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Ezekiel 31

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1 And it was, in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of Jehovah was unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, say unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; to whom art thou likened in thy greatness?

3 Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful boughs, and shadowing woods, and of a tall stature; and his top·​·branch was between the intertwined·​·branches.

4 The waters made· him ·great, the abyss lifted· him ·up with her rivers going all around his plants, and sent·​·out her waterways to all the trees of the field.

5 Therefore his stature was·​·loftier than all the trees of the field, and his limbs were multiplied, and his branches became·​·long from many waters, when he sent· them ·out.

6 All the fowls of the heavens nested in his limbs, and under his branches did all the animals of the field give·​·birth, and in his shadow dwelt all the many nations.

7 And he was·​·beautiful in his greatness, in the length of his offshoots; for his root was by many waters.

8 The cedars did not obscure him in the garden of God; the firs were not likened to his limbs, and the plane·​·trees were not as his branches; not any tree in the garden of God was·​·likened to him in his beauty.

9 I have made him beautiful with the multitude of his offshoots; and all the trees of Eden that were in the garden of God were·​·envious of him.

10 Therefore thus says the Lord Jehovih*, Because thou hast made· thyself ·tall in stature, and he has put his top·​·branch in between the intertwined·​·branches, and his heart is exalted in his loftiness;

11 And I have given him into the hand of the powerful one of the nations; dealing he shall deal with him; I have driven· him ·out according·​·to his wickedness.

12 And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut· him ·off, and have abandoned him; to the mountains and in all the ravines his offshoots are fallen, and his branches are broken in all the channels of the land; and all the people of the land are gone·​·down from his shadow, and have abandoned him.

13 Upon his fall shall all the fowls of the heavens abide, and all the animals of the field shall be in his branches:

14 in·​·order·​·that not any of the trees of the waters be·​·lofty in their stature, neither put their top·​·branch in between the intertwined·​·branches, neither their powerful ones stand in their loftiness, all that drink water; for they are all given to death, to the lower earth, in the midst of the sons of man, to those who go·​·down to the pit.

15 Thus says the Lord Jehovih; In the day of his going·​·down toward hell I caused a mourning; I covered the abyss over him, and I withheld its rivers, and the many waters were held·​·back: and I caused Lebanon to blacken over him, and all the trees of the field over him were fatigued.

16 I made the nations to quake at the voice of his fall, when I made him go·​·down to hell with those who go·​·down to the pit; and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the lower earth.

17 They also went·​·down unto hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt in his shadow in the midst of the nations.

18 to whom in·​·this·​·manner art thou likened in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? But thou shalt be brought·​·down with the trees of Eden to the lower earth; thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his crowd, says the Lord Jehovih.

   


Thanks to the Kempton Project for the permission to use this New Church translation of the Word.

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True Christian Religion # 635

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635. Lastly I will reveal this secret. Seven chapters of Revelation describe the termination of the present church, in terms similar to the devastation of Egypt. In both cases this was by similar plagues, each of which stands in the spiritual sense for some falsity advancing its devastation to the point of destruction. This church, therefore, which is at the present time lost, is also called Egypt as spiritually understood (Revelation 11:8). The plagues in Egypt were as follows.

The waters were turned to blood, so that all the fish died and the river stank (Exodus 7; similar language in Revelation 8:8; 16:3). Blood means Divine truth falsified (see Apocalypse Revealed 379, 404, 681, 687-688). The fish that died mean likewise truths in the natural man (Apocalypse Revealed 290, 405).

Frogs came forth upon the land of Egypt (Exodus 8). There is also a mention of frogs in Revelation 16:13. Frogs mean reasonings as a result of a longing for the falsification of truth (see Apocalypse Revealed 702).

In Egypt foul ulcers appeared upon men and beasts (Exodus 9); similar language in Revelation 16:2. Ulcers mean inward evils and falsities which can destroy the good and truth in the church (see Apocalypse Revealed 678).

In Egypt hail fell mixed with fire (Exodus 9); similar language in Revelation 8:7; 16:21. Hail means hellish falsity (see Apocalypse Revealed 399, 714).

Locusts were sent upon Egypt (Exodus 10); similar language in Revelation 9:1-11. Locusts mean falsities in outermost things (see Apocalypse Revealed 424, 430).

Oppressive darkness was brought upon Egypt (Exodus 10:21); similar language in Revelation 8:12. Darkness means falsities arising from ignorance, or from false ideas of religion, or from evil living (see Apocalypse Revealed 110, 413, 695).

The Egyptians finally perished in the sea of Suph 1 (Exodus 14). In Revelation the dragon and the false prophet perished in the lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 19:20; 20:10). Both the sea of Suph and that lake have the same meaning, hell.

The reason why similar language is used of Egypt and of the church, the termination and end of which is described in Revelation, is that Egypt stands for the church, which in its beginnings was outstanding. So before its church was devastated, Egypt is equated with the Garden of Eden and the garden of Jehovah (Genesis 13:10; Ezekiel 31:8). It is also called 'the corner-stone of the tribes', and 'the sons of wise men and of the kings of ancient time' (Isaiah 19:11, 13). More about Egypt in its earliest state and in its devastation will be found in Apocalypse Revealed 503.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. Generally taken as 'the Red Sea', but the author keeps the Hebrew form.

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