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Ezechiel 1

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1 Stalo se pak třidcátého léta, čtvrtého měsíce, dne pátého, když jsem byl mezi zajatými u řeky Chebar, že otevřína byla nebesa, a viděl jsem vidění Boží.

2 Pátého dne téhož měsíce, pátého léta zajetí krále Joachina,

3 V pravdě stalo se slovo Hospodinovo k Ezechielovi knězi, synu Buzi, v zemi Kaldejské u řeky Chebar, a byla nad ním ruka Hospodinova.

4 I viděl jsem, a aj, vítr tuhý přicházel od půlnoci, a oblak veliký, a oheň plápolající, a okolo něho byl blesk, a z prostředku jeho jako nějaká velmi prudká světlost, z prostředku toho ohně.

5 Z prostředku jeho také ukázalo se podobenství čtyř zvířat, jejichž takový byl způsob: Podobenství člověka měli.

6 A po čtyřech tvářích jedno každé, a po čtyřech křídlích jedno každé mělo.

7 Jejichž nohy nohy přímé, ale zpodek noh jejich jako zpodek nohy telecí, a blyštěly se podobně jako ocel pulerovaná.

8 Ruce pak lidské pod křídly jejich, po čtyřech stranách jejich, a tváři jejich i křídla jejich na čtyřech těch stranách.

9 Spojena byla křídla jejich jednoho s druhým. Neobracela se, když šla; jedno každé přímo na svou stranu šlo.

10 Podobenství pak tváří jejich s předu tvář lidská, a tvář lvová po pravé straně každého z nich; tvář pak volovou po levé straně všech čtvero, též tvář orličí s zadu mělo všech čtvero z nich.

11 A tváři jejich i křídla jejich pozdvižena byla zhůru. Každé zvíře dvě křídla pojilo s křídly dvěma druhého, dvěma pak přikrývala těla svá.

12 A každé přímo na svou stranu šlo. Kamkoli ukazoval duch, aby šla, tam šla, neuchylovala se, když chodila.

13 Podobnost také těch zvířat na pohledění byla jako uhlí řeřavého, na pohledění jako pochodně. Kterýžto oheň ustavičně chodil mezi zvířaty, a ten oheň měl blesk, a z téhož ohně vycházelo blýskání.

14 Také ta zvířata běhala, a navracovala se jako prudké blýskání.

15 A když jsem hleděl na ta zvířata, a aj, kolo jedno bylo na zemi při zvířatech u čtyř tváří jednoho každého z nich.

16 Na pohledění byla kola, a udělání jich jako barva tarsis, a podobnost jednostejnou měla všecka ta kola, a byla na pohledění i udělání jejich, jako by bylo kolo u prostřed kola.

17 Na čtyři strany své jíti majíce, chodila, a neuchylovala se, když šla.

18 A loukoti své, i vysokost měla, že hrůza z nich šla, a šínové jejich vůkol všech čtyř kol plní byli očí.

19 Když pak chodila zvířata, chodila kola podlé nich, a když se vznášela zvířata vzhůru od země, vznášela se i kola.

20 Kdekoli chtěl Duch, aby šla, tam šla; kde Duch chtěl jíti, i kola vznášela se naproti nim, nebo duch zvířat byl v kolách.

21 Když ona šla, šla, a když ona stála, stála, a když se vznášela od země, vznášela se také kola s nimi, nebo duch zvířat byl v kolách.

22 Podobenství pak oblohy bylo nad hlavami zvířat jako podobenství křištálu roztaženého nad hlavami jejich svrchu.

23 A pod oblohou křídla jejich pozdvižená byla, jedno připojené k druhému. Každé mělo dvě, jimiž se přikrývalo, každé, pravím, mělo dvě, jimiž přikrývalo tělo své.

24 I slyšel jsem zvuk křídel jejich jako zvuk vod mnohých, jako zvuk Všemohoucího, když chodila, zvuk hluku jako zvuk vojska. Když pak stála, spustila křídla svá.

25 Byl také zvuk svrchu nad oblohou, kteráž byla nad hlavou jejich, když stála a spustila křídla svá.

26 Svrchu pak na obloze, kteráž byla nad hlavou jejich, bylo podobenství trůnu, na pohledění jako kámen zafirový, a nad podobenstvím trůnu na něm svrchu, na pohledění jako tvárnost člověka.

27 I viděl jsem na pohledění jako velmi prudkou světlost, a u vnitřku jejím vůkol na pohledění jako oheň, od bedr jeho vzhůru; od bedr pak jeho dolů viděl jsem na pohledění jako oheň, a blesk vůkol něho.

28 Na pohledění jako duha, kteráž bývá na oblace v čas deště, takový na pohledění byl blesk vůkol. To bylo vidění podobenství slávy Hospodinovy. Kteréžto viděv, padl jsem na tvář svou, a slyšel jsem hlas mluvícího.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #1038

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1038. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast. That this signifies the dominion of that religious persuasion over the holy things of the Word, is evident from the signification of a woman, as denoting the church (concerning which see n. 555, 707, 721, 730); in this case Babylon, which is not a church but a religious persuasion, devastated of all the truth and good of the church - that it is Babylon which is understood by this woman is manifestly evident from the fifth verse of this chapter - and from the signification of sitting, as denoting to rule; see just above (n. 1033); and from the signification of the scarlet beast, as denoting the Word as to the holy things thereof, which the woman, which is Babylon, profaned by dominion over them.

That by the scarlet beast is signified the Word as to the holy things thereof, which are profaned by Babylon, is evident from the following parts of this chapter, where it is said:

It was, and is not, and is about to ascend out of the abyss, and to go into destruction (vers. 8, 11).

And afterwards:

That the ten horns of the beast were ten kings, who had hatred against the whore, and would make her devastated and naked, and devour her flesh, and burn her with fire, and would give the kingdom to the beast (vers. 16, 17).

From these words, in the spiritual sense, it is evident, that by the scarlet beast is signified the Word as to the holy things thereof.

[2] The reason why the Divine Word can be signified by a beast is, that many of the holy things of the church are signified by beasts in the Word:

As the cherubs, seen as four beasts, in Ezekiel (1; 10).

And the four beasts, or the four animals, which also were cherubs, were seen by John, sitting and standing before the throne, in the Apocalypse (4:6-10; 5:6-12; 7:11; 14:3).

And by these, as cherubs, is signified Providence and defence that the Lord may not be approached except by the good of love; and thence also they signify the Word in the letter, because this is for a defence (concerning which see above, n. 277, 278, 717). And, moreover, all the beasts which were sacrificed, as oxen, heifers, goats, she-goats, kids, rams, sheep, and lambs, signified holy things of the church, as is evident from the things shown above (n. 277, 283, 362, 552, 650, 781, 817). Hence it is, that men from charity are called sheep; indeed, the Lord Himself, from Divine innocence, is called a Lamb, and from Divine power a Lion.

These things are mentioned in order that it may not appear wonderful, that by the beast is here signified the Word; but the Word in the letter, wherein it is natural. Beast also, in a general sense, in the Word, signifies the natural as to affection. The reason why the beast was seen of a scarlet colour is, that scarlet signifies truth from a heavenly origin, such as is the truth of the Word in the sense of the letter or natural sense, which is meant by what is holy in it. Something nearly similar is signified

By the whore seen sitting upon many waters (ver. 1 of this chapter);

Also:

Upon many treasures (inJeremiah 51:13).

For by many waters and many treasures are there signified the truths of the Word, and thence the holy things of the church, which are adulterated (see above, n. 1033). The signification of scarlet will be seen in the explanation of the verse following.

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

The Bible

 

Ezekiel 1

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1 Now it happened in the thirtieth year, in the fourth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

2 In the fifth [day] of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

3 the word of Yahweh came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Yahweh was there on him.

4 I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of its midst as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire.

5 Out of its midst came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.

6 Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings.

7 Their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like burnished brass.

8 They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and the four of them had their faces and their wings [thus]:

9 their wings were joined one to another; they didn't turn when they went; each one went straight forward.

10 As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and the four of them had the face of a lion on the right side; and the four of them had the face of an ox on the left side; the four of them also had the face of an eagle.

11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and Two covered their bodies.

12 Each one went straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went; they didn't turn when they went.

13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: [the fire] went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

14 The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

15 Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.

16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl: and the four of them had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.

17 When they went, they went in their four directions: they didn't turn when they went.

18 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around.

19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

20 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

22 Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like the awesome crystal to look on, stretched forth Over their heads above.

23 Under the expanse were their wings straight, the one toward the other: each one had two which covered on this side, and every one had two which covered on that side, their bodies.

24 When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army: when they stood, they let down their wings.

25 There was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads: when they stood, they let down their wings.

26 Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above.

27 I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.

28 As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.