5742. The last Judgment and the destruction of the old heaven and earth
The purging described earlier went on for several days, and at the end something like a hand stretched out by the Lord appeared above the heavens; and then began the battles between Michael and the Dragon that are described in the book of Revelation [Rev. 12:7 {ign17}]. On the western side toward the north something like a back appeared. From that elevated point upwards to the heavens above the center there were many heavens, and there an enormous number of angels unknown to me previously, up to myriads could be counted. There were followers of the dragon in the entrance and they spoke with them; and then all turned to them to listen to what they said. The heavenly doctrine was then refuted by the Dragonists, especially the [doctrine] about the Lord. And then each one who was listening was brought back to the state of their thought about the Lord that they had when they were in the world, and it was then evident that the majority rejected the Lord's Divinity, saying that they had no desire to know about a visible God, only about the invisible [God]. It was said to them that the Lord is also the invisible God, for He is one with the Father and in the Sun, and was invisible in the world after the ascension from the sepulcher, and many other things from the Word, but none of them wanted [to hear] this. Besides this, whether they place any part of salvation in a life of faith was examined. But they said, "No," but to faith, thus in thought alone, and nothing in willing and doing, that is, in living. In a word, they were turned in every direction and examined as to what their natures were. And it also was said to them that they were dragonist spirits, who urge these things and agree with them, and that the Lord teaches otherwise. But it was all in vain. This continued on through all the heavens assembled after the Lord's advent. And all there who were like this, after a great battle, as has been said, were judged [in order] to be thrown down. But they insisted that they stay there because they had been there so long.
5742. THE LAST JUDGMENT AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE OLD HEAVEN AND EARTH.
The vastation previously described lasted for many days; and at length there appeared as it were a hand stretched out by the Lord over the heavens, and then began that battle between Michael and the Dragon which is described in the Apocalypse. 1On the western side, towards the north, there appeared as it were a combat, [reaching] from the elevation thence, towards the heavens which were above the middle-which were very numerous, and where were vast numbers of angels not known to me before. They could be counted by myriads. In that entrance, were dragonists; and they spoke with those [in these old heavens], and all then turned to them and listened to what they said. The heavenly doctrine, especially concerning the Lord, was then impugned by the Dragonists; and then everyone who heard was reduced to the state of his thought about the Lord, in which he was in the world; and it was then manifested, that most of them rejected the Lord's Divinity, saying that they did not wish to know anything about a visible God, but about the invisible. It was said to them that the Lord is also the invisible God; for He is one with the Father, and is in the sun [of heaven], and has been invisible in the world since His ascension from the sepulchre, and many more things from the Word. But they were all unwilling [to accept] this. Moreover, inquiry was made as to whether they placed anything of salvation in the life of faith; but they said, Nothing; only in faith: thus, in thinking alone, and nothing in willing and doing, that is, living. In a word, they were turned to all the quarters, and their quality searched out. And it was also said to them that they were dragonist spirits who urged these things, and to whom they give assent, and that the Lord teaches otherwise; but all in vain. This proceeded through all the heavens which had been gathered together since the Lord's advent, and all in them who were of such a quality as has been stated, were, after a tremendous battle, sentenced to be cast down; but, still, they insisted that they would remain there, because they have been there so long.
Footnotes:
1. Chapter 12.
5742. De ultimo Judicio et destructione coeli et terrae veteris
Perstabat vastatio prius descripta per plures dies, et tandem apparebat sicut manus extensa a Domino, super coelos, et tunc incepit pugna illa quae describitur is Apocalypsi inter Michaelem et Draconem [Apoc. XII: 7 seqq.]; a parte occidentali versus septentrionem apparebat sicut tergum, ex elevatione inde versus coelos qui supra medium, qui erant plures et ubi ingentes numeri angelorum, non prius mihi noti, calculari potuerunt ad myriades; draconici erant in introitu illo, et loquebantur cum illis, et omnes tunc ad illos versi sunt, ut audirent quid dicerent, tunc doctrina coelestis a Draconiacis refutabatur, imprimis de Domino, et tunc quisque qui audiebat, redigebatur in statum suae cogitationis de Domino, in quo fuit in mundo, et tunc aperiebatur quod plerique rejicerent Divinum Domini, dicendo quod non scire aliquid vellent de Deo visibili, sed de invisibili; dicebatur eis quod Dominus etiam sit Deus invisibilis, est enim unus cum Patre, et in Sole, et invisibilis in mundo post ascensionem, ex sepulchro, et plura, ex Verbo, sed omnes hoc nolebant; et praeterea examinabatur num aliquid salutis ponerent in vita fidei, sed dixerunt nihil, sed in fide, ita in cogitare solum, et nihil in velle et facere, hoc est vivere; verbo, ad omnes plagas vertebantur, et explorabantur quales essent; et quoque dicebatur illis quod draconiaci spiritus essent, qui insisterent, et quibus assentirent, et quod Dominus aliter doceat, sed omnia incassum; hoc pergebat per omnes coelos qui collecti sunt post Domini adventum, et omnes ibi qui tales erant, ut dictum, post ingentem pugnam, judicati, ad dejectionem; sed usque insistebant quod ibi manerent, quia tam diu ibi fuerunt; quapropter