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出埃及記 37

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1 比撒列用皂莢做櫃,長二肘半,寬一肘半,一肘半。

2 裡外包上精,四圍鑲上牙邊,

3 又鑄,安在櫃的腳上:這邊兩,那邊兩

4 用皂莢做兩根杠,用包裹。

5 把杠穿在櫃旁的內,以便抬櫃。

6 用精做施恩座,長二肘半,寬一肘半。

7 子錘出兩個基路伯來,安在施恩座的兩頭,

8 這頭做基路伯,那頭做基路伯基路伯接連塊,在施恩座的兩頭。

9 基路伯翅膀,遮掩施恩座;基路伯是臉對臉,朝著施恩座。

10 他用皂莢做一張桌子,長二肘,寬一肘,一肘半,

11 又包上精,四圍鑲上牙邊。

12 桌子的四圍各做一掌寬的橫梁,橫梁上鑲著牙邊,

13 又鑄了,安在桌子角上。

14 子的地方是挨近橫梁,可以穿杠抬桌子

15 他用皂莢做兩根杠,用包裹,以便抬桌子

16 又用精桌子上的器皿,就是盤子、調羹,並奠酒的瓶和爵。

17 他用精做一個臺;這臺的座和榦,與杯、球、,都是接連一塊錘出來的。

18 臺兩旁杈出個枝子:這旁個,那旁個。

19 這旁每枝上有個杯,形狀像杏,有球有;那旁每枝上也有個杯,形狀像杏,有球有。從臺杈出來的個枝子都是如此。

20 臺上有個杯,形狀像杏,有球有

21 燈臺每兩個枝子以有球,與枝子接連一塊;燈臺杈出的個枝子是如此。

22 球和枝子是接連塊,都是塊精錘出來的。

23 用精臺的盞,並臺的蠟剪和蠟花盤。

24 他用精一他連得做燈臺和燈臺的一切器具。

25 他用皂莢做香,是四方的,長一肘,寬一肘,二肘,的四角與接連一塊;

26 又用精把壇的上面與壇的四面並壇的四角包裹,又在壇的四圍鑲上牙邊。

27 做兩個,安在牙子邊以,在壇的兩旁、兩根橫撐上,作為穿杠的用處,以便抬壇。

28 用皂莢做杠,用包裹。

29 又按做之法做和馨料的淨

   

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Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture # 97

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97. It should be known, moreover, that the Word’s literal sense is a protection for the genuine truths that lie concealed within. The literal sense is a protection in that it can be turned this way and that and explained in accord with a person’s comprehension, and yet without the inner meaning’s being harmed or violated. For it does no harm if the Word’s literal sense is interpreted in one way by one person, and in another way by another person. But it does do harm if the Divine truths that lie concealed within are perverted; for this does violence to the Word.

This is guarded against by the literal sense. And it is guarded against among people who, owing to their religion, are caught up in falsities, but do not affirm those falsities, for they do not do any violence.

[2] This protection is symbolized by cherubim in the Word, and described by them, too.

It is symbolized by the cherubim that were placed at the entrance to the garden of Eden after Adam and his wife were cast out, about which we read the following:

(When Jehovah God) drove out the man..., He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword turning hither and thither, to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:23-24)

The cherubim symbolize protection. The way to the tree of life symbolizes an entryway to the Lord, which people have through the Word. The flaming sword turning hither and thither symbolizes Divine truth in outmost expressions, which, like the literal sense of the Word, can be turned in this way.

[3] Protection is likewise meant by the cherubim of gold placed at the two ends of the mercy seat on top of the ark in the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:18-21). Because this is what the cherubim symbolized, therefore the Lord spoke with Moses from between them (Exodus 25:22, 30:6, 33:9, Numbers 7:89). It may be seen in nos. 37-49 above that the Lord speaks with a person only in fullness, and that the Word in its literal sense is Divine truth in its fullness; thus the Lord accordingly spoke with Moses from between cherubim.

Nor is anything else symbolized by the cherubim on the curtains and veil of the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:1, 31). For the curtains and veil of the Tabernacle represented the outmost constituents of heaven and the church, and so also those of the Word (see no. 46 above).

Nor is anything else symbolized by the cherubim inside the Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6:23-28). And by the cherubim carved on the walls and doors of the Temple (1 Kings 6:29, 32, 35). Likewise by the cherubim in the new temple (Ezekiel 41:18-20). (See also no. 47 above.)

[4] Since cherubim symbolize a protection to keep the Lord, heaven, and the Divine truth contained in the Word from being approached directly, so that they must be approached indirectly through outmost expressions, therefore we are told regarding the king of Tyre the following:

You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering.... You, O cherub, spread out a covering.... I destroyed you, O covering cherub, in the midst of stones of fire. (Ezekiel 28:12-14, 16)

Tyre symbolizes the church with respect to its concepts of truth and goodness, and its king accordingly symbolizes the Word which contains and is the source of those concepts. It is apparent that the Word here is symbolized as it is in its outmost expression, namely its literal sense, and its protection by a cherub; for the text says, “You were the seal of perfection, ” “every precious stone was your covering, ” and “You, O cherub, spread out a covering, ” including as well the phrase, “O covering cherub.” The precious stones listed here also mean truths in the Word’s literal sense, as may be seen in no. 45 above.

Since cherubim symbolize the outmost expression of Divine truth set as a protection, therefore we are told in the Psalms of David,

He bowed the heavens and came down..., and He rode upon a cherub.... (Psalms 18:9-10)

O Shepherd of Israel..., You who sit upon the cherubim, shine forth! (Psalms 80:1)

Jehovah...is seated upon the cherubim. (Psalms 99:1)

To ride upon cherubim, to sit on them and be seated on them, is to do so on the outmost sense of the Word.

[5] Divine truth and its character are described in the Word by cherubim in the first and ninth chapters in Ezekiel, and in the tenth. But because no one can know what the particulars in the description of them symbolize, unless he is someone for whom the spiritual sense has been laid open, therefore I have had disclosed to me what everything said about the cherubim in the first chapter in Ezekiel symbolizes, which in brief is as follows:

Verse 4: The Divine atmosphere surrounding the Word is described.

Verse 5: This represented as having the likeness of a man.

Verse 6: Its conjunction with spiritual and celestial elements.

Verse 7: The nature of the natural component of the Word.

Verses 8-9: The spiritual and celestial components of the Word conjoined with its natural one; their character.

Verses 10-11: The Divine love accompanying the celestial, spiritual and natural goodness and truth present in the Word, separately and together.

Verse 12: They look in one direction.

Verses 13-14: The atmosphere of the Word emanating from the Lord’s Divine goodness and Divine truth, which give the Word life.

Verses 15-21: The doctrine of goodness and truth found in the Word and emanating from the Word.

Verses 22-23: The Divinity of the Lord above the Word and in it.

Verses 24-25: And emanating from it.

Verse 26: The Lord’s being above the heavens.

Verses 27-28: And His possessing Divine love and Divine wisdom.

I have, moreover, compared these summaries with the Word in heaven and found them to be in conformity with it.

  
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Thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.