Chapter XIX.
(Vers. 1-8.)
(Vers. 1-8.) And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of great thunderings, saying: Alleluia, salvation, and glory, and power to our God; for true and just are his judgments, because he hath judged the great harlot which corrupted the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said: Alleluia; and her smoke rose up forever and ever. And the four and twenty ancients, and the four living creatures fell down and adored God that sitteth upon the throne, saying: Amen. Alleluia. And a loud voice came out from the throne, saying: Praise our God, all you his saints, and you who fear him, both small and great. And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying: Alleluia, for the Lord our God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad, and give glory to him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has prepared herself. And it was given to her to clothe herself in bright, shining linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
I have given the whole sentence, so that its careful subtlety can be more easily investigated from all sides. For it is read that the word 'alleluia' has been sung five times with seven voices: first and second by the voice of many trumpets, third by the twenty-four elders and four living creatures, fourth by the voice that came from the throne, not anymore 'alleluia' but its interpretation is sung, that is: Praise our God, all you his saints; alleluia indeed means praise the Lord. However, it is sung in three voices, that is, in the voice of a great trumpet, and in the voice of many waters, and in the voice of great thunder. The script of this book often shows that the whole multitude of the chosen ones is to be divided into seven parts, if one investigates its meaning more deeply. Therefore, the righteous who were before the flood belong to the first part: those who belong to the second part are the ones who lived after the flood until the giving of the Law, as we have often shown. And they had no other law except the natural law, that is, the love of God and neighbor. For everyone knows that they ought to fear and above all love the one by whom they were created, and from whom they receive life and its supports; and that they have no right to do to others what they do not wish to suffer themselves. This law is not allowed to be ignored by anyone who is of sound mind. Therefore, by many trumpets, those chosen who were before the flood, and who were chosen after the flood until the time when the Law was given, are designated. They sent forth a voice, because through the teaching of their preaching, they recalled from their errors whomever they were able; they sang alleluia, because they tried to please God by good works according to the knowledge of the natural law; they said alleluia again, because those who were after the flood, living according to the same law, lived justly and clung to their creator. But we must ask ourselves, why is it said in the second pronunciation that the smoke of Babylon will ascend forever and ever. The smoke can be a sign of fame. We know that in the second part, Noah and his sons are mentioned first, during whose time the human race was destroyed by the waters of the flood. Afterwards, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the other cities that clung to them, were destroyed by heavenly fire. Therefore, the smoke of Babylon ascends forever and ever, because this fame will never depart from the mouths of the faithful.
But indeed, by twenty-four elders, the fathers who were under the Law are designated. Four animals are joined to them, through which the new Testament is figured; because if it is understood spiritually in the old Testament, the new is contained. They sang Alleluia; because observing the legal commandments, they endeavored to please God through good works. But through the throne, the prophets are designated, because they were the seats of God, and through them He disposed His judgments. A voice came forth from the throne: for a sacred preaching came forth from the prophets. They sang praise to God; for they endeavored to serve Him with all their might. The great trumpet signifies Christ: the voice of the trumpet is the preaching of the Gospel; but through the voice of many waters, the multitude of nations confessing Christ is designated: but through the voice of mighty thunderings, the chosen ones who will be born at the end of the world are understood: and rightly through thunders, for they will announce the terror of the day of judgment. Therefore, three times the voices have sung alleluia; because they have preserved and will preserve the faith of the Holy Trinity and the teaching of the Gospel, which has come forth from the great trumpet, that is, from Christ, until the end. Therefore, the first and second parts, that is, the first and second, pertain to the law which we said is natural; the two that follow, that is, the third and fourth, pertain to the law which was given through Moses: but the three that remain, that is, the fifth and sixth, and seventh, pertain to the law of the Gospel; so that they may indicate that they ought to remain in the faith of the Holy Trinity until the end of the world.
But let us hear what these three parts chant: Alleluia, for the Lord our Almighty God has reigned; that is, let us praise the Lord; because, having destroyed the kingdom of the devil, our perverter, He deigns to reign in us, who is our Lord and Savior. Let us rejoice and exult, and give glory to Him; because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself. Therefore, let us rejoice, therefore let us exult, because the mercy of our Creator has deigned to join His Church, which we are, to Himself, as a bride is joined to her bridegroom; so that we may be one flesh with Him, as Scripture says: They shall be two in one flesh (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:32); which the Apostle taught should be understood of Christ and the Church. His wife has prepared herself, that is, the Church which is called the wife of the Lamb, has adorned herself with various virtues. And it was given to her to clothe herself in bright white linen. He himself explains what linen signifies: For the linen is the righteousness of the saints.
(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9) And he said to me: Write, blessed are those who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb. The lunch of the chosen ones is now, when they are nourished with evangelical banquets in the Church: but the dinner will then be, when after the resurrection they will enjoy eternal glory in heavenly bliss. And because the lunch that is now taking place receives both the good and the bad, not all those who are seen reclining at it are blessed: but only those who will be received in that dinner, which is to come after the end of the world.
(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10.) And he said to me: These words of God are true. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me: See that you do not do that; I am a servant like you and your brothers who bear testimony to Jesus. Worship God. The redemption of the blood of Christ has granted this to the faithful, that they may become children of God and associates of the angels; therefore the angel is afraid to be worshipped by a man who worships a man as God. Thus he calls himself the servant of John and of the other faithful. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy; and it is most certain that the fathers of the Old Testament, who predicted the coming, passion, and resurrection of Christ, had the spirit of prophecy, for which reason they are called prophets. Therefore, whoever bears witness to Christ has the spirit of prophecy.
(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he who sat on it was called Faithful and True. We should not in any way understand that this chapter refers to the coming of Christ, in which he is coming to judgement; but rather to the chosen ones, who will be born at the end of the world; for indeed, as the end of the world approaches, the Lord will come in his saints, to fight through them against the Antichrist and his ministers. And just as he will be preached by those saints, his appearance is described in this place; for by heaven, the Church is signified: by the white horse, is signified the man whom the Son of God assumed, and on whom he was seen to sit. He is also called faithful and true. These two names, namely faithful and true, have the same meaning in this place. Rightly the Son of God is called faithful, of whom the Psalmist says: The Lord is faithful in all his words, and holy in all his works (Psalm 145:13). He calls himself true in the Gospel, saying: I am the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14:6). It follows: And he judges and fights with righteousness. On the day of judgment, God will not fight against the wicked with weapons, but they will be conquered and crushed by His justice; for the Lord will bring forth before them all the sins and crimes of the wicked, so that they may know that they are condemned by the most just judgment of God.
(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12) His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems. Through the eyes of the Lord, the Spirit of God is signified, as the author of this book explains in the third vision: The Lamb had, he says, seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent into all the earth. And because fire both burns and illuminates, the Holy Spirit is appropriately called fiery; because it both illuminates and inflames the hearts of the faithful with the love of God. And on his head were many crowns. Through the many crowns, the multitude of saints is expressed. He has a name written that no one knows but himself. Although he previously said that he was called faithful and true, and shortly after that he was called the Word of God, what does he mean when he says that no one knows his name except himself? The saints of God certainly know the name of Christ, which is the Son of God, and yet they do not know. They know in part and they do not know in part, for in all creatures that are begotten and beget, no coeternal son can be to the Father. For it is necessary that he who generates precedes and he who is generated follows. But such is not the nature of the Son of God, for just as the Father is without beginning, so is the Son. And although how this can be done, we cannot understand; yet in truth we believe and confess the Son to be equal and coeternal with the Father. Concerning his generation, the prophet speaks, saying: Who will describe his generation (Isaiah 53:8)?
(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13) And he was clothed in a robe sprinkled with blood: and his name was called The Word of God. We can understand through the robe the body of Christ: but through the blood our sins, for which he himself died, or the death that he endured for us. But because he has destroyed the sins of his chosen ones by dying, and has trampled down death itself by rising again, as the apostle Paul says: Christ rising again from the dead, dieth now no more, death shall no more have dominion over him (Rom. VI, 9); it seems better to me that we understand by the robe of Christ the multitude of saints, who are his members: but by the drops of blood, with which the robe is said to be sprinkled, the martyrs are designated, who did not hesitate to shed their blood for the love of Christ; and therefore they adorn the robe of Christ, which consists of angels and holy men, with their splendor in that heavenly beatitude.
(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14.) And the armies that are in heaven, they followed him on white horses, clothed in white linen, clean and bright. We have said above that just as Christ will be preached by the saints at the end of the world, so also his figure is described in this place. Therefore, by heaven in this place, the Church is meant; by the armies that were seen following Christ, who came forth from heaven, the saints who will be born at the end of the world and will fight against the Antichrist are understood; but by the horses, bodies are meant; and by the riders of horses, souls are designated. Therefore, they seemed to have white horses because they will present themselves clean and shining, as much as human frailty allows, in the sight of God. He explains what byssinum is: 'Byssinum,' he says, 'are the justifications of the saints.'
(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16.) And he had written on his garment and on his thigh: King of kings, and Lord of lords. By his garment, as we have said above, the saints are signified: but by his thigh, from which human origin is said to proceed, the man whom Christ assumed is designated. Therefore, on his garment, he had written that he is the King of kings, because in the works of the saints, it is recognized that he is the true God who possesses such servants. And on his thigh, he had written that he is the King of kings and Lord of lords; for in the works that he performed in the flesh, it is known that he is the true Son of God. We can also understand through the thigh the fathers of the Old Testament, from whose lineage Christ derived his origin: they both foreshadowed him and openly proclaimed with words that he himself would be the King of kings and Lord of lords.
(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) And out of his mouth came a sharp sword. We can receive through the mouth of the Lord the same preachers, of whom we have spoken, who will be born at the end of the world, through whose mouth God will speak, as he himself said in the Gospel: For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you (Matthew 10:20). And he himself says through the prophet: If you separate the precious from the vile, you will be like my mouth (Jeremiah 15:19). But indeed, as we have said above, we must understand the divine Scripture as a sword, as the apostle Paul says: And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). It is said to be sharp because the divine Scripture is very sharp for cutting off vices. So that it strikes the nations in itself. Christ will strike the nations with His sword when He destroys the errors of foolish men through the teaching of His saints. And He will rule them with an iron rod, and they will be broken like the vessels of a potter. We have said that the iron rod represents the Gospel; therefore, Christ will rule the nations with an iron rod, when He converts them to His faith through the teaching of the saints and the Jews, and defends the chosen ones from the errors of Antichrist. And they will be broken like a clay vessel. As long as anyone remains in sin, they are rightly called a clay vessel; but when they have turned to good works through repentance and tears, the clay vessel is broken, and from the clay vessel is made a solid and firm vessel, strongest against the attacks of demonic temptations. And he himself shall tread the winepress of the fury and wrath of Almighty God. Isaiah, speaking of the passion of the Lord, interposed the Lord himself saying: I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the Gentiles there is no man with me (Isaiah 63:3). But there the winepress is understood as the cross of the Lord; here, however, it is not the cross, but a place of punishments, in which the wicked are cast down, is designated. For the winepress has the same meaning in this place as the previously mentioned lake, into which it is read that the clusters of the vineyard of the earth, by whom the wicked are designated, were immersed. But even the trampling of the winepress has the same meaning that we said the trampling of the lake has; for it signifies the final submersion of the wicked in hell. But what the wine of the fury of the wrath of almighty God is, we said above (Ch. 14).
(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17) And I saw another angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice to all the birds that fly in the middle of the sky. This angel represents the preachers who will come at the end of the future world, and they are also symbolized by the horsemen mentioned a little earlier. But we should understand that Christ is represented by the sun. Therefore, the angel stood in the sun because the holy preachers in Christ will be so firmly established that they cannot be driven away by any force of persecution. But through birds, all faithful people, who are going to exist at that time, are designated: they will fly through the sky, because although they are situated on earth, they will dwell in heavenly things with their minds. However, we can also understand the Church through the sky. The saints fly through the sky: because having two wings, that is, two precepts of charity, they fly everywhere, bestowing mercy on some, and calling others back from wickedness.
(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18.) Come, gather together to the great feast of Almighty God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of tribunes, and the flesh of the mighty, and the flesh of horses, and those who sit upon them, and the flesh of free men and slaves, and of small and great. They are represented by kings and princes, free men and slaves, and all others, themselves by horses and their riders, namely the rulers of the earth and the people who are subject to them. But the dinner of God, what else is it, except the extermination of the wicked? However, the flesh of the wicked will be eaten by the righteous, when they receive vengeance for the evils that the wicked have inflicted upon them. And because the righteous, seeing the punishment of the wicked, make progress in good works, as the Psalmist says: The righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance, they will wash their hands in the blood of the sinner (Psalm 57:11).
(Vers. 19.)
(Verse 19.) And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. This demonstrates that it does not pertain to the coming of the Lord according to what was said above, but rather to that time in which he will battle against the Antichrist through his saints, as we have already said. For the beasts and the kings of the earth and their armies will gather to fight against Christ and his saints, when the Antichrist and a countless multitude of nations deceived by him will rise up to persecute the Church of God, in order to completely extinguish the name of Christ from the world.
(Vers. 20, 21.)
(Verse 20, 21.) And the beast was taken, and with it the false prophet, who performed signs in its presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. The beast and its false prophet will also be captured, as the Apostle Paul said: The Lord Jesus will kill them with the breath of his mouth and destroy them by the splendor of his coming (2 Thess. 2:8). If the Antichrist is to be killed by the breath of the Lord's mouth, how is he and his false prophet to be thrown into the lake of fire? There is the life of the righteous, and there is also that of the wicked. Concerning the life of the righteous, the prophet says, 'The righteous shall live by his faith' (Habakkuk 2:4). But concerning the wicked widow, Paul says, 'She who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives' (1 Timothy 5:6). The wicked, in fact, call the life of the righteous death, and similarly they consider the life of the wicked as death. As it will be declared in judgment: 'These are the ones we once held in derision and made a byword of reproach. We fools thought their life was madness and their end was without honor' (Wisdom 5:4). Therefore, the Antichrist and his false prophet will be cast alive into the pool of fire, that is, they will remain alive in their wickedness until the end of their lives. But it is said that the rest were killed by the sword of the rider on the horse, and this killing is mentioned to cause confusion; for the saints, whose teaching is symbolized by the sword of the word of the Lord, will rejoice when the Antichrist is killed, because they regarded him, the most wicked of men and worse than all men, as immortal and as a god, but it will be known that he was killed by a most terrible death. But they will be confounded and will waste away in their wickedness. Therefore, all the birds are satisfied with their flesh; because with the overthrow of the Antichrist, all the chosen ones will rejoice and exult inexpressibly, because divine mercy has delivered them from such a wicked enemy, and all those who pursued them have vanished like smoke.
Caput. XX—
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) And I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. Desiring to narrate the damnation of the devil, he returns to the coming of Christ. For there are three damnations of the devil: he was first damned when, because of his wickedness, he was cast down from heavenly blessedness; his second damnation was, of which the author of this book begins to speak now, when through the death of Christ the human race was rescued from his power, and he himself, as this present writing demonstrates, was bound in the abyss; his third damnation will be when he is submerged in hell, together with all the impious, to be eternally tormented. Therefore, this angel signifies Christ: his descent from heaven is his incarnation. He himself possesses the key of the abyss, that is, of hell, because from his entry he draws back those whom he wishes, and he justly permits those whom he wishes to fall into his damnation. However, his power is indicated by the great chain.
(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2) And he seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. Christ seized the ancient serpent, that is, the devil, when he destroyed his power through his death. And for a thousand years, we should understand all the time from the coming of Christ to the end of the world. Therefore, Christ bound the devil not with physical chains, but with the chains of his immense power; for by expelling him from the hearts of his chosen ones, he keeps him excluded from their deception by his divine virtue.
(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) And he threw him into the abyss, and closed it, and sealed it over him; so that he would not deceive the nations anymore, until the thousand years are fulfilled: then he must be released for a short time. We can understand the binding of the devil in three ways; for we can understand it simply as meaning that by the power of Almighty God he is held bound in the abyss until a predetermined time: we can also understand it as meaning the hearts of the wicked are the abyss, within which he is excluded from the hearts of the elect and held bound and tied: we can also understand it in a third way. The devil desires nothing other than the deception of humans: and while through the protection of Almighty God, who does not cease to guard and defend his chosen ones, he is guarded against their deception, his most wicked will is bound by certain chains. But through the nations that are not allowed to be seduced, we must understand only the chosen ones: the brief time, which is said to be released after a thousand years, is the time of the Antichrist; for then, with the sins of humans committed, the devil will be given the power to fight against the human race with all his might.
(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) And I saw thrones: and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. For having narrated above the order in which divine mercy daily delivers its chosen ones from the most cruel enemy, the devil, it follows that the glory to which their souls are daily led should be described; for by the thrones, the heavenly homeland is meant, and by those sitting upon them, the souls of the saints are designated: and that judgment was given to the saints, whose souls rest in heavenly bliss; we can observe this when we see demons being expelled from their graves, perjuries being frequently uncovered, and many miracles being performed. And the souls of those who were slain for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus: and who have not adored the beast nor his image, nor received his character on their foreheads or on their hands; they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. By the souls of those slain for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus, we can understand the martyrs who were killed at different times. But by those who have not adored the beast and his image, I think we should understand those who are to be killed by the Antichrist. Therefore, these (people) have lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years; for although they have been killed in body, they nevertheless live with Christ in heavenly bliss according to the soul. But we must inquire how the chosen ones, who are going to be born at the end of the world, are said to reign with Christ for a thousand years; since the period of a thousand years does not pertain to the future time, which is without end, but rather to the present time, which will be completed at the end of the world, and in which the faith of the Gospel, flourishing throughout the whole world, directs the chosen ones daily to receive eternal life. Therefore, I believe that it should be resolved in this way. The period from the ascension of Christ until the end of the world, which is designated as a thousand years, is assigned to all the chosen ones so that in it they may enjoy the celestial glory with the Lord, without bodies. And we know that all the chosen ones are members of Christ, and from many members one body is formed; and if one member boasts, all the members rejoice. Therefore, the joy of the preceding saints will still be theirs, who are to be born at the end of the world, because they will be made one body with them and will possess in others what they lack.
(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5.) But the rest did not live until the thousand years were completed. The rest, however, that is, the reprobate, did not live; because after death they are not led to life, which is given to the souls of the saints in the heavenly places: but they are plunged into hell, which is called the first death in this book.
(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed is he who has a part in the first resurrection, for the second death has no power over them. We must inquire what the first resurrection is; for he would not call it the first unless there were also a second, nor would he call it the second death unless there were also a first. Therefore, we rise first through baptism from the death of the soul; but because he says that those who have a part in the first resurrection are blessed, this does not seem to me to be said about baptism; because not all who seem to rise from the death of the soul through baptism are blessed, since some, by sinning after baptism, bring death upon themselves, lying about what they promised in it, and persevering in their evils. There are also some who, after committing crimes that led to their own death, return to life through repentance, tears, and other good works, about which the Apostle speaks, saying: 'Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light' (Ephesians 5:14). But we cannot call this the first resurrection; rather, through baptism first, and then through repentance and tears, our souls are revived unto life. Therefore, it is necessary that we investigate what he calls the first resurrection.
There are four stages in the life of the faithful: the first is before baptism, which is entirely evil; the second is after baptism, which can be both good and evil; for no period of the present life of the faithful can pass without some sins, as John says: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). The third is the one that is all good and to which the series of this reading pertains, which extends from the passion of Christ to the end of the world, in which the saints enjoy eternal life with the Lord without their bodies: which is also called the first resurrection; as it says: This is the first resurrection. Therefore, the time from the passion of Christ to the end of the world is called the first resurrection. The fourth life of the saints will be after the reception of their bodies, which will have no end. Therefore, because present life can rightly be called death compared to heavenly life, the saints rise again in the first resurrection when they are taken from this miserable life and placed in heavenly blessedness with the Lord.
And as this is the first resurrection of the saints, so is the first death of the wicked; when they leave the present life, and sink into punishments: but the second death will be the final condemnation, as it is explained in the following. Therefore, blessed are those who have a part in the first resurrection, and the second death has no power over them; because only those who before the end of the world will be counted worthy to be enrolled in the fellowship of the saints. For at the end of the world, when the purifying fire shall be burning, they shall be received into the holy assembly before the judgment; and in them the second death, that is, the final damnation, shall have no power; for they shall no longer be placed with the goats on the left, but with the sheep on the right. The priests of the Lord and of Christ shall sit, and shall reign with Christ for a thousand years (Matthew 25:33). By the name of priests, he comprehends all the elect; for all the elect are called priests, whether because they are members of the high priest, or because they cease not to offer themselves to God by good works.
(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog. This prison is referred to as the abyss. But in the meantime, a question arises: following the opinion of some, I have said that the abyss can be understood as the hearts of the wicked, in which the devil, expelled from the hearts of the faithful, is bound. So if the hearts of the reprobate are represented by the abyss, how can it be said that Satan comes out of the abyss, that is, from the hearts of the wicked, whom he will never leave? Will he abandon the wicked and invade the chosen ones? By no means. Therefore, I believe that the devil's binding according to the letter should be understood as being held in some place of the abyss by divine power, or certainly in hell until the day of his release. However, he will deceive the nations that are on the four corners of the earth; for he will spread the most impious doctrine of the Antichrist to all the nations that are contained within the four quarters of the world, and he will deceive no other nations except those that are spiritually called Gog and Magog; for Gog means "roof," and Magog means "of the roof. Therefore, by Gog, which is interpreted as 'roof', those are designated who, hiding their wickedness in their hearts, will appear just to men, while in their minds they will be reprobate to come. But Magog, which is interpreted as 'from the roof', designates those who, bursting forth from the roof of their hearts into open miseries, will demonstrate themselves to be impious to all. Therefore, the devil will easily deceive such people through the Antichrist.
(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) And he will gather them in battle, their number is like the sand of the sea. He will gather them in battle, for he will arm them to persecute the Church of God. And they will rise upon the breadth of the earth, and surround the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. We have said above that the disciples of the Antichrist will be praise singers of vices and teach everything that pertains to carnal pleasures. Therefore, they will rise upon the breadth of the earth, because they will enter the vast paths of this age that lead to death. The camps of the saints and the beloved city have one meaning; they signify the Church. Therefore, the camps of the saints will surround; for they will pursue the Church of God with all their might, so as to utterly extinguish the name of Christ from the world.
(Vers. 9.)
(V. 9.) And fire came down from heaven from God, and devoured them. Fire will come down from heaven; because when the Lord comes to judgment, fire will go before him, which will not only consume the whole crowd of the wicked, but also the world itself, as David speaks in the ninety-sixth Psalm, saying: Fire will go before him and will burn up his enemies all around him (Psalm 96:3). For even though the reprobate live among the elect, they are as if surrounding them; for just as enemies attack a city to capture it, so the Church is attacked by the reprobate. But also in Psalm 49 David speaks the same thing, saying: Fire shall burn before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. (Psalm 48:3) Some interpret this verse to mean that after the burning of the elements, rain will descend to wash away the ashes of the fire. But such an interpretation seems very absurd to me; for we know that rain arises from the sea and from the earth, either through vapor or through the drying up of the sun. And just as smooth water raises up from the bottom to the higher places; so does air lift water either transformed into mist or, through the heat of the sun, reduced to the thinnest smoke and almost invisible, up to those places where its completion is, and there, gathered together, first it is transformed into a dense cloud which we call clouds: then, with the wind in motion, the tiniest droplets, mixed together at the same time, and made heavy by their mixing, fall to the earth and make rain. Behold the earth, behold the air, behold the sea, and the other elements, will be consumed by fire: where then will rain come forth, especially since according to the Apostle (Rom. VIII, 21), the creature will be liberated from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God? Will not God, who created everything out of nothing, be able to cleanse His creation without the help of rain, especially when the world itself is renewed into a better and much more beautiful state after the fire? But what are ashes, if not clean earth? For whatever filth fire consumes, it turns into clean ashes. Will not God be able to restore clean ashes to a better state with another earth, so that rainwater for purification is unnecessary for him?
Let us say otherwise: All the filth that is washed away either drinks in the earth or flows into rivers, and with the rivers into the sea. And how does the earth, after it has been cleansed by fire, drink in its filth, so that it becomes dirty again? Or how does it flow into rivers, and with the rivers into the sea; since the sea no longer exists, as the following passages of this book seem to admit? But if the sea is restored to a better state, like the sky and the earth, how will it become polluted by the filth of the earth? But if someone were to say that before this innovation there would be a toleration of pollution, and that in its transformation it should be reduced to nothing; then God would not be able to, just as in water, so also in earth, reduce the same filth to nothing, so that it would not be necessary for it to flow into the sea? Therefore, through a powerful storm we can understand the ultimate destruction of the impious, which Wisdom testifies through Solomon that it will bring upon the impious in their final examination, saying: I too will laugh at your destruction, and I will mock when what you feared has come upon you; when sudden calamity comes rushing in, and destruction like a storm descends (Prov. I, 26).
And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. This will be fulfilled when the Lord says: 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels' (Matthew 25:41).
(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) And they were tormented day and night forever and ever. May the mercy of our redeemer deign to free us from this torment, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, amen.
De Visione Sexta.
By the abundant mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have reached the sixth vision, which is shorter than the others; because in it the general resurrection, the damnation of the wicked, and the glorification of the righteous are described only briefly. And rightly in the sixth place, the ultimate resurrection is placed; because the number six is perfect, and whatever has been promised to the saints, will be fulfilled in the resurrection.
(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) And I saw a great and white throne, and someone sitting on it. This throne of God will not be adorned with gold and gems, but with righteous people; for this is the throne about which the Psalmist says: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom (Psalm 45:7). Therefore, the throne of God is the whole multitude of angels and saints. At the sight of Him, the earth and the sky fled, and no place was found for them. Just as the psalmist shows that the heaven and earth flee from the sight of the one sitting on the throne, as we have already said, who says: Fire will blaze before him (Psalm 49:3); and again: Fire will go before him (Psalm 96:3). But the earth and heaven will flee, that is, the appearance of earth and heaven, because they will be transformed from their appearance by fire, so that they can be reformed into a much better and more beautiful state. But when he says, 'A place was not found for them', he does not mean that they lose their original place, but their appearance.
(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13) And I saw great and small dead, standing before the throne. The great and small dead are designated as the wicked alone, who on the day of resurrection will stand before God, namely by the death which we have said is the first, after a short time being cast into the second death: by the great dead, I think they are designated who were either greater in crimes, or higher in worldly dignities: but by the small ones, they are designated as those who were subject to them, or certainly those who have sinned less. And the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life. Many books belong to the reprobates: one, which is the book of life, belongs to the chosen ones. The reprobates have many books because they have fallen into many errors; for the pagans worshipped many gods and cast themselves down into many errors: likewise the heretics discovered many perverse doctrines, detestable to God: false Christians also are involved in many daily crimes. Therefore, the reprobate possess many books, because they offend God in many ways; but the elect have only one book; because they worship one God, confess one Catholic faith, and are joined by one bond of charity. But we must ask ourselves, what are these books: will they be made from some visible or invisible material, in which the deeds of each individual are described? Therefore, there are many books of the deeds of the reprobate: many books will be opened, when the crimes of the reprobate will be made known to all. But from the book of life, we can understand the predestination of Almighty God. In this book, the Lord reveals in the Gospel that the names of the disciples are written, saying: Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). The Apostle Paul speaks about this book, saying: Those whom he foreknew, he also predestined; and those whom he predestined, he also called; and those whom he called, he also glorified (Romans 8:30).
(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13.) And the dead were judged based on what was written in the books, according to their deeds. The dead were judged based on what was written in the books; for according to their own errors, and according to the quality of their sins, each will be judged; for heretics will be judged differently, pagans differently, false Christians differently: but each of them will be judged more severely based on how much worse they were in their own error.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. Now as for those things which He had passed over, He returns to them; for first there will be a general resurrection, and then a judgment will be executed. This is made clear by the Lord in the Gospel, when He says to His disciples: 'Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel' (Matthew 19:28). First, He established regeneration, that is, resurrection; afterwards, He said that the peoples will be seated for judgment. And in the Gospel of this John, the Lord speaks, saying: The hour comes when all those who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who have done good will come forth into the resurrection of life; but those who have done evil, into the resurrection of judgment (John 5:29). Therefore, at the command of the Lord, the dead will come forth from their tombs; for the bodies of all the dead, being vivified by the reception of their souls, will come forth from their sepulchers. But those who have done evil will proceed to the judgment of resurrection; for they will rise again in the bodies in which their souls sinned, and in those very bodies they will be judged; so that those whom they had as partners in iniquities, they may have as companions in torments. The present reading also indicates that there will be a resurrection before judgment; for after recounting that the sea, death, and hell will give up the dead, it declares that the wicked will be judged. But the Catholic faith, which we frequently proclaim, also demonstrates this when it says about the Lord: At His coming, all men will rise again with their bodies, and they will render an account of their own deeds (Athan. Symb.).
But we must inquire what death, sea, and hell signify. For we know that waters are consecrated for the purpose of the ablution of our sins, as the Lord says in the Gospel: Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5). Therefore, the sea represents the resurrection of the elect; death and hell, on the other hand, pertain to the reprobate. Thus, in this passage, the sea designates baptism. Therefore, just as the sea will restore its dead, so too the chosen ones who have received in it the same purity as in baptism will also rise again, having no stain of sin. The sea will restore its dead because the cleansing of holy baptism and the grace of the Holy Spirit will present all the chosen ones at the time of the resurrection as clean and immaculate in the sight of their Creator. However, by death, we can understand the bodies of the impious, which are held dead in the depths of the earth, and by the underworld, we can understand their souls, since they are held in the confines of the underworld. Therefore, Hell will give back its dead; because it will send back to receive their own bodies the souls that it had devoured in the first death and holds captive. Death will also give back its dead; because it will present the bodies that it had reduced to dust so that they may be vivified by divine power through the reception of souls.
(Vers. 14, 15.)
(Verse 14, 15.) And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire... And anyone who was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire, that is, the souls with their bodies. We can also understand by death the demons, since they were the authors of death. Death and Hades will be thrown into the lake, because the demons, along with the other wicked, will be submerged into hell.