In the sixth part (ch. xliv-xlvii) he calls together his first-born son. his friend Gadelii, and seven of the elders of the people, and tells them that he is going to his fathers, according to the ways of all the earth. He exhorts them not to depart from the law. and promises that they shall see ''the consolation of /ion." He dwells on the rewards and punishments of the future world, desires them to advise tie people, and assures them that, though he must die. "a wise man shall not he wanting to Israel, nor a son of the law to the race of Jacob." He then goes to Hebron, and lasts for seven days.
In the seventh part (ch. xlviii-lxxvi) he prays for compassion on this people, the people whom God has chosen, and who are unlike all others. He is told that the time of tribulation must arise, ami many of its cir- cumstances are recounted. lie deplores such sad con- sequences of the sin of Adam, and in answer to an in- quiry he is informed about the resurrection and its re- sults. At last he falls asleep and has a vision. As this vision (ch. liii) and its interpretation (ch. l\i lxxiv), though they bring us to no definite date throw an in- teresting light upon the uncertain methods in which history was parcelled out into periods, we may notice them at more length than would otherwise he neces- sary. A cloud ascended from the great sea. and it was full of white and black waters, and a similitude of light- ning appeared at iis extremity. It passed quickly on and covered the whole earth. Afterwards ii began to discharge its rain; Inn the waters which descended
from it were not all alike, for first there were very black
waters for a time, and afterwards the waters became bright, but of these there were not many. Black waters
succeeded and again gave place to bright, and so on for twelve times; but the black waters were always more than the bright. A I the end of I he cloud il rained black
wmi rs,and these were darker than all thai had been be- fore, anil lire w as mingled with l hem. and they brought corruption and ruin. Alter these things the lightning
which he had seen in the extremity ol the cloud lla-hed so that it ill ii mi i led the w hole earl h, and il healed those
regions where the last waters had descended. After this twelve rivers ascended from the sea and surrounded that lightning, and were made subject to ii. Ai this point Baruch awoke through fear. In answer to his prayer
REVELATIONS, SPURIOUS 1073 REVELATIONS, SPURIOUS
for the interpretation of the vision, the angel Ramiel was sent to satisfy his request. The cloud symbolized •• the length of the age." The first black waters were the sin of Adam, with its consequences, including the fall of the angels and the flood. The second — the bright waters — were Abraham and his descendants, and those who were like them. The third (black) waters were the mixture of all the sinners after the death of these just men, and the iniquity of the land of Egypt. The fourth (bright) waters were the advent of Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, Caleb, and all who were like them, in whose time "the lamp of the eternal law shone upon all who were sitting in darkness." The fifth (black) waters were the works of the Amorites, and the sins of the Is- raelites in the days of the judges. The sixth (bright) waters were the time of David and Solomon. The sev- enth (black) waters were the perversion of Jeroboam, and the sins of his successors, and the time of the cap- tivity of the nine and a half tribes. The eighth (bright) waters were the righteousness of Hezekiah. The ninth (black) waters were the universal impiety in the days of Manasseh. The tenth (bright) waters were the purity of the generations of Josiah. The eleventh (black) waters were the calamity which had just hap- pened to Zion. The rest of the interpretation is, of course, given in the future tense. " As lor the twelfth (bright) waters which thou hast seen, this is the world. For the time shall come after these things when thy people shall fall into calamity, so as to be in danger of all perishing together. But nevertheless they shall be saved, and their enemies shall fall before them. And they shall for some time have much joy. And in that time, after a little, Zion shall be again built, and its ob- lations shall be again established, and the priests shall return to their ministry, and the nations shall again come to glorify it, but nevertheless not fully, as in the beginning. But it shall come to pass after these things that there shall be the ruin of many nations. These are the bright waters which thou hast seen." The oth- er waters, which were blacker than all the rest, after the twelfth, belonged to the whole world, and they repre- sented times of trouble and conflict, which are described at some length ; and all who survived these should be delivered into the hands of the Messiah. These last black waters are, in the interpretation, succeeded sim- ply by bright waters, representing the blessedness of the Messianic time. Baruch, having heard the words of the angel, expressed his wonder at the goodness of God. He is informed that, though he must depart from the earth, he shall not die. But before his removal he must go and instruct the people.