2
인자야 예루살렘으로 그 가증한 일을 알게 하여
예레미야서 13
1
여호와께서 이같이 내게 이르시되 너는 가서 베띠를 사서 네 허리에 띠고 물에 두지 말라 하시기로
2
내가 여호와의 말씀대로 띠를 사서 내 허리에 띠니라
3
여호와의 말씀이 다시 내게 임하니라 가라사대
4
너는 사서 네 허리에 띤 띠를 가지고 일어나 유브라데로 가서 거기서 그것을 바위 틈에 감추라 하시기로
5
내가 여호와께서 내게 명하신 대로 가서 그것을 유브라데 물 가에 감추니라
6
여러날 후에 여호와께서 내게 이르시되 일어나 유브라데로 가서 내가 네게 명하여 거기 감추게 한 띠를 취하라 하시기로
7
내가 유브라데로 가서 그 감추었던 곳을 파고 띠를 취하니 띠가 썩어서 쓸데 없이 되었더라
8
여호와의 말씀이 내게 임하니라 가라사대
9
나 여호와가 말하노라 내가 유다의 교만과 예루살렘의 큰 교만을 이같이 썩게 하리라
10
이 악한 백성이 내 말 듣기를 거절하고 그 마음의 강퍅한 대로 행하며 다른 신들을 좇아 그를 섬기며 그에게 절하니 그들이 이 띠의 쓸데없음 같이 되리라
11
나 여호와가 말하노라 띠가 사람의 허리에 속함같이 내가 이스라엘 온 집과 유다 온 집으로 내게 속하게 하여 그들로 내 백성이 되게 하며 내 이름과 칭예와 영광이 되게 하려 하였으나 그들이 듣지 아니하였느니라
12
그러므로 너는 이 말로 그들에게 이르기를 이스라엘의 하나님 여호와의 말씀에 모든 병이 포도주로 차리라 하셨다 하라 그리하면 그들이 네게 이르기를 모든 병이 포도주로 찰줄을 우리가 어찌 알지 못하리요 하리니
13
너는 다시 그들에게 이르기를 여호와의 말씀에 보라, 내가 이 땅의 모든 거민과 다윗의 위에 앉은 왕들과 제사장들과 선지자들과 예루살렘 모든 거민으로 잔뜩 취하게 하고
14
또 그들로 피차 충돌하여 상하게 하되 부자간에도 그러하게 할 것이라 내가 그들을 불쌍히 여기지 아니하며 관용치 아니하며 아끼지 아니하고 멸하리라 하셨다 하라 여호와의 말이니라
15
너희는 들을 지어다, 귀를 기울일지어다, 교만하지 말지어다, 여호와께서 이같이 말씀하시느니라
16
그가 흑암을 일으키시기전, 너희 발이 흑암한 산에 거치기전, 너희 바라는 빛이 사망의 그늘로 변하여 침침한 흑암이 되게 하시기 전에 너희 하나님 여호와께 영광을 돌리라
17
너희가 이를 듣지 아니하면 나의 심령이 너희 교만을 인하여 은근히 곡할 것이며 여호와의 양무리가 사로잡힘을 인하여 눈물을 흘려 통곡하리라
18
너는 왕과 왕후에게 고하기를 스스로 낮추어 앉으라 관 곧 영광의 면류관이 내려졌다 하라
19
남방의 성읍들이 봉쇄되고 열 자가 없고 유다가 다 잡혀가되 온전히 잡혀가도다
20
너는 눈을 들어 북방에서 오는 자들을 보라 네가 받았던 떼, 네 아름다운 양떼는 어디 있느뇨
21
너의 친구 삼았던 자를 그가 네 위에 수령으로 세우실 때에 네가 무슨 말을 하겠느냐 너의 고통에 잡힘이 구로하는 여인 같지 않겠느냐 ?
22
네가 심중에 이르기를 어찌하여 이런 일이 내게 임하였는고 하겠으나 네 죄악이 크므로 네 치마가 들리고 네 발뒤꿈치가 상함이니라
23
구스인이 그 피부를,표범이 그 반점을 변할 수 있느뇨 할수 있을진대 악에 익숙한 너희도 선을 행할 수 있으리라
24
그러므로 내가 그들을 사막 바람에 불려가는 초개같이 흩으리로다
25
여호와께서 가라사대 이는 네 응득이요 내가 헤아려 정하여 네게 준 분깃이니 네가 나를 잊어버리고 거짓을 신뢰하는 연고라
26
그러므로 내가 네 치마를 네 얼굴에까지 들춰서 네 수치를 드러내리라
27
내가 너의 간음과 사특한 소리와 들의 작은 산 위에서 행한 네 음행의 비루하고 가증한 것을 보았노라 화 있을진저 ! 예루살렘이여 네가 얼마나 오랜 후에야 정결하게 되겠느뇨
Arcana Coelestia #9198
9198. 'Any widow' means those who have good that is without truth, and still have a desire for truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'a widow' as good that is without truth and nevertheless has a desire for truth. The reason why 'a widow' has this meaning is that 'a man' (vir) means truth and his 'wife' (mulier) good, so that when this man's wife has become a widow she means good that is without truth. But in an even more internal sense than this 'a widow' means truth that is without good, the reason being that in that sense 'a husband' (maritus) means good and his 'wife' (uxor) truth, see 3236, 4510, 4823. In this sense the Lord by virtue of His Divine Good is called 'Husband' and 'Bridegroom', while His kingdom and Church by virtue of its acceptance of Divine Truth that emanates from the Lord is called 'wife' and 'bride', 9182. But since the subject now is not the Lord's celestial Church but His spiritual Church, 'a widow' means one who has good but not truth, and still has a desire for truth. It is similar with 'an orphan'. In the inmost or celestial sense 'an orphan' means those who have good and a desire for truth. See what has been introduced and explained in 4844 regarding the meaning of 'a widow' and 'an orphan' in the celestial sense. To this let what the Lord says in Luke about the widow in Zarephath be added,
Truly I say to you that no prophet is accepted in his own country. In truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, while there was a great famine over the whole land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath of Sidon, to a woman - a widow. Luke 4:24-26.
[2] Since the Divine was the source of all the things spoken by the Lord they have an inner meaning; and the subject in that inner meaning is the Lord Himself, also His kingdom and the Church. Therefore what the Lord meant on that level of meaning by the things He said about the widow in Zarephath of Sidon may be seen if brought out into the open.
No prophet is accepted in his own country
This means that the Lord and Divine Truth that comes from Him are less well received and loved in people's hearts within the Church than outside it. The Lord spoke these words to the Jews, among whom the Church existed at that time; and as is well known, the Lord was less well received there than by gentiles who were outside the Church. The situation is similar in the Church at the present day, which takes its name Christian from Him. In this Church the Lord is indeed received in what it teaches; yet few accept Him by acknowledging Him in their heart, fewer still doing so with love and affection. The acceptance of Him by gentiles outside the Church who have been converted is different. They worship and adore Him as their one and only God; they declare with their lips and contemplate in their hearts that they acknowledge Him as their God, since He has appeared in human form, 5256. A contrary attitude exists within the Church. Here, because He was born a human being, there is scarcely any acknowledgement of Him as God in people's hearts. They make His Humanity like their own, even though they know that His Father was Jehovah and not a human being. All this shows what 'No prophet is accepted in his own country' has been used to mean in the internal sense. In this sense 'a prophet' means the Lord in respect of Divine Truth, and so in respect of the teachings of the Church. For the meaning of 'a prophet' as one who teaches, and in the abstract sense as doctrinal teachings, and - when it is used in reference to the Lord - as Divine Truth or the Word, see above in 9188 (end).
[3] There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah
In the internal sense this means the situation at that time, when God's truth coming from the Word was acknowledged in the Church. 'Widows' are those who have good that is without truth, as stated above; 'Elijah' is the Lord in respect of the Word, 'the days of Elijah' being the situation or state at that time, when God's truth coming from the Word was received; and 'Israel' is the Church.
'Elijah' represented the Lord in respect of the Word, see Preface to Genesis 18, and 2762, 5247 (end), 8029. 'Days' are states, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850, 6110, 8426. 'Israel' is the Church, 4286, 6426, 6637, 8805.
[4] When the heaven was closed for three years and six months
This means the internal Church completely laid waste, 'the heaven' meaning the internal aspect of the Church, and 'three years and six months' meaning to completeness. For the meaning of 'the heaven' as the internal aspect of the Church, see 1733, 1850, 3355, 4535. It is said to be 'closed' when it has been laid waste and exists no longer. As regards the meaning of 'three years and six months' as to completeness, this is clear from the meaning of '1260 days' in Revelation 11:3; 12:6 - this number of days making up three years and six months - as to completeness or right to the end. It is clear likewise from the meaning of 'three days and a half', Revelation 11:9-11, and also of 'a time and times and half a time' in Revelation 12:14, and in Daniel 12:7 too, as to completeness or right to the end.
[5] While there was a great famine over the whole land
This means the external Church also laid waste, for 'a famine' is an absence and want of truth and good, 3364, 5277, 5279, 5281, 5300, 5360, 5376, 5415, 5576, 6110, 7102, and 'the land' or 'the earth' is the external Church, 1262, 1413, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118 (end), 3355, 4535, 5577, 8011, 8732.
Yet Elijah was sent to none of them
This means the Lord in respect of the Word, thus the Lord's Word, not sent to others, because it would not have been received elsewhere, 'Elijah' being, as stated above, the Lord in respect of the Word.
[6] Except to Zarephath of Sidon, to a woman - a widow
This means sent only to those who have good and a desire for truth. The description 'Zarephath of Sidon' is used because 'Sidon' means cognitions or knowledge of goodness and truth, 1201. The fact that 'a woman - a widow' means one who has good and a desire for truth is evident from this, and especially from what is recorded about her in the first Book of Kings,
Elijah came to Zarephath of Sidon, to a woman - a widow - to sustain him. He told her to bring him a little water to drink, and then to bring him a small piece of bread in her hand. She said that she had a tiny amount of flour in a jar, and a tiny amount of oil in a flask, to make just a cake for herself and her son. Elijah said, Make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and make one for yourself and your son after that. She did so; and the jar of flour was not used up, and the flask of oil did not fail. 1 Kings 17:9-15.
[7] Obedience, and the desire that good has for truth, is described by her giving the prophet water, as she had been commanded to do, and then by her making a cake for him first from the little she had, and for herself and her son after that. Consequent enrichment in the good of truth is meant when it says that the pot of flour was not used up and the flask of oil did not fail.
'Water' in the internal sense is truth, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8568. 'Flour' is truth derived from good, 2177. 'Oil is the good of love, 886, 4582, 4638. 'A cake' made from these ingredients is truth joined to its own good, 7978.
From all this it is plain that 'a widow' means one who has good and a desire for truth. Good and its desire for truth is described by her charity towards the prophet, greater than towards herself and her son, 'a prophet' being teachings that present truth, as has been shown above.
[8] All that has been said here shows what the Word is like, that it conceals within itself the arcana of heaven, which are not visible in the letter. But every detail of what the Lord spoke when He was in the world, and of what He spoke before that through prophets, contains heavenly and Divine matters on a level altogether above the sense of the letter. And not only individual words contain those matters, but even the individual letters of words, indeed the individual parts of each letter. But is there anyone who believes this to be so? Yet it is most certainly so; it has been proved to me beyond all doubt, as in the Lord's Divine mercy will be shown elsewhere.
