The Bible

 

但以理書 7

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1 巴比倫王伯沙撒元年,但以理在床上做夢,見了腦中的異象,就記錄這夢,述其中的大意。

2 但以理:我夜裡見異象,看見天的四風陡起,颳在大海之上。

3 有四個大獸從海中上來,形狀各有不同:

4 頭一個像獅子,有鷹的翅膀;我正觀看的時候,獸的翅膀被拔去,獸從地上得立起來,用兩腳站立,像人一樣,又得了人心。

5 又有一獸如,就是第二獸,旁跨而坐,口齒內啣著根肋骨。有吩咐這獸的起來吞吃多肉。

6 此後我觀看,又有一獸如豹,背上有鳥的四個翅膀;這獸有四個頭,又得了權柄。

7 其後我在夜間的異象中觀看,見第四獸甚是可怕,極其強壯,大有力量,有大鐵牙,吞吃嚼碎,所剩下的用腳踐踏。這獸與前三獸大不相同,頭有十角。

8 我正觀看這些角,見其中又長起一個小角;先前的角中有角在這角前,連根被他拔出來。這角有眼,像人的眼,有口說誇大的話。

9 我觀看,見有寶座設立,上頭坐著亙古常在者。他的衣服潔白如雪,頭髮如純淨的羊毛。寶座乃火燄,其乃烈火。

10 從他面前有火,像河發出;事奉他的有千千,在他面前侍立的有萬萬;他坐著要行審判,案卷都展開了

11 那時我觀看,見那獸因小角誇大話的聲音被殺,身體損壞,扔在火中焚燒。

12 其餘的獸,權柄都被奪去,生命卻仍存留,直到所定的時候和日期。

13 我在夜間的異象中觀看,見有一位像人子的,駕著天雲而來,被領到亙古常在者面前,

14 得了權柄、榮耀、國度,使各方、各國、各族的人都事奉他。他的權柄是永遠的,不能廢去;他的國必不敗壞。

15 至於我─但以理,我的靈在我裡面愁煩,我腦中的異象使我驚惶。

16 我就近一位侍立者,問他這一切的真情。他就告訴我,將那事的講解給我明。

17 這四個大獸就是四王將要在世上興起。

18 然而,至者的聖民,必要得國享受,直到永永遠遠。

19 那時我願知道第四獸的真情,他為何與那三獸的真情大不相同,甚是可怕,有牙銅爪,吞吃嚼碎,所剩下的用腳踐踏;

20 頭有十角和那另長的一角,在這角前有角被他打落。這角有眼,有誇大話的口,形狀強橫,過於他的同類。

21 我觀看,見這角與聖民爭戰,勝了他們。

22 直到亙古常在者來給至者的聖民伸冤,聖民得國的時候就到了。

23 那侍立者這樣:第四獸就是世上必有的第四國,與一切國大不相同,必吞吃全地,並且踐踏嚼碎。

24 至於那十角,就是從這國中必興起的十王,後來又興起一王,與先前的不同;他必制伏王。

25 他必向至誇大的話,必折磨至者的聖民,必想改變節期和律。聖民必交付他手一載、二載、半載。

26 然而,審判者必坐著行審判;他的權柄必被奪去,毀壞,滅絕,一直到底。

27 國度、權柄,和天諸國的大權必賜給至者的聖民。他的國是永遠的;一切掌權的都必事奉他,順從他。

28 那事至此完畢。至於我─但以理,心中甚是驚惶,臉色也改變了,卻將那事存記在心。

   

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.