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LXVI. Of the Six Ages of the World.

Of the six ages of the world, as well as of the seventh and eighth ages of rest and heavenly life, we shall speak rather briefly in comparison with the first week in which the world was organized, but we shall speak of them in much greater detail in comparison with the age of the individual man, which is commonly called by the Greek philosophers the microcosm, that is, the lesser world.

So the first age of this world is the period from Adam to Noah; it is 1656 years, according to the true tradition of the Jews, or 2242 years, according to 70 interpreters, and contains, according to both traditions, 10 generations; it has completely disappeared as a result of the flood, just as the infancy of every man is usually sunk into oblivion, for who remembers his infancy?

The second century, from Noah to Abraham, embraces, according to the true tradition of the Jews, 10 generations and 292 years, or, according to 70 interpreters, 11 generations and 272 years. It was a kind of childhood of the human race, which was reflected in the language, that is, in the language of the Jews. After all, it is from childhood that a person begins to speak, after infancy, which was so called because he could not yet "fari", that is, speak.

The third, from Abraham to David, embraces, according to both traditions, 14 generations and 942 years. It was, as it were, the youth of the people of God, and since from this age man acquires the ability to produce, the Evangelist Matthew also counts the generations from Abraham, who also became the father of the nations, after receiving the changed name.

The fourth, from David to the migration to Babylon, is 473 years according to the true tradition of the Jews, or 12 years more, according to the 70 interpreters, and 17 generations according to both codes; however, the Evangelist Matthew, in view of the revelation known only to him, indicates 14 generations. From this mature age in the people of God began the times of kings, for this age suitable for government among men usually corresponds to royal power.

The fifth, already old age, from the migration to Babylon to the coming of the Lord Savior in the flesh, is 14 generations and 589 years. At this time, the Jewish people, as if exhausted by a difficult old age, experienced many misfortunes.

The sixth century lasts now; the number of its generations and years is unknown, but, like the last century, it must end in the destruction of the whole world.

These ages or ages of the world, burdened with misery and full of suffering, have one after another prevailed over a blessed death, and, having already been accepted by the seventh age of the eternal Sabbath, await the eighth age of the blessed resurrection, when they will reign eternally with the Lord.

So, in the first century of the world being born, on its first day, God created light and called it day. On the second day He separated the firmament from the waters, because these waters, and the dry land, together with the heavens above it, and the powers that were to glorify the creator in heaven, were created before the beginning of these six days. On the third day, having gathered the waters that covered everything around into one place, He commanded the dry land to appear. On the fourth day, God placed in the firmament of the heavenly bodies; This day, as far as the equinox suggests, is now called March 21. On the fifth day, He created fish and birds. On the sixth day, God created the earthly animals and the first man – Adam, and from his rib, when Adam slept, He created the mother of all living – Eve; This day, as far as it seems to me plausible, is now called March 23. Therefore, it is rightly believed, unless a more correct opinion prevails, that it was on this day, March 23, that the Lord was crucified, as Blessed Theophilus wrote about Pascha, arguing with many other bishops not only of Palestine, but also of other regions. For it was fitting that he should rest a life-giving death for the salvation of the human race, and that his bride, the church, should be consecrated by the heavenly sacrament taken out of his side, on the same day, not only of the week, but also of the month, according to Adam, that is, on the day on which he created Adam, that is, the father of the human race, and having taken the rib from his side, he created a woman from him, with the help of whom the human race was to spread.

When Adam was 130 years old, he begat Seth and lived for another 800 years. However, 70 interpreters give him 230 years before the birth of Seth and 700 years after. The name "Seth" is translated as "resurrection", meaning the resurrection of Christ from the dead, while his death, caused by the Jews, is symbolized by Abel, which means "sorrow", killed by his brother Cain.

235 When Seth was 105 years old, he begat Enos and lived after that for another 807 years. And the 70 interpreters give him 105 years before the birth of Enos and 707 years after. The name Enos translates as "a person who is spoken of well." He began to call on the name of the Lord; for it is in the nature of men, remembering their weakness, to call upon the help of the Creator, at least to those who, living in the faith of Christ, rejoice in the fact that they are sons of the resurrection.