The Bible

 

以西结书 10

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1 我观,见基路伯上的穹苍之中,显出蓝宝的形状,彷佛宝座的形像。

2 主对那穿细麻衣的:你进去,在旋转的轮内基路伯,从基路伯中间将炭取满两手,撒在城上。我就见他进去。

3 进去的时候,基路伯站在殿的右边,彩充满了内院。

4 耶和华的荣耀从基路伯那里上升,停在门槛以上;殿内满了彩,院宇也被耶和华荣耀的光辉充满。

5 基路伯翅膀的响声听到外院,好像全能神说话声音

6 他吩咐那穿细麻衣的说:要从旋转的基路伯中间取。那就进去站在一个子旁边。

7 有一个基路伯基路伯中伸基路伯中间的那里,取些放在那穿细麻衣的人两中,那人就拿出去了。

8 基路伯翅膀,显出有人的样式。

9 我又观,见基路伯旁边有子。这基路伯旁有子,那基路伯旁有子,每基路伯都是如此;子的颜色(原文是形状)彷佛水苍玉。

10 至於的形状,都是个样式,彷佛中套

11 轮行走的时候,向方都能直行,并不掉向何方,他们也随向何方,行走的时候并不掉

12 他们全身,连背带翅膀,并周围都满了眼睛。这个基路伯的子都是如此。

13 至於这些子,我耳中见说是旋转的。

14 基路伯各有脸:第基路伯的脸,第二是人的脸,第三狮子的脸,第四鹰的脸。

15 基路伯升上去了;这是我在迦巴鲁边所见的活物。

16 基路伯行走,也在旁边行走。基路伯展开翅膀,离上升,也不离他们旁边。

17 那些站住,这些也站住;那些上升,这些也一同上升,因为活物的灵在轮中。

18 耶和华的荣耀从殿的门槛那里出去,停在基路伯以上。

19 基路伯出去的时候,就展开翅膀,在我眼前离上升。也在他们的旁边,都停在耶和华殿的东门口。在他们以上有以色列的荣耀。

20 这是我在迦巴鲁边所见、以色列荣耀以的活物,我就知道他们是基路伯

21 各有个脸面,翅膀翅膀有人的样式。

22 至於他们脸的模样,并身体的形像,是我从前在迦巴鲁边所见的。他们俱各直往前行。

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #950

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950. Clothed in linen pure and glistening white. That this signifies by means of Divine truth, or the Word from the spiritual sense, is evident from the signification of linen, as denoting truth; and when said of the Lord or of the Word, as denoting Divine truth. This is called pure because of its being genuine; and glistening white from the light in heaven, which light is glistening; for all things that are there are glistening white from it.

The Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is that which appears before the eyes of the angels as light, because the Divine truth enlightens their understanding, and that which does this is light before their eyes. Such is the Divine truth in heaven, and such is the Word in its spiritual sense. Whereas the Divine truth on earth is such as the Word is in the sense of the letter. In this there are but few genuine truths, such as are those in heaven, but there are appearances of truth. The natural man cannot receive any others. But still genuine truths, such as are those in heaven, lie stored up in the appearances of truth there; for they are those that are contained in the spiritual sense of the Word. From these things it is evident that by the angels going out of the temple, clothed in linen pure and glistening white, is signified that the evils and falsities that have devastated the church were made manifest by means of Divine truth, or the Word from its spiritual sense.

[2] There are many reasons why the spiritual sense of the Word is now disclosed. One is, that the churches in the Christian world have falsified all the sense of the letter of the Word, and this even to the destruction of the Divine truth in heaven, whereby heaven is closed. Therefore, in order that heaven may be opened, it has pleased the Lord to reveal the spiritual sense of the Word, wherein is Divine truth such as it is in heaven. For by means of the Word there, conjunction of man with the Lord, and thence with heaven, takes place. When the Word is so far falsified as to destroy its genuine truth, then conjunction perishes, and man is separated from heaven. Therefore, in order that he may again be conjoined with heaven, Divine truth such as it is in heaven has been revealed; and this is confirmed by the spiritual sense of the Word wherein is that Divine truth.

A second reason is, that the falsities that have inundated the church, and devastated it, cannot be dissipated except by genuine truth in the Word opened. Falsities and the evils therefrom, and evils and the falsities therefrom, can by no means be seen except from truths themselves. For falsities and evils, so long as genuine truths are not present, appear as in a kind of light.

They have light from what they confirm by reasonings from the natural man, and the sense of the letter, explained and applied according to appearances before that man. But when genuine truths are present, then falsities and evils first appear; for the light of heaven, which is in genuine truths, dissipates the delusive light of falsities, and turns it into darkness.

A third reason is, that the New Church, meant by the holy Jerusalem in the Apocalypse, is conjoined with heaven by means of the Divine truths of the Word contained in its spiritual sense. For the Word is conjunction, but it is then conjunction, when a man perceives the Word in the same way as the angels do.

That linen signifies truth will be seen in the following article.

Continuation concerning the First Precept:-

[3] Thou shalt not make to thyself other gods, involves also that men should not love themselves and the world above all things; for what a man loves above all things is his god.

There are two entirely opposite loves, the love of self and love to God, also the love of the world and the love of heaven. He who loves himself loves his proprium; and a man's proprium is nothing but evil. Hence also he loves evil in its whole extent; and he who loves evil hates good, and thence also God. He who loves himself above all things immerses his affections and thoughts in the body, and, consequently, in his proprium, from which he cannot be raised by the Lord. And he who is immersed in the body and in his proprium is in bodily ideas, and in merely bodily pleasures, and, consequently, in thick darkness as to higher things. Whereas, he who is raised up by the Lord is in light. And he who is not in the light of heaven, but in thick darkness, since he sees nothing of God, he denies God, and acknowledges as God either nature, or some man, or idol, and also affects to be worshipped himself as a god. Consequently, it follows that he who loves himself above all things worships other gods. It is similar with him who loves the world, but in a less degree; for the world cannot be loved to such an extent as the proprium; therefore the world is loved from proprium and for the sake of proprium, because it is serviceable to it.

By the love of self is especially meant the love of ruling over others from the sole delight in ruling, and for the sake of position, and not from the delight of uses, and for the sake of the public good. And by the love of the world is especially meant the love of possessing worldly goods from the mere pleasure of possession, and for the sake of riches, and not from delight in the uses arising from them, and for the sake of good therefrom. Neither of these loves has any limit, and as far as scope is given, each rushes on endlessly.

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

Commentary

 

Stand

  

'To stand,' and 'come forth' as in Daniel 7:10, refers to truth.

In Genesis 24:13, this signifies a state of conjunction of divine truth with the human.

'To stand upon the feet' signifies the new life of a regenerated person of the church.

'Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord,' as in Exodus 14:13, signifies having faith.

'To stand round about,' as in Revelation 7, signifies conjunction.

'Standing before God,' as in Revelation 20:12, signifies being present and assembled to judgment.

'To stand before God' signifies hearing and doing what He commands, like subjects standing before their king.

'To stand at the right hand,' as in Zechariah 3:1, signifies fighting against divine truth.

(References: Apocalypse Explained 836; Arcana Coelestia 3065; Exodus 24; Genesis 24)