Bibliorum

 

Ezekiel 40

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1 I det fem og tyvende år efter at vi var ført i landflygtighed, ved nytårstide, på den tiende dag i Måneden i det fjortende År efter Byens indtagelse, netop på den dag kom HE ENs Hånd over mig, og han førte mig

2 i Guds Syner til Israels Land og satte mig på et såre højt Bjerg, og på det var der bygget noget som en By mod Syd;

3 og da han havde ført mig derhen, se, da var der en Mand som Kobber at se til med en Hørgarnssnor og en Målestang i Hånden, og han stod ved Porten.

4 Manden sagde til mig: "Menneskesøn, se med dine Øjne, hør med dine Ører og læg vel Mærke til alt, hvad jeg viser dig; thi du er ført hid, for at jeg skal vise dig det. Kundgør Israels Hus alt, hvad du ser!"

5 Og se, der var en Mur uden om Templet til alle Sider. Manden holdt i Hånden en Målestang. som var seks Alen lang, en Alen en Håndsbred længere end sædvanlig", og han målte Muren; den var eet Mål bred og eet Mål høj.

6 Så gik han op ad syv Trappetrin ind i den Port, hvis Forside vendte mod Øst; og han målte Portens Tærskel til eet Mål i Bredden,

7 hvert af Portens Siderum ligeledes til eet Mål i Længden og eet i Bredden, Murpillerne mellem Siderummene til fem Alen og Tærskelen ved Portens Forhal på den Side,

8 der vendte indad i Porten, til eet Mål.

9 Og han målte Portens Forhal til otte Alen og dens Murpiller til to; Portens Forhal lå på indersiden.

10 Portens Siderum, tre på hver Side, lå over for hverandre; de var lige store alle tre; også Murpillerne på begge Sider var lige store.

11 Så målte han Portindgangens Bredde til ti Alen og Portgangens til tretten.

12 Foran Siderummene var der på begge Sider afspærrede Pladser på een Alen, og selve Siderummene på begge Sider var seks Alen.

13 Så målte han Porten fra Indervæggen i et Siderum til Indervæggen i Siderummet lige overfor til en Bredde af fem og tyve Alen, Dør over for Dør.

14 Så målte han Forhallen til tyve Alen; og Forgården omgav Portens Forhal".

15 Fra Portens Forside udad til Portforhallens Forside indad var der halvtredsindstyve Alen.

16 Porten havde på begge Sider Gittervinduer, som udvidede sig indad i Siderummene og deres Murpiller; ligeledes havde Forhallen på alle Sider Vinduer, som udvidede sig indad. På Murpillerne til begge Sider var der Palmer.

17 Derpå førte han mig ind i den ydre Forgård. Og se, der var Kamre, og Forgården rundt var der et stenlagt Stykke; der var tredive Kamre på Stenlægningen.

18 Det stenlagte Stykke stødte op til Portenes Sidemure, lige så bredt som Portene var lange; det var den nedre Stenlægning.

19 Han målte Forgårdens Bredde fra den nedre Ports indre Forside til den indre Ports ydre Forside til hundrede Alen. Og han førte mig mod Nord,

20 og se, der var en Port, som vendte mod Nord, i den ydre Forgård, og han målte dens Længde og Bredde.

21 Den havde tre Siderum til hver Side, og Murpillerne og Forhallen havde samme Mål som i den første Port; den var halvtredsindstyve Alen lang og fem og tyve Alen bred.

22 Vinduer, Forhal og Palmer havde samme Mål som i den Port, hvis Forside vendte mod Øst; ad syv Trin steg man op dertil, og Forhallen lå inderst inde.

23 En Port til den indre Forgård lå over for Nordporten, ligesom Forholdet var ved Østporten; og han målte fra Port til Port hundrede Alen.

24 Så førte han mig mod Syd og se, der var også en Port mod Syd, og han målte dens Murpiller og Forhal; de havde samme Mål som de andre.

25 Porten og dens Forhal havde Vinduer af samme Slags som de andre. Den var halvtredsindstyve Alen lang og fem og tyve Alen bred;

26 syv Trin førte op til den; Forhallen lå inderst inde, og der var Palmer på Murpillerne til begge Sider.

27 Endelig var der en Port til den indre Forgård over for Sydporten: han målte hundrede Alen fra Port til Port.

28 Derpå førte han mig til den indre Forgård gennem Sydporten, og den målte han; den havde samme Størrelse som de andre,

29 og dens Siderum, Murpiller og Forhal havde samme Størrelse som de andre; Porten og dens Forhal havde Vinduer rundt om. Den var halvtredsindstyve Alen lang og fem og tyve Alen bred.

30 (Der var Forhaller rundt om, fem og tyve Alen lange og fem Alenbrede.

31 Forhallen vendte ud mod den ydre Forgård med Palmer på Murpillerne, og otte Trin dannede dens Opgang.

32 Så førte han mig til Østporten og målte denne Port; den havde samme Størrelse som de andre,

33 og Siderum, Murpiller og Forgård havde samme Størrelse som de andre; Porten og dens Forhal havde Vinduer rundt om. Den var halvtredsindstyve Alen lang og fem og tyve Alen bred.

34 Forhallen vendte ud mod den ydre Forgård med Palmer på Murpillerne til begge Sider, og otte Trin dannede dens Opgang.

35 Så førte han mig til Nordporten og målte den; den havde samme Størrelse som de andre,

36 ligeledes Siderum, Murpiller og Forhal; Porten og dens Forhal havde Vinduer rundt om. Den var halvtredsindstyve Alen lang og fem og tyve Alen bred.

37 Forhallen vendte ud mod den ydre Forgård med Palmer på Murpillerne til begge Sider, og otte Trin dannede dens Opgang.

38 Derpå vendte han sig til det Indre, idet han førte mig til Østporten; der skyllede man Brændofferet

39 Og i Portens Forhal stod to Borde på den ene Side og to på den anden til at slagte Brændofferet, Syndofferet og Skyldofferet på.

40 Også ved det ydre Hjørne, mod Nord når man steg op i Portindgangen, stod to Borde og ved Portforhallens andet Hjørne andre to,

41 fire Borde på hver Side ved Portens Hjørner, i alt otte. På dem slagtede man Slagtofferet.

42 Og, til Brændofferet stod der tre Kvaderstensborde, halvanden Alen lange, halvanden Alen brede og en Alen høje; på dem lagde man de edskaber, med hvilke man slagtede Brændofferet og Slagtofferet.

43 De havde hele Vejen rundt en and på en Håndsbred, der vendte indad; og oven over Bordene var der Tage til Værn mod egn og Sol. Derpå førte han mig atter

44 til den indre Forgård, og se, der var to Kamre, et ved Nordportens Hjørne med Forsiden mod Syd og et andet ved Sydportens Hjørne med Forsiden mod Nord.

45 Og han sagde til mig: "Kammeret her, hvis Forside vender mod Syd, er for Præsterne, der tager Vare på, hvad der er at varetage i Templet,

46 og Kammeret der, hvis Forside vender mod Nord, er for Præsterne, der tager Vare på, hvad der er at varetage ved Alteret. Det er Zadoks Sønoer, som alene af Levis Sønner må nærme sig HE EN for at tjene ham."

47 Så målte han Forgården; den var hundrede Alen lang og hundrede Alen bred i Firkant; og Alteret stod foran Templet.

48 Derpå førte han mig til Templets Forhal og målte Forhallens Piller" ; de var fem Alen brede på begge Sider; Porten var fjorten Alen bred og dens Sidevægge tre Alen på begge Sider,

49 og Forhallen var tyve Alen lang og tolv Alen bred. Ad ti Trin steg man op til den; og der stod Søjler op ad Pillerne, een på hver Side.

   


The Project Gutenberg Association at Carnegie Mellon University

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Apocalypse Explained #951

Studere hoc loco

  
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951. As "the seven angels that had the seven last plagues," signify the manifestation of the evils and falsities that have devastated the church, and as these are made manifest by means of the Divine truth in the Word, therefore those angels appeared "clothed in linen clean and bright;" for "linen clean and bright" signifies genuine truth. All angels appear clothed according to their functions; for the garments in which they go clothed correspond to their ministries, and in general to their interiors. The angels who are wise from Divine truth appear in white garments of muslin, lawn, or linen, because "muslin," "lawn," and "linen," correspond to the truths in which they are; and for this reason Aaron and his sons had garments of linen in which they ministered. These are described in Moses:

Thou shalt make for Aaron and his sons linen breeches to cover the flesh of their nakedness, from the loins even unto the thighs; these shall be upon them when they shall go into the Tent of meeting and when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place, that they bear not iniquity and die (Exodus 28:42, 43).

Again:

When Aaron shall enter into the holy place he shall put on the linen coat of holiness and the linen breeches shall be upon his flesh, and he shall gird himself with a linen belt and shall put on a linen miter (Leviticus 16:4).

He should put on the same garments when expiating the people (Leviticus 16:32).

Also when he took the ashes from the altar after the burnt-offering (Leviticus 6:10).

[2] In like manner the priests were to minister in the new temple. In Ezekiel:

When the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok shall enter at the gates of the inner court they shall put on linen garments; no wool shall come upon them while they shall minister in the gates of the inner court and within; linen miters shall be upon their head and linen breeches shall be upon their loins (Ezekiel 44:15, 17, 18).

They put on linen garments when they ministered holy things, because all holy administration is effected by the Divine truth. For the priesthood in which Aaron and his sons officiated represented the Lord as to the Divine good; and this ministers all things by means of the Divine truth. Moreover, the Divine truth protects from falsities and evils, which are from hell; therefore it is said "that they bear not iniquity and die," which signifies that otherwise falsities from hell would destroy them. These garments were called "garments of holiness," because holiness is predicated of the Divine truth. As the garments of ministry were linen garments, the priests wore a linen ephod when they ministered, as is read of Samuel (1 Samuel 2:18), and of the priests whom Saul slew (1 Samuel 22:18), and of David when he went before the ark (2 Samuel 6:14).

[3] Also of the Lord Himself in John:

Jesus rose up from supper and laid aside His garments, and took a linen cloth and girded Himself, and poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the linen cloth with which He was girded (Jeremiah 13:4, 5).

The washing of the disciples' feet represented and thus signified purification from evils and falsities by means of the Divine truth from the Lord; for all purification from evils and falsities is effected by the Lord by means of the Divine truth; and this is signified by "the linen cloth" with which the Lord girded Himself and with which He wiped the disciples' feet.

[4] Besides these seven angels treated of in Revelation there have been other angels seen in linen garments; as:

The angel who shall set a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh; and who shall go in between the wheels of cherubim and take coals of fire and scatter them over the city (Ezekiel 9:3, 4, 11; 10:2, 6, 7).

Likewise the angel seen by Daniel, clothed in linen, whose loins were girt with gold of Uphas (Daniel 10:5; 12:6, 7).

These appeared clothed in linen because girded for ministry. The angel who measured the new temple, whose appearance was like that of brass:

Was seen to have a line of flax in his hand and a measuring reed (Ezekiel 40:3).

By "the measuring of the temple" there, is described the New Church as to its quality; this is signified by the number of the measures; and as all the quality of the church is known by the Divine truth, therefore "a line of flax" was in his hand.

[5] As "linen" signifies truth, and "a girdle" everything of it, for it is what embraces and includes all things, and as nothing of truth any longer remained with the sons of Israel, therefore:

The prophet Jeremiah was commanded to buy himself a linen girdle, and to hide it in the cleft of a rock at the Euphrates; and at the end of many days it was spoiled and was profitable for nothing (Jeremiah 13:1-7).

"The linen girdle" signifies all the truth of doctrine from the Word. What is signified by its being "hidden in the cleft of a rock at the Euphrates and was there spoiled," may be seen above n. 569.

[6] "Linen" signifies the truth of the church also in Isaiah:

A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not extinguish, and He will bring forth judgment in truth (Isaiah 42:3).

This was said of the Lord; and "the smoking flax," that He will not extinguish signifies the small amount of truth from good with anyone. (The rest may be seen explained above, n. 627.) "Linen" signifies also truth from the Word, especially the truth of the sense of its letter (Hosea 2:5, 9).

[7] Moreover, it was a statute with the sons of Israel:

That they should not wear a garment of wool and linen mixed together (Deuteronomy 22:11).

The reason was that "wool" signifies good and "linen" truth, also because man has communication with the societies of heaven by means of his garments; and there are societies that are in good and societies that are in truth; and man must not have communication with different societies at the same time, which would cause confusion. That this was the reason for this statute no one has heretofore known. But it has been granted me to know it from changing my garments; for when I have laid aside a linen garment those in the spiritual world who were in truths have complained that they could not be present; and when I again put on the garment the same spirits became present. That there is such correspondence with the very garments of man has not been known heretofore, and yet it can be seen from the passages cited above, namely, from what is said of the linen garments of Aaron and his sons, the linen ephod that the priests and David wore, the linen in which the angels appeared clothed, and the linen cloth with which the Lord girded Himself and wiped the disciples' feet, also the other garments of Aaron and his sons, all of which were representative; also from the signification of garments in general, as being truths clothing good (See above, n. 64, 65, 195, 271, 395, 475, 476, 637).

(Continuation respecting the First Commandment)

[8] It is not believed in the world that the love of ruling from the mere delight of ruling, and the love of possessing goods from the mere delight of possession, and not from the delight of uses, conceal in themselves all evils, and also a contempt for and rejection of all things pertaining to heaven and the church; and for the reason that man is stirred up by the love of self and the love of the world to doing good to the church, the country, society, and the neighbor, by making good deeds honorable and looking for reward. Therefore this love is called by many the fire of life, and the incitement to great things. But it is to be known that so far as these two loves regard uses in the first place and self in the second they are good, while so far as they regard self in the first place and uses in the second they are evil, since man then does all things for the sake of self and consequently from self, and thus in every least thing he does there is self and what is his own [proprium], which regarded in itself is nothing but evil. But to regard uses in the first place and self in the second is to do good for the sake of the church, the country, society, and the neighbor; and the goods that man does to these for the sake of these are not from man but from the Lord. The difference between these two is like the difference between heaven and hell. Man does not know that there is such a difference, because from birth and thus from nature he is in these loves, and because the delight of these loves continually flatters and pleases him.

[9] But let him consider that the love of ruling from the delight of ruling, and not from the delight of uses, is wholly devilish; and such a man may be called an atheist; for so far as he is in that love he does not in his heart believe in the existence of God, and to the same extent he derides in his heart all things of the church, and even hates and pursues with hatred all who acknowledge God, and especially those who acknowledge the Lord. The very delight of their life is to do evil and to commit wicked and infamous deeds of every kind. In a word, they are very devils. This a man does not know so long as he lives in the world; but he will know that it is so when he comes into the spiritual world, as he does immediately after death. Hell is full of such, where instead of having dominion they are in servitude. Moreover, when they are looked at in the light of heaven they appear inverted, with the head downwards and the feet upwards, since they gave rule the first place and uses the second, and that which is in the first place is the head, and that which is the second is the feet; and that which is the head is loved, but that which is the feet is trampled upon.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.