The Bible

 

Ponovljeni Zakon 11

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1 Ljubi, dakle, Jahvu, Boga svoga, i vrši u sve dane njegove naredbe, njegove zakone, uredbe i zapovijedi.

2 Vi, a ne vaši sinovi, koji nisu ni upoznali ni vidjeli pouke Jahve, Boga vašega, danas ste se osvjedočili o njegovoj veličajnosti, o njegovoj moćnoj ruci, ispruženoj mišici,

3 o znamenjima njegovima i o djelima što ih učini usred Egipta na faraonu, kralju egipatskom, i na svoj zemlji njegovoj;

4 što je učinio egipatskoj vojsci, njihovim konjima i kolima; kako ih je preplavio vodama Crvenog mora kad su vas progonili i kako ih je zatro do današnjeg dana;

5 što je za vas radio u pustinji dok ne stigoste do ovoga mjesta;

6 što je učinio s Datanom i Abiramom, sinovima Eliaba, Rubenova potomka, kad zemlja rastvori ralje svoje te ih proguta sred svega Izraela, njih i njihove obitelji, njihove šatore i sve što imahu.

7 Vaše su oči vidjele sva ta velika djela što ih je Jahve učinio.

8 Zato držite sve zapovijedi što vam ih danas naređujem da budete jaki te uzmete u posjed zemlju u koju idete da je osvojite;

9 napokon, da dugo živite u zemlji za koju se zakleo Jahve ocima vašim da će je dati njima i njihovu potomstvu - zemlju kojom teče med i mlijeko.

10 Jer zemlja u koju ideš da je zaposjedneš nije kao zemlja egipatska iz koje ste izašli, gdje si, posijavši sjeme, morao svoj usjev svojom nogom natapati kao što se natapa povrtnjak.

11 Zemlja u koju idete da je zaposjednete Zemlja je bregova i dolova i natapa je dažd nebeski;

12 zemlja nad kojom Jahve, Bog tvoj, bdi; na kojoj oči Jahve, Boga tvoga, uvijek počivaju, od početka do svršetka godine.

13 Zato, ako doista poslušate zapovijedi koje vam danas izdajem i budete ljubili Jahvu, Boga svoga, i služili mu svim srcem svojim i svom dušom svojom,

14 davat ću vašoj zemlji kišu u pravo vrijeme: u jesen i u proljeće, i moći ćeš sabirati svoje žito, svoje vino i svoje ulje;

15 travu ću davati po tvome polju tvome blagu. Tako ćeš jesti i biti sit.

16 Pazite da se vaše srce ne zavede, da ne pođete stranputicom, da drugim bogovima ne iskazujete štovanje i da im se ne klanjate.

17 Jer tada bi na vas Jahve usplamtio gnjevom: nebesa bi zatvorio; kiše ne bi bilo; zemlja ne bi davala roda i vas bi brzo nestalo s te dobre zemlje koju vam Jahve daje.

18 Utisnite ove moje riječi u svoje srce i svoju dušu; kao znak ih privežite na svoju ruku; neka vam budu kao zapis među očima!

19 Poučite u njima svoje sinove; izgovarajte ih kad sjedite u svojoj kući i kad idete putem; kad liježete i kad ustajete.

20 Ispišite ih na dovratnike svoje kuće i na svoja vrata

21 da vaši dani i dani vaših sinova u zemlji za koju se Jahve zakleo vašim ocima da će im je dati - budu brojni kao dani nebesa nad zemljom.

22 Ako budete vjerno držali sve ove zapovijedi koje vam naređujem, vršili ih i ljubili Jahvu, Boga svoga, hodili svim njegovim putovima i čvrsto se priljubili uz njega,

23 Jahve će ispred vas protjerati sve te narode i vi ćete s posjeda odagnati narode brojnije i jače od sebe.

24 Svako mjesto na koje stupi vaša noga bit će vaše; od pustinje i Libanona, od Rijeke, rijeke Eufrata, do Zapadnog mora sterat će se vaše područje.

25 Nitko se neće održati pred vama; strah i trepet raširit će Jahve, Bog vaš, po svoj zemlji u koju stupite, kako vam je rekao.

26 Gledajte! Nudim vam danas blagoslov i prokletstvo:

27 blagoslov, budete li slušali zapovijedi Jahve, Boga svoga, koje vam danas dajem;

28 a prokletstvo, ne budete li slušali zapovijedi Jahve, Boga svoga, nego sađete s puta koji vam danas određujem te pođete za drugim bogovima kojih niste poznavali.

29 Kada te Jahve, Bog tvoj, uvede u zemlju u koju ideš da je zaposjedneš, tada nad gorom Gerizimom izreci blagoslov, a prokletstvo nad gorom Ebalom.

30 Te se gore izdižu, kako znate, s onu stranu Jordana, za putom prema zapadu, u zemlji Kanaanaca, koji žive u Arabi, nasuprot Gilgalu, uz Hrast More.

31 Eto ćete prijeći preko Jordana da zaposjednete zemlju koju vam daje Jahve, Bog vaš. Zaposjednite je i nastanite se u njoj.

32 Ali držite i vršite sve zakone i uredbe koje vam danas izlažem.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #97

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97. He that walketh in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. That this signifies from whom is life to all in the New Heaven and the New Church, is evident from the signification of walking, as being to live; and when said of the Lord, as being life itself (concerning which more will be said in what follows); and from the signification of seven golden lampstands, as being all in the New Heaven and in the New Church (concerning which see above, n. 62). Hence it is clear that the reason why the Lord was seen in the midst of the lampstands, was, that the midst signifies the inmost; the lampstands signify heaven and the church, and walking signifies life, and to be in the midst, when said of the Lord, signifies to be in all things that are round about; therefore it was hereby represented that all the life of faith and of love in heaven and in the church is from Him (as may be seen above, n. 84. That the midst denotes the inmost and the centre from which is all influx, see Arcana Coelestia 1074, 2940, 2973, 7777. That the Lord is the common centre from whom is all direction and determination in heaven, see the work, Heaven and Hell 123, 124. That the propagation of the light of heaven, which is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, from which the angels have intelligence and wisdom, takes place also from the midst into those who are round about, may be seen in the same, n. 43, 50, 189). That to walk signifies to live, and, when said of the Lord, life itself, is from appearances in the spiritual world, where all walk according to their life, the evil in those ways that lead to hell, but the good in those ways only that lead to heaven; therefore all spirits are known there from the ways wherein they walk. Ways are really seen, but by the evil only the ways that lead to hell, and by the good only the ways that lead to heaven; by this means every one is brought to his own society; it is from this circumstance that to walk signifies to live. (Concerning these ways, and concerning walking therein in the spiritual world, see what is said in the work, Heaven and Hell 195, 479, 534, 590; and in the small work, The Last Judgment 48.)

[2] That in the Word ways signify truths or falsities, and that to walk signifies to live, is evident from several passages therein: a few only shall here be adduced by way of confirmation. Thus in Isaiah:

We have sinned against Jehovah "nor would they walk in his ways, neither have they heard his law" (42:24).

And in Moses:

"If ye shall keep all these commandments, by loving Jehovah your God, by walking in all his ways" (Deuteronomy 11:22).

And again:

"Thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, by loving Jehovah thy God, and walking in his ways all the days" (Deuteronomy 19:9; 26:17).

Again:

"I will set my dwelling place in the midst of you, and I will walk in the midst of you, and I will be to you for a God" (Leviticus 26:11, 12).

Again:

"Jehovah thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, and therefore shall thy camp be holy" (Deuteronomy 23:14).

And in Isaiah:

"Remember now, Jehovah, that I have walked before thee in truth" (38:3).

Again:

"Entering into peace, walking in uprightness" (57:2).

And in Malachi:

"In peace and in uprightness hath he walked with me (2:6).

And in David:

"Thou hast delivered my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living" (Psalm 56:13).

And in John:

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (8:12).

In the same:

"Yet a little while the light is with you; walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you; for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have the light, believe in the light" (12:35, 36).

And in Mark:

"The Pharisees and Scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders?" (7:5.)

And in Moses:

"If ye walk contrary to me, and will not hearken unto me, I will also walk contrary to you" (Leviticus 26:21, 23, 24, 27).

And in Isaiah:

"The people that walk in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow [of death], upon them hath the light shined" (9:2).

And in Micah:

"All people walk in the name of their god, and we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God" (4:5).

And in Isaiah:

"Who among you feareth Jehovah? who walketh in darkness, and hath no light?" (50:10);

besides many other passages, as in Jeremiah 26:4; Ezekiel 5:6; 20:13, 16; Micah 4:5; Zechariah 10:12; Luke 1:6. From these passages it is evident that by walking, in the spiritual sense, is signified to live; and because it signifies to live, therefore, when said of the Lord, as in this passage, life itself is signified; for the Lord is life itself, and all others are recipients of life from Him (as may be seen above, n. 82, 84).

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2973

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2973. 'Which was in all its borders round about' means exterior cognitions. This is clear from the meaning of 'borders' and of 'round about' as things that are exterior, dealt with in 2936. Thus here '[every] tree which was in the borders round about' means exterior cognitions. Exterior cognitions have to do with the religious observances and matters of doctrine which constitute the external things of the Church, whereas interior cognitions have to do with matters of doctrine which constitute the internal things of the Church. What the external things of the Church are, and what the internal, has been stated several times already.

[2] Furthermore in various places in the Word mention is made of the middle or the midst and of the regions encircling it, as when the land of Canaan is referred to, 'the middle' is used to describe where Zion and Jerusalem are, while the areas encircling describe where the nations are who are round about. 'The land of Canaan' represented the Lord's kingdom, 'Zion' the celestial part of it and 'Jerusalem' the spiritual, and there Jehovah or the Lord had His dwelling-place. The things that were round about, even to the borders, represented celestial and spiritual things spread out and derived in order from there. Where the furthest boundaries lay, there the representatives of celestial and spiritual things ended. Those representatives had their origin in the things that existed in the Lord's kingdom in heaven, where the Lord as the Sun is in the middle, from where all celestial flame and spiritual light radiate. Those nearest to Him dwell in the brightest light, while those who are more remote dwell in less light, and those who are the most remote in the least bright. At this point lie the borders where hell, which is outside heaven, begins.

[3] With celestial flame and spiritual light the position is that the existence of celestial things which are forms of innocence and love, and spiritual things which are forms of charity and faith, is proportional to the heat and light that is received, for those things are the source of all heat and light in heaven. This then is why 'the middle' means that which is inmost, and the encircling regions that which is outermost; and the spacing of the things that radiate in order from the inmost to the outermost is determined by their degree of innocence, love and charity. It is similar with each individual community of heaven. Those members in the middle are the best of its kind, and the love and charity of that kind becomes correspondingly less as these become more remote, that is, as such love and charity exist with members away from the middle.

[4] It is also similar with man. The inmost part of him is where the Lord resides with him, and from there governs the outlying parts. When a person permits the Lord to bring order to the outlying parts so that these correspond to the inmost parts, his state is such that he can be received into heaven, and the inmost, the interior, and the external parts of him act as one. But if the person does not permit the Lord to bring order to those outlying parts so that they correspond, he moves away from heaven, as far away as he is from permitting the Lord to bring that order to them. The fact that man's soul resides in the middle or inmost part of his being and the body in the outlying region or outermost parts is well known, for the body is that which surrounds and clothes his soul or spirit.

[5] With those in whom celestial and spiritual love reigns, good from the Lord flows in by way of the soul into the body, as a consequence of which the body becomes full of light, but with those in whom bodily and worldly love reigns, good from the Lord cannot flow in by way of the soul into the body. Instead their interiors are engulfed in darkness, as a consequence of which the body too becomes full of darkness, according to the Lord's own teaching in Matthew,

The lamp of the body is the eye. If the eye is sound, the whole body is full of light. If the eye is evil, the whole body is full of darkness. If therefore the light is darkness, how great is the darkness! Matthew 6:22-23.

'The eye' means the understanding part, which belongs in the soul, 2701.

[6] But matters are worse still with people whose interiors are 'darkness' while their exteriors seem to be 'full of light'. They are such as outwardly pretend to be angels of light but inwardly they are devils. They are referred to as 'Babel'. These people, when the things that are round about are destroyed, are carried headfirst into hell. This was represented by the city of Jericho whose walls fell down, and the city was given to destruction, after the priests had gone round it seven times with the ark, and had sounded their trumpets, Joshua 6:1-17. The same is meant in Jeremiah,

Set yourselves against Babel round about, all you who bend the bow. Raise a shout over her round about, she has given her hand, her foundations have fallen, her walls have been destroyed. Jeremiah 50:14-15.

From this it is now evident what 'round about' means. Reference is also made several times in the Word to 'the encircling regions', as in Jeremiah 21:14; 46:14; 49:5; Ezekiel 36:3-4, 7; 37:21; Amos 3:11; and elsewhere. By 'the encircling regions' is meant the things that are exterior, concerning which, in the Lord's Divine mercy, more will be said elsewhere.

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