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以西结书 18

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1 耶和华的又临到我说:

2 你们在以色列地怎麽用这俗语说父亲吃了酸葡萄,儿子酸倒了呢?

3 耶和华:我指着我的永生起誓,你们在以色列中,必不再有用这俗语的因由。

4 看哪,世人都是属我的;为父的怎样属我,为子的也照样属我;犯罪的,他必亡。

5 若是公,且行正直与合理的事:

6 未曾在吃过偶像之物,未曾仰望以色列家的偶像,未曾玷污邻舍的妻,未曾在妇人的经期内亲近他,

7 未曾亏负,乃将欠债之的当头还他;未曾抢夺的物件,却将食物饥饿的吃,将衣服赤身的穿;

8 未曾向借钱的弟兄取利,也未曾向借粮的弟兄多要,缩不作罪孽,在两之间,按至理判断

9 遵行我的律例,谨守我的典章,按诚实行事─这人是公的,必定存活。这是耶和华的。

10 他若生儿子,作强盗,是流人血的,不行以上所说之善,反行其中之恶,乃在山上吃过祭偶像之物,并玷污邻舍的妻,

11 a

12 亏负困苦和穷乏的人,抢夺人的物,未曾将当头还给人,仰望偶像,并行可憎的事,

13 向借钱的弟兄取利,向借粮的弟兄多要─这人岂能存活呢?他必不能存活。他行这一切可憎的事,必要亡,他的罪(原文是血)必归到他身上。

14 他若生一个儿子,见父亲所犯的一切便惧怕(有古卷:思量),不照样去做;

15 未曾在吃过偶像之物,未曾仰望以色列家的偶像,未曾玷污邻舍的妻,

16 未曾亏负,未曾取的当头,未曾抢夺的物件,却将食物饥饿的吃,将衣服赤身的穿,

17 不害贫穷人,未曾向借钱的弟兄取利,也未曾向借粮的弟兄多要;他顺从我的典章,遵行我的律例,就不因父亲的罪孽亡,定要存活。

18 至於他父亲;因为欺人太甚,抢夺弟兄,在本国的民中行不善,他必因自己的罪孽亡。

19 你们还儿子为何不担当父亲的罪孽呢?儿子行正直与合理的事,谨守遵行我的一切律例,他必定存活。

20 惟有犯罪的,他必亡。儿子必不担当父亲的罪孽,父亲也不担当儿子的罪孽。人的善果必归自己,恶人的恶报也必归自己。

21 恶人若回头离开所做的一切恶,谨守我一切的律例,行正直与合理的事,他必定存活,不致亡。

22 他所犯的一切罪过都不被记念,因所行的,他必存活。

23 耶和华:恶人亡,岂是我喜悦的麽?不是喜悦他回头离开所行的道存活麽?

24 人若行而作孽,照着恶人所行一切可憎的事而行,他岂能存活麽?他所行的一切都不被记念;他必因所犯的、所行的恶亡。

25 你们还:主的道不公平!以色列家啊,你们当,我的道岂不公平麽?你们的道岂不是不公平麽?

26 人若行而作罪孽亡,他是因所作的罪孽亡。

27 再者,恶人若回头离开所行的恶,行正直与合理的事,他必将性命活了。

28 因为他思量,回头离开所犯的一切罪过,必定存活,不致亡。

29 以色列家还:主的道不公平!以色列家啊,我的道岂不公平麽?你们的道岂不是不公平麽?

30 所以耶和华以色列家啊,我必按你们各所行的审判你们。你们当回头离开所犯的一切罪过。这样,罪孽必不使你们败亡。

31 你们要将所犯的一切罪过尽行抛弃,自做一个新和新灵。以色列家啊,你们何必亡呢?

32 耶和华:我不喜悦那人之,所以你们当回头而存活。

   

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Apocalypse Revealed #241

Studere hoc loco

  
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241. The first living creature was like a lion. (4:7) This symbolizes the Divine truth of the Word in respect to its power.

A lion symbolizes truth in its power, here the Divine truth of the Word in respect to its power, as can be seen from the power of the lion, which surpasses that of every other animal on the earth. It can be seen as well from lions in the spiritual world and the fact that they are images representative of the power of Divine truth. And it can be seen, too, from the Word, in which lions symbolize Divine truth in its power. The nature of the power of Divine truth in the Word may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture 49, and in the book Heaven and Hell, nos. 228-233.

So it is that Jehovah or the Lord is likened to a lion, and also called a lion, as in the following passages:

A lion has roared! Who does not fear? The Lord Jehovih has spoken! Who does not prophesy? (Amos 3:8)

I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim... They shall walk after Jehovah. He roars like a lion. (Hosea 11:9-10)

As a lion roars, and a young lion..., so Jehovah... will come down to fight upon Mount Zion... (Isaiah 31:4)

Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed... (Revelation 5:5)

Judah is a lion's whelp... He bowed down, he lay down... as an old lion. Who rouses him? (Genesis 49:9)

[2] A lion in these passages describes the power of the Divine truth emanating from the Lord. Roaring symbolizes His speaking and acting with power against the hells, which try to carry off a person as a lion does its prey, but from which the Lord rescues him. To bow down means to put Himself into a condition of power. Judah, in the highest sense, symbolizes the Lord (nos. 96, 266).

(The angel) cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. (Revelation 10:3)

He bows down, he lies down... as an old lion. Who rouses him? (Numbers 24:9)

Lo, the people rises like an old lion, and like a young lion lifts itself up. (Numbers 23:24)

This last declaration is said of Israel, which symbolizes the church, whose power, which lies in Divine truths, is thus described.

So likewise:

The remnant of Jacob shall be... in the midst of... peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep... (Micah 5:7-8)

And so on in many other places, as in Isaiah 11:6; 21:6-9; 35:9; Jeremiah 2:15; 4:7; 5:6; 12:8; 50:17; 51:38; Ezekiel 19:3, 5-6; Deuteronomy 33:20.

  
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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.

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Deuteronomy 33:20

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20 Of Gad he said, "He who enlarges Gad is blessed. He dwells as a lioness, and tears the arm, yes, the crown of the head.