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2 Mosebok 8

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1 Da sa Herren til Moses: Gå inn til Farao og si til ham: Så sier Herren: La mitt folk fare, så de kan tjene mig!

2 Dersom du nekter å la dem fare, da vil jeg plage hele ditt land med frosk.

3 Og elven skal vrimle av frosk, og de skal krype op og komme inn i ditt hus og i ditt sengkammer og op i din seng og i dine tjeneres hus og på ditt folk og i dine bakerovner og i dine deigtrau.

4 Ja, på dig og på ditt folk og på alle dine tjenere skal froskene krype op.

5 Og Herren sa til Moses: Si til Aron: ekk ut din hånd med din stav over elvene, over kanalene og over sjøene, og la froskene komme op over Egyptens land!

6 Og Aron rakte ut sin hånd over Egyptens vann, og froskene kom op og dekket hele Egyptens land.

7 Men tegnsutleggerne gjorde det samme med sine hemmelige kunster og lot froskene komme op over Egyptens land.

8 Da kalte Farao Moses og Aron til sig og sa: Bed til Herren at han vil ta froskene bort fra mig og mitt folk! Da til jeg la folket fare, sa de kan ofre til Herren.

9 Og Moses sa til Farao: Ha selv den ære å si når jeg skal bede for dig og dine tjenere og ditt folk at froskene må bli drevet bort fra dig og dine hus, så de bare blir tilbake i elven.

10 Han svarte: Imorgen. Da sa Moses: La det bli som du sier, forat du kan kjenne at det ikke er nogen som Herren vår Gud.

11 Froskene skal vike fra dig og dine hus og fra dine tjenere og ditt folk; bare i elven skal de bli tilbake.

12 Så gikk Moses og Aron ut igjen fra Farao, og Moses ropte til Herren for froskenes skyld som han hadde ført over Farao.

13 Og Herren gjorde som Moses hadde sagt, og froskene som var i husene og gårdene og på markene, døde bort;

14 og de samlet dem i dyngevis, og landet blev fylt med stank.

15 Men da Farao så at han hadde fått luft, gjorde han sitt hjerte hårdt og hørte ikke på dem, således som Herren hadde sagt.

16 Da sa Herren til Moses: Si til Aron: ekk ut din stav og slå i støvet på jorden, så skal det bli til mygg i hele Egyptens land.

17 Og de gjorde således; Aron rakte ut sin hånd med sin stav og slo i støvet på jorden, og myggene kom både på folk og fe; alt støvet på jorden blev til mygg i hele Egyptens land.

18 Tegnsutleggerne gjorde likeså med sine hemmelige kunster; de søkte å få mygg frem, men kunde ikke. Og myggene blev sittende på folk og på fe.

19 Da sa tegnsutleggerne til Farao: Dette er Guds finger. Men Faraos hjerte var og blev forherdet, og han hørte ikke på dem, således som Herren hadde sagt.

20 Da sa Herren til Moses: Stå tidlig op imorgen, og still dig frem for Farao når han går ned til elven, og si til ham: Så sier Herren: La mitt folk fare, så de kan tjene mig!

21 For dersom du ikke lar mitt folk fare, da sender jeg fluesvermer over dig og dine tjenere og ditt folk og dine hus, og egypternes hus skal fylles av fluesvermene, ja endog jorden de står på.

22 Men på den dag vil jeg undta Gosen, hvor mitt folk bor, så det ikke skal være fluesvermer der; da skal du kjenne at jeg, Herren, er midt i landet.

23 For jeg vil frelse mitt folk og gjøre forskjell på mitt folk og ditt folk; imorgen skal dette tegn skje.

24 Og Herren gjorde som han hadde sagt, og det kom svære fluesvermer i Faraos hus og i hans tjeneres hus; i hele Egypten blev landet herjet av fluesvermer.

25 Da kalte Farao Moses og Aron til sig og sa: Gå og ofre til eders Gud her i landet!

26 Men Moses sa: Det er ikke rådelig å gjøre så; for det vi ofrer til Herren vår Gud, er en vederstyggelighet for egypterne; om vi nu ofret for egypternes øine det som er en vederstyggelighet for dem, vilde de da ikke stene oss?

27 Tre dagsreiser vil vi gå ut i ørkenen og ofre til Herren vår Gud, således som han byder oss.

28 Da sa Farao: Jeg vil la eder fare, så I kan ofre til Herren eders Gud i ørkenen; men I må ikke dra langt bort. Bed for mig!

29 Moses svarte: Se, jeg går nu ut og vil bede til Herren, og imorgen skal fluesvermene vike bort fra Farao, fra hans tjenere og fra hans folk; bare nu Farao ikke mere vil bruke svik, men la folket fare, så de kan ofre til Herren.

30 Så gikk Moses ut fra Farao og bad til Herren.

31 Og Herren gjorde som Moses bad, og lot fluesvermene vike bort fra Farao, fra hans tjenere og fra hans folk; det blev ikke én igjen.

32 Men Farao forherdet sitt hjerte også denne gang; han lot ikke folket fare.

   

Dalle opere di Swedenborg

 

True Christian Religion #635

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635. Lastly I will reveal this secret. Seven chapters of Revelation describe the termination of the present church, in terms similar to the devastation of Egypt. In both cases this was by similar plagues, each of which stands in the spiritual sense for some falsity advancing its devastation to the point of destruction. This church, therefore, which is at the present time lost, is also called Egypt as spiritually understood (Revelation 11:8). The plagues in Egypt were as follows.

The waters were turned to blood, so that all the fish died and the river stank (Exodus 7; similar language in Revelation 8:8; 16:3). Blood means Divine truth falsified (see Apocalypse Revealed 379, 404, 681, 687-688). The fish that died mean likewise truths in the natural man (Apocalypse Revealed 290, 405).

Frogs came forth upon the land of Egypt (Exodus 8). There is also a mention of frogs in Revelation 16:13. Frogs mean reasonings as a result of a longing for the falsification of truth (see Apocalypse Revealed 702).

In Egypt foul ulcers appeared upon men and beasts (Exodus 9); similar language in Revelation 16:2. Ulcers mean inward evils and falsities which can destroy the good and truth in the church (see Apocalypse Revealed 678).

In Egypt hail fell mixed with fire (Exodus 9); similar language in Revelation 8:7; 16:21. Hail means hellish falsity (see Apocalypse Revealed 399, 714).

Locusts were sent upon Egypt (Exodus 10); similar language in Revelation 9:1-11. Locusts mean falsities in outermost things (see Apocalypse Revealed 424, 430).

Oppressive darkness was brought upon Egypt (Exodus 10:21); similar language in Revelation 8:12. Darkness means falsities arising from ignorance, or from false ideas of religion, or from evil living (see Apocalypse Revealed 110, 413, 695).

The Egyptians finally perished in the sea of Suph 1 (Exodus 14). In Revelation the dragon and the false prophet perished in the lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 19:20; 20:10). Both the sea of Suph and that lake have the same meaning, hell.

The reason why similar language is used of Egypt and of the church, the termination and end of which is described in Revelation, is that Egypt stands for the church, which in its beginnings was outstanding. So before its church was devastated, Egypt is equated with the Garden of Eden and the garden of Jehovah (Genesis 13:10; Ezekiel 31:8). It is also called 'the corner-stone of the tribes', and 'the sons of wise men and of the kings of ancient time' (Isaiah 19:11, 13). More about Egypt in its earliest state and in its devastation will be found in Apocalypse Revealed 503.

Note a piè di pagina:

1. Generally taken as 'the Red Sea', but the author keeps the Hebrew form.

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

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Apocalypse Revealed #413

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413. And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, and a third of them was darkened. This symbolically means that because of their evils springing from falsities and their falsities springing from evils, they did not know what love is, or what faith is, or any truth.

A third means, symbolically, all (no. 400). The sun symbolizes love (no. 53). The moon symbolizes intelligence and faith (no. 332). The stars symbolize concepts of truth and goodness from the Word (no. 51). To be darkened means, symbolically, to be unseen and unknown because of evils springing from falsities and falsities springing from evils.

Evils springing from falsities are found in people who adopt falsities having to do with religion and defend them to the point that they appear to be true. Then, when they live in accordance with them, they do evils as a result of the falsities, or the evils of falsity.

On the other hand, falsities springing from evils are found in people who do not regard evils as being sins, and still more in people who employ reasonings issuing from their natural self, and moreover from the Word, to establish in themselves that evils are not sins. Their very arguments are falsities springing from evils, and what we call the falsities of evil.

[2] Darkness symbolizes these falsities because light symbolizes truth, and when the light has been extinguished, darkness is left.

To confirm this we will first cite passages where things similar to those here in the book of Revelation are said regarding the sun, moon and stars, and darkness ensuing upon their being extinguished:

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and terrible day of Jehovah. (Joel 2:31)

...the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be darkened in its rising, and the moon will not cause its light to shine. (Isaiah 13:10, cf. 24:21, 24:23)

When I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens..., I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light. All the luminaries of light in the heavens I will make dark over you, and bring darkness upon your land... (Ezekiel 32:7-8)

...the day of Jehovah... is at hand... The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. (Joel 2:1, 10)

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven... (Matthew 24:29, cf. Mark 13:24-25)

Who, if he elevates his mind, cannot see that in these places it is not the world's sun, moon and stars that are meant.

[3] That darkness symbolizes falsities of various kinds is clear from these passages:

Woe to you who desire the day of Jehovah! ...It will be one of darkness, and not light... Is not the day of Jehovah darkness and not light? Very dark, without any brightness? (Amos 5:18, 20)

(The day of Jehovah will be) a day of darkness and thick darkness, a day of clouds and overcast... (Zephaniah 1:15)

In that day... it will look to the land, which, behold, will be darkness...; and the light will grow dark in its ruins. (Isaiah 5:30, cf. 8:22)

...behold, the darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness the peoples. (Isaiah 60:2)

Give glory to Jehovah... before He causes darkness...; you look for light, but He turns it into thick darkness. (Jeremiah 13:16)

We look for light, but there is darkness and no brightness; we walk in thick darkness... We stumble at noonday as at twilight; among the living we are as dead men. (Isaiah 59:9-10)

Woe to those... who put darkness for light, and light for darkness. (Isaiah 5:20)

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. (Isaiah 9:2, cf. Matthew 4:16)

...the rising sun from on high (has appeared) to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death... (Luke 1:78-79)

If you give your soul to the hungry..., your light shall rise in the darkness, and your thick darkness shall be as the noonday. (Isaiah 58:10)

In that day... the eyes of the blind who are in thick darkness and gloom shall see. (Isaiah 29:18, cf. 42:16; 49:9)

(Jesus said,) "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)

Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you... I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. (John 12:35, 46)

When I sit in darkness, Jehovah is a light to me. (Micah 7:8)

This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness more than light... (John 3:19, cf. 1:4-5)

If... the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:23, cf. Luke 11:34-36)

...this is your hour, and the power of darkness. (Luke 22:53)

Darkness in these places symbolizes falsity arising either from ignorance of truth or from some false tenet of religion, or from a life of evil.

Regarding people caught up in falsities having to do with religion, who are therefore caught up in evils in life, the Lord says that they should be "cast out into outer darkness" (Matthew 8:12, cf. 22:13; 25:30).

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.