Further, the blasphemous nature of the power of the beast, hostile to all religion, is described: "A mouth was given to him, speaking proudly and blasphemously, and he was given power to act for forty-two months" (XIII, 5). Here, first of all, this given (εδοθη) arouses bewilderment. It can be understood both in the sense of God's providential allowance and the direct suggestion of the dragon, which, however, could not be realized by his own will alone. It remains to be recognized that such a trial lies in the ways of Providence, like the temptation of Job, or like demonic possession, or blindness from birth, so that "the works of God may be made manifest" (Jn. IX, 3). Here we have to distinguish the twofold nature of this indulgence. In him the demonic inspiration and possession of the beast is manifested, it is the animal nature in man that is deduced from religious indifference to blasphemous malice. We are now witnesses of active blasphemy, combined with unbelief, in the godless movement in Russia, whereby all the artifices of blasphemy are combined with the denial of the existence of God in a certain contradictory frenzy. At the same time, however, even such demonic possession, which, strange to say, according to Revelation is still higher than Laodicean indifference, is included in the spiritual dialectics of human history and to that extent has its right to exist, is needed in its own way. Thus, it turns out that instead of fear, bewilderment and wavering in faith, which are awakened in us in the face of persecution of religion and all kinds of blasphemy, Revelation teaches us to see in this with spiritual calm the allowance of God's Providence. Tolerance is an apparent inaction or a negative action of it, but here it is revealed precisely in its positive meaning: "given" as a test, as a temptation, as a path which, on the contrary, cannot be avoided, for the fullness of knowledge and the depth of faith. In any case, these lips given to the blasphemous beast suggest a parallel to the angels of God's wrath, namely, the seven seals, trumpets and bowls, which fulfill the divine command given to them. The ability to blaspheme is "the power which is given to him (the beast) to act for forty-two months" (5). This definition of the term once again confirms the power of the divine allowance, because, obviously, the power of the beast, if it were spontaneously assimilated by him or entrusted to him by the dragon, would not have such a limitation in time, but would remain infinite. Here, however, this fence is determined by the apocalyptic period already known to us, which is used in various and even opposite accomplishments. This period here also signifies the fullness of the mystical period. We have a direct parallel to it in Dan. VII, 8, 20, 25, the action of the little horn during time, times and half a time (equal number of months). The same period in various numerical versions is applied to the time of the trampling of the holy city by the pagans (XI, 2), the actions of two witnesses (3), as well as the flight of the woman into the wilderness (XII, 6). All these are different aspects of an ontological accomplishment, of one mystical period. Naturally, the question arises: is this a one-time event that has taken place and is no longer repeated in history? However, we can testify that it has already been repeated in it (and we do not know how many times it will be repeated). In any case, an excessive narrowness of the historical outlook, which would force us to limit this period only to the time of Nero's or even the first Christian persecutions, would be decidedly inappropriate to our present historical age, which already knows their recurrence. Of course, this is also possible in the future.

The blasphemy of the beast is depicted in the following terms: "And he opened his mouth to blaspheme against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven" (6). We now know from the history of Soviet Russia, Spain (and earlier the "great" French Revolution) the entire deliberate reality of this blasphemy, which is directed against God and against His Name: it is precisely a malicious defamation of the Supreme Being, Whose very existence is denied, which, however, does not prevent blasphemy from being spewed out against Him. Satan himself does not know atheism (for "even the demons believe and tremble"), which is implanted in the union of the atheists inspired by him, and therefore he himself feels the need for blasphemy, which is, of course, a self-contradiction in the mouths of the atheists. However, we constantly observe such a contradiction, an itch, or even a passion for blasphemy in the atheists, to whom consistency should inspire only indifference. The imiaboric blasphemy is here combined with blasphemy against all that is divine: "His dwelling place (heaven or the temple of God) and those who dwell in it (angels and saints)." And this is not only blasphemy, but also war: "And it was given to him to wage war against the saints and to conquer them" (7). Here again this "given" arouses our bewilderment: how and from where this given can arise and what it means. In any case, it is God's allowance, although, of course, not His direct will, which, of course, is excluded. But this allowance is providential, it is included in the ways of building the Kingdom of God. And not only that, this allowance or given is not limited to this, but goes even further: "And power was given to him over every tribe, and people, and tongue, and nation, and all who dwell on the earth, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," and this idea is also deliberately confirmed: "Whoever has an ear, let him hear" (7-9). The beast is here ascribed universal power over all peoples. This is a thought, on the one hand, terrifying, and on the other hand, soothing, for the spread of the power of the beast is not contrary to or contrary to the command of God, but as an allowance in the ways of Providence or "given." Of course, verbal hyperbolism should not be understood literally: "everything" and "all" if only because in the following text we will encounter a limitation for it, since at the same time "the patience and faith of the saints" will be manifested (10), and their holiness, therefore, is still preserved in the world, of which there can be no doubt.

As has been said above, the blasphemous movement in the world, caused by Satan and carried out by the beast, should not necessarily be understood as a one-time and one-time event. The compiler of Revelation himself had before his eyes what was directly happening, and consequently he observed the epoch of the early Christian persecution of the Church. However, for our time, these events have already lost their uniqueness, they have become repetitive and have common cosmic features. They are expressed in the fact that people worship the beast, i.e., they humble themselves before the totalitarian claims of the state and accept them for themselves as the guiding principles of life, reconciling themselves to the pagan life of "all those who dwell on earth, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world." [50] Is this an active predestination to the rejection, or at least to the non-salvation of those who are not inscribed in the book of life, or is it only a divine foreknowledge of the plan of history, in which a place is allotted along with the salvation of some to the abandonment of others? Exegetically, no direct answer is given here, and it can only be given for dogmatic reasons. The latter, on the other hand, are decisively opposed to fatalistic predestination to the destruction of anyone, but rather in favor of the determinism of universal salvation, given the difference in its images and ways. It is this, and only this, that is suggested to hearing by those who have ears, that is, those who know how to listen, who have mystical attention and understanding. (We have had seven similar applications of the same formula in chapters II and III, in the Epistles to the Seven Churches, see above.) Further, the special nature of this pre-enchantment that conquers the power of the beast is explained: "He who leads into captivity will himself go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must himself be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and faith of the saints" (10). Here two ways, or two methods, of struggle with the beast are contrasted: capture and murder, i.e., earthly, bestial violence, which, however, does not lead to success and, quite the opposite, is accompanied by defeat; or by the patience and faith of the saints, i.e., by non-resistance and outward defenselessness. However, for a correct understanding of the text, it is useful to compare Rom. XIII, 4: the ruler "does not bear the sword in vain: he is God's servant, the avenger of him who does evil"; as well as Rev. XIX, 15: "Out of His mouth proceedeth a sharp sword to smite the nations." From this it follows that this non-resistance with the sword, in its various understandings, finds for itself a boundary, beyond which there is still room for Christian militancy. However, this should not be understood as the defense of the Church by the armed force of the state. Its conquering weapon is only "the patience and faith of the saints." Does this not mean, when applied to the beast, i.e., to the totalitarian, self-sufficient, self-lawful state, that for the Church in its relations with the state in history it is natural to have a certain apoliticism and super-partisanship, to which the militant parties of Bolshevism, racism, fascism, and in general political formations such as the false Church are alien? The latter are characterized by claims to the absoluteness of their worldview. The Lord warns the disciples: when "one of those who were with Jesus" wanted to protect Him with the sword, He said to him: "Return your sword to its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword" (Matt. XXVI, 52). Patience and faith are indicated here as two forces of struggle: passive and active, courage in suffering and endurance, steadfastness in hope and foresight of the future.

Beginning with verse 11 of chapter XIII, a new image appears, the "other beast," which, unlike the first, which comes out of the sea, appears "out of the earth." The interpretation of this distinction among the exegetes is that the first beast belongs to the west, to the Mediterranean basin, i.e., to the Roman Empire, while the second comes from the east, from Asia. The inner meaning corresponding to this difference is such that the power of the first beast is primarily quantitative, based on military power, while the second is spiritual, occult, mystical, peculiar to a false prophet who carries into the world the seeds of falsehood and all kinds of temptation. There is, therefore, a certain difference between the two beasts, although only external and imaginary, but also a similarity amounting to internal identity, the image of the Antichrist being two-faced. This general correlation is expressed in the following paradoxical comparison: "he (the other beast) had two horns like a lamb, and spoke like a dragon." On the one hand, he adopts the make-up of the Lamb, there is a parody of Him, namely, "has two horns" like the Lamb. The deceptiveness of this make-up is exposed in advance in the Sermon on the Mount of the True Lamb, in which it was said: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's (= lamb's) clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves" (Matt. VII, 15). "False prophets" the second beast is directly called in other places of Revelation: XVI, 13; XIX, 20; XX, 10. We have the same prelude in the "lesser (synoptic) Apocalypse": "Many will come in My name, and will say, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many" (Matt. XXIV, 5; cf. Mk. XIII, 5-6; Lux. XXI, 8). From this we must conclude that the false prophet, as a representative of the intellectual and mystical power, takes the image of the Lamb, who deceives precisely by this seeming meekness and love of his, although in reality he will be a deceiver, and as the bearer of evil he will be of the same spirit as the beast, will not differ from him in essence, although he will hide behind false and flattering speeches. Unlike the first beast, which subdues itself by fear and violence, and makes it be said of itself: "Who is like this beast, and who is able to fight with it" (4), this beast deceives with flattery. But he receives his inspiration from the first beast, which has it from the dragon and is also his tool, the executor of his commands. It is in this sense that it is said that "he acts before him with all the power of the first beast": "before him," i.e., together with him, fulfilling his will, merging with him and spiritually identifying. However, outwardly, he also receives "all the power of the first beast," i.e., all the power of state coercion. The teaching of the false prophet becomes a state-obligatory confession. He becomes the mouth of the beast and the preacher of bestial worship, which is also Satanism. By the combined forces of spiritual seduction from the false prophet and external coercion from the state, a forced cult of the beast is being carried out – a totalitarian state with absolute claims not only to power, but also to conscience, and it can assume unlimited dimensions and become world-wide. This is expressed in the words: "He (i.e., the second beast) causes the whole earth and those who dwell in it to worship (ινα προσκυνήσουσιν – an expression of deification, divine worship) the first beast, whose wound was healed" (cf. v. 3). What can this picture of the victorious triumph of lies and Satanism refer to historically? Directly before the face of the seer stood the power of the Roman emperors with their madness of self-deification in the form of Nero, who inspired the frightened and trembling contemporaries with a superstitious fear of his imaginary resurrection, the legend of Nero redivivus. Of course, there was also a jealous grimace of the Antichrist, who wanted to resemble Christ in this too, parodying this resemblance with superstition about his resurrection from the dead. It is also true that the historical panic inspired by these images made us not only horrified at this phenomenon, but also exaggerated its quantitative dimensions, as well as its qualitative strength. Of course, in the epoch of the persecution of Christianity, there was a battle or even a series of battles against it, but not so much on the part of conscious anti-Christianity (it did not come to this point at that time), but on the part of dark and superstitious paganism and state man-worship (the version of early and, in comparison with today, still naïve racism). All this, although it bore the stamp of anti-Christianity, was not yet – it must be said frankly – the "last times" of the Antichrist, which were far from approaching. Historically, such a depiction of Rome and the Roman Empire was still a great exaggeration, as we see and know it now. This was only a prelude or image, which in prophetic clairvoyance was revealed by the seer on the occasion of and in connection with contemporary events, but no more. From this follows a general methodological conclusion regarding the interpretation not only of these chapters, but of Revelation in general, as containing a plan or scheme of world history in concrete artistic-historical images. Although it is impossible not to find in them a connection with the events of the epoch of his time, this connection should not be exaggeratedly overestimated, deciphering them historically in all accuracy and completeness. This is usually done by exegetes, thereby turning a book of prophetic symbols and ontological revelations into a political pamphlet on contemporary themes. The same rule should be followed in the interpretation of the present chapter, in which one can see much more spiritual allegories than historical concreteness. The actual transformation of Revelation into a political pamphlet or cipher detracts from its prophesied significance, confining it only to a certain epoch, although for us and for our time it is clearly outgrowing such a limitation.

In the same language of historical symbols, after the first beast, the appearance of the second is described. In particular, it is said of him: "And he did great signs, so that fire also brought down from heaven to earth before men" (13). This is said under a certain impression of the story of 1 Kings. XVIII, 38 and 2 Kings. I, 10 with the bringing down of fire from heaven for burnt offerings and for fifty (cf. Rev. XI, 5). Whatever one may think of the textual understanding of the Old Testament story, in any case it is difficult to accept literally the given testimony about the descent of "fire from heaven before men" (if only for the fact that in our days this fire is descended in unlimited quantities by the "air fleet" in addition to any miraculous meaning, if one does not see in all this "the miracles of the Antichrist"). And there is no need to take these images literally, and not to see in them in general an expression of the amazing impressions of the appearance of a false prophet. Such an understanding is more in line with the general content of the Gospel prophecy: "False Christs and false prophets will arise, and will give signs and wonders, to deceive, if possible, even the elect" (Matt. XIII, 22), as well as 2 Thess. II, 9: "The coming (of the lawless one) according to the work of Satan will be with all power and signs and false wonders." In the same sense, this story continues further in Revelation: "And by the miracles which he was given to do before the beast (i.e., by his power and inspiration), he deceives those who dwell on the earth, telling those who dwell on the earth that they should make an image of the beast, which has the wound of the sword, but lives." False miracles, without further designation of them, introduce forced idolatry, not only the worship of the beast, but also the veneration of its image, i.e., all kinds of appropriate state emblems. (Something similar can be observed today in the countries of the cult of the beast, in particular in modern Germany with its "swastika", portraits of the Fuhrer, Neil Hitler, etc., as well as in Soviet Russia, where the embalmed corpse of Lenin, false relics, is now an object of forced worship along with the worship of Stalin). However, Revelation speaks not only of this superstitious idolatry, but also of this mystical trick (there is no other way to call it): "And it was given to him to put his breath into the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would both speak and act in such a way that everyone who would not worship the image of the beast would be killed" (15). Here we are talking about the manifestation of religious charlatanry and superstition, which are moving talking statues (whether through human ventriloquism, ventriloquism, or a person hiding inside them). This is mentioned in Christian writers, [51] as well as in pagan ones,[52] although it is not directly attributed to any specific imperial cult. Such a mass hypnosis of fear and superstition could exist in pagan darkness. But, of course, even such an image can be applied even less literally than the descent of fire from heaven for later times, and in particular for our days. If it can be applied to us, it is, of course, only in the general allegorical sense of intimidating people in every way in order to keep them in a state of magical stupor. This is also how this threat must be understood, by virtue of which not only the beast itself, through the direct action of its organs of power, but even the very thought of it, has a paralyzing and murderous effect, so that "everyone who does not worship the image of the beast will be killed," i.e., even ideologically, in thought, and not only in fact, in actions, it will not be enough to honor (προσκυνήσωσιν — to give him divine worship). This allegory expresses the idea of the general intimidation of the power of the beast – the absolutism of the state, which we observe at different times of history up to the present day, when the numerical minority of the party, by the force of its cohesion and ruthlessness, violates the life of the peoples: such are Bolshevism, racism, fascism. At the same time, this refers not only to the actual violence of the authorities, armed with all means of external coercion, but also to their purely spiritual hypnosis. That is why it is attributed to the action of a false prophet, who incites those who dwell on earth to spiritual idolatry, to "make the image of the beast" and then "put the spirit into the image of the beast." In all this is expressed the final triumph of despotism, together with the cruelty of spiritual and external tyranny.

A further subterfuge of the false prophet, directed to the same affirmation of the absolutism of the beast, is expressed in a special spiritual brand, or mark, as a symbol of the slavery of this power: "And he shall cause it to all, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to have a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads" (16). Obviously, there is hyperbole for everyone here, as must be concluded from the general context, which nevertheless presupposes the presence of those who have survived spiritually even during this persecution and despotism of the Antichrist, but this expresses the widest spread of this despotic influence. The "mark" (χάραγμα) "on the forehead or on the right hand" [53] in all the vagueness of this image obviously signifies some kind of marking, no matter in what this spiritual fall is expressed (such may be the entry into the party of the Bolsheviks or racists in our time, and not out of conviction, if one can speak of such in cases of this spiritual brutality, but under compulsion, out of fear or for the sake of self-interest).

Next comes another feature of the same enslavement of the individual to the state, which did not yet find full realization for itself in antiquity, but is now receiving truly prophetic confirmation. This is enslavement of an economic nature, through the card and ticket system of distribution of the master's goods for the satisfaction of the most urgent needs, "and that no one shall be allowed to buy or sell except the one who has this mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name" (17). Everyone who preserves and asserts freedom from the despotism of the beast is declared an economic boycott, the deprivation of "food cards" with all its terrible consequences – the threat of starvation. "The mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of its name" in this case is one and the same thing: it expresses a sign of citizenship and loyal feelings in relation to the beast. Such is this prophesied and terrifying picture of the future, which is being fulfilled before our eyes and in our days, and no one can say whether this is already the end and the summit, or whether it is only the beginning of the calamitous enslavement of the beast and the false prophet organized by anti-Christianity. And this whole picture is imprinted with a kind of mystical cipher, denoting the name of the beast through the number of this name. It is preceded by a special emphasis on its meaning: "here is wisdom" (even with the term: ή σοφία). Here, of course, of course, is not the highest divine wisdom, but a definite, concrete thought, as if it were some mystical secret. This earthly wisdom does not presuppose for itself the inspiration of higher wisdom, but only the mind: "who has a mind" (ο εχων νουν) practical (and not theoretical, contemplative, "pure" reason), common sense, cunning, and cunning, as it corresponds to the base object of this understanding. It is now a question of "counting," i.e., of knowing, spying, determining the "number of the beast." This is possible and accessible to man, because the animal number is still human, and the Antichrist – personal or conciliar – in this case it is all the same – is still a man, albeit possessed by anti-Christian man-worship.

The "number of the beast" – 666, or, according to another version, 616 – has always been the greatest mystery in the interpretation of the Apocalypse, from the second century to the present day. This very method of encoding proper names through the sum of the digits corresponding to the letters, the so-called gematria, was generally widespread not only among the Jews, but also among the Greeks and Romans of that era. [54] However, it is clear that one and the same sum could be obtained from different terms (moreover, depending on the language). Therefore, the exact deciphering of the "animal number" is in any case not indisputable. Obviously, a special key is needed for this, which presupposes a special "wisdom" of the initiates. There is some hint here of the existence of such a secret order, but known to John. Starting from antiquity, various interpretations of the animal number have been proposed: some attributed it to paganism altogether: τειτάν or εθυανας (in St. Irenaeus) or λατεινος (in Hippolytus and Eusebius), others see here the name of the Roman emperors, first of all, of course, Nero, but also Caligula (for 616). Here it is possible to assume the motives of political conspiracy due to the fact that it was not always safe to directly call a spade a spade. However, such a motif does not fit in with the heroic and confessing spirit that permeates Revelation. As for the character of the number 666 = 2 ́ 333 itself, it belongs to the category of apocalyptic figures, expressing, on the one hand, a higher power and quality, three times, but doubled, so to speak, in a double aspect, expressing ambiguity and falsehood. In comparison with the sacred number 7, it also expresses a certain incompleteness and inferiority: 6 = 7 – 1, some kind of shadow lies on it. In general, to this day, only fortune-telling remains for the interpretation of this number. [55]

If we admit here the mystery of the revelation about this number of the beast, which was accessible to contemporaries, then for us it has long ceased to be accessible, or rather, from the very beginning, and only vainly disturbs the thought with its mystery. As far as the Lord wills, the mystery of this name will be fully revealed in the fullness of time, but for the time being it remains for us to pass by the incomprehensible, and to that extent it has already become dumb for us because of the incomprehensibility of the cipher. If our attention is attracted by a mystery, then a mystery no longer beckons. Meanwhile, the "number of the beast" has become a riddle for us, and the effort to solve it stems more from irritated curiosity than from piety. It is only necessary to say one thing: of all the features of Revelation belonging to the language and literary manner of the epoch, this one bears its greatest imprint, which is now alien to us and already distant. In this character, inherent in the literary style of the epoch and finding a parallel for itself in the works of the Apocrypha, Revelation differs from all New Testament writing, as well as from the other writings of the Apostle John, i.e. the fourth Gospel and the Epistles. Although it is possible and necessary to find in them individual features that compel us to recognize the unity of their compiler, or, in any case, confirm it, we must admit that they nevertheless represent, as it were, two completely different worlds, and we cannot at all imagine the "beast number" on the pages of the Fourth Gospel, as well as the entire New and Old Testament in general (not excluding even the book of Archpriest Daniel). The symbolism of Revelation, and especially its "gematria," remain a phenomenon entirely sui generis. In this way it stands out from the rest of the composition of divine revelation, perhaps as an object of deliberate mystery, it is separated from it by the closeness of these images, their inaccessibility to understanding, but to the extent that for us now it is actually empty. To intensify in deciphering this cipher now becomes mystically, spiritually and theologically unhealthy for us. In this there is a tendency of a certain occultism, which is not theology, but may even be hostile to it.

Thus, leaving aside historical and literary-critical exegesis, which has its relative scientific value, we must admit our impotence for a theological interpretation of the symbol of the "beast number." What is needed here is a new revelation, which is not extorted by conjectures and subterfuges until it is given from above. And what is accessible to us now refers to the literary style of the era, is said in the language of the 1st-2nd centuries AD and no longer sounds for the 20th. Therefore, it remains for us to grasp only the general meaning of this symbolism, since it refers in general to the sinister demonic character of man-worship, which, however, arises and is revealed within the limits of humanity, albeit poisoned by it. All these manifestations of the bestial principle in man, no matter how blasphemously pretentious they may be, are only human rebellion, the titanism of Luciferism and totalitarianism, which represents, in various senses, the hyperbole of humanity, its rising wave, which has to subside and crumble into infamy... And "wisdom" here refers precisely to this comprehension: "He who has understanding, let him count the number of the beast, for it is the number of man," but only the number of man. Everything else, as if exceeding it, is only a pose, a pretension and a counterfeit, and it is precisely the fullness of divine godliness that is lacking in manhood...

CHAPTER XIV

According to the inner and outer rhythm of Revelation, chapter fourteen in its contemplations is the exact opposite of the previous one, as one of the most difficult and gloomy in it. "And I looked, and behold, the Lamb stood on Mount Zion" (1). What does this place mean here? Is it a heavenly or earthly vision? It is in any case heavenly, since it refers to the Lamb, as well as to the whole environment and other features of the vision (see below). But at the same time, the place of this appearance of the Lamb "on Mount Zion" is indicated. Is it necessary to understand this expression precisely topographically, referring it to Jerusalem, which was already destroyed at the time of the writing of Revelation, or should we see here a general, rather spiritual reference to the stronghold and fortress of the Church, taking the name Zion in prophetic usage? [56] However, it can also be applied to the Zion of the coming Jerusalem as the place of Christ's appearance on earth. This vision is not accompanied by the designation of one's own time, on the contrary, it must be seen as one of the images of apocalyptic accomplishments that rise above the boundaries of space and time, or in any case cannot be confined to them. However, the entire significance of this indication remains valid: the main feature of Revelation is that human history, like the Kingdom of God, takes place not only in heaven, through the sitting of the Son of God at the right hand of the Father, but also on earth, on which He reigns. Therefore, it should be said of this manifestation of His that it is heavenly-earthly. It is the appearance in heaven of the glorified Lamb on earth, even before the transfiguration in glory, that is, before the Parousia. "And with Him are a hundred and four thousand, who have His Father's Name written on their foreheads" (1). In contrast to the seal of the beast and its mark on the hand or forehead, which was spoken of in the previous chapter (XIII, 16), here the elect of God are sealed with the Name of His Father on the forehead. The number 144,000, 12,000 x 12, is the number of the fullness of the Church of the Old and New Testament, which is already known to us. We met with him in VII, 4-8, where it is said that those who were sealed from all the tribes of Israel also received seals on their foreheads (3). Does this identical number of those sealed refer to the same chosen ones spoken of in these two, VII and XIV chapters, so that the difference does not refer to persons, but to the different stages of their spiritual path and the trials they have passed? Or are they quite different pluralities: the first are the twelve tribes of Israel, whether we understand the natural or the spiritual, and the second virgins (see below, 4), or should we identify them? We do not find a direct answer in the book itself, so it remains possible to identify them. In the first seal nothing is said about the attributes on which it is based, so that it is itself an election and, as it were, the will of God, while in the second it is connected with the special feat of the virginity of God's chosen ones, which, however, is not excluded as a possibility for the former. It is important that in the midst of the general spiritual flood this spiritual ark of salvation of the righteous is built by the special guidance of God, in which their chosenness is expressed. In both cases, a certain number, completeness, and multiplicity are characteristic. Then follows a majestic and stunning description of heavenly singing: "And I heard a voice from heaven, as [57] a noise from a multitude of waters, and as [57] the sound of mighty thunder; And he heard the voice of as if [57] harp players playing their harp. They sing as if [57] a new song before the throne, and before the four animals, and before the elders." We already know this from Chapter V, 8-9, as well as from Chapter 19, 6, with some variations, but with the main difference, that the song of the fifth chapter, which is heard in heaven before the face of the Lamb, the glorified Christ, "as it were slain" and "conquered," belongs to the four animals and the twenty-four elders, i.e., predominantly to the heavenly order, while the canto of the fourteenth chapter (as well as the nineteenth chapter) belongs to the 144,000 saints of the human race. and therefore it is sung before the throne and before the four animals and elders, i.e. before the heavenly world (a new confirmation of the heavenly-earthly divine-human character of this appearance of the Lamb: "And no one could learn this song, except these 144 thousand redeemed from the earth" (3) the chosen ones of God. as those who have realized for themselves the power of redemption by the feat of their holiness. Of them it is said: "They were redeemed from men (as) firstfruits [58] (firstborn) to God and to the Lamb (απαρχη τω θεω και τω αρνίω). This expresses their exclusive election in their sacrificial following of God and the Lamb, and in this sense their primacy in the Church. They are also defined as follows: "These are those who are not defiled with women, for they are virgins" (παρθένος) (4). Here one can see ascetics of the monastic order, which has happened in the history of exegesis, but it is also possible to understand the marital state, "marriage is honorable, and the bed is undefiled" (Heb. XIII, 4), as was characteristic primarily of the apostles themselves, except for Ap. John. In general, the purity of married or extramarital life is understood here. Further, παρθένος — virgins — can refer to both sexes, both men and women (which corresponds to the feminine gender — η παρθένος in the New 3avet, however, the same word is used for the masculine gender). The difficulty of the text refers only to the words: "they were not defiled with women," as if forcing him to be attributed to the male sex and excluding (at least partially) the female, and in general forcing him to understand here male, monastic celibacy. Others (Charles I. pp. II, 8-9) see here a later interpolation. Of course, this or that understanding is not of decisive importance for the general thought of the text, although, indeed, the mention of defilement with women, i.e. this inclination towards the monastic ideal, moreover, only male, is somewhat unexpected, and above all as if excluding from the "beginning" of the myrrh-bearing women, martyrs, and female ascetics. The second definition of God's chosen ones is: "They are those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes" (4). "And there is no guile in their mouths, they are blameless before the throne of God" (5). This faithfulness and devotion to Christ is characteristic of the "firstborn" of Christianity.

Now arises the fundamental and difficult dogmatic question in the comprehension of this chapter, namely, concerning the appearance of the Lamb in the midst of His elect. How should it be understood? If we bring it closer to the vision of the fifth chapter, where the slain Lamb takes a book from God the Father who sits on the throne, then it must be interpreted as having a place in heaven, i.e. as a heavenly revelation, similar to the Theophany of the Old Testament (the appearance of the glory of God to Moses and Ezekiel in the Theophany of Isaiah), as well as to the New Testament: the heavenly appearance of Christ to the first martyr Stephen, the Apostle Paul and Christian saints in general. The vision of Christ here is His Manifestation of God in glory, "sitting at the right hand of the Father" – this is how it can be expressed in a general dogmatic definition. This is not a new coming of Christ into the world in any sense, but only His heavenly appearance: it is given to man in a state of mystical ecstasy, of which St. Paul relates. Paul (2 Corinthians, XII), in the "rapture to the third heaven", "I do not know whether in the body or out of the body, the Lord knows" (3), mystical transcendence. A similar or analogous vision of the Father sitting first on the throne (ch. 4) and then of the Son (ch. 5) is described in Revelation as transcendental to earthly existence, although it refers to it (book). There is no earthly humanity here, but only the angelic world, glorifying the Lamb. The only difficulty in this interpretation of the vision is that in this doxology participates "every creature that is in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and in the sea, and everything that is in them, I have heard and spoken" (V, 13). This last addition has to be understood here "prolepticly," as a prophetic anticipation not of what already is, but of what is to be, which is why it is especially confirmed in heaven: "And the four beasts said, Amen" (14).