They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever.
Read Chapter 3
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
"If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." But, when we have arrived at life, what need is there for me to add "eternal"? And why add "happy"? Life, plain and simple, because that which is both eternal and happy is life. When we have arrived at life, we will have the certainty that we will live in it forever. In fact, if we find ourselves there and do not have the certainty of remaining there forever, even there we would be in fear. And if there is fear, there would be suffering, not of the body but of the soul, which is worse. But what kind of happiness is it where there is suffering? Thus, we will have the assurance of always being in that life, unable to see its end, because we will be in the kingdom of him about whom it was said, "And his kingdom will have no end." The book of Wisdom, making known to us the glory of God"s saints, whose death is precious in his sight, says, as you heard at the end of the reading, "And the Lord will reign over them forever." We will therefore be in that great kingdom that endures forever, precisely because it is just, great and eternal. - "Sermon 306.8–9.7"
