OET-RV L ESD Chapter 5

5 “Nevertheless, about the signs, look, the days will come when those who live on earth will be taken with[fn] great amazement, and the way of truth will be hidden, and the land will be barren of faith. 2 Iniquity will be increased above what now you see, and beyond what you’ve heard long ago. 3 The land that you now see ruling will be a trackless waste, and men will see it desolate. 4 But if the Most High grants you to live, you’ll see what’s after the third period will be troubled. The sun will suddenly shine in the night, and the moon in the day. 5 Blood will drop out of wood, and the stone will utter its voice. The peoples will be troubled, and the stars will fall. 6 He’ll rule whom those who live on the earth don’t expect, and the birds will fly away together. 7 The Sodomite sea will throw out fish, and make a noise in the night, which many haven’t known; but all will hear its voice. 8 There’ll also be chaos in many places. Fires will break out often, and the wild animals will change their places, and women will bring forth monsters. 9 Salt waters will be found in the sweet, and all friends will destroy one another. Then reason will hide itself, and understanding withdraw itself into its chamber. 10 It’ll be searched for by many, and won’t be found. Unrighteousness and lack of restraint will be multiplied on earth. 11 One country will ask another, ‘Has righteousness, or a man that does righteousness, gone through you?’ And it’ll say, ‘No.’ 12 It’ll happen at that time that men will hope, but won’t obtain. They’ll labour, but their ways won’t prosper. 13 I’m permitted to show you such signs. If you’ll pray again, and weep as now, and fast seven days, you’ll hear yet greater things than these.”

14 Then I woke up, and an extreme trembling went through my body, and my mind was so troubled that it fainted. 15 So the angel who’d come to talk with me held me, comforted me, and set me on my feet.

16 On the second night, Paltiel[fn] the people’s captain came to me, saying, “Where have you been? Why is your face sad? 17 Or don’t you know that Yisrael (Israel) is committed to you in the land of their captivity? 18 Get up then, and eat some bread, and don’t forsake us, like a shepherd who leaves the flock in the power of cruel wolves.”

19 Then I said to him, “Go away from me and don’t come near me for seven days, and then come to me.” He heard what I said and left me.

20 So I fasted seven days, mourning and weeping, like Uriel the angel had commanded me. 21 After seven days, the thoughts of my heart were very grievous to me again, 22 and my soul recovered the spirit of understanding, and I began to speak words before the Most High again. 23 I said, “O sovereign master of all the woods of the earth, and of all their trees, you’ve chosen one vine for yourself. 24 Of all the lands of the world you’ve chosen one country[fn] for yourself. Of all the flowers of the world, you’ve chosen one lily for yourself. 25 Of all the depths of the sea, you’ve filled one river for yourself. Of all built cities, you’ve consecrated Tsiyon (Zion) for yourself. 26 Of all the birds that are created you’ve named for yourself one dove. Of all the livestock that have been made, you’ve provided for yourself one sheep. 27 Among all the multitudes of peoples you have gotten yourself one people. To this people, whom you loved, you gave a law that’s approved by all. 28 Now, Oh master, why have you given this one people over to many, and have[fn] dishonoured the one root above others, and have scattered your only one among many? 29 Those who opposed your promises have trampled down those who believed your covenants. 30 If you really do hate your people so much, they should be punished with your own hands.”

31 Now when I’d spoken those words, the angel that came to me the night before was sent to me, 32 and said to me, “Hear me, and I’ll instruct you. Listen to me, and I’ll tell you more.”

33 I said, “Speak on, my master.”

Then he said to me, “You’re very troubled in mind for Yisrael’s (Israel’s) sake. Do you love that people more than he who made them?”

34 I said, “No, master; but I’ve spoken out of grief; for my heart is in agony every hour while I labour to comprehend the way of the Most High, and to seek out part of his judgement.”

35 He said to me, “You can’t.”

And I said, “Why, master? Why was I born? Why wasn’t my mother’s womb my grave, that I might not have seen the travail of Ya’akov (Jacob), and the wearisome toil of Yisrael’s people?”

36 He said to me, “Count for me those who haven’t yet come. Gather together for me the drops that are scattered abroad, and make the withered flowers green again for me. 37 Open for me the chambers that are closed, and bring out the winds for me that are shut up in them. Or show me the image of a voice. Then I’ll declare to you the travail that you asked to see.”

38 And I said, “O sovereign master, who may know these things except he who doesn’t have his home among humankind? 39 As for me, I lack wisdom. How can I then speak of these things you asked me about?”

40 Then he said to me, “Just as you can do none of these things that I’ve spoken of, even so you can’t find out my judgement, or the end of the love that I’ve promised to my people.”

41 I said, “But Oh master, you’ve made the promise to those who are alive at the end. What should they do who have been before us, or we ourselves, or those who’ll come after us?”

42 He said to me, “I’ll compare my judgement to a ring. Just as there’s no slowness of those who are last, even so there’s no swiftness of those who be first.”

43 So I answered, “Couldn’t you make them all at once that have been made, and that are now, and that are yet to come, that you might show your judgement sooner?”

44 Then he answered me, “The creature may not move faster than the creator, nor can the world hold them at once who’ll be created in it.”

45 And I said, “How have you said to your servant, that you[fn] will surely make alive at once the creature that you’ve created? If[fn] therefore they’ll be alive at once, and the creation will sustain them, even so it might now also support them to be present at once.”

46 And he said to me, “Ask the womb of a woman, and say to her, ‘If you bear ten children, why do you it at different times? Ask her therefore to give birth to ten children at once.”

47 I said, “She can’t, but must do it each in their own time.”

48 Then he said to me, “Even so, I’ve given the womb of the earth to those who are sown in it in their own times. 49 Because just as a young child may not give birth, neither she who’s grown old any more, even so have I organised the world which I created.”

50 I asked, “Seeing that you’ve now shown me the way, I’ll speak before you. Is our mother, of whom you’ve told me, still young? Or does she now draw near to old age?”

51 He answered me, “Ask a woman who bears children, and she’ll tell you. 52 Say to her, ‘Why aren’t they whom you’ve now brought forth like those who were before, but smaller in stature?’ 53 She also will answer you, ‘Those who are born in the strength of youth are different from those who are born in the time of old age, when the womb fails.’ 54 Consider therefore you also, how you’re shorter than those who were before you. 55 So are those who come after you smaller than you, as born of the creature which now begins to be old, and is past the strength of youth.”

56 Then I said, “master, I implore you, if I’ve found favour in your sight, show your servant by whom you visit your creation.”