来自斯威登堡的著作

 

真实的基督教#1

学习本章节

  
/853  
  

1. 前言:新天國與新教會的信仰

首先, 將本書中所講述的真實的基督徒信仰, 也就是新天國和新教會的信仰, 分別以總體和具體的形式概要地說明。作為接下來全書的引言, 或作為進入聖殿的大門, 又或作為詳細內容的概要。此信仰被稱為新天國和新教會的信仰, 因為天人(angel)組成的天國和世人組成的教會, 如同一個人的靈魂與肉體, 內外一致,行動如一。因此, 若教會之人活在良善與真理之中, 對於思想內在而言, 他就是天國的一名天人。在肉身死後, 他便進入天國, 照著良善與真理在他裡面聯合的狀態在那裡安享極樂。當知道, 在主現在正建立的新天國中, 這樣的信仰是新天國的引言,入門和概要。

  
/853  
  

Thanks to our friends at swedenborgwork.com for their permission to use this translation on the New Christian Bible Study site. ( 衷心感谢”史威登堡著作中文网”许可我们使用该中文译文)

圣经文本

 

但以理书第6章

学习

   

1 大利乌随心所愿,立一百二十个总督,治理通国。

2 又在他们以上立总长人(但以理在其中),使总督在他们人面前回覆事务,免得王受亏损。

3 因这但以理有美好的灵性,所以显然超乎其馀的总长和总督,王又想立他治理通国。

4 那时,总长和总督寻找但以理误国的把柄,为要参他;只是找不着他的错误过失,因他忠心办事,毫无错误过失。

5 那些人便:我们要找参这但以理的把柄,除非在他神的律法中就寻不着。

6 於是,总长和总督纷纷聚集来见王,:愿大利乌王万岁!

7 国中的总长、钦差、总督、谋士,和巡抚彼此商议,要立一条坚定的禁令(或译:求王下旨要立一条……),三十日内,不拘何人,若在王以外,或向神或向人求甚麽,就必扔在狮子坑中。

8 王啊,现在求你立这禁令,加盖玉玺,使禁令决不更改;照玛代和波斯人的例是不可更改的。

9 於是大利乌王立这禁令,加盖玉玺。

10 但以理知道这禁令盖了玉玺,就到自己家里(他楼上的窗户开向耶路撒冷),一日三次,双膝跪在他神面前,祷告感谢,与素常一样。

11 那些人就纷纷聚集,见但以理在他神面前祈祷恳求。

12 他们便进到王前,提王的禁令,:王啊,三十日内不拘何人,若在王以外,或向神或向人求甚麽,必被扔在狮子坑中。王不是在这禁令上盖了玉玺麽?王回答:实有这事,照玛代和波斯人的例是不可更改的。

13 他们对王:王啊,那被掳之犹大人中的但以理不理你,也不遵你盖了玉玺的禁令,他竟一日三次祈祷。

14 见这话,就甚愁烦,一心要救但以理,筹划解救他,直到日落的时候。

15 那些人就纷纷聚集来见王,:王啊,当知道玛代人和波斯人有例,凡王所立的禁令和律例都不可更改。

16 王下令,人就把但以理带来,扔在狮子坑中。王对但以理:你所常事奉的神,他必救你。

17 有人搬石头放在坑口,王用自己的玺和大臣的印,封闭那坑,使惩办但以理的事毫无更改。

18 王回宫,终夜禁食,无人拿乐器到他面前,并且睡不着觉。

19 次日黎明,王就起来,急忙往狮子坑那里去。

20 临近坑边,哀声呼叫但以理,对但以理:永生神的仆人但以理啊,你所常事奉的神能救你脱离狮子麽?

21 但以理对王:愿王万岁!

22 我的神差遣使者,封住狮子的口,叫狮子不伤我;因我在神面前无辜,我在王面前也没有行过亏损的事。

23 王就甚喜乐,吩咐人将但以理从坑里系上来。於是但以理从坑里被系上来,身上毫无伤损,因为信靠他的神。

24 王下令,人就把那些控告但以理的人,连他们的妻子儿女都带来,扔在狮子坑中。他们还没有到坑底,狮子就抓住(原文是胜了)他们,咬碎他们的骨头。

25 那时,大利乌王传旨,晓谕住在全地各方、各国、各族的人说:愿你们大享平安!

26 现在我降旨晓谕我所统辖的全国人民,要在但以理的神面前,战兢恐惧。因为他是永远长存的活神,他的国永不败坏;他的权柄永存无极!

27 他护庇人,搭人,在天上地下施行神迹奇事,了但以理脱离狮子的口。

28 如此,这但以理,当大利乌王在位的时候和波斯王古列在位的时候,大享亨通。

   

来自斯威登堡的著作

 

Scriptural Confirmations#37

  
/101  
  

37. 9. From the Old Testament

God hath revealed what shall come to pass in the latter days (Daniel 2:28).

(The consummation of the church from its first foundation to its end is described by the image seen by Nebuchadnezzar, in like manner as the four ages by the ancients; the first, which was before the flood, by gold; the second, after the flood, by silver; the third, which was the Israelitish up to that time, by brass; and the fourth, which was the Christian, by iron mixed with clay (Daniel 2:32-33).

By "gold" is signified celestial good; by "silver" spiritual truth; by "brass" natural good; by "iron" natural truth; and by "iron mixed with clay" truth falsified, because it does not cleave together; by the seed of man the truth of the Word, which is also said of the feet of iron (Daniel 2:34-43).)

(A stone which was not [made] by hands, which smote and ground up the image, and which became a great rock, signifies the Lord, who in the Word is meant by "a stone" and by "the rock" which filled all the earth, whose kingdom shall stand for ages of ages (Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45).)

The fourth, seen in the furnace of fire, is said to be like the Son of man. It is not said man, because the Son of man signifies the Lord as to the Word; and this is also called an angel, whom God sent (Daniel 3:25, 28).

The "Son of man" when said of another, and a "prophet," signify Him as the truth of the church from the Word.

The consummation is also described by the tree growing to the end of the earth seen by Nebuchadnezzar, in a dream; and the coming of the Lord, by the Watcher and the Holy One who descended and commanded to hew down the tree utterly; and that they left the stump of the roots in the earth in a band of iron and of brass, signifies the Word by which the church revived; this also happened in the time of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:10-13, 17-31). The consummation of the whole, or the destruction of all things of the church, is described by the feast of Belshazzar, in which with magnates and concubines he drank the wine out of vessels of gold and silver from the temple of Jerusalem, and praised the gods of gold, of silver, etc., by which is signified the profanation of the holy things of the church, wherefore it was written on the wall that his kingdom was finished, and he was slain on that night (Daniel 5:1 to end).

(The consummation of the church is described by the four beasts out of the sea; also what the first was, what the second, third, and fourth, which was terrible because it broke in pieces all things of good and truth. What they signify may be seen in Apocalypse Revealed574. The complete consummation is meant by the slaying of the beast and the destruction of the body. That then the Lord will come and will reign unto ages of ages is evident from verses 13-14, 22, 27. His church is meant by the holy people, because they are in Divine truths from the Lord (Daniel 7:1 to end).

  
/101  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.