Restoration despite destruction

The churches are incorruptible in spirit and body, being pure in thought and action.

Just as it was previously said that children are eunuchs according to the soul, but not only according to the body, so too virgins possessing holiness in thought and action do not have a female body by necessity. In the Revelation of John, the one hundred and forty-four thousand virgins were not such things according to the body; for it was brought forth: 'These are they who were not defiled with a woman; for they are virgins, and there is no deceit in their mouth; for they are without blemish' (Rev 14:4). Concerning all those strolling in the streets of the highly-praised city, it is brought forward like a single dance in one of the Psalms: 'Young men and virgins, elders with the younger, let them praise the name of the Lord' (Ps 148:12). Concerning the various ages of the inner man, and whom Jesus loved, he writes to the disciple: 'I write to you, little children, that your sins are forgiven you through his name' (1 John 2:12)—that is, the Savior—'I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning; I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one' (1 John 2:13-14). He calls 'little children' those who have just received the forgiveness of sins, whatever age they might be according to the outer man; he names 'fathers' those who are expert in the theology from the beginning; and 'young men' those having strength, remaining unassailable with the word of the exhorting one remaining in them, even if the struggle be 'against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual forces of wickedness' (Eph 6:12). For how can those who have received from the All-Ruler Savior 'authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy' (Luke 10:19) not be being harmed? For the same thing is: 'nothing shall harm you' (Mark 16:18), to: 'nothing shall afflict you.' Immediately, therefore, concerning the one having received authority to tread upon serpents and all the power of the enemy, a triumphal hymn is sent up according to the word having this: 'He shall mount upon an asp and a basilisk; he shall trample the lion and the dragon' (Ps 91:13). Having said enough regarding what is set forth explicitly, let us set forth the following.

Zachariah 8:6: Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it seems impossible in your eyes...

Will the remnant of this people not be able to remain even before me in those days? says the Lord Almighty (Zechariah 8:13).

Having undergone destruction by wars, the visible and lower Jerusalem—as its citizens underwent much captivity—was seen by those unfaithful to the promises concerning its restoration to be being abandoned, as they considered it impossible for it to be inhabited brilliantly again, as if it were to have inhabitants of the mountain and the plain, and to have elders and elder women still sitting in its squares, with boys and girls playing in them.

But since 'all things are possible to God' (Mark 10:27), and He leads from narrowness to breadth, and from hopelessness to abundance, even if there be added to the remnant of the people surrounding here many who have died, it is not impossible for God, which is appearing impossible to them.

Just as when the metropolis of Judea was being sacked and undergoing extreme desolation, men lacking the resurrection of the soul thought it impossible to restore it to its former glory and prosperity, even though God had promised and was able to bring the preordained things to an end, so also the unfaithful and the poor in mind, seeing the Church having been driven into a corner most wretchedly during the persecutions against Christians, as if an upright corpse had fallen, thought it impossible to be restored, enjoying a deep peace toward the peace of the known ones: 'My peace I give to you, my peace I leave to you' (John 14:27).

Therefore, instilling courage in those to whom He will give, He promised stability and a calmed peace; 'Take courage,' He said, 'I have overcome the world' (John 16:33); therefore, even if you have tribulation now, take courage, for you are to expect relief. For truth is a friend.

Those who attacked the Church and Christianity were so incensed as to want to dash the gathering places to the ground and consume the sacred books with fire. After such brutality held out for a little while, the small-minded thought it impossible to recover it to glory again.

But even if to those it seemed hopeless and unmanageable what happened, it has been proven possible and even easy for the one who has not despaired. For one can indeed see the places once dashed down restored to height.