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但以理書 8

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1 伯沙撒王在位第年,有異象現與我─但以理,是在先前所見的異象

2 我見了異象的時候,我以為在以攔省書珊城(或譯:宮)中;我見異象又如在烏萊河邊。

3 我舉目觀,見有雙角的公綿站在河邊,兩角都。這角過那角,更的是後長的。

4 我見那公綿往西、往、往牴觸。獸在他面前都站立不住,也沒有能救護脫離他的;但他任意而行,自高自大。

5 我正思想的時候,見有一隻公山羊從西而,遍行全,腳不沾塵。這山羊兩眼當中有一非常的角。

6 他往我所見、站在河邊有雙角的公綿那裡去,大發忿怒,向他直闖。

7 我見公山就近公綿,向他發烈怒,牴觸他,折斷他的兩角。綿在他面前站立不住;他將綿觸倒在,用腳踐踏,沒有能救綿脫離他的。

8 山羊極其自高自,正強盛的時候,那角折斷了,又在角根上向方(原文是風)長出個非常的角來。

9 四角之中有角長出個小角,向南、向東、向榮美之地,漸漸成為強大。

10 他漸漸強大,象,將些象和宿拋落在,用腳踐踏。

11 並且他自高自大,以為高及天象之君;除掉常獻給君的燔祭,毀壞君的聖所。

12 因罪過的緣故,有軍旅和常獻的燔祭交付他。他將真理拋在上,任意而行,無不順利。

13 見有說話,又有者問那說話:這除掉常獻的燔祭和施行毀壞的罪過,將所與軍旅(或譯:以色列的軍)踐踏的異象,要到幾時才應驗呢?

14 他對我:到二日,所就必潔淨。

15 我─但以理見了這異象,願意明白其中的意思。忽有一位形狀像人的站在我面前。

16 我又見烏萊河兩岸中有人聲呼叫:加百列啊,要使此人明白這異象。

17 他便到我所站的地方。他一,我就驚慌俯伏在地;他對我:人子啊,你要明白,因為這是關乎末後的異象

18 他與我說話的時候,我面伏在沉睡;他就摸我,扶我站起來,

19 :我要指示你惱怒臨完必有的事,因為這是關乎末後的定期。

20 你所見雙角的公綿,就是瑪代和波斯

21 那公山羊就是希利尼王(希利尼:原文是雅完;下同);兩眼當中的角就是頭一王。

22 至於那折斷了的角,在其根上又長出角,這角就是國,必從這國裡興起來,只是權勢都不及他。

23 這四國末時,犯法的人罪惡滿盈,必有一王興起,面貌凶惡,能用雙關的詐語。

24 他的權柄必大,卻不是因自己的能力;他必行非常的毀滅,事情順利,任意而行;又必毀滅有能力的和聖民。

25 他用權術成就中的詭計,心裡自高自大,在人坦然無備的時候,毀滅多人;又要站起來攻擊萬君之君,至終卻非因人而滅亡。

26 所說二千三百日的異象是真的,但你要將這異象封住,因為關乎後來許多的日子。

27 於是我─但以理昏迷不醒,病了數日,然後起來辦理王的事務。我因這異象驚奇,卻無人能明白其中的意思。

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #50

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50. Was in the isle that is called Patmos, signifies revelation to the nations. This is evident from the signification of "Patmos," as being the revelation contained in Revelation; for all places mentioned in the Word signify things, and the things they signify are from the worship there, or from some memorable event that occurred there, or from their location in or near countries whereby the religious principle of the nation is signified. "Patmos" signifies revelation, from the memorable fact that there a revelation was made to John. The revelation was made on an island, because an "island" signifies a nation remote from true worship, but still desiring to be enlightened. That this is signified by "islands" in the Word, will be clear from what follows; in the first place something shall be said about names of places in the Word signifying things.

All persons mentioned in the Word, and all by whom the Word was written, were led to places that were significant, in order that all things might be significative of spiritual things. Even the Lord Himself, for the same reason, went to places thus significative; as into Galilee, to Tyre and Sidon, to Jerusalem, and to the Mount of Olives there, and also, when an infant, He was carried into Egypt. It was similar with the prophets, and with many who are mentioned in the historical Word, as may be abundantly shown. For this reason, John also was commanded to betake himself into the isle of Patmos, that the things that are to be at the end of the church might there be revealed, because "island" signifies a nation about to accept truths of doctrine. This island, moreover, is in the archipelago, where there are numerous other islands; and from this also it is that by "Greece" in the Word such nations are signified. (Thus in Daniel 8:21, 10:20; 11:2; John 12:20-21; Mark 7:26.) (That all names of places mentioned in the Word signify things, see Arcana Coelestia (Arcana Coelestia 1224, 1264, 1876, 1888, 4310, 4442, 10329)

[2] That "islands" signify nations that are about to accede to the true worship of God, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Glorify Jehovah in Urim, the name of the God of Israel in the isles of the sea (Isaiah 24:15).

In the same:

He shall not quench nor break, until He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall hope in His law. Sing unto Jehovah a new song, His praises, ye ends of the earth: ye that go down to the sea, the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let them give glory unto Jehovah, and declare His praise in the islands (Isaiah 42:4, 10, 12).

In the same:

Listen, O isles, unto Me, and hearken, ye peoples from afar (Isaiah 49:1).

In the same:

The isles shall hope in Me, and on My arm shall they trust (Isaiah 51:5).

In the same:

The islands shall trust in Me, and the ships of Tarshish (Isaiah 60:9).

In Jeremiah:

Hear the words of Jehovah, O ye nations, and declare them in the isles afar off (Jeremiah 31:10).

And in Zephaniah:

Jehovah will make lean all the gods of the earth, that they may worship Him, everyone in his place, even all the isles of the nations (Zephaniah 2:11).

(And elsewhere as in Isaiah 23:2, 6 (Isaiah 23:6); Isaiah 41:1, 5; 42:15; 66:19; Jeremiah 2:10; 25:22; Ezekiel 27:3 (Ezekiel 27:3), 7, 15, 35.) From these and other passages it is plain that "isles" signify nations, specifically nations in respect to the doctrine of truth, in other places in respect to the doctrine of falsity; for most things in the Word have also opposite significations.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.