The Bible

 

以西結書 38

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1 耶和華的臨到我說:

2 人子啊,你要面向瑪各的歌革,就是羅施、米設、土巴的王發預言攻擊他,

3 耶和華如此:羅施、米設、土巴的王歌革啊,我與你為敵。

4 我必用鉤子鉤住你的腮頰,調你,將你和你的軍兵、馬匹兵帶出來,都披掛整齊,成了大隊,有大小盾牌,各拿刀

5 波斯人、古實人,和弗人(又作呂彼亞人),各拿盾牌,頭上戴盔;

6 歌篾人和他的軍隊,北方極處的陀迦瑪族和他的軍隊,這許多國的民都同著你。

7 那聚集到你這裡的各隊都當準備;你自己也要準備,作他們的大帥。

8 過了多日,你必被差派。到末後之年,你必到脫離刀從列國收回之,到以色列常久荒涼的上;但那從列國中招聚出的必在其上安然居住

9 你和你的軍隊,並同著你許多國的民,必如暴風上,如密遮蓋地面

10 耶和華如此:到那時,你心必起意念,圖謀惡計,

11 :我要上那無城牆的鄉村,我要到那安靜的民那裡,他們都沒有城牆,無、無閂,安然居住

12 我去要搶財為擄物,奪貨為掠物,反攻擊那從前荒涼、現在有人居住,又攻擊那世界中間、從列國招聚、得了牲畜財貨的民。

13 示巴人、底但人、他施的客商,和其間的少壯獅子都必問你:你要搶財為擄物麼?你聚集軍隊要奪貨為掠物麼?要奪取,擄去牲畜、財貨麼?要搶奪許多財寶為擄物麼?

14 人子啊,你要因此發預言,對歌革耶和華如此:到我民以色列安然居住之日,你豈不知道麼?

15 你必從本地,從北方的極處率領許多國的民,都,乃一隊極多的軍兵。

16 歌革啊,你必上攻擊我的民以色列,如密遮蓋地面。末後的日子,我必攻擊我的,到我在外邦人眼前,在你身上顯為的時候,好叫他們認識我。

17 耶和華如此:我在古時藉我的僕人以色列的先知的,就是你麼?當日他們多年預言我必攻擊以色列人

18 耶和華:歌革上攻擊以色列地的時候,我的怒氣要從鼻孔裡發出。

19 我發憤恨和烈怒如:那日在以色列地必有震動,

20 甚至中的魚、天空的、田野的獸,並上的一切昆蟲,和其上的眾人,因見我的面就都震動;嶺必崩裂,陡巖必塌陷,垣都必坍倒。

21 耶和華:我必命我的諸發刀來攻擊歌革;都要用刀殺害弟兄。

22 我必用瘟疫和流血的事刑罰他。我也必將暴、大雹與,並硫磺降與他和他的軍隊,並他所率領的眾民。

23 我必顯為大,顯為,在多國人的眼前顯現;他們就知道我是耶和華

   

Commentary

 

Ephraim

  
Jacob blessing the sons of Joseph, by Januarius Zick

Ephraim was the second son born to Joseph in Egypt and was, along with his older brother Manasseh, elevated by Jacob to the same status as Joseph’s brothers. Thus when the tribes of Israel are named, Ephraim and Manasseh are named as patriarchs along with their uncles – Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin -- but Joseph is not. According to Swedenborg, Ephraim represents the intellectual aspect of the church, the part that explores and understands what is true – especially the true ideas that can be drawn from the Bible. Manasseh, meanwhile, represents the affectional aspect of the church, the part that feels and loves and cares. This plays into the best-known story of Ephraim’s life. When Jacob was old and nearing death, Joseph brought his two sons to be blessed. He presented Manasseh to Jacob’s right hand as the elder, and Ephraim to Jacob’s left hand. But Jacob crossed his hands and gave Ephraim the primary blessing. According to Swedenborg, Manasseh was the elder son because ultimately, what we love makes us who we are; our loves form our lives. So our loves are the most central, leading aspect of our human existence, with our intellect playing a secondary role. But as we develop, we need to reverse those. We can use our intellect to understand what is good and right and force ourselves to do it, even when our desires are for what’s selfish. If we stick to that out of a determination to follow the Lord and be good people, the Lord will eventually remove the selfishness from our hearts so we can truly love what is good. By having Jacob bless Ephraim above Manasseh, the Lord is telling us that we have to put our intellect first to pursue our spiritual journey.