Bible

 

Micah 4

Studie

   

1 But it shall come to pass in the end of days [that] the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and the peoples shall flow unto it.

2 And many nations shall go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and Jehovah's word from Jerusalem.

3 And he shall judge among many peoples, and reprove strong nations, even afar off; and they shall forge their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-knives: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

4 And they shall sit every one under his vine, and under his fig-tree; and there shall be none to make [them] afraid: for the mouth of Jehovah of hosts hath spoken [it].

5 For all the peoples will walk every one in the name of his god; but we will walk in the name of Jehovah, our god for ever and ever.

6 In that day, saith Jehovah, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;

7 and I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation; and Jehovah shall reign over them in mount Zion, from henceforth even for ever.

8 And thou, O tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, yea, the first dominion shall come, -- the kingdom to the daughter of Jerusalem.

9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished, that pangs have seized thee as a woman in travail?

10 Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon: there shalt thou be delivered; there Jehovah will redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.

11 And now many nations are assembled against thee, that say, Let her be profaned, and let our eye look upon Zion.

12 But they know not the thoughts of Jehovah, neither understand they his counsel; for he hath gathered them together as the sheaves into the threshing-floor.

13 Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion, for I will make thy horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass; and thou shalt beat in pieces many peoples; and I will devote their gain to Jehovah, and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Apocalypse Revealed # 206

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 962  
  

206. "'Because you say, "I am rich and wealthy."'" (3:17) This symbolically means, because they believe they possess in great abundance concepts of goodness and truth having to do with the church and heaven.

To be rich and wealthy means, symbolically, nothing else here than to have full knowledge and understanding of such things as have to do with the church and heaven, things which are called spiritual and theological, because they are the subject here. Spiritual riches and wealth are nothing else.

People who base their beliefs on their own thinking, and not on the Lord through the Word, also believe that they know and understand everything. That is because their spiritual mind is closed and only their natural mind open, and without spiritual light the natural mind has no other sight.

That riches and wealth in the Word symbolize spiritual riches and wealth, which are concepts of truth and goodness, is apparent from the following passages:

By your wisdom and your intelligence you have gained riches for yourself..., gold and silver in your treasuries; by the increase of your wisdom... you have increased your riches... (Ezekiel 28:4-5)

This is said of Tyre, which symbolizes the church in respect to its concepts of truth and good. Similarly:

The daughter of Tyre (the daughter of the king) (will bring you) a gift; the rich among the people will seek to placate your face. (Psalms 45:12)

...(Jehovah) will impoverish (Tyre); He will destroy its wealth in the sea... (Zechariah 9:4)

They will plunder (O Tyre) your riches... (Ezekiel 26:12)

(Asshur said,) "By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am intelligent...; (therefore) I... will plunder the treasures of the peoples... My hand will find... the wealth of the peoples...." (Isaiah 10:13-14)

Asshur symbolizes the rational faculty - here that it perverts the goods and truths of the church, which are the treasures and wealth of the peoples that it will plunder.

I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places... (Isaiah 45:3)

Blessed is the man who fears Jehovah... Wealth and riches will be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. (Psalms 112:1, 3)

(God) has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. (Luke 1:53)

...woe to you who are rich, for you have received your joy. Woe to you who are filled, for you shall hunger. (Luke 6:24-25)

The rich here mean people who possessed concepts of truth and good because they had the Word, namely the Jews. So, too, the "rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen" (Luke 16:19).

The rich and riches have a similar meaning elsewhere, as in Isaiah 30:6; Jeremiah 17:11; Micah 4:13; 6:12; Zechariah 14:14; Matthew 12:35; 13:44; Luke 12:21.

  
/ 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.