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Ezekiel 15

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1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 Son of man, what is the vine-tree more than any branching tree which is among the trees of the woods?

3 Will its wood be used for any work? do men make of it a pin for hanging any vessel on?

4 See, it is put into the fire for burning: the fire has made a meal of its two ends and the middle part of it is burned; is it good for any work?

5 Truly, before it was cut down, it was not used for any purpose: how much less, when the fire has made a meal of it and it is burned, will it be made into anything?

6 For this cause the Lord has said: Like the vine-tree among the trees of the woods which I have given to the fire for burning, so will I give the people of Jerusalem.

7 And my face will be turned against them; and though they have come out of the fire they will be burned up by it; and it will be clear to you that I am the Lord when my face is turned against them.

8 And I will make the land a waste because they have done evil, says the Lord.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #297

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297. Celestial good is unclothed because it is inmost and is innocent. Good that is celestial-spiritual however is the first to be clothed, and then natural good, for they are more exterior. They are also compared to, and actually called, clothing, as in Ezekiel where the Ancient Church is the subject,

I clothed you with embroidered cloth, shed you with badger, swathed you in fine linen, and covered you with silk. Ezekiel 16:10.

In Isaiah,

Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city. Isaiah 52:1.

In Revelation,

Those who have not soiled their garments will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. Revelation 3:4, 5.

And in the same book the twenty-four elders were 'clad in white garments', Revelation 4:4. These references show that goods which are more exterior, as are celestial-spiritual and natural, are clothing. And this also is why people who are endowed with the goods springing from charity are seen in heaven dressed in magnificent robes. In the present context however, because they were still in the body, they had 'coats of skin'.

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

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