Bible

 

但以理书 2

Studie

   

1 尼布甲尼撒在位第二年,他做了梦,心里烦乱,不能睡觉

2 王吩咐人将术士、用法术的、行邪术的,和迦勒底人,要他们将王的梦告诉王,他们就站在王前。

3 王对他们:我做了一梦,心里烦乱,要知道这是甚麽梦。

4 迦勒底人用亚兰的言语对王:愿王万岁!请将那梦告诉仆人,仆人就可以讲解。

5 王回答迦勒底人:梦我已经忘了(或译:我已定命;八节同),你们若不将梦和梦的讲解告诉我,就必被凌迟,你们的房屋必成为粪堆;

6 你们若将梦和梦的讲解告诉我,就必从我这里得赠品和赏赐,并大尊荣。现在你们要将梦和梦的讲解告诉我。

7 他们第二次对王:请王将梦告诉仆人,仆人就可以讲解。

8 王回答:我准知道你们是故意迟延,因为你们知道那梦我已经忘了。

9 你们若不将梦告诉我,只有一法待你们;因为你们预备了谎言乱语向我,要等候时势改变。现在你们要将梦告诉我,因我知道你们能将梦的讲解告诉我。

10 迦勒底人在王面前回答:世上没有人能将王所问的事出来;因为没有君王、大臣、掌权的向术士,或用法术的,或迦勒底人问过这样的事。

11 王所问的事甚难。除了不与世人同居的神明,没有人在王面前能说出来。

12 因此,王气忿忿地大发烈怒,吩咐灭绝巴比伦所有的哲士。

13 於是命令发出,哲士将要见杀,人就寻找但以理和他的同伴,要杀他们。

14 王的护卫长亚略出来,要杀巴比伦的哲士,但以理就用婉言回答他,

15 向王的护卫长亚略:王的命令为何这样紧急呢?亚略就将情节告诉但以理。

16 但以理遂进去求王宽限,就可以将梦的讲解告诉王。

17 但以理回到他的居所,将这事告诉他的同伴哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亚撒利雅,

18 要他们祈求上的神施怜悯,将这奥秘的事指明,免得但以理和他的同伴与巴比伦其馀的哲士一同灭亡。

19 这奥秘的事就在夜间异象中给但以理显明,但以理便称颂天上的神。

20 但以理:神的名是应当称颂的!从亘古直到永远,因为智慧能力都属乎他。

21 他改变时候、日期,废王,立王,将智慧赐与智慧人,将知识赐与聪明人。

22 他显明深奥隐秘的事,知道暗中所有的,光明也与他同居。

23 我列祖的神啊,我感谢你,赞美你,因你将智慧才能赐给我,允准我们所求的,把王的事给我们指明。

24 於是,但以理进去见亚略,就是王所派灭绝巴比伦哲士的,对他:不要灭绝巴比伦的哲士,求你领我到王面前,我要将梦的讲解告诉王。

25 亚略就急忙将但以理领到王面前,对王:我在被掳的犹大人中遇见一人,他能将梦的讲解告诉王。

26 王问称为伯提沙撒的但以理:你能将我所做的梦和梦的讲解告诉我麽?

27 但以理在王面前回答:王所问的那奥秘事,哲士、用法术的、术士、观兆的都不能告诉王;

28 只有一位在天上的神能显明奥秘的事。他已将日後必有的事指示尼布甲尼撒王。你的梦和你在床上脑中的异象是这样:

29 王啊,你在床上想到後来的事,那显明奥秘事的主把将来必有的事指示你。

30 至於那奥秘的事显明给我,并非因我的智慧胜过一切活人,乃为使王知道梦的讲解和心里的思念。

31 王啊,你梦见一个大像,这像甚,极其光耀,站在你面前,形状甚是可怕。

32 这像的头是精金的,胸膛和膀臂是银的,肚腹和腰是铜的,

33 腿是铁的,脚是半铁半泥的。

34 你观看,见有一块非人手凿出来的石头打在这像半铁半泥的脚上,把脚砸碎;

35 於是金、银、铜、铁、泥都一同砸得粉碎,成如夏天禾场上的糠秕,被风吹散,无处可寻。打碎这像的石头变成一座大山,充满天下。

36 这就是那梦。我们在王面前要讲解那梦。

37 王啊,你是诸王之王。天上的神已将国度、权柄、能力、尊荣都赐给你。

38 凡世人所住之地的走兽,并天空的飞鸟,他都交付你手,使你掌管这一切。你就是那金头。

39 在你以後必另兴一国,不及於你;又有第国,就是铜的,必掌管天下。

40 第四国,必坚壮如铁,铁能打碎克制百物,又能压碎一切,那国也必打碎压制列国。

41 你既见像的脚和脚指头,一半是窑匠的泥,一半是铁,那国将来也必分开。你既见铁与泥搀杂,那国也必有铁的力量。

42 那脚指头,既是半铁半泥,那国也必半强半弱。

43 你既见铁与泥搀杂,那国民也必与各种人搀杂,却不能彼此相合,正如铁与泥不能相合一样。

44 当那列王在位的时候,天上的神必另立一国,永不败坏,也不归别国的人,却要打碎灭绝那一切国,这国必存到永远

45 你既看见非人手凿出来的一块石头从山而出,打碎金、银、铜、铁、泥,那就是至大的神把後来必有的事给王指明。这梦准是这样,这讲解也是确实的。

46 当时,尼布甲尼撒王俯伏在地,向但以理下拜,并且吩咐人给他奉上供物和香品。

47 王对但以理:你既能显明这奥秘的事,你们的神诚然是万神之神、万王之主,又是显明奥秘事的。

48 於是王抬但以理,赏赐他许多上等礼物,派他管理巴比伦全省,又立他为总理,掌管巴比伦的一切哲士。

49 但以理求王,王就派沙得拉、米煞、亚伯尼歌管理巴比伦省的事务,只是但以理常在朝中侍立。

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Apocalypse Explained # 176

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 1232  
  

176. Verse 27.And He shall rule them with an iron rod, signifies that He is about to chastise evils by means of truths that are in the natural man. This is evident from the signification of "ruling," as being to chastise, for it is added that "He would shiver them as pottery vessels," and the evils which are signified are chastised by means of truths. It is evident also from the signification of "an iron rod," as being truths that are in the natural man; a "rod" or "staff" signifies the power by which chastisement is effected; and "iron" truths in the natural man which chastise. (That a "rod" or "staff" is power, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026, 7568, 7572; that it is for this reason that kings have a scepter, which is a short staff, n. 4581, 4876.)

"Iron" signifies truths in the natural man, because metals, as well as the other things of the earth, by correspondence signify things spiritual and celestial, all of which have reference to truths and goods. "Gold" signifies the good of the internal man; "silver" its truth; "copper" or "brass" the good of the external or natural man; "iron" its truth. For this reason the ages were called by the ancients after the names of the metals, namely, Golden, Silver, Copper, and Iron; the Golden Age from the most ancient men, who lived in the good of love; the Silver Age from the ancients after them who lived in truths from that good; the Copper Age from their posterity who were in external or natural good; the Iron Age from the posterity of these who were in natural truth alone without good. Natural truth is truth in the memory, not in the life; truth of life is good. (But more about this correspondence in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 104, 115.)

[2] The successive states of the church, even until the coming of the Lord, are meant by the "gold," the "silver," the "brass," and the "iron," of which the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar in a dream was composed, which is thus described in Daniel:

His head was good gold, his breast and his arms silver, his belly and his thighs brass, his legs iron, his feet part iron and part clay. A stone was cut out of the rock, and it smote the image upon his feet that were iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Whereas thou sawest the feet partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it signifies that the kingdom shall be divided; the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. Whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves by the seed of man; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay (Daniel 2:32-34, 41-43).

By "the head which was good gold," the first state of the church is meant, when men were in the good of love to the Lord; by "the breast and arms which were silver," the second state of the church is meant, when they were in truths from that good; by "the belly and thighs which were of brass," the following third state of the church, when they were no longer in spiritual good but in natural good, for "brass" signifies natural good; by "the legs which were of iron," the fourth state of the church is meant, when natural good was no more, but truth only; but by "the feet which were of iron and clay," the last state of the church is meant when there are both truth and falsity, truth in the Word and falsity in doctrine; when the truths of the Word are falsified, and doctrine is drawn from truths falsified, the state of the church is "partly iron and partly clay," thus the kingdom is "partly strong and partly broken." "The kingdom" here is the church; it is therefore called also "the kingdom of God." That truths are thus mixed with falsities, but still they do not cohere, is meant by these words, "Whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves by the seed of man; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay." "The seed of man" is Divine truth, which is in the Word. (That this is signified by "seed," see Arcana Coelestia 3038, 3373, 10248, 10249; that "man" signifies the Lord, from whom is the Word, and also signifies the church, see n. 768, 4287, 7424, 7523, 8547, 9276.) That "potter's clay" signifies the falsities that are in the natural man, will be seen in the following article n. 177. By "the stone cut of the rock," which "smote the image upon his feet," the Lord by means of Divine truth is meant, and the destruction of falsities not cohering with truths from the Word. (That a "stone" is truth, and that "the stone of Israel" is the Lord in respect to Divine truth, see Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4], 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376; that "rock" likewise signifies the Lord, 8581, 10580, and in the small work on The Last Judgement, n. 57.) Because "iron" signifies truths in the natural man, "the feet of the statue" were seen to be "of iron," for "feet" signify the natural (See Arcana Coelestia 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952).

[3] Like things are signified by "gold," "silver," "brass," and "iron," in these words in Isaiah:

For brass I will bring gold, for iron I will bring silver, for woods brass, and for stones iron (Isaiah 60:17).

"To bring gold for brass" means celestial good for natural good; "silver for iron" means celestial truth for natural truth; "brass for woods, and iron for stones," means natural good and truth in great abundance like that of woods and stones. Here the state of the celestial church is treated of. (That "iron" signifies truth in the natural man, see Arcana Coelestia 425, 426.)

[4] These passages are cited that it may be known what is meant by the "iron rod," namely, the power whereby the Lord chastises the evils and disperses the falsities that are in the natural man; for a "rod" or "staff" signifies power (as was said above), and "iron" signifies truths in the natural man. The Lord chastises evils and disperses falsities by means of truths in the natural man, because all evils and the falsities therefrom have their seat in the natural man, and none in the spiritual or internal man. The internal man does not receive evils and falsities, but is closed against them. And as all evils and falsities have their seat in the natural man, they must needs be chastised and dispersed by means of such things as are there, which are truths in the natural man. Truths in the natural man are knowledges and cognitions, from which man can think, reason, and conclude naturally respecting the truths and goods of the church, and the falsities and evils which are opposed to these, and can consequently be in some natural illustration when he reads the Word. For the Word in the letter is not understood without illustration; and illustration is either spiritual or natural. Spiritual illustration is only with those who are spiritual; and the spiritual are those that are of the good of love and charity and in truths therefrom; while mere natural illustration is with those who are natural (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 153, 425, 455; and above, n. 140. Moreover, those who are spiritual have, whilst they live in the world, illustration in the natural; but this springs from illustration in the spiritual; for with them the Lord flows in through the spiritual or internal man into the natural or external, and thus illustrates it, from which enlightenment man can see what is true and good, and what is false and evil, and when he sees that, the Lord scatters the evils and the falsities that are in the natural man, by means of the truths and goods that are also there and that make one with the goods and truths in the spiritual or internal man (See in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, on sciences and knowledges, what they effect, n. 51, and on Influx, n. 277, 278).

[5] From this it can now be seen what is signified by "the iron rod," with which the Lord is to rule the nations, that is, chastise the evils that are in the natural man. These things are said to the angel of this church, because in what is written to this angel the internal and external man and their conjunction are treated of; for when the internal and the external or the spiritual and the natural are conjoined, the Lord chastises the evils and falsities that are in the natural man, and this by means of the knowledges of truth and good. But with those with whom the internal and external man are not conjoined, evils and falsities cannot be chastised and scattered, since they receive nothing from heaven through the spiritual man, but all things they receive are from the world; and these their rational favors, and supplies confirmations. Things similar to those here signified by "the iron rod" are also signified in the following passages.

In David:

Thou shalt bruise [the nations] with an iron scepter; as a potter's vessel Thou shalt dash them in pieces (Ps. 2:9).

In Isaiah:

He shall smite the land with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked (Isa. 11:4).

In Revelation:

The woman brought forth a male, a son, who is to rule all nations with an iron rod (Rev. 12:5).

Out of the mouth of the One sitting on the white horse went forth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations; for He shall rule them with an iron rod (Rev. 19:15).

In Micah:

Arise, O daughter of Zion; for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass, that thou mayest beat in pieces many peoples (Micah 4:13).

The "daughter of Zion" is the celestial church; "horn" is power in the natural man; "hoofs" are the ultimates there, called sensual scientifics; hence it is evident what is signified by "making the horn iron, and the hoofs brass." (That the "daughter of Zion" is the celestial church, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 2362, 9055; that "horn" is the power of truth from good in the natural man, n. 2832[1-15], 9081, 9719, 9720, 9721, 10182, 10186; and that "hoofs" are the knowledges of the sensual man, which are truths in the ultimate of order, n. 7729.)

  
/ 1232  
  

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