The Human Mind Cannot Understand God's Ways
1 The angel Uriel, who had been sent to me, replied, 2 “You can't even understand what happens in this world. Do you think you can understand the ways of God Most High?”
3 “Yes, sir, I do!” I answered.
The angel continued, “I have been sent to ask you to solve three riddles about what happens in this world. 4 If you can explain even one of them to me, I will answer your questions about God's ways and teach you why the human race has an evil impulse.”
5 “I agree, sir,” I said.
Then he said to me, “Good! How do you weigh out a pound of fire? How do you measure a bushel of wind? How do you bring back a day that has passed?”
6 I answered, “Why do you ask me such questions? No human being could answer them.”
7 Then he said, “What if I had asked you how many dwelling places there are at the bottom of the sea? How many rivers flow into the waters beneath the earth? How many rivers are there above the dome of the sky? Where are the exits from the world of the dead? Where are the entrances to Paradise? 8 If I had asked you these questions, you might have answered, ‘I have never gone down into the waters beneath the earth, and I have not yet entered the world of the dead. I have never gone up to heaven.’ 9 But all I have asked you about is fire, wind, and the day that has just passed—things that you have experienced. Yet you have given me no answer. 10 You can't even understand things that you have been familiar with since you were a child. 11 How then can your little mind understand the ways of God Most High? Can someone already worn down by this corrupt world understand the ways of the incorruptible God?”
When I heard this, I fell face downward on the ground 12 and said to him, “It would have been better if we had never been born than to have to live in a world of sin and suffering without understanding why things happen as they do.”
13 The angel Uriel answered, “I once went into the woods and heard the trees plotting together. 14 They were saying, ‘Let's go to war against the sea and push it back, so that we may have more room.’ 15 But the waves of the sea also plotted together and said, ‘Let's conquer the woods and extend our territory.’ 16 But all the plotting of the trees was useless because fire came and destroyed them. 17 And the plotting of the sea was just as useless because the sand stood firm and blocked its advance. 18 Now, if you were the judge and had to decide between them, which would you pronounce right?”
19 I replied, “They were both wrong, because trees belong on the land, and waves belong in the sea.”
20 “You have given the right answer,” he said. “So why can't you see the answer to your own problems? 21 For just as trees have their place on land, and waves have their place in the sea, so the people of this world can understand only what goes on in this world, and only heavenly beings can understand what goes on in heaven.”
The End of the Age
22 “Please tell me, sir,” I asked, “why then was I given the ability to understand anything? 23 I am not interested in asking questions about what goes on in the heavens; I am only concerned about things that go on around us. Why has God allowed Israel to be disgraced by foreign nations? Why has he let the nation he loves be handed over to the power of godless nations? Why do the Law and the covenant that were given to our ancestors mean nothing any more? 24 Why do we die as quickly as insects? Why is our life shorter than a breath? Why does God think us unworthy of his mercy? 25 Why doesn't God do something to help his own people? These are the questions that I want to ask.”
26 Uriel answered, “If you live long enough, you will be surprised at what you will see, because this age is rapidly passing away. 27 This age is so full of misery and imperfection that it cannot hold all the blessings that God has promised the righteous in the time to come. 28 The evil about which you have asked me has already been planted, but the time for its harvesting has not yet arrived. 29 This evil must be harvested, and this world where it was planted must be removed, before the new age where the good is to be planted can appear. 30 At the beginning of time one grain of evil seed was sown in the heart of Adam. See how much wickedness it has already produced! Think of how much more it will produce before it is cut down and threshed out at Judgment Day. 31 You can see for yourself what a big crop this one evil seed has produced. 32 How terrible will be the harvest on Judgment Day when these countless heads of grain are threshed out!”
33 Then I asked, “How long do we have to wait before this happens? Why are our lives so short and so full of misery?”
34 Uriel answered, “Don't be in a greater hurry than God Most High! You are thinking only of yourself, but God has to be concerned about everybody. 35 Your questions are the same ones asked by the souls of the righteous dead in the places where God is keeping them waiting: ‘How long must we wait here? When will the day of judgment come, when we will get our reward?’ 36 The archangel Jeremiel answers them, ‘It will happen as soon as the complete number of those who have suffered as you have are here. For God has weighed this age, 37 measured the years, and numbered the days. Nothing will be changed until time has run its predetermined course.’”
38 “But, sir,” I replied, “all of us here on earth are such wicked sinners. 39 Is it possible that because of our sin the righteous dead are having to wait for their reward?”
40 His answer was, “Can a pregnant woman keep her child from being born after her nine months are up?”
41 “No, sir, she cannot,” I answered.
And he continued, “In the world of the dead, the place where God has stored the souls is like a womb. 42 It is as eager to return the souls entrusted to it from the beginning of the world as a woman is to end her labor pains. 43 When that happens, you will have the answer to all your questions.”
44 “Please, sir,” I asked, “if you think I am able to understand it, can you 45 tell me one more thing? Is the time that is still to come longer than the past that has already gone by? 46 I know how long the past has been, but I don't know the future.”
47 “Come here and stand at my right,” he commanded, “and I will show you a vision and explain its meaning.” 48 So I stood by him and looked, and I saw a blazing fire pass by in front of me, and when it was gone, I saw that smoke was still there. 49 Then a rain cloud passed by in front of me, bringing a heavy downpour of rain; and when the downpour was over, there was still a light rain. 50 “Think about this,” said Uriel. “Just as the downpour was greater than the light rain that followed it and the fire was greater than the smoke left behind, in the same way the time that has passed is much longer than the time to come. The time that is left is like the light rain and the smoke.”
The Signs of the End
51 “Please tell me,” I asked, “do you think I will live until that time? If not, who will be alive when it happens?”
52 He answered, “I can tell you some of the signs of the end, if that is what you are asking about; but I am not here to tell you how long you will live, and in any case, I don't know.
1 And the angel that was sent unto me, whose name was Uriel, gave me an answer,
2 And said, Thy heart hath gone too far in this world, and thinkest thou to comprehend the way of the most High?
3 Then said I, Yea, my lord. And he answered me, and said, I am sent to shew thee three ways, and to set forth three similitudes before thee:
4 Whereof if thou canst declare me one, I will shew thee also the way that thou desirest to see, and I shall shew thee from whence the wicked heart cometh.
5 And I said, Tell on, my lord. Then said he unto me, Go thy way, weigh me the weight of the fire, or measure me the blast of the wind, or call me again the day that is past.
6 Then answered I and said, What man is able to do that, that thou shouldest ask such things of me?
7 And he said unto me, If I should ask thee how great dwellings are in the midst 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 outgoings of paradise:
8 Peradventure thou wouldest say unto me, I never went down into the deep, nor as yet into hell, neither did I ever climb up into heaven.
9 Nevertheless now have I asked thee but only of the fire and wind, and of the day wherethrough thou hast passed, and of things from which thou canst not be separated, and yet canst thou give me no answer of them.
10 He said moreover unto me, Thine own things, and such as are grown up with thee, canst thou not know;
11 How should thy vessel then be able to comprehend the way of the Highest, and, the world being now outwardly corrupted to understand the corruption that is evident in my sight?
12 Then said I unto him, It were better that we were not at all, than that we should live still in wickedness, and to suffer, and not to know wherefore.
13 He answered me, and said, I went into a forest into a plain, and the trees took counsel,
14 And said, Come, let us go and make war against the sea that it may depart away before us, and that we may make us more woods.
15 The floods of the sea also in like manner took counsel, and said, Come, let us go up and subdue the woods of the plain, that there also we may make us another country.
16 The thought of the wood was in vain, for the fire came and consumed it.
17 The thought of the floods of the sea came likewise to nought, for the sand stood up and stopped them.
18 If thou wert judge now betwixt these two, whom wouldest thou begin to justify? or whom wouldest thou condemn?
19 I answered and said, Verily it is a foolish thought that they both have devised, for the ground is given unto the wood, and the sea also hath his place to bear his floods.
20 Then answered he me, and said, Thou hast given a right judgment, but why judgest thou not thyself also?
21 For like as the ground is given unto the wood, and the sea to his floods: even so they that dwell upon the earth may understand nothing but that which is upon the earth: and he that dwelleth above the heavens may only understand the things that are above the height of the heavens.
22 Then answered I and said, I beseech thee, O Lord, let me have understanding:
23 For it was not my mind to be curious of the high things, but of such as pass by us daily, namely, wherefore Israel is given up as a reproach to the heathen, and for what cause the people whom thou hast loved is given over unto ungodly nations, and why the law of our forefathers is brought to nought, and the written covenants come to none effect,
24 And we pass away out of the world as grasshoppers, and our life is astonishment and fear, and we are not worthy to obtain mercy.
25 What will he then do unto his name whereby we are called? of these things have I asked.
26 Then answered he me, and said, The more thou searchest, the more thou shalt marvel; for the world hasteth fast to pass away,
27 And cannot comprehend the things that are promised to the righteous in time to come: for this world is full of unrighteousness and infirmities.
28 But as concerning the things whereof thou askest me, I will tell thee; for the evil is sown, but the destruction thereof is not yet come.
29 If therefore that which is sown be not turned upside down, and if the place where the evil is sown pass not away, then cannot it come that is sown with good.
30 For the grain of evil seed hath been sown in the heart of Adam from the beginning, and how much ungodliness hath it brought up unto this time? and how much shall it yet bring forth until the time of threshing come?
31 Ponder now by thyself, how great fruit of wickedness the grain of evil seed hath brought forth.
32 And when the ears shall be cut down, which are without number, how great a floor shall they fill?
33 Then I answered and said, How, and when shall these things come to pass? wherefore are our years few and evil?
34 And he answered me, saying, Do not thou hasten above the most Highest: for thy haste is in vain to be above him, for thou hast much exceeded.
35 Did not the souls also of the righteous ask question of these things in their chambers, saying, How long shall I hope on this fashion? when cometh the fruit of the floor of our reward?
36 And unto these things Uriel the archangel gave them answer, and said, Even when the number of seeds is filled in you: for he hath weighed the world in the balance.
37 By measure hath he measured the times; and by number hath he numbered the times; and he doth not move nor stir them, until the said measure be fulfilled.
38 Then answered I and said, O Lord that bearest rule, even we all are full of impiety.
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.
40 So he answered me, and said, Go thy way to a woman with child, and ask of her when she hath fulfilled her nine months, if her womb may keep the birth any longer within her.
41 Then said I, No, Lord, that can she not. And he said unto me, In the grave the chambers of souls are like the womb of a woman:
42 For like as a woman that travaileth maketh haste to escape the necessity of the travail: even so do these places haste to deliver those things that are committed unto them.
43 From the beginning, look, what thou desirest to see, it shall be shewed thee.
44 Then answered I and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, and if it be possible, and if I be meet therefore,
45 Shew me then whether there be more to come than is past, or more past than is to come.
46 What is past I know, but what is for to come I know not.
47 And he said unto me, Stand up upon the right side, and I shall expound the similitude unto thee.
48 So I stood, and saw, and, behold, an hot burning oven passed by before me: and it happened that when the flame was gone by I looked, and, behold, the smoke remained still.
49 After this there passed by before me a watery cloud, and sent down much rain with a storm; and when the stormy rain was past, the drops remained still.
50 Then said he unto me, Consider with thyself; 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 which is past did more exceed.
51 Then I prayed, and said, May I live, thinkest thou, until that time? or what shall happen in those days?
52 He answered me, and said, As for the tokens whereof thou askest me, I may tell thee of them in part: but as touching thy life, I am not sent to shew thee; for I do not know it.