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4 Ezra

2 Esdras

About this book

Sixth Revelation: The Man from the Sea

Chapter 13

1 It came to pass after seven days, I dreamed a dream by night. 2 Behold, a wind arose from the sea that moved all its waves.⁠ 3 I saw, and behold, [this wind caused to come up from the midst of the sea something like the appearance of a man. I saw, and behold,] that man flew with the clouds of heaven. When he turned his face to look, everything that he saw trembled. 4 Whenever the voice went out of his mouth, all who heard his voice melted, like the wax melts when it feels the fire.⁠ 5 After this I saw, and behold, an innumerable multitude of people was gathered together from the four winds of heaven to make war against the man who came out of the sea. 6 I saw, and behold, he carved himself a great mountain, and flew up onto it. 7 I tried to see the region or place from which the mountain was carved, and I couldn’t. 8 After this I saw, and behold, all those who were gathered together to fight against him were very afraid, and yet they dared to fight. 9 Behold, as he saw the assault of the multitude that came, he didn’t lift up his hand, or hold a spear or any weapon of war; 10 but I saw only how he sent out of his mouth something like a flood of fire, and out of his lips a flaming breath,⁠ and out of his tongue he shot out a storm of sparks. 11 These were all mixed together: the flood of fire, the flaming breath, and the great storm, and fell upon the assault of the multitude which was prepared to fight, and burned up every one of them, so that all of a sudden an innumerable multitude was seen to be nothing but the dust of ashes and the smell of smoke. When I saw this, I was amazed. 12 Afterward, I saw the same man come down from the mountain, and call to himself another multitude which was peaceful. 13 Many people came to him. Some of them were glad. Some were sorry. Some of them were bound, and some others brought some of those as offerings. Then through great fear I woke up and prayed to the Most High, and said, 14 “You have shown your servant these wonders from the beginning, and have counted me worthy that you should receive my prayer. 15 Now show me also the interpretation of this dream. 16 For as I conceive in my understanding, woe to those who will be left in those days! Much more woe to those who are not left! 17 For those who were not left will be in heaviness, 18 understanding the things that are laid up in the latter days, but not attaining to them. 19 But woe to them also who are left, because they will see great perils and much distress, like these dreams declare. 20 Yet it is better for one to be in peril and to come into these things, than to pass away as a cloud out of the world, and not to see the things that will happen in the last days.” He answered me,

The Man and His Victory Interpreted

21 “I will tell you the interpretation of the vision, and I will also open to you the things about which you mentioned. 22 You have spoken of those who are left behind. This is the interpretation: 23 He that will endure the peril in that time will protect those who fall into danger, even those who have works and faith toward the Almighty. 24 Know therefore that those who are left behind are more blessed than those who are dead. 25 These are the interpretations of the vision: Whereas you saw a man coming up from the midst of the sea,⁠ 26 this is he whom the Most High has been keeping for many ages, who by his own self will deliver his creation. He will direct those who are left behind. 27 Whereas you saw that out of his mouth came wind, fire, and storm, 28 and whereas he held neither spear, nor any weapon of war, but destroyed the assault of that multitude which came to fight against him, this is the interpretation: 29 Behold, the days come when the Most High will begin to deliver those who are on the earth. 30 Astonishment of mind will come upon those who dwell on the earth.⁠ 31 One will plan to make war against another, city against city, place against place, people against people, and kingdom against kingdom. 32 It will be, when these things come to pass, and the signs happen which I showed you before, then my Son will be revealed, whom you saw as a man ascending. 33 It will be, when all the nations hear his voice, every man will leave his own land and the battle they have against one another. 34 An innumerable multitude will be gathered together, as you saw, desiring to come and to fight against him. 35 But he will stand on the top of Mount Zion. 36 Zion will come, and will be shown to all men, being prepared and built, like you saw the mountain carved without hands. 37 My Son will rebuke the nations which have come for their wickedness, with plagues that are like a storm, 38 and will rebuke them to their face with their evil thoughts, and the torments with which they will be tormented, which are like a flame. He will destroy them without labor by the law, which is like fire. 39 Whereas you saw that he gathered to himself another multitude that was peaceful, 40 these are the ten tribes which were led away out of their own land in the time of Hoshea the king, whom Shalmaneser the king of the Assyrians led away captive, and he carried them beyond the River, and they were taken into another land. 41 But they made this plan among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go out into a more distant region, where mankind had never lived, 42 that there they might keep their statutes which they had not kept in their own land. 43 They entered by the narrow passages of the river Euphrates. 44 For the Most High then did signs for them, and stopped the springs of the River until they had passed over. 45 For through that country there was a long way to go, namely, of a year and a half. The same region is called Arzareth. 46 Then they lived there until the latter time. Now when they begin to come again,⁠ 47 the Most High stops the springs of the River again, that they may go through. Therefore you saw the multitude gathered together with peace. 48 But those who are left behind of your people are those who are found within my holy border. 49 It will be therefore when he will destroy the multitude of the nations that are gathered together, he will defend the people who remain. 50 Then he will show them very many wonders.” 51 Then I said, “O sovereign Lord, explain this to me: Why have I seen the man coming up from the midst of the sea?” 52 He said to me, as no one can explore or know what is in the depths of the sea, even so no man on earth can see my Son, or those who are with him, except in the time of his day. 53 This is the interpretation of the dream which you saw, and for this only you are enlightened about this, 54 for you have forsaken your own ways, and applied your diligence to mine, and have searched out my law. 55 You have ordered your life in wisdom, and have called understanding your mother. 56 Therefore I have shown you this, for there is a reward laid up with the Most High. It will be, after another three days I will speak other things to you, and declare to you mighty and wondrous things.” 57 Then I went out and passed into the field, giving praise and thanks greatly to the Most High because of his wonders, which he did from time to time, 58 and because he governs the time, and such things as happen in their seasons. So I sat there three days.

Texts in conversation

Compare Isaiah 49:2 and 4 Ezra 13:26

Hebrew Bible · Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses

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Summary

Isaiah 49 presents a servant figure as hidden yet destined to be revealed later, using the imagery of a sword and concealed arrow. 4 Ezra similarly describes a messianic figure that uses the servant language from Isaiah, once hidden but now revealed.

Passages

Isaiah 49:2

Hebrew Bible
1 Listen to me, you coastlands! Pay attention, you people who live far away! The Lord summoned me from birth; he commissioned me when my mother brought me into the world. 2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, he hid me in the hollow of his hand; he made me like a sharpened arrow, he hid me in his quiver. 3 He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, through whom I will reveal my splendor.” 4 But I thought, “I have worked in vain; I have expended my energy for absolutely nothing.” But the Lord will vindicate me; my God will reward me.
740–450 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Isaiah

4 Ezra 13:26

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · 2 Esdras
24 Know therefore that those who are left behind are more blessed than those who are dead. 25 These are the interpretations of the vision: Whereas you saw a man coming up from the midst of the sea, 26 this is he whom the Most High has been keeping for many ages, who by his own self will deliver his creation. He will direct those who are left behind. 27 Whereas you saw that out of his mouth came wind, fire, and storm, 28 and whereas he held neither spear, nor any weapon of war, but destroyed the assault of that multitude which came to fight against him, this is the interpretation:
70–132 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 4 Ezra

References

"... In 4 Ezra the Latin 'my son' as a messianic title may reflect Greek pais, which in turn may mean servant rather than son, and the messiah is also called 'my servant' in 2 Baruch 70:9. In none of these cases does the term servant imply suffering. Second, modern scholarship distinguishes four 'servant songs' in Deutero-Isaiah, 42:1-7; 49:1-7; 50:4-9; and 52:13-53:12. These passages were not grouped together in antiquity. Consequently, allusions to the other 'servant songs' do not necessarily imply the kind of suffering described in Isaiah 53. The Son of Man figure in the Similitudes of Enoch, who will concern us in a later chapter, is called 'the light of the nations' in 1 Enoch 48:4. The same phrase is used of the servant of the Lord in Isaiah 42:6; 49:6. The Son of Man is also hidden like the servant (1 Enoch 48:6, compare Isaiah 49:2). But the Son of Man is not a suffering figure, and carries no allusions to the notion of vicarious suffering as found in Isaiah 53. Third, in the late-first-century CE apocalypses of 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch, the messiah dies. His death, however, does not involve suffering and has no atoning significance. In 4 Ezra 7:29-30 the death of the messiah marks the end of a four-hundred-year reign and is the prelude to seven days of primeval silence, followed by resurrection. In 2 Baruch 30:1, 'when the time of the appearance of the messiah has been fulfilled' he 'returns in glory, and then all who sleep in hope of him rise.' Neither scenario bears any similarity to Isaiah 53 ..."
John J. Collins, The Scepter and the Star: Messianism in Light of the Dead Sea Scrolls, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010), 143.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Isaiah 49:2 and 4 Ezra 13:26

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