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1я Царств 3

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1 Отрок Самуил служил Господу при Илии; слово Господне было редко в те дни, видения были не часты.

2 И было в то время, когда Илий лежал на своем месте, – глаза же его начали смежаться, и он не мог видеть, –

3 и светильник Божий еще не погас, и Самуил лежал в храме Господнем, где ковчег Божий;

4 воззвал Господь к Самуилу: И отвечал он: вот я!

5 И побежал к Илию и сказал: вот я! ты звал меня. Но тот сказал: я не звал тебя; пойди назад, ложись. И он пошел и лег.

6 Но Господь в другой раз воззвал к Самуилу: Он встал, и пришел к Илию вторично, и сказал: вот я! ты звал меня. Но тот сказал: я не звал тебя, сын мой; пойди назад, ложись.

7 Самуил еще не знал тогда голоса Господа, и еще не открывалось ему слово Господне.

8 И воззвал Господь к Самуилу еще в третий раз. Он встал и пришел к Илию и сказал: вот я! ты звал меня. Тогда понялИлий, что Господь зовет отрока.

9 И сказал Илий Самуилу: пойди назад и ложись, и когда Зовущий позовет тебя, ты скажи: говори, Господи, ибо слышит раб Твой. И пошел Самуил и лег на месте своем.

10 И пришел Господь, и стал, и воззвал, как в тот и другой раз: Самуил, Самуил! И сказал Самуил: говори, Господи , ибо слышит раб Твой.

11 И сказал Господь Самуилу: вот, Я сделаю дело в Израиле, о которомкто услышит, у того зазвенит в обоих ушах;

12 в тот день Я исполню над Илием все то, что Я говорил о доме его;Я начну и окончу;

13 Я объявил ему, что Я накажу дом его на веки за ту вину, что онзнал, как сыновья его нечествуют, и не обуздывал их;

14 и посему клянусь дому Илия, что вина дома Илиева не загладится ни жертвами, ни приношениями хлебными вовек.

15 И спал Самуил до утра, и отворил двери дома Господня; и боялся Самуил объявить видение сие Илию.

16 Но Илий позвал Самуила и сказал: сын мой Самуил! Тот сказал: вот я!

17 И сказал Илий : что сказано тебе? не скрой от меня; то и то сделает с тобою Бог, и еще больше сделает, если ты утаишь от меня что-либо из всего того, что сказано тебе.

18 И объявил ему Самуил все и не скрыл от него ничего . Тогда сказал Илий :Он – Господь; что Ему угодно, то да сотворит.

19 И возрос Самуил, и Господь был с ним; и не осталось ни одного из слов его неисполнившимся.

20 И узнал весь Израиль от Дана до Вирсавии, что Самуил удостоен бытьпророком Господним.

21 И продолжал Господь являться в Силоме после того, как открыл Себя Самуилу в Силоме чрез слово Господне.

   

Commento

 

Exploring the Meaning of 1 Samuel 3

Da Garry Walsh

Chapter 3 tells the beautiful story of the “Call of Samuel.” Young Samuel hears a voice calling him in the night, as he lies down to sleep. Samuel thinks that Eli, who is old and blind, must be calling him. So he runs to Eli and asks what he wants. Eli says that he didn't call, and tells Samuel to go back to bed. This happens two more times, and each time Samuel hears the voice calling, he goes to Eli. The third time this happens, Eli realizes that it must be the Lord's voice that Samuel is hearing. So, Eli tells Samuel to answer the voice with the words, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.” When the Lord calls him again, this is how Samuel answers.

God’s words to Samuel are clear. Eli’s sons had done bad things, and Eli had not stopped them. No sacrifice could now keep them from the consequences of their sins. In the morning, Eli begs Samuel to tell him what the Lord said. After Samuel tells him God’s message, Eli accepts that the Lord would do to him and his family what was He knew was good.

There is much that we can learn from the story. The Lord calls Samuel three times before Samuel realizes who is really calling, and answers Him. Numbers in the Bible have symbolic meanings. In this story, the number three represents completeness. When Samuel is called three times, it represents a personal process that is complete, and that gives Samuel a new ability to receive God’s message. (See Apocalypse Revealed 505.)

To “hear” means to perceive, to learn and to come to understand. When Samuel hears and replies to the Lord, he is showing that he is willing to listen to and understand God. It is similar for us. We may not hear the voice of God calling in the night, but we can make space in our lives to try to tune in to His message, in the Word, and in good, wise people we can learn from.

The expression “to hear” can also mean to obey. Someone says, “Do you hear me?” What do they mean? They are asking if you are going to obey. In this story we can see Samuel accepting his role as prophet, i.e. to understand and obey God. So, too, we can recognize God’s messages and begin to obey them in our lives. (See Apocalypse Explained 14.)

The literal story seems to suggest that the Lord would punish Eli and his sons for the wrongs they had done. However, Swedenborg’s Writings teach that the truth is that the Lord never destroys, or is even angry. Instead, evil distances a person from the Lord’s protection and that leaves them vulnerable to the destruction that comes from the evil itself. (See Arcana Coelestia 588.)

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Ezekiel 13

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1 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, Hear the word of Yahweh:

3 Thus says the Lord Yahweh, Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

4 Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.

5 You have not gone up into the gaps, neither built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the day of Yahweh.

6 They have seen falsehood and lying divination, who say, Yahweh says; but Yahweh has not sent them: and they have made men to hope that the word would be confirmed.

7 Haven't you seen a false vision, and Haven't you spoken a lying divination, in that you say, Yahweh says; but I have not spoken?

8 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have spoken falsehood, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, says the Lord Yahweh.

9 My hand shall be against the prophets who see false visions, and who divine lies: they shall not be in the council of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and you shall know that I am the Lord Yahweh.

10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there is no Peace; and when one builds up a wall, behold, they plaster it with whitewash:

11 tell those who plaster it with whitewash, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and you, great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it.

12 Behold, when the wall has fallen, shall it not be said to you, Where is the plaster with which you have plastered it?

13 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will even tear it with a stormy wind in my wrath; and there shall be an overflowing shower in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to consume it.

14 So will I break down the wall that you have plastered with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation shall be uncovered; and it shall fall, and you shall be consumed in its midst: and you shall know that I am Yahweh.

15 Thus will I accomplish my wrath on the wall, and on those who have plastered it with whitewash; and I will tell you, The wall is no more, neither those who plastered it;

16 [to wit], the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, says the Lord Yahweh.

17 You, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy against them,

18 and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the women who sew pillows on all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of [persons of] every stature to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive for yourselves?

19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to kill the souls who should not die, and to save the souls alive who should not live, by your lying to my people who listen to lies.

20 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against your pillows, with which you there hunt the souls to make [them] fly, and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let the souls go, even the souls whom you hunt to make [them] fly.

21 Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.

22 Because with lies you have grieved the heart of the righteous, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, and be saved alive:

23 Therefore you shall no more see false visions, nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.