Arcana Coelestia #1326
1326. ‘Propterea vocavit nomen ejus Babel’: quod significet talem cultum, nempe qualis cultus significatur per ‘Babel’, constat ab illis quae hactenus dicta sunt, nempe cultus in quo interius est amor sui, proinde omne quod spurcum et profanum; amor sui non aliud est quam proprium, quod quam spurcum et profanum sit, constare potest ab illis quae de proprio ostensa sunt prius n. 210, 215; ex 1 philautia, hoc est, amore sui seu proprio profluunt omnia mala, sicut odia, vindictae, crudelitates, adulteria, doli, hypocrises, impietas; quare cum amor sui seu proprium inest cultui, talia mala ei insunt, sed secundum differentiam et gradum quanti et qualis quod ex amore isto; inde omnis profanatio cultus: sed ita se res habet: quantum ex amore sui seu proprio se infert cultui, tantum recedit cultus internus seu tantum fit nullus cultus internus; cultus internus consistit in affectione boni et agnitione veri, at quantum amoris sui seu quantum proprii incedit seu intrat, tantum affectio boni et agnitio veri recedit seu exit; sanctum nusquam potest esse cum profano, sicut non caelum cum inferno, sed discedere unum ab altero debet; talis est status et ordo in regno Domini; haec causa est quod apud tales quorum cultus ‘Babel’ vocatur, non detur cultus internus, sed est quoddam mortuum et quidem cadaverosum interius quod colitur; inde qualis est cultus eorum externus in quo tale, patet;
[2] quod talis cultus sit Babel, constat passim ex Verbo ubi describitur Babel, ut apud Danielem, ubi ‘statua, quam vidit Nebuchadnezzar rex Babelis in somnio, cujus caput aurum, pectus et brachia argentum, venter et femora aes, crura ferrum, pedes partim ferrum partim argilla’ significat quod ex vero cultu demum talis cultus qualis vocatur Babel factus, quare etiam e petra excisus lapis contrivit ferrum, aes, argillam, argentum et aurum, Dan. 2:31, 32, [33], 44, 45: Statua auri, quam erexit Nebuchadnezzar rex Babelis, quam adorarent, nec aliud erat, Dan 3:1 ad fin: similiter quod rex Babelis cum magnatibus, ex vasis auri quae erant ex templo Hierosolymae, biberent vinum, et laudarent deos auri, argenti, aeris, ferri et lapidis, et ideo scriptura in pariete, Dan. 5:1 ad fin: tum quod Darius Medus mandaverit ut adoraretur pro deo, Dan. 6:1 ad fin: ut et bestiae in somnio visae Danieli, 7:1 ad fin:
[3] similiter etiam ‘bestiae et Babel’ apud Johannem in Apocalypsi: quod talis cultus significatus et repraesentatus, constat manifeste non modo apud Danielem et Johannem sed etiam apud Prophetas;
apud Esaiam,
Facies flammarum facies eorum; ... stellae caelorum et sidera eorum non lucent luce sua; obtenebratus est sol in ingressu suo; et luna non splendere facit lucem suam:... cubant ibi 2 ziim, et implentur domus eorum 2 ochim, et habitant ibi filiae noctuae, et satyri saltant ibi, et respondent 2 iim in palatiis ejus, et dracones in aedibus voluptatis, 13:8, 10, 21, 22;
ubi agitur de Babele, et describitur internam cultus talis per ‘facies flammarum’ quae sunt cupiditates, per quod ‘stellae’, quae sunt veritates fidei, ‘non luceant’, per quod ‘sol’, qui est amor sanctus, ‘obtenebretur’, per quod ‘luna’, quae est verum fidei, ‘non splendeat’, per ‘ziim, ochim, filias noctuae, satyros, iim, dracones’, quod sint interiora cultus, nam talia sunt amoris sui seu proprii: quare etiam Babel apud Johannem vocatur ‘mater scortationum et abominationum’, Apoc. 17:5,
et apud eundem,
Habitaculum draconum, et custodia omnis spiritus immundi, et custodia omnis avis immundae et exosae, Apoc. 18:2;
ex quibus patet, cum talia intus, quod non possit esse aliquid boni et veri fidei; et quod in tantum recedant bona affectionis et vera fidei, in quantum illa intrant: vocantur ea quoque ‘sculptilia deorum Babelis’, Esai. 21:9.
[4] Quod sit amor sui seu proprium, quod in cultu seu quod sit cultus sui, constat manifeste apud Esaiam,
Propheta parabolam hanc super regem Babelis:... tu dixisti in corde tuo, Caelos ascendam, supra stellas Dei exaltabo thronum meum, et sedebo in monte conventus, in lateribus septentrionis; ascendam supra excelsa nubis; similis fiam Altissimo; verumtamen ad infernum dejectus eris, 14:4, 13-15;
ubi manifeste quod ‘Babel’ sit qui pro deo vult coli, hoc est, quod sit cultus sui:
apud eundem,
[5] Descende, et sede super pulvere virgo filia Babelis; sede in terra, non thronus, filia Chaldaeorum; ... confisa es in malitia tua, dixisti, Nullus videns me, sapientia tua et scientia tua ea avertit te, dixisti in corde tuo, Ego et non sicut ego praeterea, 47:1, 10:
apud Jeremiam,
Ecce ego contra te mons corrumpens, corrumpens totam terram, et extendam, manum, Meam supra te, et devolvam te de petris, et dabo te in montem combustionis:... si ascenderit Babel in caelos, et si muniverit excelsum roboris sui, a Mecum venient vastatores ei, 51:25, 53;
[6] inde quoque patet quod ‘Babel’ sit cultus sui. Quod nulla iis lux veri sed mera caligo, hoc est, quod non iis verum fidei, describitur apud Jeremiam,
Verbum quod locutus est Jehovah contra Babelem; contra terram Chaldaeorum; ... Ascendet super eam gens a septentrione, haec ponet terram ejus in desolationem, et non erit habitans in ea, ab homine usque ad bestiam se dimovebunt, abibunt, 50:1, 3;
‘septentrio’ pro caligine seu non vero; ‘non homo et non bestia’ pro non bono: videantur plura de Babele infra ad vers. 28 ubi de Chaldaea.
അടിക്കുറിപ്പുകൾ:
1. Greek = ‘self love’. This appears to be the only occasion on which Swedenborg uses it; it is not a recognized Latin form.
2. These are from Hebrew (tsiyim) = desert-dwellers, ('ohim) = howling creatures, ('iyim) = howlings, the Revised Version (1881-1885) wolves. All these meanings are conjectural, and Swedenborg retains the Hebrew forms.
Daniel 6
1
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;
2
and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account to them, and that the king should have no damage.
3
Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4
Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault, because he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
5
Then these men said, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
6
Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus to him, King Darius, live forever.
7
All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8
Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn't alter.
9
Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10
When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.
11
Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.
12
Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree: Haven't you signed an decree, that every man who shall make petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn't alter.
13
Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn't respect you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.
14
Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him.
15
Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.
16
Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. [Now] the king spoke and said to Daniel, Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.
17
A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
18
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep fled from him.
19
Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.
20
When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable voice; the king spoke and said to Daniel, Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?
21
Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever.
22
My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me; because as before him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, have I done no hurt.
23
Then was the king exceeding glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24
The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.
25
Then king Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.
26
I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed; and his dominion shall be even to the end.
27
He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
