Dost thou tremble, or dost thou awaken?

The Signs of the Times and the Revelation of the Antichrist – Saint John the Theologian

Saint John the Theologian, the beloved disciple of Christ, is the foremost Theologian of the Church and the author of the Book of Revelation. In this book, the entire course of humanity is depicted with prophetic power until the coming of the Antichrist and the final judgment. Revelation is not a text of fear, but a call to vigilance, to repentance, and to true love toward Christ. The Saint himself, living by the grace of God, saw and recorded what was revealed to him, so that we may know the signs and not be found unprepared.

The central figure presented in Revelation is the Antichrist. He shall not come as a purely political figure, but as a composite of delusion, power, and demonic authority. He will attempt to imitate Christ, to appear as a savior, while in truth he will lead the world to perdition. Saint John speaks of the beast who shall be worshipped by those who do not have the seal of God upon their souls. This shows that the center of the battle is not external but internal—whether our heart belongs to Christ or to the ruler of the darkness of this world.

The signs of the times, as described in Revelation and other books of Holy Scripture, are not merely natural disasters or social upheavals. They are chiefly moral and spiritual phenomena. The Lord warned that in the last days the love of many shall grow cold, men shall become lovers of themselves, unmerciful, blasphemers, and faith shall weaken. Saint John saw in visions that this condition will culminate with the appearance of the Antichrist, who will promise peace but will bring chaos. The image of the seal of the beast is among the most striking in Revelation.

Saint John saw that all those who do not have the seal of God will be forced to receive the mark of the Antichrist in order to live and to conduct transactions. This is not merely an external sign, but signifies the complete submission of man to the powers of darkness. The danger is that we may lose our freedom, not because it will be taken from us, but because we will surrender it of our own accord, beguiled by the deceptive promise of comfort and security.

Saint John does not write the Revelation to terrify, but to call to repentance. The message is clear: the world is heading toward the great tribulation. But those who remain faithful to Christ shall be saved. The Church does not leave us in darkness, but warns us, that we might awaken from spiritual slumber. The title “Dost thou tremble or dost thou awaken” is precisely the dilemma that Revelation places before us. Shall we surrender to fear, or shall we awaken to live in repentance?

In the visions of Saint John, the world undergoes earthquakes, plagues, wars, and deaths. These events are not isolated, but successive waves that shake humanity. Today, we witness occurrences that resemble the prophecies—pandemics that shake the world, military conflicts that threaten peace, natural disasters that resemble a trumpet blast of divine warning. We cannot ignore them. They are calls to vigilance.

The figure of the Antichrist, as described by Saint John, shall appear as radiant; he shall promise salvation and happiness, and shall allure through wonders and impressive deeds, so that even the elect may be in danger of being deceived. This calls us to deep discernment—not to rely upon outward impressions, but to examine whether there is the Spirit of Christ, the spirit of love and of truth.

The Antichrist shall be the culmination of human arrogance. Saint John describes him as one who shall exalt himself above every god and shall demand worship. In truth, the Antichrist is the complete rejection of God and the deification of man. Today, we already behold this spirit. Humanity places all its hopes in technology, in science, in the economy—overlooking the Creator. When man deifies himself, he opens the way for the Antichrist.

Saint John, however, does not end with the description of darkness. He also speaks of the new heaven and the new earth, of the final victory of Christ. This hope is the answer along the way. Yes, difficult times shall come; yes, the Antichrist shall appear all-powerful—but the end belongs to Christ. This must keep us standing firm. History is not chaotic, but is in the hands of God.

The stance of the Christian before the signs of the times is neither to be terrified nor to be indifferent. It is to live in vigilance. Saint John calls us to keep the commandments of God and to have steadfast faith in Jesus Christ. The true preparation for the revelation of the Antichrist is not to search for numbers and dates, but to live daily in repentance, prayer, and love.

The signs of the times are not meant to paralyze us with fear, but to awaken us. Christ said to us, “When ye see all these things, lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.” That is, instead of falling into panic, we ought to rejoice—for the meeting with our Lord draws near. The question is whether we shall be ready to behold Him.

Our Church, following the teaching of Saint John, gives us the weapons of salvation— the Divine Eucharist, Confession, Prayer, and Almsgiving. These are the true antidotes against the Antichrist. For he who has Christ within him cannot be sealed by the devil. The Antichrist may strike fear into the body, but he cannot conquer the soul that belongs to Christ.

The Revelation ends with a promise: Yea, I come quickly. This saying of Christ shows that the Second Coming is certain and near. Saint John responds with the prayer: Even so, come, Lord Jesus. This must be our own experience as well—not to tremble before the events, but to awaken spiritually and to cry out with longing for the coming of the Lord.

Saint John the Theologian, through his Revelation, did not hand down to us a book of fear, but a Gospel of Hope. Yes, the signs of the times are dreadful, and the revelation of the Antichrist is overwhelming—but the message is clear: Christ is victorious. The question that remains for us is: do we tremble, or do we awaken? If we tremble, it means that we do not have Christ within us. But if we awaken, then we are filled with repentance, prayer, and love, so that the Second Coming may be for us not a cause of fear, but of joy.

The voice of Saint John echoes to this day: Blessed is he that keepeth the words of this prophecy.

 

Greek source: https://entoytwnika1.blogspot.com/2025/09/blog-post_12.html