Nowadays, there are some people in the Church, who adhere to the so-called heresy of chiliasm. Chiliasm (from the Greek χῑλιάς “thousand”) is a theological concept (theory), according to which Jesus Christ at his second coming and Christians will rule the world for 1000 years and Paradise will occur on Earth. It is more typical, of course, for Protestants, but nevertheless there are also so-called Orthodox people who go to the church, pray, take Holy Communion, but nevertheless adhere to this absolutely incorrect opinion, which was rejected by the Holy Fathers.
At the second coming, Jesus Christ will come in glory with the angels of God. And what will be? The last judgment will begin immediately. Why is it called so scary? Because it is the last and final. Before this last judgment may still be some changes because every person dying on the fortieth day appears before God and this judgment is called private for this particular individual. And, as we say, maybe a thousand or more years will pass before the last terrible and general judgment. After all, the souls of those people who died two thousand years ago, one thousand years, five hundred years ago before us, are in that spiritual world. We know that they are there because all souls are alive and the final judgment will be the last one because prior to last judgment their relatives can pray for them, make offerings and alms and dedicate them to their dead son, brother, husband and to all those whom we love. We can pray for them, and the Lord will have mercy and transfer them from that gloomy, dark state where they are now. It is checked many times and the Lord opened it up. But when the Lord comes for the second time to judge there will no longer be the opportunity to change anything, which is why it is called terrible and last one. When it will be? The Lord said: “It is not up to you to know the times and the terms that his Father put in his power.”
At the first Universal Cathedral, all the Holy Fathers (Nicholas the Woundermaker, Athanasius the Great, Spiridon of Trimifunteli and many others), having examined together all the scriptures, including the Old and New Testaments, have established that Jesus Christ will come only the second time and there will be no intermediate coming. But the Protestants read one passage from the apostolic epistles and interpret it as the millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ between judgment and the First Coming. That He will appear on earth and establish the kingdom of heaven here, the kingdom of justice, the kingdom of good, the kingdom of love and universal unity. But nowhere in the scripture it is said about this intermediate existence of a kingdom. The thousand-year period in the book of the Apocalypse of St. John the Evangelist refers to the period of our existence on earth, the period of the existence of our Orthodox Church until the Second Coming and the final judgment of Christ.
And who will come? After all, Jews are waiting for him, Protestants are waiting, Muslims are waiting, Buddhists are waiting for him. They are waiting for some great man who will establish a kingdom of justice here on earth, where everything will be fair, everyone will get what they deserve, everyone will be happy and joyful, and love and truth will reign. But we know that this world lies in sin and this sin is deep inside of people and in no case will there ever be such a kingdom of grace on our earth! Why? Because people do not want to improve themselves. And if people do not correct themselves, then no great man like Buddha, Mahdi, Messiah will be able to change anything, because a person is given freedom of choice from God and if he wants to be greedy, selfish, no one can change him because he does not want it! He is satisfied with the lifestyle he lives. Therefore, the kingdom of God cannot be here on earth mathematically a priori. Therefore, if someone comes and says, “I am Christ! I came a second time to make you feel good here! I came to create a world government in which there will be complete justice ...” You know this is none other than the Antichrist.
But it turns out that Jews are waiting, Muslims are waiting, Buddhists are waiting, Protestants are waiting, and possibly representatives of some other religious movements too. He will come and say: “I am Christ! I came 2000 years ago, I was crucified for you, and now I’ve come to free you from all the difficulties and problems of this world. Worship me, pray to me and do what I command you."
When the world kingdom of Antichrist comes, a single world government will be established with a single ruler - the Antichrist. After the coming of the Antichrist, we will definitely know that the second coming of Christ is close.
As Orthodox Christians, we cannot accept Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, or Buddhist teachings. We have our true Christian teaching and the Holy Fathers revealed to us this secret that Jesus Christ will come in the clouds of heaven only for judgment and this will be the second coming, of which we can even become witnesses. Because, judging by the circumstances that are developing around us at present time, we can say that the time is near. Most people on earth do not want to live a Christian life, and we cannot force them. Most people go a long way to perdition and that’s
their choice. We can only clean our souls, save them, and appear at the judgment of God pure, which I also wish you all.
Amen
