The Bible

 

以西結書 44

Study

   

1 他又帶我回到聖地朝東的外;那關閉了。

2 耶和華對我:這必須關閉,不可敞開,誰也不可由其中進入;因為耶和華以色列的已經由其中進入,所以必須關閉

3 至於王,他必按王的位分,在其內,在耶和華面前餅。他必由這的廊而入,也必由此而出。

4 他又我由來到殿前。我觀,見耶和華的榮光充滿耶和華的殿,我就俯伏在地。

5 耶和華對我:人子啊,我對你所耶和華殿中的一切典章則,你要放在上,用眼,用耳,並要留殿宇和聖地一切出入之處。

6 你要對那悖逆的以色列耶和華如此以色列家啊,你們行一切可憎的事,當夠了罷!

7 你們把我的食物,就是脂油和血獻上的時候,將身未受割禮的外邦人領進我的聖地,玷污了我的殿;又背了我的約,在你們一切可憎的事上,加上這一層。

8 你們也沒有看守我的物,卻派別人在地替你們看守我所吩咐你們的。

9 耶和華如此以色列中的外邦人,就是身未受割禮的,都不可入我的聖地。

10 以色列人走迷的時候,有利未人遠離我,就是走迷離開我、隨從他們的偶像,他們必擔當自己的罪孽。

11 然而他們必在我的聖地當僕役,照管殿,在殿中供職;必為民宰殺燔祭牲和平安祭牲,必站在民前伺候他們。

12 因為這些利未人曾在偶像前伺候這民,成了以色列家罪孽的絆腳石,所以我向他們起誓:他們必擔當自己的罪孽。這是耶和華的。

13 他們不可親我,給我供祭司的職分,也不可挨我的一件物,就是至的物;他們卻要擔當自己的羞辱和所行可憎之事的報應。

14 然而我要使他們看守殿宇,辦理其中的一切事,並做其內一切當做之工。

15 以色列人走迷離開我的時候,祭司利未人撒督的子孫仍看守我的聖所。他們必親近我,事奉我,並且侍立在我面前,將脂油與血獻給我。這是耶和華的。

16 他們必進入我的聖所,就近我的桌前事奉我,守我所吩咐的。

17 他們進內院必穿細麻衣。在內院和殿內供職的時候不可穿羊毛衣服

18 他們上要戴細麻布頭巾,腰穿細麻布褲子;不可穿使身體出汗的衣服。

19 他們出到外院的民那裡,當脫下供職的衣服,放在屋內,穿上別的衣服,免得因衣使民成聖

20 不可剃,也不可容髮綹長長,只可剪髮。

21 祭司進內院的時候都不可喝酒

22 不可娶寡婦和被休的婦人為妻,只可娶以色列後裔中的處女,或是祭司遺留的寡婦。

23 他們要使我的民知道俗的分別,又使他們分辨潔淨的和不潔淨的。

24 有爭訟的事,他們應當站立判斷,要按我的典章判斷。在我一切的節期必守我的律條例,也必以我的安息日為日。

25 他們不可挨近屍沾染自己,只可為父親母親兒子、女兒、弟兄,和未嫁的姊妹沾染自己。

26 祭司潔淨之,必再計算日。

27 當他進內院,進所,在所中事奉的日子,要為自己獻贖祭。這是耶和華的。

28 祭司必有產業,我是他們的產業。不可在以色列他們基業;我是他們的基業。

29 素祭、贖祭,和贖愆祭他們都可以以色列中一切永獻的物都要歸他們。

30 首先初熟之物和一切所獻的供物都要歸祭司。你們也要用初熟的麥子磨麵祭司;這樣,福氣就必臨到你們的家了。

31 無論是,凡自死的,或是撕裂的,祭司都不可

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #610

Study this Passage

  
/ 962  
  

610. And its number is 666. This symbolically means, their character being this, that by them all the Word's truth has been falsified.

The number of the beast symbolizes the character of the arguments the clergy use from the Word to defend their doctrine and faith (nos. 608, 609). Six hundred and sixty-six symbolizes every truth having to do with goodness, and because the statement is made in application to the Word, it symbolizes every truth in the Word having to do with goodness, in this case that truth falsified, because the number is the number of the beast.

This is the symbolic meaning because six has the same symbolism as three multiplied by two, and three symbolizes completeness and all and is predicated of truths (no. 505), while two symbolizes the marriage of truth and good. So, because six is composed of these two numbers multiplied together, therefore it symbolizes every truth in the Word having to do with goodness, in this case that truth falsified. That it also was falsified by the clergy may be seen in no. 566 above.

The number is said to be 666, because it contains the number six repeated three times, and tripling it makes it complete. Multiplying six by one hundred to make six hundred, and by ten to make sixty, does not change the number's symbolic meaning, as may be seen in no. 348 above.

[2] That the number six symbolizes completeness and all, and is used when the subject is truths having to do with goodness, may be seen from passages in the Word where that number is mentioned. However, the symbolism of the number appears clearly only to people who see the things contained in the spiritual sense. As for instance, the Lord's saying that the seeds that fell on good ground yielded fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred (Mark 4:8, 20, Matthew 13:8, 23); and that a landowner went out and hired laborers for his vineyard at the third hour and at the sixth hour (Matthew 20:3, 5). Also that the table in the Tabernacle had on it cakes of showbread arranged in two rows, each containing six cakes (Leviticus 24:6). That there were set six waterpots for the purification of the Jews (John 2:6). That there were six cities of refuge or of asylum (Numbers 35:6-7, Deuteronomy 19:1-9). That the measuring reed with which the angel measured all parts of the new temple and new city was six cubits long (Ezekiel 40:5). That the prophet drank water by measure, a sixth of a hin (Ezekiel 4:11). That they took as an offering a sixth of an ephah of a homer of wheat (Ezekiel 45:13).

Since the number six symbolizes completeness, therefore words for separating a sixth part came into use, which in the spiritual sense symbolizes something that is complete and entire, as that they gave a sixth part of an ephah of a homer of barley (Ezekiel 45:13). And regarding Gog, "I will turn you around and leave but a sixth part of you" (Ezekiel 39:2). This last symbolically means that in Gog all truth in the Word having to do with goodness is destroyed. Just who are meant by Gog may be seen in no. 859.

  
/ 962  
  

Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.