THEOSISEphraem the Syrian
We need many prayers and tears, beloved, so that any one of us may be found firm in temptations. For there will be many illusions performed by the beast.
He himself is a fighter against God, and he wants to destroy everyone.
For the tormentor will use such a method that all will have to bear upon themselves the mark of the beast, when in his own time, that is, at the fulfillment of the times, he comes to deceive all by signs.
Only in this way will they be able to buy food and everything necessary. He will appoint overseers to carry out his commands.
Notice, my brethren, the excessive malice of the beast and the devices of his wickedness. See how he begins with the belly.
Read more (1125 words)
When a man is brought to extremity by lack of food, he will be forced to receive his mark, that is, the impious inscription.
It will not be on just any member of the body, but on the right hand and also on the forehead.
Thus the man will no longer be able with his right hand to imprint the sign of the Cross, nor on his forehead to mark the holy name of the Lord, or the glorious and honorable Cross of Christ our Savior.
For the wretched one knows that the imprinted Cross of the Lord destroys all his power.
Therefore he places his mark on a man's right hand, because it seals all our members with the Cross.
Likewise the forehead, like a lampstand, bears on high the lamp of light, the sign of our Savior.
Therefore, my brethren, a fearful contest will be set before all Christ-loving people. They must not fall into fear until the hour of death, nor remain inactive when the serpent inscribes his mark in place of the Savior's Cross.
For without doubt he uses such a method so that the name of the Lord and Savior may not even be named at that time.
The powerless one does this because he fears and trembles before the holy power of our Savior.
For if someone is not sealed with the mark of the beast, he will not be captivated by his illusory signs. Moreover, the Lord does not depart from such people, but enlightens them and draws them to Himself.
Whoever has compunction and tears should ask the Lord in prayer to escape the great tribulation that will come upon the earth.
Let him ask not to see the beast at all, nor to hear the terrors that will occur in various places, the earthquakes, famines, and different deaths on the earth.
A courageous soul is needed, one able, so to speak, to govern its life amid these temptations.
If a man proves even somewhat negligent, he will easily be overcome and captured by the signs of the evil and treacherous serpent.
Such a man will appear inexcusable and guilty at the Judgment, because he voluntarily believed the tormentor.
We need many prayers and tears, beloved, so that any one of us may stand firm in temptations.
The beast will bring many illusions, because he is a fighter against God and will want to destroy everyone.
Listen, my Christ-loving brethren, to what he did in the wilderness to Israel when it came out of Egypt.
See how he contrived, accursed and utterly defiled as he is, to draw all into the gravest sin.
He suggested to Balaam that he give the most evil counsel to Balak, king of Midian (Num 25; Num 31:16).
He told him to bring the city women into the tents and catch the Israelites through them, inclining them to fornication and sacrifice.
Thus God would utterly consume them as impious, when all would commit fornication with these women like irrational creatures.
The king openly set before the people women and a table at the doors, with libations and sacrifices, drawing everyone into death.
Thus whoever wished to commit fornication with those defiled women would first make a libation, and then enter the tent.
The women took nothing from the Israelites, but compelled everyone who passed by to offer sacrifice.
For the princes he brought out the daughters of princes. For the rich he brought daughters of rich men. For all the people he brought many women from the common folk, so as suddenly to catch all into death.
The rich man did not disdain the poor woman, nor the prince some commoner's daughter.
Do you see the work of unrighteousness, the wicked plot? How the serpent dug for all a pit of destruction into death!
Has any of you ever seen such a shameless deed, fornication armed with a two-edged sword?
For the women destroyed those who entered to them with a twofold dreadful death, compelling them both to offer sacrifices and to commit fornication.
The tormentor will use this very same method, so that all may bear upon themselves the mark of the beast.
This will happen when, in his own time, at the fulfillment of the fullness of the times, he comes to deceive all by signs.
Only in this way will they be able to buy food and everything necessary. To carry out the command, he will appoint rulers over the people.
Pay attention, brethren, to the excessive malice of the beast and the devices of his wickedness. He begins with the belly.
When a man is brought to extremity by lack of food, he will be forced to receive his mark.
This defiled one will place his mark not on just any bodily member, but, so that they may not be hindered by it, he will place it on the right hand of man.
He will also place the impious inscription on the forehead, so that a man may not have the ability to seal himself with the sign of Christ our Savior by his right hand.
Nor will he be able to mark on his forehead the fearful and holy name of the Lord, and the glorious and fearful Cross of the Savior.
For that wretched one knows that the Lord's Cross, if imprinted on anyone, will destroy all his power.
Therefore he will place the mark on a man's right hand, because it seals all our members with the Cross.
Likewise the forehead bears the Savior's sign upon its height, as a lampstand bears the lamp of light.
Therefore, my brethren, a fearful contest lies before all faithful and strong Christ-loving people. They must not yield until the hour of death, nor grow faint when the serpent inscribes his mark in place of the Cross.
For he will contrive in every way that the name of the Lord and Savior, His all-holy and most pure name, may not be named at all in the times of the serpent.
The weak one will do this because he fears and trembles before the holy power of the Savior's name.
For whoever is not sealed with his mark will not be a captive of his illusions. The Lord will not depart from such a one, but will enlighten his heart and draw him to Himself.
We, brethren, must understand the illusions of the hateful enemy with all exactness.
The Lord comes in peace to all of us, to overthrow the devices of the beast.
Sincerely holding the unshaken faith of Christ, let us make the enemy's power unstable.
Let us acquire an unchangeable and pious thought, and the powerless one will depart from us, unable to do anything to us.