Apocalypse Explained # 414
414. And who is able to stand? signifies, who shall sustain and live? This is evident from the signification of standing, when it is before the Lord, as meaning to sustain and live, here, not able to sustain it and live; for, as was said above, the evil, from the influx and consequent presence of the Lord, that is, of Divine good and Divine truth going out and proceeding from Him with power and might, come not only into the tremors from fear, but also into torments from interior conflict, consequently unless they flee away and cast themselves down they cannot live, for from fear and torment death as it were befalls them, for the presence of the Divine brings death to the evil as it brings life to the good. From this their state it is then said, "Who is able to stand?" As also in Malachi:
Who sustaineth the day of His coming, and who shall stand when He shall appear (Malachi 3:2)?
In Nahum:
Who shall stand before His indignation; and who shall stand up in the glow of His anger (Nahum 1:6)?
And in Joel:
The day of Jehovah is great and very terrible; and who shall sustain it? (Joel 2:11).
Moreover, "to stand," like walking and sitting, in the Word signifies to be and to live; and "to stand," has a similar meaning with to stand firm and stand still. As in Luke:
The angel answered Zachariah, I am Gabriel, that standeth before God (Luke 1:19).
And in the same:
Be wakeful at every season, that ye may be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of man (Luke 21:36).
And elsewhere. And as "to stand" also signifies to be, it is said of Jehovah, in Isaiah:
Jehovah hath stood up to plead, and standeth to judge (Isaiah 3:13).
And in David:
God stood in the congregation of God; He shall judge in the midst of the gods (Psalms 82:1).
But why "to stand" signifies to be shall be told elsewhere.
1 Samuel 7
1
Tada dođoše ljudi iz Kirjat Jearima i odnesoše Kovčeg Jahvin sebi. Unesoše ga u kuću Abinadabovu, na uzvišici, i posvetiše njegova sina Eleazara da čuva Kovčeg Jahvin.
2
Od dana kad je Kovčeg bio postavljen u Kirjat Jearimu, prođe mnogo vremena - dvadeset godina - i sav je dom Izraelov uzdisao za Jahvom.
3
Tada Samuel progovori svemu domu Izraelovu ovako: "Ako se od svega srca svoga vraćate Jahvi, uklonite iz svoje sredine tuđe bogove, baale i aštarte, i upravite srce svoje Jahvi i njemu jedinome služite. Tada će vas on izbaviti iz ruke Filistejaca."
4
Sinovi Izraelovi ukloniše nato baale i aštarte i služahu jedinome Jahvi.
5
Samuel tada zapovjedi: "Skupite sve sinove Izraelove u Mispu da se pomolim Jahvi za vas."
6
Oni se dakle skupiše u Mispi; ondje su grabili vodu i izlijevali je pred Jahvom. I postili su onaj dan i priznavali: "Sagriješili smo Jahvi!" I Samuel je sudio sinovima Izraelovim u Mispi.
7
Kad su Filistejci čuli da su se sinovi Izraelovi skupili u Mispi, krenu filistejski knezovi da napadnu na Izraela. Kad to vidješe sinovi Izraelovi, uplašiše se Filistejaca.
8
I zamoliše sinovi Izraelovi Samuela: "Ne prestaj vapiti za nas Jahvi, Bogu našemu, da nas izbavi iz ruke Filistejaca."
9
Samuel uze jedno janje sisanče i prinese ga Jahvi kao žrtvu paljenicu i glasno se pomoli Jahvi za Izraela, i Jahve ga usliša.
10
Dok je Samuel prinosio žrtvu paljenicu, Filistejci su došli da udare na Izraela, ali Jahve toga dana zagrmi silnom grmljavinom na Filistejce i tako ih prestraši i smete da su podlegli Izraelu.
11
Ratnici izraelski iziđoše iz Mispe i potjeraše Filistejce, tukući ih sve do ispod Bet Kara.
12
A Samuel uze jedan kamen i postavi ga između Mispe i Ješane i nazva ga imenom Eben Haezer govoreći: "Dovde nam je Jahve pomogao."
13
Tako su Filistejci bili poniženi i nikada više ne navališe na zemlju Izraelovu, a ruka je Jahvina pritiskivala Filistejce svega vijeka Samuelova.
14
I gradove koje Filistejci bijahu zauzeli od Izraela vratiše se njemu, od Ekrona do Gata, i Izrael oslobodi njihovo područje iz ruke filistejske. I bio je mir između Izraela i Amorejaca.
15
Samuel je bio sudac u Izraelu svega svoga vijeka.
16
Svake je godine obilazio Betel, Gilgal i Mispu i u svim je tim mjestima sudio Izraelu.
17
Zatim se vraćao u Ramu, jer je ondje imao svoju kuću i ondje je sudio Izraelu. Ondje je podigao i žrtvenik Jahvi.
