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Ezekiel 40

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1 In the twenty and fifth year of our removal, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in this self-same day hath a hand of Jehovah been upon me, and He bringeth me in thither;

2 in visions of God He hath brought me in unto the land of Israel, and causeth me to rest on a very high mountain, and upon it [is] as the frame of a city on the south.

3 And He bringeth me in thither, and lo, a man, his appearance as the appearance of brass, and a thread of flax in his hand, and a measuring-reed, and he is standing at the gate,

4 and the man speaketh unto me: `Son of man, see with thine eyes, And with thine ears hear, And set thy heart to all that I am shewing thee, For, in order to shew [it] thee, Thou hast been brought in hither, Declare all that thou art seeing to the house of Israel.'

5 And lo, a wall on the outside of the house all round about, and in the hand of the man a measuring-reed, six cubits by a cubit and a handbreadth, and he measureth the breadth of the building one reed, and the height one reed.

6 And he cometh in unto the gate whose front [is] eastward, and he goeth up by its steps, and he measureth the threshold of the gate one reed broad, even the one threshold one reed broad,

7 and the little chamber one reed long and one reed broad, and between the little chambers five cubits, and the threshold of the gate, from the side of the porch of the gate from within, one reed.

8 And he measureth the porch of the gate from within one reed,

9 and he measureth the porch of the gate eight cubits, and its posts two cubits, and the porch of the gates from within,

10 and the little chambers of the gate eastward, three on this side, and three on that side; one measure [is] to them three, and one measure [is] to the posts, on this side and on that side.

11 And he measureth the breadth of the opening of the gate ten cubits, the length of the gate thirteen cubits;

12 and a border before the little chambers, one cubit, and one cubit [is] the border on this side, and the little chamber [is] six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.

13 And he measureth the gate from the roof of the [one] little chamber to the roof of another; the breadth twenty and five cubits, opening over-against opening.

14 And he maketh the posts of sixty cubits, even unto the post of the court, the gate all round about;

15 and by the front of the gate of the entrance, by the front of the porch of the inner gate, fifty cubits;

16 and narrow windows [are] unto the little chambers, and unto their posts at the inside of the gate all round about -- and so to the arches -- and windows all round about [are] at the inside, and at the post [are] palm-trees.

17 And he bringeth me in unto the outer court, and lo, chambers and a pavement made for the court all round about -- thirty chambers on the pavement --

18 and the pavement unto the side of the gates over-against the length of the gates [is] the lower pavement;

19 and he measureth the breadth from before the lower gate, to the front of the inner court, on the outside, a hundred cubits, eastward and northward.

20 As to the gate of the outer court whose front [is] northward, he hath measured its length and its breadth;

21 and its little chambers, three on this side, and three on that side, and its posts and its arches have been according to the measure of the first gate, fifty cubits its length, and the breadth five and twenty by the cubit;

22 and its windows, and its arches, and its palm-trees [are] according to the measure of the gate whose face [is] eastward, and by seven steps they go up on it, and its arches [are] before them.

23 And the gate of the inner court [is] over-against the gate at the north and at the east; and he measureth from gate unto gate, a hundred cubits.

24 And he causeth me to go southward, and lo, a gate southward, and he hath measured its posts and its arches according to these measures;

25 and windows [are] to it and to its arches all round about, like these windows, fifty cubits the length, and the breadth five and twenty cubits;

26 and seven steps [are] its ascent, and its arches [are] before them, and palm-trees [are] to it, one on this side, and one on that side, at its posts;

27 and the gate of the inner court [is] southward, and he measureth from gate unto gate southward, a hundred cubits.

28 And he bringeth me in unto the inner court by the south gate, and he measureth the south gate according to these measures;

29 and its little chambers, and its posts, and its arches [are] according to these measures, and windows [are] to it and to its arches all round about; fifty cubits the length, and the breadth twenty and five cubits.

30 As to the arches all round about, the length [is] five and twenty cubits, and the breadth five cubits;

31 and its arches [are] unto the outer court, and palm-trees [are] unto its posts, and eight steps [are] its ascent.

32 And he bringeth me in unto the inner court eastward, and he measureth the gate according to these measures;

33 and its little chambers, and its posts, and its arches [are] according to these measures: and windows [are] to it and to its arches all round about, the length fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits;

34 and its arches [are] toward the outer court, and palm-trees [are] toward its posts, on this side and on that side, and eight steps [are] its ascent.

35 And he bringeth me in unto the north gate, and hath measured according to these measures;

36 its little chambers, its posts, and its arches; and windows [are] to it all round about: the length fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits;

37 and its posts [are] to the outer court, and palm-trees [are] unto its posts, on this side and on that side, and eight steps [are] its ascent.

38 And the chamber and its opening [is] by the posts of the gates, there they purge the burnt-offering.

39 And in the porch of the gate [are] two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slaughter on them the burnt-offering, and the sin-offering, and the guilt-offering;

40 and at the side without, at the going up to the opening of the north gate, [are] two tables; and at the other side that [is] at the porch of the gate, [are] two tables;

41 four tables [are] on this side, and four tables on that side, at the side of the gate, eight tables on which they slaughter.

42 And the four tables for burnt-offering [are] of hewn stone: the length one cubit and a half, and the breadth one cubit and a half, and the height one cubit: on them they place the instruments with which they slaughter the burnt-offering and the sacrifice.

43 And the boundaries [are] one handbreadth, prepared within all round about: and on the tables [is] the flesh of the offering.

44 And on the outside of the inner gate [are] chambers of the singers, in the inner court, that [are] at the side of the north gate, and their fronts [are] southward, one at the side of the east gate [hath] the front northward.

45 And he speaketh unto me: `This chamber, whose front [is] southward, [is] for priests keeping charge of the house;

46 and the chamber, whose front [is] northward, [is] for priests keeping charge of the altar: they [are] sons of Zadok, who are drawing near of the sons of Levi unto Jehovah, to serve Him.'

47 And he measureth the court: the length a hundred cubits, and the breadth a hundred cubits, square, and the altar [is] before the house.

48 And he bringeth me in unto the porch of the house, and he measureth the post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side, and the breadth of the gate, three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side;

49 the length of the porch twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; and by the steps whereby they go up unto it: and pillars [are] at the posts, one on this side, and one on that side.

   

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Jeremiah 29:14

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14 And I have been found of you -- an affirmation of Jehovah; and I have turned back [to] your captivity, and have gathered you out of all the nations, and out of all the places whither I have driven you -- an affirmation of Jehovah -- and I have brought you back unto the place whence I removed you.

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Arcana Coelestia # 3880

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3880. 'And she said, This time I will confess Jehovah' means in the highest sense the Lord, in the internal sense the Word, in the external sense doctrine from the Word - the Divinity of love, also His celestial kingdom being meant here. This is clear from the meaning of 'confessing'. As regards 'confessing' - in the external sense or inner sense nearest to the literal - meaning doctrine from the Word, this is self-evident, since confession, even in everyday speech, is nothing else than a declaration of personal conviction before the Lord and so comprehends within it the things which a person believes and which for him therefore constitute doctrine. That 'confessing' in the internal sense means the Word follows from this, for all teaching regarding faith and charity must be drawn from the Word. Of himself man does not know anything about celestial and spiritual things, and therefore he knows them only from Divine revelation, which is the Word. The reasons why 'confessing' in the highest sense means the Lord are that the Lord is the Word and therefore doctrine from the Word, and that the Word in the internal sense, having regard to the Lord alone, deals with His kingdom, 1871, 2859, 2894, 3245, 3305, 3393, 3432, 3439, 3454. This is why 'confessing Jehovah' means the Divinity of love, also His celestial kingdom, for the Lord is Divine Love itself and the influx of this love makes His kingdom, doing so by means of the Word received from Him. For 'Judah' who received his name from the expression 'confessing Jehovah' means the Divinity of love, also the Lord's celestial kingdom, see what has been shown already in 3654; and this explains why it is stated here that 'confessing' has that meaning.

[2] But what 'confessing' or 'confession' really is will be seen from places in the Word where these expressions are used, as in Isaiah,

You will say on that day, I will confess You O Jehovah; for You were angry with me, Your anger turned away, and You comforted me. And you will say on that day, Confess Jehovah, call on His name, make His deeds known among the people, make mention that His name is exalted. Isaiah 12:1, 4.

In David, we will confess You O God; we will confess, and Your name is near. They tell of Your wonders. Psalms 75:1.

In the same author,

A Psalm for confession. Make a joyful noise to Jehovah, all the earth. He made us and not we ourselves, His people and the flock of His pasture; therefore we are His, His people and the flock of His pasture. 1 Enter through His gates in confession, His courts in praise; confess Him, bless His name, for Jehovah is good, His mercy is for ever, and His truth from generation to generation. Psalms 100:1-5.

What 'confessing' and 'confession' mean here is self-evident, namely acknowledging Jehovah or the Lord, and the things that are His - that acknowledgement clearly being doctrine and the Word.

[3] In Isaiah,

Jehovah will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places. Gladness and joy will be found in her, confession and the voice of song. Isaiah 51:3.

In Jeremiah,

Thus said Jehovah, Behold, I will bring back the captivity of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwellings. And the city will be built upon its mound, and the palace will be inhabited in its accustomed manner. And there will come out from these confession and the voice of those amusing themselves. Jeremiah 30:18-19.

In David,

I will confess Jehovah according to His righteousness, and will sing of the name of Jehovah Most High. Psalms 7:17.

In the same author,

When I shall have gone to the house of God with the voice of song and of confession, a multitude keeping festival. Psalms 42:4.

In the same author,

I will confess You among the nations, O Lord, I will make melody to You among the peoples, for great even to heaven is Your mercy. Psalms 57:9-10.

[4] From these places it is evident that 'confession' has reference to the celestial form of love, for in the descriptions 'confession and the voice of song', 'confession and the voice of those amusing themselves', 'I will confess You among the nations and I will make melody to You among the peoples', 'confession' is used to mean something distinct and separate from that meant in phrases describing the spiritual form of love. 'Confession' or 'confessing' is a celestial term, whereas 'the voice of song', 'the voice of those amusing themselves', and also 'making melody' are spiritual expressions. In addition confession is said to occur 'among the nations' but melody to be made 'among the peoples' because 'the nations' means those who are governed by good, 'the peoples' those who are governed by truth, 1416, 1849, 2928, that is, those governed by celestial love and those governed by spiritual love. For in the Word, in the Prophets, dual expressions commonly occur in which one has reference to what is celestial or good, the other to what is spiritual or true, so that the Divine marriage may exist in every individual part of the Word, and so a marriage of good and truth, see 683, 793, 801, 2173, 2516, 2712, 3132. From this it is also evident that confession implies the celestial form of love and that genuine confession, or that which flows from the heart, flows from nothing else than good. But confession which flows from truth is called 'the voice of song', 'the voice of those amusing themselves', and 'making melody'.

[5] A similar duality occurs in the following places: In David,

I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify Him with confession. Psalms 69:30.

In the same author,

I will confess You on a ten-stringed instrument, Your truth, O my God. I will sing to You with the harp, O Holy One of Israel. Psalms 71:22.

'Singing with the harp' and all other stringed instruments mean spiritual things, see 418-420. In the same author,

Enter His gates in confession, His courts in praise; confess Him, bless His name. Psalms 100:4.

'Confession' and 'confessing' flow from the love of good, but 'praise' and 'blessing' from the love of truth. In the same author,

Reply to Jehovah by means of confession; make melody to our God with the harp. Psalms 147:7.

In the same author,

I will confess You in the great congregation, I will praise You among a numerous people. Psalms 35:18.

In the same author,

I will confess Jehovah with my mouth, and in the midst of many will I praise Him. Psalms 109:30.

In the same author,

We, Your people and the flock of Your pasture, will confess You for ever; generation after generation we will recount Your praise. Psalms 79:13.

In the same author,

Let them confess Jehovah for His mercy, and for His marvellous works to the children of men. Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of confession, and proclaim His works with a song. Psalms 107:21-22.

[6] In all these places it is evident that dual expressions occur describing the same thing, which would be seen as pointless repetitions if one did not embody something celestial, which is good, and the other something spiritual, which is truth, and so did not embody the Divine marriage. The Lord's kingdom is that marriage. This arcanum is present in every part of the Word but it cannot possibly be disclosed except by means of the internal sense, and of knowledge derived from this, showing which in a dual expression belongs to the celestial category and which to the spiritual. But a general impression of what the celestial is and what the spiritual, to which reference has often been made already, must exist first.

[7] True confession of the heart, because it flows from celestial love, is confession in the genuine sense. The person with whom it exists acknowledges that everything good comes from the Lord and everything evil from self. When that acknowledgement exists with him it is a state of humiliation, for in this case he acknowledges the Lord to be everything in him and he himself in comparison to be nothing. And when confession is made in this state it flows from celestial love.

[8] But the sacrifices of confession which were offered in the Jewish Church were thanksgivings, and in the universal sense were called eucharistic and repayment sacrifices, of which there were two kinds - those of confession and those that were votive. As regards sacrifices of confession embodying the celestial form of love within them, this becomes clear from the institution of them, described in Moses as follows,

This is the law of the sacrifice of eucharistic offerings made to Jehovah. If someone offers it as a confession, he shall offer in addition to the sacrifice of confession unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and fine flour fried, cakes mixed with oil. With leavened cakes of bread he shall offer his gift, in addition to the sacrifice of confession. Leviticus 7:11-13, 15.

All the things mentioned here, such as 'unleavened cakes mixed with oil', 'unleavened wafers anointed with oil', 'fine flour fried', 'leavened cakes of bread' mean the celestial things of love and faith and so mean confessions. It also means that these must be present within humiliation. For 'fine flour' and cakes made from it mean the celestial element of love and from this the spiritual element of faith, which is charity, see 2177; 'unleavened' means purification from evils and falsities, 2342; 'oil' means the celestial element of love, 886, 3728, as does 'bread' also, 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735.

[9] Votive offerings however, which constituted the second kind of eucharistic sacrifices, in the external sense meant repayment, in the internal sense the will that the Lord should provide, and in the highest sense a state of Providence, see 3732. This is why both types of offerings are mentioned in various places in the Word, as in David,

Sacrifice to God confession, and render to the Most High your vows. He who sacrifices confession honours Me, and he who sets in order the way, to him will I show the salvation of God. Psalms 50:14, 23.

In the same author,

Upon me, O God, are Your vows; I will repay confessions to You. Psalms 56:12.

In the same author,

To You will I sacrifice the sacrifice of confession, and on the name of Jehovah will I call. I will render my vows to Jehovah. Psalms 116:17-18.

[10] In Jonah,

I with the voice of confession will sacrifice to You; that which I have vowed I will render. Jonah 2:9.

From all this one may now see what 'confession' is, from which Judah received his name, namely this: In the highest sense the Lord and the Divinity of love; in the internal sense the Word, and also the Lord's celestial kingdom; and in the more exterior sense doctrine from the Word which the celestial Church possesses. Evidence that these things are meant in the Word by 'Judah' may be seen in what is presented below.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. The first and second halves of this sentence are in fact alternative ways of understanding the original Hebrew.

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