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Joël 2

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1 Blaast de bazuin te Sion, en roept luide op den berg Mijner heiligheid; laat alle inwoners des lands beroerd zijn, want de dag des HEEREN komt, want hij is nabij.

2 Een dag van duisternis en donkerheid, Een dag van wolken en dikke duisterheid, als de dageraad uitgespreid over de bergen; een groot en machtig volk, desgelijks van ouds niet geweest is, en na hetzelve niet meer zal zijn tot in jaren van vele geslachten.

3 Voor hetzelve verteert een vuur, en achter hetzelve brandt een vlam; het land is voor hetzelve als een lusthof, maar achter hetzelve een woeste wildernis, en ook is er geen ontkomen van hetzelve.

4 De gedaante deszelven is als de gedaante van paarden, en als ruiters zo zullen zij lopen.

5 Zij zullen daarhenen springen als een gedruis van wagenen, op de hoogten der bergen; als het gedruis ener vuurvlam, die stoppelen verteert; als een machtig volk, dat in slagorde gesteld is.

6 Van deszelfs aangezicht zullen de volken in pijn zijn; alle aangezichten zullen betrekken als een pot.

7 Als helden zullen zij lopen, als krijgslieden zullen zij de muren beklimmen; en zij zullen daarhenen trekken, een iegelijk in zijn wegen, en zullen hun paden niet verdraaien.

8 Ook zullen zij de een den ander niet dringen; zij zullen daarhenen trekken elk in zijn baan; en al vielen zij op een geweer, zij zouden niet verwond worden.

9 Zij zullen in de stad omlopen, zij zullen lopen op de muren, zij zullen klimmen in de huizen; zij zullen door de vensteren inkomen als een dief.

10 De aarde is beroerd voor deszelfs aangezicht, de hemel beeft; de zon en maan worden zwart, en de sterren trekken haar glans in.

11 En de HEERE verheft Zijn stem voor Zijn heir henen; want Zijn leger is zeer groot, want Hij is machtig, doende Zijn woord; want de dag des HEEREN is groot en zeer vreselijk, en wie zal hem verdragen?

12 Nu dan ook, spreekt de HEERE, bekeert u tot Mij met uw ganse hart, en dat met vasten en met geween, en met rouwklage.

13 En scheurt uw hart en niet uw klederen, en bekeert u tot den HEERE, uw God; want Hij is genadig en barmhartig, lankmoedig en groot van goedertierenheid, en berouw hebbende over het kwade.

14 Wie weet, Hij mocht Zich wenden en berouw hebben; en Hij mocht een zegen achter Zich overlaten tot spijsoffer en drankoffer voor den HEERE, uw God.

15 Blaast de bazuin te Sion, heiligt een vasten, roept een verbodsdag uit.

16 Verzamelt het volk, heiligt de gemeente, vergadert de oudsten, verzamelt de kinderkens, en die de borsten zuigen; de bruidegom ga uit zijn binnenkamer, en de bruid uit haar slaapkamer.

17 Laat de priesters, des HEEREN dienaars, wenen tussen het voorhuis en het altaar, en laat hen zeggen: Spaar Uw volk, o HEERE! en geef Uw erfenis niet over tot een smaadheid, dat de heidenen over hen zouden heersen; waarom zouden zij onder de volken zeggen: Waar is hunlieder God?

18 Zo zal de HEERE ijveren over Zijn land, en Hij zal Zijn volk verschonen.

19 En de HEERE zal antwoorden en tot Zijn volk zeggen: Ziet, Ik zend ulieden het koren, en den most, en de olie, dat gij daarvan verzadigd zult worden; en Ik zal u niet meer overgeven tot een smaadheid onder de heidenen.

20 En Ik zal dien van het noorden verre van ulieden doen vertrekken, en hem wegdrijven in een dor en woest land, zijn aangezicht naar de Oostzee, en zijn einde naar de achterste zee; en zijn stank zal opgaan, en zijn vuiligheid zal opgaan; want hij heeft grote dingen gedaan.

21 Vrees niet, o land! verheug u, en wees blijde; want de HEERE heeft grote dingen gedaan.

22 Vreest niet, gij beesten des velds! want de weiden der woestijn zullen weder jong gras voortbrengen; want het geboomte zal zijn vrucht dragen, de wijnstok en vijgeboom zullen hun vermogen geven.

23 En gij, kinderen van Sion! verheugt u en zijt blijde in den HEERE, uw God; want Hij zal u geven dien Leraar ter gerechtigheid; en Hij zal u den regen doen nederdalen, den vroegen regen en den spaden regen in de eerste maand.

24 En de dorsvloeren zullen vol koren zijn, en de perskuipen van most en olie overlopen.

25 Alzo zal Ik ulieden de jaren vergelden, die de sprinkhaan, de kever, en de kruidworm, en de rups heeft afgegeten; Mijn groot heir, dat Ik onder u gezonden heb.

26 En gij zult overvloediglijk en tot verzadiging eten, en prijzen den Naam des HEEREN, uw Gods, Die wonderlijk bij u gehandeld heeft; en Mijn volk zal niet beschaamd worden tot in eeuwigheid.

27 En gij zult weten, dat Ik in het midden van Israel ben, en dat Ik de HEERE, uw God, ben, en niemand meer; en Mijn volk zal niet beschaamd worden in eeuwigheid.

28 En daarna zal het geschieden, dat Ik Mijn Geest zal uitgieten over alle vlees, en uw zonen en uw dochteren zullen profeteren; uw ouden zullen dromen dromen, uw jongelingen zullen gezichten zien;

29 Ja, ook over de dienstknechten, en over de dienstmaagden, zal Ik in die dagen Mijn Geest uitgieten.

30 En Ik zal wondertekenen geven in den hemel en op de aarde: bloed, en vuur, en rookpilaren.

31 De zon zal veranderd worden in duisternis, en de maan in bloed, eer dat die grote en vreselijke dag des HEEREN komt.

32 En het zal geschieden, al wie den Naam des HEEREN zal aanroepen, zal behouden worden; want op den berg Sions en te Jeruzalem zal ontkoming zijn, gelijk als de HEERE gezegd heeft; en dat, bij de overgeblevenen, die de HEERE zal roepen.

   

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Joël 1:13

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13 Omgordt u, en rouwklaagt, gij priesters! huilt, gij dienaars des altaars! gaat in, vernacht in zakken, gij dienaars mijns Gods! want spijsoffer en drankoffer is geweerd van het huis uws Gods.

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Apocalypse Explained # 372

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372. And behold, a black horse, signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed in respect to truth. This is evident from the signification of "horse," as being the understanding (See above, n. 355); also from the signification of "black," as being what is not true; thus "a black horse" signifies the understanding destroyed in respect to truth. "Black" signifies what is not true, because "white" signifies what is true. That "white" is predicated of truth and signifies it, may be seen above n. 196. "White" is predicated of truth and signifies it, because white has its origin in the brightness of light, and "light" signifies truth; and "black" is predicated of what is not true and signifies it, because black has its origin in darkness, that is, from the privation of light; and because darkness exists from the privation of light it signifies the ignorance of truth. That "a black horse" here signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed in respect to truth, is evident from the signification of "the red horse" (treated of above), as being the understanding destroyed in respect to good. Moreover, in the church, in process of time, good first perishes and afterwards truth, and at length evil succeeds in place of good, and falsity in place of truth. This last state of the church is meant by "the pale horse" (of which presently).

[2] That "black" signifies what is not true is evident also from other passages in the Word, where it is mentioned. As in Micah:

It shall be night unto you for vision; and darkness shall arise to you for divination; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall grow black over them (Micah 3:6).

The "prophets" here treated of signify those who are in the truths of doctrine, and in a sense abstracted from persons, the truths of doctrine; that those meant by "prophets" would see evils and would divine falsities is signified by "it shall be night unto you for vision, and darkness shall arise to you for divination;" that they would know neither good nor truth is signified by "the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall grow black over them;" "sun" signifying the good of love, and day" the truth of faith, and "to grow black" signifying not seen or known.

[3] In Ezekiel:

But when I shall have extinguished thee, I will cover the heavens, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not make her light to shine (Ezekiel 32:7).

This is said of Pharaoh king of Egypt, by whom is signified the knowing faculty applied to falsities, which is done when the natural man from things known enters into things spiritual instead of the reverse; because this is contrary to order, falsities are seized upon and confirmed as truths; that then nothing flows in from heaven is signified by "I will cover the heavens;" and that there are then no knowledges of truth is signified by "I will make the stars thereof dark," "stars" meaning knowledges of truth; that there is consequently no good of love nor truth of faith is signified by "I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not make her light to shine," "sun" signifying the good of love, and "moon" the truth of faith. (That this is the signification of "sun" and "moon," see Heaven and Hell 116-125.)

"Sun," "moon," and "stars," have a like signification in Joel:

The earth was moved before him; the heavens trembled; the sun and moon were blackened, and the stars withdrew their shining (Joel 2:10; 3:15).

Likewise in Revelation:

The sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood (Revelation 6:12).

What these things signify in particular will be seen in what follows.

[4] In Ezekiel:

In the day when he shall go down into hell, and I will cover the abyss over him, and I will withhold the rivers thereof, that the great waters may be held back, and I will make Lebanon black for him, and all the trees of the field shall faint for him (Ezekiel 31:15).

This is said of "Assyria," which is here compared to a cedar. "Assyria" here signifies reasoning about the truths of the church from self-intelligence, and "cedar" the truth of the spiritual church; that by such reasoning all knowledges of truth, and with them all truths that savor of good and have their essence from good, would be destroyed is signified by all these words; the "abyss which is covered over him," and the "rivers that were withheld," mean the knowledges of truth and intelligence therefrom, the "abyss" or "sea" signifying the knowing and the cognizing faculties in general that are in the natural man, and "rivers" signifying the things that pertain to intelligence; the "great waters that shall be held back," signify the truths which savor of good and derive their essence from good, "waters" mean truths, and "great" in the Word is predicated of good.

That "Lebanon was made black over him, and the trees fainted for him," signifies that there will be no longer any truths of the church, and with its knowledges there will be no perception of truth; for "Lebanon," in like manner as "cedar," signifies the church in respect to truths, thus also the truths of the church; and "trees of the field" signify the church in respect to the knowledges of truth, thus also the knowledges of truth of the church, "trees" meaning the knowledges themselves, and "field" the church; from this it is clear that "to make Lebanon black" signifies that there are no longer any truths of the church.

[5] In Lamentations:

The Nazarites were whiter than snow, they were brighter than milk. Their form is more dark than blackness; they are not known in the streets (Lamentations 4:7-8).

No one can know what this signifies unless he knows what the Nazarites represented. "The Nazarites" represented the Lord in respect to the celestial Divine; and as all the statutes of the church at that time represented such things as belong to heaven and the church, thus to the Lord, for all things of heaven and the church are from the Lord, and as the Nazariteship was the chief representative of the Lord, these words signify that every representative of the Lord had perished. A genuine representative of the Lord is described by "the Nazarites were whiter than snow, and brighter than milk," which signifies a representative of Divine truth and Divine good in its perfection; for "white" is predicated of truth, in like manner "snow," and "brightness" of the good of truth, in like manner "milk." That every representative of Divine truth had perished is described by "their form is darker than blackness, they are not known in the streets," "form" signifying the quality of truth, "blackness" signifying its no longer appearing, "streets" signifying the truths of doctrine, and "not to be known in them" signifying not to be recognized by genuine truths. What is further signified by "Nazarites" will be told elsewhere.

[6] In Jeremiah:

The whole land shall be a waste; but I will not make a consummation. For this shall the land mourn, and the heavens above shall be blackened (Jeremiah 4:27-28).

"The whole land shall be a waste" signifies that good and truth in the church shall perish, "land" meaning the church; "yet I will not make a consummation" signifies that something of good and truth will still remain; "for this shall the land mourn" signifies the consequent feebleness of the church; "the heavens above shall be blackened" signifies that there will be no influx of good and truth from the Lord through heaven; for the heavens are said to be "blackened" when no affection or perception of truth flows in from the Lord through heaven. Since in the churches before the Lord's coming, which were representative churches, mourning represented spiritual grief of mind on account of the absence of truth and good, for they mourned when oppressed by an enemy, on the death of a father or mother, and for like things, and oppression by an enemy signified oppression by evils from hell, and father and mother signified the church in respect to good and in respect to truth, because with them these things were represented by mourning, they at such times went in black.

[7] As in David:

I say unto God my rock, why hast Thou forgotten me? Why shall I go in black because of the oppression of the enemy (Psalms 42:9; 43:2)?

In the same:

I bowed myself in black as bewailing a mother (Psalms 35:14).

In the same:

I was bent, I was bowed down exceedingly; I have gone in black all the day (Psalms 38:6).

In Malachi:

Ye have said, What profit is it that we walk in black before Jehovah? (Malachi 3:14).

In Jeremiah:

For the breach of the daughter of my people I am broken down; I am made black (Jeremiah 8:21);

"daughter of the people" signifying the church. In Jeremiah:

Judah hath mourned, and her gates have been made to languish, they are made black even to the earth; and the cry of Jerusalem hath gone up; for their nobles sent their little ones for water, they came to the pits and found no waters, their vessels return empty (Jeremiah 14:2-3).

That "to be made black" signifies spiritual grief of mind because of the absence of truth in the church is evident from the particulars here in the internal sense; for "Judah" signifies the church in respect to the affection of good; and "Jerusalem" the church in respect to the doctrine of truth; "gates" signify admission to the church. That there were no longer any truths is described by "the nobles sent their little ones for water, they came to the pits and found no waters, their vessels return empty," "waters" signifying truths, and "pits" the things that contain, which are the doctrinals from the Word and the Word itself, and in these truths are no longer seen. From this it can be seen that "black" [nigrum] and "black" [atrum] in the Word signify the absence of truth; and "darkness," "clouds," "obscurity," and many things from which blackness arises have a like signification. As in Joel:

A day of darkness and of thick darkness, a day of cloud and of obscurity (Joel 2:2);

and in other passages.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.