耶利米書 44
1
有臨到耶利米的話，論及一切住在埃及地的猶大人，就是住在密奪、答比匿、挪弗、巴忒羅境內的猶大人，說：
2
萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神如此說：我所降與耶路撒冷和猶大各城的一切災禍你們都看見了。那些城邑今日荒涼，無人居住；
3
這是因居民所行的惡，去燒香事奉別神，就是他們和你們，並你們列祖所不認識的神，惹我發怒。
4
我從早起來差遣我的僕人眾先知去說，你們切不要行我所厭惡這可憎之事。
6
因此，我的怒氣和忿怒都倒出來，在猶大城邑中和耶路撒冷的街市上，如火著起，以致都荒廢淒涼，正如今日一樣。
7
現在耶和華─萬軍之神、以色列的神如此說：你們為何作這大惡自害己命，使你們的男人、婦女、嬰孩，和吃奶的都從猶大中剪除、不留一人呢？
8
就是因你們手所做的，在所去寄居的埃及地向別神燒香惹我發怒，使你們被剪除，在天下萬國中令人咒詛羞辱。
9
你們列祖的惡行，猶大列王和他們后妃的惡行，你們自己和你們妻子的惡行，就是在猶大地、耶路撒冷街上所行的，你們都忘了麼？
10
到如今還沒有懊悔，沒有懼怕，沒有遵行我在你們和你們列祖面前所設立的法度律例。
11
所以萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神如此說：我必向你們變臉降災，以致剪除猶大眾人。
12
那定意進入埃及地、在那裡寄居的，就是所剩下的猶大人，我必使他們盡都滅絕，必在埃及地仆倒，必因刀劍饑荒滅絕；從最小的到至大的都必遭刀劍饑荒而死，以致令人辱罵、驚駭、咒詛、羞辱。
13
我怎樣用刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫刑罰耶路撒冷，也必照樣刑罰那些住在埃及地的猶大人；
14
甚至那進入埃及地寄居的，就是所剩下的猶大人，都不得逃脫，也不得存留歸回猶大地。他們心中甚想歸回居住之地；除了逃脫的以外，一個都不能歸回。
15
那些住在埃及地巴忒羅知道自己妻子向別神燒香的，與旁邊站立的眾婦女，聚集成群，回答耶利米說：
17
我們定要成就我們口中所出的一切話，向天后燒香、澆奠祭，按著我們與我們列祖、君王、首領在猶大的城邑中和耶路撒冷的街市上素常所行的一樣；因為那時我們吃飽飯、享福樂，並不見災禍。
18
自從我們停止向天后燒香、澆奠祭，我們倒缺乏一切，又因刀劍饑荒滅絕。
19
婦女說：我們向天后燒香、澆奠祭，做天后像的餅供奉他，向他澆奠祭，是外乎我們的丈夫麼？
21
你們與你們列祖、君王、首領，並國內的百姓，在猶大城邑中和耶路撒冷街市上所燒的香，耶和華豈不記念，心中豈不思想麼？
22
耶和華因你們所作的惡、所行可憎的事，不能再容忍，所以你們的地荒涼，令人驚駭咒詛，無人居住，正如今日一樣。
23
你們燒香，得罪耶和華，沒有聽從他的話，沒有遵行他的律法、條例、法度，所以你們遭遇這災禍，正如今日一樣。
24
耶利米又對眾民和眾婦女說：你們在埃及地的一切猶大人當聽耶和華的話。
25
萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神如此說：你們和你們的妻都口中說、手裡做，說：我們定要償還所許的願，向天后燒香、澆奠祭。現在你們只管堅定所許的願而償還罷！
26
所以你們住在埃及地的一切猶大人當聽耶和華的話。耶和華說：我指著我的大名起誓，在埃及全地，我的名不再被猶大一個人的口稱呼說：我指著主─永生的耶和華起誓。
27
我向他們留意降禍不降福；在埃及地的一切猶大人必因刀劍、饑荒所滅，直到滅盡。
28
脫離刀劍、從埃及地歸回猶大地的人數很少；那進入埃及地要在那裡寄居的，就是所剩下的猶大人，必知道是誰的話立得住，是我的話呢？是他們的話呢？
29
耶和華說：我在這地方刑罰你們，必有預兆，使你們知道我降禍與你們的話必要立得住。
30
耶和華如此說：我必將埃及王法老合弗拉交在他仇敵和尋索其命的人手中，像我將猶大王西底家交在他仇敵和尋索其命的巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒手中一樣。
The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine # 261
261. The Word is written by correspondences, and thus by representatives.
The Word, as to its literal sense, is written by mere correspondences, thus by such things as represent and signify spiritual things which relate to heaven and the church (n. 1404, 1408-1409, 1540, 1619, 1659, 1709, 1783, 2179, 2763, 2899). This was done for the sake of the internal sense, which is contained in every part (n. 2899). For the sake of heaven, since those who are in heaven do not understand the Word according to the sense of the letter, which is natural, but according to its internal sense, which is spiritual (n. 2899). The Lord spoke by correspondences, representatives, and significatives, because He spoke from the Divine (n. 9048, 9063, 9086, 10126, 10728). Thus the Lord spoke at the same time before the world and before heaven (n. 2533, 4807, 9048, 9063, 9086). The things which the Lord spoke filled the entire heaven (n. 4637). The historicals of the Word are representative, and the words significative (n. 1540, 1659, 1709, 1783, 2686). The Word could not be written in any other style, that by it there might be a communication and conjunction with the heavens (n. 2899, 6943, 9481). They who despise the Word on account of the apparent simplicity and rudeness of its style, and who fancy that they would receive the Word, if it were written in a different style, are in a great error (n. 8783). The mode and style of writing, which prevailed amongst the most ancient people, was by representatives and significatives (n. 605, 1756, 9942). The ancient wise men were delighted with the Word, because of the representatives and significatives therein, from experience (n. 2592-2593). If a man of the Most Ancient Church had read the Word, he would have seen the things which are in the internal sense clearly, and those which are in the external sense obscurely (n. 4493). The sons of Jacob were brought into the land of Canaan, because all the places in that land, from the most ancient times, were made representative (n. 1585, 3686, 4447, 5136, 6516). And thus that the Word might there be written, in which Word those places were to be mentioned for the sake of the internal sense (n. 3686, 4447, 5136, 6516). But nevertheless the Word was changed, for the sake of that nation, as to the external sense, but not as to the internal sense (n. 10453, 10461, 10603-10604). In order that it may be known what the correspondences and representatives in the Word are, and what is their quality, something shall also be said concerning them.
All things which correspond are likewise representative, and thereby significative, thus that correspondences and representatives are one (n. 2896-2897, 2973, 2987, 2989-2990, 3002, 3225). What correspondences and representations are, from experience and examples (n. 2763, 2987-3002, 3213-3226, 3337-3352, 3472-3485, 4218-4228, 9280). The knowledge of correspondences and representations was the chief science amongst the ancients (n. 3021, 3419, 4280, 4748, 4844, 4964, 4966, 6004, 7729, 10252). Especially with the Orientals (n. 5702, 6692, 7097, 7779, 9391, 10252, 10407); and in Egypt more than in other countries (n. 5702, 6692, 7097, 7779, 9391, 10407). Also among the Gentiles, as in Greece and other places (n. 2762, 7729). But at this day it is among the sciences which are lost, particularly in Europe (n. 2894-2895, 2994, 3630, 3632, 3747-3749, 4581, 4966, 10252). Nevertheless this science is more excellent than all other sciences, since without it the Word is not understood, nor the signification of the rites of the Jewish church, which are recorded in the Word; neither is it known what heaven is, nor what the spiritual is, nor in what manner spiritual influx takes place into what is natural, with many other things (n. 4280, and in the places above cited). All the things which appear before angels and spirits, are representatives, according to correspondences of such things as relate to love and faith (n. 1971, 3213-3226, 3449, 3475, 3485, 9481, 9574, 9576-9577). The heavens are full of representatives (n. 1521, 1532, 1619). Representatives are more beautiful, and more perfect, in proportion as they are more interiorly in the heavens (n. 3475). Representatives there are real appearances, being derived from the light of heaven, which is Divine truth, and which is the very essential of the existence of all things (n. 3485).
The reason why each and all things in the spiritual world are represented in the natural world, is because what is internal assumes a suitable clothing in what is external, whereby it makes itself visible and apparent (n. 6275, 6284, 6299). Thus the end assumes a suitable clothing, that it may exist as the cause in a lower sphere, and afterwards that it may exist as the effect in a sphere lower still; and when the end, by means of the cause, becomes the effect, it then becomes visible, or appears before the eyes (n. 5711). This may be illustrated by the influx of the soul into the body, whereby the soul assumes a clothing of such things in the body, as enable all the things which it thinks and wills, to appear and become visible; wherefore the thought, when it flows down into the body, is represented by gestures and actions which correspond thereto (n. 2988). The affections, which are of the mind, are manifestly represented in the face, by the variations of the countenance, so that they may be seen therein (n. 4791-4805, 5695). Hence it is evident, that each and all things in nature have in them a latent cause and end from the spiritual world (n. 3562, 5711). Since the things in nature are ultimate effects, which contain prior things (n. 4240, 4939, 5051, 6275, 6284, 6299, 9216). Internal things are represented, and external things represent (n. 4292).
Since all things in nature are representative of spiritual and celestial things, therefore, in ancient times, there were churches, wherein all the externals, which are rituals, were representative; wherefore those churches were called representative churches (n. 519, 521, 2896). The church founded with the sons of Israel was a representative church (n. 1003, 2179, 10149). All its rituals were external things, which represented the internal things of heaven and the church (n. 4288, 4874). Representatives of the church and of worship ceased when the Lord came into the world, because the Lord opened the internal things of the church, and because all the externals of the church in the highest sense regarded Him (n. 4832).
