Bible

 

Jeremiah 38

Studie

   

1 εν-P ο- A--DSM χρονος-N2--DSM εκεινος- D--DSM ειπον-VBI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM ειμι-VF--FMI1S εις-P θεος-N2--ASM ο- A--DSN γενος-N3E-DSN *ισραηλ-N---GSM και-C αυτος- D--NPM ειμι-VF--FMI3P εγω- P--DS εις-P λαος-N2--ASM

2 ουτως-D ειπον-VBI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM ευρισκω-VB--AAI1S θερμος-A1--ASM εν-P ερημος-N2--DSF μετα-P ολλυμι-VX--XAPGPM εν-P μαχαιρα-N1A-DSF βαδιζω-VA--AAD2P και-C μη-D ολλυμι-VA--AAS2P ο- A--ASM *ισραηλ-N---ASM

3 κυριος-N2--NSM πορρωθεν-D οραω-VVI-API3S αυτος- D--DSM αγαπησις-N3I-ASF αιωνιος-A1A-ASF αγαπαω-VAI-AAI1S συ- P--AS δια-P ουτος- D--ASN ειλκω-VA--AAI1S συ- P--AS εις-P οικτιρημα-N3M-ASN

4 ετι-D οικοδομεω-VF--FAI1S συ- P--AS και-C οικοδομεω-VC--FPI2S παρθενος-N2--NSF *ισραηλ-N---NSM ετι-D λαμβανω-VF--FMI2S τυμπανον-N2N-ASN συ- P--GS και-C εκερχομαι-VF--FMI2S μετα-P συναγωγη-N1--GSF παιζω-V1--PAPGPM

5 ετι-D φυτευω-VA--AAD2P αμπελων-N3W-APM εν-P ορος-N3E-DPN *σαμαρεια-N1A-GSF φυτευω-VA--AAD2P και-C αινεω-VA--AAD2P

6 οτι-C ειμι-V9--PAI3S ημερα-N1A-NSF κλησις-N3I-GSF απολογεομαι-V2--PMPGPM εν-P ορος-N3E-DPN *εφραιμ-N---GSM αναιστημι-VH--AAD2P και-C αναβαινω-VZ--AAD2P εις-P *σιων-N---ASF προς-P κυριος-N2--ASM ο- A--ASM θεος-N2--ASM εγω- P--GP

7 οτι-C ουτως-D ειπον-VBI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM ο- A--DSM *ιακωβ-N---DSM ευφραινω-VC--APD2P και-C χρεμετιζω-VA--AAD2P επι-P κεφαλη-N1--ASF εθνος-N3E-GPN ακουστος-A1--APN ποιεω-VA--AAD2P και-C αινεω-VA--AAD2P ειπον-VAI-AAI2P σωζω-VAI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM ο- A--ASM λαος-N2--ASM αυτος- D--GSM ο- A--ASN καταλοιπος-A1B-ASN ο- A--GSM *ισραηλ-N---GSM

8 ιδου-I εγω- P--NS αγω-V1--PAI1S αυτος- D--APM απο-P βορεας-N1T-GSM και-C συναγω-VF--FAI1S αυτος- D--APM απο-P εσχατος-A1--GSM ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF εν-P εορτη-N1--DSF φασεκ-N---GS και-C τεκνοποιεω-VA--AAS3S οχλος-N2--ASM πολυς-A1P-ASM και-C αποστρεφω-VF--FAI3P ωδε-D

9 εν-P κλαυθμος-N2--DSM εκερχομαι-VBI-AAI3P και-C εν-P παρακλησις-N3I-DSF ανααγω-VF--FAI1S αυτος- D--APM αυλιζω-V1--PAPNSM επι-P διωρυξ-N3G-APF υδωρ-N3T-GPN εν-P οδος-N2--DSF ορθος-A1--DSF και-C ου-D μη-D πλαναω-VC--APS3P εν-P αυτος- D--DSF οτι-C γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI1S ο- A--DSM *ισραηλ-N---DSM εις-P πατηρ-N3--ASM και-C *εφραιμ-N---NSM πρωτοτοκος-A1B-NSM εγω- P--GS ειμι-V9--PAI3S

10 ακουω-VA--AAD2P λογος-N2--ASM κυριος-N2--GSM εθνος-N3E-VPN και-C ανααγγελλω-VA--AAD2P εις-P νησος-N2--APF ο- A--APF μακρος-A1A-ASMC ειπον-VAI-AAI2P ο- A--NSM λικμαω-VA--AAPNSM ο- A--ASM *ισραηλ-N---ASM συναγω-VF--FAI3S αυτος- D--ASM και-C φυλασσω-VF--FAI3S αυτος- D--ASM ως-C ο- A--NSM βοσκω-V1--PAPNSM ο- A--ASN ποιμνιον-N2--ASN αυτος- D--GSM

11 οτι-C λυτροω-VAI-AMI3S κυριος-N2--NSM ο- A--ASM *ιακωβ-N---ASM εκαιρεω-VBI-AMI3S αυτος- D--ASM εκ-P χειρ-N3--GSF στερεος-A1A-GPM αυτος- D--GSM

12 και-C ηκω-VF--FAI3P και-C ευφραινω-VC--FPI3P εν-P ο- A--DSN ορος-N3E-DSN *σιων-N---GSF και-C ηκω-VF--FAI3P επι-P αγαθος-A1--APN κυριος-N2--GSM επι-P γη-N1--ASF σιτος-N2--GSM και-C οινος-N2--GSM και-C καρπος-N2--GPM και-C κτηνος-N3E-GPN και-C προβατον-N2N-GPN και-C ειμι-VF--FMI3S ο- A--NSF ψυχη-N1--NSF αυτος- D--GPM ωσπερ-D ξυλον-N2N-ASN εγκαρπος-A1B-NSN και-C ου-D πειναζω-VF--FAI3P ετι-D

13 τοτε-D χαιρω-VD--FPI3P παρθενος-N2--NPF εν-P συναγωγη-N1--DSF νεανισκος-N2--GPM και-C πρεσβυτης-N1M-NPM χαιρω-VD--FPI3P και-C στρεφω-VF--FAI1S ο- A--ASN πενθος-N3E-ASN αυτος- D--GPM εις-P χαρμονη-N1--ASF και-C ποιεω-VF--FAI1S αυτος- D--APM ευφραινω-V1--PMPAPM

14 μεγαλυνω-VF--FAI1S και-C μεθυω-VF--FAI1S ο- A--ASF ψυχη-N1--ASF ο- A--GPM ιερευς-N3V-GPM υιος-N2--GPM *λευι-N---GSM και-C ο- A--NSM λαος-N2--NSM εγω- P--GS ο- A--GPM αγαθος-A1--GPM εγω- P--GS ενπιμπλημι-VS--FPI3S

15 ουτως-D ειπον-VBI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM φωνη-N1--NSF εν-P *ραμα-N---DSF ακουω-VCI-API3S θρηνος-N2--GSM και-C κλαυθμος-N2--GSM και-C οδυρμος-N2--GSM *ραχηλ-N---NSF αποκλαιω-V1--PMPNSF ου-D θελω-V1I-IAI3S παυω-VA--AMN επι-P ο- A--DPM υιος-N2--DPM αυτος- D--GSF οτι-C ου-D ειμι-V9--PAI3P

16 ουτως-D ειπον-VBI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM διαλειπω-VB--AAD3S ο- A--NSF φωνη-N1--NSF συ- P--GS απο-P κλαυθμος-N2--GSM και-C ο- A--NPM οφθαλμος-N2--NPM συ- P--GS απο-P δακρυ-N2N-GPN συ- P--GS οτι-C ειμι-V9--PAI3S μισθος-N2--NSM ο- A--DPN σος-A1--DPN εργον-N2N-DPN και-C επιστρεφω-VF--FAI3P εκ-P γη-N1--GSF εχθρος-N2--GPM

17 μονιμος-A1--ASM ο- A--DPN σος-A1--DPN τεκνον-N2N-DPN

18 ακοη-N1--ASF ακουω-VAI-AAI1S *εφραιμ-N---DSM οδυρομαι-V1--PMPGSM παιδευω-VAI-AAI2S εγω- P--AS και-C παιδευω-VCI-API1S εγω- P--NS ωσπερ-D μοσχος-N2--NSM ου-D διδασκω-VQI-API1S επιστρεφω-VF--FAPASN εγω- P--AS και-C επιστρεφω-VF--FAI1S οτι-C συ- P--NS κυριος-N2--NSM ο- A--NSM θεος-N2--NSM εγω- P--GS

19 οτι-C υστερον-D αιχμαλωσια-N1A-GSF εγω- P--GS μετανοεω-VAI-AAI1S και-C υστερον-D ο- A--GSN γιγνωσκω-VZ--AAN εγω- P--AS στεναζω-VAI-AAI1S επι-P ημερα-N1A-GSF αισχυνη-N1--GSF και-C υποδεικνυω-VAI-AAI1S συ- P--DS οτι-C λαμβανω-VBI-AAI3P ονειδισμος-N2--ASM εκ-P νεοτης-N3T-GSF εγω- P--GS

20 υιος-N2--NSM αγαπητος-A1--NSM *εφραιμ-N---NSM εγω- P--DS παιδιον-N2N-ASN εντρυφαω-V3--PAPNSN οτι-C αντι-P ος- --GPM ο- A--NPM λογος-N2--NPM εγω- P--GS εν-P αυτος- D--DSM μνεια-N1A-DSF μιμνησκω-VS--FPI1S αυτος- D--GSM δια-P ουτος- D--ASN σπευδω-VAI-AAI1S επι-P αυτος- D--DSM ελεεω-V2--PAPNSM ελεεω-VF--FAI1S αυτος- D--ASM φημι-V6--PAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM

21 ιστημι-VH--AAD2S σεαυτου- D--ASF *σιων-N---VSF ποιεω-VA--AAD2S τιμωρια-N1A-ASF διδωμι-VO--AAD2S καρδια-N1A-ASF συ- P--GS εις-P ο- A--APM ωμος-N2--APM οδος-N2--ASF ος- --ASF πορευομαι-VCI-API2S αποστρεφω-VD--APD2S παρθενος-N2--NSF *ισραηλ-N---GSM αποστρεφω-VD--APD2S εις-P ο- A--APF πολις-N3I-APF συ- P--GS πενθεω-V2--PAPNSF

22 εως-P ποτε-D αποστρεφω-VF--FAI2S θυγατηρ-N3--NSF ατιμοω-VM--XPPNSF οτι-C κτιζω-VAI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM σωτηρια-N1A-ASF εις-P καταφυτευσις-N3I-ASF καινος-A1--ASF εν-P σωτηρια-N1A-DSF περιερχομαι-VF--FMI3P ανθρωπος-N2--NPM

23 ουτως-D ειπον-VBI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM ετι-D ειπον-VF2-FAI3P ο- A--ASM λογος-N2--ASM ουτος- D--ASM εν-P γη-N1--DSF *ιουδα-N---GSM και-C εν-P πολις-N3I-DPF αυτος- D--GSM οταν-D αποστρεφω-VF--FAI1S ο- A--ASF αιχμαλωσια-N1A-ASF αυτος- D--GSM ευλογεω-VM--XMPNSM κυριος-N2--NSM επι-P δικαιος-A1A-ASM ορος-N3E-ASN ο- A--ASN αγιος-A1A-ASN αυτος- D--GSM

24 και-C ενοικεω-V2--PAPNPM εν-P ο- A--DPF πολις-N3I-DPF *ιουδα-N---GSM και-C εν-P πας-A1S-DSF ο- A--DSF γη-N1--DSF αυτος- D--GSM αμα-D γεωργος-N2--DSM και-C αιρω-VC--FPI3S εν-P ποιμνιον-N2--DSN

25 οτι-C μεθυω-VAI-AAI1S πας-A1S-ASF ψυχη-N1--ASF διψαω-V3--PAPASF και-C πας-A1S-ASF ψυχη-N1--ASF πειναω-V3--PAPASF ενπιμπλημι-VAI-AAI1S

26 δια-P ουτος- D--ASN εκεγειρω-VCI-API1S και-C οραω-VBI-AAI3P και-C ο- A--NSM υπνος-N2--NSM εγω- P--GS ηδυς-A3U-NSM εγω- P--DS γιγνομαι-VCI-API3S

27 δια-P ουτος- D--ASN ιδου-I ημερα-N1A-NPF ερχομαι-V1--PMI3P φημι-V6--PAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM και-C σπειρω-VF2-FAI1S ο- A--ASM *ισραηλ-N---ASM και-C ο- A--ASM *ιουδας-N1T-ASM σπερμα-N3M-ASN ανθρωπος-N2--GSM και-C σπερμα-N3M-ASN κτηνος-N3E-GSN

28 και-C ειμι-VF--FMI3S ωσπερ-D γρηγορεω-V2I-IAI1S επι-P αυτος- D--APM κατααιρεω-V2--PAN και-C κακοω-V4--PAN ουτως-D γρηγορεω-VF--FAI1S επι-P αυτος- D--APM ο- A--GSN οικοδομεω-V2--PAN και-C καταφυτευω-V1--PAN φημι-V6--PAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM

29 εν-P ο- A--DPF ημερα-N1A-DPF εκεινος- D--DPF ου-D μη-D ειπον-VB--AAS3P ο- A--NPM πατηρ-N3--NPM εσθιω-VBI-AAI3P ομφαξ-N3K-ASF και-C ο- A--NPM οδους-N3--NPM ο- A--GPN τεκνον-N2N-GPN αιμωδιαω-VAI-AAI3P

30 αλλα-C η-C εκαστος-A1--NSM εν-P ο- A--DSF εαυτου- D--GSM αμαρτια-N1A-DSF αποθνησκω-VF2-FMI3S και-C ο- A--GSM εσθιω-VB--AAPGSM ο- A--ASM ομφαξ-N3K-ASF αιμωδιαω-VF--FAI3P ο- A--NPM οδους-N3--NPM αυτος- D--GSM

31 ιδου-I ημερα-N1A-NPF ερχομαι-V1--PMI3P φημι-V6--PAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM και-C διατιθημι-VF--FMI1S ο- A--DSM οικος-N2--DSM *ισραηλ-N---GSM και-C ο- A--DSM οικος-N2--DSM *ιουδα-N---GSM διαθηκη-N1--ASF καινος-A1--ASF

32 ου-D κατα-P ο- A--ASF διαθηκη-N1--ASF ος- --ASF διατιθημι-VEI-AMI1S ο- A--DPM πατηρ-N3--DPM αυτος- D--GPM εν-P ημερα-N1A-DSF επιλαμβανω-VB--AMPGSM εγω- P--GS ο- A--GSF χειρ-N3--GSF αυτος- D--GPM εκαγω-VB--AAN αυτος- D--APM εκ-P γη-N1--GSF *αιγυπτος-N2--GSF οτι-C αυτος- D--NPM ου-D ενμενω-VAI-AAI3P εν-P ο- A--DSF διαθηκη-N1--DSF εγω- P--GS και-C εγω- P--NS αμελεω-VAI-AAI1S αυτος- D--GPM φημι-V6--PAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM

33 οτι-C ουτος- D--NSF ο- A--NSF διαθηκη-N1--NSF ος- --ASF διατιθημι-VF--FMI1S ο- A--DSM οικος-N2--DSM *ισραηλ-N---GSM μετα-P ο- A--APF ημερα-N1A-APF εκεινος- D--APF φημι-V6--PAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM διδωμι-V8--PAPNSM διδωμι-VF--FAI1S νομος-N2--APM εγω- P--GS εις-P ο- A--ASF διανοια-N1A-ASF αυτος- D--GPM και-C επι-P καρδια-N1A-APF αυτος- D--GPM γραφω-VF--FAI1S αυτος- D--APM και-C ειμι-VF--FMI1S αυτος- D--DPM εις-P θεος-N2--ASM και-C αυτος- D--NPM ειμι-VF--FMI3P εγω- P--DS εις-P λαος-N2--ASM

34 και-C ου-D μη-D διδασκω-VA--AAS3P εκαστος-A1--NSM ο- A--ASM πολιτης-N1--ASM αυτος- D--GSM και-C εκαστος-A1--NSM ο- A--ASM αδελφος-N2--ASM αυτος- D--GSM λεγω-V1--PAPNSM γιγνωσκω-VZ--AAD2S ο- A--ASM κυριος-N2--ASM οτι-C πας-A3--NPM οιδα-VFX-FAI3P εγω- P--AS απο-P μικρος-A1A-GSM αυτος- D--GPM και-C εως-P μεγας-A1--GSM αυτος- D--GPM οτι-C ιλεως-A1B-NSM ειμι-VF--FMI1S ο- A--DPF αδικια-N1A-DPF αυτος- D--GPM και-C ο- A--GPF αμαρτια-N1A-GPF αυτος- D--GPM ου-D μη-D μιμνησκω-VS--APS1S ετι-D

35 εαν-C υψοω-VC--APS3S ο- A--NSM ουρανος-N2--NSM εις-P ο- A--ASN μετεωρος-A1B-ASN φημι-V6--PAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM και-C εαν-C ταπεινοω-VC--APS3S ο- A--ASN εδαφος-N3E-ASN ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF κατω-D και-C εγω- P--NS ου-D αποδοκιμαζω-VF2-FAI1S ο- A--ASN γενος-N3E-ASN *ισραηλ-N---GSM φημι-V6--PAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM περι-P πας-A3--GPM ος- --GPM ποιεω-VAI-AAI3P

36 ουτως-D ειπον-VBI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM ο- A--NSM διδωμι-VO--AAPNSM ο- A--ASM ηλιος-N2--ASM εις-P φως-N3T-ASN ο- A--GSF ημερα-N1A-GSF σεληνη-N1--ASF και-C αστηρ-N3--APM εις-P φως-N3T-ASN ο- A--GSF νυξ-N3--GSF και-C κραυγη-N1--ASF εν-P θαλασσα-N1S-DSF και-C βομβεω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--APN κυμα-N3M-APN αυτος- D--GSF κυριος-N2--NSM παντοκρατωρ-N3 -NSM ονομα-N3M-NSN αυτος- D--DSM

37 εαν-C παυω-VA--AMS3P ο- A--NPM νομος-N2--NPM ουτος- D--NPM απο-P προσωπον-N2N-GSN εγω- P--GS φημι-V6--PAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM και-C ο- A--ASN γενος-N3E-ASN *ισραηλ-N---GSM παυω-VF--FMI3S γιγνομαι-VB--AMN εθνος-N3E-ASN κατα-P προσωπον-N2N-ASN εγω- P--GS πας-A1S-APF ο- A--APF ημερα-N1A-GSF

38 ιδου-I ημερα-N1A-NPF ερχομαι-V1--PMI3P φημι-V6--PAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM και-C οικοδομεω-VC--FPI3S πολις-N3I-NSF ο- A--DSM κυριος-N2--DSM απο-P πυργος-N2--GSM *αναμεηλ-N---GSM εως-P πυλη-N1--GSF ο- A--GSF γωνια-N1A-GSF

39 και-C εκερχομαι-VF--FMI3S ο- A--NSF διαμετρησις-N3I-NSF αυτος- D--GSF απεναντι-P αυτος- D--GPM εως-P βουνος-N2--GPM *γαρηβ-N---GSM και-C περικυκλοω-VC--FPI3S κυκλος-N2--DSM εκ-P εκλεκτος-A1--GPM λιθος-N2--GPM

40 και-C πας-A3--NPM ασαρημωθ-N---NPM εως-P ναχαλ-N---GSM *κεδρων-N---GS εως-P γωνια-N1A-GSF πυλη-N1--GSF ιππος-N2--GPM ανατολη-N1--GSF αγιασμα-N3M-ASN ο- A--DSM κυριος-N2--DSM και-C ουκετι-D ου-D μη-D εκλειπω-VB--AAS3S και-C ου-D μη-D κατααιρεω-VC--APS3S εως-P ο- A--GSM αιων-N3W-GSM

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 7051

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 10837  
  

7051. People who know nothing at all about the internal sense of the Word cannot help thinking that the Israelite and Jewish nation was chosen in preference to every other nation and was therefore of superior quality to all the rest, as those who belonged to that nation also thought. And what is so astonishing, this is not only what that nation itself thinks but also what Christians think, no matter how well they know that this nation is eaten up by filthy kinds of love, by foul avarice, hatred, and pride, and in addition to this belittles and also loathes things of an internal nature that belong to charity and faith and are the Lord's. The reason why Christians also think that this nation was chosen in preference to others is that they think a person is chosen and saved as a result of mercy, irrespective of the life he leads, so that those who are criminal can be received into heaven just as well as the godly and upright. They give no consideration to the idea that choice or election is all-embracing, that is to say, that it includes all who lead a good life. Nor do they consider that the Lord's mercy is shown to every person who refrains from evil and wishes to lead a good life, and so who allows himself to be led by the Lord and to be regenerated, a process which is being effected throughout the course of his life.

[2] This goes to explain too why the majority of people in the Christian world also believe that that nation will again be chosen, and that when this happens they will be led back into the land of Canaan. And this belief is also in keeping with the sense of the letter, for example in the following places:

Isaiah 10:20-23; 11:11-12; Isaiah 29:14-end; 43:5, 6; 49:6-26; 56:8; 60:4; 61:3-10; 62;

Jeremiah 3:14-19; 15:4, 14; 16:13, 15; 23:7-8; 24:9-10; 31:31, 33; 25:29; 29:14, 18; 30:3, 8-11; 31:8-10, 17; 33:16, 20, 26;

Ezekiel 5:10, 12, 15; 16:60; 20:41; 22:15-16; 34:12-13; 37:21-22; 38:12; 39:23, 27-28;

Daniel 7:27; 12:7;

Hosea 3:4-5; Joel 2:32; 3; Amos 9:8-9 and following verses; Micah 5:7-8.

It is on the basis of these as well as other places that even Christians think that nation will again be chosen and led into the land of Canaan. They think this even though they know that nation is waiting for the Messiah who will then lead the nation in, and are at the same time aware that its waiting for Him is in vain, and that the Messiah's or Christ's kingdom is not of this world, which means that the land of Canaan into which the Messiah will lead them is heaven.

[3] Such people give no thought to the idea that the Word has a spiritual sense within it and that in that sense Israel is not meant by Israel, Jacob by Jacob, or Judah by Judah, but that the things which they represent are meant by them. Nor do they give any thought to what the historical sections record regarding that nation - what it was like in the wilderness and what it was like after that in the land of Canaan, namely that it was at heart idolatrous - or to what the Prophets say about it and about its spiritual whoredom and its abominations. What that nation is like is described in the following words contained in the Song in Moses,

I will conceal My face from them; I will see what their future will be, for they are a perverse generation, sons in whom there is no faithfulness. I would have said, I will expel them to the remotest corners, I will make the memory of them cease from mankind, except that enemies might say, Our hand is high, and not Jehovah has done all this. For they are a nation from whom counsel has perished, nor is there intelligence in them. From the vine of Sodom comes their vine, and from the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of poison, they have clusters of bitterness. The poison of snakes (draco) is their wine, and the cruel poison of asps. Is this not hidden away with Me, sealed up in My treasuries? Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; in time their foot will slip, for near is the day of their destruction, and the things to come upon them hasten on. Deuteronomy 32:20, 26-28, 32-35.

Jehovah gave Moses the words of this song, see Deuteronomy 31:19, 21. The Lord too spoke about what that nation was like, in John,

You are from your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the truth. John 8:44.

And many other places besides these show what that nation was like.

[4] The reason why, although they know these things, Christians believe that that nation will at length be converted to the Lord and at that time led into the land where they lived before is, as has been stated, that they have no knowledge of the internal sense of the Word. Another reason is their supposition that it makes no difference what kind of life a person leads, and that even evil which has become deeply rooted through repeated actions in no way prevents a person - through faith, even if it has existed for only one part of an hour - from being made spiritual, being regenerated, and so being accepted by the Lord. They also suppose that admission into heaven is solely a matter of mercy, and that this is shown towards one particular nation, thus not towards all in the whole world who receive the Lord's mercy. Those who think in that way do not know that it is altogether contrary to the Divine that some should be chosen and born to salvation and heaven, and others should not be chosen but born to damnation and hell. To think about the Divine in that kind of way would be shocking, for making such choices would show a complete lack of mercy, when in fact the Divine is Mercy itself. From all this it may now be recognized that the Israelite and Jewish nation was not and never will be the chosen nation; also that not a trace of the Church existed or could exist with that nation, only a representative of the Church; and that it was preserved right up to the present day because of the Old Testament Word, regarding which see 3479.

  
/ 10837  
  

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