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但以理书 7

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1 巴比伦王伯沙撒元年,但以理在床上做梦,见了脑中的异象,就记录这梦,述其中的大意。

2 但以理:我夜里见异象,看见天的四风陡起,刮在大海之上。

3 有四个大兽从海中上来,形状各有不同:

4 头一个像狮子,有鹰的翅膀;我正观看的时候,兽的翅膀被拔去,兽从地上得立起来,用两脚站立,像人一样,又得了人心。

5 又有一兽如,就是第二兽,旁跨而坐,口齿内衔着根肋骨。有吩咐这兽的起来吞吃多肉。

6 此後我观看,又有一兽如豹,背上有鸟的四个翅膀;这兽有四个头,又得了权柄。

7 其後我在夜间的异象中观看,见第四兽甚是可怕,极其强壮,大有力量,有大铁牙,吞吃嚼碎,所剩下的用脚践踏。这兽与前三兽大不相同,头有十角。

8 我正观看这些角,见其中又长起一个小角;先前的角中有角在这角前,连根被他拔出来。这角有眼,像人的眼,有口说夸大的话。

9 我观看,见有宝座设立,上头坐着亘古常在者。他的衣服洁白如雪,头发如纯净的羊毛。宝座乃火焰,其乃烈火。

10 从他面前有火,像河发出;事奉他的有千千,在他面前侍立的有万万;他坐着要行审判,案卷都展开了

11 那时我观看,见那兽因小角夸大话的声音被杀,身体损坏,扔在火中焚烧。

12 其馀的兽,权柄都被夺去,生命却仍存留,直到所定的时候和日期。

13 我在夜间的异象中观看,见有一位像人子的,驾着天云而来,被领到亘古常在者面前,

14 得了权柄、荣耀、国度,使各方、各国、各族的人都事奉他。他的权柄是永远的,不能废去;他的国必不败坏。

15 至於我─但以理,我的灵在我里面愁烦,我脑中的异象使我惊惶。

16 我就近一位侍立者,问他这一切的真情。他就告诉我,将那事的讲解给我明。

17 这四个大兽就是四王将要在世上兴起。

18 然而,至者的圣民,必要得国享受,直到永永远远。

19 那时我愿知道第四兽的真情,他为何与那三兽的真情大不相同,甚是可怕,有牙铜爪,吞吃嚼碎,所剩下的用脚践踏;

20 头有十角和那另长的一角,在这角前有角被他打落。这角有眼,有夸大话的口,形状强横,过於他的同类。

21 我观看,见这角与圣民争战,胜了他们。

22 直到亘古常在者来给至者的圣民伸冤,圣民得国的时候就到了。

23 那侍立者这样:第四兽就是世上必有的第四国,与一切国大不相同,必吞吃全地,并且践踏嚼碎。

24 至於那十角,就是从这国中必兴起的十王,後来又兴起一王,与先前的不同;他必制伏王。

25 他必向至夸大的话,必折磨至者的圣民,必想改变节期和律。圣民必交付他手一载、二载、半载。

26 然而,审判者必坐着行审判;他的权柄必被夺去,毁坏,灭绝,一直到底。

27 国度、权柄,和天诸国的大权必赐给至者的圣民。他的国是永远的;一切掌权的都必事奉他,顺从他。

28 那事至此完毕。至於我─但以理,心中甚是惊惶,脸色也改变了,却将那事存记在心。

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #664

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664. "For just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!" This symbolically means that everything that emanates from the Lord is just and true, because He is Divine goodness itself and Divine truth itself in heaven and in the church.

Ways symbolize truths that lead to good (no. 176). The title "king" in reference to the Lord symbolizes Divine truth, and "O King of saints" the Divine truth derived from Him in heaven and the church; for saints symbolize people who are governed by Divine truths from the Lord (nos. 173, 586). Consequently "just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!" means symbolically that everything emanating from the Lord is just and true, because He is Divine truth itself in heaven and in the church.

The Lord is called a king in reference to His Divine humanity, because this is the Messiah, the Anointed, the Christ, the Son of God. Messiah in Hebrew is Christ in Greek, and Messiah or Christ is the Son of God, as may be seen in no. 520 above. It is well known that Messiah in Hebrew means both king and anointed.

The Lord as king is the embodiment of Divine truth because that is the symbolic meaning of the title "king" (nos. 20, 483). Kings accordingly symbolize people who possess Divine truths from the Lord (Revelation 1:6; 5:10).

It is because of this that heaven and the church are called the Lord's kingdom, and that His advent into the world is called the gospel of the kingdom.

Heaven and the church are called the Lord's kingdom in Daniel 2:44; 7:13-14, 27; Luke 1:33; 4:43; 8:1, 10; 9:2, 11, 27; 10:11; 16:16; 19:11; 21:31; 22:18; 23:51. And His advent is called the gospel of the kingdom in Matthew 4:23; 9:35; 24:14. 1

But more on this subject may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord.

[2] That the Lord is called a king is apparent from the following passages:

These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings. (Revelation 17:14)

(He who sat on the white horse) is called the Word... And... His... name (is) Lord of lords and King of kings. (Revelation 19:13, 16, cf. Daniel 2:47)

Nathanael... said..., ."..You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (John 1:49)

When the Son of Man comes in His glory..., ...He will sit on the throne of His glory... And the King will say to those on His right hand... (and) to those on the left hand... (Matthew 25:31, 34, 41)

...they cried out: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' The King of Israel! " (John 12:13)

Pilate (asked the Lord:) "Are You a king...?" Jesus answered, ."..I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world...." (John 18:37)

Your eyes will see the King in His beauty... ...Jehovah our King, He will save us. (Isaiah 33:17 , 22)

I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. (Isaiah 43:15)

Thus said Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Jehovah of hosts: "I am the First and I am the Last, and beside Me there is no God." (Isaiah 44:6)

Jehovah shall become King over all the earth. (Zechariah 14:9, cf. Psalms 47:2, 6-8)

Lift up your heads, O you gates..., that the King of glory may come in... Jehovah of hosts, He is the King of glory. (Psalms 24:7-10)

I will raise to David a righteous Branch, (who as) a king shall reign... and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. (Jeremiah 23:5, cf. 33:15)

And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 6:5; 52:7; Jeremiah 10:7, 10; 46:18; Ezekiel 37:22, 24; Zephaniah 3:15; Psalms 20:9; 45:11, 13-14; 68:24; 74:12.

Footnotes:

1. See also Mark 1:14

  
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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.