2 Esdras 13
13
1The seven days passed, and the following night I had a dream. 2In my dream I saw a wind coming up out of the sea and stirring up great waves. 3#Dan 7.13; 2 Esd 13.32As I watched, the wind brought with it out of the sea what looked like a man,#13.3 Some ancient translations the wind… man; Latin does not have these words. and he was flying#13.3 Some ancient translations flying; Latin a growing strong. on the clouds. When he turned his face, everything he looked at began to tremble, 4and when he spoke, everyone who heard his voice melted like wax in a fire.
5I looked again and saw a crowd too large to count. They were people gathered together from all parts of the world to fight against the man who had come up out of the sea. 6#Dan 2.45Then I watched the man carve out a high mountain and fly up onto it. 7I tried to see the place or the region from which the mountain was carved, but I couldn't. 8Then I saw that all the people who had come together to make war against him were terrified, but they still prepared to fight him. 9When the man saw the great crowd advancing to attack him, he did not take up any weapons. 10The only thing I saw was what looked like a stream of fire coming out of his mouth. He sent a flaming wind from his lips and a storm of sparks from his tongue. The stream of fire, the flaming wind, and the great storm combined 11and swept down on the crowd that was coming to attack him, and burnt them all up. In a single moment, that crowd too large to count vanished, and there was nothing left but powdery ashes and the smell of smoke. I was shocked when I saw what had happened.
12Then I saw the man come down from the mountain and call another large crowd to come to him — this was a peace-loving crowd. 13#Is 66.20All sorts of people came: some were happy, some were sad, some had their hands and feet tied, and some brought others as a gift to the Lord.
The Interpretation of the Vision
I was so frightened that I woke up. I prayed to God Most High and said, 14“Lord, you have been showing me all these marvellous things. You have considered me worthy and have heard my prayers. 15Now please show me the meaning of this dream also. 16I have been thinking how terrible it will be for the people who will be living in those days, but how much worse for those who do not survive. 17They will be in great sorrow 18because they will not enjoy any of the pleasures reserved for the last days. 19But how terrible also for those who do survive; they will have to face great dangers and many troubles, as these dreams have shown. 20Nevertheless, it is better to pass through these dangers and reach the end than to disappear like a cloud from this world and never see what takes place in the last days.”
He answered, 21“I will explain to you the meaning of the vision and answer the questions you have asked. 22You have raised questions about those who will survive until the end. The answer is that 23the one who brings the dangers in those days will also protect from danger the people who have stored up good works and faithfulness with God the Almighty One. 24You may be certain that those who survive are far more fortunate than those who die.
25“This is the meaning of the vision. The man you saw coming up out of the sea 26represents the one whom God Most High has kept ready for many ages. He will free the world he created and establish the new order for those who survive. 27You saw the wind, fire, and storm going out of the man's mouth, 28and you saw that without the use of a spear or any other weapon he destroyed the great crowd that was advancing to attack him. This means that 29the time is near when God Most High will begin to free the people on earth. 30At that time everyone will be close to panic. 31#Mt 24.7They will begin to make war against one another, city against city, region against region, nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 32When that happens, the signs I told you about earlier will take place, and then I will reveal my son, whom you saw as a man coming up out of the sea. 33When they hear his voice, all the nations will leave their own territory, forget their wars with one another, 34and come together in one great crowd too large to count, as you saw in your dream. The nations will unite with the single purpose of making war on my son. 35He will take his stand on the top of Mount Zion, 36#2 Esd 7.26; Rev 12.2, 9and the new Jerusalem will be seen by everyone. It will be completed and fully built, just as in your dream you saw the mountain carved out, but not by human hands. 37Then my son will condemn the assembled nations for their godlessness. That is what the storm meant. 38He will confront them with the wicked plans they have made and also with the torments they must endure. That is what the flames meant. Then he will easily destroy them by means of#13.38 One ancient translation by means of; Latin a and. the Law. That is what the fire meant.
39“You saw him gather another great crowd of peace-loving people. 40#2 Kgs 17.1–6These are the ten tribes of Israel who were taken away into captivity in the time of King Hoshea. King Shalmaneser of Assyria captured them and deported them to a foreign land east of the River Euphrates. 41But the ten tribes decided not to stay in that land among the many Gentiles, so they moved farther east to a country where no human beings had ever lived before. 42There they hoped to keep their laws, which they had failed to keep in their own country. 43When they had to make the difficult passage across the Euphrates, 44God Most High performed miracles for them and blocked the channels of the river until they had crossed over. 45Their long journey through that region, which is named Arzareth, took a year and a half, 46and they have lived there ever since. Now in these last days they are coming back home, 47and once again God Most High will block the channels of the river, so that they may cross over. That is the meaning of the great crowd of peace-loving people you saw. 48But they will also have with them all your own people who are left and who are found within the borders of my holy land. 49When the time comes for my son to destroy the crowd that has gathered from every nation, he will protect his people who are left 50and perform many great miracles for them.”
51Then I said, “Lord and Master, please tell me why the man came up out of the sea.”
52He answered, “No one can explore the bottom of the sea to find out what is there. In the same way, no human being can see my son or those who come with him until the day that has been fixed. 53That is the meaning of your dream. You alone have been given this information, 54because you have given up your own interests to devote yourself to mine and to the study of my Law. 55You have dedicated your life to wisdom, and understanding has been like a mother to you. 56That is why God Most High has rewarded you by showing you these things. After three days, I will come back and tell you about other profound wonders.”
The Seventh Vision
The Voice from the Bush
57I went for a walk in the field, worshipping and praising God Most High for the miracles he performs in his own good time. 58For he controls the ages and what happens in them. I remained there for three days.
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2 Esdras 13: GNBDC
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.