The Bible

 

Joel 2

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1 Trubite u trubu na Sionu! Dižite uzbunu na svetoj mi gori! Neka svi stanovnici zemlje dršću, jer dolazi Jahvin dan. Da, on je blizu.

2 Dan pun mraka i tmine, Dan oblačan i crn. K'o zora po gorama se prostire narod jak i mnogobrojan, kakva ne bje nikad prije, niti će ga igda biti do vremena najdaljih.

3 Pred njim oganj proždire, za njim plamen guta. Zemlja je k'o vrt rajski pred njim, a za njim pustinja tužna. Ništa mu ne umiče.

4 Nalik su na konje, jure poput konjanika.

5 Buče kao bojna kola, po gorskim vrhuncima skaču, pucketaju k'o plamen ognjeni kad strnjiku proždire, kao vojska jaka u bojnome redu.

6 Pred njima narodi dršću i svako lice problijedi.

7 Skaču k'o junaci, k'o ratnici se na zidove penju. Svaki ide pravo naprijed, ne odstupa od svog puta.

8 Ne tiskaju jedan drugog, već svak' ide svojom stazom. Padaju od strijela ne kidajuć' redova.

9 Na grad navaljuju, na zidine skaču, penju se na kuće i kroz okna ulaze poput lupeža.

10 Pred njima se zemlja trese, nebo podrhtava, sunce, mjesec mrčaju, zvijezdama se trne sjaj.

11 I Jahve glas svoj šalje pred vojsku svoju. I odista, tabor mu je silno velik, zapovijedi njegove moćan izvršitelj. Da, velik je Jahvin dan i vrlo strašan. Tko će ga podnijeti?

12 "Al' i sada - riječ je Jahvina - vratite se k meni svim srcem svojim posteć', plačuć' i kukajuć'."

13 Razderite srca, a ne halje svoje! Vratite se Jahvi, Bogu svome, jer on je nježnost sama i milosrđe, spor na ljutnju, a bogat dobrotom, on se nad zlom ražali.

14 Tko zna neće li se opet ražaliti, neće li blagoslov ostaviti za sobom! Prinose i ljevanice Jahvi, Bogu našemu!

15 Trubite u trubu na Sionu! Sveti post naredite, oglasite zbor svečani,

16 narod saberite, posvetite zbor. Saberite starce, sakupite djecu, čak i nejač na prsima. Neka ženik iziđe iz svadbene sobe a nevjesta iz odaje.

17 Između trijema i žrtvenika neka tuže svećenici, sluge Jahvine. Neka mole: "Smiluj se, Jahve, svojem narodu! Ne prepusti baštine svoje sramoti, poruzi naroda. Zašto da se kaže među narodima: Gdje im je Bog?"

18 Tad Jahve, ljubomoran na zemlju svoju, smilova se svom narodu.

19 Odgovori Jahve svojem narodu: "Šaljem vam, evo, žita, vina i ulja da se njime nasitite. Nikad više neću pustiti da budete na sramotu narodima.

20 Protjerat ću Sjevernjaka od vas daleko, odagnat ga u zemlju suhu i pustu, prethodnicu u Istočno more, zalaznicu u Zapadno more. Dići će se njegov smrad, dizat će se trulež njegova." (Jer učini stvari velike.)

21 O zemljo, ne boj se! Budi sretna, raduj se, jer Jahve učini djela velika.

22 Zvijeri poljske, ne bojte se; pašnjaci u pustinji opet se zelene, voćke daju rod, smokva i loza nose izobila.

23 Sinovi sionski, radujte se, u Jahvi se veselite, svojem Bogu; jer vam daje kišu jesensku u pravoj mjeri, izli na vas kišu, jesensku i proljetnu kišu kao nekoć.

24 Gumna će biti puna žita, kace će se prelijevati od vina i ulja.

25 "Nadoknadit ću vam godine koje izjedoše skakavac, gusjenica, ljupilac i šaška, silna vojska moja što je poslah na vas."

26 Jest ćete izobila, jest ćete do sita, slavit ćete ime Jahve, svojeg Boga, koji je s vama čudesno postupao. ("Moj se narod neće postidjeti nikad više.")

27 "Znat ćete da sam posred Izraela, da sam ja Jahve, vaš Bog, i nitko više. Moj se narod neće postidjeti nikad više."

   

The Bible

 

Amos 5:18

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18 "Jao vama što žudite za danom Jahvinim! Što će vam biti dan Jahvin? Tama, a ne svjetlost.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #46

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46. That 'beasts' means affections residing with man - evil affections in evil men and good affections in good men - becomes clear from many examples in the Word, as in Ezekiel,

Behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, so that you will be tilled and sown; and I will multiply upon you man and beast, and they will be multiplied and be fruitful, and I will resettle you 1 to be as in your ancient times. Ezekiel 36:9-11.

This refers to regeneration. In Joel,

Fear not, you beasts of My field, for the dwelling-places of the wilderness have been made green. Joel 2:22.

In David,

I was stupid, a beast 2 was I with God. Psalms 73:12.

In Jeremiah,

Behold, the days are coming when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast, and I will watch over them to build and to plant. Jeremiah 31:27-28.

This refers to regeneration.

[2] 'Wild animals' (fera) has a similar meaning, as in Hosea,

I will make for them a covenant on that day, with the wild animals of the field, and with the birds of the air, 3 and with the creeping things of the earth. Hosea 2:18.

In Job,

You will not fear the wild animals of the earth, for your covenant will be with the stones of the field, and the wild beasts of the field will be at peace with you. Job 5:22-23.

In Ezekiel,

I will make with them 4 a covenant of peace, and I will banish the evil wild animal from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness. Ezekiel 34:25.

In Isaiah,

The wild animals of the field will honour me, for I have given water in the desert. Isaiah 43:20.

In Ezekiel,

In its branches all the birds of the air 3 made their nests and under its branches every wild animal of the field gave birth, and in its shadow dwelt all great nations. Ezekiel 31:6.

This refers to Assyria, which means the spiritual man and is compared to the Garden of Eden. In David,

Praise Jehovah, all his angels, praise Him from the earth, sea monsters, fruit trees, wild animals, and all beasts, creeping things, and flying birds! Psalms 148:2-4, 7, 9-10.

Here the list is precisely the same - sea monsters, fruit trees, wild animals, beasts, creeping things, and birds. Unless they all mean things that are alive in human beings, they cannot possibly be referred to as praising Jehovah.

[3] A careful distinction is made in the Prophets between beasts and wild animals of the earth, and between beasts and wild animals of the field. The practice of calling goods 'beasts' extends to calling people in heaven who are nearest to the Lord 'living creatures', both in Ezekiel and in John,

All the angels stood around the throne, and the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God. 5 Revelation 7:11; 19:4.

The expression 'creatures' is also used of people who are to have the gospel preached to them because they are to be created anew, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15.

Footnotes:

1. literally, I will cause you to inhabit

2. literally, beasts

3. literally, bird of the heavens (or the skies)

4. The Latin means with you; but the Hebrew means with them which Swedenborg has in other places where he quotes this verse.

5. The Latin means the Lamb; but the Greek means God which Swedenborg has in other places where he quotes this verse.

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