Opening the library…

Search the Bible

The Testament of Levi Concerning the Priesthood and Arrogance

Unknown

Section 3

About this work

Author: Unknown

3. Hear, then, concerning the seven

‹ Section 2 Section 4 ›

heavens

.

The

lowest

is

for

this

cause

more

gloomy

,

in

that

it

is

near

all

the

iniquities

of

men

.

The

second

hath

fire

,

snow

,

ice

,

ready

for

the

day

of

the

ordinance

of

the

Lord

,

in

the

righteous

judgment

of

God

:

in

it

are

all

the

spirits

of

the

retributions

for

vengeance

on

the

wicked

.

In

the

third

are

the

hosts

of

the

armies

which

are

ordained

for

the

day

of

judgment

,

to

work

vengeance

on

the

spirits

of

deceit

and

of

Beliar

.

And

the

heavens

up

to

the

fourth

above

these

are

holy

,

for

in

the

highest

of

all

dwelleth

the

Great

Glory

,

in

the

holy

of

holies

,

far

above

all

holiness

.

In

the

heaven

it

are

the

angels

of

the

presence

of

the

Lord

,

who

minister

and

make

propitiation

to

the

Lord

for

all

the

ignorances

of

the

righteous

;

and

they

offer

to

the

Lord

a

reasonable

sweet

-

smelling

savour

,

and

a

bloodless

offering

.

And

in

the

heaven

below

this

are

the

angels

who

bear

the

answers

to

the

angels

of

the

presence

of

the

Lord

.

And

in

the

heaven

this

are

thrones

,

dominions

,

in

which

hymns

are

ever

offered

to

God

.

Therefore

,

whenever

the

Lord

looketh

upon

us

,

all

of

us

are

shaken

;

yea

,

the

heavens

,

and

the

earth

,

and

the

abysses

,

are

shaken

at

the

presence

of

His

majesty

;

but

the

sons

of

men

,

regarding

not

these

things

,

sin

,

and

provoke

the

Most

High

.

Notes

4
For the Jewish idea of seven heavens, cf. Clement of Alexandra, Strom., iv. 7; and Wetstein’s note on 2 Cor. xii. 2; [also vol. vii. note 11, this series; and vol. ii. note 7, p. 438, this series].