Proclamation

about the Judgment of God, the coming times, and the new name of Christ the Lord.

Introduction.

My confidence in my God, whom I know through His Word and love with all my heart and understanding as far as He has given me strength;
As if someone were to write down all their opinions and attitudes towards something: actions in different situations, deeds, and so on, reflecting their word on paper with ink,-
And, being beyond the reach of my eyes and ears, sent me their word, to which I could talk as if conversing with them, learning their opinion and attitude towards anything, getting to know them.
And this word of theirs would be them as much as paper and ink can possibly reflect this word, actually sounding simultaneously and indivisibly, multivalent, and sequentially presented only on paper; because to love and accept one thing, and to hate and reject another, although written sequentially one after the other, exist simultaneously in one flesh, in one word.
So too the One God, Creator and Cause of all things, "who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see" (1 Tim. 6:16; John 1:18), - according to the testimony of the wise, for He "made darkness His covering" (Ps. 18:12), -
Reveals Himself to us through His Word, called by those who know the divine, the Son, so that we may be enlightened by knowledge of Him.
Since the only greatest honor given to God by humans is knowledge of God and conformity to Him, as far as each one is able. (Hos. 6:6; Eph. 5:1).
As Scripture tells us, saying through the apostle, that:
"God, who created the world and all that is in it, He, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands, nor requires the service of human hands, as if having need of anything, Himself giving life and breath and all things to everything. From one blood he begat the whole human race to dwell on all the face of the earth, appointing predestined times and limits to their dwelling, that they might seek God, whether they should feel him and find him, though he be not far from each one of us..." (Acts 17:24-27)
And therefore says the Son, "He that seeth me, seeth him that sent me" (John 12:45) and, "I am the way and the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6,7).
So, as it says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) and, "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; and we have seen His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father." (John 1:14; Luke 1:2)
From these words, behold, I, Eugene, humble and sinful, an unworthy servant and the least disciple of Christ, with all my brothers who are with me, by common faith and election, -
We decided unanimously to write, as it is said, "Throughout the whole world, for a witness to all the nations" (Matthew 24:14) the word of introduction, in which, as God revealed to us, we tried to expound three most important themes, which are taken from the Scripture and are distinguished from a number of other themes, by their, so to say, "exceptional revelations" (2 Corinthians 12:7).
To serve all "with diligence as unto the Lord, and not as unto men, knowing," as the apostle says, "that every man shall receive from the Lord according to the measure of the good which he hath done, whether a slave or free.
And, further, as if to the masters whom they serve, giving instruction, he says: "Do likewise unto them, tempering severity, knowing that over yourselves and over them is the Lord in heaven, with whom there is no countenance" (Eph. 6:7-9), "but in every nation he who fears him and walks righteously is acceptable to him." (Acts 10:35)
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger" (James 1.19), so that in this case there is a mutual mutual benefit, which with respect to the writer is reduced to the fact that he through retention in memory is enabled to state correctly the subject of discussion, and with respect to the reader is reduced to turning his mind to perceive what is being stated.
So, when both are subject to a common labor: for the writer to state unmistakably, and for the reader to read carefully and agree with what is being written.
Let us now begin the narrative: for it is not wise, as the Word of God also says, "to enlarge the preface to the story, but to abridge the story itself" (2Mac.2:33)

Chapter 1
Of the judgment of God.

Not of our own concoction, and making no attempt to make innovations, but "considering the spiritual with the spiritual" (1 Corinthians 2:13), and comparing it with what is said, "was already in the ages that were before us" (Ecclesiastes 1:10). ), - we say with the Apostle that "leaving the times of ignorance, God now commands people everywhere to repent, for He has appointed a day in which He will righteously judge the universe, through the One He predestined, having given assurance to all, having raised Him from the dead." (Acts 17:30-31)
And "having raised up" what does it mean? than that He will also be put to death first, "having offered Himself as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many," and further, "He will appear a second time, not for the cleansing of sin, but for those who wait for Him for salvation." (Hebrews 9:28).
And this, it is said, "may be seen by a careful observation of the former." (Prem.19:17).
For as we know, "what was, is, and will be; and what was done, is, and will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun" (Eccl.1:9) and, "God will call forth the past" (Eccl.3:15).
And it was that Christ revealed Himself in the name Jesus, which no one knew then, and, as the prophet Isaiah prophesies: "without sight or majesty," and: "was despised and belittled before men" (Is.53:2-3), "that he, by the grace of God, might taste death for all" (Heb.2:9); and "and he went about doing good and healing all those possessed by the devil," "and that finally they killed him, hanging him on a tree" (Acts.10:38-39 ), - subjected to the most extreme curse, which is laid down in the law of God (Deuteronomy 21:23; Galatians 3:13), "but God raised Him up, having loosed the bonds of death, because it was impossible for it to hold Him." (Acts 2:24)
So, "God raised Him up on the third day, and gave Him to appear," only, "not to all the people, but to the witnesses who were chosen before God," as Scripture says. (Acts 10:40-41)
In the day when God will judge the world, as we have said above, He will raise Him up as "a witness to all" (Acts 17:31).
"Thus the coming of the Lord, both then and on the day of judgment, 'when, according to my gospel,' says the Apostle, 'God will judge the secret works of men through Jesus Christ' (Rom. 2:16)," appears before us in two ways, as it is written, "sown in corruption, riseth in incorruption; sown in humiliation, riseth in glory; sown in weakness, riseth in strength." (1 Corinthians 15:42-43)
So "the word is true: if we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we endure, we shall also reign with Him; if we deny, He will also deny us" (2 Timothy 2:11-12), saying: "I have never known you; depart from Me, you who do iniquity." (Matthew 7:23).
Though we have prophesied in His name, and cast out demons in His name, and performed many miracles.
For when He came, as the Righteous One known to no one, with a new name "which no one knows" (Revelation 2:17; 3:12) "and there was not in Him a look that would draw us to Him" and "was despised and belittled before men," - as the prophet Isaiah foretold (Isaiah 53:2-3);
We would then, as those who were guilty of His first death, - "from the Holy and Righteous One we would deny, and ask that a murderer be given you" (Acts 3:14)
So, - "The judgment is that light came into the world; but men loved darkness more than light, because their works were evil," Scripture says. (John 3:19)

"And as it is appointed for men to die once, and then judgment, so also Christ, having once offered Himself as a sacrifice," not in order to bear "the sins of us all" (Isaiah 53:6), as we "see" it fulfilled (Hebrews 2:9).
But: - "to lift up the sins of many," - becoming, as the prophet says, an intercessor for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12), - "the second time will appear, not for the cleansing of sin, but for those who wait for Him for salvation." (Hebrews 9:27-28).
"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you received Me; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." (Matthew 25:34-36)
It is appropriate now to recall the words of the Apostle Peter, who said on the eve of his death to Clement of Rome, mentioned in his letter to the Philippians (Phil.4:3):
"But consider this also justly with me: when do you need the help of Christ? now, when the evil one begins war against his bride, or afterwards, when he is born, reigns victorious, needing no longer the support of anyone? Is it not clear, even to an unwise husband, which is now? Therefore, with all the strength of your soul in this present time of need, hasten to bring work to the good King, to Whom great rewards are usually bestowed after victory." (Pp. Clym. James IV)
And as if continuing this thought, he says in his epistle, "But as you participate in Christ's sufferings, rejoice, that you may also rejoice and be exalted at the appearance of His glory. If you are blasphemed for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of Glory, the Spirit of God rests upon you. By those He is blasphemed, but by you He is glorified." (1 Peter 4:13-14).
Another apostle also exhorts us to do the same, saying, "And do not be afraid of any adversary: it is for them an omen of destruction, but for you an omen of salvation. And this is from God, because it is given to you for Christ's sake, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him in the same way as you have seen in me and now hear of me." (Phil. 1:28-30)
A feat for which our Lord, in the words of the prophet, "will look with contentment" (Isaiah 53:11)
"For it is righteous before God to repay those who offend you with affliction, but to you who are offended it is a joy together with us, in the appearance of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with the angels of his power, in the flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will be punished, eternal ruin, from the Lord and from the glory of his power" (2 Thess. 1:6-9)
"Who will reward everyone according to his works: to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory, honor, and immortality, eternal life; but to those who persist and do not obey the truth, but yield to unrighteousness, wrath and anger." (Rom.2:6-8)
As to that city, looking upon which the Lord grieved and wept over it, saying, "Oh, if thou hadst also in this thy day known what is serving thy peace! But this is now hidden from your eyes, for the days will come upon you when your enemies will encircle you with trenches and surround you, and constrain you from every place, and ruin you, and beat your children in you, and leave no stone upon a stone in you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation." (Luke 19:42-44)


Chapter 2
Of the times to come.

Having, then, said enough about the judgment of God - how it will proceed and by what means - let us leave the subject of judgment for the moment and follow in order to discover the time of the Lord's visitation, as He once said to the prophet who asked Him:
"You are not more curious how the wicked will be tormented, but examine how the righteous will be saved, to whom the age belongs and for whose sake the age is, and when." (3Ezdr.9:13)
That is, "to which and at what time the Spirit of Christ who is in them was pointing, when he heralded Christ's sufferings and the glory that follows them." (1 Peter 1:11).
Thus, according to Scripture, God raised Christ on no other day, but it is said, "This God raised on the third day" (Acts 10:40; Luk.18:33;24:46) thereby clearly showing us what it says, "having reached the last ages" (1 Cor.10:11) for the time of His Son's resurrection, namely "on the third day".
And further, explaining through the Apostle, "One thing must not be hidden from you, beloved, that the Lord has one day as a thousand years" (2 Peter 3:8)
As in another place he says, "For before Thy eyes a thousand years are as the day of yesterday" (Psalm 89:5)
He said this, seeing by the Holy Spirit that Adam did not survive the day in which he tasted and transgressed the commandment:
"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die by death." (Gen. 2:17), -
"All the days of Adam's life were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died." (Gen.5:5)
So, Adam did not survive a thousand years, but died within it, fulfilling the sentence for the crime.
This is also testified to by the ancient, early Christians:
The apostle Barnabas, called by God along with Paul (Acts 13:2), - "a Levite of Cyprian origin" (Acts 4:36) - in his epistle which has survived, says thus:
"Observe, children, what it means: 'He was finished in six days. It means that the Lord finished all things in six thousand years; for with Him a day is equal to a thousand years." (Barn.15:5-7)
Justin Martyr, in his not infamous letter to Mark Pompey, referred to as "conversation with Tryphon the Jew," says this in chapter 81:
"From what is said in these words, 'As the days of the tree of life are the days of my people, the works of their labors,' we understand that here the millennium is mysteriously indicated. For when Adam was told, "on what day he shall eat of the tree, in that day he shall die" (Genesis 2:17), we know that he did not survive a thousand years. We also know that the saying, 'the day of the Lord is like a thousand years' (Psalm 89:5; 2 Peter 3:8) leads to the same thing."
And Irenaeus of Lyon, who composed a great work against heresies, describing their kinds and exposing their insane opinions, also mentions this in Volume 5, saying, "Adam's death is believed in the thousand years; for since 'the day of the Lord is like a thousand years' (2 Peter 3:8), he did not pass over a thousand years, but died within it, executing the sentence for the offense." (Ir. Lyon. IV:23,2)
And in his work, On the Tyrannical Kingdom of the Antichrist, he also tells us, "For in how many days this world was created, so many thousands of years will it last. And so the book of Genesis says, "And the heavens and the earth were made perfect, all their ornaments. And on the sixth day God finished all His works which He had made, and on the seventh day He rested from all His works which He had created" (Genesis 2:1-2). And this is both a telling of the former as it was accomplished and a prophecy of the future. For the day of the Lord is like a thousand years, and as in six days the creation was accomplished, it is evident that it will end in the six thousandth year."

I think we should also mention Methodius of Olympius, who lived after these glorious men, who in his book "The Feast of the Ten Virgins", says this: "For as in six days God created heaven and earth, and made the whole world; and on the seventh day rested from his works which he created, and blessed the seventh day and sanctified it (Gen.2:1-2 ), and as it is transformed in the seventh month, when the earthly fruits are already gathered, we are commanded to celebrate the Lord, so when this world reaches the seventh millennium, then God, having truly made the universe "shall rejoice" over us (Ps.103:31)." - says this glorious and holy man.
(Meth. Olympus. Pyr. Rech. IX, ch. 1)
So, although according to Scripture: "with the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be firm" (2 Corinthians 13:1; Deuteronomy 19:15), and we have brought more witnesses to testify that the Lord has one day as a thousand years, and without stopping there, let us also listen to what Moses says, "as a minister, to testify to what was to be proclaimed" (Hebrews 3:5)
As the Lord also said of him, "because he wrote of me" (John 5:46).
Therefore, giving the law and knowing the time, he says vaporously, "Let him who is unclean sprinkle himself clean on the third and seventh day, and make him clean on the seventh day" (Deuteronomy 19:19), and before that, "he shall make himself clean with this water on the third and seventh day, and he shall be clean; but if he shall not make himself clean on the third and seventh day, he shall not be clean" (Numbers 19:12)
And in the book of Exodus, "The Lord said to Moses, 'Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow; let them wash their clothes, that they may be ready for the third day: for on the third day the Lord will come down before the eyes of all the people on Mount Sinai.'" (Exodus 19:10-11)
As it happened, "On the third day, when morning came, there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud over the mountain, and a trumpet sound very strong; and all the people who were in the camp trembled." (Exodus 19:16)
"And these were images to us," says the apostle and continues:
"All these things happened to them as images; but they are described as an admonition to us who have reached the last ages." (1 Corinthians 10:6,11)
So another prophet, seeing our present restoration, exclaims: "Let us go and return to the Lord! for He has wounded us - and He will heal us, He has smitten us - and He will bind up our wounds; He will revive us in two days, on the third day He will raise us up, and we will live before His face" (Hosea 6:1-2).
So, in light of all the above testimony, today we enter the third day, according to Scripture, or, to put it another way, the third millennium from the birth of Christ. If we count from the creation of the world, then the seventh day, the day of God's rest, which God blessed and "sanctified it" (Gen. 2:3)
"Therefore let us beware," says the apostle, "lest, when the promise of entering into His rest still remains, any of you should be too late." (Hebrews 4:1).
For it is said elsewhere in Scripture that "there will be no more time" (Revelation 10:6).
And also through Ezra the prophet, "Then those who have now departed from My ways will be sorry, and those who have rejected them will be in torment with contempt. Those who did not recognize Me when they received My benefits in life, and were disgusted by My law, and did not understand it, but despised it when they still had freedom and when the place was still open to them for repentance, they will know Me after death in torment." (3 Ezra 9:9-12)

To conclude on the subject of the times, I would like to say in the words of Solomon: "The righteous man, when he dies, will condemn the living wicked, and the youth that soon attained to perfection will condemn the long-lived old age of the unrighteous; for they will see the end of the wise man and will not understand what the Lord has determined about him and why he has placed him in safety; they will see and destroy him, but the Lord will laugh at them; and after this they shall be a dishonored corpse and a disgrace among the dead for ever; for he shall cast them down to a mute and move them from their foundations, and they shall be utterly desolate and in sorrow, and their memory shall perish; in the knowledge of their sins they shall appear with fear, and their iniquities shall condemn them in their face. " (Prem.4:16-20)
"But he who overcomes," it is said, "shall not suffer the second death. (Revelation 2:11)
"Then," continues Solomon, "the righteous man will stand with great boldness before the faces of those who insulted him and despised his exploits; they, when they see, will be confounded with great fear and will marvel at the unexpectedness of his salvation," as it is written through Zechariah, the prophet:
"And they will look upon him whom they have pierced, and they will weep for him as they weep for their only son, and mourn as they mourn for their firstborn son." (Zechariah 12:10),
And, repenting and sighing with embarrassment of spirit, they will say within themselves, "This is the one who was once our laughingstock and parable of reproach. Mad, we thought his life madness and his end dishonorable! How then was he numbered among the sons of God, and his lot with the saints? So we have gone astray from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness has not shone upon us, and the sun has not shone upon us." (Prem.5:1-6).
But enough of this. But you, as it says, "See that you also do not turn away from the one who speaks. If those who did not obey Him who spoke on earth did not escape punishment, much less shall we escape, if we turn away from Him who spoke from heaven, Whose voice then shook the earth, and Who now has made this promise: Once again I will shake not only the earth, but also heaven." (Hebrews 12:25-26)


Chapter 3
On the new name of Christ.

Having said, as I think, more than enough about the times to come, and having recognized the time in which we live, "lest we be caught up in a pernicious net" (Ecc.9:12) and miss the coming of Christ, which is coming "unnoticed" (Luk.17:20), but follow him "wherever he may go" (Rev.14:4);
Let us be steadfast in the things He has now revealed and commanded us to endure with dignity "the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who, instead of the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb.12:1-2), "having left us an example, that we might walk in His footsteps." (1 Peter 2:21).
For "he that keepeth the commandment shall suffer no evil: the heart of the wise man knoweth both the time and the statute; for for every thing hath its time and statute; but great evil is to man, because he knoweth not what shall be; and how it shall be - who shall tell him?" (Ecc.8:5-7)
Now, turning to the subject of Christ's new name, as He said: "and my new name" (Rev. 3:12);
And, before we begin to consider, deriving from Scripture, the testimony of this name, "which no one knows" (Rev. 2:17), and sing in praise, "as if a new song" (Rev. 14:4), - "slenderly, with exclamation" (Ps. 32:3) - it is necessary, to consider, to recall that testimony, "as it was at one time" with His messengers; (1 Tim. 2:6)
Who, having accomplished all that was to be accomplished, appeared to them, "and beginning from Moses, of all the prophets explained to them what was said of Him in all the Scriptures."
And, "Then he opened their minds to the understanding of the Scriptures. And he said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus must Christ suffer, and rise from the dead on the third day, and be preached in his name repentance and forgiveness of sins to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. But you are witnesses to this." (Luke 24:27,45-48)
And He sent them with this testimony of Himself, "by which God testified of His Son" in the holy Scriptures, (1 John 5:9; Rom 1:2) into the world, "as sheep among wolves" (Matthew 10:16)-"to preach to men and testify that He is the appointed of God to judge the living and the dead."
And that: "Of Him all the prophets testify, that whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins by His name." (Acts 10:42-43)
So He revealed to them that His name, in which He revealed Himself as the Son of God, had previously been called by Moses on Hosea, son of Naveen, as it is written, "And Moses called Hosea, son of Naveen, Jesus" (Num.13:17).
Who "was strong in battle" and "was the successor of Moses in prophecies. (Numbers 46:1).
"Therefore," says one of the early Christians to the Jews, "who brought your fathers into the land? Take heed at last that it was a man called Jesus, but before that he was called Hosea. If you pay attention to this, you will realize that the name of the one who said to Moses, "My name is in him" (Exodus 23:21), was Jesus" (Jus.Discourse.75 ch.).
And why of the twelve "chief" of each tribe (Num.13:3-17) Moses renamed Hosea specifically, let us examine.
And, first of all, let us turn our spiritual gaze to the fact that Hosea comes "from the tribe of Ephraim" (Numbers 13:9).
What is the significance of Ephraim, in whose name this tribe is named?
Notice what Moses says in the account of Jacob's blessing of Joseph's sons, whom he loved "more than all his sons" (Gen.37:3), Manasseh and Ephraim:
"And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim in his right hand against Israel's left, and Manasseh in his left against Israel's right, and brought them up to him. But Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, though he was the smallest, and his left hand on Manasseh's head. With intent he laid his hands thus, though Manasseh was the firstborn." (Genesis 48:13-14)
For, looking not at the visible then, that "Manasseh was the firstborn," but at the invisible yet, that from the seed of Ephraim "there shall come forth a numerous people" (Gen. 46:19), and, "which is Christ," as the great Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, teaches us to think, on the example of the promise given to Abraham, saying
"But to Abraham the promises were also given to his seed. It is not said: and to his descendants, as of many, but as of one: and to thy seed, which is Christ." (Galatians 3:16)
So Jacob, aka Israel, since he "wrestled with God" (Gen.32:28), -
blessed the name of Christ in the person of Ephraim, though Hosea "was yet," as they say, "in the loins of his father," just as "Levi himself, who receives tithes, in the person of Abraham gave tithes. (Hebrews 7:9).
Thus, it is evident that it was because of the origin and foreknowledge of God that Moses brought Hosea near and renamed him.
All this I have recalled, as if sprinkling my memory with the Word of God, in order that, having considered and compared it with what will be discussed further, "not with human wisdom by learned words, but by the Holy Spirit, understanding the spiritual with the spiritual" (1 Corinthians 2:13), we may be convinced of the rightness of what is asserted;
And, "that we," as it is said, "believed not empty fables, nor unsubstantiated words, but doctrine, which is full of the Holy Spirit, and abounding in power and grace"; (Jus.Discourse.8 ch.).
Namely: "by grace to understand his scriptures." (Jus.Discourse.58 ch.).
So that we can say to unbelievers in the words of the prophet Isaiah: "if you do not believe, it is because you are not convinced" (Isaiah 7:9).
Because "the doctrine accompanied by the evidence is so convincing that the soul of one who is able to follow the course of the argument cannot but agree with the ultimate conclusions." (Clement.Alexan.1Strom.33:2)
By this grace and truth, which, as we know, "took place through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17), we convince all to become partakers of His Providence in evangelism with all the saints "whose names are in the book of life" (Phil.4:3);
And doing all things sincerely and without envy, lest we be condemned for it in that judgment of which we have spoken above,
Which the Creator of all things, God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, has produced.
Now, when we open the Scriptures, let us know the name of "the Husband He predestined" (Acts 17:31), Who became for us a "further stone" (1 Corinthians 10:4) on which "a new name is written, which no one knows" (Rev. 2:17) - according to the Scriptures.
And, as then, so now - He is to us, "to believers a jewel, but to unbelievers a stone, which the builders rejected, but which has become the head of the corner, a stone of stumbling and a stone of temptation, against which they stumble, not obeying the word, to which they are also left." (1 Peter 2:7-8)

He is separated from them "not by hands," as was shown to the prophet (Dan.2:45), that is, "not by men or through men, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead" (Gal.1:1), and as the prophet Isaiah prophesied: "And the nations will see your righteousness and all kings will see your glory, and they will call you by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will call." (Isaiah 62:2)
And also, "And you shall leave your name to my elect to curse; and the Lord God will kill you, but he will call his servants by another name, by which whoever blesses himself on earth will be blessed by the God of truth; and whoever swears on earth will swear by the God of truth - because the former tribulations will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes." (Isaiah 65:15,16)
So we know from Scripture that "Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3), and that "they appointed him a tomb with the wicked" (Isaiah 53:3), but "he was buried," as it is written, "at the rich man's, because he did not do sin, and there was no flattery in his mouth" (1 Corinthians 15:4; Isaiah 53:3; Matthew 27:57)
And having risen on the third day, according to Scripture (Luke 9:22; Matthew 17:22), He appeared as a testimony "not to all the people, but to the witnesses who were chosen before God" (Acts 10:41).
Notice that "after all," He appeared to no one else, but to Saul, a Jew, according to Scripture (1 Corinthians 15:8; Acts 9:3;26:13;22:6), who was not of His disciples, but "persecuted the church of God," "breathing murder upon the disciples of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:9; Acts 9:1;22:4).
And the fact that the Lord did not appear to him by chance is also evident from the fact that He said to him: "It is hard for you to walk against the horn" (Acts 9:5;26,14).
Then Saul, after receiving baptism and seeing clearly, was renamed to Paul, which means "the lesser," not because of works, for "before he was a blasphemer and persecutor and offender" (1 Timothy 1:13). ), but according to Hosea, he was approached and named because of his origin, "to fulfill the word of God" (Col. 1:25), "circumcised on the eighth day, of the race of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin" (Phil. 3:5; Rom. 11:1).
And this was to be, according to Scripture, "For he of whom this is spoken belonged to another tribe, of which no one came to the altar." (Hebrews 7:13).
As it is written in the Book of Judges, "The next day the people rose up in the morning, and they built an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the children of Israel said, 'Who did not come into the assembly before the Lord, out of all the tribes of Israel? For a great curse was pronounced on those who had not come before the Lord in Masiphah, and it was said that they would be put to death. And the children of Israel took pity on Benjamin their brother, and said, "Now is one knee cut off from Israel. (Judges 21:4-6)
Furthermore, it is known that the first time "our Lord arose from the tribe of Judah" (for "Judah was the strongest of his brethren, and a leader from him" 1 Chronicles 5:2), but "of whom Moses said nothing concerning the priesthood" (Hebrews 7:14), or, in another word, primacy, which is said to have been "transferred to Joseph", and then passed to Ephraim, his youngest son. Of which it is superfluous to speak now in detail.
"And all the prophets, from Samuel and after him, however many they spoke, also foretold these days" (Acts 3:24), as Scripture says, "repeatedly and manifoldly" (Heb. 1:1), for example:
"And Samuel commanded all the tribes of Israel to come up, and the tribe of Benjamin was indicated. And he commanded the tribe of Benjamin to go up by their tribes, and the tribe of Matriah was listed; and the tribe of Matriah was listed by its men, and Saul the son of Kish was named; and they looked for him, and found him not. And they asked the LORD yet, Will he come here again? And the Lord said, Behold, he is hiding in the convoy. And they fled, and took him out of there, and he stood among the people, and was from his shoulders above all the people. And Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see whom the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him in all the people. Then all the people cried out and said, "May the king live! And Samuel expounded to the people the rights of the kingdom, and wrote them in a book, and laid them before the Lord. And he sent all the people away, every man to his own house. And Saul also went to his house, to Gibeah; and the brave went with him, whose heart God had touched. But the wretched men said, "Shall he save us? And they despised him, and offered him no gifts; but it was as though he had not noticed. (1 Samuel 10:20-27)
So, I think it has been shown enough that our Lord, "after all," appeared to no one else but Saul, who was renamed Paul, which means "lesser," to fulfill the word of God:
"And God created two great lights: a greater light to rule the day, and a smaller light to rule the night, and the stars" (Gen.1:16).
In a foreshadowing that, appearing in this name, "God will judge the secret affairs of men through Jesus Christ" (Rom. 2:16;2:16).
"For the Father also judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son," says Scripture, "because He is the Son of Man" (John 5:22,27);
"Who was born of a woman, obeyed the law" (Gal.4:4), "was contemptible and belittled before men, a man of sorrows and experienced sickness" (Is.53:3), - "humbled Himself, taking the form of a servant, becoming like men and in appearance becoming like men; humbled Himself, being obedient even to death, and death on the cross" (Phil.2:7-8)" - As it was said above - was subjected to the most extreme curse, which is supposed in the law of God - he was crucified on the cross, "for cursed before God is everyone who hangs on a tree" (Deuteronomy 21:23).
Which surprised and astonished the Jews (Jus.Discourse.32g.), and inclined them to think of Him as a seducer. (1 Corinthians 1:23)
But having lived our, human life, and having endured everything, He, by the right to know, says through the prophet, "Who wants to compete with Me? Who wants to be judged with Me? let him come to Me" (Isaiah 50:8).
As in another place it is written, "And I have a heart like yours; I am not inferior to you; and who does not know the same? I have become a mockery to my friend, I, who cried out to God, and to whom He answered, a mockery - a righteous, blameless man." (Job.12:3-4; Phil.3:6)
Therefore, now, there is none among mortals who can say to Him:
- "You are not a man like me, that I may answer you and go with you into judgment!" (Job 9:32)
For, and as one of our own says, that He "became a true man in an incomprehensible way to man. And He performed acts divine not as God and human acts not as man, but as the incarnate God acted, abiding with us, by some new godly action (energy)" (Dion.Areopagus.To Ga. 4:8-9), - "leaving us an example, that we might follow in His footsteps." (1 Peter 2:21).

Ending.
Thus, having finished my discourse on the new name of Christ, and having set forth the testimony of God now shown to us, as far as God has enabled me to understand it and, as they say, to "probe" (Acts 2:4), I conclude our reading of the proclamation.
And, if I have presented it well and satisfactorily, by the grace of God, I have achieved what I wanted. And that to me is the best thanksgiving. But if mediocre and weak, "Witness God, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son" (Rom. 1:9), "did what was in my power" (2Mac. 15:38).
"It is not customary to drink wine specially.
It is the same to drink water especially;
As meanwhile,
Wine mixed with water,-
Sweet and good.
So the reader's ear
Let paper occupy the ear,
With composition in the measuredness of composition,
By the narrator's hand!" (Vid.VII; 2Mac.15:39)


PS: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (2Thess.3:18; Rev.22:21)