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Ezekiel 9

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1 Kaj Li vokis al miaj oreloj per lauxta vocxo, dirante:Alproksimigxu la punantoj de la urbo, kaj cxiu havu en sia mano sian pereigilon.

2 Kaj jen ses homoj venis per la vojo de la supra pordego, kiu estas turnita norden, kaj cxiu havis en la mano sian detruilon, kaj inter ili estis unu vestita per tolo, kaj li havis skribilon cxe siaj lumboj. Ili venis, kaj starigxis apud la kupra altaro.

3 Kaj la majesto de Dio de Izrael levigxis de la kerubo, sur kiu gxi estis, al la sojlo de la domo. Kaj Li alvokis la homon, kiu estis vestita per tolo kaj havis skribilon cxe siaj lumboj.

4 Kaj la Eternulo diris al li:Trairu la urbon Jerusalem, kaj marku per litero Tav la fruntojn de tiuj homoj, kiuj gxemas kaj malgxojas pri cxiuj abomenindajxoj, kiuj estas farataj en la urbo.

5 Kaj al la aliaj Li diris tiel, ke mi povis auxdi:Iru tra la urbo post li, kaj frapu; via okulo ne indulgu, kaj vi ne kompatu.

6 Maljunulon, junulon, junulinon, infanojn, kaj virinojn eksterme mortigu; sed cxiun homon, sur kiu estas la litero Tav, ne tusxu; kaj komencu de Mia sanktejo. Kaj ili komencis de la maljunaj homoj, kiuj estis antaux la domo.

7 Kaj Li diris al ili:Malpurigu la domon, kaj plenigu la kortojn per mortigitoj; eliru! Kaj ili eliris, kaj komencis frapadi en la urbo.

8 Kiam ili finis la mortigadon kaj mi restis, tiam mi jxetis min vizagxaltere, ekkriis, kaj diris:Ho Sinjoro, ho Eternulo! cxu Vi ekstermos la tutan restajxon de Izrael, elversxante Vian koleron sur Jerusalemon?

9 Kaj Li diris al mi:La malpieco de la domo de Izrael kaj de Jehuda estas tre, tre granda, kaj la lando estas plena de sango, kaj la urbo estas plena de maljusteco; cxar ili diras:La Eternulo forlasis la landon, kaj la Eternulo ne vidas.

10 Tial ankaux Miaflanke Mia okulo ne indulgos, kaj Mi ne kompatos; ilian agadon Mi metos sur ilian kapon.

11 Kaj jen la viro, kiu estis vestita per tolo kaj havis skribilon cxe siaj lumboj, alportis respondon, dirante:Mi faris tion, kion Vi ordonis al mi.

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Apocalypse Revealed # 325

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325. I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. This symbolizes people who were hated by the evil, treated with scorn and expelled because of their life in accordance with the Word's truths and their acknowledgment of the Lord's Divine humanity, and who were protected by the Lord to keep them from being led astray.

"Under the altar" symbolizes a lower earth where the inhabitants were protected by the Lord. An altar symbolizes worship of the Lord out of the goodness of love.

The souls of those who had been slain mean here, symbolically, not martyrs, but people who were hated, treated with scorn, and expelled by the evil in the world of spirits, and who could be led astray by followers of the dragon and by heretics.

"For the word of God and for the testimony which they held" means, symbolically, "because of their life in accordance with the Word's truths and their acknowledgment of the Lord's Divine humanity." Testimony in heaven is given only to people who acknowledge the Lord's Divine humanity, for it is the Lord who testifies, and who enables angels to testify (no. 16); "for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19:10).

[2] Since the souls were under the altar, it is apparent that they were being protected by the Lord. For the Lord protects all people who have lived some life of charity, to keep them from being harmed by the evil; and after the Last Judgment, when the evil have been removed, they are released from their asylums and elevated into heaven. I have often seen them after the Last Judgment being let out of the lower earth and conveyed into heaven.

[3] The fact that those who are slain mean people who are expelled, treated with scorn, and hated by the evil in the world of spirits, and who can been led astray, as also people who wish to know truths, but cannot because of the falsities in the church - this can be seen from the following passages:

Thus said the Lord... God, "Feed the sheep for slaughter, whose owners slaughter them... So I fed the sheep for slaughter because of you, you poor of the flock." (Zechariah 11:4-5, 7)

...we are slain all day long; we are accounted as a flock for the slaughter... Do not forsake us, O Jehovah! (Psalms 44:22-23)

Those who are coming, Jacob will cause to take root... Has He been slain according to the slaughter of his slain? (Isaiah 27:6-7)

...I have heard... the voice of the daughter of Zion..., saying, 'Woe is me..., my soul is weary because of the murderers!" (Jeremiah 4:31)

...they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated... for My name's sake. (Matthew 24:9, cf. John 16:2-3)

The Lord said this last to His disciples, but by disciples He meant all who worship the Lord and live according to His Word's truths.

[4] The evil in the world of spirits continually wish to kill these people. But because they cannot do so physically there, they continually try to do so as regards the soul. And when they cannot do this, they burn with such hatred against these people that they feel nothing more delightful than to do them harm. The reason [they cannot kill them] is that the Lord protects them, and when the evil are cast out into hell, which happens after the Last Judgment, they are brought out of their asylums. But see the explanations to chapter 20, and no. 846 there regarding these people.

That killing or slaying in the Word symbolizes the destruction of souls, which is to kill spiritually, is apparent from many passages there, including also the following: Isaiah 14:19-21; 26:21; Jeremiah 25:33; Lamentations 2:21; Ezekiel 9:1, 6; Revelation 18:24.

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

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Revelation 6

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1 I saw that the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as with a voice of thunder, "Come and see!"

2 And behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.

3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come!"

4 Another came forth, a red horse. To him who sat on it was given power to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. There was given to him a great sword.

5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come and see!" And behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a balance in his hand.

6 I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenix of barley for a denarius! Don't damage the oil and the wine!"

7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see!"

8 And behold, a pale horse, and he who sat on it, his name was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him.

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had.

10 They cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

11 A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.

12 I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood.

13 The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind.

14 The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

15 The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains.

16 They told the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,

17 for the great day of his wrath has come; and who is able to stand?"