[A Prediction Concerning Futurities.]
XXXII. For in the last days false prophets shall be multiplied, and such as corrupt the word; and the sheep shall be changed into wolves, and love into hatred: for through the abounding of iniquity the love of many shall wax cold. For men shall hate, and persecute, and betray one another. And then shall appear the deceiver of the world, the enemy of the truth, the prince of lies, 130 1 Tim. iii. 2, 12; Tit. i. 6. 1 Tim. iii. 2, 12; Tit. i. 6. whom the Lord Jesus “shall destroy with the spirit of His mouth, who takes away the wicked with His lips; and many shall be offended at Him. But they that endure to the end, the same shall be saved. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven;” 131 [See Elucidation XIII. vol. v. p. 160, this series.] [See Elucidation XIII. vol. v. p. 160, this series.] and afterwards shall be the voice of a trumpet by the archangel; 132 Lev. xxi. 7, 14; 1 Tim. v. 9. Lev. xxi. 7, 14; 1 Tim. v. 9. and in that interval shall be the revival of those that were asleep. And then shall the Lord come, and all His saints with Him, 133 Prov. xiv. 12. Prov. xiv. 12. with a great concussion above the clouds, with the angels of His power, 134 Matt. xxiv. 24. Matt. xxiv. 24. in the throne of His kingdom, to condemn the devil , the deceiver of the world, and to render to every one according to his deeds. “Then shall the wicked go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous shall go into life eternal,” 135 Matt. xii. 32. Matt. xii. 32. to inherit those things “which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, such things as God hath prepared for them that love Him;” 136 Vid. Cant. ii. 15. Vid. Cant. ii. 15. and they shall rejoice in the kingdom of God, which is in Christ Jesus. Since we are vouchsafed such great blessings from Him, let us become His suppliants, and call upon Him by continual prayer, and say:—
[32] Ἐν γὰρ ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις πληθυνθήσονται οἱ ψευδοπροφῆται καὶ οἱ φθορεῖς τοῦ λόγου, καὶ στραφήσονται τὰ πρόβατα εἰς λύκους καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη εἰς μῖσος: πληθυνθείσης γὰρ τῆς ἀνομίας, ψυγήσεται ἡ ἀγάπη τῶν πολλῶν, μισήσουσιν γὰρ ἀλλήλους οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ διώξουσιν καὶ προδώσουσιν. Καὶ τότε φανήσεται ὁ κοσμοπλάνος, ὁ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθρός, ὁ τοῦ ψεύδους προστάτης, ὃν ὁ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς ἀνελεῖ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ὁ διὰ χειλέων ἀναιρῶν ἀσεβῆ: καὶ πολλοὶ σκανδαλισθήσονται. ἐπ' αὐτῷ, οἱ δὲ ὑπομείναντες εἰς τέλος, οὗτοι σωθήσονται. Καὶ τότε φανήσεται τὸ σημεῖον τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, εἶτα φωνὴ σάλπιγγος ἔσται δι' ἀρχαγγέλου καὶ μεταξὺ ἀναβίωσις τῶν κεκοιμημένων. Καὶ τότε ἥξει ὁ Κύριος καὶ πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐν συσσεισμῷ ἐπάνω τῶν νεφελῶν μετ' ἀγγέλων δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ θρόνου βασιλείας, κατακρῖναι τὸν κοσμοπλάνον διάβολον καὶ ἀποδοῦναι ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν αὐτοῦ. Τότε ἀπελεύσονται οἱ μὲν πονηροὶ εἰς αἰώνιον κόλασιν, οἱ δὲ δίκαιοι πορεύσονται εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον, κληρονομοῦντες ἐκεῖνα, ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδεν καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσεν καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη, ἃ ἡτοίμασεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν, καὶ χαρήσονται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῇ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.