Bible

 

Jeremiáše 51

Studie

   

1 Takto praví Hospodin: Aj, já vzbudím proti Babylonu a proti těm, kteříž bydlejí u prostřed povstávajících proti mně, vítr hubící.

2 A pošli na Babylon ty, jenž vějí, kteřížto převívati budou jej, a vyprázdní zemi jeho, když budou proti němu vůkol v den bídy.

3 Natahujícímu, kterýž silně natahuje lučiště své, a kráčí v pancíři svém, dím: Neslitovávejtež se nad mládenci jeho, zahlaďte jako proklaté všecko vojsko jeho.

4 Ať padnou zbití v zemi Kaldejské, a probodnutí na ulicích jeho.

5 Nebo není opuštěn Izrael a Juda od Boha svého, od Hospodina zástupů, ačkoli země jejich plná jest provinění proti Svatému Izraelskému.

6 Utecte z prostředku Babylona, a zachovejte jeden každý život svůj, abyste nebyli vypléněni v nepravosti jeho. Nebo čas bude pomsty Hospodinovy, sám odplatu dá jemu.

7 Byltě koflíkem zlatým Babylon v ruce Hospodinově, opojujícím všecku zemi; víno jeho pili národové, protož se zbláznili národové.

8 Ale v náhle padne Babylon, a potřín bude. Kvělte nad ním, nabeřte masti pro bolesti jeho, snad bude moci zhojen býti.

9 Hojili jsme Babylon, ale není zhojen, opusťme jej, a poďme jeden každý do země své; nebo až k nebi dosahá soud jeho, a vznesen jest až k nejvyšším oblakům.

10 Vyvedl Hospodin při naši; poďte, a vypravujme na Sionu dílo Hospodina Boha našeho.

11 Vytřete střely, shledejte, což nejvíc můžete, pavéz, Hospodin vzbudil ducha králů Médských, proto že proti Babylonu usouzení jeho jest, aby jej zkazil; pomsta zajisté jest Hospodinova, pomštění chrámu jeho.

12 Na zdech Babylonských zdvihněte korouhev, osaďte stráž, postavte strážné, připravte zálohy; nebo i myslil Hospodin, i učiní, což řekl proti obyvatelům Babylonským.

13 Ó ty, kterýž bydlíš při vodách velikých, ó kterýž máš množství pokladů, přišloť skončení tvé, cíl lakomství tvého.

14 Přisáhlť jest Hospodin zástupů skrze samého sebe: Jistotně naplním tě lidmi jako brouky, kteříž by prokřikovali nad tebou radostně:

15 Ten, kterýž učinil zemi mocí svou, kterýž utvrdil okršlek světa moudrostí svou, a opatrností svou roztáhl nebesa,

16 Kterýžto, když vydává hlas, ječí vody na nebi, a kterýž působí to, aby vystupovaly páry od kraje země, blýskání s deštěm přivodí, a vyvodí vítr z pokladů svých.

17 Tak zhlupěl každý člověk, že nezná toho, že zahanben bývá každý zlatník od rytiny; nebo faleš jest slitina jeho, a není ducha v nich.

18 Marnost jsou a dílo podvodů; v čas, v němž navštíveni budou, zahynou.

19 Neníť jim podobný díl Jákobův; nebo on jest stvořitelem všeho, a částka dědictví jeho, Hospodin zástupů jest jméno jeho.

20 Ty jsi mým kladivem rozrážejícím, nástroji válečnými, abych rozrážel skrze tebe národy, a kazil skrze tebe království,

21 Abych rozrážel skrze tebe koně s jezdcem jeho, abych rozrážel skrze tebe vůz s tím, kdož jezdí na něm.

22 Abych rozrážel skrze tebe muže i ženu, abych rozrážel skrze tebe starého i dítě, abych rozrážel skrze tebe mládence i pannu,

23 Abych rozrážel skrze tebe pastýře s stádem jeho, abych rozrážel skrze tebe oráče s spřežením jeho, abych rozrážel skrze tebe vývody a knížata.

24 Ale jižť odplatím Babylonu i všechněm obyvatelům Kaldejským za všecko bezpráví jejich, kteréž činili Sionu před očima vašima, dí Hospodin.

25 Aj, já jsem proti tobě, ó horo, kteráž hubíš, dí Hospodin, kteráž hubíš všecku zemi; a vztáhna ruku svou na tebe, svalím tě z těch skal, a obrátím tě v horu spálenou.

26 A nevezmou z tebe kamene k úhlu, ani kamene k základům; nebo pustinou věčnou budeš, praví Hospodin.

27 Vyzdvihněte korouhev v zemi, trubte trubou mezi národy, připravte proti němu národy, svolejte proti němu království Ararat, Minni, Ascenez, ustanovte hejtmana proti němu, přiveďte koní jako brouků počet nesčíslný.

28 Připravte proti Babylonu národy, krále země Médské, vývody její a všecka knížata její, i všecku zemi panování jejich.

29 I bude se třásti země a bolestiti, když vykonáváno bude usouzení Hospodinovo proti Babylonu, aby obrátil zemi Babylonskou v pustinu, v níž by se žádný neosazoval.

30 Přestanou silní Babylonští bojovati, seděti budou v ohradách, zhyne síla jejich, budou jako ženy, zapálí příbytky jejich, polámány budou závory jejich.

31 Pošta jedna druhou potká, a posel posla, aby oznámeno bylo králi Babylonskému, že vzato jest město jeho na kraji,

32 A že brodové vzati, i jezera vypálena ohněm, a muži bojovní předěšeni.

33 Nebo takto praví Hospodin zástupů, Bůh Izraelský: Dcera Babylonská jest jako humno, jehož nabíjení čas; ještě maličko, a přijde čas žně její.

34 Vyjídá mne, potírá mne Nabuchodonozor král Babylonský, vystavuje mne nádobu prázdnou, požírá mne jako drak, naplňuje břich svůj rozkošemi mými, vyhání mne.

35 Násilé, kteréž se mně a mému tělu děje, přijdiž na Babylon, praví obyvatelkyně Sionská, a krev má na obyvatele země Kaldejské, praví Jeruzalém.

36 Protož takto praví Hospodin: Aj, já vyvedu při tvou, a pomstím tě; nebo vysuším moře jeho, vysuším i vrchoviště jeho.

37 I bude Babylon v hromady, v příbytek draků, v užasnutí a ckání, tak že nebude v něm žádného obyvatele.

38 Jako lvové spolu řváti budou, skučeti budou jako lvíčata.

39 Když se rozpálí, učiním jim hody, a tak je opojím, že zkřiknouti a snem věčným zesnouti musejí, tak aby neprocítili, dí Hospodin.

40 Povedu je jako berany k zabití, jako skopce s kozly.

41 Jakž by dobyt býti mohl Sesák? Jakž by vzata býti mohla chvála vší země? Jakž by přijíti mohl na spuštění Babylon mezi národy?

42 Vystoupí proti Babylonu moře, množstvím vlnobití jeho přikryt bude.

43 Města jeho budou pustinou, zemí vyprahlou a pustou, zemí, v jejíchž městech neosadí se žádný, aniž projde skrze ně syn člověka.

44 Navštívím také Béle v Babyloně, a vytrhnu, což sehltil, z úst jeho, i nepohrnou se k němu více národové; také i zdi Babylonské padnou.

45 Vyjděte z prostředku jeho, lide můj, a vysvoboďte jeden každý duši svou od prchlivosti hněvu Hospodinova.

46 A nebuďtež choulostivého srdce, aniž se bojte pověsti, kteráž slyšána bude v té zemi, když přijde tohoto roku pověst, a potom druhého roku pověst, i ukrutenství v zemi, a pán na pána.

47 Protož aj, dnové přijdou, že navštívím rytiny Babylonské, a všecka země jeho zahanbena bude, i všickni zbití jeho padnou u prostřed něho.

48 I budou prozpěvovati nad Babylonem nebesa i země, a cožkoli v nich jest, když na něj od půlnoci přitáhnou ti zhoubcové, dí Hospodin.

49 Ano i Babylon padnouti musí, ó zbití Izraelovi, i s Babylonem padnou zbití vší země jeho.

50 Ó kdož jste znikli meče, jděte, nezastavujte se; zpomínejte, daleko jsouce, na Hospodina, a Jeruzalém nechť vstupuje na srdce vaše.

51 Rcete: Stydímeť se, že slýcháme útržku, hanbí se tváře naše, že cizozemci chodí do svatyní domu Hospodinova.

52 Protož aj, dnové přijdou, dí Hospodin, že navštívím rytiny jeho, a po vší zemi jeho stonati bude zraněný.

53 Byť pak vstoupil Babylon na nebe, a byť pak ohradil velmi vysokou pevnost svou, přitáhnou ode mne na něj zhoubcové, praví Hospodin.

54 Zvuk křiku z Babylona, a potření veliké z země Kaldejské.

55 Nebo Hospodin popléní Babylon, a vyhladí z něho hřmot veliký, byť pak zvučela vlnobití jejich jako vody mnohé, vydáván byl hluk hlasu jejich,

56 Když přitáhne na něj, na Babylon zhoubce. I budou jati silní jeho, potříno bude lučiště jejich; nebo Bůh silný odplatí, Hospodin vrchovatě odplatí.

57 Opojím knížata jeho i moudré jeho, vývody jeho i znamenitější jeho i silné jeho, aby zesnuli snem věčným, a neprocítili, dí král, jehož jméno jest Hospodin zástupů.

58 Takto praví Hospodin zástupů: Oboje zed Babylonská velmi široká do gruntu zbořena bude, a brány jeho vysoké ohněm spáleny budou, a tak nadarmo pracovati budou lidé a národové při ohni, až ustanou.

59 Slovo, kteréž přikázal Jeremiáš prorok Saraiášovi synu Neriášovu, synu Maaseiášovu, když se vypravil od Sedechiáše krále Judského do Babylona, léta čtvtého kralování jeho, (byl pak Saraiáš kníže Menuchské),

60 Když sepsal Jeremiáš všecko zlé, kteréž přijíti mělo na Babylon, do knihy jedné, všecka ta slova, kteráž jsou psána proti Babylonu.

61 I řekl Jeremiáš Saraiášovi: Když přijdeš do Babylona, a uzříš jej, tedy čti všecka ta slova.

62 A rci: Ó Hospodine, ty jsi mluvil o místě tomto, že je zkazíš, tak že nebude v něm obyvatele, od člověka až do hovada, ale že hrozně zpuštěno na věky bude.

63 Když pak do konce přečteš knihu tuto, přivaž k ní kámen, a hoď ji do prostřed Eufrates,

64 A rci: Tak potopen bude Babylon, a nepovstane z toho zlého, kteréž já uvedu na něj, ačkoli ustávati budou. Až potud slova Jeremiášova.

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Apocalypse Revealed # 485

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 962  
  

485. CHAPTER 11

1. Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood by, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.

2. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.

3. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."

4. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.

5. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire will proceed from their mouth and devour their enemies. And if anyone wants to do them injury, he must be killed in this manner.

6. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

7. Then, when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.

8. And their bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

9. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their bodies for three and a half days, and not allow their bodies to be put into tombs.

10. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and be glad, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

11. But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

12. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.

13. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth part of the city fell. And in the earthquake seven thousand people by name were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

15. Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"

16. And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,

17. saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, who are and who were and who are to come, because You have taken Your great power and entered Your kingdom.

18. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time to judge the dead, and to reward Your servants the prophets and saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and to destroy those who are destroying the earth."

19. Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

THE SPIRITUAL MEANING

The Contents of the Whole Chapter

The subject continues to be the state of the church among the Protestant Reformed and the character of those inwardly caught up in faith alone in opposition to the two essential elements of the New Church, namely, that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth, whose humanity is Divine, and that people ought to live in accordance with the Ten Commandments. These two essential elements were proclaimed before them (verses 3-6). But they were utterly rejected (verses 7-10). The Lord revived them (verses 11, 12). Those people perished who rejected them (verse 13). From the New Heaven the state of the New Church was shown (verses 15-19).

The Contents of the Individual Verses:

Verse ContentsSpiritual Meaning
1. Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod.John was given the ability and power to learn and see the state of the church in heaven and in the world.
And the angel stood by, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.The Lord's presence and His command to see and learn the state of the church in the New Heaven.
2. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it,The state of the church on earth, as it is still, must be set aside and not learned.
for it has been given to the gentiles.Because, owing to evil practices, the state of that church has been lost and forsaken.
And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.It has dispelled every truth of the Word to the point that none remains.
3. And I will give power to my two witnesses,Those people who confess and acknowledge from the heart that the Lord is God of heaven and earth, whose humanity is Divine, and who are conjoined with Him by a life in accordance with the Ten Commandments.
and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days,These two - an acknowledgment of the Lord and a life in accordance with the Ten Commandments, which are the two essential elements of the New Church - must be taught until the end and a new beginning.
clothed in sackcloth."The grief experienced meanwhile over the truth's not being accepted.
4. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.The love and intelligence, or charity and faith, that people have in them from the Lord.
5. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire will proceed from their mouth and devour their enemies.Anyone who wishes to destroy these two essential elements perishes from a hellish love.
And if anyone wants to do them injury, he must be killed in that way.Anyone who condemns the two essential elements is likewise condemned.
6. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy;People who turn away from these two essential elements cannot receive any truth from heaven.
and they have power over waters to turn them to blood,People who turn away from these two essential elements falsify the Word's truths.
and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.People who wish to destroy these two essential elements propel themselves into evils and falsities of every kind, as often as, and in the measure that, they do so.
7. Then, when they finish their testimony,After the Lord has taught these two essential elements of the New Church,
the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.those people who are caught up in the interior tenets of the doctrine regarding faith alone will reject these two elements.
8. And their bodies will lie in the street of the great cityThese two elements have been utterly rejected.
which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt,The two hellish loves, namely, a love of ruling springing from a love of self, and a love of holding sway from a conceit in one's own intelligence, loves which are present in the church where there is not one God and where the Lord is not worshiped, and where people do not live in accordance with the Ten Commandments.
where also our Lord was crucified.A failure to acknowledge the Lord's Divine humanity, and thus a state in which He is rejected.
9. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their bodies for three and a half days,All those who were or who would be caught up in doctrinal falsities and evil practices at the end of the church still existing, when they have heard and later hear about these two essential elements at the beginning of the New Church,
and not allow their bodies to be put into tombs.have condemned them and will continue to condemn them.
10. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and be glad,The delight of the heart and soul's affection among those people in the church caught up in faith alone.
and send gifts to one another,Their consociation by love and friendship.
because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.These two essential elements of the New Church, opposed as they are to the two essential elements accepted in the Protestant Reformed Church, are objects of contempt, distress, and repugnance.
11. But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet,As the New Church commences and grows, these two essential elements are made living by the Lord in people who accept them.
and great fear fell on those who saw them.A disturbance of the mind and alarm at Divine truths.
12. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here."The two essential elements of the New Church raised by the Lord into heaven, where they originate and where they remain, and where they are protected.
And they ascended to heaven in a cloud,Their elevation into heaven and conjunction with the Lord there through the Divine truth of the Word in its literal sense.
and their enemies saw them.People caught up in a faith divorced from charity heard of these, but remained in their falsities.
13. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth part of the city fell.A considerable change of state occurring then in those people, and their being plucked away from heaven and sinking into hell.
And in the earthquake seven thousand people by name were killed,All those people who professed faith alone and for that reason made works of charity of no account, perished.
and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.People who saw their destruction acknowledged the Lord and were set apart.
14. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.A lamentation over the corrupted state of the church, and lastly a final lamentation, as depicted after this.
15. Then the seventh angel sounded,An examination and exposure of the state of the church after its end, at the time of the Lord's advent and the advent of His kingdom.
and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"Celebrations on the part of angels, that heaven and the church had become the Lord's, as they had been from the beginning, and that they had now become those of His Divine humanity, thus that the Lord would reign over heaven and earth as regards both aspects of Him to eternity.
16. And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,An acknowledgment on the part of all the angels in heaven that the Lord is God of heaven and earth, and their highest adoration of Him.
17. saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, who are and who were and who are to come,A confession and glorification on the part of the angels in heaven, that the Lord is He who exists, lives, and has power of Himself, and who governs all things, because He alone is eternal and infinite.
because You have taken Your great power and entered Your kingdom.The New Heaven and New Church, where people will acknowledge Him alone as God.
18. The nations were angry,People who were caught up in faith alone and thus in evil practices were enraged, and harassed those who opposed their faith.
and Your wrath has come, and the time to judge the dead,Their destruction, and the last judgment on those people who were without any spiritual life.
and to reward Your servants the prophets and saints,The happiness of eternal life for people who possess doctrinal truths from the Word and live in accordance with them.
and those who fear Your name, small and great,People who love things having to do with the Lord, in a lesser or greater degree.
and to destroy those who are destroying the earth."The casting down into hell of the people who destroyed the church.
19. Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple.The New Heaven, in which the Lord is worshiped in His Divine humanity, and where people live in accordance with the Ten Commandments, which constitute the two essential elements of the New Church that are the means of conjunction.
And there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.The reasonings, disturbances, and falsifications of goodness and truth then in the lower regions.

THE EXPOSITION

Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. (11:1) This symbolically means that the Lord gave John the ability and power to learn and see the state of the church in heaven and in the world.

A reed symbolizes weak power, the kind a person has of himself, and a rod symbolizes strong power, the kind a person has from the Lord. Consequently John's being given a reed like a measuring rod symbolizes power from the Lord. That it was the ability and power to learn and see the state of the church in heaven and in the world is apparent from the events that follow in this chapter to the end.

[2] That a reed or length of cane symbolizes weak power such as a person has of himself is apparent from the following:

Look, you are relying on the staff of (a) broken reed, on Egypt, which, when a man leans on it, will go into his hand and pierce it. (Isaiah 36:6)

That... the inhabitants of Egypt may know that I am Jehovah, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When they took hold of you with the hand, you broke and punctured all their shoulders... (Ezekiel 29:6-7)

Egypt symbolizes the natural person who relies on his own powers, and that is why it is called the staff of a broken reed.

A reed symbolizes weak power, in Isaiah:

A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not extinguish. (Isaiah 42:3)

[3] A rod, on the other hand, symbolizes strong power, which comes from the Lord, here the power to learn the state of the church, because John used the rod to measure the temple and altar, and to measure means, symbolically, to learn, and the temple and altar symbolize the church, as depicted next.

A rod symbolizes power because in olden times people in the church made wooden rods, and wood symbolizes goodness. It also substituted for the right hand and supported it, and the right hand symbolizes power. It is owing to this that a scepter is a shortened rod, and a scepter symbolizes the power of a king. Moreover, "scepter" and "rod" in Hebrew are the same word. 1

[4] That a rod symbolizes power is apparent from the following passages:

Say, "How the strong staff is broken, the beautiful rod!" ...Come down from your glory, and sit in thirst. (Jeremiah 48:17-18)

Jehovah shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. (Psalms 110:2)

You punctured with his shafts the head of the faithless. (Habakkuk 3:14)

...Israel the rod of (Jehovah's) inheritance. (Jeremiah 10:16; 51:19)

Your rod and Your staff will comfort me. (Psalms 23:4)

Jehovah has broken the staff of the wicked... (Isaiah 14:5, cf. Isaiah 9:4, Psalms 125:3)

My people consult a piece of wood, and their staff answers them. (Hosea 4:12)

...Jehovah... takes away from Jerusalem... the whole staff of bread and the whole staff of water. (Isaiah 3:1, cf. Ezekiel 4:16; 5:16; 14:13, Psalms 105:16, Leviticus 26:26)

A staff of bread and of water symbolizes the power of goodness and truth, and Jerusalem symbolizes the church.

The rod of Levi with the name of Aaron on it, which in the Tabernacle blossomed with almonds (Numbers 17:2-10), symbolizes, in the spiritual sense, nothing else than the power of truth and goodness, because Levi and Aaron symbolized the truth and goodness of the church.

[5] That a rod symbolizes power is apparent from the power of Moses' rod: On being stretched out it turned water into blood (Exodus 7:20). It caused frogs to come up on the land of Egypt (Exodus 8:1ff.). It produced lice (Exodus 8:16f.). It summoned thunder and hail (Exodus 9:23ff.). It caused locusts to come (Exodus 10:12ff.). It caused the Red Sea to be parted and the waters to return (Exodus 14:16, 21, 26). It caused water to flow from the rock at Horeb (Exodus 17:5ff., Numbers 20:7-13). In Moses' hand it enabled Joshua to prevail over the Amalekites (Exodus 17:9-12).

And an angel's staff caused fire to come forth from a rock (Judges 6:21).

It is apparent from these instances that a rod or staff symbolizes power, and also elsewhere, as in Isaiah 10:5, 24, 26; 11:4; 14:29; 30:31-32, Ezekiel 19:10-14, Lamentations 3:1, Micah 7:14, Zechariah 10:11, Numbers 21:18.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. I.e., מַטֶּה.

  
/ 962  
  

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