4th Book Of EZRA - ESDRAS Ch4
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Uriel's Reply: YAHWEH's Ways Are Inscrutable
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:1 And the malak that was sent to me, whose name was Uriel, gave me an answer,
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:2 And said, Your understanding has utterly failed regarding this world, and do you think to comprehend the way of the Most High YAHWEH? • 1En 20:2
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:3 Then said I, Yes, Sir. And he answered me, and said, I am sent to show you three ways, and to set forth three similitudes before you:
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:4 Whereof if you can solve one for me, I will show you also the way that you desire to see, and I shall teach you why and from where the evil heart comes from.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:5 And I said, Speak on, my master. Then said he to me, Go your way, weigh me the weight of the fire, or measure me the blast of the wind, or call back for me the day that is past.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:6 Then answered I and said, What man is able to do that, that you should ask such things of me?
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:7 And he said to me, If I should ask you how many great dwellings are in the middle of the sea, or how many springs are in the beginning of the deep, or how many springs are above the firmament, or which are the exits of hell, or which are the entrances of paradise?
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:8 Peradventure you would say to me, I never went down into the deep, nor as yet into hell, neither did I ever ascend into heaven.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:9 Nevertheless now have I asked you but only of the fire and wind, and of the day, things through which you have passed and without which you cannot exist, and yet can you give me no answer of them.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:10 He said moreover to me, You cannot understand and know the things with which you have grown up with;
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:11 How should your mind then be able to comprehend the way of YAHWEH the Most High, and the world being now outwardly corrupted to understand the corruption that is evident in my sight?
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:12 When I heard this, I fell on my face and said to him, It would be better for us not to be here than to come here and live checedless, and to suffer, and not to know and understand why.
Parable Of Conflict Between Forest And Sea
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:13 He answered me, and said, I went into a forest into a plain, and the trees took counsel, • Isa 55:8.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:14 And said, Come, let us go and make war against the sea that it may recede before us, and that we may make for ourselves more forests.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:15 Likewise the waves of the sea also in like manner took counsel, and said, Come, let us go up and subdue the forests of the plain, that there also we may gain more territory for ourselves.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:16 But the plan of the forest was in vain, for the fire came and consumed it.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:17 Likewise also the plan of the waves of the sea came to nought, for the sand stood firm and stopped them.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:18 If now you were to judge now between these two, whom would you begin to justify? or whom would you condemn?
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:19 I answered and said, Each has made a foolish plan that they both have devised, for the ground is given to the wood, and the sea also has his place to carry its waves.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:20 Then answered he me, and said, You have given a right judgment, but why judge you not yourself also?
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:21 For like as the ground is given to the wood, and the sea to its waves: even so they that dwell upon the earth may understand nothing but that which is upon the earth: and he that dwells above the heavens may only understand the things that are above the height of the heavens.
Why Yisrael Has Become A Reproach
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:22 Then answered I and said, I beseech YOU YAHWEH ALMIGHTY, Why have I been endowed with the power of understanding?
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:23 For it was not my mind to inquire about the ways above, but of such as pass by us daily and experience, namely, wherefore Yisrael is given up as a reproach to the heathen, and for what cause the people whom YOU have loved is given up to checedless nations, and why the Torah of our forefathers is brought to nought, and the written covenants come to none effect,
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:24 And we pass away out of the world like grasshoppers, and our life is like a vapor with astonishment and fears, and we are not worthy to obtain mercy.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:25 What will HE then do for HIS NAME, by which we are called? It is about these things have I asked.
The Near Approach Of The End Of The Age
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:26 Then he answered me, and said, The more you search, you will see, the more you will marvel; because the age is hastening swiftly to its end,
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:27 And cannot comprehend the things that are promised to the righteous in time to come: for this age is full of sad unrighteousness and infirmities.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:28 But as concerning the things which you ask me, I will tell you; for the evil is sown, but the harvest of it has not yet come.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:29 If therefore that which has been sown is not reaped, and if the place where the evil is sown does not pass away, then the field where the tov has been sown will not come.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:30 For the grain of evil seed was sown in the heart of Adam from the beginning, and how much wickedness has it brought up to this time, and how much shall it yet bring forth until the time of threshing comes!
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:31 Ponder now by yourself, how great fruit of wickedness a grain of evil seed has brought forth.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:32 And when the ears shall be cut down, which are without number, how great a threshing floor they will fill!
When Will The New Age Come?
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:33 Then I answered and said, How long, and when shall these things come to pass? Why are our years few and evil?
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:34 And he answered me and said, Do not you hasten faster than the Most High YAHWEH: for your haste is in vain to be above HIM, but YAHWEH the Most High hastens on behalf of many.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:35 Did not the souls also of the righteous in their chambers ask question of these matters, saying, How long shall I hope on this fashion? And when will comes the fruit of the floor of our reward?
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:36 And to these things Uriel the malak gave them answer, and said, When the number of those seeds like yourselves is filled: for HE has weighed the age in the balance,
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:37 And HE measure the times by measure; and numbered the times by number; and HE will not move nor stir them, until the said measure be fulfilled.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:38 Then answered I and said, Oh Sovereign YAHWEH that bear rule, but all of us also are full of checedlessness impiety.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:39 And for our sakes peradventure it is that the floors of the righteous are not filled, because of the sins of them that dwell upon the earth.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:40 So he answered me, and said, Go your way to a woman with child, and ask of her when she has fulfilled her nine months, if her womb can keep the child any longer within her.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:41 Then said I, No, my master, that she cannot. And he said to me, In the grave the chambers of souls are like the womb of a woman:
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:42 For just as a woman that travails makes haste to escape the necessity of the travail: even so do these places haste to deliver those things that are committed to them from the beginning.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:43 Then the things that you desire to see, it shall be shown to you.
How Much Time Remains?
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:44 Then answered I and said, If I have found favor in your sight, and if it be possible, and if I be worthy,
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:45 Show me this also: whether there be more time is to come than has past, or whether for us the greater part has gone by.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:46 For I know what has gone by, but what is to come I do not know.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:47 And he said to me, Stand up at my right side, and I shall expound the interpretation of a parable to you.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:48 So I stood and looked, and behold, a flaming burning furnace passed by before me: and it happened that when the flame was gone by I looked, and, behold, the smoke remained still.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:49 And after this a watery cloud passed by before me, and sent down much rain with a storm; and when the rainstorm had passed, the drops remained still.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:50 Then he said to me, Consider within yourself; as the rain is more than the drops, and as the fire is greater than the smoke; but the drops and the smoke remain behind: so the quantity that passed was far greater; but drops and smoke remained.
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:51 Then I prayed, and said, Do you think that I shall live until those days? Or what shall happen in those days?
EZRA -4- ESDRAS 4:52 He answered me, and said, Concerning the signs about which you ask me, I can tell you of them in part: but as touching your life, I am not sent to show you; for I do not know it.
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