from Gerard O'Daly's THE CITY OF GOD
A READER'S EDITION (2020: 2nd edtion)
chapter 10 pages 242 - 244
In Book 20 Augustine is chiefly concerned to
demonstrate that this judgment of God will take
place, and to show of what kind it is, on the
basis of Scriptural testimonies. He relies on
testimonia divina [Latin for evidence of
Scripture] in his assumption that it will happen
or rather that it happens continually in human
history, starting with the expulsion of Adam &
Eve from Paradise. Before that event, God
judged the angels who rebelled. Moreover, present
punishments -- of demons -- are instances of
divine judgment [Book 20 #1]. Concerning the FINAL
judgment he deals first with NEW Testament then
OLD Testament materials, preferring value (LATIN
merita) to chronology (LATIN tempora ). . ."things
new and old" (Parable in Matthew 13:52). . .Some
passages refer to the first resurrection / the soul's
liberation, through baptism, from the death-like
state of sin. . .The final judgment will be the second
one, and will lead, for some, to the second death
of eternal damnation (Book 20 #6) . . .In 20.7
A. demonstrates that what Revelation 20 says about
the Devil is consistent with what he says about the
two meanings of the Millennium / 1,000 years. . .
the binding of the devil symbolizes the belief that,
although the devil may tempt, he cannot undermine
the church. His release, Revelation 20:3, does not
entail that the devil can then do serious damage,
but is rather intended by God to demonstrate the
power of the defeated enemy. The 42-month release
(Revelation 11:2 & 13:5) is underscored in a
literal sense, but A. does not propose that there
will be any great difference in the pattern of those
falling away from, or joining, the Church in that
period (Book 20 #8). . . The present state of the
Church is that of a kingdom at war, with evil and
with its enemies; but the final state of the kingdom
of God will be one of peace.
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