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Zaharija 6

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1 I podigoh oči i vidjeh: gle, četvera bojna kola izlaze između dviju gora; a gore bijahu od mjedi.

2 U prvim kolima bijahu riđi konji; u drugim kolima crni konji;

3 u trećim kolima bijeli konji, a u četvrtim kolima konji šareni.

4 Obratih se anđelu koji je govorio sa mnom i upitah ga: "Što je to, gospodaru?"

5 Anđeo mi odgovori ovako: "Ti kreću u četiri vjetra nebeska pošto su stajali pred Gospodarem sve zemlje.

6 Riđani kreću u zemlju istočnu; vranci u zemlju sjevernu; bijelci kreću u zemlju zapadnu, a šarci kreću u zemlju južnu."

7 Krepko oni stupaju, nestrpljivi da obiđu zemlju. On im reče: "Idite, obiđite zemlju!" I oni krenuše obilaziti zemljom.

8 On me zovnu i reče mi: "Vidi, oni koji su krenuli u sjevernu zemlju umirit će gnjev moj u zemlji sjevernoj."

9 I dođe mi riječ Jahvina:

10 "Uzmi prinose od izgnanika - od Heldaja, Tobije i Jedaje - i pođi danas i uđi u dom Jošije, sina Sefanijina, koji je došao iz Babilona.

11 Uzmi srebra i zlata, načini krunu i stavi na glavu Jošui, sinu Josadakovu, velikom svećeniku.

12 I reci mu: 'Ovako govori Jahve nad Vojskama: Evo čovjeka komu je ime Izdanak; ispod njega će proklijati i on će sazdati Svetište Jahvino.

13 On će sazdati Svetište Jahvino i proslaviti se. On će sjediti i vladati na prijestolju. A do njega će na prijestolju biti svećenik. Sklad savršen bit će među njima.

14 A kruna neka ostane u Jahvinu Svetištu za spomen Heldaju, Tobiji, Jedaji i Jošiji, sinu Sefanijinu.

15 I oni koji su daleko doći će i sazdat će Svetište Jahvino. Znat ćete tako da me Jahve nad Vojskama k vama poslao.' To će se zbiti ako zaista poslušate glas Jahve, Boga svojega."

   

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De Verbo (The Word) # 5

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5. V. The spiritual sense of the Word and its natural sense.

I have sometimes talked with spirits who were unwilling to know anything about the spiritual sense of the Word, saying that its natural sense is the only meaning the Word has, and this is holy because it comes from God. They asserted that if a spiritual sense were to be accepted, the literal form of the Word would be worthless. Many of them insisted on this, but they received a reply from heaven, that the Word without a spiritual sense in it would not be Divine, and because the spiritual sense is its soul, it is consequently Divine, in fact alive; for without this the literal sense would be as if dead. The real holiness of the Word consists in this. Thus the Word can be compared to the Divine Man, who is the Lord; in Him there is not only a natural Divine, but also a spiritual Divine and a celestial Divine. This is why the Lord calls Himself the Word. It was also said that the real holiness of the Word lies in its literal sense, and that this is more holy than the others, the internal senses, because it is the wrapping and container of the others, and it is like the body which is made alive by the soul. So the Word in its literal or natural sense possesses its fullness and also its power; and by its means a person is linked with the heavens, which would be separated from mankind but for the literal sense. Everyone knows and acknowledges that the Word is in its depths spiritual, but up to now it has been obscure where this spirituality was hidden.

[2] But since the spirits who took a stand on behalf of the literal sense alone were unwilling to be convinced by these arguments, there was produced countless passages from the natural sense, which could never be understood without the spiritual sense. For instance there are in the Prophets lists of nothing but names; many kinds of animals are named, such as lions, bears, oxen, calves, dogs, wolves, owls, ojim, 1 dragons; also mountains and forests, and many other things besides, which would mean nothing without a spiritual sense.

For instance, what might be the meaning of a dragon described as red with seven heads and seven diadems on its heads, pulling down with its tail a third of the stars of heaven, and wanting to swallow the baby to which the woman was about to give birth; the woman being given the two wings of the great eagle to fly into the desert, where the dragon ejected water from its mouth after her like a river? Again, without the spiritual sense it would not be known what was the meaning of the dragon's two beasts; by the one which came up out of the sea, resembling a leopard, with feet like a bear's and a mouth like a lion's; and by its other beast which came up out of the ground, as described in Revelation Chapters 12 and 13. Again, what is the meaning there of the Lamb opening the seal of the book, horses coming out, first a white one, then a red, then a black and then a pale one, described in Revelation 6, as well as the other things in that book? Again, in Zechariah, what is the meaning of the four horns and the four smiths (Chapter 1:18-21); the lamp-stand and the two olive trees next to it (Chapter 4); the four chariots coming out between the two mountains, attached to which were horses, red, black, white and dappled (Chapter 6)? Again, the ram and the he-goat and their horns, with which they fought each other in Daniel (Chapter 8); and the four beasts coming up out of the sea (Chapter 7); not to mention vast quantities of similar things? To convince them further it was cited what the Lord said to the disciples in Matthew (Chapter 24) about the ending of the age and His coming again, which no one could understand without the spiritual sense.

[3] The existence of a spiritual sense in every detail of the Word can also be confirmed by some of the Lord's sayings, which could not be grasped unless understood spiritually. For instance, no one would be allowed to call his father on earth 'father', nor 'teacher' or 'master', because they have one Father, Teacher and Master (Matthew 23:7-10); or that they should not judge for fear of being judged (Matthew 7:1-2); or that a husband and wife are not two, but one flesh (Matthew 19:5-6), although they are not one flesh in the natural sense. Nor is there any prohibition of judging one's companion or neighbour as regards his natural life, for this is in society's interest; but the prohibition is on judging him as regards his spiritual life, for this is known to none but the Lord. Again, the Lord did not forbid calling one's father 'father', nor a teacher 'teacher', nor a master 'master' in the natural sense, but He did in the spiritual sense. In this there is only one Father, Teacher and Master. And the same is true in other cases.

[4] They were convinced by this that there is a spiritual sense contained in the natural sense of the Word, and that still the real holiness of the Word resides in its literal sense, because all the inner meanings of the Word are fully present in it. In addition it was proved that the literal sense also exhibits clearly everything which teaches the way to salvation, and so how to live and what to believe. Also, every teaching of the church is to be drawn from the literal sense of the Word, and proved by it; not purely by the spiritual sense, since this does not permit linking with heaven and through heaven with the Lord, but this must take place by means of the literal sense. For the Lord's Divine influence coming through the Word extends from first to last.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. Possibly to be emended to ochim, which are mentioned along with ziim and ijim, apparently nocturnal birds: see Isaiah 13:21-22. -Translator

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

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Matthew 24

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1 Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.

2 But he answered them, "You see all of these things, don't you? Most certainly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on another, that will not be thrown down."

3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?"

4 Jesus answered them, "Be careful that no one leads you astray.

5 For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will lead many astray.

6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren't troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places.

8 But all these things are the beginning of birth pains.

9 Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name's sake.

10 Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.

11 Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray.

12 Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.

13 But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved.

14 This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

15 "When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take out things that are in his house.

18 Let him who is in the field not return back to get his clothes.

19 But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days!

20 Pray that your flight will not be in the winter, nor on a Sabbath,

21 for then there will be great oppression, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.

22 Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened.

23 "Then if any man tells you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or, 'There,' don't believe it.

24 For there will arise false christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.

25 "Behold, I have told you beforehand.

26 If therefore they tell you, 'Behold, he is in the wilderness,' don't go out; 'Behold, he is in the inner rooms,' don't believe it.

27 For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

28 For wherever the carcass is, there is where the vultures gather together.

29 But immediately after the oppression of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;

30 and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

31 He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

32 "Now from the fig tree learn this parable. When its branch has now become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near.

33 Even so you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

34 Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until all these things are accomplished.

35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

36 But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

37 "As the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

38 For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship,

39 and they didn't know until the flood came, and took them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left;

41 two women grinding at the mill, one will be taken and one will be left.

42 Watch therefore, for you don't know in what hour your Lord comes.

43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

44 Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don't expect, the Son of Man will come.

45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season?

46 Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes.

47 Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.

48 But if that evil servant should say in his heart, 'My lord is delaying his coming,'

49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards,

50 the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn't expect it, and in an hour when he doesn't know it,

51 and will cut him in pieces, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.