The Bible

 

Jeremija 51

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1 Ovako govori Jahve: "Gle, ja podižem protiv Babilona i protiv pučanstva kaldejskog vjetar zatornički.

2 Poslat ću na Babilon vijače da ga viju i prorešetaju zemlju njegovu. Kad ga sa svih strana opkole u kobni dan,

3 nek' strijelac luka ne odlaže, nek' ne skida oklopa! Ne štedite mladića njihovih, svu mu vojsku kleto uništite!

4 Pobijeni će padati po zemlji kaldejskoj, probodeni po ulicama njegovim."

5 Ne, Izrael - Judeja - nije udovica Boga svojega, Jahve nad Vojskama, iako je zemlja njihova puna krivice protiv Sveca Izraelova.

6 Bježite iz Babilona, nek' svak' spasi život svoj, da ne izginete s njegova bezakonja, jer ovo je vrijeme Jahvine odmazde, svakom plaća po zasluzi!

7 Babilon bijaše pehar zlatni u ruci Jahvinoj, pehar koji opi svijet cijeli. Vinom tim se puci opiše, i zato se puci obezumiše.

8 Iznenada pade Babilon, razmrskan: zakukajte nad njim! Potražite balzama rani njegovoj: možda će ozdravit'!

9 Liječili smo Babilon, al' se ne izliječi. Pustimo ga, vratimo se svaki u svoj kraj! Jer do neba dopire njegova osuda i diže se pod oblake.

10 Jahve je iznio pravdu našu! Hajde da Sionu objavimo djelo Jahve, Boga našega.

11 Naoštrite strelice, napunite tobolce! Jahve potače duh kraljeva medijskih jer naumi zatrti Babilon, Jahvina je to osveta, osveta za Hram njegov.

12 Razvijte stijeg, zidine babilonske! Pojačajte straže! Postavite stražare! Razmjestite zasjede! Jer Jahve što naumi to sad izvodi, kako je rekao protiv Babilona.

13 O, ti što prebivaš na velikim vodama i bogat blagom svakojakim! Sad ti svršetak dođe, kraj tvojoj lakomosti.

14 Životom svojim zakle se Jahve nad Vojskama: "Napunit ću te ljudstvom kao skakavcima, zaorit će protiv tebe vika bojna."

15 On snagom svojom stvori zemlju, mudrošću svojom uspostavi krug zemaljski i umom svojim razape nebesa.

16 Kad mu glas zaori, huče vode na nebesima, oblake diže s kraja zemlje: stvara kiši munje, vjetar izvodi iz skrovišta njegovih.

17 Svakom čovjeku pamet stane, svaki se zlatar zastidi svoga kipa, jer svi su mu kipovi samo varka, nema u njima duha.

18 Isprazni su oni, smiješne tvorevine, propast će u dan kazne.

19 'Jakovljev dio' nije kao oni: jer on je sve stvorio, Izrael pleme je baštine njegove. Jahve nad Vojskama ime je njegovo.

20 Ti si mi bio malj, oružje ratno. Pomlatih tobom narode, razmrskah tobom kraljevstva.

21 Pomlatih tobom konja i konjanika, pomlatih tobom bojna kola i vozača.

22 Pomlatih tobom čovjeka i ženu, pomlatih tobom starca i dijete. Pomlatih tobom mladića i djevojku, pomlatih tobom pastira i stado.

23 Pomlatih tobom ratara i zapregu njegovu, pomlatih tobom namjesnike i upravljače.

24 Ali na vaše oči sada plaća Babilonu i svim Kaldejcima za sve zlo koje učiniše Sionu - riječ je Jahvina.

25 "Evo me na te, Goro zatornice - riječ je Jahvina - zatornice svega svijeta! Zamahnut ću rukom protiv tebe, svalit ću te s litice, pretvorit ću te u goru spaljenu.

26 Iz tebe više neće klesati kamen ugaoni ni kamen temeljac, bit ćeš vječna pustinja" - riječ je Jahvina.

27 Podignite stijeg u zemlji, zatrubite u rog među narodima! Pripremite na nj narode, sazovite na nj kraljevstva - Ararat, Mini, Aškenaz! Postavite protiv njega pozivnike, nek' nasrnu konji k'o dlakavi skakavci!

28 Spremite na nj narode, kraljeve medijske, vojvode i namjesnike njihove i svu zemlju kojom vladaju.

29 Zemlja će se tresti, drhtati, kad se stanu uspinjati k Babilonu svi naumi Jahvini da pretvori zemlju babilonsku u pustinju nenastanjenu.

30 Nebojše babilonske odustaše od borbe, u utvrdama posjedaše, nesta sile njihove: postadoše kao žene. Spaljeni su domovi njihovi, polomljeni zasuni na vratima.

31 Teklič tekliča prestiže, glasnik juri za glasnikom, da jave kralju babilonskom da mu je grad sa svih strana zauzet,

32 prijelazi zaposjednuti, tvrđave ognjem popaljene, a ratnici prestrašeni.

33 Jer ovako govori Jahve, Bog Izraelov: "Kći je babilonska kao gumno u vrijeme kad se po njem gazi; još malo, i doći će joj vrijeme žetve."

34 Izjeo me, satro babilonski kralj, odgurnuo me kao prazan pladanj, k'o zmaj me on progutao, napunio trbušinu, iz mog me istjerao Edena.

35 "Nasilje i patnje moje na Babilon!" govore stanovnici Siona. "Krv moja na Kaldejce!" govori Jeruzalem.

36 Zato ovako govori Jahve: "Gle, ja ću braniti parnicu tvoju i krvavo te osvetiti. Sasušit ću more njegovo i presahnut ću izvore njegove.

37 Babilon će biti hrpa ruševina, brlog čagljima, užas i ruglo, kraj nenastanjen.

38 Svi zajedno riču k'o lavovi, zavijaju kao lavići.

39 Kad se ugriju, priredit će im pijanku, napojiti ih da se provesele, da zaspe vječnim snom, da se više ne probude - riječ je Jahvina.

40 Odvest ću ih k'o janjce na klanje, kao jarce i ovnove."

41 "Kako li je zauzet, kako osvojen taj ponos zemlje sve? Kako li Babilon posta strašilo narodima?

42 Uzdiglo se more protiv Babilona, prekrilo ga valovlje njegovo.

43 Gradovi mu pustoš postali, zemlja suha, pustara: čovjek u njoj ne stanuje, niti njom prolazi sin čovječji."

44 "Kaznit ću Bela babilonskog, iz ralja mu otet što je progutao. Neće više k njemu hrliti narodi, srušit će se babilonske zidine.

45 Izađi iz njega, narode moj! Nek' svaki spasi život svoj od jarosnoga gnjeva Jahvina!

46 Neka vam srce ne klone! Ne bojte se glasÄa što se zemljom šire, jedne godine ovakvi, druge onakvi, i što u zemlji vlada nasilje, te silnik za silnikom ustaje.

47 Jer evo dolaze dani kada ću kazniti kipove babilonske, i sva će mu se zemlja postidjeti, i svi će mu pobijeni ležat' posred grada.

48 Tada će nad Babilonom klicati nebo i zemlja i sve što je na njima, jer će sa sjevera navaliti na grad, zatornici njegovi - riječ je Jahvina!

49 I Babilon mora pasti za pobijene Izraelce, kao što su za Babilon padali pobijeni po svem svijetu.

50 Vi što umakoste maču, idite, ne ostajte ovdje. Spominjite se Jahve u zemlji dalekoj, i neka vam Jeruzalem bude na srcu:

51 'Stidjeli smo se slušajuć' sramotu, rumenilo nam prekrilo lice kad ono tuđinci nahrupiše u Svetište Doma Jahvina.'

52 Zato, evo, dolaze dani - riječ je Jahvina - kad ću kazniti kipove njegove i po svoj će mu zemlji stenjat' ranjenici.

53 Da se Babilon popne do neba, da se utvrdi na visu nedostupnu, na moju će zapovijed na nj navalit' pustošnici" - riječ je Jahvina.

54 Čujte vapaj iz Babilona, i strašan poraz iz zemlje kaldejske!

55 Jer sam Jahve pustoši Babilon, on stišava strašnu buku njegovu: bučili su vali njegovi k'o vode velike, razlijegala se huka njihova.

56 Jest, pustošnik dođe na Babilon, uhvaćeni su ratnici njegovi, lukovi im polomljeni. Zaista, Jahve je Bog osvetnik koji plaća po zasluzi!

57 "Opojit ću mu knezove i mudrace, vojvode, namjesnike i ratnike: da zaspe vječnim snom pa se više ne probude" - govori Kralj, ime mu je Jahve nad Vojskama.

58 Ovako govori Jahve nad Vojskama: "Široke zidine babilonske bit će do temelja razvaljene, a visoka trava njegova bit će ognjem spaljena. Narodi se zalud trudili, puci se za oganj mučili!"

59 Evo zapovijedi što je prorok Jeremija dade Seraji, sinu Mahsejina sina Nerije, kad je Seraja krenuo u Babilon sa Sidkijom, kraljem judejskim, četvrte godine njegova vladanja. Seraja bijaše veliki komornik.

60 Jeremija je u jednu knjigu bio zapisao svu nesreću koja je morala doći na Babilon - sva ona proroštva napisana protiv Babilona.

61 Jeremija reče Seraji: "Kad dođeš u Babilon, išti prigodu da obznaniš sve ove riječi.

62 I reci: 'Jahve, ti sam reče da ćeš zatrti ovo mjesto te u njemu ničega više neće biti, ni čovjeka ni živinčeta, nego će postati vječna pustinja.'

63 Kad pročitaš ovu knjigu, zaveži je za kamen i baci uEufrat.

64 I reci: 'Ovako će potonuti Babilon i neće se više podići iz nesreće koju ću na nj svaliti.'" To su riječi Jeremijine.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #719

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719. Saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters." This symbolizes a revelation about that religion as regards its profanations and adulterations of the Word's truths.

Saying and showing symbolize a revelation. The judgment symbolizes the state of the Roman Catholic religion at its end. The great harlot symbolizes a profanation of the sanctities of the Word and the church, and an adulteration of their goodness and truth. Many waters symbolize the Word's truths adulterated. To sit upon the waters means, symbolically, to possess them and live caught up in them.

To play the harlot, to whore, to behave licentiously and to commit adultery mean, symbolically, to falsify and adulterate the Word, as may be seen in nos. 134, 620, 632 above; and waters symbolize its truths, nos. 50, 563, 614, 685, here those truths adulterated and profaned, because a harlot is said to be on them.

It is apparent from this that "saying to me, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters," symbolizes a revelation about the aforesaid religion as regards its profanations and adulterations of the Word's truths.

[2] Something similar is said about Babel in Jeremiah:

...Jehovah will... do what He spoke against the inhabitants of Babel. You who dwell upon many waters, abundant in treasures, your end is coming, the measure of your material gain. (Jeremiah 51:12-13)

We say that Roman Catholics adulterated and profaned the Word's truths, because they used the Word's truths to gain dominion over the sanctities of the church and over heaven and to claim for themselves the Lord's Divine power; and to use the Word's truths to gain dominion over the sanctities of the church and heaven is to adulterate them, and to use them to claim for oneself the Lord's Divine power is to profane them.

People know that they use the Word to defend their dogmas. But read those dogmas attentively and you will see that they have used everything that they have taken from the Word to gain dominion over people's souls and to acquire for themselves a power, authority and majesty that is Divine.

It is for this reason that Babylon is named the Mother of the Whoredoms and Abominations of the Earth in verse 5.

  
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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.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #50

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50. And His voice as the sound of many waters. This symbolizes natural Divine truth.

A voice, when coming from the Lord, symbolizes Divine truth, as may be seen in no. 37 above. Waters symbolize truths, and specifically natural truths, which are concepts from the Word, as follows from many passages in the Word, of which we cite only the following:

...the earth is full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:9)

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3)

He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly...: bread will be given him, (and) his water will be constant. (Isaiah 33:15-16)

The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongue fails for thirst... I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will turn the wilderness into a pool of water, and the dry land into springs of water..., that they may see, know, consider and understand... (Isaiah 41:17-18, 20)

I will pour out water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit... (Isaiah 44:3)

...your light shall rise in the darkness..., that you may be like a watered garden, and like an issue of water, whose waters do not deceive. (Isaiah 58:10-11)

...My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns... that hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13)

Their great ones have sent their young ones for water. They went to the cisterns and found no water. Their vessels came back empty. (Jeremiah 14:3)

...they have forsaken Jehovah, the fountain of living waters. (Jeremiah 17:13)

They shall come with weeping, and with prayers I will lead them. I will lead them to a fountain of waters, in the way of rectitude... (Jeremiah 31:9)

...I will break the staff of bread... and they shall drink water by measure and with astonishment..., so that... they waste away because of their iniquities. (Ezekiel 4:16-17; cf. 12:18-19, Isaiah 51:14)

Behold, the days will come... when I will send hunger on the land, not a hunger for bread, nor a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of Jehovah. They shall wander from sea to sea, and... shall run to and fro, to hear the word of Jehovah, but shall not find it. In that day the... young women and the young men shall faint for thirst. (Amos 8:11-13)

In that day... living waters shall flow from Jerusalem... (Zechariah 14:8)

Jehovah is my shepherd..., He leads me to still waters. (Psalms 23:1-2)

They did not thirst...; He caused waters to flow from the rock for them, and He split the rock, so that waters gushed out. (Isaiah 48:21)

O God..., in the morning will I seek You; My soul thirsts...; ...(I am) weary, without water. (Psalms 63:1)

(Jehovah) sends out His word...; He causes (the) wind to blow, so that the waters flow. (Psalms 147:18)

Praise (Jehovah), you heavens of heavens, and you waters from above the heavens! (Psalms 148:4)

(Jesus sitting by Jacob's well said to the woman,) "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will not thirst to eternity. And the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:7-15)

(Jesus said,) "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37-38)

To him who thirsts I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6)

He showed (him) a... river of the water of life..., proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. (Revelation 22:1)

And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17)

Waters in these passages mean truths, and it is apparent from this that the sound of many waters means the Lord's Divine truth in the Word, as also in the following places:

Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east, and His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth was illumined by His glory. (Ezekiel 43:2)

I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters... (Revelation 14:2)

The voice of Jehovah is on the waters...; Jehovah is on many waters. (Psalms 29:3)

When it is known that waters in the Word mean truths in the natural self, it can be seen what washings in the Israelite Church symbolized, and also what baptism symbolizes, and moreover what is symbolically meant by these words of the Lord in John,

Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)

"Of water" means, symbolically, "by truths," and "of the Spirit" means, symbolically, "by a life in accordance with them."

In an opposite sense, waters symbolize falsities, as we will see in subsequent explanations.

  
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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.