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Deuteronomy 32

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1 Give ear, O heavens, to my voice; let the earth take note of the words of my mouth:

2 My teaching is dropping like rain, coming down like dew on the fields; like rain on the young grass and showers on the garden plants:

3 For I will give honour to the name of the Lord: let our God be named great.

4 He is the Rock, complete is his work; for all his ways are righteousness: a God without evil who keeps faith, true and upright is he.

5 They have become false, they are not his children, the mark of sin is on them; they are an evil and hard-hearted generation.

6 Is this your answer to the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? Is he not your father who has given you life? He has made you and given you your place.

7 Keep in mind the days of the past, give thought to the years of generations gone by: go to your father and he will make it clear to you, to the old men and they will give you the story.

8 When the Most High gave the nations their heritage, separating into groups the children of men, he had the limits of the peoples marked out, keeping in mind the number of the children of Israel.

9 For the Lord's wealth is his people; Jacob is the land of his heritage.

10 He came to him in the waste land, in the unpeopled waste of sand: putting his arms round him and caring for him, he kept him as the light of his eye.

11 As an eagle, teaching her young to make their flight, with her wings outstretched over them, takes them up on her strong feathers:

12 So the Lord only was his guide, no other god was with him.

13 He put him on the high places of the earth, his food was the increase of the field; honey he gave him out of the rock and oil out of the hard rock;

14 Butter from his cows and milk from his sheep, with fat of lambs and sheep of Bashan, and goats, and the heart of the grain; and for your drink, wine from the blood of the grape.

15 But Jeshurun became fat and would not be controlled: you have become fat, you are thick and full of food: then he was untrue to the God who made him, giving no honour to the Rock of his salvation.

16 The honour which was his they gave to strange gods; by their disgusting ways he was moved to wrath.

17 They made offerings to evil spirits which were not God, to gods who were strange to them, which had newly come up, not feared by your fathers.

18 You have no thought for the Rock, your father, you have no memory of the God who gave you birth.

19 And the Lord saw with disgust the evil-doing of his sons and daughters.

20 And he said, My face will be veiled from them, I will see what their end will be: for they are an uncontrolled generation, children in whom is no faith.

21 They have given my honour to that which is not God, moving me to wrath with their false worship: I will give their honour to those who are not a people, moving them to wrath by a foolish nation,

22 For my wrath is a flaming fire, burning to the deep parts of the underworld, burning up the earth with her increase, and firing the deep roots of the mountains.

23 I will send a rain of troubles on them, my arrows will be showered on them.

24 They will be wasted from need of food, and overcome by burning heat and bitter destruction; and the teeth of beasts I will send on them, with the poison of the worms of the dust.

25 Outside they will be cut off by the sword, and in the inner rooms by fear; death will take the young man and the virgin, the baby at the breast and the grey-haired man.

26 I said I would send them wandering far away, I would make all memory of them go from the minds of men:

27 But for the fear that their haters, uplifted in their pride, might say, Our hand is strong, the Lord has not done all this.

28 For they are a nation without wisdom; there is no sense in them.

29 If only they were wise, if only this was clear to them, and they would give thought to their future!

30 How would it be possible for one to overcome a thousand, and two to send ten thousand in flight, if their rock had not let them go, if the Lord had not given them up?

31 For their rock is not like our rock, even our haters themselves being judges.

32 For their vine is the vine of Sodom, from the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are the grapes of evil, and the berries are bitter:

33 Their wine is the poison of dragons, the cruel poison of snakes.

34 Is not this among my secrets, kept safe in my store-house?

35 Punishment is mine and reward, at the time of the slipping of their feet: for the day of their downfall is near, sudden will be their fate.

36 For the Lord will be judge of his people, he will have pity for his servants; when he sees that their power is gone, there is no one, shut up or free.

37 And he will say, Where are their gods, the rock in which they put their faith?

38 Who took the fat of their offerings, and the wine of their drink offering? Let them now come to your help, let them be your salvation.

39 See now, I myself am he; there is no other god but me: giver of death and life, wounding and making well: and no one has power to make you free from my hand.

40 For lifting up my hand to heaven I say, By my unending life,

41 If I make sharp my shining sword, and my hand is outstretched for judging, I will give punishment to those who are against me, and their right reward to my haters.

42 I will make my arrows red with blood, my sword will be feasting on flesh, with the blood of the dead and the prisoners, of the long-haired heads of my haters.

43 Be glad, O you his people, over the nations; for he will take payment for the blood of his servants, and will give punishment to his haters, and take away the sin of his land, for his people.

44 So Moses said all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he and Hoshea, the son of Nun.

45 And after saying all this to the people,

46 Moses said to them, Let the words which I have said to you today go deep into your hearts, and give orders to your children to do every word of this law.

47 And this is no small thing for you, but it is your life, and through this you may make your days long in the land which you are going over Jordan to take for your heritage.

48 That same day the Lord said to Moses,

49 Go up into this mountain of Abarim, to Mount Nebo in the land of Moab opposite Jericho; there you may see the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel for their heritage:

50 And let death come to you on the mountain where you are going, and be put to rest with your people; as death came to Aaron, your brother, on Mount Hor, where he was put to rest with his people:

51 Because of your sin against me before the children of Israel at the waters of Meribath Kadesh in the waste land of Zin; because you did not keep my name holy among the children of Israel.

52 So you will see the land before you, but you will not go into the land which I am giving to the children of Israel.

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 10248

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10248. And it shall be to them a statute of an age. That this signifies an eternal law of order, is evident from the signification of “a statute,” as being a law of order (see n. 7884, 7995, 8537); and from the signification of “an age,” as being what is eternal. That “an age” denotes what is eternal, is because by “an age” is meant duration even to the end; and in the internal sense this duration signifies what is eternal; moreover, the word by which “an age” is here expressed in the original tongue signifies eternity. That “an age” denotes what is eternal, is because “an age,” when said in the Word about the church, signifies its duration even to the end; and consequently when it is said of heaven, where there is no end, and when it is said of the Lord, it signifies what is eternal. This is predicated in general of every church, but specifically of the celestial church. Moreover, “an age” also signifies the world and life there, and likewise life thereafter to eternity.

[2] As regards the FIRST meaning: That “an age” when said of the church, signifies its duration even to the end, is evident from the following passages, in Matthew:

The disciples said unto Jesus, Tell us what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the consummation of the age? (Matthew 24:3).

By “the consummation of the age” is signified the last time of the church, thus its end, when there is no longer any faith because no charity. That this is the consummation of the age, consequently that “an age” denotes the duration of the church even to its end, can be seen from all that was said by the Lord in that chapter, which may be seen unfolded in this work before the chapters of Genesis, from chapter 26 to chapter 40. The like is signified elsewhere by “an age” and its “consummation” in the same Gospel:

The harvest is the consummation of the age (Matthew 13:39-40, 49).

I am with you all the days even unto the consummation of the age (Matthew 28:20).

Here also the “age” means the duration of the church from beginning to end.

[3] In Ezekiel:

They shall dwell upon the land, they and their sons, and their sons’ sons, even to an age; David shall be their prince for an age. My sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for an age (Ezekiel 37:25, 28).

These things are said of Israel, by whom in the internal sense is meant the spiritual church; by the “land on which they shall dwell” is also signified the church; by the “sanctuary,” everything of the church; and by “David,” the Lord; from which it is evident that by “to an age” is signified even to the end. (That “Israel” in the Word denotes the spiritual church, see the places cited in n. 9340; that the “land” denotes the church, see the places cited in n. 9325; that the “sanctuary” denotes everything of the church, and that it is predicated of the good and truth of the spiritual church, n. 8330, 9479; and that “David” denotes the Lord, n. 1888, 9954)

[4] In David:

Before the mountains were born, and the earth and the world were formed, even from age to age, Thou art God (Psalms 90:2).

By “the mountains being born,” and by “the earth and the world being formed,” is not meant the creation of the world, but the setting up of the church; for “mountains” in the Word signify celestial love, thus the church in which is this love; the “earth” also and the “world” signify the church; hence “from age to age” signifies from the setting up of churches to their ends; for churches follow on, one after another, because when one has been ended or vastated another is set up. (That a “mountain” denotes celestial love, consequently the church which is in this love, see n. 795, 796, 4210, 6435, 8758; and that “land” denotes the church specifically, and the “world” the church generally, see the places cited in n. 9325)

[5] SECONDLY: That “an age,” when said of heaven where there is no end, and of the Lord, signifies what is eternal, is evident from the following passages, in David:

Jehovah is King for an age, and forever (Psalms 10:16; also Exodus 15:18).

Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all the ages; and Thy dominion is to every generation and generation (Psalms 145:13).

The living God, the King of an age (Jeremiah 10:10).

His dominion is the dominion of an age which shall not pass away. Afterward the saints of the highests shall receive the kingdom, and shall confirm the kingdom even to an age, and even to ages of ages (Daniel 7:14, 18, 27).

Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, unto ages (Matthew 6:13).

God shall give unto Him the throne of David, that He may reign over the house of Jacob for ages (Luke 1:32-33).

[6] To Jesus Christ be glory and strength unto ages of ages (Revelation 1:6).

Behold I am alive unto ages of ages (Revelation 1:18).

To the Lamb be blessing, and honor, and glory, and strength, unto ages of ages. The twenty-four elders worshiped Him that liveth unto ages of age (Revelation 5:13-14; 10:6; 11:15).

My salvation shall be for an age, and My righteousness to generation of generations (Isaiah 51:6, 8).

The angel of His faces carried them all the days of an age (Isaiah 63:9).

Many of them that sleep shall awake to the life of an age (Daniel 12:2).

If anyone shall eat of this bread, he shall live for an age (John 6:51, 58).

I give unto them eternal life, and they shall not perish for an age (John 10:28).

Lead me in the way of an age (Psalms 139:24).

He hath established them forever and for an age, He hath made a statute which shall not pass away (Psalms 148:6).

[7] In these passages “an age” signifies what is eternal, because it is said of the Lord and of His kingdom, and of heaven and the life there, whereof there is no end; “ages of ages” do not mean eternities of eternities, but denote what is eternal; and the expression is used relatively to churches on earth of which one succeeds another. It is evident from the Word that on our earth a church has been set up four times, of which the first was the Most Ancient Church, which was before the flood; the second was the Ancient Church, which was after the flood; the third was the Israelitish and Jewish Church; and lastly there was the Christian Church. The period of each Church, from beginning to end is “an age;” moreover, after this last mentioned Church, a new one will begin. These successions of churches are meant by “ages of ages.” (That “an age” denotes the duration of a church even to the end, was shown above.)

[8] THIRDLY: That “an age” is predicated in general of every church, but specifically of the celestial church, is evident from the following passages, in Amos:

I will set up the tent of David that is fallen, and will build according to the days of an age (Amos 9:11); where by “the days of an age” is meant the time of the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial. And in Micah:

Bethlehem Ephrathah, out of thee shall He come forth unto Me who shall be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from the days of an age (Micah 5:2); where the sense is the same. And in Moses:

Remember thou the days of an age; understand ye the years of generation and generation (Deuteronomy 32:7).

Here “the days of an age” denote the time of the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial; and “the years of generation and generation” denote the time of the Ancient Church, which was spiritual.

[9] In Isaiah:

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah; awake according to the days of antiquity, of the generation of ages (Isaiah 51:8-9).

“According to the days of the generation of ages” denotes according to the states of love and faith in the Ancient Churches derived from the Most Ancient Church.

In David:

I have considered the days of old, the years of ages (Psalms 77:5); where the sense is the same.

[10] In Isaiah:

Remember the former things from an age (Isaiah 46:9).

Then shall the meat-offering of Judah and Jerusalem be sweet to Jehovah, according to the days of an age, and according to the ancient years (Malachi 3:4).

Judah shall be seated for an age, and Jerusalem to generation and generation (Joel 3:20); where by “Judah” is signified the celestial church, of which it is therefore said, “according to the days of an age,” and “for an age;” and by “Jerusalem” is signified the spiritual church, of which it is said, “according to the ancient days,” and “to generation and generation.” (That “Judah” denotes the celestial church, see n. 3654, 3881, 6363, 8780; and “Jerusalem,” the spiritual church, n. 402, 3654)

[11] FOURTHLY: That “an age” signifies the world and life there, is evident from Matthew:

He that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the Word, but the care of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word (Matthew 13:22).

The sons of this age are more prudent than the sons of light (Luke 16:8).

The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage (Luke 20:34).

The wicked and the secure of the age multiply riches (Psalms 73:12).

[12] FIFTHLY: That “an age” signifies the life after death to eternity:

He shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, and in the age to come life eternal (Mark 10:30).

When I shall bring thee down with them that go down into the pit, to the people of an age (Ezekiel 26:20).

And in other passages, as Luke 18:9, 30; 20:35; Isaiah 34:10, 17; Revelation 14:11; 20:10; 22:5.

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