Discourse on the Angels or Spirits of Empires

Hence also concerning those events that took place at the confusion of tongues, when the division of the earth occurred; these things regarding Wisdom are proclaimed in the Book of Wisdom, chapter 10: "When the nations were confused in their conspiracy of wickedness, she recognized the righteous man Referring to Abraham., preserved him blameless before God, and kept him strong against his compassion for his son original: "in Filii visceribus"; this refers to Abraham's resolve during the binding of Isaac, overcoming his fatherly instincts.." Furthermore, let anyone who is able to judge by human standards observe that even in the city of those who were selected as the Lord's special portion Referring to the people of Israel, who were described on the previous page as the "cord of His inheritance.", there were sins. At first, these were indeed tolerable and of such a kind that the people were not to be utterly cast away or abandoned; later, there were more sins, yet they were still to be endured, and for a long time, with remedies always being applied; and these people repented at intervals.

But let him also observe that, according to the magnitude of their crimes, they were abandoned to the governors of other regions In Origen’s view, God allowed other angelic or demonic powers ("governors") to rule over Israel as punishment.. Those who were punished more lightly and, as if educated by the punishment, returned home. Let him see those same people later handed over to harsher masters, such as the Scriptures name as the Assyrians and Babylonians. Then, after remedies were applied, let him notice those who sinned even more seriously; for this reason, they were scattered by their plunderers and despoilers, who presided over other parts of the various nations. And He who commands these things Christ or the Divine Word. condemns them to be intentionally dispersed under the governors of other nations, so that He Himself—having the right to draw back whomever He can from the other nations—might achieve justice, establish laws for them, and prescribe a rule of life, in order to eventually lead them to the same place where those who did not sin from the first nation were led.

And at the end of the said chapter 21: It is impious and a crime not to subject oneself to Him who appeared purer and more powerful than all the Princes The "Princes" refer to the angelic rulers of the various nations.. To Him, as the Prophets sang many centuries before, God said: Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession original: "postula à me, & dabo tibi gentes hereditatem tuam & possessionem tuam terminos terræ" — a quote from Psalm 2:8.. For He Himself was our expectation—we who from the nations have believed in Him and in His Father, the God of the universe. Truly, Origen touches upon this same argument in many other places as well. Namely in Periarchon, or On First Principles original: "Periarchon, seu de principiis" — Origen’s foundational work on Christian doctrine., book 1, chapter 5, page 429, etc. We find in Ezekiel the Prophet,