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Amos 4

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1 Audite verbum hoc, vaccæ pingues, quæ estis in monte Samariæ, quæ calumniam facitis egenis et confringitis pauperes ; quæ dicitis dominis vestris : Afferte, et bibemus.

2 Juravit Dominus Deus in sancto suo, quia ecce dies venient super vos, et levabunt vos in contis, et reliquias vestras in ollis ferventibus.

3 Et per aperturas exibitis altera contra alteram, et projiciemini in Armon, dicit Dominus.

4 Venite ad Bethel, et impie agite ; ad Galgalam, et multiplicate prævaricationem : et afferte mane victimas vestras, tribus diebus decimas vestras.

5 Et sacrificate de fermentato laudem, et vocate voluntarias oblationes, et annuntiate ; sic enim voluistis, filii Israël, dicit Dominus Deus.

6 Unde et ego dedi vobis stuporem dentium in cunctis urbibus vestris, et indigentiam panum in omnibus locis vestris ; et non estis reversi ad me, dicit Dominus.

7 Ego quoque prohibui a vobis imbrem, cum adhuc tres menses superessent usque ad messem : et plui super unam civitatem, et super alteram civitatem non plui ; pars una compluta est, et pars super quam non plui, aruit.

8 Et venerunt duæ et tres civitates ad unam civitatem ut biberent aquam, et non sunt satiatæ ; et non redistis ad me, dicit Dominus.

9 Percussi vos in vento urente, et in aurugine : multitudinem hortorum vestrorum et vinearum vestrarum, oliveta vestra et ficeta vestra comedit eruca : et non redistis ad me, dicit Dominus.

10 Misi in vos mortem in via Ægypti ; percussi in gladio juvenes vestros, usque ad captivitatem equorum vestrorum, et ascendere feci putredinem castrorum vestrorum in nares vestras : et non redistis ad me, dicit Dominus.

11 Subverti vos sicut subvertit Deus Sodomam et Gomorrham, et facti estis quasi torris raptus ab incendio : et non redistis ad me, dicit Dominus.

12 Quapropter hæc faciam tibi, Israël : postquam autem hæc fecero tibi, præparare in occursum Dei tui, Israël.

13 Quia ecce formans montes, et creans ventum, et annuntians homini eloquium suum, faciens matutinam nebulam, et gradiens super excelsa terræ : Dominus Deus exercituum nomen ejus.

   

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Exploring the Meaning of Amos 4

Napsal(a) Helen Kennedy

In chapter 4 of the Book of Amos, verses 1-3 are talking about people who pervert the truths of the church. They will fall into falsities in outermost things.

In the Bible, fish represent "lower" things than mammals, so we can interpret the fishhooks in verse 2 as meaning being caught and held fast in natural or lower things.

Verses 4-6 are about acts of worship such as tithes and sacrifices. These look similar to genuine worship, but are only external sorts of things. We can tell because ‘teeth’ (in verse 6) represent ultimates or outermost things (see Secrets of Heaven 6380). It follows that “cleanness of teeth” would mean outermost things that look good but only imitate genuine worship. The Lord exhorts, “Yet you have not returned to me.”

Verses 7-8. Some things true will remain, when where there are too many false ideas, the truths don't get through. This can be seen where the Lord says, “I made it rain on one city; I withheld rain from another city... where it did not rain the part withered.” Again the Lord exhorts, “Yet you have not returned to me.”

Verse 9. Afterward all things of the church are falsified, shown by blight attacking the gardens, vineyards, fig tree and olive trees. The last three represent spiritual, natural and celestial things, or all the things of spiritual life. “Yet you have not returned to me,” says the Lord.

Verses 10-11. The Lord explains the devastating things he allowed to happen: plague in Egypt, death of young men by swords, stench in the camps, Sodom and Gomorrah. This is because they are profaned by sensual knowledges. Profanation means the mixing of good and evil together. (See Secrets of Heaven 1001[2]).

This extends to all things of the church, with the church being the Lord’s kingdom on earth (Secrets of Heaven 768[3]).

With profanation “as soon as any idea of what is holy arises, the idea of what is profane joins immediately to it,” (Secrets of Heaven 301).

Now there is hardly anything left. “Yet you have not returned to Me,” says the Lord again.

Verses 12-13: Because people adamantly remain in their profane ways, they are warned, “Prepare to meet your God!”. This is the God powerful and mighty, “who forms mountains, and creates the wind,” and even more close to home, “Who declares to man what his thought is.” As intimately a knowing as that is, the Lord’s love for all humanity is contained in His exhortations for them to turn themselves to Him.

See, for example, Luke 6:44-45, and True Christian Religion 373.

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Exodus 23

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1 Non suscipies vocem mendacii, nec junges manum tuam ut pro impio dicas falsum testimonium.

2 Non sequeris turbam ad faciendum malum : nec in judicio, plurimorum acquiesces sententiæ, ut a vero devies.

3 Pauperis quoque non misereberis in judicio.

4 Si occurreris bovi inimici tui, aut asino erranti, reduc ad eum.

5 Si videris asinum odientis te jacere sub onere, non pertransibis, sed sublevabis cum eo.

6 Non declinabis in judicium pauperis.

7 Mendacium fugies. Insontem et justum non occides : quia aversor impium.

8 Nec accipies munera, quæ etiam excæcant prudentes, et subvertunt verba justorum.

9 Peregrino molestus non eris. Scitis enim advenarum animas : quia et ipsi peregrini fuistis in terra Ægypti.

10 Sex annis seminabis terram tuam, et congregabis fruges ejus :

11 anno autem septimo dimittes eam, et requiescere facies, ut comedant pauperes populi tui : et quidquid reliquum fuerit, edant bestiæ agri : ita facies in vinea et in oliveto tuo.

12 Sex diebus operaberis : septimo die cessabis, ut requiescat bos et asinus tuus, et refrigeretur filius ancillæ tuæ, et advena.

13 Omnia quæ dixi vobis, custodite. Et per nomen externorum deorum non jurabitis, neque audietur ex ore vestro.

14 Tribus vicibus per singulos annos mihi festa celebrabitis.

15 Solemnitatem azymorum custodies. Septem diebus comedes azyma, sicut præcepi tibi, tempore mensis novorum, quando egressus es de Ægypto : non apparebis in conspectu meo vacuus.

16 Et solemnitatem messis primitivorum operis tui, quæcumque seminaveris in agro : solemnitatem quoque in exitu anni, quando congregaveris omnes fruges tuas de agro.

17 Ter in anno apparebit omne masculinum tuum coram Domino Deo tuo.

18 Non immolabis super fermento sanguinem victimæ meæ, nec remanebit adeps solemnitatis meæ usque mane.

19 Primitias frugum terræ tuæ deferes in domum Domini Dei tui. Non coques hædum in lacte matris suæ.

20 Ecce ego mittam angelum meum, qui præcedat te, et custodiat in via, et introducat in locum quem paravi.

21 Observa eum, et audi vocem ejus, nec contemnendum putes : quia non dimittet cum peccaveris, et est nomen meum in illo.

22 Quod si audieris vocem ejus, et feceris omnia quæ loquor, inimicus ero inimicis tuis, et affligam affligentes te.

23 Præcedetque te angelus meus, et introducet te ad Amorrhæum, et Hethæum, et Pherezæum, Chananæumque, et Hevæum, et Jebusæum, quos ego conteram.

24 Non adorabis deos eorum, nec coles eos : non facies opera eorum, sed destrues eos, et confringes statuas eorum.

25 Servietisque Domino Deo vestro, ut benedicam panibus tuis et aquis, et auferam infirmitatem de medio tui.

26 Non erit infœcunda, nec sterilis in terra tua : numerum dierum tuorum implebo.

27 Terrorem meum mittam in præcursum tuum, et occidam omnem populum, ad quem ingredieris : cunctorumque inimicorum tuorum coram te terga vertam :

28 emittens crabrones prius, qui fugabunt Hevæum, et Chananæum, et Hethæum, antequam introëas.

29 Non ejiciam eos a facie tua anno uno : ne terra in solitudinem redigatur, et crescant contra te bestiæ.

30 Paulatim expellam eos de conspectu tuo, donec augearis, et possideas terram.

31 Ponam autem terminos tuos a mari Rubro usque ad mare Palæstinorum, et a deserto usque ad fluvium : tradam in manibus vestris habitatores terræ, et ejiciam eos de conspectu vestro.

32 Non inibis cum eis fœdus, nec cum diis eorum.

33 Non habitent in terra tua, ne forte peccare te faciant in me, si servieris diis eorum : quod tibi certe erit in scandalum.