The Bible

 

Ezekijel 11

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1 Tada se duh podiže i ponese me do istočnih vrata Doma Jahvina, što su okrenuta k istoku. I gle: na ulazu vrata dvadeset i pet ljudi, među kojima vidjeh i Jaazaniju, sina Azurova, i Pelatju, sina Benajina, knezove narodne.

2 I reče mi: "Sine čovječji, evo ljudi koji smišljaju opačine i koji u ovom gradu daju zle savjete:

3 'Nije li čas da gradimo domove? Ovaj je grad kotao, a mi smo meso.'

4 Zato prorokuj protiv njih, prorokuj, sine čovječji!"

5 I duh Jahvin siđe nada me i kaza mi: "Reci: Ovako veli Jahve Gospod: 'Ne govoriš li tako, dome Izraelov? Ali ja poznajem misli vašega srca!

6 Množite ubojstva u ovome gradu i njegove ulice punite truplima.'

7 Zato ovako govori Jahve Gospod: 'Oni koje vi probodoste i razbacaste po gradu - oni su meso, a grad je kotao. Zato ću vas ja izvesti sada iz njega.

8 Od mača strahujete, i mač ću na vas dovesti - riječ je Jahve Gospoda!

9 Izvest ću vas iz grada i predati vas u ruke tuđincima, i sud ću svoj izvršiti nad vama:

10 od mača ćete pasti! Na međi Izraelovoj sudit ću vam, i tada ćete znati da sam ja Jahve!

11 A ovaj grad više vam neće biti kotao i vi nećete biti meso njegovo. Na međi Izraelovoj sudit ću vam,

12 i tada ćete znati da sam ja Jahve po čijim uredbama ne živjeste i čijih zakona ne izvršavaste, nego živjeste po zakonima okolnih naroda!'"

13 Dok ja tako prorokovah, umrije Pelatja, sin Benajin. I ja padoh ničice te zavapih iz svega glasa: "Jao, Jahve Gospode, zar ćeš doista uništiti sav Ostatak doma Izraelova?"

14 I dođe mi riječ Jahvina:

15 "Sine čovječji, tvojoj braći, i tvojim rođacima, i svem domu Izraelovu Jeruzalemci govore: 'Daleko ste od Jahve! Nama je ova zemlja dana u posjed!'

16 Zato im reci: Ovako govori Jahve Gospod: 'Ako ih i odagnah među daleke narode, ako ih i rasprših po zemljama, ja ću im sam uskoro biti Svetište u zemljama u kojima se nalaze.'

17 Stoga im reci: Ovako govori Jahve Gospod: 'Sabrat ću vas iz narodÄa, vratit ću vas iz zemalja u kojima ste bili raspršeni i dat ću vam opet zemlju Izraelovu!

18 I kad se u nju vrate, istrijebit će iz nje sve grozote i gadosti.

19 I ja ću im dati novo srce i nov ću duh udahnuti u njih: iščupat ću iz njih njihovo kameno srce i stavit ću u njih srce od mesa,

20 da hode po mojim naredbama i da čuvaju i vrše sve moje zakone. I bit će oni moj narod, a ja Bog njihov!

21 A onima kojima srce hodi za grozotama i gadostima oborit ću na glavu njihov put' - riječ je Jahve Gospoda."

22 Kerubini podigoše krila i točkovi se digoše za njima, a Slava Boga Izraelova lebdijaše nad njima.

23 Slava se Jahvina vinu iz grada i zaustavi se na gori, istočno od grada.

24 A mene duh podiže i ponese duhom Božjim k izgnanicima u zemlju kaldejsku. I iščeznu viđenje koje gledah.

25 I pripovjedih izgnanicima sve što mi Jahve bijaše objavio.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #8972

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8972. Verse 1 And these are the judgements which you shall set before them means those more external truths such as must exist in a civic state where the Church is representative, which flow from the internal truths belonging to order in heaven. The fact that these things are meant by 'the judgements that were to be set before the children of Israel' is clear from the meaning of 'judgements' as truths, dealt with in 2235, 6397, 7206, 8685, 8695. The reason why 'judgements' are truths is that all judgement is effected by means of truths; therefore 'executing judgement' in the Word means executing truth, that is, judging in accordance with truths. But the plural 'judgements' means civil laws, thus those more external truths such as exist in a civic state. The words 'where the Church is representative' are added because these truths contain and embody within themselves the truths that belong to order in heaven, as may be recognized from the internal sense of them.

[2] The laws which the Lord delivered to the children of Israel and commanded them to keep were divided into commandments, judgements, and statutes. The term 'commandments' was given to those which were laws of life, 'judgements' to those which were laws of the civic state, and 'statutes' to those which were laws of worship. As regards judgements specifically, they are the kinds of laws that are contained in the present chapter and also some that follow. They served as laws in a Church in which inner realities, those of heaven and of the Church, were represented by outward things; but they do not serve as laws in a Church in which inner realities are no longer represented by outward things, as in the Christian Church. The reason for this is that inner realities have been revealed to people of this Church, and therefore inner realities are the channel through which contact is made with heaven, not outward things, as had been the situation before the Christian Church. Here is the reason why members of the Christian Church are not bound to adhere to the outward requirements of the laws called judgements and statutes, only to the inward ones. Holiness still remains within them because they hold holy truths within them, as also does every single command in the Word regarding the sacrifices. Although these are no longer prescriptive laws they remain holy constituents of the Word because of the Divine realities which they hold within themselves and which they represented. For when they are read by a Christian the Divine realities which are held within them and which were represented by them are discerned in heaven. They fill the angels with holiness, and at the same time the reader too through influx from the angels, especially if the reader himself is thinking at the same time about the Divine realities within them. From this it is evident that even the Old Testament Word is extremely holy.

[3] The fact that the laws which the Lord delivered to the children of Israel and commanded them to keep were divided into commandments that were laws of life, judgements that were laws of the civic state, and statutes that were laws of worship, is evident in Moses,

Jehovah said to Moses, Go, say to them, Go back into your tents. But you, stand here with Me, that I may tell you all the commandments, and statutes, and judgements which you shall teach them, so that they may do them. Deuteronomy 5:30-31.

In the same author,

Furthermore these are the commandments, statutes, and judgements which Jehovah your God commanded to teach you. Deuteronomy 6:1.

In the same author,

Therefore you shall keep the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them. Deuteronomy 7:11.

In David,

If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgements, if they profane My statutes and do not keep My commandments, I will visit their transgression with the rod. Psalms 89:30-32.

[4] Furthermore all the laws, in that they were those of a representative Church, were generally called judgements and statutes, as in Moses,

Now therefore, O Israel, hear the statutes and the judgements which I will teach you, that you may do them. What great nation [is there] that has righteous statutes and judgements, like all this law which I will set before you today? Deuteronomy 4:1, 8; 5:1.

In Ezekiel.

Jerusalem has changed My judgements into wickedness more than the nations, and My statutes more than the lands that are around her; for they have repudiated My judgements, and have not walked in My statutes. Ezekiel 5:6-7.

In the same prophet,

Let him 1 walk in My statutes and keep My judgements - to do the truth. Ezekiel 18:9.

In addition to these there are many other places, such as Leviticus 18:5; 19:37; 20:22; 25:18; 26:15; Deuteronomy 26:17; Ezekiel 11:12, 20; 20:11, 13, 25; 37:24.

Footnotes:

1. The Latin means them but the Hebrew means him

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