John F. McArthur
Jesus answered them: “Beware lest anyone deceive you, for many will come in my name and will say, 'I am the Christ,' and they will deceive many. Also hear about wars and rumors of war. See, do not be dismayed, for all this must be, but this is not the end yet: for nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famine, pestilence and earthquakes in places; yet this is the beginning of disease. Then they will deliver you up to torture and kill you; and you will be hated by all nations for my name; and then many will be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another; and many false prophets will rise up and deceive many; and because of the multiplication of iniquity, love will grow cold in many. He who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come "( Matt. 24:4-14)
With the 4th verse, the actual Olive sermon begins, which Jesus preached in response to the disciples' question: “Tell us, when will it be? And what is the sign of your coming and the end of the age? " (v. 3). As mentioned in the previous chapter, the Twelve “thought that the kingdom of God was about to open up” (Luke 19:11), and the events of the last few days reinforced this idea even more firmly in their minds. They have long believed that Jesus was the Messiah and that John the Baptist was His foretold forerunner. The greeting of the crowd during the solemn entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, the cleansing of the temple, the condemnation of the religious leaders, as well as His prediction about the destruction of the temple - all this made them think that the Lord would soon reveal His messianic glory, subjugate the peoples who rebelled against Him and establish His eternal kingdom ... They were unable to accept the many predictions of Jesus that first He would have to suffer, die and rise again.
The disciples thought that the preaching of Jesus, His healing, consolation, judgment, and the restoration of Israel would take place in the same time period. Like the Old Testament prophets who spoke about the Messiah, the disciples represented only one Coming, which includes a whole series of events (see, for example, Isa. 61: 1-11).
Perhaps the first key to understanding that the coming of Christ will take place in two stages was Jesus' reading of this passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah during his ministry in the synagogue of Nazareth. Jesus stopped short of reading verse 2 to the end, omitting the phrase "and the day of vengeance of our God." Then He explained, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4: 18-21). Jesus made a special emphasis on the fact that at that time He did not come to judge, but to preach the Gospel and heal diseases.
But since the disciples did not understand His prompts, as well as many other specific teachings that He came to die for the sins of people, they expected Jesus to complete His messianic mission at the same time, perhaps in the next few days or weeks. The students were expecting something dramatic. They felt that the Son in Isa. 9: 6 was ready to put on His shoulders the government of the kingdom of God and that the stone that was cut off the mountain without the help of hands (Dan. 2:34) was ready to destroy the power of wicked people. The Messiah, the Prince, was willing to put an end to sins, stop lawlessness, bestow eternal righteousness, and become the anointed King, the holiest of all kings. They looked forward to how the Son of Man would soon be given eternal Kingdom and glory. They were convinced that very soon Israel would turn to the Lord and call on His name, and that the Lord would say: "These are My people," and they will say: "The Lord is my God!" (Zech. 13: 9).
But in the Sermon on Olives, Jesus clearly shows that all of this will happen in the future. Chapter 24-25 of the Gospel of Matthew is a prophetic sermon that tells the twelve disciples about a time that has not yet come, about a time in which they themselves will not live.
The sermon itself contains at least six signs that it is about the distant future and that it cannot be applied to the events associated with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., as many commentators believe, or with the era Churches, as others suggest.
The first such sign is birth pangs, where false Christs (Matt. 24: 5), wars between nations (v. 6-7a), famine and earthquakes (v. 7 b) are only “the beginning” (v. 8). The figurative expression "birth pangs" was often used by ancient Jewish writers, especially in connection with the late times. The great modern Jewish scholar Alfred Edersheim writes: "In the Jewish scriptures very often speak of the pain of the birth of the Messiah."
The agony of birth does not occur during conception and not during pregnancy, but just before birth. Therefore, the figurative expression of "birth pangs" could not personify either the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place at the beginning of the Church's era, or the Church's era itself as a whole.
Paul reminded the Thessalonians that Christ would come as a thief comes at night — unexpectedly, quietly, and suddenly. Using the same figurative expression as Jesus in the Sermon of Olives, the Apostle said: “When they say:“ Peace and security, ”then destruction will suddenly overtake them, just as the torment of childbirth befell one who has in the womb, and will not be avoided” (1 Thess. 5: 1-3).
Birth pangs begin just before childbirth, and labor pains gradually increase until the baby is born. In the same way, the events associated with the Lord's return will begin immediately before His Coming and will rapidly grow and intensify until they turn into a series of catastrophes. The same period is depicted in the book of Revelation, when the seals of the courts are removed and events unfold, probably over several years (see 6: 1-8: 6). Trumpet judgments then occur at a much shorter time frame, probably weeks (see 8: 7-9: 21; 11: 15-19), and the bowls of God's wrath are poured out on the earth, most likely over several days or even hours (see . 16: 1-21).
A second indication that these events are future events is noted in Matt. 24: 13-14, where Jesus speaks of believers who will endure the pain of birth to the end. Since the disciples clearly did not live to see the end of the century, the events of chapters 24-25 could not relate to them or to other believers, including those living at the present time. All believers who will live at that time will be raptured just before the Great Tribulation (1 Thess. 4:17), so none of these events will affect them. These events can only apply to those who believe in Christ during the Great Tribulation, whose true faith will be confirmed by the fact that they will endure everything to the end (Matt. 24:13).
The third sign is the proclamation of the gospel throughout the world (Matt. 24:14). This event completely excludes the apostolic era, when even the Roman Empire was not all evangelized. This event cannot be applied to our time, when, despite the spread of the Gospel through modern media throughout the world, there are still billions of people who have never heard the Gospel. In Matt. 24:14 is implied, but in Rev. 14: 6-7 explains that the future proclamation of the gospel around the world, which Jesus speaks of, will happen miraculously and in an instant.
The fourth sign is “the abomination of desolation, [spoken] through the prophet Daniel” (Matt. 24:15). Daniel predicted that just before the Messiah establishes His Kingdom and judges the world, the Antichrist “[will stop the sacrifice] and the offering, and on the wing of the sanctuary there will be an abomination of desolation, and the final predetermined destruction will overtake the devastator” (Dan. 9:27). This has yet to happen.
The fifth sign that Jesus speaks of future events is “great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, and never will be” (Matt. 24:21). The terrible events that Christ describes in this sermon will be the most tragic in the history of mankind, and they will occur at the end of the age, when the full and final judgment of God will be poured out on wicked people. Jesus speaks of the time predicted by Daniel, when “a difficult time will come, which has not happened since the existence of people, until this time,” which will be accompanied by the resurrection of the righteous for eternal life, and sinners - for eternal condemnation (Dan. 12: 1-2).
The sixth sign - “after the sorrow of those days, the sun will darken, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of heaven will be shaken; then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven ”(Matt. 24: 29-30). These supernatural events have clearly not happened yet.
The seventh and final sign that Jesus spoke of the distant future is illustrated by the fig tree (Matt. 24: 32-35). As the blossoming leaves of the fig tree indicate the approach of summer, so the events that Christ mentions here will be a sign of His imminent Coming. “This generation will not pass away,” that is, the generation that will live at the end of the age, “as it all will be” (v. 34). The signs described in Matt. 24-25, will take place in front of one generation - the generation that will witness the coming of Jesus Christ.
Thus, everything that Christ said in the Olive Sermon will be fulfilled in the future. This is not to say that most of the circumstances and events mentioned here have never happened before. Wars and rumors of war have been around since the flood; throughout history, mankind has experienced hunger, and earthquakes have occurred on earth at all times. But the events in Matt. 24-25, will be unique and inherent only in the last time, both in description and in sequence, scale and power. Some of them, such as the destruction of the physical universe (24:29), will be completely unique.
The fact that Jesus spoke in the second person, especially in chapter 24, is not proof that He spoke to the disciples about their generation. Old Testament prophets also often addressed their words to distant descendants. God miraculously transported the prophet to the time about which he was to prophesy. And the prophet, as it were, directly addressed the people of future generations (see, for example, Isa. 33: 17-24; 66: 10-14; Zech. 9: 9). Jesus was essentially saying, "You who will live at that time ..."
Starting with Matt. 24: 4, Jesus answers the disciples' questions: “When will it be? And what is the sign of your coming and the end of the age? " (v. 3). But He gives the answer in the reverse order. Jesus does not touch upon the question “when” until 24:36, where he declares: “About that day and hour, no one knows, not the angels of heaven, but only My Father.” In 24: 4-14 Jesus answers from the second question, naming the first six signs, "birth pangs", which will begin immediately before His Coming: deception of false Christs (vv. 4-5), enmity between the nations of the world (vv. 6-7a) , widespread catastrophes (v. 7b-8), the surrender of believers to suffering (v. 9), the apostasy of imaginary believers (v. 10-13), and the proclamation of the gospel throughout the world (v. 14).
John F. MacArthur, New Testament Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew, 24-28, Slavic Evangelical Society, 2008
Prophecy of a ninety-year-old Norwegian woman from Valdres, given in 1968, about the events that will take place before the Second Coming of Christ. At one time the evangelist E. Minos wrote down these prophecies and put them aside, considering that it was very unrealistic. Relatively recently, reviewing his notes, he was amazed to realize that what seemed "unreal" has become the norm in our society.
Here are her prophetic references:
“I saw the times before the coming of Jesus and. I saw the world like a globe and saw Europe, land by land. I saw Scandinavia, I saw Norway. I have seen certain things that will happen before Jesus returns and disasters that we have never seen. "
She mentioned four waves:
1. “Before the coming of Jesus and before the Third World War, there will be a relaxation of tensions like never before. There will be peace between the superpowers in the east and west, and it will be a long peace. (Remember, the prophecy was given in 1968 when the Cold War was gaining momentum - note by E. Minos). During this period of peace, there will be disarmament in many countries, also in Norway, and we will not be ready when the war comes. will start in a way that no one could have imagined - from an unexpected place. "
2. “Warmth will overtake Christians. Falling away from true and living Christianity. Christians will not want to hear convicting sermons. They will not want to hear about sin and grace, law and gospel, repentance and restoration. There will be a replacement: prosperity (happiness) Christianity.
It will become important to be successful, to be something, to have material goods, things that God never promised us in this way. Churches and houses of worship will be empty. Instead of the sermons we are used to today to take up our cross and follow Jesus, there will be sermons on entertainment, art, and culture. It will increase greatly before the coming of Christ. "3. “There will come a moral decay that the old Norway has never seen before. People will live together as married people without getting married. (I do not think that this is a question of cohabitation, which existed in 1968 - note by E. Minos). There will be a lot of uncleanness before marriage and godlessness will strike the marriage and this will be justified. It will even enter Christian circles and we will accept it, even a sin that is contrary to nature. Before the coming of Jesus, there will be a television that we have not seen (Television only appeared in Norway in 1968 - note by E. Minos) ”.
“Television will be filled with terrible violence and will teach people to kill and it will not be safe on the streets. People will copy what they see. There will not be only one station on TV, but there will be many stations (She did not know the word "channel" that we use now, therefore she called them stations - note by E. Minos). Television will be like radio, with many stations and will be filled with violence. People will use it for fun. We will see gruesome scenes of murder and destruction and it will spread throughout society. Sex scenes will also be on the screen, very frank things that are in marriage (Then I protested, saying that pornography is prohibited in our country - note by E. Minos). It will happen and you will see it. Everything that was before will be broken and many events will pass before your eyes. " ...
4. “People from poor countries will flock to Europe. They will also come to Scandinavia and Norway. There will be so many of them that people will hate them and treat them badly. They will be threatened like Jews before World War II. Thus, the whole measure of sin is filled.
Tears rolled down the woman's cheeks. “I won't see it, but you will. Then suddenly Jesus will come and the Third World War will begin. It will be a short war. " (She saw it in a vision.)
“The war that I saw (World War II) will seem like child's play in comparison with this one, and it will end with the explosion of an atomic bomb. The air will be so contaminated that no one can breathe. It will cover several continents, the USA, Japan, Australia and rich countries. The water will be poisoned. The soil will be spoiled. As a result, only the remainder will remain. The remainder in the rich countries will try to flee to the poor countries, but they will be treated as badly as we had to them. The one whose sin is forgiven and accepts Jesus as Savior and Lord will be safe. "
An elder in the Pentecostal church in Moss, Norway, Martin Anders, heard this prophecy in Moss in 1937:
"As oil flows from the North Sea along the Norwegian coast, the return of Jesus will draw near."
As these words were spoken, the people in the congregation asked that person not to speak nonsense. In 1937, it was truly incredible to talk about oil along the Norwegian coast. All the big oil companies are now operating along the Norwegian coast.
Second Coming, the Lord will judge, you will learn that there will be a final judgment. The first coming was in the form of a humble person, and now God will come as a Judge.
And again coming in glory, to judge the living and the dead, and of His kingdom there will be no end.
The Second Coming Will Be Different From The First
The first coming to earth of the Lord Jesus Christ was humble, He took on the "image of a servant" ( Phil. 2: 7).
His second coming will be different, He will come again, but this time as a Judge, in order to judge the affairs of people, both those who have lived up to His second coming and those who have already died.
The second coming will be very formidable.
The Lord Himself speaks of him like this:
“As lightning comes from the east and can be seen even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man,” and then the Second Coming is when: “the sun will darken and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven; and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Coming Son in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet; and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from the end of heaven to their end ”( Matthew 24: 27-31).
When will the Second Coming take place? The Savior tells us:
But no one knows about that day and hour, not the heavenly angels, but only My Father alone ”( Matthew 24:36).
Second Coming and False Prophets
Earlier and in our time, all kinds of false preachers often appeared who prophesied about the end of the world and even called the exact date this event. Anyone who will report the number or exact time The Last Judgment cannot be trusted, it is unknown to anyone except God.
In addition, for any of us, every day of our life can be the last, and we will have to answer before the Impartial Judge.
Ignatiy Bryanchaninov on our own demise
Here is what Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov says about the end of this world, and about our own death:
“The day and hour at which the Son of God will end the life of the world by coming to judgment are not known; the day and hour at which, at the command of the Son of God, will stop earthly life each of us, and we will be called to separation from the body, to accountability in earthly life, to that private judgment, before the general judgment, which awaits a person after his death.
Beloved brethren! Let us stay awake and prepare for the terrible judgment awaiting us on the brink of eternity for the irrevocable decision of our fate forever.
Let us prepare ourselves, stocking ourselves with all the virtues, especially mercy, which contains and crowns all the virtues, since love, the motivating cause of mercy, is the "aggregate" Col. 3:14).
Mercy makes people filled with it godlike ( Matthew 5: 44.48; Luke 6: 32.36)!
Signs of the Second Coming of Christ
Before the end of the world there will be, predicted in the Holy Scriptures:
- wars
- troubles
- earthquakes
- hunger
- popular disasters
- mass diseases
Faith and morality will be impoverished. A "man of perdition", Antichrist, a false messiah will appear - a man who wants to become instead of Christ, to take His place and have power over the whole world. Having reached the supreme earthly power, the Antichrist will require himself to be worshiped as God. The power of the Antichrist will be destroyed by the coming of God.
About the Last Judgment
After His coming, the Lord will judge all people. How will the Last Judgment take place?
Saint Philaret of Moscow (Drozdov) writes that God “will judge in such a way that the conscience of each person will be revealed to everyone and not only all the deeds that have been done by those who have done in the course of their entire life on earth will be revealed, but also all the words spoken, secret desires and thoughts ".
Another Saint John (Maksimovich), Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco, also says:
“The Last Judgment does not know the witnesses or the minutes. Everything is written in the souls of men and these records, these "books" are being opened. Everything becomes apparent to everyone and to himself, and the state of a person's soul determines it to the right or to the left. Some walk in joy, others in horror.
Impact of sin after the death of a person
When the "books" are opened, it will become clear to everyone that the roots of all vices are in the human soul. Here is a drunkard, a fornicator - when the body died, someone would think - sin also died. No, there was an inclination in my soul and sin was sweet in my soul.
And if she has not repented of that sin, has not freed herself from it, she will come to the Last Judgment with the same desire for the sweetness of sin and will never satisfy her desire. It will contain the suffering of hatred and anger. This is a hellish state.
“Fiery Gehenna” is an inner fire, it is a flame of vice, a flame of weakness and anger, and “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” of impotent anger.
Christ will judge the world
The Lord Jesus Christ will judge the world.
"For the Father does not judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son" ( John 5:22).
Why? Because the Son of God is also the Son of Man. He lived here on earth, among people, experienced sorrow, suffering, temptation and death itself. He knows all human sorrows and weaknesses.
The last judgment will be terrible, because all human deeds and sins are hidden before everyone, and also because after this judgment nothing can be changed, and everyone will receive what is worthy according to their deeds.
How a person lived on earth, how he prepared to meet God, and what state he has reached, he will go with him into eternity. And the worthy, righteous will go to eternal life with God, and sinners into eternal torment prepared for the devil and his servants. After this will come the eternal Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of goodness, truth and love.
On the mercy of God towards sinners
But the Lord is not only the Terrible Judge, He is also the Merciful Father, and of course He, out of mercy, will use opportunities in order not to condemn, but to justify a person.
Saint Theophan the Recluse writes about this:
“The Lord wants everyone to be saved, therefore, you too… The Lord at the Last Judgment will not just exact, how to condemn, but how to justify everyone. And he will justify everyone, if only there is even a small opportunity. "
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(MP3 file. Duration 21:28 min. Size 10.4 Mb)My Christ-loving brothers, hear about the Second and terrible coming of our Master Jesus Christ. I remembered that hour and trembled with great fear, thinking what would then be revealed. Who will describe it? What language will it express? What hearing will contain what is heard? Then the King of reigns, having risen from the Throne of His glory, will descend to visit all the inhabitants of the universe, make calculations with them and, as the Judge should, worthy to give a good reward, and also to execute those who deserve punishment. When I think about that, fear grips my limbs, and I faint all over; my eyes ooze tears, my voice disappears, my lips close, my tongue grows numb, and my thoughts learn to be silent. Oh, what a need to speak of ours will insist on for our benefit! And fear forces me to be silent.
Such great and terrible miracles have not been from the beginning of creation and will not be in all generations. It often happens now that if lightning flashes stronger than usual, then it terrifies every person, and we all bow to the ground. How, then, will we bear it, how soon will we hear the voice of a trumpet from heaven, surpassing every thunder, calling out and awakening from eternity the righteous and unrighteous who have fallen asleep? Then in hell the bones of men, hearing the voice of the trumpet, will scurry with care, looking for their compositions, then we will see how every human breath in the blink of an eye will rise from its place, and everything from the four ends of the earth will be gathered for Judgment. For the Great King will command, who has authority over of all flesh, and immediately with trembling and diligence they will give - the land of their dead, and the sea of theirs. What the animals have torn to pieces, what the fish have crushed, what the birds have plundered - all that will appear in the blink of an eye. There is no shortage of hair. How will we demolish this, brothers, when we see a river of fire, flowing with fury, like a fierce sea, eating mountains and wilds, setting fire to the whole earth and business, even on it! Then, beloved, from such a fire the rivers will become scarce, the springs will disappear, the stars will fall, the sun will darken, the moon goes by, according to the written, the sky is scrolling like a scroll(Isa. 34: 4). Then the Angels sent will flow, collecting chosen from the four winds, as the Lord said, from the end of heaven to their end(Matthew 24:31); then we will see that, according to His promise, heaven is new and earth is new(Is 65:17). How will we endure then, Christ-lovers, when we see the prepared terrible Throne and the sign of the Cross that has appeared, on which Christ was nailed by the will for us? Then everyone will see at the height the terrible and holy scepter of the Great King appeared, everyone, at last, will understand and remember the word of the foretold Lord that the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven(Matthew 24:30), and it will become known to everyone that the King will appear after this.
In this hour, my brothers, everyone will think about how to meet him the terrible King, and will begin to trust all his deeds; then he will see that his deeds - both good and bad - stand before him. Then all those who are merciful and sincerely repentant will rejoice when they see the prayers they have sent forth; the compassionate will see that the poor and the needy, whom they have shown mercy here, plead for them and proclaim their good deeds before angels and men. Others will also see tears and labors of repentance, and they will appear joyful, bright, glorious, waiting for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ(Titus 2:13).
Why not tell me briefly about the most important? When we hear this great voice and a terrible cry, which from the heights of heaven will say: Behold, the groom is coming(Matthew 25: 6), - behold, the Judge is approaching, behold, the King appears, behold, the Judge of judges is revealed, behold, the God of all is coming to judge the living and the dead! - then, Christ-lovers, from that cry the foundations and the womb of the earth will tremble from its limits and to its limits, and the sea, and all the abysses; hopes of what is coming to the universe, for, according to what is written, The forces of heaven will move(Matthew 24:29). Then the Angels will flow, the faces of the Archangels, Cherubim and Seraphim will gather, and all those who read with strength and strength will exclaim: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty(Revelation 4: 8). Then every creature in heaven, and on earth, and underground, will cry out with trembling and strength: blessed is the coming(Matthew 21: 9) King in the name of the Lord. Then the heavens will be torn apart, and the King of reigns will be revealed, our most pure and glorious God, like a terrible lightning, with a power of many and incomparable glory, as he preached and John the Evangelist saying: Behold, coming from the cloud heavenly, and every eye will see him, and those like him will perforate, and all the tribes of the earth will cry for him(Apocalypse 1: 7).
What soul can then find so much strength in itself to endure this? For heaven and earth will be given to flight, as the Theologian says again: Videh The Throne is great white, and He who sits on it, He who flees from the face of heaven and earth, and the place is not found for them(Rev. 20:11). Have you ever seen such fear? Have you seen such extraordinary and terrible things? Heaven and earth will run: who then will be able to resist? Where will we, sinners, flee, when we see the Thrones set up and the seated Lord of all ages, when we see countless armies standing in fear around the Throne? Then Daniel's prophecy will be fulfilled. In vain,- it is said, - until the Thrones were set, and the Old denmi sede, and His clothes are white like snow, and the hair of His head like a wave is pure, His Throne is a flame of fire, His wheels are scorching fire. The fiery river flows out before Him: thousands of thousands I serve Him, and for those who stand before Him: the Judgment is gray, and opening books(Dan. 7: 9-10). There will be great fear, and trembling, and ecstasy at that hour, brothers, when He gathers up an impartial judgment seat, and those terrible books will be opened where our deeds and words are written, and everything that we have said and done in this life, and that thought, as written, to hide from God, testing hearts and womb(Apoc. 2:23), for power your chapters all read the essence(Luke 12: 7), that is, the discourses and thoughts are read, in which we will give an account of the Judge.
Oh, how many tears we need for this hour! And we arrive in neglect. Oh, how much we will weep and weep for ourselves when we see those great gifts which those who have fought good will receive from the King of glory! Then with our eyes we will see the ineffable Heavenly Kingdom, and, on the other hand, we will also see the terrible torment opening up, in the middle - every knee and every human breath from the progenitor Adam to the one born after all, and everyone bows their knees with trembling and bows down, as it is written: I live I am the Lord says: as if every knee will bow to me(Rom. 14:11). Then, Christ-lovers, all mankind will be placed in the midst of Kingdom and condemnation, life and death, in the midst of security and need. Everyone will be in anticipation of the terrible Doomsday, and no one will be able to help anyone. Then it will be required from everyone a confession of faith, a commitment to Baptism, faith, clean from all heresy, an unbroken seal and a tunic undefiled, according to the written: All those around him will bring gifts(Psalm 75:12) to the terrible King. Because from all who fit into citizenship in the Holy Church, an account of the strength of each will be required: the strength of the torment will be(Prem. 6: 6), - according to the written. To everyone Much will be given to him, much will be demanded from him(Luke 12:48). Measure in small measure each, will confront him(Mark 4:24).
However, whether someone is great or small, we still confessed the faith and received the holy seal. All equally denied the devil by blowing on him, and all alike made a promise to Christ by worshiping Him - if only you understood the power of the Sacrament of the font and renunciation of the alien (demon). For the renunciation, which we undertake to do at holy Baptism, is apparently expressed not in many words, but according to the thought contained in it, and it is very important. Whoever could preserve it is blessed. For in a few words we renounce everything that is called bad, that God only hates, we renounce not one, not two, not ten bad deeds, but everything called bad, everything that is hateful to God. For example, it says: I deny Satan and all his works. What are you doing? - Listen to: fornication, adultery, uncleanness, lies, thugs (robbery), envy, poisoning, fortune-telling, divination, irritability, anger, blasphemy, hostility, quarrels, jealousy, I renounce drunkenness, idle talk, pride, idleness, I renounce (mockery, playing the flute), demonic songs, child abuse, fortune-telling by the flight of birds, summoning spirits, fortune-telling writing on the leaves, I renounce those sacrificed to idols, blood, strangulation and carrion. But why talk a lot? There is no time to list everything. Let's leave a lot and say simply: I renounce everything that happens in the sun, moon and stars, in springs and trees, at crossroads, in liquids and bowls, many outrageous deeds that are shameful to talk about. All this and the like - all that we all know that these are the deeds and teachings of the devil - we renounce through renunciation at holy baptism. We learned many bad things when we were in darkness under the devil's rule, until the light touched us, until sold out we were under sin(Rom. 7:14). When the man-loving and merciful God was pleased to deliver us from such delusion, the East visited us from above, God's saving grace appeared, the Lord gave Himself for us, redeemed us from idols' flattery and was pleased to renew us with water and spirit. Therefore we have renounced all this, when the old man is done away with his deeds(Col. 3: 9), put on the new Adam. So, whoever, by receiving grace, does the aforementioned wicked deeds, has fallen away from grace, and Christ will not in the least use (help) him, who is in sin.
Have you heard, Christ-lovers, how many bad deeds you have denied in a few words? This renunciation and good confession will be required of each of us in that hour and day, for it is written: You will be justified from your words(Matthew 12:37). And the Lord also says: I judge you from your mouth, wicked servant(Luke 19:22).
So, it is clear that our words will either condemn or justify us at that hour. How will everyone be interrogated? The shepherds, that is, the bishops, will be inquired about their own life and about their flock; everyone will be required to have the (good) verbal sheep, which he received from the Chief Shepherd of Christ. If, through the negligence of the bishop, a sheep perishes, then its blood will be exacted from his hands. Likewise, the appropriators will answer for their Church, and together the deacons and all believers will answer for their house, for their wife, for children, for slaves and slaves: did he bring up them in the punishment and teaching of the Lord,- as the apostle commanded (Eph. 6: 4). Then the kings and princes, rich and poor, great and small, will be questioned about all the deeds that they have done. For it is written that let us all stand before the judgment of Christ(Rom. 14:10); yes take kiyzhdo, even with the body has done, or good, or evil(2 Cor. 5:10). And elsewhere it says: do not have others who will sweep away my hand(Deut. 32:39).
“We ask you to tell us what will happen after that,” they ask me. With an illness of my heart I will say that you cannot hear what will happen after this. Let's stop speaking, Christ-lovers.
The Christ-loving ones again said: "Is this really worse than what was said before, what we have already heard from you?" The teacher, crying again, said: “With tears I say to you, without tears and it is impossible to tell everything, because that will be the last. But since we have a commandment from the apostle to betray this is a faithful person(2 Tim. 2: 2), - and you are faithful, then I convey this to you, and you also tell others. If you have a sick heart, telling about that, then be compassionate to me, blessed brothers.
Then, Christ-lovers, after the deeds of all have been examined and announced before angels and men, and put all enemies under his feet(1 Cor. 15:25), will abolish every principle and every authority and power(1 Cor. 15:24) and bows every knee God (Rom. 14:11), according to what is written. Then the Lord will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Those who have good deeds and good fruits will be separated from the barren and sinful. And they will shine like the sun; it is those who have kept the commandments of the Lord, who are merciful, loving needy, orphan-loving, are hospitable, clothe the naked, visit prisoners in prison, intercede for the oppressed, visit the sick, cry now, as the Lord said (Matthew 5: 4), are now impoverished for the sake of riches kept in heaven, they forgive the sins of the brothers, they have kept the seal of faith unbroken and clean from all heresy. The Lord will set these at the right hand, and the goats - oshiyuyu, that is, precisely those who are sterile, angered the good Shepherd, do not heed the words of the Chief Shepherd, are arrogant, ignorant, who at the present time of repentance, like goats, play and bask, who wait all the time of their lives. in overeating, drunkenness and hard-heartedness, like that rich man who never showed pity to poor Lazarus. Therefore, they are condemned to stand oshuyuyu, as unmerciful, non-compassionate, having absolutely neither the fruits of repentance, nor oil in their lamps. And whoever bought themselves oil from the poor and filled their vessels with it, they will stand at the right hand in glory and gladness, holding brightly burning lamps, and will hear this blessed and merciful voice: come blessing of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the folding of the world(Matthew 25:34). Those who stand oshuyu will hear this formidable and severe sentence: go from Me curse into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his aggression(Matthew 25:41). Just as you did not have mercy, so now you yourself will not be pardoned, just as you did not listen to My voice, so I will not heed your lamentation now, because you did not serve Me: you did not nourish the hungry, did not give the thirsty one to drink, did not accept the strange , they did not clothe the naked, they did not visit the sick, they did not come to Me when I was in prison. You have become workers and servants of another master, that is, the devil. Therefore, distance yourself from Me, you workers of unrighteousness. Then these go to eternal torment: but the righteous to eternal belly(Matthew 25:46).
This symbolic interpretation of His coming or return is confirmed by Christ's own words. Christ repeatedly and unambiguously resorts to the ambiguous description of HIS SECOND COMING. Sometimes he talks about His own return, and sometimes about His coming
one . That He will return Himself: I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you. I told you that I am going from you and I will come to you. Soon you will not see Me, and soon you will see Me again ... and then I will go and I will prepare a place for you, I will come again.
2. That another other than Him will return: But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go, for if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. And He will come and convict the world of sin. I still have a lot to tell you, but now you cannot contain. When He is the Spirit of truth, He will guide you into all truth. When the Comforter comes, whom I will send from the Father, the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me.
Further, Christ explains that both He and the One who will return in His name WILL BE PEOPLE, bearing within themselves the ONE AND THE SAME HOLY SPIRIT. About HIMSELF Christ says this: the Word that you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. The words that I speak to you, I am not speaking on my own behalf.
Christ speaks of the One who, as He promises, will come after His, Christ's departure: For he will not speak of himself, but will speak that he hears.
The fact that the new Messiah will come in His name, Christ, and bring the same power of the Holy Spirit, follows from the words of Christ to the disciples: the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of everything that I have said to you..
Christ sternly warns and warns the people, saying that since they rejected Him in their time, they are not destined to believe in Him again upon their return. Christ in one phrase binds Himself and the One who will come for him. You will not see Me from now on until you exclaim: Blessed is the One Coming in the name of the Lord!
A huge number of testimonies mean that, speaking about His second coming, Christ means the coming of CHRIST - the SPIRIT, the Holy Spirit in Him, which must appear again .. And speaking about the coming of the Other, Christ means a DIFFERENT HYPOSTASIS: A MAN in ANOTHER FLESH AND A BODY THAT WILL BEARING A NEW, DIFFERENT NAME, but filled with the same HOLY SPIRIT. Christ expresses the same truth but in a different way - saying that it is not the name and the flesh that are important, but the spirit that the mission carries:
God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in SPIRIT AND TRUTH, and not as the whole sinful world of people today falsely and falsely worships God. There are many such prophecies in the Holy Scriptures about the second coming of the Prophet in the SPIRIT, and not in the flesh, as well as in other ancient religions.
SRI Krishna, the holy forerunner of Hinduism, who today has hundreds of millions of followers all over the world united in the Society for Krishna Consciousness, in ancient times asserted the same basic truth. He said that the Holy Spirit, according to God's command,
The return of the Spirit is also in GAUTAM BUDDHA:"I am not the first Buddha who came to Earth, and I am not the last. At the appointed time, another Buddha will appear in the world, saint, supremely Enlightened ... The incomparable Human Leader .... And He will reveal to you the same eternal truths with which I taught you. "
All this is confirmed by the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, which took place, but not in the FLESH, but in the SPIRIT. This is indisputable evidence that the second coming has really happened, although the blind and spiritually dead world of people did not notice anything, as in the case of the first coming of Christ 2000 years ago.
