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Dialogue with Trypho
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Chapter 31: If Christ's Power is so Great Now, How Much Greater Will It Be at the Second Coming!
BUT IF SUCH GREAT POWER IS SHOWN TO HAVE FOLLOWED AND TO STILL BE FOLLOWING THE DISPENSATION OF HIS SUFFERING: how great will it be that follows His glorious advent! For He will come on the clouds as the Son of man, as Daniel foretold, and His angels will come with Him. Here are the words: ‘I watched until the thrones were set; and the Ancient of days sat, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool.
His throne was like a fiery flame, His wheels like burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. Thousands upon thousands ministered to Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The books were opened, and the judgment was set. I then watched the voice of the great words which the horn speaks: and the beast was defeated, and its body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. The rest of the beasts were taken away from their dominion, and some life was given to the beasts for a season and time.
I saw in the vision of the night, and, behold, one like the Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven; and He came to the Ancient of days, and stood before Him. And those who stood by brought Him near; and He was given power and kingly honor, and all nations of the earth by their families, and all glory, serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not be taken away; and His kingdom will not be destroyed.
My spirit was chilled within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near to one of those that stood by, and inquired the precise meaning of all these things. In answer he spoke to me and showed me the judgment of the matters: These great beasts are four kingdoms, which will perish from the earth and will not receive dominion forever, even forever and ever. Then I wanted to know exactly about the fourth beast, which destroyed all the others and was very terrible, its teeth of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured, made waste, and stamped what was left with its feet: also about the ten horns on its head, and of the one which came up, by means of which three of the former fell.
That horn had eyes, and a mouth speaking great things; and its countenance excelled the rest. I watched that horn waging war against the saints and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of days came; and He gave judgment for the saints of the Most High. The time came, and the saints of the Most High possessed the kingdom. I was told about the fourth beast: There shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which will prevail over all these kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and will destroy and make it thoroughly waste.
The ten horns are ten kings that will arise; and one will arise after them; he will surpass the first in evil deeds, and he will subdue three kings, and he will speak words against the Most High, and will overthrow the rest of the saints of the Most High, and will expect to change the seasons and the times. It will be delivered into his hands for a time, and times, and half a time. The judgment sat, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
The kingdom, the power, and the great places of the kingdoms under the heavens, were given to the holy people of the Most High, to reign in an everlasting kingdom: and all powers shall be subject to Him, and shall obey Him. Thus is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was possessed with very great astonishment, and my speech was changed in me; yet I kept the matter in my heart.’