On the second night, Ezra saw something rise from the sea. An eagle. Vast. Monstrous. It had twelve feathered wings and three heads, and when it spread those wings, they covered the entire earth.
All the winds of heaven blew upon it. Clouds gathered around it. Every living thing was subjected to it. No creature dared speak against it. This was empire — raw, absolute, unchallenged.
The eagle cried out to its wings: "Do not all watch at the same time. Let each sleep in its own place and watch in its turn. But let the heads be reserved for the last." One by one the wings rose on the right side and reigned. Each held power for a time, then vanished — some quickly, some after long rule. A voice told the second wing: "After you, no one shall rule as long as you, or even half as long." Twelve wings rose and fell. Eight smaller opposing wings appeared — minor kings with brief, chaotic reigns.
Then the three heads awoke.
The middle head was the largest. It allied the other two heads with itself, devoured the remaining small wings, and gained control of the whole earth with terrible oppression. It had greater power than all the wings before it. Then the middle head disappeared. The head on the right devoured the one on the left.
But then — a lion. Roaring out of the forest. Speaking with a human voice. And it addressed the eagle with the words of the Most High:
"Are you not the one that remains of the four beasts I made to reign in my world? You, the fourth, have conquered all who came before. You have held sway over the world with terror, over all the earth with grievous oppression. You have judged the earth, but not with truth. You have afflicted the meek and injured the peaceable. You have hated those who tell the truth and loved liars. You have destroyed the dwellings of those who brought forth fruit and laid low the walls of those who did you no harm."
The verdict: "You will surely disappear, you eagle — your terrifying wings, your evil little wings, your malicious heads, your evil talons, your whole worthless body. So that the whole earth, freed from your violence, may be refreshed and relieved, and may hope for the judgment and mercy of Him who made it."
The remaining head disappeared. The last two wings attempted to reign, but their rule was brief and full of tumult. Then the whole body of the eagle was burned. The earth was terrified. And Ezra awoke in great fear.
The angel explained everything. The eagle was the fourth kingdom — the same one shown to the prophet Daniel (Daniel 7:7), but now revealed with greater detail. Twelve kings would reign in succession, the second holding power longer than any other. The three heads were three kings who would arise in the empire's last days, renewing many things but ruling more oppressively than all before them. The large middle head would die in his bed, but in agonies. The other two would fall by the sword — each devouring the other.
And the lion? "This is the Messiah whom the Most High has kept until the end of days, who will arise from the posterity of David." He would denounce the empires for their ungodliness, cast their contemptuous dealings before them, set them living before his judgment seat, reprove them — and then destroy them. But the remnant of God's people, those saved within His borders, he would deliver in mercy and make joyful until the day of judgment.
"You alone were worthy to learn this secret," the angel said. "Write all these things in a book and put it in a hidden place. Teach them to the wise among your people, whose hearts can comprehend and keep these secrets."
When the people came to find Ezra, distressed that he had abandoned them, he comforted them: "Take courage, O Israel. The Most High has you in remembrance, and the Mighty One has not forgotten you in your struggle. I have come to this place to pray on account of the desolation of Zion, and to seek mercy on account of the humiliation of our sanctuary."
[1] On the second night I had a dream, and behold, there came up
from the sea an eagle that had twelve feathered wings and three heads.
[2] And I looked, and behold, he spread his wings over all the
earth, and all the winds of heaven blew upon him, and the clouds were gathered
about him.
[3] And I looked, and out of his wings there grew opposing wings;
but they became little, puny wings.
[4] But his heads were at rest; the middle head was larger than
the other heads, but it also was at rest with them.
[5] And I looked, and behold, the eagle flew with his wings,
to reign over the earth and over those who dwell in it.
[6] And I saw how all things under heaven were subjected to
him, and no one spoke against him, not even one creature that was on the
earth.
[7] And I looked, and behold, the eagle rose upon his talons,
and uttered a cry to his wings, saying,
[8] "Do not all watch at the same time; let each sleep in his
own place, and watch in his turn;
[9] but let the heads be reserved for the last."
[10] And I looked, and behold, the voice did not come from his
heads, but from the midst of his body.
[11] And I counted his opposing wings, and behold, there were
eight of them.
[12] And I looked, and behold, on the right side one wing arose,
and it reigned over all the earth.
[13] And while it was reigning it came to its end and disappeared,
so that its place was not seen. Then the next wing arose and reigned, and
it continued to reign a long time.
[14] And while it was reigning its end came also, so that it
disappeared like the first.
[15] And behold, a voice sounded, saying to it.
[16] "Hear me, you who have ruled the earth all this time; I
announce this to you before you disappear.
[17] After you no one shall rule as long as you, or even half
as long."
[18] Then the third wing raised itself up, and held the rule
like the former ones, and it also disappeared.
[19] And so it went with all the wings; they wielded power one
after another and then were never seen again.
[20] And I looked, and behold, in due course the wings that
followed also rose up on the right side, in order to rule. There were some
of them that ruled, yet disappeared suddenly;
[21] and others of them rose up, but did not hold the rule.
[22] And after this I looked, and behold, the twelve wings and
the two little wings disappeared;
[23] and nothing remained on the eagle's body except the three
heads that were at rest and six little wings.
[24] And I looked, and behold, two little wings separated from
the six and remained under the head that was on the right side; but four
remained in their place.
[25] And I looked, and behold, these little wings planned to
set themselves up and hold the rule.
[26] And I looked, and behold, one was set up, but suddenly
disappeared;
[27] a second also, and this disappeared more quickly than the
first.
[28] And I looked, and behold, the two that remained were planning
between themselves to reign together;
[29] and while they were planning, behold, one of the heads
that were at rest (the one which was in the middle) awoke; for it was greater
than the other two heads.
[30] And I saw how it allied the two heads with itself,
[31] and behold, the head turned with those that were with it,
and it devoured the two little wings which were planning to reign.
[32] Moreover this head gained control of the whole earth, and
with much oppression dominated its inhabitants; and it had greater power
over the world than all the wings that had gone before.
[33] And after this I looked, and behold, the middle head also
suddenly disappeared, just as the wings had done.
[34] But the two heads remained, which also ruled over the earth
and its inhabitants.
[35] And I looked, and behold, the head on the right side devoured
the one on the left.
[36] Then I heard a voice saying to me, "Look before you and
consider what you see."
[37] And I looked, and behold, a creature like a lion was aroused
out of the forest, roaring; and I heard how he uttered a man's voice to
the eagle, and spoke, saying,
[38] "Listen and I will speak to you. The Most High says to
you,
[39] `Are you not the one that remains of the four beasts which
I had made to reign in my world, so that the end of my times might come
through them?
[40] You, the fourth that has come, have conquered all the beasts
that have gone before; and you have held sway over the world with much
terror, and over all the earth with grievous oppression; and for so long
you have dwelt on the earth with deceit.
[41] And you have judged the earth, but not with truth;
[42] for you have afflicted the meek and injured the peaceable;
you have hated those who tell the truth, and have loved liars; you have
destroyed the dwellings of those who brought forth fruit, and have laid
low the walls of those who did you no harm.
[43] And so your insolence has come up before the Most High,
and your pride to the Mighty One.
[44] And the Most High has looked upon his times, and behold,
they are ended, and his ages are completed!
[45] Therefore you will surely disappear, you eagle, and your
terrifying wings, and your most evil little wings, and your malicious heads,
and your most evil talons, and your whole worthless body,
[46] so that the whole earth, freed from your violence, may
be refreshed and relieved, and may hope for the judgment and mercy of him
who made it.'"
[1] While the lion was saying these words to the eagle, I looked,
[2] and behold, the remaining head disappeared. And the two
wings that had gone over to it arose and set themselves up to reign, and
their reign was brief and full of tumult.
[3] And I looked, and behold, they also disappeared, and the
whole body of the eagle was burned, and the earth was exceedingly terrified.
Then I awoke in great perplexity of mind and great fear, and I said to
my spirit,
[4] "Behold, you have brought this upon me, because you search
out the ways of the Most High.
[5] Behold, I am still weary in mind and very weak in my spirit,
and not even a little strength is left in me, because of the great fear
with which I have been terrified this night.
[6] Therefore I will now beseech the Most High that he may strengthen
me to the end."
[7] And I said, "O sovereign Lord, if I have found favor in
thy sight, and if I have been accounted righteous before thee beyond many
others, and if my prayer has indeed come up before thy face,
[8] strengthen me and show me, thy servant, the interpretation
and meaning of this terrifying vision, that thou mayest fully comfort my
soul.
[9] For thou hast judged me worthy to be shown the end of the
times and the last events of the times."
[10] He said to me, "This is the interpretation of this vision
which you have seen:
[11] The eagle which you saw coming up from the sea is the fourth
kingdom which appeared in a vision to your brother Daniel.
[12] But it was not explained to him as I now explain or have
explained it to you.
[13] Behold, the days are coming when a kingdom shall arise
on earth, and it shall be more terrifying than all the kingdoms that have
been before it.
[14] And twelve kings shall reign in it, one after another.
[15] But the second that is to reign shall hold sway for a longer
time than any other of the twelve.
[16] This is the interpretation of the twelve wings which you
saw.
[17] As for your hearing a voice that spoke, coming not from
the eagle's heads but from the midst of his body, this is the interpretation:
[18] In the midst of the time of that kingdom great struggles
shall arise, and it shall be in danger of falling; nevertheless it shall
not fall then, but shall regain its former power.
[19] As for your seeing eight little wings clinging to his wings,
this is the interpretation:
[20] Eight kings shall arise in it, whose times shall be short
and their years swift;
[21] and two of them shall perish when the middle of its time
draws near; and four shall be kept for the time when its end approaches;
but two shall be kept until the end.
[22] As for your seeing three heads at rest, this is the interpretation:
[23] In its last days the Most High will raise up three kings,
and they shall renew many things in it, and shall rule the earth
[24] and its inhabitants more oppressively than all who were
before them; therefore they are called the heads of the eagle.
[25] For it is they who shall sum up his wickedness and perform
his last actions.
[26] As for your seeing that the large head disappeared, one
of the kings shall die in his bed, but in agonies.
[27] But as for the two who remained, the sword shall devour
them.
[28] For the sword of one shall devour him who was with him;
but he also shall fall by the sword in the last days.
[29] As for your seeing two little wings passing over to the
head which was on the right side,
[30] this is the interpretation: It is these whom the Most High
has kept for the eagle's end; this was the reign which was brief and full
of tumult, as you have seen.
[31] "And as for the lion whom you saw rousing up out of the
forest and roaring and speaking to the eagle and reproving him for his
unrighteousness, and as for all his words that you have heard,
[32] this is the Messiah whom the Most High has kept until the
end of days, who will arise from the posterity of David, and will come
and speak to them; he will denounce them for their ungodliness and for
their wickedness, and will cast up before them their contemptuous dealings.
[33] For first he will set them living before his judgment seat,
and when he has reproved them, then he will destroy them.
[34] But he will deliver in mercy the remnant of my people,
those who have been saved throughout my borders, and he will make them
joyful until the end comes, the day of judgment, of which I spoke to you
at the beginning.
[35] This is the dream that you saw, and this is its interpretation.
[36] And you alone were worthy to learn this secret of the Most
High.
[37] Therefore write all these things that you have seen in
a book, and put it in a hidden place;
[38] and you shall teach them to the wise among your people,
whose hearts you know are able to comprehend and keep these secrets.
[39] But wait here seven days more, so that you may be shown
whatever it pleases the Most High to show you." Then he left me.
[40] When all the people heard that the seven days were past
and I had not returned to the city, they all gathered together, from the
least to the greatest, and came to me and spoke to me, saying,
[41] "How have we offended you, and what harm have we done you,
that you have forsaken us and sit in this place?
[42] For of all the prophets you alone are left to us, like
a cluster of grapes from the vintage, and like a lamp in a dark place,
and like a haven for a ship saved from a storm.
[43] Are not the evils which have befallen us sufficient?
[44] Therefore if you forsake us, how much better it would have
been for us if we also had been consumed in the burning of Zion!
[45] For we are no better than those who died there." And they
wept with a loud voice. Then I answered them and said,
[46] "Take courage, O Israel; and do not be sorrowful, O house
of Jacob;
[47] for the Most High has you in remembrance, and the Mighty
One has not forgotten you in your struggle.
[48] As for me, I have neither forsaken you nor withdrawn from
you; but I have come to this place to pray on account of the desolation
of Zion, and to seek mercy on account of the humiliation of our sanctuary.
[49] Now go, every one of you to his house, and after these
days I will come to you."
[50] So the people went into the city, as I told them to do.
[51] But I sat in the field seven days, as the angel had commanded
me; and I ate only of the flowers of the field, and my food was of plants
during those days.
