Divine Judgment Amidst Chaos

The vision opens with a storm-tossed sea and four monstrous beasts rising from the depths.

It is a scene that echoes the ancient Babylonian world, where the chaos-ocean and its creatures

stood at the heart of creation myths. In the Enuma Elish, the four winds churn the waters of Tiamat,

and monstrous forms emerge as symbols of cosmic disorder. Into this chaos, a heavenly court

appears. Thrones are set, and an ancient figure takes his seat, surrounded by fire.

This imagery reflects the great Akkadian vision traditions—texts in which the divine assembly judges

kings, records destinies, and reveals the order behind history. Then comes the climax:

“one like a son of man,” descending with the clouds of heaven. This figure mirrors