Briefly About the Toll Houses
The toll houses (in Russian) are the teaching of the Orthodox Church that after a person’s death the fallen angels try to take possession of his soul. Thus the soul undergoes terrible trials, in which the angels of God strive to protect righteous souls and lead them to God. This teaching is expressed symbolically, figuratively, as certain stations, at each of which the soul is tested for one or another passion. The angels in this case are instruments of the accomplishment of God’s justice.
To Withstand the Spiritual Hosts of Wickedness in the Evil Day, Having Done All
The devil is the prince of the power of the air:
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 2:1-2)
One must prepare in order to overcome everything in the evil day (the day of death):
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:11-13)
Without God’s Permission the Devil Cannot Touch the Righteous, and Seeks How to Obtain Permission to Take Possession of Them
The devil seeks how to accuse or slander a person in order to take possession of him:
“So Satan answered the LORD and said, ‘Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!’ And the LORD said to Satan, ‘Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life’” (Job. 2:4-6) (Greek: μόνον τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ διαφύλαξον — “only guard his soul”; Hebrew: נַפְשׁוֹ — “his soul”)
“Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’” (Jude. 1:9)
The Devil Always Seeks Whom to Devour
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8)
Angels Are Sent to Minister to Those Who Will Inherit Salvation
“But to which of the angels has He ever said: ‘Sit at My right hand…’ <…> Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:13-14)
Angels “Carry” the Souls of the Righteous After Death
Souls, after separation from the body, move. Souls have to traverse a path to the place of their future abode.
The angels took care of the soul of righteous Lazarus, but this is not said of the rich man:
“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us’” (Luke. 16:19-26)
Sinful souls are taken suddenly:
“And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke. 12:19-21)
In the Hour of Death the Devil Comes to Christ, but Has Nothing to Accuse Christ Of
The day before His death Christ speaks of the approach of the devil, who has nothing of his own in Christ, and cannot accuse Him of sins:
“I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me” (John. 14:30)
But with other people it is not so:
“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning” (1 John. 3:8)
Christ Ascended into Heaven Through the Air on a Cloud
“Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel” (Act. 1:9-10)
In the Same Way Christ Will Come Again
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20)
“who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven’” (Act. 1:11)