19
Ja hänen äitinsä oli tehnyt hänelle vähän hameen, ja vei sen hänelle joka vuosi, kuin hän meni ylös miehensä kanssa uhraamaan vuosiuhria.
1 Samuel 2:19
SWORD version by Tero Favorin (tero at favorin dot com)
Apocalypse Explained # 257
257. Since in this prophetical book numbers are often mentioned, and no one can know the spiritual sense of the things contained therein unless it is known what the particular numbers signify (for all numbers in the Word, like all names, signify spiritual things), and since the number "seven" is often mentioned among others, I will here show that "seven" signifies all persons and all things, likewise fullness and totality; for that which signifies all persons and all things signifies also fullness and totality, for fullness and totality are predicated of the magnitude of a thing, and all persons and all things are predicated of multitude. That "seven" has such a signification can be seen from the following passages. In Ezekiel:
They that dwell in the cities of Israel shall set fire to and burn the arms, and the shield, and the buckler, with the bow and with the arrows, and the hand-staff, and the spear; and they shall make a fire with them seven years. And they shall bury Gog and all his multitude, and they shall cleanse the earth seven months (Ezekiel 39:9, 11-12).
Here the desolation of all things in the church is treated of: "those that dwell in the cities of Israel" signify all goods of truth; "to set fire" signifies to consume by evils. "The arms, the shield, the buckler, the bow, the arrows, the hand-staff, the spear," are all things pertaining to doctrine; "to make a fire with them seven years" means to consume them all and fully by evils. "Gog" signifies those who are in external worship and in no internal worship; "to bury them and cleanse the earth" means to destroy all such, and completely purge the church of them.
[2] In Jeremiah:
The widows shall be multiplied more than the sand of the seas, and I will bring to them upon the mother of the youths the waster at noonday. She that hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul (Jeremiah 15:8-9).
"The widows," that shall be multiplied, signify those who are in good and who long for truths, and in a contrary sense, as here, those who are in evil and desire falsities; "the mother of the youths" signifies the church; "the waster at noonday" signifies the vastation of that church, however much it may be in truths from the Word; "she that hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul," signifies that the church, to which all truths were given because the Word was given to it, is to perish; for "she that hath borne seven" signifies to whom all truths were given. This was particularly said of the Jews.
[3] Likewise in the first book of Samuel:
They that were hungry have ceased; the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children hath failed (1 Samuel 2:5).
"They that were hungry," who have ceased, are those who long for the truths and goods of the church; "the barren bearing seven" signifies those who are outside of the church, and are ignorant of truths, because they have not the Word, thus the Gentiles, to whom all things will be given; "she that hath many children failing" signifies those who have, from whom will be taken away. In David:
Render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom (Psalms 79:12).
And in Moses:
That the Jews should be punished seven times for their sins (Leviticus 26:18, 21, 24, 28);
"seven times" here signifying fully.
[4] In Luke:
If thy brother sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times in the day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him (Luke 17:4).
"To forgive seven times, if he should turn again seven times," means to forgive as often as he turns, thus every time. But lest it should be understood to mean seven times, the Lord explained his meaning to Peter, who supposed seven times to be meant, in Matthew:
Peter said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Until seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times, but until seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22).
"Seventy times seven" means always, without counting.
In David:
Seven times a day do I praise thee for the judgments of righteousness (Psalms 119:164).
"Seven times a day" means always, or at all times.
[5] In the same:
The sayings of Jehovah are pure sayings, as silver refined in a crucible purified seven times (Psalms 12:6).
"Silver" signifies truth from the Divine; "purified seven times" means wholly and fully pure.
[6] in Isaiah:
The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days (Isaiah 30:26).
"The light of the sun" signifies Divine truth from Divine good; that "this light shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days," signifies that Divine truth in heaven shall be without any falsity, thus altogether and fully pure.
[7] In Matthew:
The unclean spirit shall take seven other spirits more evil than himself, and shall dwell there (Matthew 12:45; Luke 11:26).
Here profanation is treated of, and "the seven unclean spirits" with which the unclean spirit would return, signify all the falsities of evil, thus a complete destruction of good and truth.
[8] The "seven times" that were to pass over the king of Babylon have a like meaning, in Daniel:
His heart shall be changed from man, and a beast's heart shall be given unto him, while seven times shall pass over him (Daniel 4:16, 25, 32).
"The king of Babylon" signifies those who profane the goods and truths of the Word; that "his heart should be changed from man, and a beast's heart be given him," means that nothing spiritual, which is the truly human, should remain, but instead there should be the diabolical; "the seven times which were to pass over him" signify profanation, which is the complete destruction of truth and good.
[9] Because "seven" and "seven times" signified all things and fullness, the following commands were given:
Seven days the hands [of Aaron and his sons] should be filled (Exodus 29:35).
Seven days [the altar] should be sanctified (Exodus 29:37).
Seven days Aaron should be clothed with the garments when he was to be initiated (Exodus 29:30).
For seven days Aaron and his sons were not to go out of the tabernacle when they were to initiated into the priesthood (Leviticus 8:33, 34).
Seven times was the altar to be sprinkled for expiation upon its horns (Leviticus 16:18, 19).
Seven times was the altar to be sanctified with oil (Leviticus 8:11).
Seven times was the blood to be sprinkled towards the veil (Leviticus 4:16, 17).
Seven times was the blood to be sprinkled with the fingers eastward, when Aaron went towards the mercy-seat (Leviticus 16:12-15).
Seven times was the water of separation to be sprinkled towards the tent (Numbers 19:4).
Seven times the blood was to be sprinkled in the cleansing of leprosy (Leviticus 14:7, 8, 27, 38, 51).
The lampstand was to have seven lamps (Exodus 25:32, 37; 37:18-25).
For seven days were the feasts to be kept (Exodus 34:18, Leviticus 23:4-9, 39-44; Deuteronomy 16:3, 4, 8).
For the seven days of the feast there was to be a burnt-offering of seven bullocks, and seven rams daily (Ezekiel 45:23).
Balaam built seven altars, and sacrificed seven oxen and seven rams (Numbers 23:1-7, 15-18, 29, 30).
They numbered seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, and then they were to cause the trumpet of the jubilee to be sounded in the seventh month (Leviticus 25:8, 9).
From the signification of the number "seven" it can be seen what is signified:
By the seven days of creation (Genesis 1);
Also by the fact that four thousand men were satisfied by seven loaves and that seven basketful remained (Matthew 15:34-38; Mark 8:5-9).
From this then it is evident what is signified in Revelation:
By the seven churches (Revelation 1:4, 11);
By the seven golden lampstands, in the midst of which was the Son of man (Revelation 1:13);
By the seven stars in His right hand (Revelation 1:16, 20);
By the seven spirits of God (Revelation 3:1);
By the seven lamps of fire before the throne (Revelation 4:5);
By the book sealed with seven seals (Revelation 5:1);
By the seven angels to whom were given seven trumpets (Revelation 8:2);
By the seven thunders which uttered their voices (Revelation 10:3, 4);
By the seven angels having the seven last plagues (Revelation 16:1, 6);
And by the seven vials full of the seven last plagues (Revelation 16:1; 21:9);
and elsewhere in the Word, where "seven" is mentioned.
Mark 9
1
He said to them, "Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death until they see the Kingdom of God come with power."
2
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up onto a high mountain privately by themselves, and he was changed into another form in front of them.
3
His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.
4
Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus.
5
Peter answered Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let's make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
6
For he didn't know what to say, for they were very afraid.
7
A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
8
Suddenly looking around, they saw no one with them any more, except Jesus only.
9
As they were coming down from the mountain, he commanded them that they should tell no one what things they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
10
They kept this saying to themselves, questioning what the "rising from the dead" meant.
11
They asked him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
12
He said to them, "Elijah indeed comes first, and restores all things. How is it written about the Son of Man, that he should suffer many things and be despised?
13
But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they have also done to him whatever they wanted to, even as it is written about him."
14
Coming to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, and scribes questioning them.
15
Immediately all the multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him greeted him.
16
He asked the scribes, "What are you asking them?"
17
One of the multitude answered, "Teacher, I brought to you my son, who has a mute spirit;
18
and wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth, and wastes away. I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they weren't able."
19
He answered him, "Unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me."
20
They brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground, wallowing and foaming at the mouth.
21
He asked his father, "How long has it been since this has come to him?" He said, "From childhood.
22
Often it has cast him both into the fire and into the water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us, and help us."
23
Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."
24
Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, "I believe. Help my unbelief!"
25
When Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!"
26
Having cried out, and convulsed greatly, it came out of him. The boy became like one dead; so much that most of them said, "He is dead."
27
But Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose.
28
When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we cast it out?"
29
He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer and fasting."
30
They went out from there, and passed through Galilee. He didn't want anyone to know it.
31
For he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, "The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again."
32
But they didn't understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
33
He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?"
34
But they were silent, for they had disputed one with another on the way about who was the greatest.
35
He sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all."
36
He took a little child, and set him in the midst of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,
37
"Whoever receives one such little child in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me, doesn't receive me, but him who sent me."
38
John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone who doesn't follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn't follow us."
39
But Jesus said, "Don't forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me.
40
For whoever is not against us is on our side.
41
For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you are Christ's, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.
42
Whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if he was thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around his neck.
43
If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire,
44
'where their worm doesn't die, and the fire is not quenched.'
45
If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched--
46
'where their worm doesn't die, and the fire is not quenched.'
47
If your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out. It is better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire,
48
'where their worm doesn't die, and the fire is not quenched.'
49
For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.
50
Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."
