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Ιεζεκιήλ 43

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1 Και με εφερεν εις την πυλην, την πυλην την βλεπουσαν κατα ανατολας.

2 Και ιδου, η δοξα του Θεου του Ισραηλ ηρχετο απο της οδου της ανατολης· και η φωνη αυτου ως φωνη υδατων πολλων· και η γη ελαμπεν απο της δοξης αυτου.

3 Και η θεα την οποιαν ειδον ητο κατα την θεαν, κατα την θεαν την οποιαν ειδον, οτε ηλθον να χαλασω την πολιν· και αι θεαι ησαν κατα την θεαν, την οποιαν ειδον παρα τον ποταμον Χεβαρ· και επεσον επι προσωπον μου.

4 Και η δοξα του Κυριου εισηλθεν εις τον οικον δια της οδου της πυλης της βλεπουσης κατα ανατολας.

5 Και με εσηκωσε το πνευμα και με εφερεν εις την αυλην την εσωτεραν· και ιδου, ο οικος ητο πληρης της δοξης του Κυριου.

6 Και ηκουσα φωνην λαλουντος προς εμε εκ του οικου· και ο ανθρωπος ιστατο πλησιον μου.

7 Και ειπε προς εμε, Υιε ανθρωπου, τον τοπον του θρονου μου και τον τοπον του ιχνους των ποδων μου, οπου θελω κατοικει εν μεσω των υιων Ισραηλ εις τον αιωνα, και το ονομα μου το αγιον, δεν θελει πλεον βεβηλωσει ο οικος Ισραηλ, ουτε αυτοι ουτε οι βασιλεις αυτων, με τας πορνειας αυτων ουδε με τα πτωματα των βασιλεων αυτων ουδε με τους υψηλους αυτων τοπους.

8 Θετοντες τα κατωφλια αυτων πλησιον των κατωφλιων μου και τους παραστατας αυτων πλησιον των παραστατων μου, ωστε δεν ητο παρα ο τοιχος μεταξυ εμου και αυτων, εβεβηλουν ουτω το ονομα μου το αγιον με τα βδελυγματα αυτων, τα οποια επραττον· δια τουτο ηναλωσα αυτους εν τω θυμω μου.

9 Τωρα ας απομακρυνωσιν απ' εμου τας πορνειας αυτων και τα πτωματα των βασιλεων αυτων, και θελω κατοικει εν μεσω αυτων εις τον αιωνα.

10 Συ, υιε ανθρωπου, δειξον τον οικον τουτον εις τον οικον Ισραηλ, δια να εντραπωσι δια τας ανομιας αυτων· και ας μετρησωσι το σχεδιον.

11 Και εαν εντραπωσι δια παντα οσα επραξαν, δειξον εις αυτους την μορφην του οικου και την διαταξιν αυτου και τας εξοδους αυτου και τας εισοδους αυτου και πασαν την μορφην αυτου και πασας τας διαταξεις αυτου και πασαν την μορφην αυτου και παντα τον νομον αυτου, και διαγραψον αυτον ενωπιον αυτων, δια να φυλαξωσιν ολην την μορφην αυτου και πασας τας διαταξεις αυτου και να εκτελωσιν αυτας.

12 Ουτος ειναι ο νομος του οικου· επι της κορυφης του ορους, ολον το οριον αυτου κυκλω κυκλω θελει εισθαι αγιωτατον. Ιδου, ουτος ειναι ο νομος του οικου.

13 Και ταυτα ειναι τα μετρα του θυσιαστηριου εις πηχας· η πηχη ειναι μια πηχη κοινη και παλαμη· το μεν κοιλωμα αυτου θελει εισθαι μια πηχη και το πλατος μια πηχη, το δε γεισωμα αυτου εις τα χειλη αυτου κυκλω μια σπιθαμη· και τουτο θελει εισθαι το ανωτερον μερος του θυσιαστηριου.

14 Απο δε του κοιλωματος του προς την γην εως της κατωτερας οφρυος θελει εισθαι δυο πηχαι και το πλατος μια πηχη· και απο της οφρυος της μικροτερας εως της οφρυος της μεγαλητερας, τεσσαρες πηχαι, και το πλατος μια πηχη.

15 Και το θυσιαστηριον θελει εισθαι τεσσαρων πηχων το υψος· απο δε του θυσιαστηριου και επανω θελουσιν εισθαι τεσσαρα κερατα.

16 Και το θυσιαστηριον θελει εισθαι δωδεκα πηχων το μηκος και δωδεκα το πλατος, τετραγωνον εις τας τεσσαρας πλευρας αυτου.

17 Και η οφρυς θελει εισθαι δεκατεσσαρων πηχων το μηκος και δεκατεσσαρων το πλατος εις τας τεσσαρας πλευρας αυτης· και το γεισωμα κυκλω αυτης μιση πηχη· και το κοιλωμα αυτης κυκλω μια πηχη· και αι βαθμιδες αυτης θελουσι βλεπει προς ανατολας.

18 Και ειπε προς εμε, Υιε ανθρωπου, ουτω λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος· Αυται ειναι αι διαταξεις του θυσιαστηριου καθ' ην ημεραν κατασκευασωσιν αυτο, δια να προσφερωσιν επ' αυτου ολοκαυτωμα και να ραντιζωσιν επ' αυτο αιμα.

19 Και θελεις δωσει εις τους ιερεις τους Λευιτας, τους οντας εκ του σπερματος Σαδωκ, τους πλησιαζοντας με δια να λειτουργωσιν εις εμε, λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος, μοσχον βοος δια προσφοραν περι αμαρτιας.

20 Και θελεις λαβει απο του αιματος αυτου και βαλει επι τα τεσσαρα κερατα αυτου και επι τας τεσσαρας γωνιας της οφρυος και επι το γεισωμα κυκλω· και θελεις καθαρισει αυτο και καμει εξιλεωσιν περι αυτου.

21 Και θελεις λαβει τον μοσχον τον δια προσφοραν περι αμαρτιας, και θελουσι καυσει αυτον εν τω διωρισμενω τοπω του οικου εξω του αγιαστηριου.

22 Και την δευτεραν ημεραν θελεις προσφερει τραγον εξ αιγων αμωμον δια προσφοραν περι αμαρτιας· και θελουσι καθαρισει το θυσιαστηριον, ως εκαθαρισαν δια του μοσχου.

23 Αφου τελειωσης καθαριζων αυτο, θελεις προσφερει μοσχον βοος αμωμον και κριον εκ του ποιμνιου αμωμον.

24 Και θελεις προσφερει αυτα ενωπιον του Κυριου, και οι ιερεις θελουσι ριψει ολας επ' αυτα και θελουσιν ολοκαυτωσει αυτα ολοκαυτωμα εις τον Κυριον.

25 Επτα ημερας θελεις ετοιμαζει καθ' εκαστην τραγον δια προσφοραν περι αμαρτιας· και θελουσιν ετοιμαζει μοσχον βοος και κριον εκ του ποιμνιου, αμωμους.

26 Επτα ημερας θελουσι καμνει εξιλεωσιν περι του θυσιαστηριου και καθαριζει αυτο· και αυτοι θελουσι καθιερωθη.

27 Και αφου συμπληρωθωσιν αι ημεραι, απο της ογδοης ημερας και εφεξης θελουσι προσφερει οι ιερεις τα ολοκαυτωματα σας επι του θυσιαστηριου και τας ειρηνικας προσφορας σας· και εγω θελω σας δεχθη, λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος.

   

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Divine Providence #134

Studere hoc loco

  
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134a. 2. No one is reformed by visions or by conversations with the dead, because they compel. There are two kinds of visions, divine and demonic. Divine visions are given by means of portrayals in heaven, while demonic visions are effected though magical events in hell. There are imaginary visions as well, visions that are the illusions of a mind that has lost its bearings.

Divine visions (which as just noted are given by means of portrayals in heaven) are the kind that happened to the prophets. When they were having these visions they were not in the body but in the spirit, because visions cannot happen to us while we are physically awake. So when the prophets saw visions, it says that they were in the spirit, as the following passages show.

Ezekiel said, "The spirit lifted me up and took me back to Chaldea to the captivity in a vision of God, in the spirit of God; so the vision that I saw came over me" (Ezekiel 11:1, 24). Then too, spirits held him up between earth and heaven and brought him to Jerusalem in visions of God (Ezekiel 8:3 and following). The same thing happened in a vision of God or in the spirit when he saw the four animals that were cherubim (Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10) and when he saw the new temple, the new earth, and the angel measuring them (Ezekiel chapters 40-48). It says in chapter Ezekiel 40:2, 26 that he was in visions of God at the time, and in chapter Ezekiel 43:5 that he was in the spirit.

[2] Zechariah was in the same kind of state when he saw the man on horseback among the myrtle trees (Zechariah 1:8 and following), when he saw the four horns and the man with a measuring line in his hand (Zechariah 1:18, 20, 21; Zechariah 2:1 and following), when he saw the lampstand and the two olive trees (Zechariah 4:1 and following), when he saw the flying scroll and the ephah (Zechariah 5:1, 6), and when he saw the four chariots coming out from the four mountains, and the horses (Zechariah 6:1 and following).

Daniel was in the same kind of state when he saw the four beasts rising from the sea (Daniel 6:1 [7:1] and following), and when he saw the battles of the ram and the goat (Daniel 8:1 and following). It says in Daniel 7:1-2, 7, and 13; in Daniel 8:2; and in Daniel 10:1, 7, and 8 that he saw these things in the vision of his spirit, and it says in Daniel 9:21 that he saw the angel Gabriel in a vision.

[3] John was in the vision of the spirit when he saw the things he describes in the Book of Revelation--for example, when he saw the seven lampstands with the Human-born One in their midst (Revelation 1:12-16), when he saw the throne in heaven with someone sitting on it, surrounded by the four animals that were cherubim (Revelation 4), when he saw the book of life taken by the Lamb (Revelation 5), when he saw the horses come out of the book (Revelation 6), when he saw the seven angels with their trumpets (Revelation 8), when he saw the pit of the abyss opened with the locusts coming out of it (Revelation 9), when he saw the dragon and its battle with Michael (Revelation 12), when he saw the two beasts rise up, one from the sea and one from the land (Revelation 13), when he saw the woman sitting on the scarlet beast (Revelation 17) and the destruction of Babylon (Revelation 18), when he saw the white horse with someone riding it (Revelation 18 [19]), when he saw the new heaven and the new earth and the holy Jerusalem coming down from heaven (Revelation 21), and when he saw the river of water of life (Revelation 22). It says that he saw these things in the vision of his spirit in Revelation 1:11 [1:10]; Revelation 4:2; Revelation 5:1; Revelation 6:1; and Revelation 21:12 [21:10].

These were the kinds of visions that were visible from heaven to the sight of their spirits and not to their physical sight.

Things like this do not happen nowadays, because if they did they would not be understood, since they happen by means of images whose details are pointing to inner features of the church and secrets of heaven. It was foretold in Daniel 9:24 that they would stop when the Lord came into the world.

However, demonic visions have sometimes occurred. They are brought about by spirits who inspire deceptive passions and visions and who call themselves the Holy Spirit because of a mental confusion that engulfs them. Now, however, these spirits have been gathered in by the Lord and consigned to a hell separate from the other hells.

We can see from all this that no one can be reformed by any visions except the ones that are in the Word. There are imaginary visions as well, but these are nothing but the illusions of a mind that has lost its bearings.

134b. The story that the Lord told about the rich man in hell and Lazarus in Abraham's lap shows that no one is reformed by conversations with the dead. The rich man said, "Father Abraham, I beg you to send Lazarus to my father's house where I have five brothers, to bear witness to them so that they do not come to this place of torment." Abraham said to him, "They have Moses and the prophets: let them heed them." But he said, "No, father Abraham, but if someone came to them from the dead, they would repent." He answered him, "If they do not heed Moses and the prophets, they would not be convinced if someone rose from the dead" (Luke 16:27-31).

Conversations with the dead may lead to the same results as miracles that I have just described. That is, we may be convinced and be constrained to worship for a short while. However, since this deprives us of rational functioning at the same time that it hems in our evils, as already noted [130-131, 133], this spell or inner restraint is released and the pent-up evils erupt in blasphemy and profanation. Still, this happens only when spirits have imposed some religious dogma. No good spirit--let alone any angel of heaven--would ever do this.

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

Bibliorum

 

Ezekiel 10

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1 Then I looked, and see, in the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

2 He spoke to the man clothed in linen, and said, Go in between the whirling [wheels], even under the cherub, and fill both your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. He went in as I watched.

3 Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.

4 The glory of Yahweh mounted up from the cherub, [and stood] over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Yahweh's glory.

5 The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.

6 It came to pass, when he commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim, that he went in, and stood beside a wheel.

7 The cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and took [of it], and put it into the hands of him who was clothed in linen, who took it and went out.

8 There appeared in the cherubim the form of a man's hand under their wings.

9 I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like a beryl stone.

10 As for their appearance, the four of them had one likeness, like a wheel within a wheel.

11 When they went, they went in their four directions: they didn't turn as they went, but to the place where the head looked they followed it; they didn't turn as they went.

12 Their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes all around, [even] the wheels that the four of them had.

13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, the whirling [wheels].

14 Every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

15 The cherubim mounted up: this is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar.

16 When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also didn't turn from beside them.

17 When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.

18 The glory of Yahweh went forth from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim.

19 The cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went forth, and the wheels beside them: and they stood at the door of the east gate of Yahweh's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.

21 Every one had four faces, and Every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.

22 As for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves; they went every one straight forward.

   

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