Salvation through Born Again
164
- O great tree, to you it is spoken:
you being a tree, will be cut off
and you will be perished by one,
and your stem will be left on the
earth. The kingdom and majesty
has departed from you. The
trees will drive you from them,
61 you will go to woods, live
among the beasts and eat grass
like oxen;
62 and seven times shall pass
over you, until you know that the
Most High rules in the kingdom
of men, and gives it to whomever
He chooses.
63 All the trees in the garden
have driven that tree. Then the
tree ate grass like oxen. Its body
was wet with the dew of heaven
till its leaves had grown like
eagles’ feathers and its nails like
birds’ claws.
64 When this happened to the
tree, after seven times mind of
beast lost and its understanding
had returned to it. Then the
splendor and honor returned it
by its Master, it became the ruler
of the garden for many more
years and it passed a decree to
the whole garden.
65-68 The decree is - O trees
of our Master’s garden (i.e. the
The Salvation is the Gift of God
inhabitants of the end of the
world), I, the great tree, am tell-
ing you that - I lifted my eyes to
heaven, and my understanding
returned to me; and I blessed
the Most High and praised and
honored Him who lives forever:
For His dominion is an everla-
sting dominion, And His king-
dom is from generation to gener-
ation. All the inhabitants of the
earth are reputed as nothing; He
does according to His will in the
army of heaven and among the
inhabitants of the earth. No one
can restrain His hand or say to
Him, “What have you done?” At
the same time my reason
returned to me, and for the glory
of my kingdom, my honor and
splendor returned to me. My
counselors and nobles resorted
to me, I was restored to my kin-
gdom, and excellent majesty
was added to me. Now I, Neb-
uchadnezzar, praise, extol, and
honor the King of heaven, all of
whose works are truth, and His
ways justice. And those who
walk in pride He is able to put
down. Thus it made a decree
stating that the living God of the
prophet is the only God and
Salvation through Born Again
determined the idols which are
made of wood, rock, and metal
are not God and praised the real
God and fell asleep in his time
69 II After that, a seed from the
ripe fruit became a plant, grew
and exalted above its Master,
strike off its father’s decree, wor-
shipping idols made of wood,
rock and metal, taking wine in
pride. When all the trees of the
garden pleaded with their Master,
the Master heard their pleading,
70 cut off the tree as He preac-
hed before prophets with His tree
sun, and appointed the sun tree
as the king over the garden.
71 That sun tree learned its
Master, extending oil to Him, pr-
aised and glorified Him; said like
this - the Lord of heaven (Master)
handed over all the trees on the
earth to me, and commanded me
to build a temple for Him. Ther-
efore, he said that I would also
give my oil and timber, and
72 made a decree to the whole
garden i.e. the end of the world,
gave freedom to all nations, rea-
lized that his Master is the living
God and offered Him oil, timber
and fruits and then entered into
His glory.
165
The Salvation is the Gift of God
73 II Later, one of the branches
made itself as the king over all
trees in the garden, and then it
also took pride over its Master
74 He brought the Greek tree
fr- om far land to cut it off and
appointed it as the kingly tree
over the trees of the garden.
75 It has knowledge, swift in
horns, made the wind pass
throughout the garden by his
branches, and subdued all the
trees of the garden, exalted itself
as God over its Master.
76 When the Master sent a
mosquito to bite the bark, it had
released four small plants in its
youth and died.
77 II As the prophet revealed
earlier, one blade plant among
them became great in power
and authority, grew as thorns,
troubled all the plants in the
garden with its strong thorns and
made them cry. When all the
trees made supplication to their
Master,
78 the Master who heard their
cries, sent His Rose of Sharon
tree into the garden to uproot
the thorns and briers. The Rose
of Sharon fought with the thorns
and briers, died in the attempt,