neration.

But the above periods came and passed by, and again the expectations of
the Jews were disappointed. Presently the Greek empire of the East was
overthrown by Rome, and in due course this new phenomenon, so full of
meaning for the Jews, called forth a new interpretation of Daniel. The
fourth and last empire which, according to Daniel vii. 10-25, was to be
Greek, was now declared to be Roman by the Apocalypse of Baruch
(xxxvi.-xl.) and 4 Ezra (x. 60-xii. 35). Once more such ideas as those
of "the day of Yahweh" and the "new heavens and a new earth" were
constantly re-edited with fresh nuances in conformity with their new
settings. Thus the inner development of Jewish apocalyptic was always
conditioned by the historical experiences of the nation.

(b) Another source of apocalyptic was _primitive mythological and
cosmological traditions_, in which the eye of the seer could see the
secrets of the future no less surely than those of the past. Thus the
six days of the world's creation, followed by a seventh of rest, were
regarded as at once a history of the past and a forecasting of the
future. As the world was made in six days its history would be
accomplished in six thousand years, since each day with God was as a
thousand years and a thousand years as one day; and as the six days of
creation were followed by one of rest, so the six thousand years of the
world's history would be followed by a rest of a thousand years (2 Enoch
xxxii. 2-xxxiii. 2). Of primitive mythological traditions we might
mention the primeval serpent, leviathan, behemoth, while to ideas native
to or familiar in apocalyptic belong those of the seven archangels, the
angelic patrons of the nations (Deut. xxxii. 8, in LXX.; Isaiah xxiv.
21; Dan. x. 13, 20, &c.), the mountain of God in the north (Isaiah xiv.
13; Ezek. i. 4, &c.), the garden of Eden.

ii. _Object and Contents of Apocalyptic._--The object of this literature
in general was to solve the difficulties connected with the
righteousness of God and the suffering condition of His righteous
servants on earth. The righteousness of God postulated according to the
law the temporal prosperity of the righteous and the _temporal_
prosperity of necessity; for as yet there was no promise of life or
recompense beyond the grave. But this connexion was not found to obtain
as a rule in life, and the difficulties arising from this conflict
between promise and experience centred round the lot of the righteo