Novokřesťanské studium Bible

Bible

 

Daniel 11

Studie

   

1 At tungkol sa akin, nang unang taon ni Dario na taga Media, ako'y tumayo upang patibayin at palakasin siya.

2 At ngayo'y aking ipatatalastas sa iyo ang katotohanan. Narito, tatayo pa ang tatlong hari sa Persia; at ang ikaapat ay magiging totoong mayaman kay sa kanilang lahat: at pagka siya'y lumakas sa kaniyang mga yaman, ay kaniyang kikilusin ang lahat laban sa kaharian ng Grecia.

3 At isang makapangyarihang hari ay tatayo, na magpupuno na may malaking kapangyarihan, at gagawa ng ayon sa kaniyang kalooban.

4 At pagka tatayo siya ay magigiba ang kaniyang kaharian, at mababahagi sa apat na hangin ng langit, nguni't hindi sa kaniyang anak, ni ayon man sa kaniyang kapangyarihan na kaniyang ipinagpuno; sapagka't ang kaniyang kaharian ay mabubunot para sa mga iba bukod sa mga ito.

5 At ang hari sa timugan ay magiging malakas, at ang isa sa kaniyang mga prinsipe; at siya'y magiging malakas kay sa kaniya, at magtataglay ng kapangyarihan; ang kaniyang kapangyarihan ay magiging dakilang kapangyarihan.

6 At sa katapusan ng mga taon, sila'y magpipipisan; at ang anak na babae ng hari sa timugan ay paroroon sa hari sa hilagaan upang gumawa ng pakikipagkasundo: nguni't hindi niya mapananatili ang lakas ng kaniyang bisig; o siya ma'y tatayo, o ang bisig man niya; kundi siya'y mabibigay, at yaong mga nangagdala sa kaniya, at ang nanganak sa kaniya, at ang nagpalakas sa kaniya sa mga panahong yaon.

7 Nguni't sa suwi ng kaniyang mga ugat ay tatayo ang isa na kahalili niya na paroroon sa hukbo, at papasok sa katibayan ng hari sa hilagaan, at gagawa ng laban sa kanila, at mananaig.

8 At gayon din ang kanilang mga dios sangpu ng kanilang mga larawang binubo, at ng kanilang mga mainam na sisidlan na pilak at ginto ay dadalhing samsam sa Egipto; at siya'y magluluwat na ilang taon kay sa hari sa hilagaan.

9 At siya'y paroroon sa kaharian ng hari sa timugan, nguni't siya'y babalik sa kaniyang sariling lupain.

10 At ang kaniyang mga anak ay makikipagdigma, at mapipisan ng isang karamihang malaking hukbo, na magpapatuloy, at aabot, at lalagpas; at sila'y magsisibalik at makikipagdigma, hanggang sa kaniyang katibayan.

11 At ang hari sa timugan ay makikilos ng pagkagalit, at lalabas at makikipaglaban sa kaniya, sa makatuwid baga'y sa hari sa hilagaan; at siya'y maglalabas ng malaking karamihan, at ang karamiha'y mabibigay sa kaniyang kamay.

12 At ang karamihan ay madadala, at ang kaniyang puso ay magpapalalo; at siya'y magbubuwal ng libo-libo, nguni't hindi mananaig.

13 At ang hari sa hilagaan ay babalik, at maglalabas ng isang karamihan na lalong malaki kay sa una; at siya'y magpapatuloy hanggang sa wakas ng mga panahon, ng mga taon, na ma'y malaking hukbo, at maraming kayamanan.

14 At sa mga panahong yaon ay maraming magsisitayo laban sa hari sa timugan: gayon din ang mga anak na mangdadahas sa gitna ng iyong bayan ay magsisibangon upang itatag ang pangitain; nguni't sila'y mangabubuwal.

15 Sa gayo'y paroroon ang hari sa hilagaan, at gagawa ng isang bunton, at sasakop ng isang bayan na nakukutaang mabuti: at ang pulutong ng timugan ay hindi makatatayo ni ang kaniya mang piling bayan, ni magtataglay man sila ng anomang kalakasan, upang tumayo.

16 Nguni't ang dumarating laban sa kaniya, ay gagawa ng ayon sa sariling kalooban, at walang tatayo sa harap niya; at siya'y tatayo sa maluwalhating lupain, at sasa kaniyang kamay ang paglipol.

17 At kaniyang itatanaw ang kaniyang mukha upang pumaroon na kasama ng lakas ng kaniyang buong kaharian, at ng mga tapat na kasama niya; at siya'y gagawa ng mga yaon: at ibibigay niya sa kaniya ang anak na babae ng mga babae, upang hamakin; nguni't siya'y hindi tatayo, ni siya'y mapapasa kaniya man.

18 Pagkatapos nito'y kaniyang ipipihit ang kaniyang mukha sa mga pulo, at sasakop ng marami: nguni't isang prinsipe ay magpapatigil ng pagkutya niya; oo, bukod dito'y kaniyang pababalikin ang kaniyang kakutyaan sa kaniya.

19 Kung magkagayo'y kaniyang ipipihit ang kaniyang mukha sa dako ng mga kuta ng kaniyang sariling lupain; nguni't siya'y matitisod at mabubuwal, at hindi masusumpungan.

20 Kung magkagayo'y tatayo na kahalili niya ang isa na magpaparaan ng maniningil sa kaluwalhatian ng kaharian; nguni't sa loob ng kaunting araw ay mapapahamak, na hindi sa kagalitan, o sa pagbabaka man.

21 At kahalili niya na tatayo ang isang hamak na tao, na hindi nila pinagbigyan ng karangalan ng kaharian: nguni't siya'y darating sa panahong katiwasayan, at magtatamo ng kaharian sa pamamagitan ng mga daya.

22 At sa pamamagitan ng pulutong na huhugos ay mapapalis sila sa harap niya, at mabubuwal; oo, pati ng prinsipe ng tipan.

23 At pagkatapos ng pakikipagkasundo sa kaniya, siya'y gagawang may karayaan; sapagka't siya'y sasampa, at magiging matibay, na kasama ng isang munting bayan.

24 Sa panahon ng katiwasayan darating siya hanggang sa mga pinakamainam na dako ng lalawigan; at kaniyang gagawin ang hindi ginawa ng kaniyang mga magulang, o ng mga magulang ng kaniyang mga magulang; siya'y magbabahagi sa kanila ng huli, at samsam, at kayamanan: oo, siya'y hahaka ng kaniyang mga haka laban sa mga kuta, hanggang sa takdang panahon.

25 At kaniyang kikilusin ang kaniyang kapangyarihan at ang kaniyang tapang laban sa hari sa timugan na may malaking hukbo; at ang hari sa timugan ay makikipagdigma sa pakikipagbaka na may totoong malaki at makapangyarihang hukbo; nguni't hindi siya tatayo, sapagka't sila'y magsisihaka ng mga panukala laban sa kaniya.

26 Oo, silang nagsisikain ng kaniyang masarap na pagkain ay siyang magpapahamak sa kaniya, at ang kaniyang hukbo ay mapapalis; at marami ay mabubuwal na patay.

27 At tungkol sa dalawang haring ito, ang kanilang mga puso ay magtataglay ng kasamaan, at sila'y mangagsasalita ng mga kabulaanan sa isang dulang: nguni't hindi giginhawa; sapagka't ang wakas ay magiging sa panahong takda pa.

28 Kung magkagayo'y babalik siya sa kaniyang lupain na may malaking kayamanan; at ang kaniyang puso ay magiging laban sa banal na tipan; at siya'y gagawa ng kaniyang maibigan, at babalik sa kaniyang sariling lupain.

29 Sa takdang panahon ay babalik siya, at papasok sa timugan; nguni't hindi magiging gaya ng una ang huli.

30 Sapagka't mga sasakyan sa Chittim ay magsisiparoon laban sa kaniya; kaya't siya'y mahahapis, at babalik, at magtataglay ng galit laban sa banal na tipan, at gagawa ng kaniyang maibigan: siya nga'y babalik, at lilingapin yaong nangagpabaya ng banal na tipan.

31 At mga pulutong ay magsisitayo sa kaniyang bahagi, at kanilang lalapastanganin ang santuario, sa makatuwid baga'y ang kuta, at aalisin ang palaging handog na susunugin, at kanilang ilalagay ang kasuklamsuklam na naninira.

32 At ang gayon na gumagawa na may kasamaan laban sa tipan, ay mahihikayat niya sa pamamagitan ng mga daya; nguni't ang bayan na nakakakilala ng kanilang dios ay magiging matibay, at gagawa ng kabayanihan.

33 At silang marunong sa bayan ay magtuturo sa marami; gayon ma'y mangabubuwal sila sa pamamagitan ng tabak at ng liyab, ng pagkabihag at ng samsam, na maraming araw.

34 Pagka nga sila'y mangabubuwal, sila'y tutulungan ng kaunting tulong; nguni't marami ay magsisipisan sa kanila na may mga daya.

35 At ang ilan sa kanila na pantas ay mangabubuwal, upang dalisayin sila, at linisin, at paputiin, hanggang sa panahon ng kawakasan; sapagka't ukol sa panahon pang takda.

36 At ang hari ay gagawa ng ayon sa kaniyang kalooban; at siya'y magmamalaki, at magpapakataas ng higit kay sa bawa't dios, at magsasalita ng mga kagilagilalas na bagay laban sa Dios ng mga dios; at siya'y giginhawa hanggang sa ang galit ay maganap; sapagka't ang ipinasiya ay gagawin.

37 Wawaling bahala niya ang mga dios ng kaniyang mga magulang, o ang nasa man sa mga babae, o pakukundanganan man ang sinomang dios; sapagka't siya'y magmamalaki sa lahat.

38 Kundi bilang kahalili ay pararangalan niya ang dios ng mga katibayan; at isang dios na hindi nakilala ng kaniyang mga magulang ay kaniyang pararangalan ng ginto, at pilak, at ng mga mahalagang bato at ng mga maligayang bagay.

39 At siya'y magbabagsak ng mga matibay na kuta sa tulong ng ibang dios; sinomang kumilala sa kaniya, mananagana sa kaluwalhatian; at pagpupunuin niya sila sa marami, at kaniyang babahagihin ang lupa sa halaga.

40 At sa panahon ng kawakasan ay makikipagkaalit sa kaniya ang hari sa timugan; at ang hari sa hilagaan ay paroroon laban sa kaniya na gaya ng isang ipoipo, na may mga karo, at may mga mangangabayo, at may maraming sasakyan; at kaniyang papasukin ang mga lupain, at aabot at lalagpas.

41 Siya'y papasok din naman sa maluwalhating lupain, at maraming lupain ay mababagsak; nguni't ang mga ito ay mangaliligtas mula sa kaniyang kamay: ang Edom, at ang Moab, at ang puno ng mga anak ni Ammon.

42 Kaniyang iuunat din naman ang kaniyang kamay sa mga lupain; at ang lupain ng Egipto ay hindi makatatakas.

43 Nguni't siya'y magtataglay ng kapangyarihan sa mga kayamanang ginto at pilak, at sa lahat na mahalagang bagay sa Egipto; at ang mga taga Libia at ang mga taga Etiopia ay susunod sa kaniyang mga hakbang.

44 Nguni't mga balita na mula sa silanganan at mula sa hilagaan ay babagabag sa kaniya; at siya'y lalabas na may malaking kapusukan upang gumiba at lumipol sa marami.

45 At kaniyang itatayo ang mga tolda ng kaniyang palasio sa pagitan ng dagat at ng maluwalhating banal na bundok; gayon ma'y darating siya sa kaniyang wakas, at walang tutulong sa kaniya.

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Apocalypse Explained # 717

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 1232  
  

717. And upon his heads seven diadems, signifies Divine truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, here these truths adulterated and profaned. This is evident from the signification of "heads of the dragon," as being the true knowledges [scientifica] of the Word, which have been adulterated and profaned; that these "heads" signify insanity in spiritual things and yet craftiness in deceiving and leading astray may be seen above n. 714. Also from the signification of "diadems" (or precious stones), as being Divine truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word (of which presently); also from the signification of "seven," which means all things, and is predicated of things holy, and in the contrary sense of things profane (of which above, n. 715, here it is predicated of things profane, because of truths of the Word adulterated and thus profaned.

Thence it is clear that "the seven diadems upon the heads of the dragon" signify Divine truths in the ultimate of order, here these truths adulterated and profaned.

[2] "Precious stones," which are "diadems," signify Divine truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, because a "stone" signifies truth, therefore "precious stones" signify Divine truths. They mean Divine truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, because these are transparent, having in them a spiritual sense, and in that sense there is the light of heaven, which makes all things of the sense of the letter of the Word to be pellucid, and to be variegated also according to the series of things in the spiritual sense from which arise modifications of heavenly light, that present such colors as appear in the heavens, and thence in precious stones of various kinds.

[3] Diadems were seen upon the seven heads of the dragon, because the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word shine wherever they are, as well with the evil as with the good, for the spiritual light that is in them is not extinguished by their being with the evil, for heaven still flows into those truths. But the evil adulterate them, and thence see nothing of the light of heaven in them, but yet believe them to be holy because they apply them to confirm the falsities of their religion, so from the faith they have in their holiness the truths still shine before them; and since this is so, and since they acquire for themselves by means of these truths communication with the heavens they are finally deprived of them, and left to their falsities in which there is no light; this is done when they are let down into hell.

[4] That the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word appear as diadems is evident from the diadems in the spiritual world. In the palaces of angels in heaven there are many things that shine with precious stones. Sometimes precious stones are also let down into the lower parts, and are presented as a gift to those who have done some good thing; they are even sold there as in the world, especially by the Jews, who also there trade in them. It is granted and permitted to the Jews to trade in precious stones in the spiritual as in the natural world, because they regard the sense of the letter of the Word as holy.

For the same reason also noble women below the heavens adorn themselves with diadems as in the world. When it is asked where those diadems in heaven and thence in the lower parts are from, it is said that they are from the Lord, and from the spiritual light that is from Him, and that they are ultimates of that light, which are called effects; also that they are representative forms of the affections of truth from good, thus that they are Divine truths in the ultimate of order, such as the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word are. As this is the origin of precious stones, there are some in the world of spirits who are allowed to make diadems by inserting together truths from the sense of the letter of the Word, but these diadems are not genuine, and are not hard like crystals, because they are artificial.

[5] From this it can now be seen what "diadems or precious stones" signify in the following passages. In Isaiah:

O thou afflicted and tossed with tempests and not comforted, behold, I lay thy stones with stibium, and thy foundations in sapphires, and I will make thy suns a carbuncle, and thy gates into stones of ruby, and all thy border into stones of desire, and all thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah (Isaiah 54:11-13).

This is said of "the barren who did not bear," who should have many sons, by whom the Gentiles that had no Divine truths because they did not have the Word are signified; therefore they are called "afflicted and tossed with tempests and not comforted," "to be afflicted and tossed with tempests" is predicated of falsities by which they are infested and carried hither and thither. That when the Lord comes He will reveal to them Divine truths and instruct them, is signified by "I will lay thy stones with stibium, and thy foundations in sapphires, and I will make thy suns into a carbuncle, and thy gates into stones of rubies, and thy borders into stones of desire." It is evident that the "precious stones" here mentioned mean Divine truths in the ultimate of order, like the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, in which are internal truths, which are such truths as are in the spiritual sense of the Word; for the "foundations, gates, and borders," which were to be laid with these precious stones, signify ultimates; consequently here "stones" in general, and "sapphires," "carbuncles," and "stones of ruby," signify such truths as are in the sense of the letter of the Word, which are ultimate truths because they are for the natural and sensual man. Because the instruction of the Gentiles in Divine truths is meant by these words it is added, "and all thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah." But what "sapphire," "carbuncle," and "ruby" signify in particular need not be told here, only that "precious stones" signify in general ultimate truths.

[6] Because "the city of the New Jerusalem" signifies the doctrine of the New Church, and "the foundations of its wall" signify ultimate Divine truths, and "gates" introductory Divine truths, therefore the foundations are described by twelve precious stones, and the gates by pearls, in Revelation:

The foundations of the wall of the city the New Jerusalem were adorned with every precious stone; the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh hyacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate was [one] pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass (Revelation 21:19-21).

These "twelve precious stones" constituting the foundations, and "the twelve pearls" constituting the gates signify ultimate Divine truths, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, upon which the doctrine of that church is founded, and by which man is introduced as by gates. The foundations are said to be "of precious stones," and the gates "of pearls," because the sense of the letter of the Word contains in it the spiritual sense, thus the light of heaven, which makes the sense of the letter of the Word to be pellucid, as those stones are from light and from fire. But of this more hereafter, when the particulars are explained.

[7] The precious stones of which the breastplate of judgment called Urim and Thummim was made, which was upon the ephod of Aaron, and also those that were set upon the shoulders of the ephod have a similar signification, in Moses:

They shall make the ephod of gold, hyacinthine, purple, scarlet double-dyed, and fine twined linen, the work of the designer. Thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the sons of Israel, the work of an artificer in stone; with the engravings of a seal shalt thou engrave upon the two stones the names of the sons of Israel; thou shalt make them to be encompassed with settings of gold; and thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod. And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with the work of a designer, as the work of the ephod shalt thou make it; and thou shalt fill it with a filling of stones, there shall be four rows of stones. The first row a ruby, a topaz, a carbuncle; the second row a chrysoprase, a sapphire, and a diamond; the third row a cyanus, an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row a tharshish, an onyx, and a jasper. The stones shall be upon the names of the sons of Israel, twelve upon their names, the engravings of a seal for every one upon his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes. This was the breastplate of judgment, the Urim and Thummim (Exodus 28:6-30).

What these things involve no one can know unless he knows what Aaron represented, and thus what his garments signified, and the ephod in particular (for it was because his garments were significative that they were called "the garments of holiness"); also what the "breastplate" upon the ephod, which was called "the breastplate of judgment, the Urim and Thummim," signified; also what "the twelve tribes of Israel," and "the twelve stones upon their names" signified. As to Aaron himself, he represented the Lord in relation to the priesthood, which is the Lord's celestial kingdom; while "his garments" in general represented the spiritual kingdom, for this in the heavens invests the celestial kingdom. For there are two kingdoms into which the heavens are divided, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom. That is called the celestial kingdom where the Divine good proceeding from the Lord is received, and that is called the spiritual kingdom where Divine truth is received; therefore Divine truth is signified by "the garments of Aaron" in general, and Divine truth in ultimates by the "ephod," since this was the outmost vestment. That "garments" in general signify truths, and "the Lord's garments," which appeared bright white as the light when He was transfigured before the three disciples, signified the Divine truth proceeding from Him, and likewise "the Lord's garment divided by the soldiers," may be seen above (n. 64, 65, 195, 271, 395, 475, 476, 637). This shows that "the twelve stones in the breastplate of the ephod" signified Divine truths in ultimates, like as "the twelve sons of Israel" and "the twelve tribes;" that both of these signify in the Word the truths of the church in the whole complex may be seen above (n. 431, 657).

[8] This breastplate was composed of precious stones, under which were the names of the twelve sons of Israel, that by means of it they might receive answers from heaven, which were exhibited in the breastplate and from it by variegations of the colors shining forth from those stones, which were in accord with the representations of Divine truths in the heavens, where the Divine truths that flow down from the Lord through the heavens towards the lower parts are exhibited by variegations of colors; which shows that these "precious stones" signified Divine truths in ultimates. (But this may be seen more fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia 9856-9909; also respecting the two onyx stones that were upon the shoulders of the ephod, n. 9831-9855. That the "ephod" signified the external of the spiritual kingdom, which is Divine truth in ultimates, n. Arcana Coelestia 9824. But what is signified in particular by the "ruby," the "topaz," and the "carbuncle," see n. 9865; what by the "chrysoprase," the "sapphire," and the "diamond," n. 9868; what by the "cyanus," the "agate," and the "amethyst," n. 9870; and what by the "tharshish," the "onyx," and the "jasper," n. 9872)

[9] The "precious stones" by which the knowledge [scientia] of the cognitions of truth and good, and thus the intelligence of the king of Tyre are described, have a similar signification in Ezekiel:

King of Tyre, thou art full of wisdom and perfect in beauty; thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the ruby, the topaz, and the diamond, the tharshish, the sardonyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the chrysoprase, and the emerald, and gold. Thou wast the cherub, the spreading out of him that covereth, and I have set thee, thou hast been in the mountain of the holiness of God, thou hast walked in the midst of the stones of fire (Ezekiel 28:12-14).

Because "the king of Tyre" signifies the knowledges of the truth of the church from the Word, and indeed from its literal sense, therefore it is said that "he has been in Eden the garden of God," "Eden the garden of God" signifying intelligence from the Lord through the Word, for "Eden" as the "east," means the Lord, and "the garden of God" is intelligence from Him; and because true intelligence is acquired, that is, given, solely through the knowledges of truth and good from the Word understood according to its genuine sense, therefore it is said "every precious stone was thy covering," "every precious stone" signifying the knowledges of truth and good, and "covering" signifying the external of the Word that covers its internal; the external of the Word is the sense of its letter covering the internal, which is its spiritual sense. Because man has wisdom and intelligence from this, it is said "King of Tyre, thou art full of wisdom and perfect in beauty;" "beauty" signifying intelligence, because all beauty in the heavens is according to intelligence. The sense of the letter of the Word is also meant by "the cherub, the spreading out of him that covereth," for "cherubim" signify a guard that the Lord be not approached except through the good of love, and the sense of the letter of the Word is what guards, because it covers its interiors. "The mountain of holiness" signifies the church in respect to the doctrine of love and charity; and "the stones of fire," in the midst of which he walked, signify truths from the good of love, according to which is the life. That "precious stones" here signify truths pellucid from the light of heaven, which is Divine truth, can be clearly seen from this, that "Tyre" signifies in the Word the knowledges of truth and good, which knowledges are ultimate truths, such as belong to the sense of the letter of the Word. (That "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good, may be seen above, n. 514 .)

[10] In the same:

Syria was thy trader by reason of the multitude of thy works, they gave chrysoprase for thy wares, purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and ruby. The traders of Sheba and Raamah, these were thy traders by the chief of all spices, and by every precious stone and gold (Ezekiel 27:16, 22).

This, too, is said of Tyre, which signifies the knowledges of truth and good in the church from the Word (as above). Because "Syria and Sheba and Raamah" likewise signify the knowledges of truth and good, and "tradings" the acquisition of these, those regions are said to have given "precious stones in their tradings." The knowledges of truth and good are truths in ultimates such as the truths of the sense of the letter and the literal sense of the Word.

[11] In Job:

The stones thereof are the place of sapphire, and it hath dust of gold. Where shall wisdom be found, and where is the place of understanding? Gold is not given for it, neither is silver weighed for the price of it; it cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, the precious onyx and the sapphire; gold and the diamond cannot vie with it; coral and crystal shall not be mentioned with it, and the choice of wisdom is above pearls; the topaz of Ethiopia shall not vie with it. Behold, the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to depart from evil is intelligence (Job 28:6, 12, 13, 15, 16-19, 28).

Because all wisdom and understanding comes through ultimate Divine truths spiritually understood, and because these truths are signified by the precious stones here named, as "the onyx, the sapphire, the diamond, the topaz, and pearls," and because these stones being of earthly materials, although they are accounted precious in the world, are as nothing in respect to intelligence and wisdom, it is said that they are not to be valued as equal with intelligence and wisdom, nor are gold and silver. Comparisons are made with these because they are significative; otherwise they are comparatively of no account.

[12] In David:

Thou, Jehovah, shalt arise and have compassion upon Zion, for Thy servants desire the stones thereof (Psalms 102:13, 14).

"The stones of Zion" which the servants of Jehovah desire mean Divine truths, for "Zion" upon which Jehovah will have mercy, means the church that is in celestial love.

[13] In Zechariah:

Behold the stone that I have set before Joshua, the high priest, upon one stone are seven eyes; behold, I engrave the engraving of it. In that day ye shall call every man to his companion, under the vine and under the fig tree (Zechariah 3:9, 10).

This is said of the Lord's coming; and "the stone set before Joshua the priest" signifies Divine truth, which is the Word; "seven eyes in one stone" signify Divine wisdom and intelligence, which are of Divine truth, thus of the Word; seven is predicated of the holy things of the Word and of the church, and "eyes" signify intelligence and wisdom; "to engrave an engraving" signifies a representative and significative of it; "the vine and fig tree" under which they shall come signify the church and doctrine from internal and external truths; internal truths are those that are called spiritual, and external truths are those that are called natural, and the former are signified by the "vine," and the latter by the "fig tree."

[14] In Moses:

They saw the God of Israel, and under His feet as it were a work of sapphire stone, as the substance of heaven for cleanness (Exodus 24:10).

"The God of Israel" means the Lord; "a work of sapphire stone under His feet" means Divine truth in ultimates, such as the Word is in the letter, for "the sole of the foot" signifies the ultimate, which is all that the Jewish nation could see, for they were in the externals of the Word, of the church, and of worship, and not in internals; the "sapphire" signifies transparent from internal truths; "as the substance of heaven for cleanness" signifies the transparency of the angelic heaven. (But these things are explained in Arcana Coelestia 9406-9408.) Because a "precious stone" signifies Divine truth in ultimates transparent from interior truths, the luminary of the city New Jerusalem is described in Revelation as:

Like unto a precious stone, as it were a jasper stone, bright like crystal (Revelation 21:11)

Again, since "the white horse" there signifies the understanding of the Word, and "He that sat upon the horse" the Lord in relation to the Word:

There were seen upon the head of Him who sat upon the white horse many diadems, and His name is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:12, 13).

[15] Thus much respecting precious stones with those who are in Divine truths; something will now be said about precious stones with those who are in infernal falsities. To them precious stones are also given while they live in the world, since they, equally, possess the knowledges of truth and good from the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of the letter; therefore precious stones or diadems are equally ascribed to them, as here to "the dragon," upon whose heads were seen "seven diadems," for the reason that with the evil the same as with the good the Word is still the Word and its truths are truths in themselves; and when the evil pervert and falsify the truths of the Word it yet does not change their essence. For this reason, in what follows in Revelation like things were seen upon the woman sitting on the scarlet colored beast, by whom Babylon is described, of whom it is said:

A woman sat upon the scarlet colored beast full of the names of blasphemy, and it had seven heads and ten horns; she was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, and upon her forehead a name written, Babylon the great (Revelation 17:3-5).

But more about this in what follows. So again elsewhere in Revelation:

The merchants of the earth shall weep and lament over Babylon the great, for no one buyeth her merchandise anymore, the merchandise of gold and silver and precious stone and pearl, and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet. And the merchants shall say, Woe, woe, the great city! she that was arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, decked with gold, precious stone, and pearls (Revelation 18:11-12, 18:15, 18:16).

[16] Because "precious stones, also purple and fine linen" signify the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, therefore it is said of the rich man:

At whose gate Lazarus was laid, that he was clothed in purple and fine linen (Luke 16:19, 20).

"The rich man" means the Jewish nation; and because it had the Word in which are Divine truths, it is said "to be clothed in purple and fine linen," and "Lazarus the pauper" means the Gentiles that did not have the Word, and thus had no truths; this evidently is why the rich man, although he was evil and was afterwards cast into hell, had "garments of purple and fine linen. "

[17] Like things are also said about the king of the north, who made war against the king of the south, in Daniel:

The king of the north, as a god he shall honor the fortresses upon his station, a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, silver, and precious stones, and desirable things; he shall make strongholds of fortresses with a strange god; whoso shall acknowledge him shall have great honor (Daniel 11:38, 39).

This chapter treats of the war of the king of the north with the king of the south; and "the king of the north" means those who are in knowledge [scientia] from the Word, but not in life, thus who are in so-called faith alone, but yet not in charity, since they reject charity as not contributing to salvation. But "the king of the south" means those who are in intelligence from the Word, because they are in charity; such are "the king of the south," or pertain to "the king of the south," because "the south" means light, and "light" signifies intelligence, and those who are in charity, which is the life of faith, have the light of intelligence from the Word. But "the king of the north," or those who belong to "the king of the north" are such as are described above, because the "north" means night, and also a cold light, such as is the light of winter, from which, because there is no heat in it, there is no fructification; for spiritual heat is charity, and all germination is from heat through light. The war between these kings is described because the last time of the church is treated of when everything of salvation is placed in knowledge [scientia] from the Word, and nothing in the life, and with the Jewish nation, in the traditions by which they falsified the Word; the truths of the Word become traditions when there is no life of charity, and the truths of the Word likewise become falsities when faith is separated from charity. From this it can be seen that "the king of the north" also means those who are in faith alone, that is, in faith without charity.

[18] The same are meant in Daniel by "the he-goat" that fought with the ram; the same also are meant by "the dragon" in this chapter, with the difference, that "the dragon" means properly the learned who have confirmed themselves by doctrine and life in faith separated from charity, for these have poison like dragons that destroys charity. For this reason the angel Michael is also mentioned in Daniel 12:1. That those who place everything of the church in the knowledge [scientia] of cognitions from the Word, and nothing in life, pervert and falsify the truths of the Word is meant by "the king of the north shall honor a strange god whom their fathers knew not," and "shall honor him with gold, silver, precious stone, and pearls;" 1 "his god" meaning the truths of the Word falsified, since "God" when mentioned in the Word means the Lord in relation to Divine truth, thus the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and when "Jehovah" is mentioned, the Lord in relation to Divine good, thus the Divine good proceeding from the Lord is meant; therefore "a strange god whom his fathers knew not" means the truths of the Word falsified, which in themselves are falsities, and are not acknowledged by those who were previously of the church. Those truths and goods of the Word themselves, though falsified, are signified by "precious stones and desirable things," as also by "silver and gold," for the truths of the Word do not change their essence when they are with the evil. "Fortresses upon the station," and "strongholds of fortresses" signify the things of self-intelligence confirmed by the sense of the letter of the Word, which is such that when it is not interiorly understood it may be so drawn as to confirm any heresies whatever. From this the signification of "the seven diadems upon the heads of the dragon" can now be seen.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. The Hebrew as given in the text before is "desirable things."

  
/ 1232  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.

©2024 New Christian Bible Study Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed from newchristianbiblestudy.org