03-07-2021, 03:20 PM
CHAPTER II
EARLIEST PRIVATE PROPHESY
Introductory Remarks
In dividing the prophetic texts into Scriptural and non-Scriptural instead of Scriptural, Patristic and Private prophesies we have been influenced by the Theologians who claim that there are very few notions about Antichrist on which the Fathers of the Church agree. Since such is the case we must consider all that matter on which they disagree or seem to disagree as private interpretation of Scriptural prophesy and therefore as open to question.
The fact, however, that the sayings of the Fathers, which in fact have the value of Tradition, are found in this section is not to be taken to mean any disrespect on our part. We have chosen for the reason given above and for convenience to put all non-Scriptural prophesy in chronological order. Our readers will readily distinguish the ideas on which all agree from those which are controverted or at least expressed by only one or other prophet or commentator.Likewise we have put all texts on one level, so to speak: Those who do not claim the gift of prophesy and those who do, those who most certainly merit our attention and those of quite doubtful nature. This too is necessitated not only by convenience but by the fact that our purpose is to give our readers all the texts we could lay our hands on so that within the compass of one book it would be possible for all to survey at first hand the thinking of the whole Christian world on the Antichrist through the ages. We have only this caution to add: Be very careful not to put great faith in statements of a private nature eminating from only one source unless you have the proper Ecclesiastical guarantee that the source in question merits special credence.
We have deliberately omitted the ravings of the 16th and 17th Century fanatics who wasted much good paper trying to absolve themselves by making the papacy Antichrist. Even all their own followers have long since repudiated their bigotry. And likewise we omit the rantings of certain sect leaders of our own day who try to revive the papal Antichrist legend by choosing some letters alleged to be on the tiara and omitting others. L,et us take all or none.
We finally consign to the ash can the trash ground out on sectarian presses which chooses dates for the second coming of Christ and changes them as the fixed dates arrive. We even turn a deaf ear to sectarian speeches which put the Second Coming just around the corner and the preachers and their flock in white robes waiting with outstretched arms while the rest of mankind are gathered up by the Avenger. The reason is evident: God has reserved for himself a knowledge of exact dates and we believe even of approximate times. Signs he tells us, he will give, Signs which the elect alone, but all the elect, high and low, will recognize. So let us be content to do exactly as He says "Watch and pray, for ye know not the day nor the hour."
Jewish Apocrapha
233. Book of Enoch (170 B.C.)
a. "The Lord said unto Michael: Go, bind Semjaza and his associates who have united themselves with women so as to have defiled themselves with them in all their uncleanness. And when their sons have slain one another, and they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them fast for seventy generations in the valleys of the earth, till the day of their judgment and of their consummation, till the judgment that is forever and ever is consummated. In those days they shall be led to the abyss of fire: (and) to the torment and the prison in which they shall be confined forever. And whosoever shall be condemned and destroyed will from henceforth be bound together with them to the end of all generations. And destroy all the spirits of the reprobate and the children of the Watchers, because they have wronged mankind. Destroy all wrong from the face of the earth and let every evil work come to an end: and let the plant of righteousness and truth appear: and it shall prove a blessing; the works of righteousness and truth shall be planted in truth and joy for evermore (10: 11-16) .
b. "Enoch was hidden, and no one of the children of men knew where he was hidden ... His activities had to do with the Watchers and his days were with the holy ones ..."(12: 1).
c. "And Enoch was raised aloft on the chariots of the spirit and his name vanished among them ..." (70: 1, 2).
d. "When sin and righteousness, blasphemy and violence and all kind of deeds increase, and apostasy in transgression and uncleanness increase, a great chastisement shall come from heaven" (91: 7) .
e. "I was born the seventh in the first week, while justice reigned yet upon the earth. "And after me, in the second week will come a great evil (the deluge) and in that week the first consummation will take place. Then one man will be saved. And after this week, injustice will again grow.
"And then, in the third week, towards its end, a man shall be chosen, (Abraham) as a plant of just judgment, and he will then grow as a plant in justice for all eternity.
"Then, in the fourth week, towards its end, the visions of the holy and just will appear, and a law for all generations, and an ark (enclos?) shall be prepared for them.
"Then, in the fifth week, towards its end, a House of Glory and domination shall be built for eternity.
"Then, in the sixth week, those who live in that time shall be all blinded and their hearts shall fall into iniquity, far from wisdom, and then, a Man will ascend to Heaven; and at the end of this week the house of domination shall be destroyed by fire, and the race of the powerful root shall be dispersed.
"Then, in the seventh week, a perverse generation shall arise, - many will be their works, but all shall be works of abomination. And at the end of this week the just branches of the plant of just shall be chosen, for the end that the science of God's Creation shall be given them a hundred-fold - for who is the child of man who can hear the voice of the Holy One without being moved, and who can think His thoughts, and who can contemplate all the works of heaven ? Who is he who can see the heavens, and who is he that may know the works of heaven? And how could he see a soul or a spirit, and how could he speak of such, how could he rise to see their workings or act as they do? And who is the child of man who may know the length or the breadth of heaven, or upon what base it is founded, how great is the number of stars and where they rest, the lights of heaven.
"Then there will be another week, the eighth. This week shall be that of justice, and a sword shall be given (to justice?) that judgment may be accomplished and the oppressors and the sinners will be broken by the hands of the just, and towards the end of this week, the just shall acquire dwelling-places because of their justice, and a house shall be erected for the great King, of an eternal splendor.
"And after this, in the ninth week, the judgment of the just shall be unveiled to all men, throughout the universe, and all the works of the impious shall disappear from the earth and the number inscribed for perdition, and all men shall see the path of righteousness.
"And then, in the tenth week, at its seventh part, will take place the great eternal Judgment. He shall exercise judgment and vengeance amid the angels. And then the first heaven shall disappear and pass away, and a new heaven will appear, and all the powers of heaven shall shine eternally, seven times greater, and after this week shall come weeks, numerous weeks, which shall pass on, innumerable, and eternal, for kindness and justice, and from thence, sin will be no longer named forever." (93: 1-14; 91: 12-17).
f. "Woe to you, ye rich, for ye have trusted in your riches, and from your riches shall ye depart, because ye have not remembered the Most High in the days of your riches."
g. "Woe to you who work godlessness, and glory in lying and extol them: ye shall perish, and no happy life shall be yours. Woe to them who pervert the words of uprightness, and transgress the eternal law, and transform themselves into what they were not (into sinners): they shall be trodden under foot and upon the earth. In those days make ready, ye righteous, to raise your prayers as a memorial, and place them as a testimony before the angels, that they may place the sin of the sinners for a memorial before the Most High. In those days the nations shall be stirred up, and the families of the nations shall arise on the day of destruction. And in those days the destitute shall go forth and carry off their children, and they shall abandon them, so that their children shall perish through them: Yea, they shall abandon their children (that are still) sucklings, and not return to them, and shall have no pity on their beloved ones. And again I swear to you, ye sinners, that sin is prepared for a day of unceasing bloodshed. And they who worship stones, and grave images of gold and silver and wood (and stone) and clay, and those who worship impure spirits and demons and all kinds of idols not according to knowledge, shall get no manner of help from them. And they shall become godless by reason of the folly of their hearts, and their eyes shall be blinded through the fear of their hearts and through visions in their dreams. Through these they shall become godless and fearful; for they shall have wrought all their work in a lie, and shall have worshipped a stone: therefore in an instant shall they perish. But in those days blessed are all they who accept the words of wisdom, and understand them, and observe the paths of the Most High, and walk in the path of His righteousness, and become not godless with the godless; for they shall be saved. Woe to you who spread evil to your neighbors; for you shall be slain in Sheol. Woe to you who make deceitful and false measures, and (to them) who cause bitterness on the earth; for they shall thereby be utterly consumed. Woe to you who build your houses through the grievous toil of others, and all their building materials are the bricks an(; stones of sin; I tell you ye shall have no peace. Woe to them who reject the measure and eternal heritage of their fa1 hers and whose souls follow after idols; for they shall have no rest. Woe to them who work unrighteousness and help oppression, and slay their neighbors until the day of the great judgment. For He shall cast down your glory, and bring affliction on your hearts, and shall arouse His fierce indignation and destroy you all with the sword; and all the Holy and righteous shall remember your sins" (99: 1-16).
h. "And in those days in one place the fathers together with their sons shall be smitten and brothers one with another shall fall in death till the streams flow with their blood. For a man shall not withhold his hand from slaying his sons and his sons' sons, and the sinner shall not withhold his hand from his honoured brother; from dawn till sunset they shall slay one another. And the horse shall walk up to the breast in the blood of sinners, and the chariot shall be submerged to its height. In those days the angels shall descend into the secret places and gather together into one place all those who brought down sin, and the Most High will arise on that day of judgment to execute great judgment amongst sinners" (100 :1-4).
i. "Sinners will alter and pervert the words of righteousness in many ways, and will speak wicked words, and lie, and practice great deceits, and write books concerning their words" (104: 10).
j. "Another book . . . Enoch wrote for his son Mathusala and for those who will come after him, and keep the law in the last days. Ye who have done good shall wait for those days till an end is made of those who work evil, and an end of the might of the transgressors. And wait ye indeed till sin has passed away, for their names shall be blotted cut of the book of life and out of the holy books, and their seed shall be destroyed forever, and their spirits shall be slain, and they shall cry and make lamentation in a place that is a chaotic wilderness, and in the fire shall they burn; for there is no earth there" (108: 1-3).