Gnostic Eschatology and the Restoration

 **Gnostic Eschatology and the Restoration**  

The eschatological vision of Gnosticism centers on the final resolution of all things, the restoration of divine order, and the ultimate unity of creation with the One. This restoration, referred to as the "Restitution," "Time of Fulfillment," or "Time of Redemption," marks the culmination of history, where the material world dissolves, and the elect return to their original divine state.  

### **1. The Resolution in General**  

The resolution signifies the end of the temporal order and the restoration of divine harmony. This process unfolds differently across the Aeons:  

- In the Lower Aeons, catastrophic events signal the end of time. For the Archons, this means the dissolution of their rule and the collapse of the material realm. For the unawakened, the Psychics and Hylics, it is a time of judgment and destruction.  

- In the Upper Aeons, it is a time of celebration, as Sophia is reunited with Christ. The Elect, having transcended material existence, ascend to the Upper Aeons and join the celestial beings.  

- Ultimately, all creation reunites with the One, fulfilling the divine plan.  

As **1 Corinthians 15:24 (Berean Literal Bible)** states:  

**"Then the end, when He shall hand over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He shall have annulled all dominion, and all authority and power."**  

The kingdom is thus returned to the Father, signifying the fulfillment of divine order. As **1 Corinthians 15:28 (New King James Version)** confirms:  

**"Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all."**  

This is the moment of total restoration, where the One becomes fully manifest as the All-in-All, and the aeonic cycle reaches its completion.  

### **2. Time in the Lower Aeons is Limited**  

Gnostic texts frequently emphasize the impermanence of the material world and the limited duration of time within the Lower Aeons. Many expressions illustrate the urgency of spiritual awakening before the inevitable end:  

- **"While you have time in the world, listen to me..."** *(Book of Thomas the Contender 138:4)*  

- **"One’s time in this world is short."** *(Zostrianos 4:19)*  

- **"For already the slackening of our bondage has approached, and the times are cut short, and the days have shortened, and our time has been fulfilled, and the weeping of our destruction has approached us, so that we may be taken to the place we recognize."** *(Trimorphic Protennoia 44:14)*  

- **"...the power which is in Hades will be completed at the appointed time."** *(Paraphrase of Shem 21:10)*  

- **"Indeed, as long as the hour is not yet come, it (the immortal soul) shall resemble a mortal one."** *(Apocryphon of Peter 75:28)*  

- **"I shall tell them of the coming end of the Aeon and teach them of the beginning of the Aeon to come, the one without change, the one in which our appearance will be changed. We shall be purified..."** *(Trimorphic Protennoia 42:18)*  

- **"...in the last day they will rest in their root."** *(Paraphrase of Shem 39:19)*  

These passages emphasize that the current material existence is transitory. Time in the Lower Aeons is finite, and a higher, eternal order awaits the Elect.  

### **3. The Final Judgment and Restoration**  

At the close of the thousand years, a final resurrection and judgment occur, leading to the destruction of the wicked and the immortalization of those who have attained divine knowledge under God's grace. As **Revelation 20:11-15** describes:  

**"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books... And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire."**  

This passage aligns with **1 Corinthians 15:24**, affirming that the Kingdom is returned to God once sin and death are abolished. The wicked face annihilation, while the Elect are granted incorruptibility.  

As stated in early Christian traditions:  

**"At the conclusion of the thousand-year period, a universal resurrection and judgment will take place, leading to the complete destruction of the unrighteous and the granting of immortality to those who, by God's grace, have secured their place in eternal life throughout that era.."** *(Rev. 20:11-15; 1 Cor. 15:24)*  

At this point, Jesus completes His mission and delivers the Kingdom to the Father. As **1 Corinthians 15:28** affirms:  

**"The kingdom will then be handed over by Jesus to the Father, who will reveal Himself as the 'All-in-All'; with sin and death removed, humanity will be fully reconciled to the Deity.."** *(1 Cor. 15:28)*  

This signifies the total reconciliation of creation with the divine, where the material world dissolves, and all existence is restored to its original divine state.  

### **4. The Restoration of the Elect**  

For the Elect, this final stage is not an end but a return to the true divine reality. Having escaped the material world and its corruption, they are restored to their original form within the Pleroma.  

As **Trimorphic Protennoia 42:18** reveals:  

**"I shall tell them of the coming end of the Aeon and teach them of the beginning of the Aeon to come, the one without change, the one in which our appearance will be changed. We shall be purified..."**  

This transformation signifies the return to incorruptibility, where the Elect dwell eternally in the divine presence.  

### **Conclusion**  

The Gnostic eschatology presents a profound vision of cosmic restoration. The Lower Aeons, ruled by the Archons, will come to an end, and the Elect will ascend to the Upper Aeons, reuniting with Christ and Sophia. The final stage, the ultimate restoration, will see Jesus delivering the Kingdom to the Father, where God will be the All-in-All. The material order will dissolve, and those who have attained divine knowledge will be granted incorruptibility.  

The eschaton is not merely an end but a renewal—a transition from the transient to the eternal, from corruption to perfection, and from separation to divine unity.