“And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord comes. And it shall be that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:19-21).
This is one of the prophecies concerning the present feast. For this reason the holy Apostle Peter cites it in his present sermon to the Jewish people.
Reading this prophecy with reverence, I have always involuntarily asked myself what these wonders in heaven and signs on earth might be. What are this fire, blood, and vapor of smoke? What are the darkening of the sun and the moon’s being turned to blood, foretold by the prophet?
It is true that in the upper room of Zion, where the Apostles were gathered on the day of Pentecost, “there came a sound as of a rushing mighty wind” (Acts 2:1). Yet this breath harmed no one, but only drew everyone’s attention to the Apostles.
It is true that then there appeared tongues “divided, as of fire” (Acts 2:3). Yet these tongues burned no one, but rested in peace and stillness upon the heads of the Apostles.
Where, then, are the fire, blood, and vapor of smoke? Where is the darkening of the sun? Where is the moon turned to blood?
Thus one might think that the prophecy was not fulfilled. But can it be possible that what was foretold by the Holy Spirit was not justified in deed?
No. What the prophet proclaimed could not fail to be fulfilled, and it was fulfilled. Yet it was fulfilled not in one day, so to speak, but over the course of a whole span of time.
For although this prophecy properly refers to the most glorious descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, as the beginning of the New Testament, it also embraces more than this single event and beginning. It embraces the later destiny and establishment of the whole New Testament.
“And I will make a New Covenant.” How decisively all this was fulfilled a few years later, at the destruction of Jerusalem and the fall of Judea! How much blood, fire, and smoke there was then!
How many times, behind that gloom and fire, neither sun nor moon could be seen on Jerusalem’s horizon! All these dread events served nothing else than the abolition of the Old Covenant and the establishment of the New in power.
Consequently, they were, as it were, the accompaniment of its appearing.
The same may be said of certain later times, for example the time of Diocletian, when the final struggle of Christianity with Judaism and paganism came to an end.
Were not all the inhabitants of the Empire, which was almost the same as the whole world, aflame then with fierce persecution against the followers of Christ?
Did not streams of the blood of martyrs and confessors flow everywhere? Did not heaven give special signs? Did not terrible events take place on earth?
And what did all this serve, if not the final establishment of the New Testament religion and the destruction of Judaism and paganism?
It has fallen to our time to see a new triumph of Christianity in the weakening of Mohammedanism before it. Therefore we see, as it were, a new outpouring from above upon the earth of the Spirit of truth and grace.
And behold: again there are signs in heaven and wonders on earth. Again there is blood and fire and vapor of smoke everywhere. The sun of the Christian power is turned to darkness, and the moon of Mohammedanism is bathed in blood.
Indeed, who could have expected whole armies in full armor to appear in the sky? Nothing of the kind had been heard since the devastation of Jerusalem and Josephus’ account of it.
And now enlightened Germany, to its astonishment, sees this very thing in its sky. It sees it and involuntarily recognizes in what it has seen a portent of bloody wars.
Read also what happened at the end of last summer to the appearance of the moon in our Volga regions. It seemed to undergo some dreadful punishment, as though ending in torments and agonies. The changes in its appearance were terribly mournful.
But I confess that, amid the present circumstances, one sign on earth especially strikes me. This is the dreadful earthquake from which unfortunate Bursa has suffered and continues to suffer.
It had to be that subterranean fire should reveal itself in all its force and fury, and continue so long, at the very time when the bloody dispute of Mohammedanism with Christianity is taking place.
It had to be that a volcano should open in that city and in that place, which may be called the cradle of Muslim power and strength.
It had to happen not somewhere far away, but, so to speak, before the eyes of Constantinople.
How many, I think, even among the Mohammedans themselves, look with horror upon this spectacle, recognize in it the finger of God, and suppose that they see in it the wrath of heaven over them.
Oh, if only another thought would come to them at this: that this is no accident, but the last voice from heaven of the Son of Mary, calling them to return from Mohammed’s delusion.
And our brethren in the faith? They too must be struck by this dread and all-crushing phenomenon. Yet for them it is not terror, but consolation.
Over them the words of the prophecy are now being fulfilled: “When you see these things taking place” (Lk 21:3), then “look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Lk 21:28).
Yes, unfortunate brethren, and for that reason still more beloved, it is drawing near to you. No one has the power to stop or delay it.
Where men act, one may still doubt the outcome. But when the power of God appears, there is no place for doubt. For He “spoke, and they came to be; He commanded, and they were created.”
But will someone ask, “Must the end of Mohammedanism really follow soon? Must it follow when almost the whole Christian West has risen up for its indestructibility and resolved to sacrifice itself for it?”
Yes, my brethren, this must follow, for so it is pleasing to the Lord. One may say that it has already followed, for Mohammedanism is now nothing but a corpse remaining to be buried.
This burial, and not a life which no longer exists, may be delayed for a time.
What then should be said about the efforts of the Western powers on behalf of Turkey?
What is rightly said of skillful but self-confident physicians who, in a fit of pride, take hopeless patients into their own hands and promise them recovery, when the patient soon dies from their medicines: they killed him.
The decrepit skeleton might have lived a little longer under the beneficent shadow of Russia. But it could not endure those exertions of strength and those movements unnatural even in its time of vigor, which its weakened members were made to perform.
Being placed, my brethren, as witnesses of such remarkable times and such important events, shall we resemble little children? They do not understand what is happening before them, but only marvel at it and stretch out their eyes and hands.
No. More is required of us, and more lies before us.
Before us is falling the Ishmaelite kingdom, once powerful and for so long a terror and scourge to Christianity.
How can we not rejoice over the lot of our brethren, upon whom this scourge lies heavy? How can we not reverence the ways of Providence?
Providence sent this bondage as punishment upon Eastern Christianity. But when the time came, before the face of the whole world, He Himself broke the bonds and led His faithful people into freedom.
To our Fatherland it has been granted from above to begin the fulfillment of the higher judgments over the East.
Being sensitive to this great and holy honor, let us be courageous in bearing the burden of such service. Let us remember that such a struggle brings with it no small reward, and will be accompanied by blessing for Russia unto ages and generations.
The unbelief and pride of the Western peoples did not hesitate, by standing for Islam, to go against the ways of Providence. Thus, in this matter, they foolishly joined their destiny with the destiny of the sons of Hagar.
Let us sincerely grieve over this fall of Christianity. Let us learn not to entrust ourselves to earthly wisdom and elemental enlightenment.
They can blind whole nations so far that they are ready to forget the Gospel and the Cross, and to lay down their lives for Mohammed’s Quran.
Finally, seeing how everything in the destiny of kingdoms and peoples is accomplished not according to the calculations of human self-love, but under the finger of the Most High, let us firmly believe in the Providence of God.
Let us see that with Christianity is joined even earthly greatness, while with Mohammedanism are joined humiliation and weakness. Let us love the Cross of Christ, the one faithful source not only of eternal salvation, but also of earthly well-being. Amen.
“I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord comes.”
Reading this prophecy with reverence, I have always involuntarily asked myself what these wonders in heaven and signs on earth might be. What are this fire, blood, and vapor of smoke? What are the darkening of the sun and the moon’s being turned to blood, foretold by the Prophet?
It is true that in the upper room of Zion, where the Apostles were gathered on the day of Pentecost, there came a sound as of a rushing mighty wind. Yet this breath harmed no one, but only drew everyone’s attention to the Apostles.
It is true that then there appeared tongues divided as of fire. Yet these tongues burned no one, but rested in peace and stillness upon the heads of the Apostles.
Where, then, are the fire, blood, and vapor of smoke? Where is the darkening of the sun? Where is the moon turned to blood?
How can one think that the prophecy was not fulfilled? But can it be possible that what was foretold by the Holy Spirit was not justified in deed?
No. What the Prophet proclaimed could not fail to be fulfilled, and it was fulfilled. Yet it was fulfilled not in one day, so to speak, but over the course of a whole span of time.
For although this prophecy properly refers to the most glorious descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, as the beginning of the New Testament, it also embraces more than this single event and beginning. It embraces the later destiny and establishment of the whole New Testament.
“And I will make a New Covenant.” How decisively all this was fulfilled a few years later, at the destruction of Jerusalem and the fall of Judea! How much blood, fire, and smoke there was then!
How many times, behind that gloom and fire, neither sun nor moon could be seen on Jerusalem’s horizon! All these dread events served nothing else than the abolition of the Old Covenant and the establishment of the New in power.
Consequently, they were, as it were, the accompaniment of its appearing.
The same may be said of certain later times, for example the time of Diocletian, when the final struggle of Christianity with Judaism and paganism came to an end.
Were not all the inhabitants of the Empire, which was almost the same as the whole world, aflame with fierce persecution against the followers of Christ?
Did not streams of the blood of martyrs and confessors flow everywhere? Did not heaven give special signs? Did not a dreadful event take place on earth?
And what did all this serve, if not the final establishment of the New Testament religion and the destruction of Judaism and paganism?
During the Crimean War, extraordinary signs were observed in heaven and on earth. Germany saw whole armies in full armor in its sky. In our Volga regions, extraordinary changes occurred in the appearance of the moon.
The earthquake in Bursa, before the very eyes of Constantinople, caused great devastation. Bishop Innocent sees in this the signs that foretold the triumph of Christianity in the weakening of Mohammedanism before it.
THEOSIS