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Números 21

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1 Ora, ouvindo o cananeu, rei de Arade, que habitava no Negebe, que Israel vinha pelo caminho de Atarim, pelejou contra Israel, e levou dele alguns prisioneiros.

2 Então Israel fez um voto ao Senhor, dizendo: Se na verdade entregares este povo nas minhas mãos, destruirei totalmente as suas cidades.

3 O Senhor, pois, ouviu a voz de Israel, e entregou-lhe os cananeus; e os israelitas os destruíram totalmente, a eles e às suas cidades; e chamou-se aquele lugar Horma.

4 Então partiram do monte Hor, pelo caminho que vai ao Mar Vermelho, para rodearem a terra de Edom; e a alma do povo impacientou-se por causa do caminho.

5 E o povo falou contra Deus e contra Moisés: Por que nos fizestes subir do Egito, para morrermos no deserto? pois aqui não há pão e não há água: e a nossa alma tem fastio deste miserável pão.

6 Então o Senhor mandou entre o povo serpentes abrasadoras, que o mordiam; e morreu muita gente em Israel.

7 Pelo que o povo veio a Moisés, e disse: Pecamos, porquanto temos falado contra o Senhor e contra ti; ora ao Senhor para que tire de nós estas serpentes. Moisés, pois, orou pelo povo.

8 Então disse o Senhor a Moisés: Faze uma serpente de bronze, e põe-na sobre uma haste; e será que todo mordido que olhar para ela viverá.

9 Fez, pois, Moisés uma serpente de bronze, e pô-la sobre uma haste; e sucedia que, tendo uma serpente mordido a alguém, quando esse olhava para a serpente de bronze, vivia.

10 Partiram, então, os filhos de Israel, e acamparam-se em Obote.

11 Depois partiram de Obote, e acamparam-se em Ije-Abarim, no deserto que está defronte de Moabe, para o nascente.

12 Dali partiram, e acamparam-se no vale de Zerede.

13 E, partindo dali, acamparam-se além do Arnom, que está no deserto e sai dos termos dos amorreus; porque o Arnom é o termo de Moabe, entre Moabe e os amorreus.

14 Pelo que se diz no livro das guerras do Senhor: Vaebe em Sufa, e os vales do Arnom,

15 e o declive dos vales, que se inclina para a situação Ar, e se encosta aos termos de Moabe

16 Dali vieram a Beer; esse é o poço do qual o Senhor disse a Moisés: Ajunta o povo, e lhe darei água.

17 Então Israel cantou este cântico: Brota, ó poço! E vós, entoai-lhe cânticos!

18 Ao poço que os príncipes cavaram, que os nobres do povo escavaram com o bastão, e com os seus bordões. Do deserto vieram a Matana;

19 de Matana a Naaliel; de Naaliel a Bamote;

20 e de Bamote ao vale que está no campo de Moabe, ao cume de Pisga, que dá para o deserto.

21 Então Israel mandou mensageiros a Siom, rei dos amorreus, a dizer-lhe:

22 Deixa-me passar pela tua terra; não nos desviaremos para os campos nem para as vinhas; as águas dos poços não beberemos; iremos pela estrada real até que tenhamos passado os teus termos.

23 Siom, porém, não deixou Israel passar pelos seus termos; pelo contrário, ajuntou todo o seu povo, saiu ao encontro de Israel no deserto e, vindo a Jaza, pelejou contra ele.

24 Mas Israel o feriu ao fio da espada, e apoderou-se da sua terra, desde o Arnom até o Jaboque, até os amonitas; porquanto a fronteira dos amonitas era fortificada.

25 Assim Israel tomou todas as cidades dos amorreus e habitou nelas, em Hesbom e em todas as suas aldeias.

26 Porque Hesbom era a cidade de Siom, rei dos amorreus, que pelejara contra o precedente rei de Moabe, e tomara da mão dele toda a sua terra até o Arnom.

27 Pelo que dizem os que falam por provérbios: Vinde a Hesbom! edifique-se e estabeleça-se a cidade de Siom!

28 Porque fogo saiu de Hesbom, e uma chama da cidade de Siom; e devorou a Ar de Moabe, aos senhores dos altos do Arnom.

29 Ai de ti, Moabe! perdido estás, povo de Quemós! Entregou seus filhos como fugitivos, e suas filhas como cativas, a Siom, rei dos amorreus.

30 Nós os asseteamos; Hesbom está destruída até Dibom, e os assolamos até Nofá, que se estende até Medeba.

31 Assim habitou Israel na terra dos amorreus.

32 Depois Moisés mandou espiar a Jazer, e tomaram as suas aldeias e expulsaram os amorreus que ali estavam.

33 Então viraram-se, e subiram pelo caminho de Basã. E Ogue, rei de Basã, saiu-lhes ao encontro, ele e todo o seu povo, para lhes dar batalha em Edrei.

34 Disse, pois, o Senhor a Moisés: Não o temas, porque eu to entreguei na mão, a ele, a todo o seu povo, e à sua terra; e far-lhe-ás como fizeste a Siom, rei dos amorreus, que habitava em Hesbom.

35 Assim o feriram, a ele e seus filhos, e a todo o seu povo, até que nenhum lhe ficou restando; também se apoderaram da terra dele.

   

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Apocalypse Revealed # 469

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469. He had in his hand a little book open. (10:2) This symbolizes the Word in respect to this point of doctrine there, that the Lord is God of heaven and earth, and that His humanity is Divine.

It may be seen in nos. 256, 259, and 295ff. above that the book which the Lamb took from Him who sat on the throne, the seals of which the Lamb loosed (Revelation 5:1, 7; 6:1ff.), means the Word. Consequently the little book in the hand of the angel, who also is the Lord (no. 465), means nothing else here than the Word in respect to some essential in it; and it is apparent from the particulars in this and the following chapter in the spiritual sense, and also from the natural sense in chapter 11, verses 15-17, that the essential is this point of doctrine in the Word, that the Lord is God of heaven and earth, and that His humanity is Divine.

[2] The little book is said to be open because this point of doctrine is plainly evident in the Word and is apparent to anyone who reads it, if he pays attention.

This is the subject now because it is the essential doctrine of the New Church. That is because everyone's salvation depends on a conception and acknowledgment of God. For the case is as stated in the Preface, that "heaven in its entirety is founded on a right idea of God, and so, too, the entire church on earth, and all religion in general," inasmuch as "that idea leads to conjunction, and through conjunction to light, wisdom, and eternal happiness."

[3] Now because the Lord is the one God of heaven and earth, therefore no one is admitted into heaven if he does not acknowledge Him, for heaven is the Lord's body. Instead the person remains below and is bitten by serpents, that is, by hellish spirits, from whose bite there is no cure but the one the children of Israel obtained by their looking at the bronze serpent (Numbers 21:1-9). That the bronze serpent means the Lord in respect to His Divine humanity is apparent from the following verses in John,

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:14-15)

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

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Apocalypse Revealed # 295

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295. CHAPTER 6

1. Now I saw when the Lamb opened the first of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as though with a voice of thunder, "Come and see."

2. And I looked, and behold, a white horse. And he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

3. When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come and see."

4. And another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, so that people might kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.

5. When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come and see." So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a scale in his hand.

6. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine."

7. When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see."

8. So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with famine, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.

9. When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.

10. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, who are holy and true, will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

11. Then white robes were given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until the number of both their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was complete.

12. Then I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became as black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.

13. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.

14. Then the sky departed like a book rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.

15. And the kings of the earth and the great men, the rich men and the commanders, and the powerful, and every slave and every freeman, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,

16. and they said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!

17. For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

THE SPIRITUAL MEANING

The Contents of the Whole Chapter

This describes the examination of those people on whom the Last Judgment would fall, and they were examined to see what understanding of the Word they had among them, and so what their state of life was. Some were found to possess truths springing from goodness (verses 1, 2); some to be without any goodness (verses 3, 4); some to have a contempt for the truth (verses 5, 6); and some to be utterly devastated and purged as regards both goodness and truth (verses 7, 8).

Described, too, is the state of people who, because of the evil, were protected by the Lord in a lower earth, who would be set free at the time of the Last Judgment (verses 9-11).

Also the state of people who were caught up in evils and so in falsities - what it would be like on the day of the Last Judgment (verses 12-17).

The Contents of the Individual Verses:

Verse ContentsSpiritual Meaning
1. Now I saw when the Lamb opened the first of the seals;An examination by the Lord of all those people on whom the Last Judgment would fall, as to their understanding of the Word and thus their states of life,
and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as though with a voice of thunder,in accordance with the Divine truth in the Word.
"Come and see."A manifestation regarding the people first in order.
2. And I looked, and behold, a white horse.An understanding of truth and goodness from the Word among them.
And he who sat on it had a bow;Their having a doctrine of truth and goodness from the Word, from which they fought against falsities and evils emanating from hell.
and a crown was given to him,A token of their combat.
and he went out conquering and to conquer.Their victory over evils and falsities to eternity.
3. When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come and see."The same here as before [verse 1].
4. And another horse, fiery red, went out.An understanding of the Word among them extinguished as to goodness and thus extinguished as regards their life.
And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth,The abolition of charity, of spiritual security, and of inner rest.
so that people might kill one another;Intestine hatreds, infestations by the hells, and inner anxieties.
and there was given to him a great sword.The destruction of truth by the falsities accompanying evil.
5. When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come and see."The same here as before [verse 1].
So I looked, and behold, a black horse,An understanding of the Word among them extinguished as to truth, thus extinguished as regards their doctrine.
and he who sat on it had a scale in his hand.Their valuation of goodness and truth, what it was like among them.
6. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying,The Divine protection of the Word by the Lord,
"A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius;because the value they placed on goodness and truth was so little as to be scarcely anything.
and do not harm the oil and the wine."The Lord's provision that they not violate and profane the goods and truths concealed inwardly in the Word.
7. When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see."The same here as before [verse 1].
8. So I looked, and behold, a pale horse.An understanding of the Word extinguished as to both goodness and truth.
And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hell followed with him.The extinction of spiritual life and thus damnation.
And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to killThe destruction of all good in the church
with sword, with famine, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.by doctrinal falsities, by evil practices, by self-love, and by lusts.
9. When He opened the fifth seal,An examination by the Lord of the states of life of people who would be saved on the day of the Last Judgment, and who in the meantime were sequestered.
I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.People who, having been expelled by the evil because of their life in accordance with the Word's truths and their acknowledgment of the Lord's Divine humanity, were protected by the Lord to keep them from being led astray.
10. And they cried with a loud voice,Pain of heart
saying, "How long, O Lord, who are holy and true, will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"over the fact that the Last Judgment was so long delayed, and that those who did violence to the Word and to the Lord's Divinity were not being removed.
11. Then white robes were given to each of them;A communication and conjunction of them with angels possessing Divine truths,
and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until the number of both their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was complete.that the Last Judgment would be delayed a little while longer, until those people should be gathered together who likewise were expelled by the evil.
12. Then I looked when He opened the sixth seal,An examination by the Lord of the states of life of people who were inwardly evil, on whom the Last Judgment would fall.
and behold, there was a great earthquake;The state of the church among them completely changed, and their terror.
and the sun became as black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.All goodness of love was adulterated in them, and every truth of faith falsified.
13. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth,All concepts of goodness and truth were dispelled
as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.by reasonings of the natural self divorced from the spiritual self.
14. Then the sky departed like a book rolled up,The people's separation from heaven and conjunction with hell.
and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.All goodness of love and truth of faith vanished.
15. And the kings of the earth and the great men, the rich men and the commanders, and the powerful, and every slave and every freeman,Those who before the separation had possessed an understanding of truth and good, a knowledge of their concepts, and learning, acquired from others or on their own, and yet who lacked a life in accordance with them,
hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,were now caught up in evils and in the falsities accompanying evil.
16. and they said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!Affirmations of evil by falsities springing from evil, until they did not acknowledge anything of the Lord's Divinity.
17. For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"They became of such a character of themselves as a result of their separation from good and faithful people, because of the Last Judgment, which they could not otherwise endure.

THE EXPOSITION

Now I saw when the Lamb opened the first of the seals. (6:1) This symbolizes an examination by the Lord of all those people on whom the Last Judgment would fall, as to their understanding of the Word and thus their states of life.

This is the symbolic meaning because there follows next in order an examination of all the people on whom the Last Judgment would fall as to their states of life, and this by the Lord in accordance with the Word. Consequently this is what is symbolically meant by the Lamb's opening the seals of the book.

To be shown that to open the book and loose its seals means, symbolically, to know the states of life of all people and to judge each one according to his state, see nos. 259, 265-267, 273, 274 above.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.