How Alchemy was a Weapon Against the Anti-Christ - the Apocalyptic Prophecies of John of Rupescissa

The rise of the Anti-Christ is among the most feared events in the Apocalypse and one medieval prophet had the perfect weapon against his Satanic forces: the Art of Alchemy. John of Rupescissa (d. c. 1365) spent most of his life in prisons composing prophetic predictions of the Apocalypse and curious alchemical works used to both cure the soldiers of Christ, greatly extend their lives and produce the riches needed to build the world of the Millennium. One of these works, the Liber Lucis (Book of Light), is soon to be published in a new critical edition by Prof. Lawrence M. Principe. Come explore the work of apocalyptic prophecy and the alchemy developed to defeat the Anti-Christ and build Utopia.
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Recommended Readings:
DeVun - Prophecy, Alchemy, and the End of Time: John of Rupescissa in the Late Middle Ages - 978-0231145398

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[@Anomaly66666]

How come every channel is talking about the Antichrist all of a sudden? Is this what the Antichrist really wants or y'all searching for a scapegoat for all the world's problems?

[@DeepTalksPodcast777]

Per omnia saecula saeculorum. Telesis eschatology. Telesis o eschaton. Gratias, frater.

[@DeepTalksPodcast777]

It is possible Jesus was an alchemist who distilled pure alcohol/water from wine.

[@supernimo739gaming7]

​there are verses about it in the holy Bible

[@supernimo739gaming7]

​@@Anomaly66666we need to defeat Satan. Things are getting out of hand and most of the wrongdoings are because of him

[@harryhoofcloppen]

“Grass grows in the cheeks” is such great evocative imagery. 🔥

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

It's from the Talmud!

[@floydhopkins7901]

Gracias

[@ogreman81]

@@TheEsotericaChannelInteresting! As someone ignorant or the Talmud, could you explain to me what the phrase was used in conjunction with?

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

​​@@ogreman81rabbi akiva supported the messianic claims of bar kokhbah and the other rabbis told him "Grass will grow in your cheeks and the son of David will not have come"

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Of course, the irony is that the grass did not grow in his cheeks because the Romans flayed him alive, wrapped him in a Torah scroll and burned him to cinders for his support of the rebellion.

[@dreamingwolf8382]

I simply love when intellectuals gush about their respect for other intellectuals- it's actually pretty affirming!

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

The best way to bring honor to yourself is to bring honor to others

[@KoolT]

❤😂❤

[@alyssafuller375]

I just got off of work, having some left over birthday cake, and learning about anti-Christ fighting alchemists. Thank you for your continued hard work Dr. Sledge

[@MissJoy16]

Happy birthday 🎂

[@alyssafuller375]

Oh wow, thank you!

[@Charlesmclark2]

Hbd

[@jeannedouglas9912]

I think this alchemy is diver lusts. Self serving and dead works reserved for woe to.

[@CrazyPablo44]

I really can’t think of ANYONE who can insightfully name-drop David Koresh & Oppenheimer in the same breath. Well-played Dr. Sledge…well-played. A truly compelling video.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

I know it sounds kind of crazy, but the 14th century was kind of like that ;)

[@CrazyPablo44]

Not crazy at all; it is so refreshing to have such scholarly and entertaining light shed on it!

[@hellokittysays6333]

I took a medicine in medieval European literature course last year. This video is awesome and would have been a jewel to reference in my final paper.

[@asteroxfoundation]

So nice of Dr. Sledge to throw Carl Jung a bone. 😂

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

I've never questioned his genius. But genius without defect, isn't.

[@vapormissile]

​@@TheEsotericaChannel"here's your stinkbug."

[@spammyv]

And then the modifications that alchemists made to their cars in order to outrun Inquisitors and contract enforcement eventually leads to organized racing circuits.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Some of them were apparently moonshiners

[@NightmareRex6]

if only the alcomest nicloa testla diddent have all his tech hiddon! now we have FAKE testla that dose not even 2% what NICOLA REAL testla did!

[@feliloki7]

hell yeah! never knew when i was getting piss drunk i was fighting satan, although i must admit it sometimes does feel that way

[@fraserbuilds]

Its so fascinating to imagine being in the shoes(or perhaps maggot ridden iron shackles) of someone from so long ago who both feared and hoped for the future in such a strong way. Though his fears are so much different than those of a modern person there's something so familiar about them. You can imagine his excitement upon treating wounds with alcohol, feeling his beliefs physically justified in such a visceral way.

[@siobhanomalley1968]

I just lost it at "Lilu Dallas multipass" 😂

[@iatebambismom]

It's amazing how any alchemists survived their first experiments given how toxic they were. Not surprising they thought it would work given the amount of mercury they used. Now excuse me I'm going to go and chew my magic lead ball and talk to angels.

[@disgoop]

priests talk to god, alchemists talk with god

[@iatebambismom]

@disgoop If youpoison yourself enough, you might think you can BECOME God. I'm sure there's a bunch of methods of becoming something else, alchemical or otherwise.

[@brago.gameplays]

Mercury is, to this day, deadly fascinating.

[@EvoSchecter]

@@disgoopi fucking love this!

[@Fr.O.G.]

Two videos in one day! Truly, we have been blessed.

[@amaellio1131]

I was looking forward to a new video. Two was such a pleasant surprise! 😊

[@fett01]

Professor Sledge, i doubt got you'll read this, but i have a question. I am a scientist, a biologist by trade. I look back on alchemists and i see scientists performing experiments and trying to understand the world, just based upon models and theories that today we would consider wrong, or at the least simplistic and outmoded. But then i turn my critical eye to the science of today and i wonder if people in the future will consider my science just as outdated? My knee-jerk reaction is to say no, that we don't know everything (far from it), but we at least have the fundamental understand of reality correct. But how can i know? So i begin to compare and contrast. In your presentation of alchemy, you present it as if the practitioners had absolute surety in their understanding. That this process will produce the philosophers stone, that this mixture will drive away this demon. It seems like exploration based on supposition. You have to believe in demons to create a mixture to defeat them. Modern science is more exploration based on uncertainity. We assume we don't know how the world works, and try to let the world tell us. It's why we get training to examine and avoid biases. Maybe i can trust more in the science of today because it is built from a place uncertainity. So my question is: how much were alchemists uncertain? Were they exploring with open minds, or were they more extrapolating from one assumption to the next? I'm sorry if this doesn’t make much sense, this is a bit stream of consciousness.

[@plantae420]

If we assume the naturalist picture that our language and cognitive/sensory faculties did not evolve to track down absolute metaphysical Truths. Then it would be more reasonable to think that we have only access to relative human truths. Meaning, our interpretations of the world still relate to the world, but there is no absolute criterion of accuracy independent of our own perspectives and conceptual scheme.

[@leejerrett8268]

The alchemical observations that still hold up today are the ones that still accurately describe natural processes in a way that we can confirm through experiment; even if the knowledge is as rudimentary as a description of the changes in colour and texture certain materials undergo during specific conditions. I’d imagine future scientists will probably view most of today’s models and theories the way we view Newtonian Physics today; true enough for a given value of true; like the difference between approximating the shape of the earth as a perfect sphere and knowing it is really an oblate spheroid with irregularities.

[@sophiejones3554]

@@leejerrett8268 exactly, a lot of alchemy still holds up today: even a lot of the medicine still gets used, although we don't really think about it. We take pills, but those pills often contain the same compounds people used to drink in teas and such. It's still useful to know the ingredients for some of the over-the-counter medicines in case your local pharmacy runs out, you can often still get the thing you need for that cold or tummy ache at the supermarket. The periodic table emerged out of alchemists figuring out how elements bonded, which is the basis of all chemistry. A lot of the experiments you do in high school Chem are alchemy staples that have been taught since Oxford University was first founded. But, to answer OP's question: there is absolutely a difference of attitude, but on the other hand the alchemical attitude hasn't totally disapoeared from science. Pretty much all alchemists were certain that such a thing as the Philosopher's Stone was possible: the question was only how to make it. The demons thing was a side quest: and certainly not all alchemists shared the view that their discipline was useful against demons or the antichrist. But the Philosopher's Stone? Yeah, they were all certain it was real. The best modern comparison really is that pretty much all Physicists are certain that a Unified Theory of Physics is possible. That is, that Newtonian and Quantum Mechanics will one day be unified by some discovery. There isn't actually any proof that this is true (theoretically, the universe COULD just have totally separate rules for how *reaaaally* small stuff and *reaaaally* big stuff behave), and arguably it's merely a quirk of the human mind that we think this has to be true, on the other hand this Holy Grail is what convinces governments to fund scientific research. So, whether it's real or not is sort of besides the point: much like with alchemy and the Philosopher's Stone.

[@Cheesechunkz]

I'm really grateful for your videos on esotericism! A lot of these topics I wouldn't have known about without your scholarship - thank you Justin!

[@AleisterCrowleyDiary]

The best channel on the subject, thank you!

[@RanaAgens]

I always love these alchemy videos, the light it sheds on the early history of science is so fascinating

[@jimsharkey551]

As a chemist in a former life, I too find the alchemy videos fascinating.

[@icyone]

Apocalyptic Prophet, great name for a rock band! ❤

[@kirkvoelcker5272]

Thanks!

[@AquariusGate]

I love hearing that piano again. Greatly appreciated work sweet spirit, it's a lovely chanel for divine ideas.

[@ajzorger93]

Been on a binge watching your videos this last week. Love learning all new things

[@encryptedprinter3289]

"Its as if every generation feels entitled to nothing less than the apocalypse, and yet grass grows in the cheeks of proclaimer of doom, prognosticator of the end, and apocalyptic prophet." I just want you to know. I have a friend who lives under the fear of the end times. This line alone was very comforting to them during a bad night of anxiety. Thank you for all the work you do in taking history back from fearmongers and profiteers who's only care is how history can assist their grifting. The respect you show for this material is sometimes even greater than the people who wave their book around like a crude philosophical mace.

[@blakebrown7068]

Perfectly placed 5th element reference!

[@chrisradzion2148]

John of Rupescissa- medieval prepper. Joachim of Fiore- medieval dispensationalist. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[@Salcifer]

I was thinking how John of Rupescissa’s prophecies kind of sound like an early manifest destiny of western imperialism and enlightenment.

[@jaybird6905]

and they were selling magic cure-alls to fund it! at least it was booze not hydrogen peroxide & bath salts

[@sandpaper4483]

The sense of impending doom is just called aging. The hippies always said never trust anyone over 30. Probably a good measure.

[@NightmareRex6]

danmage, or DANM-Age time, saturn, chronos, the God who eats his own children (that is all life on this planET)

[@jaybird6905]

@@NightmareRex6never trust a religion that hates on the earth

[@bruhgh609]

Wow, thank you for introducing me to Lawrence M. Principe. I've looked into his work and am enthralled!

[@humand0gz]

i love this content it's informative, without a implicit bias. thank you.

[@Bildgesmythe]

Thank you for two educational and entertaining videos today! Love this channel!

[@FuchsiaRiv]

Best channel! Thank you so much

[@mrAMMW]

I absolutely cannot wait until the experiment of this is done, hope you cover it as soon as possible!

[@bryangraham7926]

to me, it does not matter, although I love the history of alchemy, that it was a mechanical process, it is a spiritual process for me and is now a practicing process like Jung and if it was doubtful a spiritual in the beginning it is now, it works for me, and it is true now as a metaphor and to put it simply in practical occult terms " if it works use it"

[@RougeSanta]

Amazing video. Thanks Dr Sledge!

[@Protogonas]

Two videos back to back? Today is a fortuitous day!

[@ESOTERICA_PHILOSOPHY]

🙂

[@arkenautgundlach2498]

Definitely the best episode I have seen so for. Rock on Dr. Sledge.

[@grimslade0]

The thumbnail is fitting, as it looks like the demon/antichrist has had one too many potions, and is now going for that cheeky ear nibble. And of course, cheers for the continued great content 🥂

[@evelanpatton]

I love your background environment, your thoughtfully researched topics, & a neutral delivery of the knowledge. Kudos!

[@thecomprehensionhub4612]

Much love for your synchronized efforts

[@ILikeCoconutsLots]

You’re one of my intellectual heroes Dr. Sledge! I sincerely hope our paths cross one day, what a wonderful conversation that would be!

[@eightman0]

I laughed at the 5th essence Leelo Dallas multipass line! I always love how interesting and informative these videos are plus we get the driest humor sprinkled throughout!

[@user-cw6ju7kj8m]

Very good as always thanks

[@lapurta22]

Dr. Justin lights up like a firefly when he gets to talk about alchemy. 🤩

[@Sam-shushu]

"That was just a Tuesday..." I see what you did there, Raul Julia.

[@AD_DO]

👍Thank you for the video👍

[@yeshazion4098]

Thank You SO much for sharing Your Knowledge with us all ❤

[@jimmykey8784]

Lulu Dallas multi pass 😂😂 that was quick and hilarious! Great video and very interesting.

[@kenx8176]

Terrific video.

[@manuelsosa7397]

Now that a franciscan is the Pope.. maybe OUR time is THE time for aopcalypse? Maybe all the hunger, war and misery we are experiencing now is that time of peace before the storm? I love that phrase: "You didn't see that coming" along with prophets and seers, we need a lot of humility to be part of the universe without losing our minds (or our heads).

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

He's just a normies Franciscan. We need a spiritual Franciscan Pope!

[@fusion9619]

Jesus said the end would come when we didn't expect it. Or something to that effect. I wish I was able to quote verses like some people do... So if everyone thinks the end is nigh, then the end ain't nigh. So, since I'm a swell guy... The end is nigh!! Aggghhh!!!!

[@jaybird6905]

world without end. so glad i’m a pagan man

[@davidmorton8332]

Beautiful presentation.

[@bobbijokramm1976]

I absolutely appreciate ur videos 💯👉💎

[@johnblais2065]

Arrr doc ,,great stuff,, great show again

[@howaboutataste]

Booze and maggots are the best medicine for skin ulcers. Don't try laughter.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Don't knock maggot therapy

[@mikaeelmalik1724]

You should make a reading list you always have great suggestions

[@janellemccoy09]

Thank you for your knowledge.

[@oculusoccultus6842]

I love this channel/ I love books and I would love to have this book

[@blazingstar9638]

BEST CHANNEL 🔥

[@Tinkering4Time]

Oooh this was delicious. Alchemical Franciscan prepper? Not a sentence I had imagined prior to today! Principe is doing excellent work, and I am going to go listen to that video with him right now.

[@HamiltonThielsen]

Thank you for the presentation of your knowledge along with the wild and trippy imagery! In my opinion, you're the kind of teacher I can sit for hours listening too.

[@a.p.4338]

wheezing at the prophetic side-eye 😭 19:26

[@Psi-Ink]

Thank you!

[@message_service]

Thank you ✨👍

[@stephanieparker1250]

“ we’re still kicking that can down the road..” 😂

[@Rachael-cs9qz]

Would love to see you and Mr mythos due a live on some topics of your books and his books that would be a great show

[@emperorfulgidus262]

This stood out to me emotionally for some reason

[@welcometonebalia]

Thank you.

[@MrSomethingElse]

Yeah that other vid is priceless, nice to see someone I geek out to Geeking out to someone else, it's the double esoteric geekout festival!

[@jamesnomos8472]

Ooh, like the music in the credits.

[@DefaultUser61]

I just noticed you’re almost up to 600k subs. Wow! I’ve been a subscriber since you were at 10k or 20k. I have to say that your episodes have continued to improve and you deserve every success! I can’t wait to be there when you hit 1 mil. I can’t afford to give you monetary support to show my gratitude for your amazing content, but be assured I appreciate your hard work. I’m excited for many more years of your dry wit and quality education. One request though, don’t take for granted that all your viewers have the same vocabulary as you. If you’re script has any specialized jargon please throw in a quick definition. Cheers from NOLA Edit: more of this 4:45

[@NightmareRex6]

i wont have that reconsition becuase dont subscribe, but i watched youtubers that now at millions viwers or 500k+ subs when they were at mere 100-500 subs.....

[@sockcritics]

Becoming one of my favorite nightly listens

[@m.scottmcgahan9900]

lol, your comment at the beginning about grass growing in their cheeks caused me to go down an amusing rabbit-hole!

[@leadroftherats8488]

Glory be to Saint Sutton. May his spirits lift ours. Amen.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

For ever and ever, amen.

[@sargata3054]

Hi Dr. Sledge, I’m a huge fan of your channel. I have been interested in these topics since I was a teenager, and have hardly found such clear, accessible, and humorous explanations of these profound topics elsewhere. Do you have any advice when attempting to read old texts? How do you come to comprehend all the various fonts and handwriting styles? How do you learn about various written idiosyncrasies, for example in Latin or Hebrew, between wide stretches of time and geography? Thank you for illuminating us 😊

[@michelleloynes7825]

Your so cool Justin 🙏💕

[@DrHackebeil]

thank you for the great video. Where can I read more about the interesting "Zeton"-Guangzhou vision. Couldnt find anything online.

[@anklebitr79]

"Dogs and cats....living together!" That was a good one.

[@TheRandomDave]

It'll be anarchy!

[@MrDemian0666]

I’d love to hear you interview Alan Moore sometime.

[@NickSandt]

I used to think the “end times” were in our future future but _Victorious Eschatology_ by Dr. Harold Eberle and Dr. Martin Trench convinced me that the “great tribulation” prophesied in the Bible happened in 70 AD and 666 symbolized Nero.

[@Charlesmclark2]

Naw bro its trump. It's been 666 days since trump lost and since hes announced his reelection. His name matches anti christ in gematria look it up. His great grandmother was name christ. Too many red flags 🚩🚩🚩

[@Lucid_Waking]

@15:54 😂 "Dogs and cats living together!!"

[@Drippetto]

Excellent as ever. Where’s the link to the Jung manuscript?

[@kev-larscuba2323]

I wish I could send you 1000 subscriptions just for showing love to the best shiner out there !!! At 38:09 minutes Mr POPCORN Sutton himself 🫡!!! Prayers to him and blessings to his daughter !!!! Also, your talk was very well put together informative and on point 🫡 Love ur channel

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

A true outlaw and martyr - May his merit protect us

[@kev-larscuba2323]

@@TheEsotericaChannel The difference between information and knowledge …..is the ability to share it, at the level of the observer. And you my friend do that extraordinarily well. 🫡 I very much enjoy your literary oration and well thought out and easily digestible knowledge at multiple levels. Me and my 4 year old listen to your channel as a decompression centering meditation at the end of the long week ! --- For a picture that will bring a smile to your face (of those in the know of Sutton’ legacy) -- look up Sky Sutton & lightning ⚡️!! Their family taught my friend named “moonshine” growing up, who was three generations into shine ✨ life before he passed on. Thanks to him tho I was blessed to try the original recipe of Sutton’s true Mt. Dew. White lightning in a jar…..& i’ll tell ya what, i’ve never had some thing so close to a psychedelic experience off of alcohol as my first 3 sips of that lightning !!! …… there’s no corn like POPCORN ! Rip legend !

[@mtf347]

Haha...man, I love your take on things.k Love and light for all.

[@NoelWesley]

Bravo on the Ghostbusters reference. It popped into my head a split second before you said it 😂😂

[@NoelWesley]

Oh and the Street Fighter reference ticked me too.

[@Embassy_of_Jupiter]

well well well, how the turns have tabled

[@samuelstp5476]

Yet again a great video! Does someone know what the painting at +/- 18:30 is called?

[@_FMK]

❤ Dr Sledge!!! ⚡️🔥

[@m.scottmcgahan9900]

Can you take us on a tour of some of the items on the shelves behind you? I watch a lot of your videos and often find myself wondering about various items...

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

The older brother of my grandmother was a lifelong Jehova witness. Now in his case I can imagine believing in Armageddon. He lived ,in Europe,trough WW1 ,The Spanish flu, ,WW2, Cuba crisis etc. When the Berlin wall fell and the cold war stopped, he started to realize armageddon probably wouldn't happen in his lifetime. He was in his 70thies. On his deathbed finally admitted he wasted his life following the Jehova Witnesses . It's such a sad example how generations of true believers waste their lives waiting for some fictional future life in a ' heaven on earth '

[@TheTodsBread]

The talk about the end times and prepping makes me think about the Christian nationalists and all the propaganda that gets meshed together and most times leads to wars or battling against secular people

[@eldiabloramon]

Awesome! I am studyiing Latin! ❤

[@MrLigonater]

*Giant Worm emerges in the French countryside* *Creepy little girl walks into Avingnon* “How can this be?! For his IS the Kwisatz Haderach!”

[@NakedSageAstrology]

Fascinating video, I really enjoyed your professional presentation style too. What are your thoughts on the simmilarity of Zohar's Four Worlds vs the Four States of Consciousness in the Mandukya Upanishad?

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Coincidence but interesting. Also the four worlds isn't actually four.

[@williammartinactor]

Fascinating! Except You ECLIPSE the material. What a gathering up curious, incisive mind! TY

[@SumNutOnU2b]

So the moon is floating in moonshine? Hmm... Makes sense when you think of it.

[@geraldmeehan8942]

Thank you very much Dr Sledge. Is there any chance of an alchemic solution to the 21st century?

[@stephend50]

"The Inquisition! What a show"

[@haleyheslip]

Could to post the link to the Liber Lucis please?💛💛💛

[@richard_d_bird]

i like to think of apocalyptic fantasies as being allegories for one's own personal death. they just make way more sense to me that way. i don't expect the rest of the world to stop when i die of course, but if you could see your way clear to all just sort of evaporate when i go, i'd have to say, that would downright neighborly. thanks in advance.

[@NightmareRex6]

stupid time, which EATS ALL, its not the "healer" like most say.......

[@joluoto]

the answer is booze! I KNEW IT!

[@m.scottmcgahan9900]

Have you done a video about Raymondo Lull, btw?

[@cherniman]

By looking at some of the compounds he was playing with I wonder if the stuff you mentioned that would eat through hands was something like fluoroantimonic acid...one of the most dangerous chemicals known. Weird if the guy accidentally created a super acid.

[@Ahoooon]

Would love a video on Mary Anne Atwood's Suggestive Inquiry

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Eventually!