3:2.7

Then I answered, “I know, Lord, that the Most High is now called merciful, in that he has mercy upon those who have not yet come into the world; and compassionate, in that he has compassion upon those who turn to his law; and patient, in that he is patient with those who have sinned, since they are his creatures; and bountiful, in that he is ready to give rather than to take away; and very merciful, in that he multiplies more and more mercies to those who are present, and who are past, and also to those who are to come— for if he wasn’t merciful, the world wouldn’t continue with those who dwell in it— and one who forgives, for if he didn’t forgive out of his goodness, that those who have committed iniquities might be relieved of them, not even one ten thousandth part of mankind would remain living; and a judge, for if he didn’t pardon those who were created by his word, and blot out the multitude of sins, there would perhaps be very few left of an innumerable multitude.”

He said to me, “You are not a judge above God, neither do you have more understanding than the Most High. Yes, let many perish who now live, rather than that the law of God which is set before them be despised. For God strictly commanded those who came, even as they came, what they should do to live, and what they should observe to avoid punishment. Nevertheless, they weren’t obedient to him, but spoke against him and imagined for themselves vain things. They made cunning plans of wickedness, and said moreover of the Most High that he doesn’t exist, and they didn’t know his ways. They despised his law and denied his covenants. They haven’t been faithful to his statutes, and haven’t performed his works. Therefore, Esdras, for the empty are empty things, and for the full are the full things. For behold, the time will come, and it will be, when these signs of which I told you before will come to pass, that the bride will appear, even the city coming forth, and she will be seen who now is withdrawn from the earth. Whoever is delivered from the foretold evils will see my wonders. For my son Jesus will be revealed with those who are with him, and those who remain will rejoice four hundred years. After these years my son Christ will die, along with all of those who have the breath of life. Then the world will be turned into the old silence seven days, like as in the first beginning, so that no human will remain. After seven days the world that is not yet awake will be raised up, and what is corruptible will die. The earth will restore those who are asleep in it, and the dust those who dwell in it in silence, and the secret places will deliver those souls that were committed to them. The Most High will be revealed on the judgment seat, and compassion will pass away, and patience will be withdrawn. Only judgment will remain. Truth will stand. Faith will grow strong. Recompense will follow. The reward will be shown. Good deeds will awake, and wicked deeds won’t sleep. The pit of torment will appear, and near it will be the place of rest. The furnace of hellwill be shown, and near it the paradise of delight. Then the Most High will say to the nations that are raised from the dead, ‘Look and understand whom you have denied, whom you haven’t served, whose commandments you have despised. Look on this side and on that. Here is delight and rest, and there fire and torments.’ Thus he will speak to them in the day of judgment. This is a day that has neither sun, nor moon, nor stars, neither cloud, nor thunder, nor lightning, neither wind, nor water, nor air, neither darkness, nor evening, nor morning, neither summer, nor spring, nor heat, nor winter, neither frost, nor cold, nor hail, nor rain, nor dew, neither noon, nor night, nor dawn, neither shining, nor brightness, nor light, except only the splendor of the glory of the Most High, by which all will see the things that are set before them. It will endure as though it were a week of years. This is my judgment and its prescribed order; but I have only shown these things to you.”

God presides in the great assembly. He judges among the gods.