Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IV/Commodianus/The Instructions of Commodianus/Chapter 42

XLI.&#8212;Of the Time of Antichrist.

Isaiah said:&#160; This is the man who moveth the world and so many kings, and under whom the land shall become desert.&#160; Hear ye how the prophet foretold concerning him.&#160; I have said nothing elaborately, but negligently.&#160; Then, doubtless, the world shall be finished when he shall appear.&#160; He himself shall divide the globe into three ruling powers, when, moreover, Nero shall be raised up from hell, Elias shall first come to seal the beloved ones; at which things the region of Africa and the northern nation, the whole earth on all sides, for seven years shall tremble.&#160; But Elias shall occupy the half of the time, Nero shall occupy half.&#160; Then the whore Babylon, being reduced to ashes, its embers shall thence advance to Jerusalem; and the Latin conqueror shall then say, I am Christ, whom ye always pray to; and, indeed, the original ones who were deceived combine to praise him.&#160; He does many wonders, since his is the false prophet.&#160; Especially that they may believe him, his image shall speak.&#160; The Almighty has given it power to appear such.&#160; The Jews, recapitulating Scriptures from him, exclaim at the same time to the Highest that they have been deceived.