Cyril of Jerusalem

Our Lord Jesus Christ, therefore, is to come from heaven, and to come with glory at the end of this world, on the last day. For an end of this world there will be; this created world will be made new again. Corruption, theft, adultery and sins of every kind have flooded the earth, and bloodshed has been paid with blood; so to prevent this wondrous dwelling place from continuing forever filled with iniquity, this world is to pass away, to make room for a fairer world. You want proof of this from Scripture? Listen to Isaiah: "The heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll, and all their hosts shall wither away as the leaf on the vine or as the fig withers on the fig tree." And the Gospel says, "The sun shall be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven." Let us not grieve as though we alone were to die, for the stars also will die; but perhaps they will rise again. The Lord shall fold up the heavens, not to destroy them but to raise them up more beautiful. Listen to David the prophet: "Of old you established the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They shall perish, but you remain." But someone will say, "Behold, he says plainly that 'they shall perish.' Ah, but hear in what sense he says, 'they shall perish'; it is clear from what follows: 'though all of them grow old like a garment. Like clothing you change them, and they are changed.' " For just as humankind is said to perish, according to the text, "The just perishes, and no one takes it to heart," and this is said, though the resurrection is expected, so we look for a "resurrection" of the heavens.