th his angels, and shall drag Satan and his powers
into Gehenna. Then all the saints shall descend from heaven in
their heavenly clothing, and dwell in this world; while the saints
who had not died shall be similarly clothed, and after a time
leave their bodies here, that they may assume their station in
heaven. The general resurrection and judgment will follow, when
the ungodly will be devoured by fire."17 The author as Gesenius,
with almost all the rest of the critics, says was unquestionably a
Jewish Christian, and his principal design was to set forth the
speedy second coming of Christ, and the glorious triumph of the
saints that would follow with the condign punishment of the
wicked.

The first book of the SIBYLLINE ORACLES contains a statement that
in the golden age the souls of all men passed peacefully into the
under world, to tarry there until the judgment; a prediction of a
future Messiah; and an account of his death, resurrection, and
ascension. The second book begins with a description of the
horrors that will precede the last time, threats against the
persecuting tyrants, and promises to the faithful, especially to
the martyrs, and closes with an account of the general judgment,
when Elijah shall come from heaven, consuming flames break out,
all souls be summoned to the tribunal of God at whose right hand
Christ will sit, the bodies of the dead be raised, the righteous
be purified, and the wicked be plunged into final ruin.

The fundamental thought and aim of the apocryphal BOOK OF ENOCH
are the second coming of Christ to judge the world, the
encouragement of the Christians, and the warning

10 See the abstract of it given in section vi. of Stuart's
Commentary on the Apocalypse.

11 Cap. ii. 12 Cap. iv. 13 Cap. v., vii. 14 Cap. xiii., xvi.

15 Ascensio Isaia Vatis, a Ricardo Laurence, cap. ix., x., xi.

16 Ibid. cap. ii., iii.

17 Ibid. cap. iv. 13-18.

of their oppressors by declarations of approaching deliverance to
those and vengeance to these. This is transparent at frequent
intervals through the whole book.18 "Ye righteous, wait with
patient hope: your cries have cried for judgment, and it shall
come, and the gates of heaven shall be opened to you." "Woe to
you, powerful oppressors, false witnesses! for you shall suddenly
perish." "The voices of slain saints accusing their murderers, the
oppressors of their brethren, reach to heaven with interceding
cries for swift justice."19 When that j