This is the least structured of the oracles and is probably a collection of various sources. The work is Christian and probably is not based on any Jewish material. As such, the Seventh Oracle represents the other end of the tangent begun in the earlier Jewish oracles. Christians placed prophecies in the mouth of a pagan oracle in order to give a universal validity to the claims of Christianity.
This oracle seems not only Christian, but in some ways Gnostic. Collins lists five allusions to Gnostic ideas but concludes that the presence of these elements do not make the book Gnostic. In the same way earlier oracles drew on pagan mythology, so to this Christian oracle is drawing on Gnosticism (OTP 1:409).
- Several European cites will be destroyed, Rhodes will be the first (1-6). The flood is briefly described (7-15). This section is fragmentary, but makes Phrygia the location of Ararat as in 1 Enoch. A general oracle against the nations, although the focus is on Egypt (16-28).
- A brief, fragmented description of a messiah figure (29-39). It is hard to get the sense of this prophecy since much is missing. God entrusts his throne to someone from the house of David. The angels sleep under his feet (33). He is a “young shoot putting forth eyes from the root.” (38)
- Various nations and cities are condemned (40-63). Colophon and Corinth are mentioned specifically as destroyed by the Roman Ares.
- Christ’s baptism is described with a special emphasis on the people not recognizing him as their God when he came up from the water (64-75).
- Sacrifice will be replaced by prayer, alms giving, and care for the poor (76-91).
- Lines 91a-95 are a fragment which may continue the theme from the previous section, but there is not enough there to see this clearly.
- Various nations and cities are condemned (96-116), including Sardina, Mygdonia, Macedonia and Rome, Thebes.
- A “woe” against the “evil spirit sea,” which will be devoured by fire in the chaotic end of the world (118-131).
- Those who falsely claim to be Hebrews and make money from prophecy will be destroyed (132-138).
After the third “circling of years” when the first Ogdoad is seen, he will begat a “pure mind of men” and no one will plow a crooked row anymore (139-149). Ogdoad can refer to eight frog/snake gods worshiped at Hermopolis, Egypt, although this does not fit the context well. Ogdoad is also a Gnostic concept relating to the aeons (Edwin Yamauchi, “The Gnostics and History” JETS 14 (1971): 29-40, 31). The word is used to describe a place in the Hermetic Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth: “The Eighth or Ogdoad is described as the place or sphere where souls and angels continuously praise the Ninth with hymns; the Ninth or Ennead is the dwelling place of Nous or Divine Mind” (Ruth Majerick, “Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth” in ABD 2:210-211). It is possible this reference refers to Jesus in some kind of numeric wordplay, since the name Jesus Christ is often rendered 888. Finally, all people in this restored world will “eat dewy manna with white teeth” (148-149, cf. Revelation 2:17).
The oracle concludes with a confession of faith from the Sibyl herself. This is part of the sibylline formula: the pagan prophetess confesses faith in God and claims her oracles are true.