End Times According to Robert Bellarmine

let's start this morning with a brief review last week we looked at two of the absolutely certain signs at the end of the world according to st. Robert Bellarmine the gospel must be preached in the whole world the Roman Empire must be terminated we spent some time considering the meaning of the determination Roman Empire relying on the commentary of Cardinal Manning we saw that the manifestation Antichrist has been hindered by a system or a man we saw that the system hindering the manifestation Antichrist was initially the political might of the heathen Roman Empire which was then lifted up and spiritualize by the spiritual power of the church penetrating to the empire and finally was crowned with Christendom the great family of Christian nations which assumed the place the Roman Empire we sought the Holy Father the very authority under whom and around whom the whole family of Christian nations were gathered was the man who had hindered the manifestation of Antichrist we saw there only two possible societies the natural society with a political order established without reference to our Lord's incarnation and the supernatural society with a political order which is faithful to the teaching the Catholic Church and we also saw that once the supernatural society admits those who deny the Incarnation to an equality of privileges then the whole foundation of a social life an order of that society drops from the supernatural level to the level of new nature and we saw that this was precisely was foretold of anti-christian period we saw that the manifestation Antichrist cannot occur till this great revolt this great apostasy of the Catholic nations defecting from the true faith plunging from the supernatural order to the natural or plunging from a political order based on the incarnation of our Lord to a political order which is not based on incarnation we saw once this occurs the nation's will no longer have any unified principle of law and order we saw that once this apostasy reaches its climax that is to say once the formula Catholic nations have left their unity with the Holy Father and Foundation the true faith then there will no longer remain any bulwark or security to prevent the rising up of social disorder and lawlessness and then in that context of chaos and immorality the man of sin the lawless one Antichrist will become manifest we saw that because the power which is hindered the development of the anti-christian social disorder is divine but it cannot be taken away simply by the rebellious world of men until the hour that's ordained by God we saw that the end of the world at the end of the world the Roman Empire shall pass into democracies we saw that according the fathers at that time the Gentile nations will reject Catholicism leave the worship of the true God and turn back to paganism that's where we left off last week let's start today by taking extremely brief look at some of what Saint Robert has summarized about the man of sin st. Lawrence says that the Antichrist is a man one man according to Scripture and all the father's he states that there are two most certain facts about him first he is principally coming for the Jews and we received by them as the Messiah as was stated by our Lord to the Jews you have rejected me but another will come in his own name and him you will not reject Saint Robert points out that this is taught by all the fathers and by st. Paul as well in second Thessalonians 2 10 and 11 according st. Robert the second most certain fact is Antichrist will be born a Jewish stock be circumcised and observe the Sabbath at least for a time Saint Robert also points out a fearful symmetry quote without a doubt then I Christ will first attract those who are prepared to receive him and the Jews expect a temporal messianic king of such a kind as Antichrist will be just as Christ first came to the Jews to whom he was promised and by home he's expected and then later he joined the Gentiles to himself so also the Antichrist first go to the Jews by whom he is expected and then later one after another he will subject all the gen to himself close quote parenthetical note subjective Gentiles to himself maybe far easier than Antichrist and it sounds in fact looks like many are specifically looking forward was coming for example the Muslims who don't believe our Lord died on the cross are expecting our Lord to come back and break the cross the Buddhists and oddly enough many New Agers are looking forward to what appears to be the last incarnation of the Buddha someone they call the Lord Maitreya and the dispensational Protestants are expecting our Lord to return and rule from the temple in Jerusalem sounds like a hole about two sitting ducks let's continue Saint Robert points out the van I Christ is not the devil incarnate because only God can take on another nature the devil has an angelic nature so he can't become incarnate he can only possess a man but as Saint Robert notes quote he'll be the most perfect instrument of the devil so that in him is a bodily expression of all possible diabolical malice just as in Christ our Lord was a bodily expression of all divine goodness close quote we all know that the number of his name is 666 Saint Robert quote Saint Irenaeus at some length on his topic now Saint Irenaeus states the name of Antichrist is a secret kept by God until he arrives since he isn't worthy to have his name pre announced by heaven according to Saint Irenaeus Saint John the Apostle warned but no one should attempt to guess this name from the number 666 and that those who do attempt to guess this will be easily deceived by him when he rise on his own name since it will not be in their guard against him as to the seat of Antichrist where will he rule Saint Paul wrote that the Antichrist would take his seat in a temple of God claiming himself to be God what is meant here this is a very interesting discussion we can only touch it briefly st. Robert gives two possibilities the first possibility is Rome as that great doctor st. jerome says quote he shall sit in the temple of god either jerusalem is some setting or in the church is more truly thought closed quote that cumin is who says quote he did not see the Temple of Jerusalem by the Church of Christ close quote so wrong is one possibility for the possibility of Jerusalem at Saint Robert States quote but nevertheless the true opinion is that the Antichrist should rule from Jerusalem not from Rome from the Temple of Solomon and throne of David and not the temple of st. Peter and Apostolic See close quote st. Robert supports his argument using both Scripture and tradition showing this is the common teaching of fathers even showing that else worsened Rome has written of Antichrist being in Jerusalem he points out that none of the ancient fathers either Latin or Greek used the word temple for Christian churches nor was this he were used by the process for that purpose Saint Robert quotes langt at Seijas who states that after the termination of the Roman Empire during a time of Antichrist the supreme rule will pass over to Asia and the Orient will dominate while the West is in servitude line consus clearly states in what part of age of the Antichrist shall rule that's Syria particular part of Syria now remember this is the ancient Latin terminology the particular part of Syria in which the Antichrist should be is Judea Saint Robert also discusses the teaching the Antichrist and points out four major doctrines first he will deny that Jesus is the Christ as we read in 1st John 2:22 who is a liar but he would deny it that Jesus is the Christ this is the Antichrist who denies the father and the son therefore he will attack everything our Savior instituted such as Baptism Confirmation and so forth and she'll teach the Jewish laws such as circumcision keeping the Sabbath an ancient ceremonies have not ceased but still have force second he will assert that he himself is the true Christ promised in Milan prophets as we read in John chapter 5 verse 43 another will come in his own name and him you will receive 30 will proclaim himself to be God in which to be worshipped as God as we read in 2nd Thessalonians to verse four said he sitteth in the temple of God showing himself as if he were God and finally will proclaim that knowledge to God but also that he is the only God and he will attack all of the gods both the true God and all the false gods even the idols as we read in 2nd Thessalonians 2:4 propose it and is lifted up above all that is caught cold called God or that is worshipped and in Daniel 11 and he shall make no account of the god of his father's and he shall not regard any gods he shall rise up against all things st. Robert speaks of the satanic powers of the Antichrist in point saw that is clearly taught in both Scripture the 24th chapter of st. Matthew's Gospel the 13th chapter of Apocalypse and second Thessalonians chapter 2 as well as tradition the Banat Christ will possess quasi miraculous powers of satanic origin and by these diabolical powers who perform many miracles which appeared to be miraculous he will appear to raise the dead and heal the sick but these will be demonic allusions they will not be true healings as Marvel's will all have natural causes but these will be hidden from men and so they will appear to be miraculous Saint Robert comments on a thirteenth chapter the apocalypse the dragon gives us a power and throne great authority to the beast and then one of the heads of the Beast has a mortal wound but the wound is healed which makes the whole world follow the Beast with great wonder one of the heads of the Beast has a mortal wound the wound is healed which makes the whole world follow the Beast with great wonder Saint Robert explains his passage about the beasts head having a mortal wound which was then healed quote nearly all the ancient fathers explain this of Antichrist himself who will fake his own death and then by diabolical powers raise himself up again so he might imitate the true death and resurrection of Christ and by this means seduce many close quote all the fathers teach that the Antichrist will be the most incredible magician he'll be possessed by the devil from his very conception at least by his infancy an antichrist perform all his Marvel's by satanic st. Cyril states that the Antichrist will be the most highly instructive magician learned in witchcraft spells in the black arts and his marvels are called lying wonders because they are performed by the father of lies so we've seen a few more details about the Antichrist who he possessed at least since his infancy he'll be learned in all the occult arts sorcery incantations all the black arts because of his incredible powers of satanic origin you'll be able to perform many incredible things which will seem like true miracles to men but why will the Antichrist perform all these miracles Saint Robert notes that the purpose of all these fake satanic wonders will be so that he can prove that he is God just as Christ Lord did true miracles to demonstrate his divinity so who do this miracles to convince everybody he's the Christ so he can convince everybody that he is God now that we have a general outline with character the Antichrist himself let's tune in to the two absolutely certain signs which accompany the Antichrist the preaching of Enoch and Elias that's Elijah and the savage persecution and ending of all public masses first the preaching of Enoch and Elias Elias and Elijah just two different ways of saying the same name Enoch is a great graph of Noah we can read the bottom and Jenna in Genesis chapter 5 he was taken up Elias is the Prophet was all we know we all know was taken up in the chariot of fire neither of these men have died yet and st. Robert points out scripture proves that these two prophets still live and will return they will return to preach against the Antichrist Enoch will preach the Gentiles and allied to the Jews they'll both preach and perform miracles convincing many to reject the Antichrist and return to the holy faith Saint Robert teaches that is heresy or proximate heresy to deny that Enoch and Elijah personally going to return to oppose the Manica that Antichrist thanks to lies is preaching the Jews will largely convert Saint Robert whoa Enoch and Elias will come again they're still alive and the reason they're still living is that they will oppose the Antichrist when he comes and they will conserve the elect in the faith of Christ and indeed they will convert the Jews and this is obvious in the words and he shall restore all things for to restore all things need to call all Jews and heretics and perhaps many Catholics have been deceived by the Antichrist true the two faiths close call it Saint Robert the knee knockin Elias will be killed in Jerusalem and landed street for three days well the forces of evil rejoice with satanic glee but then to the horror of the fallers Antichrist both the Enoch and Elijah be resurrected and then assumed into heaven which Saint John refers to in eleventh chapter the apocalypse I'll read an abbreviated version of that that section apocalypse 11 3 and falling and I will give unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred sixty days clothed in sackcloth and they have finished their testimony the Beast shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them and the body shall line the streets the great city where the Lord also was crucified the nations shall see their bodies for three days and a half they shall not suffer the bodies to relate and settle curse and they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and make merry and shall send gifts one to another because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt upon the earth and after three days and a half the spirit of life of God from God entered into them they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them that saw them and they heard a great voice from heaven saying to them come up hither and they went up into heaven and a cloud and their enemies saw them close quote the Holy Ghost so Enoch and Elijah are still alive they're coming back during the reign of the Antichrist to pose him with preaching miracles to convert the Jews will finally become Catholics also to convert heretics and Catholics have been duped by the Antichrist they have killed and laid out in the streets of Jerusalem after three days having raised from the dead and assumed Evon now let's turn to the second absolutely certain sign which accompanies the Antichrist the savage persecution and ending of all public masses Saint Robert quote absolutely all the evil men together shall be in the army the Antichrist and show an open Authority attack all the saints of the church nowadays there are many men who pretend to be in the church who conceal their malice who hearts are whose hearts are outside the church although their bodies remain inside but at that time as San Agustin says they're hidden hatred shall all break out and open persecution close quote and how vicious will this persecution be San Agustin says during the time of the Antichrist the devil should be loosed and therefore the persecution will be that much greater than all the preceding persecutions in history this persecution occurring while a final judgement is imminent shall be the last which will be endured by the Holy Church throughout the world the whole city of Christ being assailed by the whole city of the devil as each exists on earth Saint Hippolytus in Saint Cyril said of the martyrs kill the Antichrist we more glorious than all the preceding martyrs because all the martyrs before the time the Anti Christ had to battle against human ministers the devil but these last martyrs shall have to fight against the raging devil himself Saint Robert makes three points concerning the passage in the deployment chapter the apocalypse which describes the attack of Gog and Magog on the Saints first the Battle of Gog and Magog is actually the Battle of Antichrist against the church the very last persecution which the Antichrist will raise up against the church all over the world that's the first point the second point Saint Robert makes is very probable that Gog signifies Antichrist himself and Magog signifies his army a third point the Antichrist army Magog has a strange name because of the people who are in the army so what does it mean when chapter 10 of the book of Genesis there's a list of the descendants of Noah after the flood it's a list known as a table of Nations and a Magog is fun in there Magog is the father of people traditionally known as a Scythian 'he's safety of the homeland of the Citians is an ancient term for a region of europe and asia north of can Caspian Seas stretching from the Danube to China it's what we now know as Kazakhstan southern Russia the Ukraine and the center and surrounding regions st. Robert says that quote the arm of the Antichrist is called Magog because the greater part of the Antichrist army will either be established from barbarians arising from Sofia such as such as the Turks the Tartars and others or what I think is more probable because the army shall be immensely savage and cruel close quote and for the ending of the public mass quote the persecution Antichrist we the most severe and the most notorious so to all public religious ceremonies and sacrifices will cease but the spinal persecution will be the most violent is obvious in the words of our Lord in Matthew 24:21 for they'll should be then Great Tribulation such as has not been from the beginning the world neither shall be closed quote st. Robert quote in the time of the Antichrist because of the horrible persecution the public and a like public and daily office and sacrifice the church will cease as Daniel clearly teaches in Chapter 12 and verse 11 and from the time of the continual sacrifice to be taken away there should be a thousand two hundred ninety days the consensus of all the fathers is that in this place Daniel is speaking of the time of Antichrist and what this passage means is the Antichrist will prohibit all divine worship which is not practiced in the Church of Christ and most especially he will prohibit the most holy sacrifice the mass close quote Cardinal Bellarmine so the persecution Antichrist will be the last persecution in the world and savage beyond all possible previous persecutions in case anybody might wonder why it's because purgatory ends on Judgment Day and so all the Saints that are alive at the end of the world have to get their purgatory time done before death and that's why God allows it Antichrist to be so savage so they get their suffering done right away because there is no purgatory once judgment comes the arm of antichrist we made up largely of men from the barbarian tribes of central asia or of men whose cruel to become bearable the tax will be so violent that all public ceremonies a catholic church including the holy sacrifice the mass will cease there are two signs have to fall upon the rule of Antichrist the destruction out of Christ and the end of the world will set aside the end of the world to later date because there's far too much to cover today and so we'll end today by looking at the destruction of Antichrist Saint Robert teaches the length of time Antichrist will rule the world is clear from chapters 7 and 12 of Daniel in chapters 11 12 and 13 of the Apocalypse the Antichrist will rule the world for 3.5 years and explains the reason why the time the two witnesses Enoch and Elijah will be 1260 days all the time the Antichrist will be 1290 days then I Christ rule with third days longer since he will rule for another month after he kills Enoch and Elias st. Ambrose st. Jerome st. Gregory the Great and Saint Thomas it at this time the Antichrist will go to mount all of it then a totally blasphemous imitation of Ascension of Christ our Lord the Antichrist by the power of Satan was sent into the air pretending that he is returning to heaven so be lifted up by the demons and everybody will be admiring as he rises up and acclaiming as God but suddenly by the order of Christ our Lord st. Michael knock him out of the air he'll fall to the earth which will swallow up just as it did the men who rebelled against Moses and have fall down into hell and that's the terrible end of Antichrist the fathers teach that about a month and a half after the death of Antichrist our Lord will come in judgment that's a topic for another day okay let's review today we look a quick look at the son of perdition he'll be Jewish observe the Jewish laws at least for some time he will not be the devil incarnate but he will be possessed in the most perfect bodily instrument of Satan although the number of his name is 666 we've been explicitly forbidden from guessing who he might be using this number in order to end up an order void away and winding up is one of his followers he'll apparently rolled and rolled from Jerusalem he will deny that Jesus is the Christ and Institute Jewish laws here proclaim himself to be Christ in God and we demand to be worshipped as such we'll attack all the other gods even the true God he'll be a master the black arts a sorcerer like none that has ever lived consecrated Satan from its conception or infancy raised up and tutored and skilled in all the satanic arts of magic incantations in such light have apparently miraculous powers of satanic origin all of which are lies but which include the ability to heal the sick and apparently even raise the dead it apparently raised himself from the dead here to perform all these marvels of one goal in mind to convince everybody that he's the Christ and that He is God we took a look at three more of the absolutely certain signs of the end of the world according to st. Robert the two sons of jicama D the Antichrist the preaching the two witnesses Enoch and Elias Amman Takei's persecution and finally the destruction of the Antichrist we saw that Enoch and Elias are still alive they're coming back during the reign of Antichrist to oppose him with preaching miracles to convert the Jews who will finally become Catholic also to convert Catholics and already been duped by Antichrist and heretics they'll be killed and laid out in the streets of Jerusalem after three days he'll be raised from the dead and assumed into heaven we saw that during the savage persecution Antichrist all the evil men in the world being listed an arm of Antichrist Saint Robert takes the greater part of this army the Antichrist will either be made up of barbarians rising from the land of magog or else he thinks the army will be extremely brutal and cruel because the men from Magog are provably noted for being savage we saw the land of Magog runs from Adana River to China we saw this persecution will be so violent that all public religious ceremonies the Catholic Church will totally cease benediction exposition Vespers Holy Sacrifice the mass all public ceremonies would cease fine we saw that he'll rule the world for three and a half years and while attempting a blasphemous imitation of our Lord's ascension into heaven from out all of it we saw that Saint Michael slam dunk him into hell has basically been a book report woven out of quotes and paraphrases the Saint Robert Bellamy's work on Antichrist if it seems difficult to understand it some degree well there's a reason for that is remember the prophecy is always understood completely in its fulfillment why do we spend two weeks on this in the first place we're not doing it to be sensational it's part of the church liturgical year churches placed this topic before us in the second place we live in a time where there's such massive air and heretical confusion surrounding us it's spewing out the radios other TVs and all kinds of books in the third place because for the past century the popes have gone it's a pretty fair warning that we're living in time which at the very least is a type of the great apostasy if not the real thing so what are we supposed to do we sin first thing is we don't last starting attending Chicken Little we need to remember that God's in charge he knows what he's doing he loves us he knows exactly what he wanted each one of us to live so what does he expect of us that we stay in the state of grace and do our duty in our state of life we need to be serious about the commandments we need to be serious about our faith we need to be serious about holiness sail rolls your three homeowners need prayers every day wear your brown scapular stop sinning go to confession every two weeks make fervent communion with God first and strive to become holy do your duty it's pretty basic just do your duty

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Keywords: Catholic, Christianity, God, Jesus Christ, holiness, salvation, truth, trust, prayer, hope, faith, revelation, anti christ, satan, Robert Bellarmine, book, translation, Medatrix press, grace, bible, gospel, history, Mass, Church, prophecy, end times, Hal Lindsey, Rapture, beauty, joy, virtue, devotion, religion

Id: _HuoR4qNOuU

Length: 25min 15sec (1515 seconds)

Published: Thu Feb 25 2016