Ezra Sutuel

And it came to pass after seven days, I dreamed a dream by night.

And lo, there arose a wind from the sea, and agitated all its waves.

And I saw, and behold, a Man came up from the heart of the sea, and he flew with the clouds of heaven; and wherever he turned his face to look, everything under his gaze trembled.

And wherever the voice of his mouth went forth, all who heard his voice melted away, as wax melts when it feels the fire.

After this I saw, and behold, a great multitude of men gathered together, without number, from the four winds of heaven, to make war against the Man who came up from the sea.

And I saw, and behold, he carved out for himself a great mountain, and flew up onto it.

But I tried to see the region or place from which the mountain was carved, and I could not.

After this I saw, and behold, all those who had gathered together against him were sore afraid, yet they dared to fight.

And when he saw the violence of the coming of their multitude that came, he did not lift up his hand, neither did he hold spear nor any of all the weapons of war;

but I saw how he sent out of his mouth only as it were waves of fire, and out of his lips a breath of flame, and he was shooting forth glowing coals of storm.

And these were all mingled together—the waves of fire, and the breath of flame, and the mass of the storm; and they fell upon the violence of the coming of that multitudinous people that was prepared to fight, and burned them all up, so that suddenly nothing was visible of that multitude of men without number save only dust of ashes and smell of smoke. And I saw and was amazed.

And after this I saw that Man come down from the mountain, and he called to him another multitude of men that was peaceable.

And there drew near to him the likeness of many men; but some of them were glad, and some sad; and some of them were bound, and some brought those who were to be offered.

But I through great agitation awoke; and I petitioned the Most High and said:

You from the beginning have shown your servant these wonders, and while I am not worthy you have esteemed me worthy to receive my petition:

and now reveal to me further the interpretation of this vision!

For as I think in my mind: woe to those who are left in those days, and yet much more woe to those who are not left!

Because they who are not left shall be grieved over that which is reserved for those who are left in the last days, but they do not attain thereto.

To those also who survive therefore woe! For they must see great perils with many distresses, as these visions show.

But yet it is expedient that one should stand in peril and come into these things than that he should pass away as a cloud from the world and not see what happens at the consummation of the times.

And he answered and said to me: I will both tell you the interpretation of your vision, and also will reveal to you concerning those about whom you have spoken.

Whereas you have spoken concerning those who survive and concerning those who do not survive—this is the meaning:

He that endures danger in that time, he shall keep those who lie in danger, even such as have works and faith towards the Mighty One.

See, therefore, that more blessing is given to those who shall have survived than to those who have died.

But this is the interpretation of your vision: Whereas you did see a Man coming up from the heart of the sea—

he it is whom the Most High is keeping for long ages, through whom he will deliver his creation; and he shall bring through those who are left.

And whereas you did see that from his mouth there issued a breath of fire and of storm,

and that he did not hold spear or warlike weapon, and destroyed the massed coming of that gathering which came to wage war with him—this is the meaning:

Behold, the days come, when the Most High is about to deliver them that are upon the earth,

great horror shall come upon the inhabitants of the earth.

And they shall plan to fight one with another, city with city, and place with place, and people with people, and kingdom with kingdom.

And it shall be when these signs shall come to pass, of which I have previously told you, then shall my Son be revealed whom you saw as a Man coming up.

And when all the peoples hear his voice they shall leave every one of them his place and the warfare which is among them;

and there shall be gathered together men without number, as you did see that they desired to come and wage war with that Man.

But he will stand upon the top of Mount Zion;

and Zion shall come and be revealed to all, prepared and builded, as you did see the mountain that was cut out without hands.

But he, my Son, shall reprove those peoples who are come for their ungodliness, which things are like unto a storm; and shall set in order before them their wicked deeds and the torment wherewith they are destined to be tormented; but after this he that was likened to a flame shall destroy them without labor by the law of him who has been likened unto fire.

And whereas he summoned and gathered to himself another multitudinous mass that was peaceable:

these are the nine and a half tribes, which were led captive out of their land in the days of Josiah the King, which tribes Salmanassar the King of the Assyrians led captive, and brought them to the other side of the River Euphrates; and they were led captive to another land.

For they had delivered among themselves and had taken this counsel that they would leave the multitude of the peoples and go to an inner region where never the race of men had dwelt, that there also they might keep their Law which they had not kept in their own land.

And they entered in through the narrow passages of the Euphrates.

For the Most High then wrought marvels for them; for he held back the sources of the River until they had all passed over,

that they might proceed to the dry land. It was a great way to go, a journey of a year and a half; and that region was called Arsaph, at the end of the world.

And they have dwelt there until the last time. And then when they are about to come again,

the Most High will again hold back the sources of the River Euphrates, that they may be able to pass over. Therefore you have seen the multitude of men that was gathered together in peace.

But they also that are left from your people shall live, they who are found within my holy borders.

And it shall be when he shall destroy the multitude of the peoples that are gathered together, he will protect the people that remain;

and then will he show them many marvels.

And I said further to him: O Lord my Lord, make known to me this, wherefore I have seen the Man to come up from the heart of the sea.

And he answered and said to me: Just as one has not the power to search out and find or to know what is in the depths of the sea, so can none of those who are upon the earth see my Son or them that are with him, except in that time in his day.

This is the interpretation of the vision which you have seen.

Therefore there has been revealed to you these things, to you alone,

because you have forsaken the things that are your own, and have devoted yourself to the things which are ours, and have searched out the things of the law.

For your life you have directed in wisdom, and have called discernment my mother.

Therefore have I shown you these things; for there is a reward with the Most High. And it shall be after three days I will speak other things with you, and will explain to you the last marvels.

And I went and walked in the field much and praised the Most High for the marvels which he had wrought at different times,

and because he directs the times and what comes in the times. And I sat there three days.