Origen of Alexandria, Against Celsus 6.46

We ask you, brothers, to consider the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering to him, so that you may not be shaken in your mind or alarmed. This is not to be caused by a spirit, a word, or a letter from us, as if the day of the Lord had already arrived. Let no one deceive you in any way, for the apostasy must come first, and the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction, must be revealed. This is the one who opposes and exalts himself above everything that is called God or an object of worship, so that he may take his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that I told you these things while I was still with you? You also know what is currently holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. The mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who is holding it back must be removed from the scene. Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the splendor of his coming. This coming will be in the power of Satan, accompanied by all kinds of signs and false wonders and every kind of deceit that leads to destruction for those who are perishing, because they refused to accept the love of the truth in order to be saved. For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion, so that they will believe the lie, in order that all who have refused to believe the truth but delight in unrighteousness may be condemned. However, it is not appropriate to explain each of these points in detail in this present treatise. The prophecy about him is found in the book of Daniel, which is able to turn the one who reads it wisely and with gratitude to marvel at the words as truly divine and prophetic. It speaks of the future kingdoms, beginning from the time of Daniel until the end of the world. Anyone who wishes to read it will find it there. But see if the description of the antichrist is not like this: 'At the end of their kingdom, when their sins are complete, a king will rise, insolent in appearance and skilled in intrigue. His power will be great, and he will destroy, direct, and establish, and he will destroy the mighty and a holy people. He will direct the yoke of his power, and deceit will be in his hand, and in his heart he will be exalted, and with deceit he will destroy many, and he will stand upon the ruin of many, and he will crush them like an egg in his hand.' And what Paul says, as I have set forth in his words, is this: 'So that he may take his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.' This is also said in Daniel in this way: 'And upon the temple, the abomination of desolation, and until the completion of the appointed time, a completion will be given upon the desolation.' It seemed reasonable to me to set forth these things from many sources, so that even for a short time the listener may understand the plan of the divine words, which teach about the devil and the antichrist. Having been satisfied with these things, let us also examine another statement of Celsus and strive against it as much as possible.