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עמוס 9

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1 ראיתי את־אדני נצב על־המזבח ויאמר הך הכפתור וירעשו הספים ובצעם בראש כלם ואחריתם בחרב אהרג לא־ינוס להם נס ולא־ימלט להם פליט׃

2 אם־יחתרו בשאול משם ידי תקחם ואם־יעלו השמים משם אורידם׃

3 ואם־יחבאו בראש הכרמל משם אחפש ולקחתים ואם־יסתרו מנגד עיני בקרקע הים משם אצוה את־הנחש ונשכם׃

4 ואם־ילכו בשבי לפני איביהם משם אצוה את־החרב והרגתם ושמתי עיני עליהם לרעה ולא לטובה׃

5 ואדני יהוה הצבאות הנוגע בארץ ותמוג ואבלו כל־יושבי בה ועלתה כיאר כלה ושקעה כיאר מצרים׃

6 הבונה בשמים [כ= מעלותו] [ק= מעלותיו] ואגדתו על־ארץ יסדה הקרא למי־הים וישפכם על־פני הארץ יהוה שמו׃

7 הלוא כבני כשיים אתם לי בני ישראל נאם־יהוה הלוא את־ישראל העליתי מארץ מצרים ופלשתיים מכפתור וארם מקיר׃

8 הנה עיני אדני יהוה בממלכה החטאה והשמדתי אתה מעל פני האדמה אפס כי לא השמיד אשמיד את־בית יעקב נאם־יהוה׃

9 כי־הנה אנכי מצוה והנעותי בכל־הגוים את־בית ישראל כאשר ינוע בכברה ולא־יפול צרור ארץ׃

10 בחרב ימותו כל חטאי עמי האמרים לא־תגיש ותקדים בעדינו הרעה׃

11 ביום ההוא אקים את־סכת דויד הנפלת וגדרתי את־פרציהן והרסתיו אקים ובניתיה כימי עולם׃

12 למען יירשו את־שארית אדום וכל־הגוים אשר־נקרא שמי עליהם נאם־יהוה עשה זאת׃ ף

13 הנה ימים באים נאם־יהוה ונגש חורש בקצר ודרך ענבים במשך הזרע והטיפו ההרים עסיס וכל־הגבעות תתמוגגנה׃

14 ושבתי את־שבות עמי ישראל ובנו ערים נשמות וישבו ונטעו כרמים ושתו את־יינם ועשו גנות ואכלו את־פריהם׃

15 ונטעתים על־אדמתם ולא ינתשו עוד מעל אדמתם אשר נתתי להם אמר יהוה אלהיך׃

   

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Apocalypse Explained # 799

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799. And His tabernacle, signifies all the doctrine of the church and the worship therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "tabernacle," as being the church in respect to doctrine and worship, thus, too, the doctrine and worship of the church; therefore to falsify these is signified by "blaspheming the tabernacle of God." "A tabernacle" signifies the church in respect to doctrine and worship, because those who were of the church in most ancient times dwelt in tabernacles and tents, and also journeyed with them, for they were then mostly shepherds of sheep; and the father of the family taught those who were born of his house the precepts of charity and thus the life of love, in tabernacles, as was done afterwards in temples; and this is why a "tabernacle" has a similar signification as "the house of God," namely, the worship of God according to doctrine, consequently also the church, since the church is a church from a life according to doctrine, and a life according to doctrine is worship.

[2] Since these most ancient people with whom was the church worshipped God under a human form, and since God under a human form is the Lord, they worshipped the Lord; and therefore their church was the celestial church, which is distinguished from the spiritual church in this, that the celestial church is in love to the Lord and in worship from that love, while the spiritual church is in love towards the neighbor and in worship from that love. And as the church with the most ancient people was such, and the doctrine of love to the Lord was then taught in tabernacles, and thence tabernacles were more loved by the Lord than temples, therefore by command of the Lord on Mount Sinai a tabernacle was built in which the Israelitish nation might have holy worship; and afterwards, in commemoration of the most holy worship in tabernacles, the feast of tabernacles was instituted. From this it is clear why a "tabernacle" signifies the doctrine of the church, and worship therefrom.

[3] This signification of "tabernacle" is evident from the following passages. In Moses:

How good are thy tabernacles O Jacob, thy tents O Israel (Numbers 24:5).

Here and elsewhere in the Word both tabernacles and tents are mentioned; and a "tabernacle" signifies the church consisting of those who are in the good of love to the Lord; and the "tent" signifies the church consisting of those who are in truths from that good; and as doctrine and worship therefrom constitute the church, a "tabernacle" signifies the doctrine of the good of love, and a "tent" the doctrine of truth from that good. So, too, "tabernacles," in the plural, signify the goods of the church and of doctrine, and "tents" the truths of the church and of doctrine. This makes clear the signification of those words of David, 1 "How good are thy tabernacles O Jacob, thy tents O Israel," "Jacob" signifying the church that is in the good of doctrine and of life, and "Israel" the church that is in truths from good.

[4] In Jeremiah:

Jehovah bringeth back the captivity of the tabernacles of Jacob, and I will have compassion on his tents; and the city shall be built on her own heap, and the palace thereof shall be inhabited after its former manner (Jeremiah 30:18).

Here, too, "tabernacles" and "tents" are mentioned; and "tabernacles" signify the goods of the church or of its doctrine, and "tents" the truths of the church or of its doctrine; "captivity" signifies spiritual captivity, which is when the goods and truths of the church or of doctrine are as it were imprisoned; therefore "to bring back captivity" signifies to restore these. (What the rest signifies may be seen above, n. 724)

[5] In Isaiah:

Enlarge the place of thy tabernacle, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy tents; hinder not, make long thy cords, and make firm thy stakes (Isaiah 54:2).

This is said of the barren that did not bear, by whom the Gentiles are signified with whom the church was to be established by the Lord. The state of the good of love of that church is signified by "the place of thy tabernacle;" and the truths from that good are signified by "the curtains of thy tents;" the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth are signified by "enlarging" and "stretching forth;" "cords" signifying the conjunction of these, and "stakes" their firmness.

[6] In David:

One thing have I asked of Jehovah, that will I seek, that I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, to behold the pleasantness of Jehovah, and to visit in the morning His temple; for He shall hide me in His tent in the evil day, He shall conceal me in the secret place of His tabernacle, He shall exalt me upon a rock (Psalms 27:4, 5).

Here "the house of Jehovah," "the temple," "the tent," and "the tabernacle," are mentioned; and "house of Jehovah" signifies the church that is in the good of love to the Lord, "temple" the church that is in truths from that good, "the tent of Jehovah" Divine truth, and "the tabernacle" Divine good; thence it is clear that "to dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of one's life" does not mean to dwell in the house of Jehovah, but in the good of love to the Lord; and that "to visit in the morning the temple of Jehovah" does not mean to visit the temple every morning, but to seek and learn the truths of that good; so "to hide in the tent" signifies to continue in Divine truth, and to be defended from falsities; and "to conceal in the secret place of the tabernacle" signifies to continue in Divine good and to be defended from evils; "to exalt upon a rock" signifies to instruct in interior truths.

[7] In the same:

Jehovah, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in the mountain of Thy holiness? He that walketh in integrity and doeth justice and speaketh the truth (Psalms 15:1, 2).

Here, too, a "tabernacle" signifies the church in respect to the good of love, consequently also the good of love; "the mountain of holiness," meaning Jerusalem, signifies the church in respect to the truths of doctrine from that good; which shows what is signified by "abiding in them." "He that walketh in integrity" signifies one who is in good in respect to life and truths in respect to doctrine; therefore it is added, "who doeth justice and speaketh the truth;" "doing justice" signifying to be in good in respect to life, and "speaking the truth" to be in truths in respect to doctrine.

[8] In the same:

I will abide in Thy tabernacle forever, I will trust in the hiding place of Thy wings (Psalms 61:4).

"To abide in a tabernacle forever" signifies to be in the Divine good of love; "to trust in the hiding place of Thy wings" signifies to be in Divine truths, "the wings of Jehovah" signifying spiritual truths.

[9] In Isaiah:

By mercy was the throne established, and in truth He sat upon it in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking judgment, and hastening justice (Isaiah 16:5).

This is said of the Lord; the heaven that was established by Him and the church from it are signified by "the throne established by mercy." That the Lord reigns there by the Divine truth from the Divine good is signified by "He sat upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David;" "David" meaning the Lord in respect to His royalty, which is the Divine truth, and "His tabernacle" signifying the Divine good. "Judgment" signifies the truth of doctrine, because from that is all judgment; and "justice" signifies the good of love, both of these from the Lord with those who are in heaven and in the church.

[10] In the same:

Look upon Zion the city of our appointed feast, let thine eyes see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle which shall not be dissipated; the stakes thereof shall never be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be torn off (Isaiah 33:20).

"Zion" here does not mean Zion, nor "Jerusalem" Jerusalem, but they mean heaven and the church in respect to the good of love and the truth of doctrine; these are "a quiet habitation, and a tabernacle which shall not be dissipated." The "stakes that shall not be removed" signify a strengthening by Divine truths; and the "cords that shall not be torn off" signify conjunction through Divine good.

[11] In Jeremiah:

My tabernacle is devastated, and all My cords torn off; My sons have gone out from Me, and they are not; there is no longer anyone to stretch out My tabernacle and to set up My curtains (Jeremiah 10:20).

"The tabernacle that is devastated" signifies the church in which there is no longer any good, "the cords that are torn off" signify that there is no conjunction; "the sons that have gone out and are not" signify that there are no longer any truths; "there is no longer anyone to stretch out the tabernacle and to set up the curtains" signifies that no one any longer in the church teaches the good of love and the truth from that good, "curtains" signifying the truths that go forth from good and cover it.

[12] In the same:

The whole land is devastated, suddenly are My tabernacles devastated, My curtains in a moment (Jeremiah 4:20).

The "land" that is devastated signifies the church; the "tabernacles" that are devastated signify its goods, and "curtains" its truths. In the same:

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon shall take their tabernacle and their flocks, he shall carry away for himself their curtains and all their vessels, and their camels (Jeremiah 49:29).

This describes the vastation of Arabia, by which the church that is in truths from good is signified; the goods of that church are signified by "their tabernacle and their flocks;" the truths of those goods by "the curtains and all vessels," and the knowledges of truth by "camels." "Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon" signifies the evils and falsities that lay waste. "The tabernacles of Arabia" have a like signification in David (Psalms 120:5).

[13] In Jeremiah:

To Zion shepherds and their flocks shall come, they shall pitch tabernacles against her, they shall feed down everyone his space (Jeremiah 6:3).

This, too, describes the vastation of the church in respect to the good of love, "Zion" meaning a church in which is that good. "The tabernacles that the shepherds and flocks shall pitch against her" signify the evils and their falsities that devastate the church; "they shall feed down everyone his space" signifies that it shall be altogether deprived of goods and truths.

[14] In Hosea:

Egypt shall gather them together, Moph shall bury them, the desirable things of their silver the thistle shall possess, and the thorn shall be in their tabernacles (Hosea 9:6).

This describes the vastation of a church by the falsifications of truth. "Israel," of which this is said, signifies this church; that the natural man and his cupidity will destroy them is signified by "Egypt shall gather them together, Moph shall bury them;" that falsity will destroy all truth is signified by "the desirable things of their silver the thistle shall possess;" and that the evils of falsity will destroy all their good is signified by "the thorn shall be in their tabernacles."

[15] In Isaiah:

Who dwelleth above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as locusts; who stretcheth out the heavens as something thin, and spreadeth them out as a tabernacle to dwell in (Isaiah 40:22).

"To dwell above the circle of the earth" means above the sky; for the sky encompasses the earth as a circle its center; and this is why the Lord is called "the Most High," and "He that dwelleth in the highest." "The inhabitants thereof are as locusts" signifies men in things outermost; for a "locust" signifies what is living in ultimates, in particular truth, and in the contrary sense falsity there; "Who stretcheth out the heavens as something thin" signifies omnipotence to enlarge the heavens at will; "and spreadeth them out as a tabernacle to dwell in" has a similar signification, this signifying the enlargement of the heavens in respect to goods, and the former their enlargement in respect to truths.

[16] In Hosea:

I will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, according to the days of the appointed time (Hosea 12:9).

This treats of Ephraim, who being enriched said that "he had found wealth" (verse 8), which signifies that he had acquired for himself knowledges of truth; for "Ephraim" signifies the understanding of the Word and the intellectual of the church; therefore "I will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles" signifies still to be in the church where good is; "according to the days of the appointed time" signifies until those knowledges perish. In Zechariah:

Jehovah shall save the tabernacles of Judah first (Zechariah 12:7).

"The tabernacles of Judah" are the goods of the Word and the goods of the church, for "Judah" signifies the Word, and also the church, in respect to the good of love to the Lord.

[17] In Lamentations:

The Lord hath bent His bow like an enemy; He hath stood with His right hand as an enemy, and hath slain all things desirable to the eyes; into the tabernacles of Zion He hath poured out His anger like fire (Lamentations 2:4).

This treats of the devastation of the church in respect to truths and goods; the devastation in respect to its truths is signified by "He hath slain all things desirable to the eyes;" and the devastation in respect to goods by "He hath poured out His anger like fire into the tabernacles of Zion;" "things desirable" being predicated in the Word of truths, and "eyes" of the understanding of truth; "tabernacles" of goods, and "anger like fire" of the vastation of good; "the daughter of Zion" signifies the church that is in the affection of truth from the love of good.

In David:

In the heavens He hath set a tabernacle for the sun (Psalms 19:4).

"The sun" means here the Lord in relation to Divine love; and because He dwells in the good of His own love in the heavens it is said, "In the heavens He hath set a tabernacle for the sun;" "tabernacle" here meaning the Lord's heaven from the good of love.

[18] In the same:

Thou hast made Jehovah the Most High thy habitation; no evil shall befall thee, and no plague shall come nigh thy tabernacle (Psalms 91:9, 10).

"The habitation of Jehovah" and "His tabernacle" signify heaven and the church; "habitation" signifying heaven and the church in respect to truths, and "tabernacle" heaven and the church in respect to goods. "He hath made the Most High his habitation, no evil shall befall, and no plague come nigh," signifies the removal and protection from evils and from the falsities of evil.

In the same:

He shall pluck thee out of the tabernacle, and shall root thee out of the land of the living (Psalms 52:5).

This is said of Doeg the Edomite. That he was to be expelled from all the good of the church is signified by "he shall pluck thee out of the tabernacle," also from all the truths of the church is signified by "he shall root thee out of the land of the living;" "land" is the church, and those are called "the living" who are in truths from good.

[19] "Tabernacle" signifies the church in respect to good, or the good of the church, in the following passages also:

That Jehovah would set a tabernacle in the midst of them, would walk in the midst of them, and be to them for a God (Leviticus 26:11, 12);

this was among the blessings:

After the Lord was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, Peter said, Lord, it is good for us to be here; if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elijah (Matthew 17:4; Mark 9:5; Luke 9:33).

I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He shall dwell with them (Revelation 21:3).

He forsook the tent of Shiloh, the tabernacle, in which He dwelt among men (Psalms 78:60).

He rejected the tent of Joseph (Psalms 78:67).

That a "tent" signifies the church in respect to the truths of doctrine is evident from passages in the Word where a "tent and tents" are mentioned (as in Isaiah 22:16; Jeremiah 9:19; Ezekiel 25:4; Amos 9:11, Habakkuk 1:6; Psalms 43:3; 46:4; 74:7).

[20] Since a tabernacle signified heaven and the church in respect to the doctrine of the good of love, and a tent the same in respect to the doctrine of truth from that good, and this because of the holy worship of the Lord by the most ancient men, as has been said at the beginning of this article, it pleased the Lord that a tabernacle should be set up by Moses, in which representative worship should be performed; and this is described in Exodus (Exodus 26:7-15; 36:8-37); and it was afterwards commanded:

That all the tribes of Israel should encamp about it, and the Levites who were to keep charge of it should be beside it (Numbers 1:10-54; 3:7-39);

Also that they should journey with it (Numbers 9:15, seq.).

That this tabernacle was a representative of heaven and the church is clearly evident from this:

That the form of it was shown to Moses upon Mount Sinai (Exodus 25:9; 26:30).

And whatever is presented in a form to be seen in heaven and from heaven is representative. That the tabernacle was a representative of heaven itself, where the Lord is, and thence also of the church, is evident from its holiness:

In that no one was permitted to enter into it except Aaron and his sons, and if the people drew near they would die (Numbers 7:12, 13; 18:1, 22, 23; 19:14-19).

Likewise that there was a cloud upon it by day, and the appearance of fire by night (Exodus 40:38; Numbers 9:15; Isaiah 4:5, 6).

And afterwards that a feast was celebrated, which was called the Feast of Tabernacles, and they were to be glad because of the produce of the threshing-floor and of the wine press (Leviticus 23:39-44; Deuteronomy 16:13, 14; Zechariah 14:16, 18, 19).

[21] "The produce of the threshing-floor," like as "bread" and "corn," signified all the good of the church; and the "produce of the wine-press," like as "wine," signified all the truth of good of the church; and "to be glad" at that time signified the delight of celestial and spiritual love from good and truth. That all things belonging to the tabernacle, as the ark, the mercy-seat with the cherubim over it, the veil, the table upon which was the bread, the altar of incense, the lamp-stand, the curtains, the coverings, the boards and pillars, the cords, the stakes, and all other things, were representatives of heaven and the church, can be seen in the Arcana Coelestia treating of Exodus, in which all these things are explained. It is also shown there that the holiness of all these things came from the Law that was placed in the ark; for "the Law" signified the Word, and represented the Lord, who is the Word.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. The Latin has "David" for "Balaam."

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

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Arcana Coelestia # 2781

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2781. 'And saddled [his] ass' means the natural man which He prepared. This is clear from the meaning of 'an ass', dealt with below. In man there are things of the will and there are those of the understanding; with the former go those things which spring from good, with the latter those which spring from truth. There are various kinds of animals, by which things of the will springing from good are meant, such as lambs, sheep, goats, she-goats, young bulls, and oxen, see 1823, 2179, 2180; and there are also those by which are meant things of the understanding springing from truth, namely horses, mules, wild asses, camels, and asses, in addition to birds. 'A horse' means the understanding part of the mind, as has been shown above in 2761, 2762; 'a wild ass' means rational truth separated from good, see 1949; and 'a camel' means factual knowledge in general, and 'an ass' factual knowledge in particular, see 1486.

[2] There are two elements which constitute the natural degree of man's mind, or what amounts to the same, the natural man - natural good and natural truth. Natural good is the delight that flows forth from charity and faith, natural truth is knowledge of these. That natural truth is what is meant by 'an ass', and rational truth by 'a mule', becomes clear from the following places:In Isaiah,

A prophecy of the beasts of the south. In the land of distress and repression are the lion and the tiger, and from them come the viper and the flying fiery-serpent. They will bear their riches on the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures on the humps of camels - on a people [who] will not be any use [to them]; for the Egyptians will help in vain and to no advantage. Isaiah 30:6-7.

The expression 'the beasts of the south' is used of those who possess cognitions of good and truth but who make them matters of knowledge, not of life. In reference to those beasts it is said that those people 'bear their riches on the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures on the humps of camels', for the reason that 'young asses' means facts in particular, and 'camels' facts in general. 'The Egyptians', of whom it is said that they will help in vain and to no advantage, means knowledge, see 1164, 1165, 1186. It is evident to anyone that this prophecy has an internal sense and that without this it is understood by nobody, for without the internal sense no one can know what 'the prophecy of the beasts of the south' is, or what 'the lion and the tiger', or what 'the viper and the flying fiery-serpent', or what is meant by the words that 'those beasts were to bear their riches on the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures on the humps of camels', or why the assertion immediately follows that 'the Egyptians will help in vain and to no advantage'. 'Ass' is used with a like meaning in Israel's prophecy concerning Issachar, in Moses,

Issachar is a bony ass lying down between burdens. Genesis 49:14.

[3] In Zechariah,

This will be the plague with which Jehovah will smite all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem. It will be a plague of the horse, the mule, the camel, and the ass, and every beast. Zechariah 14:12, 15.

'The horse, the mule, the camel, and the ass' means things of the understanding residing in man which will suffer from the plague. This is clear from every single detail before and after those verses, for the subject there is the plagues which are to precede the Last Judgement or. Close of the Age and to which John makes much reference in Revelation, as do the rest of the Prophets in various places. Those who are going to wage war at that time against Jerusalem, that is, against the Lord's spiritual Church and its truths, are meant by those animals. It will be the things of the understanding that will suffer from such plagues

[4] In Isaiah,

Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send forth the foot of the ox and the ass. Isaiah 32:20.

'Sowing beside all waters' stands for those who allow themselves to be taught spiritual things - 'waters' meaning spiritual things and so things that constitute an understanding of truth, see 680, 739, 2702. 'Who send forth the foot of the ox and the ass' stands for natural things that are to be of service, 'ox' meaning the natural as regards good, 2180, 2566, 'ass' the natural as regards truth.

[5] In Moses,

Binding his young ass to the vine and the foal 1 of his she-ass to the choice vine. He washes his vesture in wine and his cloak in the blood of grapes. Genesis 49:11.

This is the prophecy of Jacob, by then Israel, concerning the Lord. 'The vine' and 'the choice vine' stand for the spiritual Church, external and internal, 1069. 'Young ass' stands for natural truth, 'the foal of a she-ass' for rational truth. The reason 'the foal of a she-ass' means rational truth is that 'a she ass' means the affection for natural truth, 1486, while her foal means rational truth, see 1895, 1896, 1902, 1910.

[6] In former times a judge used to ride on a she-ass and his sons on young asses, the reason being that judges represented the goods of the Church and their sons truths derived from those goods. A king however used to ride on a she-mule and his sons on mules, the reason being that kings and their sons represented the truths of the Church, see 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069. The fact that a judge rode on a she-ass is clear in the Book of Judges,

My heart goes out to the law-givers of Israel offering themselves willingly among the people. Bless Jehovah, you who ride on white she-asses, you who sit on Middin. 2 Judges 5:9-10.

The fact that judges' sons rode on young asses,

Jair the judge over Israel had thirty sons who rode on thirty young asses. Judges 10:3-4.

And elsewhere in the same book,

Abdon the judge of Israel had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy young asses. Judges 12:14.

David said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord and cause Solomon my son to ride on the she-mule which is mine. And they caused Solomon to ride on King David's she-mule. And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king in Gihon. 1 Kings 1:33, 38, 44-45.

The fact that the king's sons rode on mules,

All King David's sons arose, and they rode each on his mule and fled because of Absalom. 2 Samuel 13:29.

[7] From all this it is evident that riding on a she-ass indicated the judge, and riding on a she-mule the king; riding on a young ass indicated the judge's sons, and doing so on a mule the king's sons. They indicated these personages because, as has been stated, 'a she-ass' represented and meant the affection for natural good and truth, 'a she-mule' the affection for rational truth, 'an ass or young ass' natural truth itself, and 'a mule' as well as 'the foal of a she-ass' rational truth. This shows what is meant by the prophetical words that refer to the Lord, in Zechariah,

Exult, O daughter of Zion! Rejoice, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King will come to you. He is just and having salvation, humble and riding on an ass, and on a young ass, the foal of she-asses. His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. Zechariah 9:9-10.

The fact that the Lord wished to ride on these when He was about to enter Jerusalem is well known from the Gospels. The event is referred to in Matthew as follows,

Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a she-ass tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. This took place to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet saying, Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming to you, meek seated on a she-ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden. And they brought the she-ass and the colt and laid their garments on them and set Him on them. Matthew 21:2, 4-5, 7.

[8] 'Riding on an ass' served to indicate that the natural was subordinate, and 'riding on a colt, the foal of a she-ass' that the rational was so; for 'the foal of a she-ass' is similar in meaning to 'a mule', as has been shown above, where Genesis 49:11 is referred to. 3 From this - the spiritual meaning of these animals - and because it was the right of the supreme judge and of the king to ride on them, and at the same time so that He might fulfil the representatives of the Church, the Lord was pleased to ride in this way. His doing so is described in John as follows,

The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel! Jesus found a young ass and sat on it, as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on a she-ass's colt! These things however His disciples had not understood at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of Him, and that they had done these things for Him. John 12:12-16; Mark 11:1-12; Luke 19:28-41.

[9] From an this it may now be clear that every single thing in the Church of that period was representative of the Lord, and consequently of the celestial and spiritual things that are in His kingdom; even the she-ass and the colt of the she-ass were so, which represented the natural man as regards good and truth. The reason for the representation was that the natural man ought to serve the rational, and the rational to serve the spiritual; but the spiritual ought to serve the celestial, and the celestial to serve the Lord. This is the order in which one is subordinated to another.

[10] Because 'an ox and an ass' meant the natural man as regards good and truth many laws were therefore laid down in which oxen and asses are mentioned. At first glance these laws do not seem to be worthy of mention in the Divine Word, but when they are interpreted as to their internal sense, that which is spiritual and of great importance is seen within these laws, such as the following laws in Moses,

If anyone opens a pit, or if anyone digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or an ass falls into it, the owner of the pit shall recompense its owner with silver, and the dead animal shall be his. Exodus 21:33-34.

If you meet your enemy's ox or his ass going astray you shall certainly lead it back to him. If you see the ass of one who hates you lying under its burden, and you are disinclined to remove it, you shall certainly help to remove it from it. Exodus 23:4-5; Deuteronomy 22:1, 3.

You shall not see your brother's ass or ox falling down in the road and hide yourself from them; you shall certainly help to lift them. Deuteronomy 22:4.

You shall not plough with an ox and an ass together. You shall not wear mingled material made of wool and linen together. Deuteronomy 22:10-11.

Six days you shall do your works, and on the seventh day you shall rest, in order that your ox and your ass may rest, and the son of your woman servant, and the settler. Exodus 23:12.

Here 'ox and ass' in the spiritual sense means nothing other than natural good and truth.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, the son

2. A Hebrew word, the meaning of which is uncertain.

3. i.e. in subsection 5 of this paragraph 378:5

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