Lost Books of the Bible (162 page)

29: And as I was speaking these words behold, he came to me, and looked upon me.

30: And, lo, I lay as one that was dead, and mine understanding was taken from me and he took me by the right hand, and comforted me, and set me upon my feet, and said to me,

31: What ails you? And why are you so disquieted? And why is your understanding troubled, and the thoughts of your heart?

32: And I said, Because you have forsaken me, and yet I did according to your words, and I went into the field, and, lo, I have seen, and yet see, that I am not able to express.

33: And he said to me, Stand up manfully, and I will advise you.

34: Then said I, Speak on, my lord, in me; only forsake me not, lest I die frustrated of my hope.

35: For I have seen that I knew not, and hear that I do not know.

36: Or is my sense deceived, or my soul in a dream?

37: Now therefore I beseech you that you will show your servant of this vision.

38: He answered me then, and said, Hear me, and I will inform you, and tell you wherefore you are afraid; for the Highest will reveal many secret things to you.

39: He has seen that your way is right; for that you sorrow continually for your people, and make great lamentation for Sion.

40: This therefore is the meaning of the vision which you lately saw:

41: You saw a woman mourning and you began to comfort her:

42: But now see you the likeness of the woman no more, but there appeared to you a city built.

43: And whereas she told you of the death of her son, this is the solution:

44: This woman, whom you saw is Sion and whereas she said to you, even she whom you see as a city built,

45: Whereas, I say, she said to you, that she has been thirty years barren, those are the thirty years wherein there was no offering made in her.

46: But after thirty years Solomon built the city and offered offerings: and then bare the barren a son.

47: And whereas she told you that she nourished him with labor: that was the dwelling in Jerusalem.

48: But whereas she said to you, That my son coming into his marriage chamber happened to have a fail, and died: this was the destruction that came to Jerusalem.

49: And, behold, you saw her likeness, and because she mourned for her son, you began to comfort her: and of these things which have chanced, these are to be opened to you.

50: For now the most High sees that you are truly grieved, and allow from your whole heart for her, so has he showed you the brightness of her glory, and the pleasantness of her beauty:

51: And therefore I asked you to remain in the field where no house was built:

52: For I knew that the Highest would show this to you.

53: Therefore I commanded you to go into the field, where no foundation of any building was.

54: For in the place wherein the Highest begins to show his city, there can no man’s building be able to stand.

55: And therefore fear not, let not yours heart be affrighted, but go your way in, and see the beauty and greatness of the building, as much as yours eyes be able to see:

56: And then will you hear as much as yours ears may comprehend.

57: For you are blessed above many other, and are called with the Highest; and so are but few.

58: But tomorrow at night you will remain here;

59: And so will the Highest show you visions of the high things, which the most High will do to them that dwell upon the earth in the last days. So I slept that night and another, like as he commanded me.

4 Ezra Chapter 11

1: Then saw I a dream, and, behold, there came up from the sea an eagle, which had twelve feathered wings and three heads.

2: And I saw, and, behold, she spread her wings over all the earth, and all the winds of the air blew on her, and were gathered together.

3: And I beheld, and out of her feathers there grew other contrary feathers; and they became little feathers and small.

4: But her heads were at rest; the head in the midst was greater than the other, yet rested it with the residue.

5: Moreover I beheld, and lo, the eagle flew with her feathers, and reigned upon earth, and over them that dwelt therein.

6: And I saw that all things under heaven were subject to her, and no man spoke against her, no, not one creature upon earth.

7: And I beheld, and, lo, the eagle rose upon her talons, and spoke to her feathers, saying,

8: Watch not all at once, sleep every one in his own place, and watch by course:

9: But let the heads be preserved for the last.

10: And I beheld, and, lo, the voice went not out of her heads, but from the midst of her body.

11: And I numbered her contrary feathers, and, behold, there were eight of them.

12: And I looked, and, behold, on the right side there arose one feather, and reigned over all the earth;

13: And so it was, that when it reigned, the end of it came, and the place thereof appeared no more: so the next following stood up. and reigned, and had a great time;

14: And it happened, that when it reigned, the end of it came also, like as the first, so that it appeared no more.

15: Then came there a voice to it, and said,

16: Hear you that have borne rule over the earth so long, this I say to you, before you begin to appear no more,

17: There will none after you attain to your time, neither to the half thereof.

18: Then arose the third, and reigned as the others before, and appeared no more also.

19: So went it with all the residue one after another, as that every one reigned, and then appeared no more.

20: Then I beheld, and, lo, in process of time the feathers that followed stood up upon the right side, that they might rule also; and some of them ruled, but within a while they appeared no more:

21: For some of them were set up, but ruled not.

22: After this I looked, and, behold, the twelve feathers appeared no more, nor the two little feathers:

23: And there was no more upon the eagle’s body, but three heads that rested, and six little wings.

24: Then saw I also that two little feathers divided themselves from the six, and remained under the head that was upon the right side; for the four continued in their place.

25: And I beheld, and, lo, the feathers that were under the wing thought to set up themselves and to have the rule.

26: And I beheld, and, lo, there was one set up, but shortly it appeared no more.

27: And the second was sooner away than the first.

28: And I beheld, and, lo, the two that remained thought also in themselves to reign.

29: And when they so thought, behold, there awaked one of the heads that were at rest, namely, it that was in the midst; for that was greater than the two other heads.

30: And then I saw that the two other heads were joined with it.

31: And, behold, the head was turned with them that were with it, and did eat up the two feathers under the wing that would have reigned.

32: But this head put the whole earth in fear, and bare rule in it over all those that dwelt upon the earth with much oppression; and it had the governance of the world more than all the wings that had been.

33: And after this I beheld, and, lo, the head that was in the midst suddenly appeared no more, like as the wings.

34: But there remained the two heads, which also in like sort ruled upon the earth, and over those that dwelt therein.

35: And I beheld, and, lo, the head upon the right side devoured it that was upon the left side.

36: Then I head a voice, which said to me, Look before you, and consider the thing that you see.

37: And I beheld, and lo, as it were a roaring lion chased out of the wood: and I saw that he sent out a man’s voice to the eagle, and said,

38: Hear you, I will talk with you, and the Highest will say to you,

39: Are not you it that remain of the four beasts, whom I made to reign in my world, that the end of their times might come through them?

40: And the fourth came, and overcame all the beasts that were past, and had power over the world with great fearfulness, and over the whole compass of the earth with much wicked oppression; and so long time dwelt he upon the earth with deceit.

41: For the earth have you not judged with truth.

42: For you have afflicted the meek, you have hurt the peaceable, you have loved liars, and destroyed the dwellings of them that brought forth fruit, and have cast down the walls of such as did you no harm.

43: Therefore is your wrongful dealing come up to the Highest, and your pride to the Mighty.

44: The Highest also has looked upon the proud times, and, behold, they are ended, and his abominations are fulfilled.

45: And therefore appear no more, you eagle, nor your horrible wings, nor your wicked feathers nor your malicious heads, nor your hurtful claws, nor all your vain body:

46: That all the earth may be refreshed, and may return, being delivered from your violence, and that she may hope for the judgment and mercy of him that made her.

4 Ezra Chapter 12

1: And  while the lion spoke these words to the eagle, I saw,

2: And, behold, the head that remained and the four wings appeared no more, and the two went to it and set themselves up to reign, and their kingdom was small, and fill of uproar.

3: And I saw, and, behold, they appeared no more, and the whole body of the eagle was burnt so that the earth was in great fear: then awaked I out of the trouble and trance of my mind, and from great fear, and said to my spirit,

4: Lo, this have you done to me, in that you search out the ways of the Highest.

5: Lo, yet am I weary in my mind, and very weak in my spirit; and little strength is there in me, for the great fear wherewith I was afflicted this night.

6: Therefore will I now beseech the Highest, that he will comfort me to the end.

7: And I said, Lord that upholds rule, if I have found grace before your sight, and if I am justified with you before many others, and if my prayer indeed be come up before your face;

8: Comfort me then, and show me your servant the interpretation and plain difference of this fearful vision, that you may perfectly comfort my soul.

9: For you have judged me worthy to show me the last times.

10: And he said to me, This is the interpretation of the vision:

11: The eagle, whom you saw come up from the sea, is the kingdom which was seen in the vision of your brother Daniel.

12: But it was not expounded to him, therefore now I declare it to you.

13: Behold, the days will come, that there will rise up a kingdom upon earth, and it will be feared above all the kingdoms that were before it.