2 Esdras chapter 4
[This chapter is in Orthodox Bibles] The seer and the angel argue. A transitional oracle. Ezra asks about the End.
Note. The Book of Second Esdras is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox Churches
THE SEER AND THE ANGEL ARGUE
VERSE 1. The angel who was sent to me, whose name was Uriel, gave me an answer,
Uriel. This angel appears without introduction.
Uriel often reveals secrets. See for example 1 Enoch 19.1.
VERSE 2. and said to me, “Your understanding has utterly failed you regarding this world. Do you think you can comprehend the way of the Most High?”
utterly failed. Or quite confounded.
VERSE 3. Then I said, “Yes, my Lord.” He answered me, “I have been sent to show you three ways, and to set before you three problems.
three ways. Uriel poses three riddles to Ezra.
VERSE 4. If you can solve one for me, I also will show you the way that you desire to see, and I will teach you why the heart is wicked.”
VERSE 5. I said, “Say on, my Lord.” Then said he to me, “Go, weigh for me the weight of fire, or measure for me blast of wind, or call back for me the day that is past.”
VERSE 6. Then answered I and said, “Who of the sons of men is able to do this, that you should ask me about such things?”
VERSE 7. He said to me, “If I had asked you, ‘How many dwellings are there in the heart of the sea? Or how many springs are there at the fountain head of the deep? Or how many streams are above the firmament? Or which are the exits of hell? Or which are the entrances of paradise?’
streams are above the firmament. This alludes to the orbits of the stars in the sky.
the exits of hell. This is from the Syriac translation.
The Latin translation omits of hell.
VERSE 8. perhaps you would say to me, ‘I never went down into the deep, or as yet into hell, neither did I ever climb up into heaven.’
VERSE 9. Nevertheless now I have only asked you about the fire, wind, and the day, things which you have experienced, and from which you can’t be separated, and yet have you given me no answer about them.”
VERSE 10. He said moreover to me, “You can’t understand your own things that you grew up with.
VERSE 11. How then can your mind comprehend the way of the Most High? How can he who is already worn out with the corrupted world understand incorruption?” When I heard these things, I fell on my face
he who is already worn out. Or your vessel. Or your body.
When I heard these things. This is from the Syriac translation and the Aethiopic translation.
The Latin translation here is corrupt.
VERSE 12. and said to him, “It would have been better if we weren’t here at all, than that we should come here and live in the midst of ungodliness, and suffer, and not know why.”
VERSE 13. He answered me, and said, “A forest of the trees of the field went out, and took counsel together,
The Latin translation here is corrupt.
A forest of the trees. This parable is about nature.
VERSE 14. and said, ‘Come! Let’s go and make war against the sea, that it may depart away before us, and that we may make ourselves more forests.’
VERSE 15. The waves of the sea also in like manner took counsel together, and said, ‘Come! Let’s go up and subdue the forest of the plain, that there also we may gain more territory.’
This conflict between land and sea may have mythical roots.
VERSE 16. The counsel of the wood was in vain, for the fire came and consumed it.
VERSE 17. Likewise also the counsel of the waves of the sea, for the sand stood up and stopped them.
the sand stood up and stopped them:
Jeremiah 5:22. Don’t you fear me?’ says the LORD ‘Won’t you tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it can’t pass it? Though its waves toss themselves, yet they can’t prevail. Though they roar, they still can’t pass over it.’
VERSE 18. If you were judge now between these two, which would you justify, or which would you condemn?”
VERSE 19. I answered and said, “It is a foolish counsel that they both have taken, for the ground is given to the wood, and the place of the sea is given to bear its waves.”
VERSE 20. Then answered he me, and said, “You have given a right judgment. Why don’t you judge your own case?
VERSE 21. For just as the ground is given to the wood, and the sea to its waves, even so those who dwell upon the earth may understand nothing but what is upon the earth. Only he who dwells above the heavens understands the things that are above the height of the heavens.”
This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from Second Esdras and from the entire Bible.
those who dwell upon the earth may understand nothing. The LORD God deliberately obfuscates the spiritual realm so most of us humans don’t understand it.
Because of that, it is quite unusual for a human to be able to see and comprehend the spiritual realm.
One such person was Elisha. He prayed that his assistant be given the gift to see and comprehend the spiritual realm:
2 Kings 6:17. Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, please open his eyes, that he may see.” the LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
nothing but what is upon the earth. Our human comprehension is deeply biased in favor of the natural realm.
Because of that, most people are skeptical about the signs and miracles in the Bible.
VERSE 22. Then answered I and said, “I beg you, O Lord, why has the power of understanding been given to me?
Ezra realizes he has the unusual gift of being able to understand the spiritual realm.
VERSE 23. For it was not in my mind to be curious of the ways above, but of such things as pass by us daily, because Israel is given up as a reproach to the heathen. The people whom you have loved have been given over to ungodly nations. The law of our forefathers is made of no effect, and the written covenants are nowhere regarded.
VERSE 24. We pass away out of the world like locusts. Our life is like a vapor, and we aren’t worthy to obtain mercy.
VERSE 25. What will he then do for his name by which we are called? I have asked about these things.”
A TRANSITIONAL ORACLE
VERSE 26. Then he answered me, and said, “If you are alive you will see, and if you live long, you will marvel, for the world hastens quickly to pass away.
the world hastens quickly to pass away. The created realm is not permanent.
VERSE 27. For it is not able to bear the things that are promised to the righteous in the times to come; for this world is full of sadness and infirmities.
the times to come. Or the future. Or appointed times.
VERSE 28. For the evil about which you asked me has been sown, but its harvest hasn’t yet come.
For the evil. This is from the Syriac translation and the Aethiopic translation.
its harvest. That is, the fruit of action. The results.
Biblically, there is a connection between harvesting and judgment.
VERSE 29. If therefore that which is sown isn’t reaped, and if the place where the evil is sown doesn’t pass away, the field where the good is sown won’t come.
VERSE 30. For a grain of evil seed was sown in the heart of Adam from the beginning, and how much wickedness it has produced to this time! How much more it will yet produce until the time of threshing comes!
the time of threshing. Biblical, this is a metaphor for separation and judgment.
VERSE 31. Ponder now by yourself, how much fruit of wickedness a grain of evil seed has produced.
VERSE 32. When the grains which are without number are sown, how great a threshing floor they will fill!”
EZRA ASKS ABOUT THE END
VERSE 33. Then I answered and said, “How long? When will these things come to pass? Why are our years few and evil?”
How long? This is from the Syriac translation and the Aethiopic translation.
Why are our years few and evil? Or For our years are few and evil.
VERSE 34. He answered me, and said, “Don’t hurry faster than the Most High; for your haste is for your own self, but he who is above hurries on behalf of many.
for your haste is. This is from the Syriac translation.
The Latin translation here is corrupt.
VERSE 35. Didn’t the souls of the righteous ask question of these things in their chambers, saying, ‘How long will we be here? When does the fruit of the threshing floor come?’
How long will we be here? This is from the Syriac translation.
The Latin translation puts it: shall I hope on this fashion?
VERSE 36. To them, Jeremiel the archangel answered, ‘When the number is fulfilled of those who are like you. For he has weighed the world in the balance.
Jeremiel the archangel. There are generally seven archangels venerated by Orthodox Christians. But sometimes they also add an eighth: Jeremiel.
Sometimes the name is spelled as Jerahmeel. Other versions call him Remihel, Oriel or Uriel.
VERSE 37. By measure, he has measured the times. By number, he has counted the seasons. He won’t move or stir them until that measure is fulfilled.’ ”
move. The Syriac translation says “rest.”
VERSE 38. Then I answered, “O sovereign Lord, all of us are full of ungodiness.
O sovereign Lord. Ezra addresses the angel as if he were God.
VERSE 39. Perhaps it is for our sakes that the threshing time of the righteous is kept back—because of the sins of those who dwell on the earth.”
VERSE 40. So he answered me, “Go your way to a woman with child, and ask of her when she has fulfilled her nine months, if her womb may keep the baby any longer within her.”
VERSE 41. Then I said, “No, Lord, that can it not.” He said to me, “In Hades, the chambers of souls are like the womb.
In Hades, the chambers of souls. Or the underworld and its treasuries.
VERSE 42. For just like a woman in labor hurries to escape the anguish of the labor pains, even so these places hurry to deliver those things that are committed to them from the beginning.
VERSE 43. Then you will be shown those things which you desire to see.”
VERSE 44. Then I answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, and if it is possible, and if I am worthy,
If I have found favor in your sight. The LORD God has given extraordinary gifts to Ezra.
Ezra realizes these extraordinary gifts are due to God’s favor. Ezra does not earn these gifts.
VERSE 45. show me this also, whether there is more to come than is past, or whether the greater part has gone over us.
VERSE 46. For what is gone I know, but I don’t know what is to come.”
VERSE 47. He said to me, “Stand up on my right side, and I will explain the parable to you.”
VERSE 48. So I stood, looked, and saw a hot burning oven passed by before me. It happened that when the flame had gone by I looked, and saw that the smoke remained.
VERSE 49. After this, a watery cloud passed in front of me, and sent down much rain with a storm. When the stormy rain was past, the drops still remained in it.”
VERSE 50. Then said he to me, “Consider with yourself; as the rain is more than the drops, and the fire is greater than the smoke, so the quantity which is past was far greater; but the drops and the smoke still remained.”
VERSE 51. Then I prayed, and said, “Do you think that I will live until that time? Or who will be alive in those days?”
who will be alive in those days? Or what will take place?
VERSE 52. He answered me, “As for the signs you asked me about, I may tell you of them in part; but I wasn’t sent to tell you about your life, for I don’t know.
the signs you asked me about. The angel will tell Ezra about the signs for the whole world.
I wasn’t sent to tell you about your life. But the angel cannot tell Ezra about his own life.
2 ESDRAS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, How Many People Will Be Saved
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