Doctrine of the Lord # 48
48. Because a person’s life varies in accordance with his state, therefore by spirit is meant the varying life’s affection in a person. For example:
1. The life of wisdom:
(Bezalel was filled) with the spirit of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.... (Exodus 31:3).
You shall speak to all the wise of heart, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom.... (Exodus 28:3)
Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom (Deuteronomy 34:9).
Nebuchadnezzar said of Daniel that an excellent spirit, of knowledge, understanding and wisdom was found in him (Daniel 5:12, 14).
The erring in spirit will know understanding.... (Isaiah 29:24)
[2] 2. The arousal of life:
Jehovah has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes. (Jeremiah 51:11)
Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel...and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. (Haggai 1:14)
...I am putting (into the king of Assyria) a spirit..., that he may hear a rumor and return to his own land. (Isaiah 37:7)
...Jehovah...hardened (the) spirit (of the king of Sihon).... (Deuteronomy 2:30)
What has come up upon your spirit shall never be.... (Ezekiel 20:32)
[3] 3. Liberty of life: The four creatures, which were cherubim, seen by the prophet went “wherever they had a spirit to go” (Ezekiel 1:12, 20).
[4] 4. Life in a state of fear, distress, and anger:
...that every heart may melt, and all hands be feeble, and every spirit shrink.... (Ezekiel 21:7)
...my spirit was faint within me, my heart within me is stunned.... (Psalms 143:4, cf. 142:3)
My spirit has been consumed! (Psalms 143:7)
As for me, Daniel, my spirit grieved.... (Daniel 7:15)
(Pharaoh’s) spirit was troubled. (Genesis 41:8)
(Nebuchadnezzar said,) “...my spirit is troubled....” (Daniel 2:3)
I went bitterly in the wrath of my spirit. (Ezekiel 3:14)
[5] 5. Life in a state of various evil affections:
“...provided there is no deceit in his spirit.” (Psalms 32:2)
Jehovah has mingled a spirit of perversity in her midst. (Isaiah 19:14)
...said (He)...to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit.... (Ezekiel 13:3)
The prophet is a fool, the man of the spirit is insane. (Hosea 9:7)
Be observant by your spirit, and do not deal treacherously. (Malachi 2:16)
...the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray.... (Hosea 4:12)
...a spirit of harlotry is in their midst.... (Hosea 5:4)
When a spirit of jealousy comes upon him.... (Numbers 5:14)
...a man who is a wanderer in spirit, and he prattles falsehood.... (Micah 2:11)
...a generation...whose spirit was not steadfast with God. (Psalms 78:8)
...poured out on (them) a spirit of drowsiness.... (Isaiah 29:10)
Conceive chaff, bring forth stubble; as for your spirit, fire shall shall devour you. (Isaiah 33:11)
[6] 6. Hellish life:
I will...cause...the unclean spirit to depart from the land. (Zechariah 13:2)
When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places.... And then he...attaches to himself seven worse spirits than himself, and they enter and dwell there. (Matthew 12:43-45)
...Babylon...has become a dwelling place of...a foul spirit.... (Revelation 18:2)
[7] 7. In addition, the spirits of hell themselves who torment mankind: Matthew 8:16, 10:1, 12:43-45; Mark 1:23-27, 9:17-29; Luke 4:33, 36, 6:17-18, 7:21, 8:2, 29, 9:39, 42, 55, 11:24-26, 13:11; Revelation 13:15, 16:13-14.
Published by the General Church of the New Jerusalem, 1100 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009, U.S.A. A translation of Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Domino, by Emanuel Swedenborg, 1688-1772. Translated from the Original Latin by N. Bruce Rogers. ISBN 9780945003687, Library of Congress Control Number: 2013954074.
Daniel 5
1
Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
2
Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them.
3
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, drank from them.
4
They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5
In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
6
Then the king's face was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his thighs were loosened, and his knees struck one against another.
7
The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever shall read this writing, and show me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
8
Then came in all the king's wise men; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation.
9
Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his face was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.
10
[Now] the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: the queen spoke and said, O king, live forever; don't let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your face be changed.
11
There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and the king Nebuchadnezzar your father, the king, [I say], your father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
12
because an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.
13
Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, Are you that Daniel, who are of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?
14
I have heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
15
Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me its interpretation; but they could not show the interpretation of the thing.
16
But I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations, and dissolve doubts; now if you can read the writing, and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
17
Then Daniel answered before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
18
You, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty:
19
and because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he killed, and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he would he put down.
20
But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
21
and he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the animals', and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky; until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that he sets up over it whomever he will.
22
You, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,
23
but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which don't see, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways, you have not glorified.
24
Then was the part of the hand sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed.
25
This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
26
This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God has numbered your kingdom, and brought it to an end;
27
TEKEL; you are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting.
28
PERES; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
29
Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
30
In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain.
31
Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
