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Zenit News Agency's reporting is more detailed.

Date: 2005-01-12

In Christ, Good Overcomes Evil Definitively, Says Pope

Reflects on a Canticle From the Book of Revelation

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 12, 2005 (Zenit.org).- God, who entered history in Christ, guarantees the definitive victory of good over evil, says John Paul II.

At today's general audience, the Pope reflected on the "judgment of God" canticle taken from the Book of Revelation, 11:17; 12:10,12, as he continued his series of meditations on the Psalms and hymns that form part of the Liturgy of Vespers, the Evening Prayer of the Church.

In the canticle appear God and the Lamb, namely Christ, "judging human history according to good and evil, also showing the ultimate goal of salvation and glory," the Holy Father told the crowd gathered in Paul VI Hall.

God's entrance in history "is not only to block the violent reactions of rebels but above all to exalt and recompense the just," he said. "The latter are described with a series of terms used to delineate the spiritual countenance of Christians.

"They are 'servants' who adhere to the divine law with fidelity; they are 'prophets,' gifted with the revealed Word which interprets and judges history; they are 'saints,' consecrated to God and respectful of his name, namely, ready to worship him and to follow his will."

The Pope continued: "Among them are the 'small and great,' an expression dear to the author of the Book of Revelation to designate the people of God in its unity and variety."

The Psalm then refers to the defeat of Satan, who, having been "cast out" from heaven, "no longer has great power."

"He knows that he has but a short time, because history is about to undergo a radical change of liberation from evil and that is why he reacts in great fury," John Paul II explained.

"On the other side appears the risen Christ, whose blood is principle of salvation," he continued. "To his victory are associated the Christian martyrs who chose the way of the cross, not yielding to evil and its virulence, but commending themselves to the Father and uniting themselves to the death of Christ through a testimony of surrender and courage that led them to love not their lives even unto death."

In this connection, the Holy Father concluded his meditation by quoting a moving prayer attributed to Simeon, bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, in Persia, as he faced martyrdom in 341.

"I want to persevere heroically in my vocation, fulfill with fortitude the task that was assigned to me, and be an example to all your people," the Pope quoted the martyr as saying.

The quote continued: "I shall receive life that knows not pain, or concern, or anguish, or persecutor, or persecuted, or oppressor, or oppressed, or tyrant, or victim; there I shall no longer see the king's menace, nor the terror of prefects; no one who takes me to court and continues to terrify me, no one who drags me or frightens me.

"The wounds of my feet will heal in you, O way of all pilgrims; the exhaustion of my members will find rest in you, Christ, chrism of our unction. In you, chalice of salvation, sadness will vanish from my heart; in you, our consolation and joy, the tears of my eyes will be wiped away."

John Paul II appeared in good form before his audience, which numbered slightly less than usual, as the winter months see fewer visitors in Rome.

When greeting the pilgrims, especially the Poles, the Pope demonstrated his sense of humor, improvising messages with them in his mother tongue.

Translations of John Paul II's other meditations on the Psalms and biblical canticles are posted in the Wednesday's Audience section of ZENIT's Web page.

Catholic Ping - please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

The Psalm then refers to the defeat of Satan, who, having been "cast out" from heaven, "no longer has great power."

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That happened 2,000 years ago. Not only that, but Satan was bound, the Kingdom has come, and we are living in 'the millenium'.

. Mat 12:22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

Mat 12:23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard [it], they said, This [fellow] doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

Mat 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

Mat 12:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

Mat 12:27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast [them] out? therefore they shall be your judges.

Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Mat 12:29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, **** except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Mat/Mat012.html#29

'....THE JUDGMENT OF THE DRAGON.

Chap. xx. 1-3.---‘And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the abyss, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he might deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.’

We now approach a portion of the Apocalypse which is involved in much obscurity, and which, from the very nature of the case, passes beyond the limits which, by the express declarations of the writer, again and again repeated, circumscribe the rest of the prophecy of this book.

The fact that such a protracted period as a thousand years is embraced in the visions of the Apocalypse is considered by many an incontrovertible proof that the fulfillment of the predictions which it contains is not to be restricted to a brief period....'

I agree that the thousand years, what the Tim LaHayes call 'the millenium' is figurative, and I agree that the next meeting with the dragon was at time far down the road. See Revelation 20:7-10, which I agree is parenthitical [which makes me not a full preterist]:

THE LOOSING OF SATAN AFTER THE THOUSAND YEARS.

Chap. xx. 7-10.---[‘And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out TO DECEIVE the nations which are in the four corners of the earth [land], God and Magog, to gather them together to the battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth [land], and compassed the campl of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast in to the lake of fire and brimstone, where also the beast and the false prophet are, and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.’]

The Parousia
By James Stuart Russell
The Parousia in the Apocalypse.

The Sixth Vision

THE HARLOT CITY, Chaps. xvii. xviii. xix xx.
http://www.preteristarchive.com/Books/1878_russell_parousia/russell_parousia_03g.html

My personal opinion is that we are in that time frame right now.