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The Bible

 

Ezekiel 25

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1 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, set thy face toward the children of Ammon, and prophesy against them:

3 and say unto the children of Ammon, Hear the word of the Lord Jehovah: Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Because thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was made desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity:

4 therefore, behold, I will deliver thee to the children of the east for a possession, and they shall set their encampments in thee, and make their dwellings in thee; they shall eat thy fruit, and they shall drink thy milk.

5 And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the children of Ammon a couching-place for flocks: and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.

6 For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because thou hast clapped thy hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced with all the despite of thy soul against the land of Israel;

7 therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil to the nations; and I will cut thee off from the peoples, and I will cause thee to perish out of the countries: I will destroy thee; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah.

8 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because that Moab and Seir do say, Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the nations;

9 therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim,

10 unto the children of the east, [to go] against the children of Ammon; and I will give them for a possession, that the children of Ammon may not be remembered among the nations.

11 and I will execute judgments upon Moab; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.

12 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them;

13 therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, I will stretch out my hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; even unto Dedan shall they fall by the sword.

14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel; and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my wrath; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord Jehovah.

15 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with despite of soul to destroy with perpetual enmity;

16 therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will stretch out my hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.

17 And I will execute great vengeance upon them with wrathful rebukes; and they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #298

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298. And I looked, and behold, a white horse. (6:2) This symbolizes an understanding of truth and goodness from the Word among those people.

A horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word, and a white horse an understanding of truth from the Word. For the color white is predicated of truths (no. 167).

That a horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word is something we showed in a separate short work titled The White Horse. But because we cited only some passages there, we will present more here by way of confirmation. The reality of it is clearly apparent from the fact that horses were seen to go forth from the book which the Lamb opened, and that the living creatures said, "Come and see." For the living creatures symbolize the Word (nos. 239, 275, 286). So, too, does the book (no. 256). And the Son of Man, who here is the Lamb, is the Lord in relation to the Word (no. 44).

It is apparent from this, first, that nothing else is meant here by the horse than an understanding of the Word. This can be still more clearly seen from this later description in the book of Revelation:

I saw heaven opened, when behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called... The Word of God... And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS... And His armies in heaven... followed Him on white horses. (Revelation 19:11, 13-14, 16)

[2] That a horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word can be further seen from the following passages:

O Jehovah..., is Your wrath against the sea, that You ride on Your horses, Your chariots of salvation? ...You trampled the sea with your horses, the mud of many waters. (Habakkuk 3:8, 15)

The hooves of Jehovah's horses are regarded as rocks... (Isaiah 5:28)

On that day... I will strike every horse with stupor, and its rider with madness...; and I will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. (Zechariah 12:4)

On that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, "Holiness to Jehovah." (Zechariah 14:20)

Because God has made her forget wisdom, and did not impart to her understanding. When she lifts herself on high, she scorns the horse and its rider. (Job 39:17-18, and following verses)

I will cut off... the horse from Jerusalem... Rather He shall speak peace to the nations. (Zechariah 9:10)

At Your rebuke, (O Jehovah,) both the chariot and horse fell asleep. (Psalms 76:6)

I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms... and I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down... (Haggai 2:22)

With you I will disperse... kingdoms; with you I will disperse the horse and its rider. (Jeremiah 51:20-21)

Assemble yourselves... from round about to My sacrifice... You will be satisfied at My table with horses and riders... (Thus) I will set My glory among the nations. (Ezekiel 39:17, 20-21)

...gather together for the great supper of God, (and) you (will) eat... the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them... (Revelation 19:17-18)

Dan shall be... a viper by the path, that bites the horse's heels, so that its rider falls backward. I have waited for your salvation, O Jehovah! (Genesis 49:17-18)

Gird Your sword..., O Mighty One... Mount up..., ride upon the Word of truth... (Psalms 45:3-4)

Sing to God...; extol Him who rides on the clouds... (Psalms 68:4)

Behold, Jehovah is riding on a... cloud... (Isaiah 19:1)

Sing praises to the Lord..., to Him who rides on the heaven of the heaven of old...! (Psalms 68:32-33)

(God) rode upon a cherub... (Psalms 18:10)

Then you shall delight yourself in Jehovah; and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the earth... (Isaiah 58:14)

Jehovah alone led him... (And) He made him ride in the heights of the earth... (Deuteronomy 32:12-13)

I will make Ephraim ride. (Hosea 10:11)

Ephraim also symbolizes an understanding of the Word.

[3] Since Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in relation to the Word, therefore they were called the chariot of Israel and his horsemen. Elisha said to Elijah,

"My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" (2 Kings 2:12)

And Joash said to Elisha,

"O my father..., the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" (2 Kings 13:14)

Jehovah opened the eyes of (Elisha's) servant, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:17)

A chariot symbolizes doctrine from the Word, and a horseman one who is wise as a result of it.

The following have similar symbolic meanings: The four chariots coming from between the bronze mountains in Zechariah, and the four horses harnessed to them, which were red, black, white, and dappled, called also four spirits, and said to go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth (Zechariah 6:1-8, 15). Horses in these places symbolize an understanding of the Word, or an understanding of truth from the Word. So, too, in other places.

[4] This can be further seen from horses mentioned in an opposite sense, in which they symbolize an understanding of the Word or of truth falsified by reasonings, and also extinguished, and likewise a person's own intelligence, as in the following passages:

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses..., and do not look to the Holy One of Israel... Egypt is man and not God, and its horses are flesh and not spirit. (Isaiah 31:1, 3)

You shall... set a king over (Israel) whom Jehovah... chooses... Only let him not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses. (Deuteronomy 17:15-16)

These statements are made because Egypt symbolizes knowledge and reasoning springing from a person's own intelligence, the result of which is a falsification of the Word's truth, which is the meaning of horses here.

Assyria shall not save us. We will not ride on a horse... (Hosea 14:3)

Some glory in chariots, and some in horses; but we will glory in the name of... our God. (Psalms 20:7)

A horse is a false means for safety. (Psalms 33:17)

(Jehovah) does not delight in the strength of the horse. (Psalms 147:10)

...thus says... the Holy One of Israel: ."..In... confidence shall be your strength." But... you said, "No..., ...we will flee on a horse...." And, "We will ride on a swift horse." (Isaiah 30:15-16)

...Jehovah... will make (Judah) as a glorious horse... ...the riders on horses shall be put to shame. (Zechariah 10:3, 5)

Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies... ...and the neighing horse, and the jolting chariot... The horseman causing to ascend... (Nahum 3:1-4)

...I will bring against Tyre... the king of Babylon..., with horses, with chariots, and with horsemen... Because of the abundance of his horses, their dust will cover you; your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen... and the chariots... With the hooves of his horses he will trample all your streets. (Ezekiel 26:7-11)

Tyre symbolizes the church in respect to its concepts of truth, in this case these concepts falsified in it, which are the horses of Babylon. And so on in other places, as in Isaiah 5:28; Ezekiel 17:15; 23:6, 20; Habakkuk 1:6, 8-10; Psalms 66:12.

An understanding of the Word extinguished is symbolized also by the horses, fiery red, black and pale, in the verses that now follow.

To be shown that a horse symbolizes an understanding of truth from the Word owing to appearances in the spiritual world, see my small book titled The White Horse.

  
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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.

The Bible

 

Revelation 18

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1 After these things, I saw another angel coming down out of the sky, having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory.

2 He cried with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and she has become a habitation of demons, a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird!

3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from the abundance of her luxury."

4 I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you don't receive of her plagues,

5 for her sins have reached to the sky, and God has remembered her iniquities.

6 Return to her just as she returned, and repay her double as she did, and according to her works. In the cup which she mixed, mix to her double.

7 However much she glorified herself, and grew wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning. For she says in her heart, 'I sit a queen, and am no widow, and will in no way see mourning.'

8 Therefore in one day her plagues will come: death, mourning, and famine; and she will be utterly burned with fire; for the Lord God who has judged her is strong.

9 The kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her, will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning,

10 standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying, 'Woe, Woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For your judgment has come in one hour.'

11 The merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise any more;

12 merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, all expensive wood, every vessel of ivory, every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble;

13 and cinnamon, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, sheep, horses, chariots, and people's bodies and souls.

14 The fruits which your soul lusted after have been lost to you, and all things that were dainty and sumptuous have perished from you, and you will find them no more at all.

15 The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, will stand far away for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning;

16 saying, 'Woe, Woe, the great city, she who was dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls!

17 For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.' Every shipmaster, and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood far away,

18 and cried out as they looked at the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What is like the great city?'

19 They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, Woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!' For in one hour is she made desolate.

20 "Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her."

21 A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down, and will be found no more at all.

22 The voice of harpists, minstrels, flute players, and trumpeters will be heard no more at all in you. No craftsman, of whatever craft, will be found any more at all in you. The sound of a mill will be heard no more at all in you.

23 The light of a lamp will shine no more at all in you. The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride will be heard no more at all in you; for your merchants were the princes of the earth; for with your sorcery all the nations were deceived.

24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on the earth."

   

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