Michael the archangel contending for the body of Moses. Another book of this class which had wide circulation and great influence in both Jewish and Christian circles is the Fourth Book of Esdras, or Esra, which is more familiar than the others, because it is found in the Apocrypha. Like Enoch, it is quoted by many of the early fathers as a work Of genuine inspiration, and it is of special interest to us because it is practically contemporary with the Apocalypse of St. John. It also is a record of many visions, and makes even more abundant use of the symbolism of beasts with many heads and eagles with many wings.

There are still several other Jewish works of this class which might be enumerated; but it is not necessary to do so here, nor yet to describe further the contents of this Apocalyptic literature. Our main purpose is to call attention to its exist ence, and to the great interest taken in it by many Jews of the first century, and now to indicate briefly the general character of these books in order that we may have an idea of what our Book of Revelation means by calling itself an Apocalypse.

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