Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:01 Last week. We took a quick look at Julian apostate who ruled the Roman Empire from three 61 that's 30 63 we saw it. He rose up during the air in heresy. Society at that time was completely flooded by sin and moral degradation and the church was suffering terribly from the heresy from priest leading him all our lives and from the vast majority of the bishops who had become heretics. We saw how Julian did turn to paganism and how he got possessed. We took a quick look at his persecution, the church, how he issued public acts such as a pon appeals for tolerance to those of different religious persuasions, religious liberty and freedom of conscience, which at least apparently seem fairly reasonable but were actually specifically intended by him to be used to promote the pagan agenda. We also saw how he deliberately established a policy of selective law.
Speaker 0 01:00 Enforcement was also used to promote the paying agenda while at the same time harming a Christian who took a really brief look at is very carefully planned out cultural war. It was designed to crush Christian resistance as was reduced or remove the visible presence of Christians and society by using tactics such as de Christianizing, the schools de Christianizing, civil service de Christianizing, the military, removing visible Christian signs and symbols from the Public Forum, and then the NYP play and political environments. Such a way as to result in exposure and other clergy from the cities so much for the review. We don't have time for many details, but we'll make a few more points, a Julian's persecution before we pick up the story. Again, besides this coordinated strategy to subtly persecute marginalized and demoralized Christians, Julian also recognize that no one pagan call was strong enough to stand against the church, so he threw the whole way of his imperial imperial authority in the project to unite all the pain calls into one stable system where the church hierarchy and structure that was modeled on the Catholic Church, a high priest and place of the pulp Pagan priest, so-called code of conduct for the Pagan clergy organizations intended to imitate our acts of charity, which really frustrated him and so forth and so forth.
Speaker 0 02:31 Julian also launched an intellectual attack on a church writing works in which she attacked the scriptures and their authority and tried to demonstrate that Christians were simply app estates from Judaism and that Christian beliefs were harmful novelties. Okay. Now let's pick up the story again about four miles out of Antioch. There was a beautiful area named Daphne. They had a famous temple dedicated to a polo at that temple. The Emperor Hadrian learned his future from an oracle that spoke there and Julian decided that he too wanted to consult that Oracle, a contemporary of Judean, a Christian author name, so as men tells a story, quote, the previous ruler had turned this pagan temple into a Christian sign containing the relics of Christian shrines, excuse me, containing the relics of a forum of Bishop of Antioch, St Babylon, the martyr. After this, the demon ceased to utter oracles.
Speaker 0 03:27 This silence continued unbroken, although libations in sense and victims were offered in abundance to the demon. When the Emperor Julian himself entered the temple for the purpose of consulting Oracle and offered up gifts and sacrifices within treaties to grant a reply. Eventually Oracle spoke. It's an indicated the cause of its previous silence, but demon stated that the place was filled with dead bodies and that this prevented the oracle. From speaking at this, Julian realized what the dead bodies were. It was the presence of the relics of Saint Babylist, the martyr, which had sounds, the oracle, so he commanded his tomb to be removed. The Christians therefore assembled together and conveyed the cough into the city. Men and women, young men and maidens, old men and children through the casket and encourage one another by singing songs as they went along down the road. Apparently for the purpose of lightening their labor, but in truth they sang because they were transported by zeal and spirit for the religious belief which the ampere had opposed.
Speaker 0 04:26 The best thing you're saying first in a multitude replied in chorus and the falling was the burden of their song confidant or on Crete or don't scoop Telio Queen Gloriana turns to blackberry Suis close quote. Okay, what did I just say? And they're singing the song 96 which I'll just do. They write it right in the vulgate that the title is Lord King, kind of fons the false gods and extols the just man. And the one first they kept seeing it over and over again is maybe you can find all those who adore sculptures, maybe confounded and those who glory in, in, in these false images. But it talks about, I'll just read you some of it. The Lord reigns. There are three choices and that the sort of many of the nations, uh, clouds and darkness surround him, uh, justice and judgment. Uh, he seated his throne on chest sis and judgement fire proceeds him and it, and it all around him.
Speaker 0 05:23 Maybe it inflames his enemies, said Burns his enemies. The lightnings, uh, the flash of lightning illuminates the whole world and that the world saw and shook mountains just as wax melt in, in the face of the Lord, in the face, the Lord who's over all the earth. And they announced that the heavens announced his justice and the, and all the people see his glory. May they be confounded. All those who adores sculptures in who glory and these false images. And it goes on and on. So there's thing that's really, really loud, you know, and, and uh, cause they're seeing it, you know, they're singing in Julian's face, obviously. Well, I contemporary with you in another Christian historian named Socrates. Scholastic is, describes the reaction of Julian then indeed with the quote. Then indeed the temp emperor is real temper disposition, which he had hit her to kept as much as possible from observation became fully manifested for, he was no longer able to restrain himself, but being coated almost to madness.
Speaker 0 06:27 Buddy's reproachful songs is ready and flicked the same cruelties and the Christians with which Diocletian's agents informally visited them. In other words, he wants to kill everybody. They're just driving crazy. They're singing the songs, uh, either they're chanting the songs and, uh, anyway, so he's, but he's, he's getting ready for the Persian war and it says, since I solicitude about the Persian expedition, afforded him no lesion for personally executing these wishes. He commanded salads to Brighterion prefect to seize those who have been most conspicuous for their Zeeland songs singing in order to make examples out of them. The prefect though pagan was far from being pleased with his commission, but since he dared not contravene it, he caused several of the Christians to be apprehended and some of them to be imprisoned. One young man named Theodore, whom the havens brought before him. He subjected to a variety of tortures and we know from from other guys writing about, and he's put on a rack and stretch and all that causing his Theodore to be so lacerated and only released him from further punishment when he thought that he could not possibly outlive the torments.
Speaker 0 07:30 Now this isn't a ness, but in another count Theodore, the whole time they're torturing him, he's singing the song louder and louder and louder. None of these things that cry and he keeps saying and confident, you know, maybe they can find Velez who door a door. Statutes you'd got to preserve this suffers the long survived that confession. Ruffino says the author of ecclesiastical history written in Latin, and states that he himself conversed with the same Theodore a considerable time afterwards and inquired of him whether in the process of scourging wracking, he had not felt the most intense pains theater. His answer was that he felt the pain of the tortures to which he was subjected for a very short time, and that a young man stood by who, who both wiped off the sweat, which are produced by the cuteness of the ordeal through which he was passing.
Speaker 0 08:12 And at the same time strengthen his mind so that he rendered at this time of trial, a season of delight rather than of suffering. But this suffice concerning, the most wonderful Theodore sets an angel, his angels appearing to him and strengthened him during that. So theater's getting tortured for singing these songs. What does he do when he's tortured? He things, and even louder, you can imagine how Julian thought it didn't. And so Julian wanted to inflict capital punishment on the whole lot, but sales finally came up to him and said, look, he told him what's going on with your door? You're just giving more clearly to the Christians. If you don't, if you better ignore him or otherwise, this is going to turn out badly for all of us. And so he counts the Julian against the killing anybody or even torturing anybody anymore because he realized the kind of reaction would okay.
Speaker 0 08:56 It still didn't end there. Soon after were quote, as soon after the Rolex of Saint Dallas had been taken away from the temple, fire suddenly fell upon the temple from above the roof from the very statue of the godward burnt in the naked walls with the comms in which the portico in the back part of the NFS had rested, were alone escape the congregation. The Christians believed that the prayers the moderator had drawn down fire from heaven upon the demon close quote. So the whole, they pulled ballast at St Bellis out, something falls on it. And uh, one of the Catholic farmers that seen what looked like a bolt of light and he'd come down anyway, burnt a temple. So Julian flipped out in order to Catholic shrines and chapel as far and wide have their roofs burned out or the baby torn down, you know, he's going to show God.
Speaker 0 09:41 Anyway, Julene had had it by that time and decided to just turns focused on Christ personally. So he decided to rebuild a temple in Jerusalem. Why? In order to directly attack the credibility of our Lord in order to mock Christ and philosophize prophecy, the not stone would remain on a stone. Now last year we looked at the destruction, the templates, 78 d by the Roman legions. Today we'll take a quick look at Julian's attempt to Mont Christ and rebuild a temple. After Julian commanded the temple be rebuilt, the Jews flocked to Jerusalem and confident in their new found power. They began to abuse and mocked, already persecuted Christians, threatening to treat them as severely as they choose themselves had been treated previously by the Romans. Contributions poured in from all directions. Julian ordered his treasures to furnish money and everything else possibly needed for the project in order to him to spare absolutely no expense.
Speaker 0 10:35 So in that quote, the Jews sought for the most skillful artisans collected materials, cleared the ground, entered so earnestly upon a task that even the women carried heaps of earth and brought their necklaces and other female arm ornaments towards the frame and expense. The emperor, the other pagans and all the Jews, regardless, every other undertaking a secondary an importance to this. Although the pagans were not well disposed towards the Jews, yet the assisted them in this enterprise because they reckoned upon its ultimate success and hoped by this means to falsify the prophecies of Christ besides this motive. The Judas, they choose themselves thought to the time had come for rebuilding their temple. When they had removed to the runes, to the former building, they dug up the ground and cleared away its foundation close quote. So here at this point, they've cleared everything out and they've got everything ready to lay a foundation.
Speaker 0 11:32 St Sphero Jerusalem, who's local bishop, he's also doctrine. The church commonly watched all these proceedings and then he reassured his anxious people. The Jews were not going to be able to place a stone upon a stone. It wasn't yet the end of the world. They weren't going to be able to rebuild the temple. Now here's the falling events were recorded by both pagan and Catholic authors including the fourth century doctors. The church there contemporaries that Julian, Saint Gregory, Nancy Hanson, St John Chris System and Saint Ambrose will summarize the events. We'll follow the order of Father Butler and we'll insert comments from other sources. First thing, a bunch of terrible storm and whirlwind rose and carried away the huge piles of lime and sand that had been there to prepare the mortar. The next event was recorded by contemporary Christian historian. Quote, fire came down from heaven and consumed all the builders tools said the planes are seeing, playing upon mallets irons to smooth and pause, stole stones, saws, hatchets ads and short all the various implements which the workman had procured as necessary for the undertaking.
Speaker 0 12:36 Close quote, Socrates, a scholastic is so the tools are burnt by fire from heaven. Then suddenly shining crosses were impressed on the bodies and the garments. The workman, the signs of the cross seemed like real works of art. It could not be washed up by the infidels. Saint Gregory, Nancy Hanson says quote, but those were spectators and partakers. That project exhibit their garments to which the which to the present time are stamped with the brand marks of the cross when Saint Gregory's right. And he's seen him for at the very moment that anyone either of our own brother and the Catholics are the outsiders. The infidels was telling the vendor hearing and told by others he'd be held the miracle happening in his own case or to his neighbor being all spotted with stars. So these crosses that look like little spotted stars are we holding other? So mark upon his clothes in a manner more colorful than could be done by any artificial work.
Speaker 0 13:25 The loom or elaborate painting, close quote. Now, next thing is terrible earthquakes. These collapse, the trenches that were dug for the new foundations at the same time threw up the old foundation stones, which in turn wounded great numbers of the Jews who are working as well as bystanders. That surge quick also class the buildings nearby that were being used as lodgings for the workers. Crushing many Jews to death and leaving the survivors maimed and wounded as evolved. This weren't terrifying enough than balls. The fire became shooting out of the ground. Many of the Jews fled from your protection to nearby Catholic church, but mysteriously prevented from getting through the door. Saint Gregory, Nancy hands and describes what happens next quote, when they were forcing their way into the church, Flan issued forth from the church and stopped them and some it burnt up and consumed so that a fate bit fell in similar to the disaster that people have sought on whilst others that named in the principle parts of the body and so left them for living monument of God's threatening and wrath against sinners.
Speaker 0 14:27 Close quote now, in spite of all these incredible events, as soon as things come down, many of the workman attempted to begin work again immediately. His balls a fire we can shooting out of the ground and killed some of the Jews every single time they tried to resume work. These balls of fire would come shooting out until they find a side. Let's see some work, Ananias. Now this is, I'm going to quote a peg, and now this a pagan author who's a friend of Julian <inaudible>. This is a hostile witness. Here's what he asked to say. This an associate friend Julian pagan quote, and when the form of the next day earnestly pressed on the work with the assistant to the governor of the province, they're issued such horrible balls of fire out of the earth view of the foundations which rented the place from time to time and accessible to the scorched and blasted workman and the fire continued in this matter to drive them to a distance.
Speaker 0 15:17 The farming thought of proper to stop the project closed quote. That's a pagan. Finally Theodora an early history historian in the church reports that quote on that night and also on the following night, the sign of the Cross and salvation was seen brightly shining in the sky close quote. So in spite of the fact that this project had all the fantastic wealth and supplies, the Roman empire and also the backing of the Jewish people, they were literally unable to place a single stone upon a stone. That's pretty amazing. What was the result of all this? Saint Gregory Nancy Ans in states that there was quote such great consternation at the spectacle that nearly all as by one signal and with one voice invoked the god of the Christians with many praises and supplication. Well, it's many without further delay, but at the very moment of occurrence ran up to our priests and be sought them earnestly.
Speaker 0 16:13 They might be made members of the church being sanctified by the holy baptism for the had been saved by means of their fright. Close quote. So as an ad's quote, many were to lead to confess the Christ is God and that the rebuilding the temple was not pleasing. Damn others presented themselves in the church were initiated and be sought Christ with hymns and supplications to pardon their transgression. If anyone does not feel disposed to believe my narrative, let him go and be convinced by those who heard the facts. I've related from the eyewitnesses of them for their still alive close quote. Unfortunately, many of the Jews who had in their fear invoke the protection. The Lord still did not convert. And although Julian was given a full report of these miraculous events, he hardened his heart like Farrah. There's a lot more to be said, but we have to stop somewhere before we consider his death.
Speaker 0 17:09 We'll consider just one other event that gives some insight into Julian's actual character. Quote, Julian came to the temple and carrot, and after going through certain rights with his companions, he locked and sealed the doors and stationed sentinels with orders to see that none came in until his return. When news came of his death, the shrine was opened and within was found a proof of the late emperors, manliness wisdom and piety for there was seen. A woman hung up on high by the hairs of her head and with her hands outstretched, the villain had cut open her belly. And so I suppose learned from her liver, his victory over the Persians. See parents at a CoreMark. This is one when they're studying the intro, they look at the liver and you know, some kind of a cult thing where you look at the liver and it's going to tell you what's gonna happen in the future. Seed sacrifice victims. You look at the liver and that that tells you everything you need to know anyway, so the villain would cut open her belly. And so I suppose learned from her liver, his victory over the Persians. This was the bomber nation, discovered it, carrying it instead of Antioch. A number of chess were discovered as a pals filled with human heads and also many wells full of corpses such as the teaching of the evil deities. Close quote Theodora.
Speaker 0 18:25 In March three 63 Julian, who had spent the winter in Antioch preparing for war with Persia, set out with his army, marched into Mesopotamia, that's Iraq and defeated the Persians in a battle close to modern day bag that he then put their capital, the siege, but he was unable to capture it. Although the Persian king attempted on several occasions to come to terms with Julian, he refused to hear of it. Since the Romans didn't have the supplies to sustain a long siege, Julian decided to burn his supply ships in retreat on June 26 three 63 during a small skirmish, he was family wounded in a side by an unknown assailant with a blow that pierced his liver, Saint Gregory, Nan's hands and points out the fittingness of this particular wound. Quote the liver of the victim was the approved means reading the future. And it was precisely in that Oregon that Julian arch diviner received the fatal thrust close quote.
Speaker 0 19:24 So who killed Julian? No one knows for sure, but the Coptic Catholics of Egypt tell a story. You can also be seen portrayed in ancient icons about St Macquarie's. <inaudible> curious was a martyr who had been famous for carrying two swords as an officer in the army of AdvaMed predaceous. He had one sword that he, that he got from the Romans and one an angel had given to him. Anyway, he's, he's a martyr. And one day, St base of the great was praying before an icon of this saint saint materials and he begged St Macquarie's to avenge the Christians who are being murdered by Julian the apostate. At this, the saint faded from view in the holy icon and later reappeared. And as he did so, Saint Basal saw that the two swords it turn red and he knew the emperor had been slang. Theodore reports one more important fact about Julian's death quote.
Speaker 0 20:15 It is related that when Julian had received the wound, he filled his hand with blood, flung it into the air and cried vow, his conquered old Galilean close quote the hell his conquered Ocala. Lillian, it's a perfect summary of Julian's terrible and unfortunate life to his whole life as a personal crutch match against Christ our Lord. He tried to conquer Christ by destroying his church. He tried to conquer cries by black magic and restoration of paganism. And now he tried to conquer Christ by rebuilding a temple in order to restore the now defunct bloody sacrifices of bowls and rams and goats sacrifices that had passed away with the crucifixion explicitly Addai Christ sacrifices which were intended to be visible rejections of the wants for all bloody sacrifice made by our Lord on Calvary and it's re presentation in the unbloody sacrifice of the Mass Julian and fought Christ and Christ, one thought was conquered.
Speaker 0 21:21 Oh Galilean. Let's close with a few things to ponder. Now remember what a type is a type is a person, a thing or an action that actually exists, which is also intended by God to prefigure or foreshadow a future person thing or action. Keeping in mind that the apostasy at the time of Julian is a type of the great apostasy and Julian himself as a type of the antichrist. In other words, they prefigure the great apostasy and the antichrist himself. So based on the indications we've seen in these prefigurement during the fulfillment, here are a few of the things we would expect to see. There's many more conclusions you can draw on your own easily. I'll just point out some of the more obvious ones. What would we expect to see a massive rejection of true faith with an uncompelling uprise of paganism, a subtle persecution, the church involving such methods as legislation, promoting tolerance of other religious views and selective law enforcement, a culture war designed to crush Christian new resistance and reduce and ultimately eliminate the visible presence of Christians in society using tactics like de Christianizing schools, d Christianizing civil service, the Christianized in the military, removing visible Christian signs and symbols from the public view and attempt to rebuild the temple, which by the way is the current goal of the Temple Institute of Jerusalem and in preparation for which has already produced new temple vessels and priestly garments and cannot conjunction with its goal to see Israel rebuild the holy temple on Mount Moriah and Jerusalem.
Speaker 0 22:58 The Sanhedrin was reestablished just two years ago in January of 2005 they're in Jerusalem, a project to unite all the false religions into one stable system. For example, something like the United Religions Initiative. Uri founded in 1995 by the Episcopal Bishop William Swing has the goal of creating spiritual equivalent of the United Nations and compassing all religions and all spiritual movements. The Byzantine Catholic author, Lee Penn, summarizes just a few of the goals of the Uri squelching Christian evangelism in the name of promoting in a religious piece, marginalizing Orthodox Christians as intolerant and fundamentalist promoting the idea that all religions in moments are equally true and equally efficacious as ways to attain communion with God. So if we were heating our Lord's command to watch, these would be just a few of the indicators we'd want to look for. Okay. It's not particularly radical to say, as St Pi's the 10th did over a hundred years ago,
Speaker 1 24:08 okay.
Speaker 0 24:09 That we're living in the great apostasy or at least a dress rehearsal, but that shouldn't make us particularly alarmed as long as we remember that God's in charge, he loves us. He knows exactly what he wanted each one of us to live. There's no point in getting excited. God's in charge. He knows what he's doing. He can do his job. We don't want to imitate chicken little, we want to annotate Saint John Birch minds. That means we need to make sure in the state of grace and do our duty for our state and life gets serious about the faith, gets serious about holiness, which means Santa Rose every day. Sandra, three hail Mary's every morning night and your other prayers wearing your brown scapular. Stop sending, going to confession about every two weeks. Make Ferman companions. Put God first and become holy until your duty. Put God first and become holy. It's pretty basic just to your duty.
