Novokřesťanské studium Bible

Bible

 

Jeremias 50

Studie

   

1 Ang salita na sinalita ng Panginoon tungkol sa Babilonia, tungkol sa lupain ng mga Caldeo, sa pamamagitan ni Jeremias na propeta.

2 Inyong ipahayag sa gitna ng mga bansa, at inyong itanyag, at mangagtaas kayo ng watawat; inyong itanyag, at huwag ninyong ikubli: inyong sabihin, Ang Babilonia ay nasakop, si Bel ay nalagay sa kahihiyan, si Merodach ay nanglulupaypay; ang kaniyang mga larawan ay nalagay sa kahihiyan, ang kaniyang mga diosdiosan ay nanganglupaypay.

3 Sapagka't mula sa hilagaan ay sumasampa ang isang bansa laban sa kaniya, na sisira ng kaniyang lupain, at walang tatahan doon: sila'y nagsitakas, sila'y nagsiyaon, ang tao at gayon din ang hayop.

4 Sa mga araw na yaon, at sa panahong yaon, sabi ng Panginoon, ang mga anak ni Israel ay magsisidating, sila, at ang mga anak ni Juda na magkakasama: sila'y magsisiyaon ng kanilang lakad na nagsisiiyak, at hahanapin nila ang Panginoon nilang Dios.

5 Kanilang ipagtatanong ang daan ng Sion, na ang kanilang mga mukha ay nakaharap sa dakong yaon, na magsasabi, Magsiparito kayo, at lumakip kayo sa Panginoon sa walang hanggang tipan na hindi malilimutan.

6 Ang aking bayan ay naging gaya ng nawalang tupa: iniligaw sila ng kanilang mga pastor; sila'y inilihis sa mga bundok; sila'y nagsiparoon sa burol mula sa bundok; kanilang nalimutan ang kanilang pahingahang dako.

7 Sinasakmal sila ng lahat na nangakakasumpong sa kanila; at sinabi ng kanilang mga kaaway, Kami ay walang kasalanan, sapagka't sila'y nangagkasala laban sa Panginoon, na tatahanan ng kahatulan, sa makatuwid baga'y sa Panginoon, na pagasa ng kanilang mga magulang.

8 Magsitakas kayo mula sa gitna ng Babilonia, at kayo'y magsilabas mula sa lupain ng mga Caldeo, at kayo'y maging gaya ng mga kambing na lalake sa harap ng mga kawan.

9 Sapagka't, narito, aking patatayuin at pasasampahin laban sa Babilonia ang isang kapulungan ng mga dakilang bansa na mula sa hilagaang lupain; at sila'y magsisihanay laban sa kaniya; mula diya'y sasakupin siya; ang kanilang mga pana ay magiging gaya sa isang magilas na makapangyarihan; walang babalik na di may kabuluhan.

10 At ang Caldea ay magiging samsam: lahat na nagsisisamsam sa kaniya ay mangabubusog, sabi ng Panginoon.

11 Sapagka't kayo ay masasaya, sapagka't kayo'y nangagagalak, Oh kayong nagsisisamsam ng aking mana, sapagka't kayo'y malilikot na parang babaing guyang baka, na yumayapak ng trigo, at humahalinghing na parang mga malakas na kabayo;

12 Ang inyong ina ay mapapahiyang lubha; siyang nanganak sa inyo ay malilito: narito, siya'y magiging pinakahuli sa mga bansa, isang gubatan, isang tuyong lupain, isang ilang.

13 Dahil sa poot ng Panginoon ay hindi tatahanan, kundi magiging lubos na sira: bawa't magdaan sa Babilonia ay matitigilan, at susutsot dahil sa kaniyang lahat na pagkasalot.

14 Magsihanay kayo laban sa Babilonia sa palibot, kayong lahat na nagsisiakma ng busog; hilagpusan ninyo siya, huwag kayong manganghinayang ng mga pana: sapagka't siya'y nagkasala laban sa Panginoon.

15 Humiyaw ka laban sa kaniya sa palibot: siya'y sumuko sa kaniyang sarili; ang kaniyang mga sanggalangang dako ay nangabuwal, ang kaniyang mga kuta ay nangabagsak: sapagka't siyang kagantihan ng Panginoon: manghiganti kayo sa kaniya; kung ano ang kaniyang ginawa, gawin ninyo sa kaniya.

16 Ihiwalay ninyo ang manghahasik sa Babilonia, at siyang pumipigil ng karit sa panahon ng pagaani: dahil sa takot sa mamimighating tabak ay babalik bawa't isa sa kaniyang bayan, at tatakas bawa't isa sa kaniyang sariling lupain.

17 Ang Israel ay parang nakalat na tupa; itinaboy siya ng mga leon: ang unang sumakmal sa kaniya ay ang hari sa Asiria; at si Nabucodonosor na hari sa Babilonia ay siyang huling bumali ng kaniyang mga buto.

18 Kaya't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon ng mga hukbo, ng Dios ng Israel, Narito, aking parurusahan ang hari sa Babilonia, at ang kaniyang lupain, gaya ng aking pagkaparusa sa hari sa Asiria.

19 At aking dadalhin uli ang Israel sa kaniyang pastulan, at siya'y sasabsab sa Carmel at sa Basan, at ang kaniyang kalooban ay masisiyahan sa mga burol ng Ephraim at sa Galaad.

20 Sa mga araw na yaon, at sa panahong yaon, sabi ng Panginoon, ang kasamaan ng Israel ay mauusig, at hindi magkakaroon ng anoman; at ang mga kasalanan ng Juda, at hindi sila masusumpungan: sapagka't aking patatawarin sila na aking iniiwan na pinakalabi.

21 Sumampa ka laban sa lupain ng Merathaim, laban doon, at laban sa mga nananahan sa Pekod: pumatay ka at manglipol na lubos na manunod sa kanila, sabi ng Panginoon, at iyong gawin ang ayon sa lahat na iniutos ko sa iyo.

22 Ang hugong ng pagbabaka ay nasa lupain, at ang malaking kapahamakan.

23 Ano't naputol at nabali ang pamukpok ng buong lupa! ano't ang Babilonia ay nasira sa gitna ng mga bansa!

24 Pinaglagyan kita ng silo, at ikaw naman ay nahuli, Oh Babilonia, at hindi mo ginunita: ikaw ay nasumpungan at nahuli rin, sapagka't ikaw ay nakipagtalo laban sa Panginoon.

25 Binuksan ng Panginoon ang kaniyang lalagyan ng almas, at inilabas ang mga almas ng kaniyang pagkagalit; sapagka't ang Panginoon, ang Panginoon ng mga hukbo, ay may gawang gagawin sa lupain ng mga Caldeo.

26 Magsiparoon kayo laban sa kaniya, mula sa kahulihulihang hangganan; inyong buksan ang kaniyang mga kamalig; inyong ihagis na parang mga bunton, at siya'y inyong siraing lubos; huwag maiwanan siya ng anoman.

27 Inyong patayin ang lahat niyang mga toro; pababain sila sa patayan: sa aba nila! sapagka't ang kanilang araw ay dumating, ang araw ng pagdalaw sa kanila.

28 Inyong dinggin ang tinig nila na nagsisitakas at nagsisitahan mula sa lupain ng Babilonia, upang maghayag sa Sion ng kagantihan ng Panginoon nating Dios, ng kagantihan ng kaniyang templo.

29 Inyong pisanin ang mga mamamana laban sa Babilonia, silang lahat na nangagaakma ng busog; magsitayo kayo laban sa kaniya sa palibot; huwag bayaang mangakatanan: inyong gantihin siya ayon sa kaniyang gawa; ayon sa lahat niyang ginawa, gawin ninyo sa kaniya; sapagka't siya'y naging palalo laban sa Panginoon, laban sa Banal ng Israel.

30 Kaya't mabubuwal ang kaniyang mga binata sa kaniyang mga lansangan, at ang lahat niyang lalaking mangdidigma ay madadala sa katahimikan sa araw na yaon, sabi ng Panginoon.

31 Narito, ako'y laban sa iyo, Oh ikaw na palalo, sabi ng Panginoon, ng Panginoon ng mga hukbo; sapagka't ang iyong kaarawan ay dumating, ang panahon na dadalawin kita.

32 At ang palalo ay matitisod at mabubuwal, at walang magbabangon sa kaniya; at ako'y magpapaningas ng apoy sa kaniyang mga bayan, at pupugnawin niyaon ang lahat na nangasa palibot niya.

33 Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon ng mga hukbo, Ang mga anak ni Israel at ang mga anak ni Juda ay napipighating magkasama; at lahat na nagsikuhang bihag sa kanila ay hinahawakang mahigpit sila; ayaw pawalan sila.

34 Ang Manunubos sa kanila ay malakas; ang Panginoon ng mga hukbo ay siyang kaniyang pangalan: kaniyang ipakikipaglabang maigi ang kanilang usap, upang mabigyan niya ng kapahingahan ang lupa, at bagabagin ang mga nananahan sa Babilonia.

35 Ang tabak ay nasa mga Caldeo, sabi ng Panginoon, at sa mga nananahan sa Babilonia, at sa kaniyang mga prinsipe, at sa kaniyang mga pantas.

36 Ang tabak ay nasa mga hambog, at sila'y mangahahangal, ang tabak ay nasa kaniyang mga makapangyarihan, at sila'y manganglulupaypay.

37 Ang tabak ay nasa kanilang mga kabayo, at sa kanilang mga karo, at sa buong bayang halohalo na nasa gitna niya; at sila'y magiging parang mga babae; isang tabak ay nasa kaniyang mga kayamanan, at mangananakaw;

38 Ang pagkatuyo ay nasa kaniyang tubig, at mangatutuyo; sapagka't lupain ng mga larawang inanyuan, at sila'y mga ulol dahil sa mga diosdiosan.

39 Kaya't ang mga mabangis na hayop sa ilang sangpu ng mga lobo ay magsisitahan doon, at ang avestruz ay tatahan doon: at hindi na matatahanan kailan pa man; ni matatahanan sa sali't saling lahi.

40 Kung paanong sinira ng Dios ang Sodoma at Gomorra at ang mga kalapit bayan ng mga yaon, sabi ng Panginoon, gayon hindi tatahan doon ang sinoman, o tatahan man doon ang sinomang anak ng tao.

41 Narito, isang bayan ay dumarating na mula sa hilagaan; at isang malaking bansa, at maraming hari ay mangahihikayat mula sa kaduluduluhang bahagi ng lupa.

42 Kanilang iniaakma ang busog at ang sibat; sila'y mababagsik, at walang awa; ang kanilang tinig ay humuhugong na parang dagat, at sila'y nagsisisakay sa mga kabayo, bawa't isa ay humahanay na parang lalake sa pakikipagbaka, laban sa iyo, Oh anak na babae ng Babilonia.

43 Nabalitaan ng hari sa Babilonia ang kabantugan nila, at ang kaniyang mga kamay ay nanghihina: pagdadalamhati ay humawak sa kaniya, at paghihirap na gaya ng sa isang babae sa pagdaramdam.

44 Narito, ang kaaway ay sasampa na parang leon mula sa kapalaluan ng Jordan laban sa matibay na tahanan: nguni't bigla kong palalayasin sila sa kaniya; at ang mapili, siya kong ihahalal sa kaniya: sapagka't sinong gaya ko? at sinong magtatakda sa akin ng panahon? at sino ang pastor na tatayo sa harap ko?

45 Kaya't inyong dinggin ang payo ng Panginoon, na kaniyang ipinayo laban sa Babilonia; at ang kaniyang mga pasiyang ipinasiya niya, laban sa lupain ng mga Caldeo: Tunay na kanilang itataboy ang mga maliit sa kawan; tunay na kaniyang ipapahamak ang kanilang tahanan pati sila.

46 Sa ingay ng pagsakop sa Babilonia, ay nayayanig ang lupa, at ang hiyaw ay naririnig sa mga bansa.

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 2799

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 10837  
  

2799. 'And he took in his hand the fire and the knife' means the good of love and the truth of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'the fire' as the good of love, dealt with in 934, and from the meaning of 'the knife' as the truth of faith. As regards 'the knife' used on the victims in sacrifices meaning the truth of faith, this may be seen from the meaning of 'a sword' or 'a small sword' in the Word, for the expression 'small sword' is used instead of 'knife'. Both have the same meaning, the only difference being that 'a knife' which was used on sacrificial victims meant the truth of faith, whereas 'a sword' meant truth engaged in conflict. Now since the word 'knife' occurs but rarely in the Word, for a hidden reason given below, 1 let the meaning of 'a sword' be shown. In the internal sense 'a sword' means the truth of faith engaged in conflict, and also the vastation of truth; and in the contrary sense it means falsity engaged in conflict and the punishment of falsity.

[2] A sword means the truth of faith engaged in conflict This becomes clear from the following places: In David,

Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One; prosper in Your glory and honour, ride on the word of truth, and Your right hand will teach You marvellous things. Psalms 45:3-4.

This refers to the Lord. 'Sword' stands for truth engaged in conflict. In the same author,

The merciful will exalt in glory, they will sing on their beds. The high praises of God will be in their throats and an extremely sharp sword in their hand. Psalms 149:5-6.

In Isaiah,

Jehovah called Me from the womb, from My mother's body 2 He made mention of My name, and made My mouth like a sharp sword, and made Me into a polished arrow. Isaiah 49:1-2.

'A sharp sword' stands for truth engaged in conflict, 'a polished arrow' for the truth of doctrine, see 2686, 2709. In the same prophet,

Asshur will fall by a sword, not of man (vir); a sword, not of man (homo), will devour him; and he will flee before the sword, and his young men will become tributary. Isaiah 31:8.

'Asshur' stands for reasoning in Divine things, 119, 1186, 'a sword, not of man (vir)' and 'not of man (homo)' stand for falsity, 'the sword before which he will flee' stands for truth engaged in conflict.

[3] In Zechariah,

Turn to the stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even today I declare I will render double to you - I who have bent for Myself Judah as a bow, I have filled Ephraim, and have roused your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Javan; and I will set you as the sword of one who is mighty, and Jehovah will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. Zechariah 9:12-14.

'The sword of one who is mighty' stands for truth engaged in conflict. In John,

In the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man was holding in His right hand seven stars; out of His mouth a sharp two-edged sword was going forth, and His countenance was like the sun shining in full strength. Revelation 1:13, 16.

And further on,

These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword, I will come to you quickly and engage in conflict with them with the sword of My mouth. Revelation 2:12, 16.

'A sharp two-edged sword' plainly stands for truth engaged in conflict, which was therefore represented as 'a sword going out of His mouth'.

[4] In the same book,

Out of the mouth of Him who sat on the white horse went forth a sharp sword, and with it He is to smite the nations. And they were slain by the sword of Him sitting on the horse, which went out of His mouth. Revelation 19:15, 21.

Here it is plain that 'a sword going out of His mouth' means truth engaged in conflict. The one 'sitting on the white horse' is the Word, and thus the Lord who is the Word; see above 2760-2763. This explains what the Lord says in Matthew,

Do not think that I have come to bring peace on to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34.

And in Luke,

Now he who has a purse, let him take it, and likewise a bag. But he who has none, let him sell his garments and buy a sword. They said to Him, Behold, Lord, here are two swords. And Jesus said, It is enough. Luke 22:36-38.

'A sword' here is used to mean nothing else than the truth, from which and for which they were to engage in conflict.

[5] In Hosea,

I will make for them a covenant on that day with the wild animals of the field, and with the birds of the air, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish 3 the bow, and the sword, and war from the land, and I will make them lie down in safety. Hosea 2:18.

Here the subject is the Lord's kingdom. 'Abolishing the bow, the sword, and war' means the absence of any conflict there over doctrine and truth. In Joshua,

Joshua lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, a man was standing before him, with a sword drawn in his hand. He said to Joshua, I am the Prince of the army of Jehovah; and Joshua fell on his face to the earth. Joshua 5:13-14.

These words, which refer to the time when Joshua together with the children of Israel entered the land of Canaan, are used to mean the entry - of those who have faith - into the Lord's kingdom. Truth engaged in conflict, which is the Church's, is 'the sword drawn in the hand of the Prince of the army of Jehovah'.

[6] But as for 'small swords' or 'knives' meaning the truth of faith, this becomes clear from the fact that they were used not only in sacrifices but also in circumcision. Those used in circumcision were made of flint and were called 'small swords of flint', as is evident in Joshua,

Jehovah said to Joshua, Make small swords of flint for yourself; and again, circumcise the children of Israel a second time. And Joshua made small swords of flint for himself, and circumcised the children of Israel on the hill of the foreskins. Joshua 5:2-3.

'Circumcision' was a representative of purification from self-love and love of the world, see 2039, 2632. And because such purification is achieved by means of the truths of faith, 'small swords of flint' were therefore used, 2039 (end), 2046 (end).

[7] II A sword means the vastation of truth This is clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

These two will happen to you; who is to condole with you? Vastation and demolition, and famine and sword; who is to comfort you? Your sons fainted, they lay at the head of every street. Isaiah 51:19-20.

'Famine' stands for vastation of good, and 'sword' for vastation of truth. 'Lying at the head of every street' stands for being deprived of all truth. 'Street' means truth, 2336; and for what vastation is, see 301-304, 407, 408, 410, 411. In the same prophet,

I will destine 4 you for the sword, and all of you will bow down to the slaughter, because I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. Isaiah 65:12.

[8] In the same prophet,

By fire Jehovah will judge, and by sword, all flesh; and the slain of Jehovah will be many. Isaiah 66:16.

'The slain of Jehovah' stands for those who have undergone vastation. In Jeremiah,

On all the hills in the wilderness those who cause devastation have come, for the sword of Jehovah is devouring from one end of the land even to the other end of the land. There is no peace for any flesh. They have sown wheat and reaped thorns. Jeremiah 12:12-13.

'The sword of Jehovah' plainly stands for the vastation of truth. In the same prophet,

They have lied against Jehovah and said, It is not He; and no evil will come upon us; neither shall we see sword and famine. And the prophets will become wind, and there is no utterance in them. Jeremiah 5:12-13.

[9] In the same prophet,

I am visiting them; the young men will die by the sword; their sons and their daughters will die by famine. Jeremiah 11:22.

In the same prophet,

When they offer burnt offering and minchah I will not accept them, for I am consuming them by sword and by famine and by pestilence. And I said, Ah, Lord Jehovih, behold, the prophets say to them, You will not see the sword, nor will you have famine. Jeremiah 14:12-13.

In the same prophet,

The city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans fighting against it, in face of the sword, and famine, and pestilence. Jeremiah 32:24, 36.

In the same prophet,

I will send sword, famine, and pestilence upon them, until they are consumed from the ground which I gave to them and their fathers. Jeremiah 24:10.

[10] In these places vastation is described as 'sword, famine, and pestilence'. 'Sword' describes the vastation of truth, 'famine' the vastation of good, and 'pestilence' preying upon even to destruction. In Ezekiel,

Son of man, Take a sharp sword, use it as a barber's razor and pass it over your head and over your beard. And you are to take balances and you are to divide the hair. A third part you are to burn with fire in the midst of the city; a third part you are to strike with the sword round about it; and a third part you are to scatter to the wind, and I will unsheathe the sword after them. A third part will die of pestilence, and be consumed with famine in the midst [of you], and a third part will fall by the sword round about [you], and a third part I will scatter to every wind; and I will unsheathe the sword after them. Ezekiel 5:1-2, 12, 17.

This refers to the vastation of natural truth, which is described in this fashion. In the same prophet,

The sword is without, and pestilence and famine within; he that is in the field will die by the sword, and him that is in the city famine and pestilence will devour. Ezekiel 7:15.

[11] In the same prophet,

Say to the land of Israel, Thus said Jehovah, Behold, I am against you, and will draw My sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked. Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north; and all flesh will know that I Jehovah have drawn My sword out of its sheath, and it will not return any more. The word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus said Jehovah, Say: A sword, a sword has been sharpened and also polished, sharpened, for great slaughter, so that it is polished to flash like lightning! Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus said the Lord Jehovih against the children of Ammon, and against their reproach, Say: A sword, a sword is bared for the slaughter, and polished to consume because [polished to shine like] lightning - while they see vanity for you, while they divine a lie for you. Ezekiel 21:3-5, 8-20, 28-29.

Here 'a sword' means nothing other than vastation, as is evident in the internal sense from each detail included here.

[12] In the same prophet,

The king of Babel will destroy your towers with his swords. By reason of the abundance of horses their dust will cover you; by reason of the noise of horsemen, and wheels, and chariots, your walls will be shaken. With the hoofs of his horses he will trample all your streets. Ezekiel 26:9-11.

What 'Babel' is, see 1326, and that it causes vastation, 1327. In David, If he does not turn back God will whet His sword, bend His bow, and make it ready. Psalms 7:12.

In Jeremiah,

I said, Ah, Lord, truly You have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, You will have peace; but the sword has reached even to the soul. Jeremiah 4:10.

[13] In the same prophet,

Declare in Egypt, and cause it to be heard in Migdol, Stand up and prepare yourself, for the sword will devour round about you. Jeremiah 46:14.

In the same prophet,

A sword over the Chaldeans and against the inhabitants of Babel, and against her rulers, and against her wise men! A sword against the boasters, and they will become insane! A sword against her mighty men, and they will be dismayed! A sword against her horses, and against her chariots, and against the whole mingled crowd in her midst, and they will become as women! A sword against her treasures, and they will be plundered! A drought on her waters, and they will dry up! Jeremiah 50:35-38.

'A sword' plainly stands for the vastation of truth, for it is said to be 'a sword against the wise men, against the boasters, against the mighty men, against the horses and chariots, against the treasures', and that there will be 'a drought on the waters and they will dry up'.

[14] In the same prophet,

We have given the hand to Egypt, to Asshur to be satisfied with bread. Slaves have had dominion over us; there is nobody to free us from their hand. In [peril of] our souls we acquired our bread, in face of the sword of the wilderness. Lamentations 5:6, 8-9.

In Hosea,

He will not return to the land of Egypt, and Asshur will be his king, because they have refused to return to Me. And the sword will come down on his cities, and consume his bars, and devour because of their counsels. Hosea 11:5-6.

In Amos.

I have sent the pestilence upon you in the way of Egypt, I have slain your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. 5 Amos 4:10.

'In the way of Egypt' stands for the facts which cause vastation when, on the basis of these, people reason in Divine things. 'Captured horses' stands for the understanding when stripped of its own inherent qualities.

[15] III A sword in the contrary sense means falsity engaged in conflict. This becomes clear in David,

As to my soul, I lie in the midst of lions setting on fire the children of men; their teeth are spear and arrows, and their tongues a sharp sword. Psalms 57:4.

In the same author,

Behold, they belch out with their mouths, swords are in their lips - for who hears? Psalms 59:7.

In Isaiah,

You are cast out from your sepulchre like an abominable stock, a garment of the slain pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit like a dead body trodden underfoot. Isaiah 14:19

This refers to Lucifer. In Jeremiah,

In vain have I smitten your sons, they took no correction Your own sword is devouring your prophets, like a ravaging lion. O generation, observe the Word of Jehovah, Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Jeremiah 2:30-31.

[16] In the same prophet,

Do not go out into the field, and do not walk on the road, for the enemy has a sword, terror is all around. Jeremiah 6:25-26.

In the same prophet,

Take the cup of the wine of wrath and make all the nations to which I send you drink it. And they will drink and reel, and go mad in face of the sword which I am sending among them. Drink and get drunk, and vomit, and fall, and do not get up again in face of the sword. Jeremiah 25:15-16, 27.

In the same prophet,

Go up, O horses; rage, O chariots; let the mighty men go forth, Cush and Put, that handle the shield, and the Ludim that handle and bend the bow. And that day is to the Lord Jehovih of hosts a day of vengeance. And the sword will devour, and be sated, and become drunk on their blood. Jeremiah 46:9-10.

[17] In Ezekiel,

They will strip you of your garments, and take the jewels 6 of your glory, and leave you naked and bare. And they will bring up an assembly upon you, and they will stone you with stones; they will run you through with their swords. Ezekiel 16:39-40.

This refers to the abominations of Jerusalem. In Zechariah,

Woe to the worthless shepherd, the deserter of the flock! The sword will fall upon his arm and upon his right eye. His arm will be wholly withered, and his right eye utterly darkened. Zechariah 11:17.

In Hosea,

They thought what was evil against Me. Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt. Hosea 7:15-16.

[18] In Luke,

There will be great distress over the earth, and wrath on that people; for they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive among all the gentiles; 7 at length Jerusalem will be trodden down by the gentiles. 7 Luke 21:23-24.

Here the Lord was referring to the close of the age - in the sense of the letter to the dispersion of the Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem, but in the internal sense to the final state of the Church. 'Falling by the edge of the sword' means that there was no truth any longer, but merely falsity. 'All the gentiles' means every kind of evil among which 'they will be led captive'. 'The gentiles' - or 'the nations' - means evils, see 1259, 1260, 1849, 1868, and 'Jerusalem' means the Church, 2117, which will be so 'trodden down' by them.

[19] IV A sword also means the punishment of falsity

This is clear in Isaiah,

On that day Jehovah will make a visitation with His hard and great and strong sword upon Leviathan the full-length serpent, 8 and upon Leviathan the twisting serpent, and He will slay the monsters that are in the sea. Isaiah 27:1.

This refers to those who by means of reasonings based on sensory evidence and factual knowledge enter into the mysteries of faith. 'The hard, great, and strong sword' stands for the punishments of the falsity that results from those reasonings.

[20] When one reads about people being put to, and being slain by, the edge of the sword, sometimes including 'both men and women, young people and old, oxen, sheep, and asses', the meaning in the internal sense is punishment consisting in the condemnation of falsity, as in Joshua 6:21; 8:24-25; 10:28, 30, 37, 39; 11:10-12, 14; 13:22; 19:47; Judges 1:8, 25; 4:15-16; 18:27; 20:37; 1 Samuel 15:8; 2 Kings 10:25; and elsewhere. This also explains why it was commanded to put to the sword any city which worshipped other gods, and to destroy it utterly and to burn it with fire, and to let it remain a heap for ever, Deuteronomy 13:12-18. 'The sword' stands for the punishment of falsity, 'fire' for the punishment of evil. The angel of Jehovah with a drawn sword who stood in the path against Balaam, Numbers 22:22, 31, meant the truth which stood in the way of the falsity which possessed Balaam. For that reason also he was slain with a sword, Numbers 31:8.

[21] The meaning of 'a sword' in the genuine sense as truth engaged in conflict, and in the contrary sense as falsity engaged in it, also the vastation of truth and the punishment of falsity, has its origin in the representatives that occur in the next life. For in that life, when anyone utters that which he knows to be false, daggers so to speak instantly come down over his head and strike terror, while truth engaged in conflict is represented there as well by objects which have sharp points like the tips of swords; for such is the nature of truth if it is devoid of good, but if it exists together with good it is rounded and gentle. Such being the origin of the meaning of a sword, therefore with angels, whenever a knife, spear, small sword, or sword is mentioned in the Word, truth engaged in conflict comes to mind.

[22] The reason why a knife is hardly mentioned at all in the Word is that in the next life there are evil spirits who are called 'knifers'. They seem to have knives hanging by their sides, and the reason for this is that they possess so brutal a nature that they wish to cut everyone's throat with their knife. This is why knives are not mentioned, but small swords and swords, for the latter being implements normally used in battle give rise to the idea of war and so of truth engaged in conflict.

[23] Because it was well known to the ancients that a small sword, a lance, and a knife meant truth, the gentiles, who received the practice through tradition, were therefore accustomed during sacrifices to stab and slash themselves, even until they bled, with small swords, lances, or knives, as one reads of the priests of Baal,

The priests of Baal cried out with a loud voice and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until blood gushed out. 1 Kings 18:28.

As regards all weapons of war in the Word meaning things that have to do with spiritual conflict, each one having some specific meaning, see 2686.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. i.e. in subsection 22 of this passage.

2. literally, viscera.

3. literally, break

4. literally, Number

5. literally, the captivity of your horses

6. literally, the vessels

7. or the nations

8. i.e. a serpent that is on the move and not coiled up

  
/ 10837  
  

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

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