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Jezekilj 33

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1 Opet mi dođe reč Gospodnja govoreći:

2 Sine čovečji, govori sinovima naroda svog, i kaži im: Kad pustim na koju zemlju mač, ako narod one zemlje uzme koga između sebe, i postave ga sebi za stražara,

3 I on videvši mač gde ide na zemlju zatrubi u trubu, i opomene narod,

4 Ako se ko čuvši trubu ne uzme na um, i mač došavši pogubi ga, krv će njegova biti na njegovoj glavi.

5 Jer ču glas trubni, i ne uze se na um, krv će njegova biti na njemu; da se uze na um, sačuvao bi dušu svoju.

6 Ako li stražar videvši mač gde ide ne zatrubi u trubu i narod ne bude opomenut, a mač došav pogubi koga između njih, taj će poginuti za svoje bezakonje, ali ću krv njegovu iskati iz ruke stražareve.

7 I tebe, sine čovečji, tebe postavih stražarem domu Izrailjevom; slušaj dakle reč iz mojih usta i opominji ih od mene.

8 Kad kažem bezbožniku: Bezbožniče, poginućeš; a ti ne progovoriš i ne opomeneš bezbožnika da se prođe puta svog; taj će bezbožnik poginuti za svoje bezakonje; ali ću krv njegovu iskati iz tvoje ruke.

9 Ako li ti opomeneš bezbožnika da se vrati sa svog puta, a on se ne vrati sa svog puta, on će poginuti za svoje bezakonje, a ti ćeš sačuvati dušu svoju.

10 Zato ti, sine čovečji, reci domu Izrailjevom: Vi govorite ovako i kažete: Prestupi naši i gresi naši na nama su, i s njih propadamo; kako bismo živeli?

11 Reci im: Tako bio ja živ, govori Gospod Gospod, nije mi milo da umre bezbožnik, nego da se vrati bezbožnik sa svog puta i bude živ; vratite se, vratite se sa zlih puteva svojih, jer zašto da mrete, dome Izrailjev?

12 Zato ti, sine čovečji, reci sinovima naroda svog: Pravednog neće izbaviti pravda njegova kad zgreši, i bezbožnik neće propasti sa bezbožnosti svoje kad se vrati od bezbožnosti svoje, kao što pravednik ne može s nje živeti kad zgreši.

13 Kad kažem pravedniku da će doista živeti, a on se pouzda u pravdu svoju pa učini nepravdu, od sve pravde njegove ništa se neće spomenuti, nego će poginuti s nepravde svoje koju učini.

14 A kad kažem bezbožniku: Doista ćeš poginuti, a on se obrati od greh svog i stane činiti sud i pravdu,

15 I vrati bezbožnik zalog, i vrati šta je oteo, i stane hoditi po uredbama životnim ne čineći bezakonja, doista će biti živ, neće umreti.

16 Od svih greha što je zgrešio ništa mu se neće spomenuti; činio je sud i pravdu, doista će živ biti.

17 A sinovi naroda tvog govore: Nije prav put Gospodnji; a njihov put nije prav.

18 Kad se pravednik odvrati od pravde svoje i učini nepravdu, poginuće s toga.

19 A kad se bezbožnik odvrati od svoje bezbožnosti i učini sud i pravdu, on će živ biti s toga.

20 A vi govorite: Nije prav put Gospodnji. Sudiću vam, dome Izrailjev, svakome po putevima njegovim.

21 A dvanaeste godine robovanja našeg, desetog meseca, petog dana dođe k meni jedan koji uteče iz Jerusalima, i reče: Uze se grad.

22 A ruka Gospodnja dođe nada me uveče pre nego dođe onaj što pobeže, i otvori mi usta dokle onaj dođe k meni ujutru; otvoriše mi se usta, te više ne ćutah.

23 I dođe mi reč Gospodnja govoreći:

24 Sine čovečji, koji žive u onim pustolinama u zemlji Izrailjevoj govore i kažu: Avram beše jedan, i nasledi ovu zemlju; a nas je mnogo; nama je data ova zemlja u nasledstvo.

25 Zato im reci: Ovako veli Gospod Gospod: Jedete s krvlju, i oči svoje podižete ka gadnim bogovima svojim, i krv prolivate, i hoćete da nasledite zemlju?

26 Opirete se na mač svoj, činite gadove, i skvrnite svaki ženu bližnjeg svog, i hoćete da nasledite zemlju?

27 Ovako im reci: Ovako veli Gospod Gospod: Tako ja živ bio, koji su u pustolinama, pašće od mača; i koji je u polju, zverima ću ga dati da ga izjedu; a koji su po gradovima i po pećinama, od pomora će pomreti.

28 Tako ću sasvim opusteti tu zemlju, i nestaće ponosa sile njene, i opusteće gore Izrailjeve da neće niko prolaziti.

29 I oni će poznati da sam ja Gospod kad zemlju sasvim opustim za sve gadove njihove što činiše.

30 A o tebi, sine čovečji, sinovi naroda tvog kazuju o tebi uza zidove i na vratima kućnim, i govore jedan drugom, svaki bratu svom, i vele: Hodite i čujte kakva reč dođe od Gospoda.

31 I dolaze k tebi kao kad se narod skuplja, i narod moj seda pred tobom, i sluša reči tvoje, ali ih ne izvršuje; u ustima su im ljupke, a srce njihovo ide za svojim lakomstvom.

32 I gle, ti si im kao ljupka pesma, kao čovek lepog glasa i koji dobro svira; slušaju reči tvoje, ali ih ne izvršuju.

33 Ali kad to dođe, a evo ide, onda će poznati da je bio prorok među njima.

   

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Apocalypse Revealed #668

Studere hoc loco

  
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668. "For Your judgments have been manifested." This symbolically means that the truths in the Word openly attest to this.

Judgments symbolize the Divine truths in accordance with which a person is to live, truths which reveal his character and are the precepts against which he will be judged. Moreover, because these Divine truths are found in the Word, and the Word now lies open, testifying that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth, therefore the declaration that "Your judgments have been manifested" means symbolically that the truths in the Word attest to this.

That the Word now lies open, testifying that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth, that a person ought to live in accordance with His precepts, and that today's faith is to be rejected, can be seen from four doctrinal works now published, one being The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord, another The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture, a third The Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem, and fourth The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding Faith. These are the doctrines meant by the declaration, "For Your judgments have been manifested."

[2] Since the Lord embodies Divine good and truth, and since judgment symbolizes Divine truth, and righteousness Divine good, therefore in many passages referring to the Lord we find mention of righteousness and judgment, as for example in the following:

Zion shall be redeemed in righteousness, and her repatriates with judgment. (Isaiah 1:27)

(He will sit) upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to... establish it with judgment and righteousness... (Isaiah 9:7)

Be Jehovah exalted, for He dwells on high, and has filled the earth with judgment and righteousness. (Isaiah 33:5)

...let him who glories glory in this..., that... Jehovah (exercises)...judgment and righteousness in the earth. (Jeremiah 9:24)

...I will raise to David a righteous Branch, who shall reign as a King... and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. (Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15)

I will betroth Myself to you forever... in righteousness and with judgment... (Hosea 2:19)

Judgment will flow like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream. (Amos 5:24)

Your righteousness, (O Jehovah,) is like the mountains of God, Your judgments like a great deep. (Psalms 36:6)

(Jehovah) shall bring forth His righteousness as the light, and judgment as the noonday. (Psalms 37:6)

(Jehovah) will judge His people with righteousness, and His wretched with judgment. (Psalms 72:2)

Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of His throne. (Psalms 89:14)

...when I learn the judgments of Your righteousness... Seven times a day I praise You because of the judgments of Your righteousness. (Psalms 119:7, 164)

And elsewhere that people ought to exercise righteousness and judgment, as in Isaiah 1:21; 5:16; 56:1; 58:2; Jeremiah 4:2; 22:3, 13, 15; Ezekiel 18:5; 33:14, 16, 19; Amos 6:12; Micah 7:9; Deuteronomy 33:21; John 16:8, 10-11. Righteousness there refers to the goodness of truth, and judgment to the truth accompanying goodness.

[3] Since judgment refers to truth, and righteousness to goodness, therefore in some places we find references to truth and righteousness, as in Isaiah 11:5, Psalms 85:11. Also in Psalms:

The judgments of Jehovah are true; they are righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold..., and sweeter than honey... (Psalms 19:9-10)

That the Lord's government in the celestial kingdom is termed one of righteousness, and in the spiritual kingdom one of judgment, may be seen in the book Heaven and Hell (published in London), nos. 214-216.

  
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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.

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #2715

Studere hoc loco

  
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2715. Two arcana exist here, the first being that, compared with the good of the celestial man, that of the spiritual man is obscure, the second that this obscurity is brightened by light from the Lord's Divine Human. As regards the first of these - that the good residing with the spiritual man is obscure compared with the celestial man's - this may be seen from what has been stated above in 2708 about the state of the spiritual man in comparison with that of the celestial man. From a comparison of the two states the fact of that obscurity is quite evident. With those who are celestial good itself exists implanted in the will part of their mind, and from there light enters the understanding part. But with those who are spiritual the whole of the will part is corrupted, so that they have no good at all from there, and therefore the Lord implants good in the understanding part of their mind, see 863, 875, 895, 927, 928, 1023, 1043, 1044, 2124, 2256. The will part is, in the main, the part of man's mind that possesses life, whereas the understanding part receives life from the will. Since therefore the will part in the case of the spiritual man is so corrupted as to be nothing but evil, and yet evil is flowing in from there unceasingly and constantly into the understanding part, that is, into his thought, it is clear that the good there is obscure compared with the celestial man's good.

[2] As a consequence those who are spiritual do not have love to the Lord, as those who are celestial do; nor therefore does that humility exist with them which is essential in all worship and by means of which good can flow in from the Lord; for a heart that is haughty is not at all receptive, only one that is humble. Nor do those who are spiritual have love towards the neighbour, as those who are celestial do, because self-love and love of the world are constantly flowing in from the will part of their mind, bringing obscurity into the good that goes with that love towards the neighbour. This may also become clear to one who reflects from the fact that when he helps another he does so for worldly reasons; thus though he may not consciously have it in mind he is nevertheless thinking about what he will get in return either from those he helps or in the next life from the Lord, which being so his good is still defiled with merit-seeking. It may also become clear to him from the fact that when he has done anything good and is able to speak about it to others and so set himself up above others, he is in his element. But those who are celestial love the neighbour more than they love themselves, and do not ever think about repayment or in any way set themselves up above others.

[3] The good residing with those who are spiritual is in addition made obscure by persuasive beliefs that are the product of various assumptions, which likewise have their origin in self-love and love of the world. For the nature of their persuasive beliefs even in matters of faith, see 2682, 2689 (end). This too is a product of the influx of evil from the will part of their mind.

[4] It may in addition become clear that the good residing with the spiritual man is obscure compared with the celestial man's, from the fact that he does not know what truth is, as those who are celestial do, from any perception. Instead he knows what truth is from what he has learned from parents and teachers, and also from the doctrine into which he was born. And when he adds to this anything from himself and from his own thinking, it is for the most part the senses and the illusions of the senses, also the rational and the appearances present within the rational, that predominate, and these make it barely possible for him to acknowledge any pure truth like that acknowledged by those who are celestial. But in spite of this, within things that are seemingly true the Lord implants good, even though these truths are mere illusions or else appearances of truth. But this good is made obscure by such truths, for it derives its specific nature from the truths to which it is joined. It is like the light of the sun falling upon objects. The nature of the objects receiving the light causes the light to be seen within those objects in the form of colours, which are beautiful if the nature of the recipient form and the manner of its receiving are fitting and correspondent, hideous if the nature of the recipient form and the manner of its receiving are not fitting and so not correspondent. In the same way good itself acquires a specific nature from the truth [to which it is joined].

[5] The same arcanum is also evident from the fact that the spiritual man does not know what evil is. He scarcely believes that any other evils exist than actions contrary to the Ten Commandments. Of evils present in affection and thought, which are countless, he has no knowledge nor does he reflect on them or call them evils. All delights whatever that go with evil desires and pleasures he does not regard as other than good; and the actual delights that are part of self-love he both pursues, approves of, and excuses, without knowing that such things have an effect on his spirit and that he becomes altogether such in the next life.

[6] From this it is in a similar way clear that although the whole of the Word deals with scarcely any other matter than the good which goes with love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour, the spiritual man does not know that that good is the sum and substance of faith, nor even what the essential nature of love and charity is. It is also clear that though something which is a matter of faith may be known to him - faith being considered by him to be essential in itself - he nevertheless discusses whether it is true, unless he has been confirmed by much experience of life. Those who are celestial do not discuss the same because they know and have a perception that it is true hence the Lord's statement in Matthew,

Let your words be, Yes, yes; No, no; anything beyond this is from evil. 1 Matthew 5:37.

For those who are celestial are immersed in the truth itself about which those who are spiritual dispute. Consequently because those who are celestial are immersed in the truth itself, they are able to see from it numberless facets of that truth, and so from light to see so to speak heaven in its entirety. But those who are spiritual, because they dispute whether it is true, cannot - so long as they do so - arrive at the remotest boundary of the light existing with those who are celestial, let alone behold anything from their light.

V:

1. or from the evil one

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