Creation - Nature and Hope in 4 Ezra

This study calls into question the persistent assumption that apocalypticism and the ‘apocalyptic eschatology’ of the historical apocalypses in particular necessarily entails a profound dualism. Moo provides a fresh reading of 4 Ezra that takes seriously the book’s unity and coherence.

This exegetical study of creation and nature in 4 Ezra argues that this first-century Jewish apocalypse’s profound pessimism concerning humankind and the present age is matched by a surprisingly robust belief in the goodness of the created order. 4 Ezra presents the natural world as standing with God over and against corrupt humankind, envisions substantial elements of continuity between the ages and hints that those parts of the earth that remain unsullied by humankind still witness to God’s sovereignty, love and justice and even serve as material pointers to the new creation. This study provides a fresh reading of 4 Ezra that takes seriously the book’s unity and coherence. Its conclusions suggest that it may be best to abandon the label ‘apocalyptic eschatology’ given its potential mask the interesting complexities and mix of continuity and discontinuity that attend the portrayal of creation, nature and hope in an apocalypse like 4 Ezra.