Ember Saturday In Advent 2022: The Coming Restoration Of The Divinely Ordained Authority Of The Holy Roman Emperor (III)

UNKNOWN MASTER, Austrian
The Nativity
c. 1400

EPISTLE SATURDAY IN EMBER WEEK OF ADVENT:

And we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our gathering together unto him: That you be not easily moved from your sense, nor be terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle, as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means, for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, Who opposeth, and is lifted up above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God. Remember you not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now you know what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity already worketh; only that he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way. And then that wicked one shall be revealed whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth; and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. 2nd Epistle Of Saint Paul To The Thessalonians 1-8

"People falsely assumed that the Antichrist would emerge on the world scene once the Roman Empire was extinguished." Protestant heretics: Gerald Flurry, Stephen Flurry and J. Tim Thompson.

Protestant hatred for the Divinely Ordained Holy Roman Empire is manifested in their rejection of the Church Fathers on the subject of the continuance of the Authority of the Roman Emperor until the end of time. 

All Church Fathers are in agreement that the Authority of the Roman Emperor hinders the manifestation of the antichrist, this Catholic doctrine is found in St Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians. 

The following is St John Chrysostom's commentary on this epistle of St Paul and the verse on what withholdeth the manifestation of the Antichrist:

And now you know what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity already worketh; only that he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way. And then that wicked one shall be revealed whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth; and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, him, Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders II Thess ii 6-9

St John Chrysostom Homily IV on Second Thessalonians II Thess.ii.6-9:

And now ye know that which restrains, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. For the mystery of lawlessness does already work: only there is one that restrains now, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of His mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of His coming: even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan.

One may naturally enquire, what is that which withholds, and after that would know, why Paul expresses it so obscurely. What then is it that withholds, that is, hinders him from being revealed? Some indeed say, the grace of the Spirit, but others the Roman empire, to whom I most of all accede. Wherefore? Because if he meant to say the Spirit, he would not have spoken obscurely, but plainly, that even now the grace of the Spirit, that is the gifts, withhold him. And otherwise he ought now to have come, if he was about to come when the gifts ceased; for they have long since ceased.

But because he said this of the Roman empire, he naturally glanced at it, and speaks covertly and darkly. For he did not wish to bring upon himself superfluous enmities, and useless dangers. For if he had said that after a little while the Roman empire would be dissolved, they would immediately have even overwhelmed him, as a pestilent person, and all the faithful, as living and warring to this end. And he did not say that it will be quickly, although he is always saying it— but what? that he may be revealed in his own season, he says, For the mystery of lawlessness does already work.

He speaks here of Nero, as if he were the type of Antichrist. For he too wished to be thought a god. And he has well said, the mystery; that is, it works not openly, as the other, nor without shame. For if there was found a man before that time, he means, who was not much behind Antichrist in wickedness, what wonder, if there shall now be one?

But he did not also wish to point him out plainly: and this not from cowardice, but instructing us not to bring upon ourselves unnecessary enmities, when there is nothing to call for it. So indeed he also says here. Only there is one that restrains now, until he be taken out of the way, that is, when the Roman empire is taken out of the way, then he shall come. And naturally. For as long as the fear of this empire lasts, no one will willingly exalt himself, but when that is dissolved, he will attack the anarchy, and endeavor to seize upon the government both of man and of God.

For as the kingdoms before this were destroyed, for example, that of the Medes by the Babylonians, that of the Babylonians by the Persians, that of the Persians by the Macedonians, that of the Macedonians by the Romans: so will this also be by the Antichrist, and he by Christ, and it will no longer withhold. And these things Daniel delivered to us with great clearness.

And then, he says, shall be revealed the lawless one. And what after this? The consolation is at hand. Whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of His mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of His coming, even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan.

For as fire merely coming on even before its arrival makes torpid and consumes the little animals that are afar off; so also Christ, by His commandment only, and Coming. It is enough for Him to be present, and all these things are destroyed. He will put a stop to the deceit, by only appearing. Then who is this, whose coming is after the working of Satan, With all display all power, but nothing true, but for deceit. And lying wonder, he says, that is, false, or leading to falsehood."
Unfortunately the majority of Roman Catholics would agree with this protestant view that the authority of the Holy Roman Emperor does not hinder the manifestation of the antichrist, but instead would say that the Holy Roman Empire is a vehicle for the reign of antichrist.

The purpose of this blog is to bring attention this political and religious heresy that is prevalent among modern day Roman Catholics. Little do most realize that the Church Fathers are all in agreement that the authority of the Holy Roman Emperor is necessary to hinder the manifestation of the antichrist. Most modern day Roman Catholics would mock such a doctrine. The dismissal of this end-time doctrine is a rejection of Church doctrine and is described by Sister Lucy as the diabolical disorientation.

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