Bible Text &  Space Technology - H

Keywords: UFO, unidentified flying objects, Bible, flying saucers, prophecy, Paleo-SETI, ancient astronauts, Erich von Däniken, Josef F. Blumrich, Zecharia Sitchin, Ezekiel, biblical prophecy, spacecraft, spaceship, NASA, Roswell, aircraft, propellant, extraterrestrial hypothesis, Jacques Vallee, interdimensional hypothesis, Project Blue Book, Condon Report, ancient history, Jesus, Judaism, Christianity, Middle East, end times, engines, rockets, helicopters, space travel, aliens, abductions, alien abductions, crop circles, extraterrestrials, astronomy, economics, biology, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Space Shuttle, Apollo, stars, planets, solar system, scriptures, design, fuel tank, aerodynamics, fuels, hydrogen, oxygen, wheels

Chapter 5

The second encounter

    Verse 22: The time of this encounter cannot be determined exactly. From the date of the third encounter it follows that a period somewhat longer than a year elapsed between it and the first encounter. The timing of the second encounter is thereby established at least to a certain degree. The introduction to the events occurs again in the manner already familiar to us by the mention of the "hand of the Lord."  [p.74] 

    Verse 23: Ezekiel follows the order to go to the plain; there he sees a phenomenon which he describes as "the glory which I had seen by the river Chebar." As he did then, now too he falls on his face. This indicates that he saw the landed spaceship again and also recognized it. He does not devote a single word to its description, however.

    Verse 24: As in the first encounter, he feels restored and strengthened. The nontechnicai contents of this encounter end abruptly with Chapter 7 without any indication of how it was terminated. It is interesting to note that here again Ezekiel refers to the commander without any reverence—just: ". . . he spoke with me . . ."

    Verse 1: A little more than a year has gone by since Ezekiel's first encounter with the spacecraft and its commander; an undetermined period of probably several months separates him from the second encounter. The announcement of the event is again expressed by the characteristic phrase: ". . . the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me."

    Verses 2 and 3: These Verses are evidently a remainder of an originally longer passage. They do contain a description of the commander in terms very similar to Chapter 1, Verse 27, and also mention the mechanical arm as "the form of a hand." However, because of passages missing in the texts before and after Verse 2 as well as in Verse 3, the statement is merely a fragment. This mutilated text is not understandable without knowledge of earlier descriptions and technical reconstructions, and can even be misleading. Ezekiel flies "between earth and heaven" to Jerusalem and is not moved to a state of excitement by either the encounter or the flight. In that regard the contrast with the first encounter is almost unbelievable and it indicates that Ezekiel's exceptional intellect has correctly judged and digested the situation. He is put on the ground in the vicinity of the northern gate of the temple.

    Verse 4: From the preceding mutilated Verses the conclusion could be drawn that Ezekiel was flying with the capsule alone and not with the whole spacecraft. However, once back on the ground, he confirms the presence of the whole vehicle: ". . . like the vision that I saw in the plain." It is noteworthy that he confirms this identity only with respect to the spaceship but not to the commander.

    Verse 1: After the introduction just discussed the action now assumes very dramatic forms. The commander who remains in the capsule together with Ezekiel apparently uses a loudspeaker which strikes the ears of the prophet "with a loud voice." The statement: "Draw near you executioners of the city" has had different translations:

    As this survey shows, there may be two interpretations of the fundamental meaning of the passage: the meaning of a statement of fact (. . . are drawing near) and that of a command (come. . .). Moreover, there is a difference in the characterization of those addressed. It is not clear whether executioners are meant or people who have charge over the city. The unraveling of this knot begins with Reference 6. We learn there, on page 41, that the Hebrew text lends itself to all these interpretations. Moreover, we realize from the progress of the action that this passage is indeed a command. Finally, with respect to the administrative status of the persons called upon, the version in Reference 6—where they are described as having charge over the city—would appear to be the most fitting. The scope and the meaning of that "charge" remain of course undefined, yet the assumption is permitted that the city was placed under the persons called upon for some unknown task. Status and task of these men are not relevant to our technical study. However, we shall revert to these points in Section 8 in another context.

    The second part of the command demands that everyone bring with him "his destroying weapon." It is of interest to explore this passage also in more depth. The following table lists the various expressions employed in the texts I have been using:

    The characteristic feature of this comparison is the evident ambiguity of the expression used in the original. This impression is further strengthened by the fact that the same implement receives different designations in two consecutive verses.

    Now Ezekiel certainly well knew the weapons used in his time. Even if the appropriate term could be misunderstood by him in the commander's order, he should have recognized the weapons they carried when the persons summoned made their appearance—if those had indeed been weapons in use at his time and in his environment! The use of a vague expression makes it clear, however, that the objects he saw were unknown to him. This becomes understandable in view of the ensuing events.

    Verse 2: The immediate arrival of the men is possible only if they had been waiting for the summons on the other side of the gate. This points to a prior arrangement between the commander and the ground crew. We therefore can assume that radio communication existed between them. Such possibilities are a matter of course even to us and have been so for many years. Their presence in this context is therefore in no way peculiar.

    The fact that is peculiar and exciting is that Ezekiel—despite his extraordinary talent for observation—finds nothing unusual about these men except the "destroying weapon." Not even the man in their midst impresses him with anything other than that he was "clothed in linen." If we add to this the fact that the commander too is always described simply as "man," it follows that all those related to the spaceship looked like humans. This very important observation will be treated in depth in Section 8.

    The man in clothes of linen deserves closer scrutiny because of the functions he performs later. If we take the description literally, such clothes mean a high rank (Reference 6, p. 47). This is confirmed insofar as he walks in the middle of the approaching group (Reference 5). And indeed, as events develop, this man assumes a special position; the activity incident upon it makes it clear, however, that his clothes are in fact a suit protective at least against heat. Accordingly, its outer layer could have been made of asbestos, which would explain its linenlike appearance.

    In contrast to the other men he does not carry an undefined "tool," but he has a "writing case at his side." Instead of "writing case" some translations contain the word "inkhorn," but the basic meanings are identical. I do not know whether high officials really used to carry a writing implement. The situation suggests that the man wearing the protective suit was carrying a device of his time, that is of a time of advanced space travel. It is therefore logical to suspect rather that the so-called writing implement was really a communication device or an instrument for radiation detection. A determination of such a likelihood lies outside my professional competence, but I hope that this question will be clarified by a cooperative research conducted by experts in cultural history and engineers specializing in telecommunications and radiation detection.

    This whole somewhat mysterious group now proceeds to the "bronze" altar and takes position beside it.  [p.79]