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1 И Моисею сказал Он: взойди к Господу ты и Аарон, Надав и Авиуд и семьдесят из старейшин Израилевых, и поклонитесь издали;

2 Моисей один пусть приблизится к Господу, а они пусть не приближаются, и народ пусть невосходит с ним.

3 И пришел Моисей и пересказал народу все слова Господни и все законы. И отвечал весь народ в один голос, и сказали: все, что сказал Господь, сделаем.

4 И написал Моисей все слова Господни и, встав рано поутру, поставил под горою жертвенник и двенадцать камней, по числу двенадцати колен Израилевых;

5 и послал юношей из сынов Израилевых, и принесли они всесожжения,и заклали тельцов в мирную жертву Господу.

6 Моисей, взяв половину крови, влил в чаши, а другою половиною окропил жертвенник;

7 и взял книгу завета и прочитал вслух народу, и сказали они: все, что сказал Господь, сделаем и будем послушны.

8 И взял Моисей крови и окропил народ, говоря: воткровь завета, который Господь заключил с вами о всех словах сих.

9 Потом взошел Моисей и Аарон, Надав и Авиуд и семьдесят из старейшин Израилевых,

10 и видели Бога Израилева; и под ногами Его нечто подобное работе из чистого сапфира и, как самое небо, ясное.

11 И Он не простер руки Своей на избранных из сынов Израилевых: они видели Бога, и ели и пили.

12 И сказал Господь Моисею: взойди ко Мне на гору и будь там; и дам тебе скрижали каменные, и закон и заповеди, которые Я написал для научения их.

13 И встал Моисей с Иисусом, служителем своим, и пошел Моисей на гору Божию,

14 а старейшинам сказал: оставайтесь здесь, доколе мы не возвратимсяк вам; вот Аарон и Ор с вами; кто будет иметь дело, пусть приходит к ним.

15 И взошел Моисей на гору, и покрыло облако гору,

16 и слава Господня осенила гору Синай; и покрывало ее облако шесть дней, а в седьмой день Господь воззвал к Моисею из средыоблака.

17 Вид же славы Господней на вершине горы был пред глазами сынов Израилевых, как огонь поядающий.

18 Моисей вступил в средину облака и взошел на гору; и был Моисей на горе сорок дней и сорок ночей.

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 5922

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5922. 'And you must tell my father about all my glory in Egypt' means a communication of the spiritual heaven in the natural with spiritual good. This is clear from the meaning of 'telling' as communicating; from the meaning of 'glory' as the spiritual heaven, dealt with below; from the meaning of 'Egypt' as factual knowledge within the natural, thus the natural itself, as above in 5908; and from the representation of Israel, to whom 'father', the recipient of the communication, refers here, as spiritual good, dealt with above in 5906. From all this it is evident that 'you must tell my father about all my glory in Egypt' means a communication of the spiritual heaven in the natural with spiritual good.

[2] With regard to 'glory' meaning the spiritual heaven, the situation is this: There are two kingdoms that form heaven - the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom. The celestial kingdom is the inmost or third heaven, and the spiritual kingdom is the middle or second heaven. Good as it exists among celestial angels is called celestial good, and good as it exists among spiritual angels is called spiritual good. Celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, while spiritual good is the good of love towards the neighbour. As for what joins the two kingdoms together, the good of charity towards the neighbour does so. For with members of the celestial kingdom love to the Lord is what is internal and charity towards the neighbour what is external; but with members of the spiritual kingdom charity towards the neighbour is what is internal and faith deriving from it what is external. From this one may see that what joins the two kingdoms is charity towards the neighbour; for charity is that in which the celestial kingdom ends and the spiritual kingdom begins. What comes last in the one comes first in the other, and is thus where they receive each other.

[3] Now let what 'glory' is be stated. In the highest sense 'glory' is the Lord in respect to Divine Truth; thus it is Divine Truth that goes forth from the Lord. But in the representative sense 'glory' is the good of love towards the neighbour or charity, which is the external good of the Lord's celestial kingdom and the internal good of His spiritual kingdom; for in the genuine sense this good is Divine Truth in heaven. Now since reference is made at this point in the story to Israel, who is spiritual good or charity which makes the spiritual kingdom in heaven and the spiritual Church on earth, Joseph's 'glory' here which they were to tell Israel about means the spiritual heaven. The spiritual heaven is called 'glory' because things there are seen in light, brilliance, and radiance.

[4] Glory is attributed to Divine Truth that comes forth from the Lord's Divine Human, and it is ascribed to the Lord as King; for in the internal sense kingship means Divine Truth, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068. This is clear in John,

What is more, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the Only Begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14.

'The Word' is Divine Truth. Since it goes forth from the Lord it is the Lord Himself, and for that reason 'glory' is attributed to Divine Truth.

[5] In Luke, when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain,

Behold, two men talked to Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who were seen in glory. Luke 9:30-31.

There the Lord showed Peter, James, and John what His Divine Human was like and what it looked like in Divine light. The form in which they saw Him at that time demonstrated what the Word is like in its internal sense, and so what Divine Truth in heaven is like; for the Word is Divine Truth provided for the Church's use. This also explains why at the same time the scene presented Moses and Elijah talking to Him; for 'Moses' represents the Law, by which one means the books by him together with the historical ones, while 'Elijah' represents the Prophets or prophetical part of the Word. For more about Moses' representation of the Law, see Preface to Genesis 18, and also 4859 (end); and for more about Elijah's representation of the prophetical part of the Word, see the same Preface, and also 2762, 5247 (end).

[6] In Matthew,

They will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory. Matthew 24:30.

The literal sense of the Word is meant by 'the clouds', while the internal sense, consequently Divine Truth as this exists in heaven, is meant by 'glory'; see Preface to Genesis 18. 'Glory' also means the intelligence and wisdom that flow from Divine Truth, 4809. So far as its external sense is concerned the Word exists 'in a cloud', for the reason that people's minds dwell in darkness. Therefore if the Word did not dwell 'in a cloud' scarcely anyone would understand it, and also the sacred contents of the internal sense would be rendered profane by wicked people in the world. This is why the Lord says in Isaiah,

Jehovah will create over every habitation of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a covering. And there will be a tabernacle for shade by day. Isaiah 4:5-6.

[7] It was for the same reason that over the tabernacle a cloud was seen by day and a fire by night. The tabernacle represented the Lord's Divine Human, consequently Divine Truth which goes forth from Him, and so the Word, which is Divine Truth for the Church, see 3210, 3439. The same is meant by the following in Moses,

The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Jehovah filled the dwelling-place. Exodus 40:34.

In the same author,

The glory of Jehovah appeared in the tent of meeting before all the children of Israel. Numbers 14:10.

And in another place,

The cloud covered the tent, and the glory of Jehovah appeared. Numbers 16:42.

[8] A cloud and glory appeared in a similar way over Mount Sinai, which are spoken of in Moses as follows,

When Moses went up into the mountain the cloud covered the mountain. And the glory of Jehovah dwelt over Mount Sinai and covered it six days. Exodus 24:15-16.

The same representations occurred then because the Law, which is Divine Truth, was delivered from that mountain. The reason why the cloud was seen and the glory of Jehovah when Moses went up into the mountain was that in this he represented the Law, that is, the historical section of the Word. This explains why on several occasions the expression 'Moses and the Prophets' or else 'the Law and the Prophets' is used. 'The Law' is in this case used to mean the books by him together with all the other historical books, but not the Prophets because that part of the Word was represented by Elijah and Elisha. For as is well known, the Word has a historical section and a prophetical part, and therefore when the Word is called 'the Law and the Prophets', 'the Law' is used to mean the historical section and 'the Prophets' the prophetical part.

[9] Divine Truth was also represented by a brightness, like a rainbow in the cloud, that surrounded the cherubs and was up above them - in Ezekiel, where those things are described as follows,

I saw the appearance of fire, like a brightness round about, like the appearance of a rainbow which is in the cloud on a day of rain. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah. Ezekiel 1:26-28.

Divine Truth is also called the glory of Jehovah, and the glory of the God of Israel in Ezekiel 8:4; 10:18-19; 11:21, 23. It is called 'the glory of Jehovah' in reference to the inmost heaven, and 'the glory of the God of Israel' in reference to the middle or spiritual heaven. The reason why in heaven Divine Truth appears in glory is that truth itself in the spiritual heaven appears before one's eyes as a shining cloud, which I too have been allowed to see several times, while the good held within that truth appears there as a fieriness. The cloud which is given diverse colourings by the fire presents amazing sights, which are 'glory' in the external sense. But the glory in the internal sense is intelligence and wisdom, which are also what those sights represent.

[10] The fact that Divine Truth, the source of all wisdom and intelligence, is 'the glory', as is the diversely coloured cloud appearing before one's external sight, is also clear from the following places: In Moses,

Jehovah said, I am the Living One, and the whole earth will be filled with the glory of Jehovah. Numbers 14:21.

This was said by Jehovah when the Israelite people were rejected by Him. He said that only their young children would enter the land of Canaan, at which time the whole earth would be filled with the glory of Jehovah. The meaning of this was that the glory of Jehovah would be present in the representatives of the Church existing among them, and in the Word which referred for the most part to them, and that all heaven and consequently the holy things of the Church would be filled with this glory.

[11] In Isaiah,

The seraphim kept calling out, Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah Zebaoth; the whole earth is full of His glory. Isaiah 6:3.

In the same prophet,

The glory of Jehovah will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together. Isaiah 40:5.

In the same prophet,

Therefore in the Urim give glory to Jehovah, in the isles of the sea to the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel. Isaiah 24:15.

'The Urim' stands for the light that is received from Divine Truth going; forth from the Lord. 'The isles of the sea' stands for those who are further away from the truth, 1158.

[12] In the same prophet,

The glory of Lebanon has been given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of Jehovah, the majesty of our God. Isaiah 35:2.

'Lebanon' stands for the spiritual Church, Carmel and Sharon' for the celestial Church. 'The glory of Jehovah' is attributed to the latter when celestial truth, which is charity, is meant, and 'the majesty of the God of Israel' to the former when spiritual good, which also is charity, is meant.

[13] In the same prophet,

Arise, shine, for Your light has come, and the glory of Jehovah has risen upon You. For behold, darkness is covering the earth, and thick darkness the peoples. But Jehovah will arise upon You, and His glory will be seen over You. Isaiah 60:1-2.

This refers to the Lord, who is called the Light, as in John 1:4, 9. It also says that 'the glory of Jehovah will arise upon Him', meaning that Divine Truth belongs to Him. Similarly in the same prophet,

For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; for how should it be profaned? My glory I do not give to another. Isaiah 48:11.

This too refers to the Lord, 'glory' in the highest sense standing for the Divine Human, and so also for Divine Truth since this comes forth from it. 'Not giving glory to another' is imparting it solely to the Divine Human, which is one with Himself.

[14] In John,

The holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven, having the glory of God, and its light was like a most precious stone. Revelation 21:10-11.

'The holy city Jerusalem' is the Lord's spiritual kingdom in heaven and His spiritual Church on earth, to both of which glory is attributed. Its light is truth radiating from the Divine.

[15] Since Divine Truth is what kingship in the Word represents - even as the Lord in respect to His Divine Truth was represented by kings, see the places listed just above - glory was therefore ascribed to Him as King, as in David,

Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted , O ancient doors, 1 so that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? Jehovah strong and mighty, Jehovah mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, lift up. O ancient doors, 1 that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? Jehovah Zebaoth, He is the King of glory. Psalms 24:7-10.

In Isaiah,

Jehovah Zebaoth will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before His elders, glory. Isaiah 24:23.

'Glory' stands for Divine Truth. Jehovah is called 'Jehovah Zebaoth' - that is, Jehovah of Hosts or of Armies - when the subject is Divine truth; for truths are meant by 'armies', 3448.

[16] Also, because Divine Truth was represented by kingship, the throne on which kings sat when they made judgements was called a throne of glory, Isaiah 22:23; Jeremiah 14:21; 17:12.

And in Matthew,

The Son of Man will sit on the throne of His glory. Matthew 19:28.

In the same gospel,

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. And the King will say to them . . . Matthew 25:31, 34, 40.

The throne was called 'a throne of glory' for the further reason that truth was the basis on which judgements were made. In the same gospel,

The Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father together with His angels, and at that time He will repay everyone according to his deeds. Matthew 16:27.

[17] From all this one may now see what is meant by 'the glory' in the Lord's Prayer,

Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever. Matthew 6:13.

The Lord's spiritual kingdom in heaven and His spiritual Church on earth is in addition referred to by another word for 'glory' (decus) in Isaiah 60:7; 63:15; 64:11; Daniel 8:9-11; 11:16, 41, 45.

Joseph too therefore speaks of his glory, for Joseph himself in the highest sense represents the Lord's Divine Spiritual or His Divine Truth, and in the internal sense His spiritual kingdom, also the good of faith, see 3969, 4669, 4723, 4727.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, doors of the world

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

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Apocalypse Explained # 735

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735. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels.- That this signifies combat between those who are for a life of love and charity, and for the Divine of the Lord in His Human, and those who are for faith alone and separated from charity, and who are opposed to the Divine of the Lord in His Human, is evident from the signification of Michael and his angels, as denoting those who are for the Divine of the Lord in His Human, and for a life of love and charity (of which we shall speak presently); and from the signification of the dragon, as denoting those who are for faith alone and separated from the life of love and of charity, and also opposed to the Divine of the Lord in His Human. That those who are in faith separated from charity, which is called faith alone, are meant by the dragon, was shown above (n. 714, 715, 716). The reason why these are also opposed to the Divine of the Lord in His Human, that is the Divine Human, is that most of those who have confirmed themselves in faith alone are merely natural and sensual; and the natural and sensual man, separated from the spiritual, can have no idea of the Divine in the Human. For they think of the Human of the Lord, naturally and sensually, and not at the same time from any spiritual idea; therefore they think of the Lord as of an ordinary man like themselves, and this they also teach; consequently in the idea of their thought they place the Divine of the Lord above His Human, and thus completely separate these two. And they do this although their doctrine, which is the doctrine of Athanasius, concerning the Trinity teaches otherwise, for this teaches that the Divine and Human are united in person, and that these two are one, like the soul and body. Let any one of these examine himself, and he will perceive that such is their idea concerning the Lord.

From these things it is evident what is meant by Michael and his angels, who fought with the dragon, namely, those who acknowledge the Divine Human of the Lord and are for a life of love and charity. For such cannot but acknowledge the Divine Human of the Lord, because otherwise they could not be in any love to the Lord, nor thus in any charity towards the neighbour, since these are solely from the Lord's Divine Human, and not from the Divine separated from His Human, nor from the Human separated from His Divine; consequently, after the dragon with his angels was cast down unto the earth, a voice out of heaven said, "Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the power (potestas) of His Christ" (verse 10). This makes it clear what is meant by Michael and angels.

[2] In regard to Michael in particular, it is believed from the sense of the letter that he is one of the archangels, but there is no archangel in the heavens. There are indeed higher and lower angels, and also wiser and less wise; and in the societies of angels there are governors who are set over the rest, yet there are no archangels who keep others in obedience by the exercise of arbitrary authority. Such government has no place in the heavens, for there no one acknowledges in heart that any one is above himself but the Lord alone; this is meant by these words of the Lord in Matthew:

"Be not ye called teacher, for one is your teacher, the Christ, but all ye are brethren. And call no man your father on earth, for one is your Father who is in the heavens. Neither be ye called master, for one is your Master, the Christ. He that is greatest among you shall be your minister" (23:8-11).

But those angels that are mentioned in the Word, as Michael and Raphael, mean administrations and functions, and, in general, fixed and determined parts of the administration and function of all the angels. So here Michael means that part of the angelic function which was spoken of above, namely, the defending of that part of doctrine from the Word which teaches that the Human of the Lord is Divine, and also that man must live a life of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbour in order that he may receive salvation from the Lord. That part of the angelic function is therefore meant which fights against those who separate the Divine from the Human of the Lord, and who separate faith from the life of love and of charity; in fact those who show forth charity with the lips but not with the life.

[3] Moreover, angels, in the Word, in the spiritual sense do not mean angels, but Divine truths from the Lord, as may be seen above (n. 130, 302), for the reason that angels are not angels from their proprium, but from the reception of Divine Truth from the Lord; it is similar in respect to archangels, who signify that Divine Truth, as said above. The angels in the heavens have not names like men on earth, but they have names expressive of their functions, and, in general, every angel has a name given to him according to his quality; this is why "name," in the Word, signifies the quality of a thing and state. The name Michael, from its derivation in the Hebrew, means "who is like God," therefore Michael signifies the Lord as to the Divine Truth that the Lord is God even as to the Human, and that man must live from Him, that is, in love to Him from Him, and in love towards the neighbour. Michael is also mentioned in Daniel (10:13, 21; 12:1), and signifies there as here, genuine truth from the Word, which is for those who will belong to the church to be established by the Lord; for Michael means those who will be in favour of the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, the two essentials of which doctrine are, that the Human of the Lord is Divine, and that a life of love and charity must be lived.

[4] Michael is also mentioned in the Epistle of Jude, in these words:

"When Michael the archangel, contending with the devil, disputed about the body of Moses, he durst not utter a sentence of reproach, but said, The Lord rebuke thee" (verse 9).

The apostle Jude quoted these words from ancient books which were written by correspondences, and by Moses in those books the Word was meant, and by his body, the sense of the letter of the Word. And as the same persons are here meant by the devil as are meant in the Apocalypse by the dragon, called also the devil and Satan, it is evident what is signified by Michael, contending with the devil, disputed about the body of Moses, namely, that such falsified the sense of the letter of the Word. And because the Word in the letter is of such a nature that the evil can turn it aside from its real meaning, and that nevertheless it can be received by the good according to its true meaning, therefore it was said by the ancient peoples, from whom these words of Jude were received, that "Michael durst not utter a sentence of reproach." That Moses, in the spiritual sense, signifies the law, thus the Word, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 4859 at end, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8787, 8805, 9372, 9414, 9419, 9429, 10234, 10563, 10571, 10607, 10614).

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.