Current Events, Prophecy, and the Eschaton

[Irened]

Dear Liza, thank you for this post. I watched the service and the comments afterwards. I couldn't stop crying as well. I am still crying. I do not understand what is happening to this world. Please Lord, have mercy! Please stop this insanity.

I know no one wants to hear this, including me, but according to prophecies of holy elders and modern Saints of our EO Church, we are in the last days. Pestilence, weather catastrophes and war, not to mention the EO church itself in disarray. It's very scary and sad, but we all know that these types of things were prophesied in the Bible. Of course, none of us want the actual days that we live in to be the end times. May the Lord have mercy so as many, as many as possible will be saved.

 

[Gloria Tibi Trinitas]

I know no one wants to hear this, including me, but according to prophecies of holy elders and modern Saints of our EO Church, we are in the last days. Pestilence, weather catastrophes and war, not to mention the EO church itself in disarray. It's very scary and sad, but we all know that these types of things were prophesied in the Bible. Of course, none of us want the actual days that we live in to be the end times. May the Lord have mercy so as many, as many as possible will be saved.

Haven't saints believed this for millenia? I am skeptical of some interpretation that the last days are literally right now, since Christ said the last days were at hand 2000 years ago, but in a relative sense. I could be wrong, but I would be surprised if the end were right now - the majority of people in the world probably haven't even heard of Orthodoxy.

 

[Irened]

Delete

 

[Irened]

I don't think they're saying the end is imminent but that things are taking a turn in the direction of the true last days. A lot more needs to happen before Christ returns. I am no expert. But the things that have been happening since 2020 forward have been getting everyone's attention: COVID, the vaccine mandates and people losing jobs, the crazy weather worldwide, now wth this war. Sure, we've had disease, bad weather and wars in modern times but this is next level what we've experienced crammed into 2 short years. We were hoping COVID would die down and now this war. Not to mention what is going on in the EO church re: schism, people leaving the faith, lack of unity. The prophesies about all these matters are uncanny to say the least.

 

[Gloria Tibi Trinitas]

I don't think they're saying the end is imminent but that things are taking a turn in the direction of the true last days. A lot more needs to happen before Christ returns. I am no expert. But the things that have been happening since 2020 forward have been getting everyone's attention: COVID, the vaccine mandates and people losing jobs, the crazy weather worldwide, now wth this war. Sure, we've had disease, bad weather and wars in modern times but this is next level what we've experienced crammed into 2 short years. We were hoping COVID would die down and now this war. Not to mention what is going on in the EO church re: schism, people leaving the faith, lack of unity. The prophesies about all these matters are uncanny to say the least.

Makes more sense.. I hope there is more time for repentance and the growth of the Church in the West.

 

[Irened]

Makes more sense.. I hope there is more time for repentance and the growth of the Church in the West.

"The Lord is longsuffering, not wanting any to perish."

 

[Katechon]

I know no one wants to hear this, including me, but according to prophecies of holy elders and modern Saints of our EO Church, we are in the last days. Pestilence, weather catastrophes and war, not to mention the EO church itself in disarray. It's very scary and sad, but we all know that these types of things were prophesied in the Bible. Of course, none of us want the actual days that we live in to be the end times. May the Lord have mercy so as many, as many as possible will be saved.

We shouldn't forget that what we read in Revalation is a pattern repeating itself through all of Human history.

 

[Irened]

We shouldn't forget that what we read in Revalation is a pattern repeating itself through all of Human history.

True, but recent prophecies of Saints and holy elders point to a new era as hasn't been seen in the Church before. May the Lord have mercy and grant us all true repentance.

 

[Katechon]

True, but recent prophecies of Saints and holy elders point to a new era as hasn't been seen in the Church before. May the Lord have mercy and grant us all true repentance.

Can you flesh that out a bit? I am honestly pretty sceptical about the tendency of particularly Greek clergymen to make exceedingly precise statements about certain points in the future. It has been disproved more than once.

 

[Irened]

@Katechon: YouTube has a lot of content regarding this, search: Orthodox Prophecies. Now, I will say that I myself am not 100% convinced but I'm definitely more than 50% convinced regarding them. Mainly because of the world events that have transpired and continue to transpire since 2020. Elder Ephraim stated that right after his death, things would start happening. He reposed in December of 2019.

 

[Irened]

Research this yourself and come to your own conclusions. Like I said, I'm not completely sure. Who am I? I'm just trying to process all I see happening with what I have read and heard. Maybe I misspoke earlier in stating we are in the last days. All I do know, is I don't like what is happening in the world in recent years.

 

[kelly]

@Katechon: YouTube has a lot of content regarding this, search: Orthodox Prophecies. Now, I will say that I myself am not 100% convinced but I'm definitely more than 50% convinced regarding them. Mainly because of the world events that have transpired and continue to transpire since 2020. Elder Ephraim stated that right after his death, things would start happening. He reposed in December of 2019.

Source for Elder Ephraim please?

 

[Irened]

PROPHECY ABOUT OUR DAYS & THE DAYS AHEAD | — By Elder Ephraim of Philotheou and Arizona

Orthodox Ethos is a collective effort of ordained and lay Orthodox Christians. Our purpose is to present and support the Orthodox truth, way and life.

orthodoxethos.com

 

[Katechon]

@Katechon: YouTube has a lot of content regarding this, search: Orthodox Prophecies. Now, I will say that I myself am not 100% convinced but I'm definitely more than 50% convinced regarding them. Mainly because of the world events that have transpired and continue to transpire since 2020. Elder Ephraim stated that right after his death, things would start happening. He reposed in December of 2019.

I dunno, Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou said Coof would end in May 2021, which it obviously didn't. So there is a certain brazenness to these prophecies that makes me scratch my head quite a bit.

 

[recent convert]

I think the book of Ecclesiastes, while not generally apocalyptic, lays out our human condition. I think if we take into account what the Lord preached in Matthew 24 & 25, it seems like if bad things overwhelm stability, then the end is near. A lot will happen along the way ( & obviously has for centuries). It does not seem good to assume or force anything.

I don’t think the original consensus of the church was to encourage immediate, imminent apocalyptic thinking. For ex. the book of Revelation is in the Bible but not encouraged to be closely interpreted & read cautiously. Are we to listen to uncertain prophecies as a substitute?

 

[Irened]

I think the book of Ecclesiastes, while not generally apocalyptic, lays out our human condition. I think if we take into account what the Lord preached in Matthew 24 & 25, it seems like if bad things overwhelm stability, then the end is near. A lot will happen along the way ( & obviously has for centuries). It does not seem good to assume or force anything.

I don’t think the original consensus of the church was to encourage immediate, imminent apocalyptic thinking. For ex. the book of Revelation is in the Bible but not encouraged to be closely interpreted & read cautiously. Are we to listen to uncertain prophecies as a substitute?

Good question. The recent prophecies that are out there and that are being broadcast by Orthodox sources, esp on YT are being done so, according to them, not to speculate but to warn and prepare the flock and of course, a cry for our repentance.

Some others also say that we shouldn't preoccupy ourselves with prophesies, but just continue on the road to salvation as usual.

But I think in light of all the confusion, mandates, church closings, world turmoil, vaccines etc. the prophesies act as a guide for us to make godly choices and are needed. We all can admit, in modern times, we have never seen such as what's been happening the past 2 years. It is very unusual.

 

[Irened]

I dunno, Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou said Coof would end in May 2021, which it obviously didn't. So there is a certain brazenness to these prophecies that makes me scratch my head quite a bit.

He said that? Do you have the source?

 

[Katechon]

He said that? Do you have the source?

It's in one of his videos on Uncreated Light Press. I think from around the time of January 2021.

 

[Gloria Tibi Trinitas]

What do you all think of St. Paisios' (supposed anyway) prediction of a war between Greece/Russia and Turkey over maritime boundaries and the conversion of Turkey to Orthodoxy? In one way, some people have cast doubt on its legitimacy and it could be falsely interpolated or interpreted by Greek nationalists. But I think it does actually appear in some of his books, though I don't recall which one. And it does seem plausible, because Turkey and Greece have had tensions over that issue and many Muslims throughout the Middle East have had dreams of Christ and are beginning to move towards Christianity. I know of a Protestant missionary to Turkey in the process of converting to Orthodoxy who has personally verified as much.

 

[biro]

Take a look at this.

We have been in ‘the Last Days’ since Christ was crucified.

Don’t worry about when he is going to come. Just be ready.

The age of prophecy ended with the death of the Apostle John.

 

[WR-News]

The age of prophecy ended with the death of the Apostle John.

Then why are prophets mentioned in the Didache and why do we have Saint John the Prophet?

Prophecy is alive and well in the Church, but not necessarily in Youtube videos or clickbait articles on Orthodox websites.

 

[Gloria Tibi Trinitas]

There is a distinction between Prophets, i.e the OT saints and apostles, which teach canonical divine revelation, and saints that have the spiritual gift of prophecy for the edification of the Church.

 

[Vladimir Al-Masih]

we are in the last days.

Good, let's get this over with.

 

[biro]

Fr. Hopko of blessed memory was a priest. It’s not clickbait, the video’s been up for years.

I posted it precisely because it’s aimed at those who worry a little too much and listen to anything that tells them what they want to hear.

The term ‘confirmation bias’ ring a bell?

 

[WR-News]

Fr. Hopko of blessed memory was a priest. It’s not clickbait, the video’s been up for years.

I posted it precisely because it’s aimed at those who worry a little too much and listen to anything that tells them what they want to hear.

The term ‘confirmation bias’ ring a bell?

I didn't mean Fr. Thomas' video, but those kind of "Elder XXX says ANTICHRIST IS HERE, TURKEY TO CONVERT IN 2023" type stuff.

 

[biro]

Thank you.