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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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Eat

  
"A Peasant Family at Lunch" by Albert Neuhuys

When we eat, our bodies break down the food and get from it both energy and materials for building and repairing the body. The process is similar on a symbolic level in the Bible. Food represents the desire for good and the insight that comes from that desire for good – goodness and understanding that come from the Lord. But to put them to use we have to take them in and make them our own – which is spiritual eating.

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Arcana Coelestia # 1069

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1069. That 'he planted a vineyard' means a Church resulting from this, 'vineyard' being the spiritual Church, is clear from the meaning of 'a vineyard'. In the Word Churches are frequently described as 'gardens' and also as 'the trees of a garden', and are actually named such as well. They are so described from the fruits which the trees bear, which mean the things belonging to love or charity. Hence the saying that a man is known by his fruit. Comparisons of Churches to gardens, trees, and fruits have their origins in the representations in heaven, where also gardens of indescribable beauty are sometimes manifested in accordance with the spheres of faith. This also why the celestial Church was described as a paradisal garden containing trees of every kind. 'The trees of the garden' meant the perceptions of that Church, and 'the fruit' of every kind the goods that stem from love. The Ancient Church however, being spiritual, is described as 'a vineyard' on account of its fruit, namely grapes, which represent and mean charitable works. This is quite clear from many places in the Word, as in Isaiah,

[2] I will sing for My beloved a song of My beloved concerning his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill, 1 and He enclosed it, and surrounded it with stones, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it and also hewed out a winepress in it. And He looked for it to yield grapes, and it yielded wild grapes. And now, O inhabitant of Jerusalem and man of Judah, judge, I pray you, between Me and My vineyard. The vineyard of Jehovah Zebaoth is the house of Israel. Isaiah 5:1-3, 7.

Here 'a vineyard' means the Ancient, and so the spiritual, Church, which is referred to explicitly as 'the house of Israel', for 'Israel' in the Word means the spiritual Church, whereas 'Judah' means the celestial Church. In Jeremiah,

Again I will build you, and you will be built, O virgin of Israel! Again you will adorn yourself with your timbrels and will go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. Again you will plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria. Jeremiah 31:4-5.

Here 'vineyard' stands for the spiritual Church, the subject being Israel, which, as stated, means the spiritual Church.

[3] In Ezekiel,

When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples, they will dwell securely upon the land, and they will build houses and plant vineyards. Ezekiel 28:15, 16.

Here 'vineyard' stands for the spiritual Church, which is Israel. 'Planting vineyards' stands for being furnished with truths and goods of faith. In Amos,

I smote you with blight and mildew; your very many gardens, and your vineyards, and your fig trees and your olive groves the locust will devour. Thus will I do to you, O Israel. Amos 4:9, 12.

'Gardens' stands for the things of the Church; 'vineyards' stands for the spiritual things of the Church, 'fig trees' for the natural things, 'olive groves' for the celestial things - and so for the things of the spiritual Church, which is Israel. In the same prophet,

I will bring again the captivity; of My people Israel, and they will build the ruined cities and inhabit them. And they will plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they will make gardens and eat their fruit. Amos 9:14.

'Planting vineyards' stands for the planting of the spiritual Church, and so 'a vineyard' stands for the spiritual Church, which is Israel.

[4] As 'a vineyard' means the spiritual Church so also does 'the vine', for the vine is part of the vineyard. They are as Church and member of the Church, and therefore have the same meaning. In Jeremiah,

Is Israel a slave? Is he a home-born [servant]? Why has he become a prey? I had planted you, a wholly choice vine, a seed of truth. How have you turned from Me into the degraded branches of a strange vine? Jeremiah 2:14, 21.

'Vine' stands for the spiritual Church, which is Israel. In Ezekiel,

Take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel Your mother was like a vine in your likeness, planted beside the waters, fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters. Ezekiel 19:1, 10.

'Vine' stands for the Ancient spiritual Church, meant by 'mother', and so for Israel; hence also the expression 'in your likeness'. In Hosea,

Israel is an empty vine, it bears fruit like itself. Hosea 10:1.

'Vine' stands for the spiritual Church, or Israel, in this case a desolated Church. In the same prophet,

Return, O Israel, to Jehovah your God. I will be as the dew to Israel. Those dwelling under His shadow will return, they will give life to the grain, and they will blossom out as the vine, the memory of it will be as the wine of Lebanon. Hosea 14:1, 5, 7.

Here 'vine' stands for the spiritual Church, which is Israel. In Moses,

Until Shiloh comes . . . binding his colt to the vine, and the foal of his she-ass to a choice vine. Genesis 49:10-11.

This is a prophecy concerning the Lord. 'Vine' and 'choice vine' stand for spiritual Churches.

[5] The Lord's parables about workers in vineyards similarly meant spiritual Churches, Matthew 20:1-16; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-18; Matthew 21:33-44.

Since 'the vine' means the spiritual Church, and the chief thing of the spiritual Church is charity within which the Lord is present, by means of which He joins Himself to man, and by means of which He alone works everything good, the Lord therefore compares Himself to the vine, and describes the member of the Church, that is, describes the spiritual Church, in the following way in John,

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, but every one that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you cannot do anything. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:1-5, 12.

From this it is clear what the spiritual Church is.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, on a horn of a son of oil

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