"Many have been created, but few shall be saved."
With those words ringing in his ears, Ezra launched into the most daring prayer in all of Jewish apocalyptic literature — a prayer that does not beg for mercy so much as demand it.
He began with the body. God fashions every human in the womb, preserving the creation in fire and water for nine months, commanding milk from the breasts to nourish what He made, guiding the child in mercy, instructing it in the law, reproving it in wisdom. "If then you will suddenly and quickly destroy what was fashioned with so great labor," Ezra said, "to what purpose was it made?"
Then he turned to Israel specifically. "I will speak about your people, for whom I am grieved. About your inheritance, for whom I lament. About Israel, for whom I am sad. About the seed of Jacob, for whom I am troubled." He had seen the failings of those who dwell in the land. He had heard of the swiftness of the judgment to come. And he would not be silent.
What followed was one of the most breathtaking prayers ever composed. Ezra stood before the Most High — whose throne is beyond measure, whose glory is beyond comprehension, before whom the hosts of angels tremble, at whose command they are changed to wind and fire, whose look dries up the depths and whose indignation makes the mountains melt — and he made his case.
"Look not upon the sins of your people, but at those who have served you in truth. Regard not those who act wickedly, but those who have kept your covenants amid afflictions. Be not angry with those who are deemed worse than beasts, but love those who have always trusted in your glory."
And the heart of it: "For in truth there is no one among those who have been born who has not acted wickedly. Among those who have existed there is no one who has not transgressed. In this, O Lord, your righteousness and goodness will be declared — when you are merciful to those who have no store of good works."
God answered. And His answer was not what Ezra wanted to hear.
"Some things you have spoken rightly. I will not concern myself about the fashioning of those who have sinned, or about their death, their judgment, or their destruction. I will rejoice over the creation of the righteous." He compared it to farming — many seeds are sown, many seedlings planted, but not all come up in due season, not all take root. "So also those who have been sown in the world will not all be saved."
Ezra pushed back one final time. If the farmer's seed fails because it didn't receive rain, that's nature. But humanity was formed by God's own hands, called God's own image, made in God's own likeness. "Have you also made him like the farmer's seed? No, O Lord! Spare your people and have mercy on your inheritance, for you have mercy on your own creation."
The response was extraordinary. God told Ezra that he could not possibly love God's creation more than God loves it. But then — a sudden tenderness: "Even in this you will be praiseworthy before the Most High, because you have humbled yourself." And God revealed what awaited the righteous: paradise opened, the tree of life planted, the age to come prepared, a city built, rest appointed, goodness established, wisdom perfected beforehand. The root of evil sealed up. Illness banished. Death hidden. Sorrows passed away. And in the end — the treasure of immortality made manifest.
"I have not shown this to all," God said. "Only to you and a few like you."
[1] He answered me and said, "The Most High made this world for
the sake of many, but the world to come for the sake of few.
[2] But I tell you a parable, Ezra. Just as, when you ask the
earth, it will tell you that it provides very much clay from which earthenware
is made, but only a little dust from which gold comes; so is the course
of the present world.
[3] Many have been created, but few shall be saved."
[4] I answered and said, "Then drink your fill of understanding,
O my soul, and drink wisdom, O my heart!
[5] For not of your own will did you come into the world, and
against your will you depart, for you have been given only a short time
to live.
[6] O Lord who are over us, grant to thy servant that we may
pray before thee, and give us seed for our heart and cultivation of our
understanding so that fruit may be produced, by which every mortal who
bears the likeness of a human being may be able to live.
[7] For thou alone dost exist, and we are a work of thy hands,
as thou hast declared.
[8] And because thou dost give life to the body which is now
fashioned in the womb, and dost furnish it with members, what thou hast
created is preserved in fire and water, and for nine months the womb which
thou has formed endures thy creation which has been created in it.
[9] But that which keeps and that which is kept shall both be
kept by thy keeping. And when the womb gives up again what has been created
in it,
[10] thou hast commanded that from the members themselves (that
is, from the breasts) milk should be supplied which is the fruit of the
breasts,
[11] so that what has been fashioned may be nourished for a
time; and afterwards thou wilt guide him in thy mercy.
[12] Thou hast brought him up in thy righteousness, and instructed
him in thy law, and reproved him in thy wisdom.
[13] Thou wilt take away his life, for he is thy creation; and
thou wilt make him live, for he is thy work.
[14] If then thou wilt suddenly and quickly destroy him who
with so great labor was fashioned by thy command, to what purpose was he
made?
[15] And now I will speak out: About all mankind thou knowest
best; but I will speak about thy people, for whom I am grieved,
[16] and about thy inheritance, for whom I lament, and about
Israel, for whom I am sad, and about the seed of Jacob, for whom I am troubled.
[17] Therefore I will pray before thee for myself and for them,
for I see the failings of us who dwell in the land,
[18] and I have heard of the swiftness of the judgment that
is to come.
[19] Therefore hear my voice, and understand my words, and I
will speak before thee." The beginning of the words of Ezra's prayer, before
he was taken up. He said:
[20] "O Lord who inhabitest eternity, whose eyes are exalted
and whose upper chambers are in the air,
[21] whose throne is beyond measure and whose glory is beyond
comprehension, before whom the hosts of angels stand trembling
[22] and at whose command they are changed to wind and fire,
whose word is sure and whose utterances are certain, whose ordinance is
strong and whose command is terrible,
[23] whose look dries up the depths and whose indignation makes
the mountains melt away, and whose truth is established for ever --
[24] hear, O Lord, the prayer of thy servant, and give ear to
the petition of thy creature; attend to my words.
[25] For as long as I live I will speak, and as long as I have
understanding I will answer.
[26] O look not upon the sins of thy people, but at those who
have served thee in truth.
[27] Regard not the endeavors of those who act wickedly, but
the endeavors of those who have kept thy covenants amid afflictions.
[28] Think not on those who have lived wickedly in thy sight;
but remember those who have willingly acknowledged that thou art to be
feared.
[29] Let it not be thy will to destroy those who have had the
ways of cattle; but regard those who have gloriously taught thy law.
[30] Be not angry with those who are deemed worse than beasts;
but love those who have always put their trust in thy glory.
[31] For we and our fathers have passed our lives in ways that
bring death, but thou, because of us sinners, are called merciful.
[32] For if thou hast desired to have pity on us, who have no
works of righteousness, then thou wilt be called merciful.
[33] For the righteous, who have many works laid up with thee,
shall receive their reward in consequence of their own deeds.
[34] But what is man, that thou art angry with him; or what
is a corruptible race, that thou art so bitter against it?
[35] For in truth there is no one among those who have been
born who has not acted wickedly, and among those who have existed there
is no one who has not transgressed.
[36] For in this, O Lord, thy righteousness and goodness will
be declared, when thou art merciful to those who have no store of good
works."
[37] He answered me and said, "Some things you have spoken rightly,
and it will come to pass according to your words.
[38] For indeed I will not concern myself about the fashioning
of those who have sinned, or about their death, their judgment, or their
destruction;
[39] but I will rejoice over the creation of the righteous,
over their pilgrimage also, and their salvation, and their receiving their
reward.
[40] As I have spoken, therefore, so it shall be.
[41] "For just as the farmer sows many seeds upon the ground
and plants a multitude of seedlings, and yet not all that have been sown
will come up in due season, and not all that were planted will take root;
so also those who have been sown in the world will not all be saved."
[42] I answered and said, "If I have found favor before thee,
let me speak.
[43] For if the farmer's seed does not come up, because it has
not received thy rain in due season, or if it has been ruined by too much
rain, it perishes.
[44] But man, who has been formed by thy hands and is called
thy own image because he is made like thee, and for whose sake thou hast
formed all things -- hast thou also made him like the farmer's seed?
[45] No, O Lord who art over us! But spare thy people and have
mercy on thy inheritance, for thou hast mercy on thy own creation."
[46] He answered me and said, "Things that are present are for
those who live now, and things that are future are for those who will live
hereafter.
[47] For you come far short of being able to love my creation
more than I love it. But you have often compared yourself to the unrighteous.
Never do so!
[48] But even in this respect you will be praiseworthy before
the Most High,
[49] because you have humbled yourself, as is becoming for you,
and have not deemed yourself to be among the righteous in order to receive
the greatest glory.
[50] For many miseries will affect those who inhabit the world
in the last times, because they have walked in great pride.
[51] But think of your own case, and inquire concerning the
glory of those who are like yourself,
[52] because it is for you that paradise is opened, the tree
of life is planted, the age to come is prepared, plenty is provided, a
city is built, rest is appointed, goodness is established and wisdom perfected
beforehand.
[53] The root of evil is sealed up from you, illness is banished
from you, and death is hidden; hell has fled and corruption has been forgotten;
[54] sorrows have passed away, and in the end the treasure of
immortality is made manifest.
[55] Therefore do not ask any more questions about the multitude
of those who perish.
[56] For they also received freedom , but they despised the
Most High, and were contemptuous of his law, and forsook his ways.
[57] Moreover they have even trampled upon his righteous ones,
[58] and said in their hearts that there is not God -- though
knowing full well that they must die.
[59] For just as the things which I have predicted await you,
so the thirst and torment which are prepared await them. For the Most High
did not intend that men should be destroyed;
[60] but they themselves who were created have defiled the name
of him who made them, and have been ungrateful to him who prepared life
for them.
[61] Therefore my judgment is now drawing near;
[62] I have not shown this to all men, but only to you and a
few like you." Then I answered and said,
[63] "Behold, O Lord, thou hast now shown me a multitude of
the signs which thou wilt do in the last times, but thou hast not shown
me when thou wilt do them."
