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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

 

Coronis (An Appendix to True Christian Religion) #3

  
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3. The same four Churches on this earth are described by four beasts rising up out of the sea, in Daniel; of which it is there written:

The first was seen like a lion, but it had eagle's wings. I beheld until the wings thereof were plucked out, and it was lifted up from the earth, and set up upon feet, erect like a man, and a man's heart was given to it. Afterwards, behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side; three ribs were in its mouth between the teeth: moreover, they were saying thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After these things, I beheld, and, lo, another, like a leopard, which had four wings, like birds' wings, upon the back of it; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. After this, I saw in the night visions, and beheld a fourth beast, terrible and dreadful, and strong exceedingly, which had great iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet; but it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I beheld till thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit; and the judgment was set, and the books were opened; and, behold, one like the Son of Man was coming with the clouds of the heavens. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; and all peoples, nations and languages should worship Him: His dominion is a dominion of an age, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not perish (Dan. 7:3-9, [7:10], 7:13-14, etc.).

That by these beasts, in like manner, are meant and described those four Churches, is manifest from all the particulars there (which shall be unfolded in their order in the following pages); more especially from the last expressions there, that after those four beasts there will come "the Son of Man, to whom shall be given dominion, and a kingdom which shall not pass away nor perish"; who, also, is meant by the Stone made into "a great Rock, which shall fill the whole earth," as may be seen above (n. 2, at the end).

[2] That the states of the Church are likewise described by beasts, as well as by metals, in the Word, is evident from numberless passages, some only of which I will adduce here; which are as follows:

Thou causest the rain of benefits to drop; thou wilt confirm thy wearied inheritance; the beast 1 -thy assembly-shall dwell therein (Psalm 68:9-10).

Every wild beast of the forest is Mine, the beasts in the mountains of thousands; I know every bird of the mountains, the beasts of My fields are with Me (Psalm 50:10-11).

Asshur was a cedar in Lebanon, his height was exalted; all the birds of the heavens made their nests in his branches, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth, and in his shadow dwelt all great nations (Ezek. 31:3, 5-6, 13; Dan. 4:7-13).

In that day will I make a covenant for them with the beast of the field, and with the bird of the heavens, and I will betroth Myself unto thee to eternity (Hosea 2:18-19).

Rejoice and be glad; be not afraid, ye beasts of My fields; for the habitations of the desert are become full of grass (Joel 2:21-22).

Thou, son of man, say unto the bird of every wing, and to every beast of the field, Gather yourselves together to My sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel: thus I will set My glory among the nations (Ezek. 39:17, 20-21).

The enemy hath reproached Jehovah; deliver not the soul of the turtle-dove unto the beast 2 (Psalm 74:18-19).

Jehovah gathereth the outcasts of Israel; every beast of My fields, come (Isa. 56:8-9).

The spirit urging, made Jesus to go forth into the wilderness and He was with the beasts; and angels ministered unto Him (Mark 1:12-13).

He was not with beasts, but with devils, with whom He fought and whom He subdued-(not to mention a thousand other passages, which are adduced in part in the APOCALYPSE REVEALED , n. 567). Moreover, it is well known that the Lord Himself, in the Word, is called a "Lamb" and also a "Lion"; likewise, that the Holy Spirit was represented as a "Dove"; that the cherubs, also, by which the Word in the literal sense is signified, appeared like "four beasts," in Ezekiel and in the Apocalypse; and that the man of the Church who acknowledges the Lord as his God and Shepherd, is called a "sheep"; and, on the other hand, he who does not acknowledge Him, is called a "he-goat" and also a "dragon"; and that an assembly of the latter is described, in like manner as in Daniel, by

The beast out of the sea, like a leopard, whose feet were as it were a bear's, and his mouth as it were a lion's (Rev. 13:1-2).

These comparisons originate from the spiritual world, where all the affections and thoughts therefrom, of angels and spirits, are presented at a distance from them as beasts, which also appear in a form in all respects similar to that of the beasts in the natural world; the affections of the love of good as gentle beasts and good uses, but the affections of the love of evil as savage beasts and evil uses. Hence it is that beasts are so often named in the Word; and by them in the spiritual sense are signified affections, inclinations, perceptions and thoughts. From these considerations it is manifest what is meant by creatures in the following passages:

Jesus commanded the disciples to go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).

If any one be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away, and all things are become new (2 Cor. 5:17).

These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creature of God (Rev. 3:14).

By "creatures," here, are meant those who are capable of being created anew, that is, regenerated, and thus becoming of the Lord's Church.

Footnotes:

1. "Thy beast" is the literal rendering of the Hebrew in this passage, which is [Hebrew]; but it is assumed, in the text here, to be used figuratively for "thy congregation." See Fuerst, in loc. [Hebrew].

2. See R.V.; also the previous footnote.

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