City of God - Augustine - XLII - Book 20 commenced

Required reading
City of God by Augustine (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Commence Book 20 by reading Chapters 1 to 8.

My summary
Augustine now turns to the subject of the last judgement.

Firstly he points at that God judges all the time, not just on judgement day.  However we don't always understand how his judgements are righteous as it appears that the righteous and unrighteous suffer and prosper in similar ways on earth.

Then Augustine gives proofs from the New Testament that there is a final judgement day.  He explains that there are two resurrections for believers: '..the first, the resurrection of the soul, which is here and now, and prevents us from coming to the second death; and the second, which is not now, but is to come at the end of the world.  This is not the resurrection of the soul but of the body, and by means of the last judgement it will consign many to the second death, and bring others to the life what knows no death.'

Finally in today's reading Augustine begins to discuss the meaning of the millennium described by John in Revelation.  It appears that Augustine advocates something like Amillennialism: 'Thus our author used the term "a thousand years" to denote the last part of this millennium - or "day" - which remained before the end of the world, employing the figure of speech by which the whole stands for the part.  Alternatively, he may have intended the thousand years to stand for the whole period of this world's history, signifying the entirety of time by a perfect number.'

What grabbed me
Great encouragement from Augustine to all those who puzzle over God's judgements in this life: 'At that day too, it will become evident by what just decision of God it comes about that at this present time so many, in fact almost all, of the just judgements of God are hidden from mortal perception and understanding.  However, in this matter one thing is not hidden from the faith of the devout; and that is, that what is hidden is just.'

We may not understand why God judges that the wicked often appear to prosper in this life and the good often appear to suffer, but we do know that God's judgements are always just.

Next week's reading
Continue Book 20 by reading Chapters 9 to 20.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.