NOSTRADAMUS INTERPRETATION OF APOCALYPSE FOR OUR DAYS

Michel Nostradamus

Nostradamus. Lifetime edition 1557.

Map of France in time of Nostradamus

St. Iriney of Lyon

Apocalypse. The sixth Seal

New position of geographical poles

Apocalypse. Four horses.

Apocalypse.
One Who Sitteth on the Throne

Cesar Nostradamus about his Father

NOSTRADAMUS INTERPRETATION OF APOCALYPSE FOR OUR DAYS. L.R.

The basic fail of interpreters of Nostradamus (ND), including the most conscientious ones, is misunderstanding of his style of thinking, his spiritual inner life. It is the medieval mentality for which everything happening in the world, is ruled by the Providence, and each word of Holy Scripture was comprehended first of all literally, and only in the second turn – symbolically. Thus, we deal with Nostradamus interpretation of Apocalypse and of Bible revelation in general.

Those who are engaged by ND do not possess such mentality, and those who possess, obviously consider ND as the heretic and a black magician and will not be engaged by him. The author of these lines represents happy exception: I have got thorough school of traditional expounding of the Bible and besides I do not consider ND as the heretic. And if even I would believe so, I am assured, that it is possible (and is necessary) to study also "heretics" without agreeing with them.

As a result of long-term study of ND, I have come to conviction, that all his texts (except for cleanly medical ones) are the developed comprehensive prophetical interpretation of the Scripture, mainly, of apocalypses (revelations) of John and Daniel. Because of circumstances of time and inspiration from above he had carefully ciphered his comments about places, times and details of the events foretold in the Scripture. This comments, as well as prophesies of the Scripture, by promise of ND, will gradually become clear up in process of approaching of events which in them are described. In opinion of ND, premature knowledge of the future, especially detailed, is undue and, moreover, harmful. The person is not able to live by future and he immediately applies any knowledge of the future to a current life, and this can lead only to chaos in ideas and to turmoil in actions.

He speaks about it directly:

I would wish maintain a silence owing to fear to make harm - and not only in present time, but also in the future, and to refrain from a writing, because empires, sects and religions will change so opposite to the present views, that if I shall open, what will occur in the future, these empires, sects, religions and beliefs will find out, that it will be in so little degree coordinated with their fantasies , that they will prefer to damn what the next centuries will see and consider as truth. Proph. 13-16. Foreword of ND, devoted to his son.

I use as basic the monograph: John Houg. Nostradamus, 2002. Texts ND on Old French are genuine, and everyone has an opportunity – to be convinced in that personally. In the Museum of Book RGPB there is an exemplar of edition ND of 1566, may be still in time of his life (which I in due time had held in my hands). John Houg's translation on English is close to the original, but nevertheless not word-for-word. J.Houg aspires to give, firstly, literary coherence and, secondly, impose his own interpretation. And I.Gavrilov's translation from English to Russian brings additional deviations from the original. Certainly, serious scientific work with texts ND demands to draw the experts on Old French. But so far, using dictionaries, I try to give the translation possible close to word-for-word, in hope to precise in the future.

It is impossible to ignore the whole array of texts emerged in recent years, related to the central theme of Christian history: the Rome repudiation from the "Symphony of Church and Caesar authorities". This resulted in a violation of the "eternal concordat" between the Church and Meroving dynasty, that eventually had led to the endless war between the Empire and Catholicism. The topic was considered in the monograph: "Baigent, Leigh, Lincoln. Holy Blood and Holy Grail. UK. 1982". Despite the obvious biases in some of the authors assessment and the apparent lack of comprehension of holy Fathers teaching, the book contains a number of important details. In particular, they report that Nostradamus was closely connected with the Guis conspiracy, the purpose of which was a restoration of Meroving Dynasty. The experience of history shows that people have a deep interest to a prophecy only when they connect it with their personal destiny.

It is highly likely that Nostradamus, in accordance with his spiritual nature, he tried to insert contemporary events in a biblical Revelation, especially in Apocalypses of John and Daniel. As a sincere Christian believer, he, on his own evidence, constantly and fervently prayed God to grant him the ability to understand Scripture.

When it became clear that a dynastic plot is not likely to succeed, Nostradamus finally received a reply to his wondering – it was opened to him, when and under what circumstances will be fulfilled what he looked for all his life: establishment of genuine righteous Christian authority. As a result, his personal participation in future developments was expressed in the fact that he gave the detailed, carefully ciphered description, a guidance to action for those who will take part in them. Only they can expect to receive from God the ability to understand the prophetic message of Nostradamus together with the biblical prophecies on the same topic.

I shall not consider now a very difficult theological and philosophical question: how predictions of the future are in general possible, how these predictions can be agreed with scientific point of view and with the concept of freedom of will. I have set more narrow task: search of separate examples of semantic concurrences between two files of prophetical texts: Bibles and ND.

We at once collide with one specific difficulty: both files contain set of symbols, but symbolism of Nostradamus is in addition ciphered and deliberately confused. There is such impression, that the author conducts with us complex game, which purpose – to support unquenchable interest to his texts, true sense of which should remain hidden till certain time. Some of its predictions convincingly point at those or other real historical events, but always with any obvious, as though deliberately underlined discrepancies. I shall give one of the most vivid examples. In the letter ("Epistle") to king Henry the Second (which, by the way, has not been received by the addressee) ND writes:

This year will begin with even greater prosecution of Christian church, than up to that happened in Africa, and it will continue till the year of one thousand seven hundred ninety second which as they will believe, will become updating of a century. Ep.166-167.

Before the republican authority per 1792 has accepted a new calendar in France, the book of

Nostradamus has been exposed on the square opened on this prophesy. Thus, date of «updating of a century» has been fitted by new authority «under Nostradamus». It was not difficultly to adjust the Date of Introduction of a calendar but who would have the forces "to adjust" the date of the French revolution, which was specified by ND more than before two hundred years up to its beginning! However without revolution any «updating of a century», obviously, was impossible. "Hitting the target" was really staggering! And he has a lot of such hits, though only one fact of an authentic prediction would be quite enough to regard seriously to ND: precisely such I now has displayed. About casual guessing cannot be any speech.

But further begin "discrepancies". Persecution of church, unknown from early-christian times, really had place during the French revolution, but in 1792 it had not ended, but only had begun. And what means «more than in Africa»: if the Roman persecutions were implied, they were not limited by the African territories of Empire. Similar discrepancies are characteristic for all concerning "successful" predictions of ND: coincidences supported steady interest to his writings, but discrepancies point out, that these predictions actually concern absolutely to other times and other events. To which ones?

                                                                           +   +   +

The central prophesy as Holy Writ and ND is the prediction about approaching of Kingdom of God. About it there are mentions in lots of texts ND practically without an encryption or under very transparent metaphors: the board of Saturn, the Golden Age, the ecumenical world, the world between the God and people, etc. The key text is the words finished a substantial part of the Message to Henry:

Also will be then other, almost updated board of Saturn, and will be the Golden Age; the God the creator having heard misfortunes of his people, will have commanded to overthrow the Satan and to cast him in an abyss and to tie him in a deep pit and then the ecumenical world will begin between the God and people and during approximately thousand years \Satan\ remains tied and the greatest degree of the power of church will be reached, but later \Satan\ will be again released. Ep.214-216.

It is obvious, that here – a direct parallel with Rev. 20:1-7 about binding of Satan during one thousand years and about the reign of saints with the Christ. About same «Kingdom of the holy Most High God» speaks the prophet Daniel (7:27). We ascertain here the fact, that Nostradamus was the millenarian or the chiliast, i.e. he believed that there will be a period between destroying of authority of Antichrist and the last Court, during which the authority on the earth will belong to the God in the person of his saints.

There are two different traditions in the church. One, based by st. Augustine and prevailing nowadays, asserts, that "the thousand-year kingdom of the saints" has already set in with the first Coming of Jesus Christ, and between destroying of Antichrist and the great Account no interval will exist. Other tradition goes back to Iriney of Lyon, the first of the great Fathers of the church, grown in the circle of direct pupils of John the Divine. According to Iriney, the thousand-year kingdom of Revelation finishes the history, being the period of "healing" of mankind and preparation for general resurrection.

The following prediction of NВ of the great importance concerns to some kind of grandiose geophysical catastrophe, around which the main events are developed which are connected with struggle for authority on a planet. He speaks about it repeatedly, emphasizing different aspects of the future cataclysm. But the Holy Writ predicts constantly and repeatedly about the same:

The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.          Is.24:19-20

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it [is] a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry [land]; And I will shake all nations, and the Desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory.       Hag. 2: 6-7

Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.          Lk.21:10-11

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.             Lk.21:25-26

And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come.        Acts 2:19-20

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
   Rev.6: 12-14

There are a lot of similar texts in the Write. Here some expressions in which prophets describe the future calamity: day of great defeat, day of wrath, day of perturbation, day of a great upheaval, etc.

Now we shall look, how about the same event tells ND:

Also will occur in October some great displacement ("translation"), and it will be such, that they will think, as if the earth has lost her natural movement and has plunged into eternal darkness …, after that full change of areas and powerful earthquakes. Ep. 88-90.

The world will see so many streams of water and such strong floods that it will be difficult to find the place which has been not covered by water … Before and after these streams many peoples will see rains extremely seldom, but from the sky the huge quantity of fire and the heated stones will fall.   Proph. 76-78.

And thousands other events will occur because of deluges and incessant rains as I have pointed, more fully having described all in my other prophesies, … pointing places, both time, and their duration so that the comers then have seen them, unerringly recognizing the already happened events … When the time will come and a veil of ignorance will fall, the events will be just more realized. Proph. 103-106

About what real event there can be a speech in Bible and in Nostradamus? I see three opportunities: falling of a large meteorite; simultaneous huge eruption of a lot of volcanoes, or, that is represented to me as the most probable, displacement of the lithosphere concerning an axis of rotation of the Earth (inexactly named by «turn of poles»).

In favour of last assumption speak such expressions ND as «great displacement» or «the earth has lost her natural movement». The pointing to this event can be seen also in his other prophesies, for example:

Such a great famine from a killing wave,
The rain will extend up to the Arctic pole:
Samarobrin, hundred lieux from a hemisphere,
They will live without the law outside of a society.
                 Century 6; Quatrain 5.

Some interpretation is here necessary. «A killing wave»: a superhuge tsunami, physically inevitable because of displacement of mass of ocean water concerning an axis of rotation of the Earth. «The rain on the Arctic pole» becomes possible only after when the place where there is a pole now, will appear absolutely at other breadth. "Hemisphere" – it is obvious, equator: i.e. new North Pole will be in hundred lieux (fr) from present equator.

But what means «samarobrin»? Such word is not present either in French, or in Latin, or in Greek. However ND quite often uses the Hebrew. In this case Brin: changed Bria – creation; hebr. Samaras - means literally «(hair) stood on end»; thus, Samarobrin: «the creation on end» or «the earth on end», that quite fit to idea of «turn of poles». All the rest: flooding, earthquakes and obscuring of the sky because of dense ten-tenths cloud – are the inevitable consequences accompanying such turn. «They will live without the law outside of a society» – in such situation comprehensible easing of social relations and the state structures: however, according to other texts of ND, the military actions of great scale are continuing also after catastrophe.

In connection with the foretold cataclysm become clear a lot of mentions ND about «updating of times»: from this event they will start to count a new calendar era. By the way, this expression also is taken from the prophet of Daniel who, meaning Antichrist, speaks: «he even will dream to cancel the times and the law» (Dan. 7:25). We shall note a thin detail – ND writes:

«how they will believe, it will become updating of the era», that is in accordance with expression of Daniel «will dream to cancel the times». In other place ND directly links «updating of an era» with the calamity:
«the deluge great … Era is updated». Prediction 94.

Among several methods of an encryption which used ND, there is such simple, as the use of the terms differing in sense, but formally hinting at expressions of the Write. For example, Daniel speaks:

"The people that pay homage to their God shall be more strong, and be in action". Dan. 11:32

Describing this most significant religious and political force acting during the apocalyptical epoch, ND instead of: ones paying homage to the God uses expressions: ones paying homage to the Jupiter, people of Jupiter or even more distantly – ones paying homage to the Thursday (day of the Jupiter). Unlike them, he often names Muslims – ones paying homage to the Friday:

   Wings have drooped at the people of Friday.      C.10; Q.95.

Other example. The Revelation is spoken about 144 thousand redeemed from the earth:

«These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth».                  Rev.14: 5.

Among their attributes is used the word virgins – it enables ND to cipher their in terms of maidens, vestals, girls, young women:

Vestals are put behind powerful bars.    Pred.65

One more example: in John's Revelation there are four "horses" – white, red, black and pale (or skewbald). I shall not discuss for the present, with what kind of historical forces they can be identified, but in quatrain of ND they meet very often, without a mention of "horses", simply – ones white, red (red), black and, at last, grey (yellow):

Similarly to a griffin will come the king of the Europe
        Accompanied by those who from Acvilon,
       He leads great army of red and white,
        They go against king of Babylon.
                        C.10; Q.86

Let's take, further, the very significant prophesy of the Bible about the Beast or Antichrist. Daniel speaks about him:

«shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily [sacrifice], and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate» (Dan.11:31),

meaning the restored Jerusalem Temple which on three and a half of year will be seized by Antichrist. Jesus Christ speaks about this Antichrist:

"I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive"   Jn.5:43

And here is how these prophesies are expressed by ND:

Soiled by murders, uncountable adulteries,
The great enemy of all humanity:
The one who will be worse, than its grandfathers, the uncles or fathers,
Inferno, fire, water, ones bloody and unhuman.
        C.10; Q.10

Dead from malice another will be radiant
And in the exalted place the great harm will come:
Gloomy convictions will bring harm to everyone,
He is glorified temporarily, the Mass is belittled.
        Pred.91.

Here are obvious the parallels: exalted place – sanctuary of strength; great harm – abomination of desolation; the Mass – a daily victim; another – other.

ND does not consider it necessary to retell texts of the Bible; where the Write describes events clearly and in detail, ND confined himself to the brief hints to these places. So, 19-20 chapters of Revelation speak about accepting of Kingdom by omnipotent God, about transfer of authority to Jesus Christ, about His solemn marrying («has come the marriage of the Lamb»), and how in last fight He smashes His enemies. Here also it is spoken about the first Judgment:

«And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them» (Откр. 20:4).

This Judgment can be named "Small", unlike "Great" Judgment which will occur after the termination of a thousand-year kingdom. All these grandiose pictures ND express only by means of brief, but enough clear hints:

From the father to the son \authority\ passes:
City councils sentence strictly,
Great matrimony, enemies are hacked into pieces.       Pred.135

Here city councils – holy tables, great matrimony – marriage of the Lamb, enemies are hacked into pieces - killed by sword of Who sit on a steed.

ND has not bypassed also the radiant prophesy of Jesus about future Comforter which, according our expounding, will become the Deputy of Jesus Christ on the earth in the times of the thousand-year kingdom. About Comforter the Writ speaks some times and in different expressions. Some deep connection may be seen with Michael mentioned in apocalypses, who is simultaneously the archangel and the man – the chieftain. In one place Jesus speaks:

"The Comforter, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" Jn. 14:26

Comforter is not the Holy Spirit, the third Hypostasis of the Saint Trinity, but is the created being. It follows from words of Jesus:

«when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come» (Jn.16:13).

It is impossible to tell about the Divine Hypostasis: «he shall not speak of himself»; nevertheless, in the text of gospels Jn.14:26 the words: Comforter and the Holy Spirit are used as synonyms. It uses ND to voice additional prophesy about Comforter:

The coming of holy Spirit, originating from 48 degree will cause resettlement («trasmigration»), forcing out the abomination of Antichrist, the initiator of war against royal curate of Jesus Christ and against its church, and his reign is for the time and up to the end of times. Ep. 85.

Here the holy Spirit – prince Michael (Comforter); royal curate of Jesus Christ – is the deputy of Jesus Christ on the earth (also Michael) ; for the time and up to the end of times – for the period of a thousand-year kingdom.

In conclusion I shall display statements in which ND openly and unambiguously relays his belief.

Events of the human beginning are indeterminate, but all is ruled by incomprehensible omnipotence of the God.       Pr. 8.

   I have expressed in foggy and mysterious offers of event of the future change in mankind, obscuring my letters by means of not understandable, but first of all prophetical language, because Thee hath concealed this from wise and reasonable ones, id est from mighty and regal ones and has opened that to kids, and also to Prophets who thanks to the God immortal and to his kind Angels, receive spirit of prophesy.    Pr.18-20.

My son, I beseech you that you shall never want to use your understanding to such ambitions and vanities for they dry up a body, draw the soul to eternal flours and bring a misfortune to weak feelings. Especially I warn against fruitless and abomination magic, long ago condemned by the holy Write and divine canons.    Pr. 44-46.

Similarly to any of mortal, I am as far in knowledge and feelings from Heavens as a feet of His legs from the earth … and I am the greatest trespasser in the world, subject to the all human weaknesses.     Pr. 59-60.

Disclosing of sense of Nostradamus predictions, as well as of prophesies of holy Writ on which he grounds, is business of the future and represents a task to collective mind of church and mankind. Besides laborious and painstaking textual work, for fulfillment of this task it is necessary the participation of the same Spirit by which influence these prophesies were born.

      My purpose now was only to impart my conviction to the reader: Nostradamus – the person deeply rooted in Christian tradition and inspired by the same spirit, as biblical prophets. But in new conditions the God's Spirit also reveals himself at the new ways. Nostradamus interpretation of Apocalypse are actual for our nearest future.

May 2006.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------