular here referred to does not belong to our present
purpose. The prophecy also regarding Antichrist is stated in the
book of Daniel, and is fitted to make an intelligent and candid reader
admire the words as truly divine and prophetic; for in them are
mentioned the things relating to the coming kingdom, beginning with the
times of Daniel, and continuing to the destruction of the world.
And any one who chooses may read it. Observe, however, whether
the prophecy regarding Antichrist be not as follows: “And
at the latter time of their kingdom, when their sins are coming to the
full, there shall arise a king, bold in countenance, and understanding
riddles. And his power shall be great, and he shall destroy
wonderfully, and prosper, and practise; and shall destroy mighty men,
and the holy people. And the yoke of his chain shall
prosper: there is craft in his hand, and he shall magnify himself
in his heart, and by craft shall destroy many; and he shall stand up
for the destruction of many, and shall crush them as eggs in his
hand.”4516
What is
stated by Paul in the words quoted from him, where he says, “so
that he sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is
God,”4517
is in Daniel
referred to in the following fashion: “And on the temple
shall be the
abomination of desolations, and at the end of the time an end shall be
put to the desolation.”4518
So many, out
of a greater number of passages, have I thought it right to adduce,
that the hearer may understand in some slight degree the meaning of
holy Scripture, when it gives us information concerning the devil and
Antichrist; and being satisfied with what we have quoted for this
purpose, let us look at another of the charges of Celsus, and reply to
it as we best may.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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