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阿摩司书 9

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1 见主站在祭坛旁边;他:你要击打柱顶,使门槛震动,打碎柱顶,落在众人上;所剩下的人,我必用刀杀戮,无一人能逃避,无一人能逃脱。

2 他们虽然挖透阴间,我的必取出他们来;虽然爬上去,我必拿他们来;

3 虽然藏在迦密山顶,我必搜寻,捉出他们来;虽然从我眼前藏在底,我必命咬他们;

4 虽被仇敌掳去,我必命刀杀戮他们;我必向他们定住眼目,降祸不降福。

5 ─万军之耶和华就消化,凡上的都必悲哀。必全然像尼罗河涨起,如同埃及河落下。

6 那在建造楼阁、在上安定穹苍、命水浇在上的─耶和华是他的名。

7 耶和华以色列人哪,我岂不看你们如古实人吗?我岂不是领以色列人埃及,领非利士人出迦斐托,领亚兰人出吉珥吗?

8 耶和华的眼目察看这有罪的国,必将这国从地上灭绝,却不将雅各家灭绝净尽。这是耶和华的。

9 我必出令,将以色列家分散在列国中,好像用筛子筛谷,连一粒也不落在上。

10 我民中的一切罪人:灾祸必追不上我们,也迎不着我们。他们必在刀下。

11 到那日,我必建立大卫倒塌的帐幕,堵住其中的破口,把那破坏的建立起来,重新修造,像古时一样,

12 使以色列人得以东所馀剩的和所有称为我名下的国。此乃行这事的耶和华的。

13 耶和华:日子将到,耕种的必接续收割的;踹葡萄的必接续撒种的;大要滴下甜酒;小都必流奶(原文是消化,见约珥三章十八节)。

14 我必使我民以色列被掳的归回;他们必重修荒废的城邑居住,栽种葡萄园其中所出的酒,修造果木园,其中的果子。

15 我要将他们栽於本地,他们不再从我所赐他们的地上拔出来。这是耶和华─你的的。

   

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Apocalypse Explained # 195

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195. Verse 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments, signifies those who live a moral life from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to the uses of their life. This is evident from the signification of "name," as being the quality of the state of man's life (See above, n. 148); here, therefore, "names" signify men who are such. It is evident also from the signification of "the church in Sardis," as being those who live a moral life but not a spiritual life, because they have little regard for the knowledges of truth and good from the Word (See also above, n. 148, 182); but here those are meant who live a moral life from a spiritual origin, for it is said, "that have not defiled their garments." It is evident also from the signification of "garments," as being knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions in the natural man (of which presently). "Not defiling their garments," therefore, signifies living as a moral man not for the sake of self and the world, which is for the sake of the body and its life only, but for the sake of the Lord and of heaven, which is for the sake of the soul and its life. From this it is clear that "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments," signifies such as live a moral life from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to their life.

[2] But as few know what it is to live a moral life from a spiritual origin, and what it is to apply the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to the uses of their life, it shall be told. Man lives a moral life from a spiritual origin when he lives it from religion; that is, when he thinks, when anything evil, insincere, or unjust presents itself: that this must not be done because it is contrary to the Divine laws. When one abstains from doing such things in deference to Divine laws he acquires for himself spiritual life, and his moral life is then from the spiritual; for by such thoughts and faith man communicates with the angels of heaven, and by communication with heaven his internal spiritual man is opened, the mind of which is a higher mind, such as the angels of heaven have, and he is thereby imbued with heavenly intelligence and wisdom. From this it can be seen that to live a moral life from a spiritual origin is to live from religion, and within the church, to live from the Word; for those who live a moral life from religion and from the Word are elevated above their natural man, thus above what is their own [proprium], and are led by the Lord through heaven; consequently they have faith, the fear of God, and conscience, and also the spiritual affection of truth, which is the affection of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, for to such men these are Divine laws, according to which they live. Many of the heathen live such a moral life, for they think that evil must not be done because it is contrary to their religion; this is why so many of them are saved.

[3] But on the other hand, to live a moral life not from religion, but only from the fear of the law in the world, and of the loss of fame, honor, and gain, is to live a moral life not from a spiritual but from a natural origin; therefore to such there is no communication with heaven. And as they think insincerely and unjustly regarding the neighbor, although they speak and act otherwise, their internal spiritual man is closed, and the internal natural man only is opened; and when this is open they are in the light of the world, but not in the light of heaven. For this reason such persons have in them little regard for Divine and heavenly things, and some deny them, believing nature and the world to be everything. (From this it can now be seen what it is to live a moral life from a spiritual origin, and what it is to live it from a natural origin; but these things may be seen set forth in clearer light in the work on Heaven and Hell 528-535.) Of those who live a moral life from a natural origin only, it may be said that they "defile their garments," for "garments" mean that which is outside the man himself and which clothes him, thus his natural man with the things that are in it, which are knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions; and when these are from the Word they are defiled by the fact that he learns and holds them only for the sake of reputation, that he may be thought learned or well informed, or that he may thereby acquire honors and gain wealth; and except for such ends he has no regard for them. Thus it is that the knowledges from the Word are polluted and defiled by the loves of self and the world, for these knowledges dwell in the same place with the evils and falsities that gush out from those loves as from their fountains.

[4] It was said above, that man becomes spiritual by means of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word applied to the uses of life. Why men become spiritual by means of knowledges from the Word, and not by means of other knowledges, shall now be told. All things that are in the Word are Divine, and they are Divine for the reason that they have in them a spiritual sense, and by that sense communicate with heaven and with the angels there. When, therefore, man has knowledges from the Word and applies them to life, then through these he has communication with heaven and by that communication becomes spiritual; for man becomes spiritual by his being in like or in corresponding truths with the angels of heaven. It is said in "corresponding" truths, because each and all things in the sense of the letter of the Word are correspondences, for they correspond to the truths that angels have. But the knowledges derived from other books, which set forth and by various means establish the doctrines of the church, do not effect communication with heaven except by the knowledges from the Word they contain; such knowledges do give communication if they are rightly understood and are applied to life, and not to faith alone. Everyone can see that this is so from this, that the Word in itself is Divine, and what is Divine in itself can become Divine with man by his applying it to life. "Becoming Divine with man" means that the Lord can have His abode with man (John 14:23), thus dwelling with him in what is His own (that the Lord dwells in His own with man and angel, and not in what is their own [proprio illorum], see in the work on Heaven and Hell 12). The Lord dwells in His own when He dwells in those things with man that are from the Word, for the Lord is the Word (John 1:1, 2, 14); and the words that He spoke, that is, that are in the Word:

Are spirit and life (John 6:63, 68; 12:50).

[5] That "garments" signify the things that are in the natural man, which are knowledges [scientifica], 1 true or false, or cognitions, is from the spiritual world; for in the spiritual world all, however many, appear clothed according to their moral life; consequently those who have lived a moral life from a spiritual origin appear clothed in shining white garments, like fine linen; but those who have lived a moral life from a natural origin only, appear according to the nature of that life, those who have polluted their life by evils and falsities appearing in dark garments, mean, torn, and hideous to behold (See the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182). From this now it is that "garments" in the Word signify truths from good, and in the contrary sense falsities from evil, both of them in the natural man; truths and falsities in the natural man are called knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions.

[6] That "garments" in the Word signify truths or falsities can be clearly seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion, put on the garments of thy splendor, O Jerusalem; for henceforth there shall no more come to thee the uncircumcised and the unclean (Isaiah 52:1).

"Zion" in the Word signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom, thus also the celestial church, and "Jerusalem" the spiritual kingdom and the spiritual church (what the celestial kingdom is, and the spiritual kingdom, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28). The "garments of splendor that Jerusalem must put on" are Divine truths; the "uncircumcised and the unclean that shall not come to them" are those who are in evils and falsities.

[7] In Ezekiel:

Jerusalem, I clothed thee with broidered work, I shod thee with badger's skin, I girded thee about with fine linen. I adorned thee with ornament, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy throat, and a jewel upon thy nose, and earrings upon thine ears, yea, a crown of ornament upon thy head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy garments were fine linen, silk, and broidered work, whence thou becamest exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even unto the kingdom. But thou didst take of thy garments, and didst make to thee high places with divers colors, that thou mightest commit whoredom upon them; thou also didst take garments of thy broidered work, and didst cover the images of a male, with which thou didst commit whoredom (Ezekiel 16:10-13, 16-18).

Here what the church was when it was first established by the Lord is described; the "garments" that are mentioned are truths from good; "broidered work" is true knowledge [scientificum]; "fine linen and silk" are truths from a celestial source; the "bracelets," "chain," "jewel," "earrings," and "crown," are decorations signifying things spiritual of various kinds; the "gold and silver" with which she was decked are the good of love and its truth. Then the same church when perverted is described, by this, that "she took of the garments, and did make to herself high places with divers colors," signifying truths falsified; and that "she took the garments of broidered work, and covered the images of a male," signifies that they applied the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word to so confirm falsities even so as to make them appear like truths; "committing whoredom with them" and "under them" signifies making doctrine and worship out of falsities (that this is to "commit whoredom," see above, n. 141, 161).

(That "Jerusalem" is the church where there is true doctrine, see Arcana Coelestia 402, 3654, 9166. That "broidered work" is knowledges [scientificum], n. Arcana Coelestia 9688. That "fine linen" is truth from a celestial origin, n. 5319, 9469. That "bracelets" are truths and goods of the church, n. 3103, 3105. That "a chain [for the neck]" is representative of the conjunction of interior and exterior things, n . 5320; that "jewels [for the nose]" and "earrings" are representatives of perception and obedience, n. Arcana Coelestia 4551. That "a crown" means wisdom, see above, n. 126. That "gold" is the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 9510, 9874, 9881; that "silver" is truth from that good, n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658. That "high places with divers colors" are truths falsified, n. 796, 4005. That the "male" or "masculine" is truth, n. 749, 2046, 4005, 7838; therefore "images of a male" are appearances of truth.)

[8] In the same:

Fine linen in broidered work from Egypt was thy spreading forth, blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was thy covering. Syria was thy merchant in purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, with chrysoprasus. Dedan was thy merchant with garments of liberty for the chariot; Asshur and Chilmad with bales of blue and of broidered work, and with treasures of precious garments (Ezekiel 27:7, 16, 20, 23-24).

Here Tyre and her wares are treated of, and "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good, and "trading" and "trafficking," signify acquiring for oneself and communicating such knowledges; "purple and blue" signify the celestial love of good and truth; "Egypt," the knowledge belonging to the natural man; by "broidered work from Egypt" the like; "Syria" the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good; "Asshur" the rational of that church; "Dedan" those who are in the knowledges of celestial things. From this it can be seen that the "wares of Tyre," treated of in the whole of that chapter, do not mean wares, but each and all these things mean spiritual things, which man ought to acquire, be imbued with, and communicate. (That "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of good and truth, see Arcana Coelestia 1201. That "Egypt" signifies the knowledges [scientificum] belonging to the natural man, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5700, 5702, 6015, 6651, 6679, 6682, 6683, 6692, 7296, 9340, 9391. That "Syria" is the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, n. 1232, 1234, 3664, 3680, 4112. That "Dedan" signifies those who are in the knowledges of celestial things, n. 3240, 3241. That "Asshur" is the rational therefrom, n. 119, 1186. That "purple" is the celestial love of good, n. Arcana Coelestia 9467. That "blue" is the celestial love of truth, n. 9466, 9687, 9833; likewise "chrysoprasus," n. Arcana Coelestia 9868. What "fine linen" and "broidered work" signify, see just above.)

[9] In David:

The king's daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is inwrought with gold. She shall be brought unto the king in broidered work (Psalms 45:13-14).

The "king's daughter" signifies the spiritual affection of truth, and therefore the church consisting of those who are in that affection; "king" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth; "clothing inwrought with gold," intelligence and wisdom from that truth; the "broidered work" in which she should "be brought to the king" signifies the knowledges of truth. (That "daughter" signifies the affection of truth, and the church therefrom, see Arcana Coelestia 2362, 2623, 3373, 3963, 4257, 6729, 6775, 6779, 8649, 9055, 9807. That "king" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth, see above, n. 31.)

[10] In the second book of Samuel:

Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with dainty things, and who put an ornament of gold upon your apparel (2 Samuel 1:24).

This is in the lamentation of David over Saul, which he wrote:

To teach the sons of Judah the bow (2 Samuel 1:18);

by "bow" is signified truth combating against falsities (See Arcana Coelestia 2686[1-8] Arcana Coelestia 2686[1-8], 2709); "Saul" here, as a king, signifies such truth; the "sons of Judah" signify those who are in truths from good; "to clothe the daughters of Israel in scarlet," and "to put ornaments of gold upon the apparel," is to impart intelligence and wisdom to those who are in the spiritual affection of truth.

[11] In Matthew:

When the king came in to behold those reclining to eat, he saw there a man that had not on a wedding garment; and he said unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? He was speechless. Then said the king, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into outer darkness (Matthew 22:11-13).

A "wedding garment" signifies the intelligence of the spiritual man, which is from the knowledges of truth and good; but "he that had not on a wedding garment" signifies a hypocrite, who by a moral life counterfeits the spiritual life when yet he is merely natural; "to bind him hand and foot" signifies the deprivation of the knowledges from the Word, by which he has put on the likeness of a spiritual man; "to be cast out into outer darkness" signifies among those who are in falsities from evil (for "outer darkness" signifies falsities from evil).

[12] In Zephaniah :

I will visit upon the princes, and upon the king's sons, and upon all that are clothed with the garments of the alien (Zephaniah 1:8). "Princes" and "king's sons" signify those who are in truths, and in a contrary sense, as here, those who are in falsities; these are said to be "clothed with the garment of the alien," because "garment" signifies falsity, and "alien" those who are out of the church and do not acknowledge the truths of the church.

[13] In Matthew:

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing; inwardly they are ravening wolves (Mat. Matthew 7:15).

"False prophets in sheep's clothing, who inwardly are ravening wolves," are those who teach falsities as if they were truths, and who in appearance live a moral life, but who by themselves, when they think from their spirit, think of nothing but themselves and the world, and are eager to deprive all others of truths.

[14] In John:

Jesus said to Peter, When thou wast younger thou girdedst thyself and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldest not (John 21:18).

What these words signify in the spiritual sense may be seen above n. 9; namely, that by "Peter" is meant the faith of the church; when he "was younger and girded himself and walked whither he would" means the faith of the church at the beginning, when men are in the good of charity, that they then think about the truths of the church from the spiritual man, which is to think from their spirit, thus from the spiritual affection of truth, that is, from freedom. But by "Peter when old, that he should stretch forth his hands and another should gird him," is meant the faith of the church at its end, when faith would be without charity, that they then would think nothing about the truths of the church from themselves, but from others, thus from doctrine only and not from the Word, which is relatively a servile state. For to believe what another says is servile, but to believe what one himself thinks from the Word is freedom; according to the Lord's words in John:

If ye abide in My Word, ye are truly My disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:31-32).

[15] In Luke:

No man putteth a piece of a new garment on an old garment; else the new will rend the old, and the piece from the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and itself be spilt, and the bottles be destroyed (Luke 5:36-37; Matthew 9:16-17; Mark 2:21-22).

Because a "garment" signifies truth, the Lord compared the truths of the former church, which was a church representative of spiritual things, to a piece of an old garment, and the truths of the new church, which were spiritual truths themselves, to a piece of a new garment; He compared them likewise to bottles of wine, because "wine" in like manner signifies truth, and "bottles" mean the knowledges that contain truth. (That "wine" in the Word signifies truth, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 219.)

[16] From this it can now be seen what is signified in the Word elsewhere by "garments," which are often mentioned there, as in the following passages. In Revelation:

And upon the thrones four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white garments (Revelation 4:4).

Again:

The armies of the One sitting upon the white horse followed Him, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 19:14).

And:

They who stood before the throne in sight of the Lamb, were clothed in white robes (Revelation 7:9).

Again:

The seven angels from the temple were clothed in linen, clean and shining (Revelation 15:6).

Again:

White robes were given to everyone of those under the altar (Revelation 6:11).

Again:

Buy gold and white garments (Revelation 3:18).

In Ezekiel:

If he giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a garment (Ezekiel 18:16).

"To give bread to the hungry" signifies in the spiritual sense to instruct from the good of charity those who long for truths; "to cover the naked with a garment" signifies to instruct, in like manner, those who are not in truths.

[17] In the same:

The enemies shall strip thee of thy garments, and shall take away the jewels of thine adorning (Ezekiel 23:26).

In Zechariah:

Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and thus stood before the angel. And he said to those that stood before him, Take away the filthy garments from off him. And he said, I have made thine iniquity to pass from off thee, in clothing thee with changed garments (Zechariah 3:3-5).

In Lamentations :

They have wandered blind in the streets, they have been polluted with blood; what they cannot pollute they touch with their clothes (Lamentations 4:14).

From the signification of "garments" it can be known what is meant by many statutes with the sons of Israel:

That they should not put on mixed garments (Leviticus 19:19; Deuteronomy 22:11);

That a woman should not wear the vessels of a man, nor a man be clothed with the garments of a woman (Deuteronomy 22:5);

That they should wash their garments that they might be purified, and thus sanctified (Exodus 19:14; Leviticus 11:25, 11:28, 11:40; 14:8; (Leviticus 14:8); Numbers 19:11-22);

and elsewhere:

That in mourning for transgression against Divine truths they should put off their garments and put on sackcloth (Isaiah 15:3; 22:12; 37:1-2; Jeremiah 4:8; 6:26; 48:37; 49:3; Lamentations 2:10; Ezekiel 27:31; Amos 8:10; Jonah 3:5-6, 3:8);

And that they should rend their garments (Isaiah 37:1 and elsewhere).

Also what this signifies:

That the disciples laid their garments upon the ass and the colt when the Lord was going to Jerusalem, and that the people then strewed their garments in the way (Matthew 21:7-9; Mark 11:7-8; Luke 19:35-36);

can be seen above n. 31.

[18] That "garments" signify truths has its origin in this, that the light of heaven is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun there, and all things that have existence in the heavens have existence from the light there, and this is true in like manner of the garments in which the angels appear clothed. It is from this:

That the angels who sat at the Lord's sepulchre had raiment white as snow (Matthew 28:3);

And that their garments were shining (Luke 24:4).

(That the garments in which the angels appear clothed correspond to their intelligence, and that they have intelligence according to their reception of Divine truth from the Lord, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182;and that Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is light in heaven, n. 126-135.) From this it can be seen what "garments" signify in reference to the Lord, namely, Divine truth proceeding from Him; and as Divine truth is signified, the Word also is signified, for the Word is Divine truth from the Lord on earth and in the heavens. This was represented by the Lord's "garments" when He was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, which are thus described in the Evangelists:

When Jesus was transfigured, His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as the light (Matthew 17:2);

And white, dazzling (Luke 9:29);

And glistering white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them (Mark 9:3).

The like is said of the Ancient of Days in Daniel:

The Ancient of Days did sit, and His garment was like white snow (Daniel 7:9).

"The Ancient of Days" is the Lord from eternity. As "light" is Divine truth, and this in reference to the Lord is signified by "garments," therefore it is said in David:

Jehovah covereth Himself with light as with a garment (Psalms 104:2).

[19] From this it can be seen what the Lord's garments mentioned elsewhere in the Word signify. As in David:

He hath anointed all Thy garments with myrrh and aloes and cassia (Psalms 45:7-8);

where the Lord is treated of. In Moses:

He will wash His vesture in wine, and His covering in the blood of grapes (Genesis 49:11).

This is also said of the Lord. "Wine" and "the blood of grapes" signify Divine truth. Because the Lord's garments signified Divine truth, therefore also:

Those who touched the border of His garment were healed (Matthew 9:20-21; Mark 5:27-28, 30; 6:56; Luke 8:44).

In Isaiah:

Who is this that cometh from Edom, His garments bespattered from Bozrah; this that is honorable in His apparel? Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel, and Thy garments as of one treading in the wine-press? Their victory is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel (Isaiah 63:1-3).

This also is said of the Lord; "garments" here signify the Word, which, as has been said, is Divine truth from the Lord on earth and in the heavens; the violence offered to Divine truth or to the Word by those who were then of the church, is described by this, that "He was red in apparel as one treading in the wine-press," and that "victory was sprinkled upon His garments," and that "He had stained all his raiment."

[20] In Revelation:

He that sat on the white horse was arrayed with a garment dipped in blood; and His name is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:13).

Here it is plainly declared that He who sat on the white horse was called "the Word of God;" and it is clear that this is the Lord, for it is immediately said of Him:

He hath on His garment and on His thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

It is therefore the Word in the letter that is signified by the "garment dipped in blood," since violence was done to it, but not to the Word in the spiritual sense; violence could not be done to this, because they knew nothing about it.

[21] That violence was done to the Word in the sense of the letter, but not to the Word in the spiritual sense, is signified also by the soldiers dividing the Lord's garments, but not His tunic, of which it is said in John:

The soldiers took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part, also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore one to another, Let us not divide it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be. These things therefore the soldiers did (John 19:23-24).

And in David:

They parted My garments, and cast the lot upon My vesture (Psalms 22:18).

"The garments of the Lord which they parted" signify the Word in the letter; His "tunic" the Word in the spiritual sense; "soldiers" signify those of the church who should fight in behalf of Divine truth; therefore it is said, "These things therefore the soldiers did." (That "tunic" signifies Divine truth, or the Word in the spiritual sense, see Arcan (Arcana Coelestia 9826, 9942) a Coelestia, n. 9826, 9942; that "soldiers" signify those who are of the church, and who should fight in behalf of Divine truth, see above, n. 64, at the end, where these things are more fully explained.) It should be known that each particular related in the Evangelists respecting the Lord's passion, involves and signifies how the church at that time, which was among the Jews, had treated Divine truth, thus the Word, for this was Divine truth with them; the Lord also was the Word, because He was Divine truth (John 1:1, 2, 14). But what each particular involves and signifies cannot be known except from the internal sense. Here it will be told only what "the Lord's garments" signified, because the meaning of "garments" is here treated of, namely, that they signify truths, and in reference to the Lord, Divine truths.

[22] "The garments of Aaron and of his sons" have a like signification, because Aaron with his sons represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, and their garments the Lord in respect to Divine truth. (But these things may be seen explained and shown in the Arcana Coelestia; as that Aaron represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, n.9806, 9946, 10017; also what each of their garments signified, the breastplate, the ephod, the cloak, the tunic wrought with checker work, the miter, and the belt, n. 9814, 9823-9828)

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. The Latin has "knowledge," for "knowledges."

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

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Arcana Coelestia # 3708

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3708. 'And you will break forth towards the sea, and towards the east' means infinite extension of good, while 'towards the north, and towards the south' means infinite extension of truth - thus every state of good and truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'breaking forth' as extension, here infinite extension since it has reference to the Lord; from the meaning of 'the sea' or the west as good which is as yet obscure and so at only an initial stage; from the meaning of 'the east' as bright and so perfected good; from the meaning of 'the north' as truth which is still shrouded in obscurity; and from the meaning of 'the south' as truth bathed in light.

[2] Many references are made in the Word to the sea or west, the east, the north, and the south. But because nobody up to now has known that, as with every other single expression, these possessed an internal sense in which they did not mean things to do with the world, as they do in the sense of the letter, but spiritual and celestial things, and that in the highest sense those expressions meant Divine things belonging to the Lord Himself, what else could people have known therefore other than that west, east, north, and south are used in the Word simply to mean the four quarters? What else other than that 'breaking forth' towards those four quarters means a multiplying? But the fact that they do not mean the four quarters or the multiplying of any group of people, but states of good and truth, and the extension of these, may become clear from all the places in the Word, especially those in the Prophets, where reference is made to them. For what west, east, north, or south are is totally unknown in heaven. There the Sun, which is the Lord - unlike the sun of this world which rises and sets, reaching its highest point at midday and its lowest at night - is visible all the time, though how visible depends on the states of those receiving its light; for the light from it holds wisdom and intelligence within it, see 1619-1632, 2776, 3138, 3167, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3339, 3341, 3485, 3636, 3643. Consequently it is visible to each individual according to the wisdom and intelligence existing with him. Among those with whom good and truth are present - which are warmth and light, but of the celestial and spiritual kind - the sun is as it is when rising and at midday; but among those with whom good and truth are not present the sun is as it is when setting and at night. From this it is evident that in the internal sense of the Word 'east, south, west, and north' means states of good and truth.

[3] It should be recognized that the Word does not use only the four quarters, as indicated, to describe states of good and truth. It also uses both the annual seasons or states of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and the daily times or states of morning, midday, evening, and night. These are used for a similar purpose; but when the subject is the extension of good and truth, the four quarters are employed to describe it. What each one means specifically however may be seen from the places where they are mentioned in the Word. 'East' means the Lord and also the good of love and charity, which comes from the Lord, as shown already in 101, 1250, 3249, and 'south' means the truth bathed in light, in 1458, 3195.

[4] But what 'west' and what 'north' mean in the genuine sense, and what they mean in the contrary sense, may be seen from the following places: In Isaiah,

Fear not, for I am with you; from the east I will bring your seed, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not withhold. Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the end of the earth. Isaiah 43:5-6

This refers to a new spiritual Church, meant here by Jacob and Israel. 'Bringing the seed from the east and gathering from the west' stands for people governed by good; 'saying to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not withhold' stands for those governed by truth.

[5] In David,

The redeemed of Jehovah will speak, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy and gathered together out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the sea. They wandered in the wilderness, in a desolate way; they did not find an inhabited city. 1 Psalms 107:2-4.

This refers to people who are without knowledge of good and truth. 'From the east and from the west' stands for those without knowledge of good, 'from the north and from the sea' for those without knowledge of truth. Those without knowledge of good are referred to as 'wandering in the wilderness', and those without knowledge of truth as doing so 'in a desolate way'. And those without knowledge of both are referred to as their not finding an inhabited city - 'a city' meaning doctrinal teaching consisting of truth, see 402, 2449, 2943, 3216, and 'a habitation' being used in reference to good, 268, 2451, 2712.

[6] In Isaiah,

Behold, these will come from afar, and behold, those from the north and from the west, and those from the land of Sinim. Isaiah 49:12.

'The north' stands for people in obscurity as regards truth, 'the west' for those in obscurity as regards good. They are said 'to come from afar' because they are remote from the light which flows from the Lord.

[7] In Amos,

Behold, the days are going to come in which I will send a famine on the land. And they will wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east they will run to and fro to seek the Word of Jehovah, and will not find it. Amos 8:11-12.

'A famine' stands for a lack and absence of cognitions, 1460, 3364. 'Wandering from sea to sea' stands for searching for the place where cognitions may be found - 'seas' meaning cognitions in general, 28, 2850. 'Running to and fro from the north even to the east' stands for going from those cognitions that are in obscurity to cognitions that are in the light. As regards cognitions being meant, this is evident because the words 'to seek the Word of God and will not find it' are used.

[8] In Jeremiah,

Proclaim these words towards the north, and say, Return, backsliding Israel; I will not cause My face to fall upon you, for I am merciful. In those days the house of Judah will go to the house of Israel, and together they will come out of the north land over the land I gave as a heritage to your fathers. Jeremiah 3:12, 18.

This refers to the restoration of the Church from among the gentiles. 'The north' stands for people without knowledge of truth but who lead a good life. It is evident that neither the north nor the north land is meant here for the reason that Israel did not exist any longer.

[9] In the same prophet,

The living Jehovah who caused the children of Israel to come up out of the north land. Jeremiah 16:15.

'North' in a similar way stands for being without knowledge of truth. In the same prophet,

Behold, I am bringing them from the north land, and I will gather them from the furthest parts of the earth, among them the blind one and the lame. Jeremiah 31:8.

The 'north land' stands for no knowledge of good because of no knowledge of truth. Now because the land of Canaan represented the Lord's kingdom - and therefore also represented good, see above in 3705 - and places within that land, such as Zion and Jerusalem, represented inmost good to which truth was joined, the places which lay away from that land consequently represented obscurity so far as good and truth were concerned. Everything that lies in obscurity is called 'the north land' and also 'the furthest parts of the earth'.

[10] In addition to this, since all good that flows in with light from the Lord is confined within man's obscurity, the north is also called 'an assembly' as in Isaiah,

You said in your heart, I will go up the heavens, above the stars of God I will raise my throne, and I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the furthest parts of the north. Isaiah 14:13.

In the same prophet,

Wail, O gate; cry, O city; you have melted away, O Philistia, all of you, for smoke comes from the north, and not a solitary person in the assemblies. Isaiah 14:31.

In David,

Great is Jehovah and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, the mountain of His holiness - the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, the furthest parts of the north, the city of the great King. Psalms 48:1-2.

And again in the same author,

The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours. The world and the fullness of it You have founded; the north and the right hand 2 You have created. Psalms 89:11-12.

'The north' here stands for those who are more remote from the light of good and truth, 'the right hand' for those who are closer to them. For the latter are on the Lord's right hand, see 1274, 1276.

[11] In Zechariah,

He saw four chariots coming out between two mountains of bronze. The horses coupled to them were reddish, black, white, and mottled - strong ones. The angel said, These are the four winds of heaven, which go forth from standing before the Lord of the whole earth, the black horses going into the north land; and the white have gone out after them, and the mottled have gone out into the south land. Those going towards the north land have caused My spirit to rest on the north land. Zechariah 6:1-8.

'Chariots coming out between two mountains of bronze' stands for matters of doctrine concerning good. For 'chariots' means matters of doctrine, as will be shown elsewhere, while 'a mountain' means love, see 795, 1430, 2722, and two mountains therefore two kinds of love - celestial love, which is love to the Lord, and spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbour. 'Bronze' is good originating in those loves as it exists within the natural, 425, 1551; 'horses' things of the understanding, and so an understanding of matters of doctrine concerning good, 2760-2762, 3217; 'the south land' stands for people who possess cognitions of good and truth, 1458, 3195, 'the north land' for those who are without knowledge of good and truth but who lead a good life, as upright gentiles do among whom, when a new Church is established, God's Spirit is said to rest.

[12] In Jeremiah,

Jehovah who brought up and led back the seed of the house of Israel out of the land towards the north and out of all the lands to where I have driven them, so that they might dwell on their own land. Jeremiah 23:8.

'Out of the land towards the north' stands for away from the obscurity that is due to a lack of knowledge about what is good and true. In the same prophet,

Can one break iron, iron from the north, and bronze? Jeremiah 15:12.

'Iron' stands for natural truth, 425, 426, 'bronze' for natural good, 425, 1551. These are said to come 'from the north' because they derive from the natural which, though lying in obscurity compared with other degrees, serves as the outer limit of these. It is evident without explanation that this prophetic utterance does not mean the use of iron and bronze from the north, for what would be Divine about that, indeed what connection would it have with what goes before and after if no more than iron and bronze from there were meant?

[13] In Matthew,

I tell you that many will come from the east and from the west and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:29.

'Many from the east and from the west' stands for those who possess cognitions and lead a good life, and also for those who are in obscurity and have no knowledge of such cognitions; and so it stands for people inside the Church and those outside it. It has been stated above that states of good are meant by the east and the west. 'Reclining with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob' means being with the Lord, see 3305 (end). And the Prophets in a similar way speak of people coming from east and west who are going to be with the Lord in His kingdom or Church, as in Isaiah,

From the east I will bring your seed, and from the west I will gather you. Isaiah 43:5.

Elsewhere in the same prophet,

They will fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and His glory from the east. Isaiah 59:19.

Elsewhere in the same,

From the rising of the sun and from its setting they will know that there is none besides Me; I am Jehovah and there is no one else. Isaiah 45:6.

Elsewhere in the same,

I will stir up one from the north, and he will come; from the rising of the sun he will call on My name. Isaiah 41:25.

[14] In addition one may see that east, west, south, and north have these meanings from the following: The Construction of the Tabernacle; The Children of Israel when they were encamped and when they journeyed; The Description of the Land of Canaan; also, The Description of the New Temple, New Jerusalem, and New Land:

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE

Everything in it was positioned according to the four quarters, see Exodus 38 - what went on the east and west sides, and what on the south and north, is stated in Exodus 26:18, 20, 22, 27; 27:9, 12, 13; and the requirement that the lampstand was to be placed towards the south across from the table, the table itself being on the north side, Exodus 26:35; 40:22.

[15] THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WHEN THEY WERE ENCAMPED AND WHEN THEY JOURNEYED

Here also positions were determined according to the four quarters. That is to say, they encamped around the Tent of Meeting, with the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun towards the east; the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad towards the south; the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin towards the west; and the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali towards the north, Numbers 2:1- end. In addition to this, the Levites encamped with the Gershonites towards the west, the Kohathites towards the south, the Merarites towards the north; and Moses, Aaron and his sons in front of the Tabernacle towards the east, Numbers 3:23-38. In this way the heavenly order which in the Lord's kingdom exists in accordance with states of good and truth was represented. Towards the south side also they were to sound the call for them to begin their journeys, Numbers 10:6. And even as they took up specific positions when they encamped, so they did when they journeyed, Numbers 2:34.

[16] THE DESCRIPTION OF THE LAND OF CANAAN

First Moses described its border lands - those indeed in the south, those in the west, those in the north, and those in the east, Numbers 34:2-12, as they were again described when the land had been apportioned to the tribes by lot, in Joshua 15 Chapters-19 of Joshua. From these circumstances, and also from the most ancient people who dwelt in the land of Canaan, all places in that land became representatives and meaningful signs determined by their position, distance, and boundaries in relation to the four quarters, 1607, 1866.

[17] THE DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW TEMPLE, NEW JERUSALEM, AND NEW LAND

These also are described in Ezekiel in relation to the four quarters. The structure of the city, for example, started from the south. When dealing with the gateway to the building he says that its sides faced towards the east, towards the north, and towards the south, Ezekiel 40:2, 6, 19, 20-46. When dealing with the measurement of the Temple, he says that its doors looked towards the north and the south, Ezekiel 41:11, while the outer court looked towards the north, the east, the south, and the west, Ezekiel 42:1, 4, 11, 16-19. He also says that the glory of Jehovah the God of Israel came in from the way of the east, Ezekiel 43:1-2, 4. The gates to the outer court are dealt with in Ezekiel 44:1-2, 4; 46:1, 9, 10, 19, 20; and the boundaries of the Holy Land in Chapter 47 - towards the north in verses 15-17, towards the east in verse 18, towards the south in verse 19, towards the west in verse 20; while Chapter 48 specifies in relation to the four quarters the territories allotted to each tribe. And in the description of the Holy Jerusalem it is said that the gates were on the east, north, south, and west, Revelation 21:13. From these references it is quite evident that the four quarters of the world in relation to which those holy things, or representatives of what is holy, were arrayed do not mean in the internal sense the four quarters but states of good and truth within the Lord's kingdom.

[18] In the contrary sense 'the north' and 'the west' mean falsity and evil, as may be seen from the following places: In Jeremiah,

The word of Jehovah came to me a second time, saying, What do you see? I said, I am seeing an open pot with it's face towards the north. And Jehovah said, From the north evil will be opened over all the inhabitants of the land. Lo, I am calling all the families of the north to come. Jeremiah 1:13-15.

In the same prophet,

Set up a standard towards Zion; assemble, stay not, for I am bringing evil from the north, and a great destruction. Jeremiah 4:6.

In the same prophet,

The sound of crashing; behold, it is coming, and a great commotion out of the land of the north to reduce the cities of Judah into a waste. Jeremiah 10:22.

In the same prophet,

In Tekoa sound the trumpet, for evil stares from the north, and great destruction. Behold, a people coming from the land of the north, a mighty nation will be stirred up from the furthest parts of the earth. Jeremiah 6:1, 22.

In the same prophet,

I took the cup from Jehovah's hand and made all the nations drink it - Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, and its kings, Pharaoh king of Egypt, and the whole western crowd; all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the west, dwelling in the wilderness, and all the kings of the north, far and near. Jeremiah 25:17-26.

[19] In the same prophet,

The swift will not flee away, nor the strong man escape. Northwards on the bank of the River Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen. Who is this coming up like a river? Egypt comes up like the river, for he said, I will go up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and those who dwell in it. But that day is to the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth a day of vengeance - for the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth holds a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates. A very beautiful heifer is Egypt, but destruction from the north has come. The daughter of Egypt has been put to shame; she has been delivered into the hand of a people from the north. Jeremiah 46:6-10, 20, 24.

In the same prophet,

Thus said Jehovah, Behold, waters rising out of the north which are like a deluging stream, and they will deluge the land and all that fills it, the city and those who dwell in it. Jeremiah 47:2.

[20] In the same prophet,

[The word which] Jehovah spoke against Babel: There will come up against her a nation from the north, which will make her land a desolation so that none may dwell in it. Jeremiah 50:1, 3.

In the same prophet,

Behold, I am stirring up and bringing up against Babel an assembly of great nations out of the north land, and they will array themselves against her; from there she will be taken. Behold, a people coming out of the north, a mighty nation, and many kings will be stirred up from the furthest parts of the earth. Jeremiah 50:9, 41.

In the same prophet,

Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, will sing over Babel, because those who lay waste will come out of the north. Jeremiah 51:48.

In Ezekiel,

Say to Gog, You will come out of your place from the furthest parts of the north, you and many peoples with you. You will come up against My people Israel, like a cloud to cover the land. Ezekiel 38:14-16.

In the same prophet,

Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince. I will make you turn back and will split you into six, and make you come up from the furthest parts of the north and bring you onto the mountains of Israel. On the mountains of Israel you will fall. On the surface of the field you will fall. Ezekiel 39:1-2, 4-5.

In Zechariah,

Ho! Flee from the land of the north, says Jehovah, for like the four winds of the heavens I will spread you abroad. Ho, Zion! escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babel. Zechariah 2:6-7.

[21] These quotations show what 'the north' means in the contrary sense, namely falsity which is the source of evil, or falsity which is the result of evil. Because falsity which is the source of evil originates in reasoning about Divine things and against Divine things, which reasoning is based on factual knowledge belonging to the natural man, it is called 'a people from the north out of Egypt' - 'Egypt' meaning such factual knowledge, see 1164, 1165, 2588 (end). And because falsity which is the result of evil originates in worship which to outward appearance is holy but interiorly is unholy, it is called 'a nation from the north out of Babel' - 'Babel' meaning such, see 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1306-1308, 1321, 1322, 1326, as well as that which lays waste, 1327. Both types of falsity - that which is the source of evil, and that which is the result of evil - are said to come out of Gog, for 'Gog' is worship consisting in external observances devoid of anything internal, which is idolatrous worship, as at all times was that of the Jews. That 'Gog' means such worship, see 1151.

[22] Out of the obscurity in which the natural man dwells either truth can arise or falsity can do so. When anyone allows himself to be enlightened by means of the Word from the Lord his obscurity is turned into brightness, for the internal path is opened and so influx and communication from the Lord by way of heaven takes place. But when he does not allow himself to be enlightened by means of the Word from the Lord, but by his own intelligence, his obscurity is turned into darkness and so into falsity, for the internal path is closed and no influx and communication from the Lord by way of heaven takes place, apart from such as enables him to be seen outwardly to be human, when he thinks and so speaks from evil and falsity. This is why 'the north' means truth with those who allow themselves to be enlightened, falsity with those who do not. For the former come up from obscurity, that is, they are raised up to light, but the latter go down from obscurity, that is, remove themselves from light. The former are accordingly brought into [the light of] the south, the latter into [the gloom of] Tartarus.

[23] The fact that 'the north' means the thick darkness of falsity and 'the south' the light of truth is quite evident in Daniel where the ram and the he-goat are the subject, and also where the king of the south and the king of the north are. Referring to the ram and the he-goat it is said that the ram butted with his horns towards the west and towards the north and towards the south, so that none of the beasts could stand before him, and that a he-goat came from the west across the surface of the whole earth, and out of one of his horns there came forth a [little] horn which grew exceedingly towards the south, and towards the east, and towards the glorious [land], Daniel 8:4-5, 9. And referring to the king of the south and the king of the north in the place where 'the king of the south' means those possessing cognitions of truth, and 'the king of the north' those who are governed by falsity, it is said that

After some years they will make an alliance, as a result of which the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to negotiate equitable terms but her arm will not gain strength. One will rise from that stem who will enter into the fortress of the king of the north and will prevail and will carry [the gods] they have captured into Egypt. The king of the south will come into the kingdom and fight with the king of the north, and the king of the north will return and raise a multitude greater than the former. Many will stand up against the king of the south. The king of the north will come and take the fortified city and destroy much. The king of the south will be stirred up to battle with a great army, but he will not stand, for they will devise plots against him. After that he will return, but it will not be as previously. The people consisting of those who know their God will stand firm. At length, at the time of the end, the king of the south will clash with him; therefore the king of the north will rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen. In the glorious land many will fall. But rumours will terrify him from the east and from the north, so that he goes forth with great fury. He will come to his end, with none to help him. Daniel 11:1-end.

The fact that 'the king of the south' means those who dwell in the light of truth, 'the king of the north' those who first dwell in shade and then in the thick darkness of falsity, may become clear from the details in that chapter. So it is a description of how the state of the Church is in course of time perverted. They are called kings of the south and of the north because 'kings' in the internal sense of the Word means truths, and in the contrary sense falsities, 1672, 2015, 2069, while 'kingdoms' means things that belong to truth, and in the contrary sense those that belong to falsity, 1672, 2547.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, city of habitation

2. i.e. the south

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