Слово 10

Chapter 28. About the Angel clothed with a cloud and a rainbow and proclaiming silence Rev.10:1. “And I saw another strong angel descending from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, and an arc over (his head), and his face like the sun, and his nose like pillars of fire.” What we need to understand here is the Holy Angel, this is shown by the cloud and the rainbow and its sun-like light. For this shows the heavenly dignity and diversity in virtues and the luminosity of the Angelic being and understanding. And the pillars of fire mean fear and punishment inflicted by the Angel on the wicked who carry out robberies on land and sea. For this purpose, he placed his right foot on the land, and his left foot on the sea, to indicate the punishment of the wicked both here and here. Rev. 10:2–3. “And having a book in your hand, you put your foot on the sea and your neck on the earth. And you cried with a great voice, like a roaring lion: and when you cried, you spoke your voices of seven thunders.” The book, as small and finely written (ναυκοριστικως λεχθεν), contains, as I think, the names and deeds of the worst of those who rob on earth, or act unjustly and plunder at sea, to whose punishment the Angel indicated by placing fiery feet on the earth and on the sea. The voice of an Angel is like the roar of a lion, that his punishment is terrible and unbearable. And the witness Daniel, who could not painlessly see the meek, not only the threatening Angel. By seven thunders, we think, we must mean either seven sounds uttered by one Angel, or seven other holy Angels predicting the future, so that in this case it will be clear that they repeated the words of the first Angel and from him received inspiration to prophesy, according to the angelic order indicated by Blessed Dionysius. Rev.10:4. “And when he had cried out the seven thunders of his voice, he wanted to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal the word that was spoken by the seven thunders, and write not this.” By recording what the seven thunders said; even after writing, it is shown that now this is unknown, but it will be explained by experience and event itself. The Evangelist was taught about this from a heavenly voice in order to impress these voices on the mind, and provide a perfect revelation and clear explanation of them for the last times. For that such words were sealed and concluded, Daniel was once taught this (12:4). Rev.10:5–6. “And the Angel, who I saw standing on the sea and on the earth, raised his hand to heaven. And they swear to them that live forever and ever, who made the heaven and what is in it, and the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there will be no more summer.” And the Angel swears by the living God. For God, before any great man swears, swears by himself. (Heb. 6:13). Angels, as creatures, because of our unbelief, confirm what they say, swearing by the Creator. He swears that there will be no time, or in the next century, in which there is no time measured by the sun, and the time after the voices of the Angel will not be long until the prophecies are fulfilled. Why does it add? Rev.10:7. “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when the trumpet is to sound, then the mystery of God will end, as the prophets preached the gospel to their servants.” This, I think, means that after six centuries, in the days of the seventh century, signified by the seventh trumpet, what was said by the Holy Prophets will come to fulfillment. This is called the gospel because of the rest prepared for the saints. Chapter 29. About how the Evangelist took the book from the Angel Rev.10:8. “And I heard his voice from heaven again speaking to me, and saying: Go and receive the little book opened in the hand of the Angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.” Here another certain higher angelic power commands the Evangelist, under the image of a book, to accept the understanding of what is predicted. Rev.10:9. “And I went to the Angel, saying to him: Give me a little book, and say to me: Take the snow, and it will be bitter in your belly, but in your mouth it will be sweet like honey.” The vision of the future is sweet for you, he says, but it will be bitter for the belly, i.e. for the heart - this container of mental food, out of regret for those who will need to accept the ulcers sent, according to God's definition. It can be understood differently. since he was holy, he had no experience of evil deeds, but through the absorption of a book containing the deeds of the wicked, he was shown the sweetness of sin in the beginning and its bitterness later in punishment. Rev.10:10. “And I received the book from the hand of the Angel and devoured it: and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth; and when I had eaten it, it was bitter in my belly.” And when I was devoured, there was bitterness in my belly. A book is sweet in the beginning because of what is cheerful, but sad at the end because of its plagues, just as sin is sweet when eaten, but bitter when cooked and rewarded, as was said. Being compassionate, the saints rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, as the Divine Apostle says. 10:11. “And I said: It is fitting to prophesy again among people, and among nations, and among nations, and among many kings.” This shows either that not soon after the vision of the Divine Apocalypse will the fulfillment of what was seen take place, but it is still up to the Blessed One through his Gospel, and through this revelation even to the end to prophesy to those who read about the future; or that he will not taste death, but will come at the end, preventing him from accepting the deception of the Antichrist. 11:1–2. “And we gave a reed like a rod, saying: Arise and measure the church of God and the altar, and those who worship in it: and take the courtyard that is inside the church outside, measure it below, it was given with the tongue: and the holy city will be trampled for fourty and two months.” This reed shows that everything that appears in heaven is spiritual, even if with us it was soulless, such as the altar and the throne and other things, since the reed given to him said: Arise and measure the church of God, which shows that the church of God is measured by the angelic understanding. If someone says that an angel gave him a cane, and from him he heard: Arise and measure the church of God, we will say to him that the cane shows the measure of knowledge corresponding to the recipient, which those who are known to God and God’s angels will be awarded for good deeds. For the Lord has His own message, says the Divine Word (2 Tim. 2:19). One must know that by the church of God some meant the Old Testament, and by the outer court the new one, immeasurable by the multitude of those saved in it, and by forty-two months the shortness of time until the second coming of Christ, which will contain the sacraments of the New Testament. We think that the temple of the living God is called the Church, in which we offer reasonable sacrifices to God, and the outer court is the community of unbelievers and the synagogue of the Jews, as unworthy of the angelic dimension for their wickedness. The Lord knows His own existence, as it is said, but the wicked, as they say, He who knows all does not know. And that the holy city, whether it be the new Jerusalem, or the universal Church, will be trampled underfoot by the pagans for forty-two months, this, I think, means that at the coming of the Antichrist, the faithful and honest will be trampled and persecuted for three and a half years. Chapter 30. About Enoch and Elijah Rev. 11:3–4. “And I will give to both my witnesses, and they shall prophesy of days a thousand, two hundred, and sixty, clothed in sackcloth. These are two olive trees, and two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.” Many teachers thought that these two witnesses, namely Enoch and Elijah, at the end would receive from God time for prophecy for three and a half years, which are designated one thousand two hundred (τριακοσιον) sixty days. By being clothed in sackcloth they show that those who are deceived are worthy of weeping and tears, and that they will distract those existing then from the deception of the Antichrist. The prophet Zechariah indicated them in the form of two olive trees and two lamps, because food for the light of knowledge is supplied by the oil of good deeds. Rev. 11:5–6. “And whoever does injustice to them, fire comes out of their mouth, and their enemies are killed: and whoever wants to offend them, he must be killed. And they have the region to shut up the heavens, so that no rain will fall on the earth in the days of their prophecy: and they have the region on the waters, to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they please.” And others will want to offend them. O Divine goodness! It brings healing according to the wound. For since the false Christ in all signs and false wonders will be the most glorious of all sorcerers and spellcasters, as having received every act of the devil, then God arms these saints with the power of true signs and wonders, so that with the offer of truth and light they drive away lies and darkness and convert those who are led astray, either with a teaching word or punishing blows - rainlessness and fire and the transformation of the elements. and the like, and the culprit of the error was openly shamed, without suffering anything from him or anyone else until the end of his sermon. Rev. 11:7–8. “And when they finish this testimony, the beast that comes from the bottomless pit will make war on them, and will overcome them, and will kill them. And their corpses will be left on the hills of the great city, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord was crucified.” After they testify to fleeing deception, the beast, that is, the Antichrist, emerging from the dark and deep countries of the earth into which the devil was banished, will kill them, by God’s permission, and leave their bodies unburied in Jerusalem itself, ancient and devastated, in which the Lord also suffered. In this city, as it seems, he will establish his kingdom, in the likeness of David, whose son in the flesh was Christ, our true God, in order to assure that He is Christ, fulfilling the prophetic word, which says: I will raise up the fallen tabernacle of David and will recompense it that fell (Am. 9:11), which the erring Jews attribute to his coming. Rev. 11:9–10. “And they will see from people and tribes, and from tongues and from tribes, their bodies for three days and half, and their corpses will not be left to be placed in tombs. And those who live on the earth will rejoice and rejoice over them, and they will send gifts to each other, just as these two prophets of torment are living on the earth.” Carried away by the false miracles of the Antichrist and his ungodly name indelibly written in their hearts, Jews and pagans will prevent the burial of the holy bodies, will rejoice at the liberation from the punishments that they endured for their conversion, not thinking that God loves him and punishes him, beats every son who accepts him (Heb. 12:6), and with fords and with a bridle he draws to himself those who do not approach Him (Ps. 31:9), so that even if out of need they turn to the right path, from which they turned aside, being deceived. We need to pray, saying this: it is good for me, for you have humbled me, so that I may learn through your justification (Ps. 119:71). Bring us back, O God of our salvation, and turn away Your wrath from us (Ps. 84:5); Do not enter into judgment with Your servant (Ps. 143:2). For we are judged by You, the Humane-loving Master, and we are punished, so that we will not be condemned with the world (1 Cor. 11:32), but for the sake of a small punishment we will escape eternal torment, therefore You are rich in bounties, Christ our God, and all thanks, glory and honor and worship are due to You with the Father and the Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.