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Against Heresies
Irenaeus of Lyons
Book 5 · Chapter 25 About this work A five-book account and refutation of competing Christian movements that also develops Irenaeus’s positive theology of creation, Scripture, apostolic tradition, incarnation, salvation, and recapitulation in Christ.
Author Irenaeus of Lyons
Date c. AD 175–185
Origin Lyons, Gaul
Genre Heresiology The fraud, pride, and tyrannical kingdom of Antichrist, as described by Daniel and Paul. Section 1 1 . And not only by the particulars already
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mentioned
,
but
also
by
means
of
the
events
which
shall
occur
in
the
time
of
Antichrist
is
it
shown
that
he
,
being
an
apostate
and
a
robber
,
is
anxious
to
be
adored
as
God
;
and
that
,
although
a
mere
slave
,
he
wishes
himself
to
be
proclaimed
as
a
king
.
For
he
(
Antichrist
)
being
endued
with
all
the
power
of
the
devil
,
shall
come
,
not
as
a
righteous
king
,
nor
as
a
legitimate
king
,
[
i
.
e
.
,
one
]
in
subjection
to
God
,
but
an
impious
,
unjust
,
and
lawless
one
;
as
an
apostate
,
iniquitous
and
murderous
;
as
a
robber
,
concentrating
in
himself
[
all
]
satanic
apostasy
,
and
setting
aside
idols
to
persuade
[
men
]
that
he
himself
is
God
,
raising
up
himself
as
the
only
idol
,
having
in
himself
the
multifarious
errors
of
the
other
idols
.
This
he
does
,
in
order
that
they
who
do
[
now
]
worship
the
devil
by
means
of
many
abominations
,
may
serve
himself
by
this
one
idol
,
of
whom
the
apostle
thus
speaks
in
the
second
Epistle
to
the
Thessalonians
:
“
Unless
there
shall
come
a
failing
away
first
,
and
the
man
of
sin
shall
be
revealed
,
the
son
of
perdition
,
who
opposeth
and
exalteth
himself
above
all
that
is
called
God
,
or
that
is
worshipped
;
so
that
he
sitteth
in
the
temple
of
God
,
showing
himself
as
if
he
were
God
.
”
The
apostle
therefore
clearly
points
out
his
apostasy
,
and
that
he
is
lifted
up
above
all
that
is
called
God
,
or
that
is
worshipped
—
that
is
,
above
every
idol
—
for
these
are
indeed
so
called
by
men
,
but
are
not
[
really
]
gods
;
and
that
he
will
endeavour
in
a
tyrannical
manner
to
set
himself
forth
as
God
.
Section 2 2 . Moreover , he ( the apostle ) has also pointed out this which I have shown in many ways , that the temple in Jerusalem was made by the direction of the true God . For the apostle himself , speaking in his own person , distinctly called it the temple of God . Now I have shown in the third book , that no one is termed God by the apostles when speaking for themselves , except Him who truly is God , the Father of our Lord , by whose directions the temple which is at Jerusalem was constructed for those purposes which I have already mentioned ; in which [ temple ] the enemy shall sit , endeavouring to show himself as Christ , as the Lord also declares : “ But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation , which has been spoken of by Daniel the prophet , standing in the holy place ( let him that readeth understand ) , then let those who are in Judea flee into the mountains ; and he who is upon the house - top , let him not come down to take anything out of his house : for there shall then be great hardship , such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now , nor ever shall be . ”
Section 3 3 . Daniel too , looking forward to the end of the last kingdom , i . e . , the ten last kings , amongst whom the kingdom of those men shall be partitioned , and upon whom the son of perdition shall come , declares that ten horns shall spring from the beast , and that another little horn shall arise in the midst of them , and that three of the former shall be rooted up before his face . He says : “ And , behold , eyes were in this horn as the eyes of a man , and a mouth speaking great things , and his look was more stout than his fellows . I was looking , and this horn made war against the saints , and prevailed against them , until the Ancient of days came and gave judgment to the saints of the most high God , and the time came , and the saints obtained the kingdom . ” Then , further on , in the interpretation of the vision , there was said to him : “ The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth , which shall excel all other kingdoms , and devour the whole earth , and tread it down , and cut it in pieces . And its ten horns are ten kings which shall arise ; and after them shall arise another , who shall surpass in evil deeds all that were before him , and shall overthrow three kings ; and he shall speak words against the most high God , and wear out the saints of the most high God , and shall purpose to change times and laws ; and [ everything ] shall be given into his hand until a time of times and a half time , ” that is , for three years and six months , during which time , when he comes , he shall reign over the earth . Of whom also the Apostle Paul again , speaking in the second [ Epistle ] to the Thessalonians , and at the same time proclaiming the cause of his advent , thus says : “ And then shall the wicked one be revealed , whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the spirit of His mouth , and destroy by the presence of His coming ; whose coming [ i . e . , the wicked one’s ] is after the working of Satan , in all power , and signs , and portents of lies , and with all deceivableness of wickedness for those who perish ; because they did not receive the love of the truth , that they might be saved . And therefore God will send them the working of error , that they may believe a lie ; that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth , but gave consent to iniquity , ”
Section 4 4 . The Lord also spoke as follows to those who did not believe in Him : “ I have come in my Father’s name , and ye have not received Me : when another shall come in his own name , him ye will receive , ” calling Antichrist “ the other , ” because he is alienated from the Lord . This is also the unjust judge , whom the Lord mentioned as one “ who feared not God , neither regarded man , ” to whom the widow fled in her forgetfulness of God , — that is , the earthly Jerusalem , — to be avenged of her adversary . Which also he shall do in the time of his kingdom : he shall remove his kingdom into that [ city ] , and shall sit in the temple of God , leading astray those who worship him , as if he were Christ . To this purpose Daniel says again : “ And he shall desolate the holy place ; and sin has been given for a sacrifice , and righteousness been cast away in the earth , and he has been active ( fecit ) , and gone on prosperously . ” And the angel Gabriel , when explaining his vision , states with regard to this person : “ And towards the end of their kingdom a king of a most fierce countenance shall arise , one understanding [ dark ] questions , and exceedingly powerful , full of wonders ; and he shall corrupt , direct , influence ( faciet ) , and put strong men down , the holy people likewise ; and his yoke shall be directed as a wreath [ round their neck ] ; deceit shall be in his hand , and he shall be lifted up in his heart : he shall also ruin many by deceit , and lead many to perdition , bruising them in his hand like eggs . ” And then he points out the time that his tyranny shall last , during which the saints shall be put to flight , they who offer a pure sacrifice unto God : “ And in the midst of the week , ” he says , “ the sacrifice and the libation shall be taken away , and the abomination of desolation [ shall be brought ] into the temple : even unto the consummation of the time shall the desolation be complete . ” Now three years and six months constitute the half - week .
Section 5 5 . From all these passages are revealed to us , not merely the particulars of the apostasy , and [ the doings ] of him who concentrates in himself every satanic error , but also , that there is one and the same God the Father , who was declared by the prophets , but made manifest by Christ . For if what Daniel prophesied concerning the end has been confirmed by the Lord , when He said , “ When ye shall see the abomination of desolation , which has been spoken of by Daniel the prophet ” ( and the angel Gabriel gave the interpretation of the visions to Daniel , and he is the archangel of the Creator ( Demiurgi ) , who also proclaimed to Mary the visible coming and the incarnation of Christ ) , then one and the same God is most manifestly pointed out , who sent the prophets , and made promise of the Son , and called us into His knowledge .
Notes 216 Matt. xxiv. 15 , 21.
217 Dan. vii. 8 , etc.
218 Dan. vii. 23 , etc.
219 2 Thess. ii. 8.
220 John v. 43.
221 Luke xviii. 2 , etc.
222 This may refer to Antiochus Epiphanes, Antichrist’s prototype, who offered swine upon the altar in the temple at Jerusalem. The LXX. version has, ἐδόθη ἐπὶ τὴν θυσίαν ἁμαρτία, i.e., sin has been given against (or, upon) the sacrifice.
223 Dan. viii. 12.
224 Dan. viii. 23 , etc.
225 Dan. ix. 27.
226 Matt. xxiv. 15.
227 The mss. have “præmisit,” but Harvey suggests “promisit,” which we have adopted.
