Apocalyptic and prophetic vision in the concept of our great power

# Apocalyptic and Prophetic Vision in the Concept of Our Great Power  

The **Concept of Our Great Power** from the *Nag Hammadi Library* presents an apocalyptic prophecy that outlines the corruption of religious authority, the reign of an imitator, and the final restoration of divine wisdom. This text parallels biblical prophecies concerning the Antichrist, false teachings, and the second coming of Jesus Christ. It describes the rise of a deceptive ruler who changes divine ordinances, performs great signs, and leads people astray before ultimate divine judgment.  

### The Rise of the False Ruler  

> *Then the ruler of the west arose. He will act from the east and will teach people his wickedness. He wishes to eradicate all teaching of words of true wisdom, for he loves false wisdom. He raised his hand against what is old, with the intent of bringing wickedness in and dressing in the clothing of dignity. He could not do it, because his garments are exceptionally filthy. Then he got angry and made an appearance. He wished to go up and pass over to that place. The moment came, and he approached. He changes the ordinances.* (*The Concept of Our Great Power*)  

This passage describes the emergence of a ruler who corrupts true wisdom and replaces it with falsehood. The phrase **“He changes the ordinances”** directly recalls *Daniel 7:25*, which prophesies a ruler who will change **times and laws**. This is widely interpreted as referring to the papacy’s alteration of divine commandments, particularly:  

- **Changing the Sabbath to Sunday:** The Council of Laodicea (363-364 AD) declared, *“Christians must not Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord’s Day.”* This decree officially replaced the biblical Sabbath with Sunday worship.  

- **Establishing Papal Authority over Kings and Nations:** The papacy claimed supreme authority over both spiritual and temporal matters, fulfilling the role of a ruler who seeks to “pass over to that place,” symbolizing the desire to dominate the world.  

### The Imitator Who Rules the Earth  

> *Then the time came when the child grew up. When he reached maturity, the rulers sent the imitator to that person, so that they might come to know our great Power. They expected that he would work a sign for them, and he performed great signs. He reigned over the whole earth and all who are under heaven. He set his throne over the end of the earth. It is said, “I shall make you God of the world.” He will perform signs and wonders. The people will turn from me and go astray.* (*The Concept of Our Great Power*)  

This prophecy suggests that the **child** represents a figure who will grow into a global leader. In the context of *Revelation 12:4-5*, this figure aligns with the development of the **papacy**, which evolved from the early bishops of Rome into a powerful institution ruling over kings and nations. The description of the **imitator** matches the papal claims to divine authority:  

- **The Pope as “Vicar of Christ”** – This title implies that the Pope stands in Christ’s place, acting as His representative, which critics argue is an imitation rather than a true representation.  

- **Performing Signs and Wonders** – Catholic tradition attributes miracles, Marian apparitions, and transubstantiation (the Eucharist becoming the literal body of Christ) to papal authority.  

- **“I shall make you God of the world”** – The papacy historically asserted spiritual supremacy over all people, effectively placing itself as divine authority on earth.  

This passage warns that people will **turn away from God** due to the deception of this ruler, mirroring Paul’s warning in *2 Thessalonians 2:3-4* that the **man of sin** will exalt himself as God in the temple.  

### The Future Jewish Pope and the Final Judgment  

> *Those people who follow the imitator will introduce circumcision. He will pronounce judgment upon those who are from the uncircumcision, who are the real people. For he has sent many preachers beforehand, and they have preached on his behalf. When he has completed the time set for the kingdom of the earth, the purification of souls will occur, for wickedness has become stronger than you. The powers will tremble. All the seas will dry up. The firmament will not send down dew.* (*The Concept of Our Great Power*)  

This passage describes a future **Jewish Pope** who will enforce circumcision and judge those who reject his authority. This suggests that:  

- A **Jewish Pope** will arise, enforcing Jewish traditions within the Church.  

- Those who refuse his authority (the real people of God) will be persecuted.  

- A final **purification** will occur after his reign, preparing for the second coming of Jesus.  

The prophecy also describes **cosmic destruction**, symbolizing divine judgment. Drying seas and a lack of dew echo biblical plagues (*Revelation 16*), signifying the end of a corrupted religious system.  

### The Fall of the Imitator’s Kingdom  

> *The springs will stop giving water. The rivers will no longer flow back to their springs. The waters of the springs of the earth will stop flowing. The depths will be laid bare and will lie open. The stars will expand and the sun will stop shining. I shall withdraw with all those who know me. They will enter into immeasurable light, where there is no being of flesh or seduction of fire to seize them. They will be free and holy, and no one will be able to drag them down. I am protecting them with my hand, and they have holy garments that fire cannot touch.* (*The Concept of Our Great Power*)  

Here, the prophecy speaks of **final separation** between the faithful and the wicked. Those who remain true to God will enter into **immeasurable light**, symbolizing the resurrection and restoration of the righteous. This echoes *Matthew 13:43*, where Jesus says:  

> *“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”*  

### The 1,468-Year Prophecy and the Loss of Papal Power  

> *Next are darkness, wind, and a moment as short as the blink of an eye. Then he will come to destroy everything. They will be chastised until they are pure. The period of time allotted for them to have power is 1,468 years. When the fire has consumed everything and can find nothing else to burn, it will extinguish itself.* (*The Concept of Our Great Power*)  

The prophecy states that **the false ruler’s power will last 1,468 years**. If we count from **363 AD (Council of Laodicea, enforcing Sunday worship)**, this leads to **1831 AD**, aligning with events that weakened the papacy:  

- **1831** – Nationalist movements in Italy challenged papal authority.  

- **1848** – The Roman Republic briefly overthrew papal rule.  

- **1870** – The papacy lost Rome to Italian troops, ending its temporal power.  

### The Aeon of Beauty and the Restoration  

> *Then mercy will come…through Sophia…. The firmaments will collapse down to the abyss. The children of matter will perish. From that moment they will not exist. Then will appear the souls who are holy through the light of the Power that is exalted above all powers, the immeasurable, the universal.* (*The Concept of Our Great Power*)  

This marks the transition into the **Aeon of Beauty**, a time of **divine restoration**. Sophia (Wisdom) will bring mercy, and the faithful will be **adorned with wisdom**, living eternally in God’s light.  

> *"They all have come to be as reflections in his light. They all have shone, and they have found rest in his rest."*  

Thus, this prophecy warns of a great deception, the rise and fall of false religious authority, and the final victory of divine truth. The faithful will ultimately be restored, entering into an **unchanging aeon** under the divine presence of Jesus Christ.

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The concept of our great power from the Nag Hammadi Library is an apocalyptic prophecy about the corruption of the church and the second coming of Jesus

Then the wrath of the rulers burned. They were ashamed of their dissolution. They fumed and grew angry at life. Cities were overthrown; mountains dissolved.The ruler came, with the [44] rulers of the west, to the east, to the place where the word first appeared. Then the earth trembled and the cities were shaken. The birds ate and had their fill of their dead. The earth mourned, along with the inhabited world. They were desolate. When the times were completed, wickedness increased greatly, until the final end of the word.(the concept of our great power)

This is referring to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 ad

Then the ruler of the west arose.

39 He will act from the east and will teach people his wickedness. He wishes to eradicate all teaching of words of true wisdom, for he loves false wisdom. He raised his hand against what is old, with the intent of bringing wickedness in and dressing in the clothing of dignity. He could not do it, because his garments are exceptionally filthy. Then he got angry and made an appearance. He wished to go up and pass over to that place. The moment came, and he approached. He changes the ordinances.(the concept of our great power)

This is now referring to the rise of the antichrist the papacy The popes "changes the ordinances" compare Daniel 7:25 change times and laws how did the Pope change times and laws Changing the Sabbath to Sunday – Many argue that the papacy altered God's appointed day of rest from the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) to Sunday, citing the Council of Laodicea (4th century) and later papal enforcement.The Council of Laodicea (363-364 AD), under the influence of Roman authority, decreed: "Christians must not Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord’s Day." This act symbolized a direct challenge to the divine order, altering the sacred rhythms of time to suit human power.

Then the time came when the child grew up. When he reached maturity, [45] the rulers sent the imitator to that person, so that they might come to know our great Power. They expected that he would work a sign for them, and he performed great signs. He reigned over the whole earth and all who are under heaven. He set his throne over the end of the earth. It is said, “I shall make you God of the world.” He will perform signs and wonders. The people will turn from me and go astray.(the concept of our great power)

The child the bishop of Rome grows up to become the man of sin the Antichrist which is the papacy The Popes 

The Pope is called the “Vicar of Christ”, a title that implies he stands in Christ’s place, which some critics argue is an imitation rather than a representation.

The Pope sits on a throne, ruling over the Catholic Church, which historically had influence over kings and nations, fulfilling the phrase, “He reigned over the whole earth.”

The idea of “performing signs and wonders” may relate to claims of papal miracles, canonizations, Marian apparitions, and the doctrine of transubstantiation, which asserts that the Eucharist becomes the literal body of Christ.

The statement, “I shall make you God of the world,” suggests a figure taking divine authority, much like the papal office, which has historically claimed supremacy in both spiritual and political matters.

The warning that “the people will turn from me and go astray” aligns with concerns that Catholic traditions, such as the veneration of saints, indulgences, and changes to biblical teachings, have led many away from the original faith.

Those people who follow the imitator will introduce circumcision. He will pronounce judgment upon those who are from the uncircumcision, who are the real people. For he has sent many preachers beforehand, and they have preached on his behalf. When he has completed the time set for the kingdom of the earth, the purification of souls will occur, for wickedness has become stronger than you. The powers will tremble. All the seas will dry up. The firmament will not send down dew. (the concept of our great power)

This is a prophecy about a future Jewish pope. The phrase “He will pronounce judgment upon those who are from the uncircumcision, who are the real people” could symbolize the future Jewish pope’s persecution of those who reject his authority (those who do not accept the authority of the Jewish pope will be labeled as heretics). The mention of “many preachers preaching on his behalf” could refer to the future spread of the Jewish pope's influence by his followers, missionaries, and clergy. The phrase “the purification of souls will occur” after the imitator’s reign suggests a future cleansing or restoration of true faith, which will take place after the reign of the future Jewish pope, before the second coming of Jesus. The cosmic imagery (“the powers will tremble,” “all the seas will dry up,” “the firmament will not send down dew”) suggests a dramatic divine judgment upon the imitator’s kingdom, paralleling biblical prophecies of Babylon’s fall in Revelation 17-18.

The springs will stop giving water. The rivers will no longer flow [46] back to their springs. The waters of the springs of the earth will stop flowing. The depths will be laid bare and will lie open. The stars will expand and the sun will stop shining. I shall withdraw with all those who know me. They will enter into immeasurable light, where there is no being of flesh or seduction of fire to seize them. They will be free and holy, and no one will be able to drag them down. I am protecting them with my hand, and they have holy garments that fire cannot touch.(the concept of our great power)

Next are darkness, wind, and a moment as short as the blink of an eye. Then he will come to destroy everything. They will be chastised until they are pure. The period of time allotted for them to have power is 1, 468 years. When the fire has consumed everything and can find nothing else to burn, it will extinguish itself. Then the [47] [judgment of fire], which is the [second] power, will be completed.(the concept of our great power)

Starting Point: 363 AD (Council of Laodicea, which enforced Sunday worship) Adding 1,468 years (from Our Great Power) End Date: 1831 AD

From 1831 to 1870, significant events led to the papacy losing its temporal power:

1831 – Rising nationalist movements in Italy challenged papal authority.

1848 – The Roman Republic briefly overthrew papal rule.

1860 – Most of the Papal States were annexed by Italy.

1870 – The Papacy lost Rome when Italian troops entered the city, marking the complete loss of papal temporal power.

The Third Age of the Spirit Is an Aeon of Beauty:

Then mercy will come…through Sophia…. The firmaments [will collapse] down to the abyss. The children of matter will perish. From that moment they will not exist. Then will appear the souls who are holy through the light of the Power that is exalted above all powers, the immeasurable, the universal. That is I, and all who know me. They will be in the aeon of beauty, of the aeon of marriage, and they will be adorned through Sophia. After praising the one who is in incomprehensible oneness, they behold him on account of his will that is within them. They all have come to be as reflections in his light. They all have shone, and they have found rest in his rest. The one who is in oneness will free the souls being chastised, and they come to live in purity.They will see the holy ones and call out to them, “Have mercy on us, Power above all powers.”(the concept of our great power)

For [48]…in the iniquity that exists…to him their eyes.[They] do not seek him because they do not seek us, nor do they believe us. They have acted in accordance with the creation of the rulers and the other rulers of creation. We also have behaved according to our fleshly origin, in the creation of the rulers, which establishes law. Yet we are the ones who have come to live in the unchangeable aeon. (the concept of our great power)

Finally, the prophecy speaks of the end of this age of suffering and the beginning of the restoration, where the faithful will be separated from the wicked, and mercy will come through Sophia, the divine wisdomThis marks the transition from the age of destruction and purification to the age of beauty, where the faithful are purified and adorned with the wisdom of Sophia, living eternally in the unchangeable aeon.

The prophecy concludes with the final restoration, where the holy ones and the purified souls find rest in the divine presence:

"They all have come to be as reflections in his light. They all have shone, and they have found rest in his rest."

This vision of the future points toward the ultimate return of Christ, the second coming that brings about the final judgment and the restoration of divine order, where the righteous are rewarded with eternal peace and purity.Thus, the prophecy in the Nag Hammadi Library speaks of a time of judgment and purification, where the corrupt rulers of the earth—symbolized by the papacy—are overthrown, and the faithful are raised into the divine light, free from the corruptions of the world. This apocalyptic vision underscores the ultimate triumph of divine wisdom and the restoration of the world to its true, unchanging state.

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**Prophecy in the Concepts of Our Great Power**

Welcome to Pleroma Pathways apocalyptic and mystic Christianity, where we explore esoteric and apocalyptic texts. In the *Nag Hammadi Library*, we encounter a profound and apocalyptic prophecy that unfolds through the rise and eventual downfall of earthly powers, leading to the ultimate restoration and purification of all things. This prophecy traces the corruption of the church, the false wisdom of earthly rulers, and the arrival of divine judgment, culminating in the second coming of Jesus Christ.

The prophecy begins by describing the wrath of the rulers, who are ashamed of their dissolution and their inability to maintain power over the divine order. As it is written:

> *"Then the wrath of the rulers burned. They were ashamed of their dissolution. They fumed and grew angry at life. Cities were overthrown; mountains dissolved. The ruler came, with the rulers of the west, to the east, to the place where the word first appeared. Then the earth trembled and the cities were shaken. The birds ate and had their fill of their dead. The earth mourned, along with the inhabited world. They were desolate. When the times were completed, wickedness increased greatly, until the final end of the word."*

This passage refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, which is seen as a historical fulfillment of the wrath of the rulers who sought to suppress the truth. The earth mourns, cities tremble, and the powers of this world find their ultimate decay, a picture of the failure of earthly rulers and their systems.

The prophecy then turns to the rise of a new ruler, one who comes from the west, symbolizing the corrupt establishment of false authority, most often associated with the rise of the papacy. This ruler is described as one who will change the ordinances, marking a profound alteration in the divine order:

> *"Then the ruler of the west arose. He will act from the east and will teach people his wickedness. He wishes to eradicate all teaching of words of true wisdom, for he loves false wisdom. He raised his hand against what is old, with the intent of bringing wickedness in and dressing in the clothing of dignity. He could not do it, because his garments are exceptionally filthy. Then he got angry and made an appearance. He wished to go up and pass over to that place. The moment came, and he approached. He changes the ordinances."*

This passage points to the rise of the papacy, which historically began changing the times and laws, most notably with the shift from the seventh-day Sabbath to Sunday observance. The Council of Laodicea (363-364 AD) under Roman authority decreed: *"Christians must not Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord’s Day."* This change symbolized a direct challenge to the divine order, as the papacy sought to establish its authority by altering sacred time itself.

The prophecy continues by describing the maturation of this figure, who is now the bishop of Rome, growing into the figure of the "man of sin" or the Antichrist:

> *"Then the time came when the child grew up. When he reached maturity, the rulers sent the imitator to that person, so that they might come to know our great Power. They expected that he would work a sign for them, and he performed great signs. He reigned over the whole earth and all who are under heaven. He set his throne over the end of the earth. It is said, 'I shall make you God of the world.' He will perform signs and wonders. The people will turn from me and go astray."*

The child here represents the bishop of Rome, who grows into the man of sin—the embodiment of false wisdom and a perversion of the teachings of Christ. This figure performs signs and wonders, leading people astray and setting his throne over the earth, embodying earthly power and authority.

The prophecy also speaks of the false teachings introduced by the imitator, who will seek to impose circumcision upon those who are not of the circumcision, symbolizing the introduction of legalistic teachings that detract from true wisdom:

> *"Those people who follow the imitator will introduce circumcision. He will pronounce judgment upon those who are from the uncircumcision, who are the real people. For he has sent many preachers beforehand, and they have preached on his behalf."*

This speaks to the ecclesiastical establishment that imposes human laws upon spiritual matters, distorting the true teaching of the gospel.

As the time allotted for the kingdom of the earth nears its end, the prophecy foresees a great purification of souls, as wickedness grows stronger and the natural world begins to break down:

> *"When he has completed the time set for the kingdom of the earth, the purification of souls will occur, for wickedness has become stronger than you. The powers will tremble. All the seas will dry up. The firmament will not send down dew. The springs will stop giving water. The rivers will no longer flow back to their springs. The waters of the springs of the earth will stop flowing. The depths will be laid bare and will lie open. The stars will expand and the sun will stop shining."*

This passage speaks of the dissolution of the created order, as the natural world itself reacts to the corruption of the powers that be. The seas dry up, the stars expand, and the sun ceases to shine—signs of the divine judgment that will come upon the earth.

Finally, the prophecy speaks of the end of this age of suffering and the beginning of the restoration, where the faithful will be separated from the wicked, and mercy will come through Sophia, the divine wisdom:

> *"Then mercy will come…through Sophia…. The firmaments will collapse down to the abyss. The children of matter will perish. From that moment they will not exist. Then will appear the souls who are holy through the light of the Power that is exalted above all powers, the immeasurable, the universal. That is I, and all who know me. They will be in the aeon of beauty, of the aeon of marriage, and they will be adorned through Sophia."*

This marks the transition from the age of destruction and purification to the age of beauty, where the faithful are purified and adorned with the wisdom of Sophia, living eternally in the unchangeable aeon.

The prophecy concludes with the final restoration, where the holy ones and the purified souls find rest in the divine presence:

> *"They all have come to be as reflections in his light. They all have shone, and they have found rest in his rest."*

This vision of the future points toward the ultimate return of Christ, the second coming that brings about the final judgment and the restoration of divine order, where the righteous are rewarded with eternal peace and purity.

Thus, the prophecy in the *Nag Hammadi Library* speaks of a time of judgment and purification, where the corrupt rulers of the earth—symbolized by the papacy—are overthrown, and the faithful are raised into the divine light, free from the corruptions of the world. This apocalyptic vision underscores the ultimate triumph of divine wisdom and the restoration of the world to its true, unchanging state