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Jeremiah 44:6

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6 Sentähden syttyi myös minun vihani ja julmuuteni, ja paloi Juudan kaupunkein päällä, ja Jerusalemin katuin päällä, niin ne ovat kukistetuiksi ja autioiksi tulleet, niinkuin se tänäpänä löydetään.


SWORD version by Tero Favorin (tero at favorin dot com)

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Arcana Coelestia # 9993

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9993. 'And unleavened cakes mixed with oil' means purification of the mid-celestial. This is clear from the meaning of 'cakes' as the mid-celestial, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'oil' as the good of love, dealt with in 886, 4582, 4638. From this it is evident that 'cakes mixed with oil' means the celestial that springs directly from the inmost part, for 'oil' is the good of love, which is inmost. The situation is that the heavens are divided into two kingdoms, one of which is called spiritual, the other celestial. The understanding part of the human mind corresponds to the spiritual kingdom in the heavens and the will part of it to the celestial kingdom there, 9835. In each kingdom there is an internal part and an external, as there is also in the human understanding and will. For the human understanding has an internal part and an external, and so does the human will. The internal part of the understanding forms the spiritual life of the internal man, and the external part of the understanding forms the spiritual life of the external man. But the internal part of the will forms the celestial life of the internal man, while the external part of the will forms the celestial life of the external man. The existence in the human mind of an internal part and an external may be recognized by anyone who stops to reflect. It may be recognized in particular in hypocrites, cheats, crafty types, and villains. What all these think deep within themselves is contrary to the truths of faith, and also what they will is the opposite of the good deeds of heavenly love; but on the surface their thought and will are in line with those truths and good deeds, which they also consequently declare and perform for all the world to see.

[2] In addition it should be recognized that each kingdom in the heavens, the spiritual kingdom and the celestial, has three parts; each has an inmost part, a middle, and an outward, see 9873. The inmost part of the celestial kingdom consists in the good of love to the Lord; the middle part there consists in the good of mutual love, which is good emanating from that of love to the Lord; and the outward part consists in delight emanating from the good of mutual love. The first two reside in the internal man of inhabitants of the Lord's celestial kingdom, whereas the third resides in their external man. These three were represented by unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil; and purification of them is represented by the offering of the three on the altar together with a burnt offering or else a sacrifice. The fact that those kinds of good in their proper order are meant can be recognized solely from the consideration that these three types of cereal offering were commanded and also their preparation described in the Books of Moses. This would never at all have been done if those things had not embodied arcana of heaven and the Church. What other use could such things have had?

[3] But I realize that those arcana are intelligible to scarcely anyone at the present day, because what is worldly permeates everything that people understand and will at the present day, and those who think of heaven and wish to be there do not have, and do not wish to have any other notion of it apart from a natural and earthly one. And where that kind of notion and wish exist, thus where that kind of love is present, there is no room for the mysteries of heaven. It would be altogether different if the human mind delighted in heavenly more than in worldly things. For the things which a person delights in are the ones he finds intelligible, as for instance when he delights in the intricacies of countries' public affairs, or in the intricacies of people's moral attitudes. By moral attitudes is meant what constitutes their loves and affections, and consequently their thoughts. Such are easily discovered by a crafty person, because he takes delight in leading others by means of those he discovers, to the end that he may acquire important positions or monetary gain, or earn reputation on account of these.

[4] That which is celestial in the internal man is meant by 'cakes', the reason being that they are second in order; for first in order is the unleavened bread, second the cakes mixed with oil, and third the wafers anointed with oil. These three were called minchahs, and they were offered on the altar along with burnt offerings and sacrifices. How they were to be made is described in Leviticus 2, and how they were to be offered is described in various places, how for example they were to be offered by Aaron on the day of his anointing in Leviticus 6:20-23.

[5] The term 'cakes' is also used in the Word to mean the good of love in general. So it is that the loaves of the Presence or the showbread are called 'cakes' in Moses,

You shall take fine flour and bake it into twelve cakes, two-tenths [of an ephah] shall there be in one cake. And you shall place them on the table before Jehovah. And you shall put pure frankincense on each row. Leviticus 24:5-9.

'Pure frankincense' that was put on the cakes was a sign of truth springing from celestial good, which is the lowest or outermost of the celestial kingdom.

[6] The good of love in general is again meant by 'cakes' in Jeremiah,

The sons gather pieces of wood, and the fathers kindle fire, the women knead dough to make cakes for Melecheth 1 of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings to other gods. Jeremiah 7:18; 44:19.

'Making cakes for Melecheth of heaven' means offering worship to the devil with the good of celestial love, and 'pouring out drink offerings to other gods' means offering worship to Satan with the truths of faith. For 'Melecheth of heaven' means those who are in the hell of genii, and 'other gods' those who are in the hell of evil spirits, about whom see 5977, 8593, 8622, 8625. Those in the hell of genii taken all together are called the devil, and those in the hell of evil spirits are called Satan.

[7] The good of spiritual love however is meant by 'cakes' in Hosea,

Ephraim has become a cake not turned. Hosea 7:8.

But here 'a cake' is expressed by a different word in the original language, which means the good of spiritual love. 'A cake not turned' is a situation in which the external man rules the internal. When this situation comes about in a person it is an inversion of order, for then the external is the master and the internal the servant. 'Ephraim' is the Church's power of understanding, which receives light and is stirred with affection when truths and forms of the good of faith are accepted, 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. Melecheth is a Hebrew word for a queen.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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Isaiah 8

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1 Yahweh said to me, "Take a large tablet, and write on it with a man's pen, 'For Maher Shalal Hash Baz;'

2 and I will take for myself faithful witnesses to testify: Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah."

3 I went to the prophetess, and she conceived, and bore a son. Then Yahweh said to me, "Call his name 'Maher Shalal Hash Baz.'

4 For before the child knows how to say, 'My father,' and, 'My mother,' the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away by the king of Assyria."

5 Yahweh spoke to me yet again, saying,

6 "Because this people have refused the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;

7 now therefore, behold, the Lord brings upon them the mighty flood waters of the River: the king of Assyria and all his glory. It will come up over all its channels, and go over all its banks.

8 It will sweep onward into Judah. It will overflow and pass through; it will reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, Immanuel.

9 Make an uproar, you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Listen, all you from far countries: dress for battle, and be shattered! Dress for battle, and be shattered!

10 Take counsel together, and it will be brought to nothing; speak the word, and it will not stand: for God is with us."

11 For Yahweh spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

12 "Don't say, 'A conspiracy!' concerning all about which this people say, 'A conspiracy!' neither fear their threats, nor be terrorized.

13 Yahweh of Armies is who you must respect as holy. He is the one you must fear. He is the one you must dread.

14 He will be a sanctuary, but for both houses of Israel, he will be a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15 Many will stumble over it, fall, be broken, be snared, and be captured."

16 Wrap up the testimony. Seal the law among my disciples.

17 I will wait for Yahweh, who hides his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

18 Behold, I and the children whom Yahweh has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yahweh of Armies, who dwells in Mount Zion.

19 When they tell you, "Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter:" shouldn't a people consult with their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?

20 Turn to the law and to the testimony! If they don't speak according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.

21 They will pass through it, very distressed and hungry; and it will happen that when they are hungry, they will worry, and curse by their king and by their God. They will turn their faces upward,

22 and look to the earth, and see distress, darkness, and the gloom of anguish. They will be driven into thick darkness.