The Bible

 

Genesis 12

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1 Nebo byl řekl Hospodin Abramovi: Vyjdi z země své a z příbuznosti své, i z domu otce svého do země, kterouž ukáži tobě.

2 A učiním tě v národ veliký, a požehnám tobě, a zvelebím jméno tvé, a budeš požehnání.

3 Požehnám také dobrořečícím tobě, a zlořečícím tobě zlořečiti budu; ano požehnány budou v tobě všecky čeledi země.

4 I vyšel Abram, tak jakž mu byl mluvil Hospodin, a šel s ním Lot. (Byl pak Abram v sedmdesáti pěti letech, když vyšel z Cháran.)

5 A vzal Abram Sarai manželku svou, a Lota syna bratra svého, a všecko zboží své, kteréhož nabyli, i duše, kterýchž dosáhli v Cháran. A vyšedše, brali se do země Kananejské, až i přišli do ní.

6 I prošel Abram tu zemi až k místu Sichem, to jest až k rovině More. A tehdáž Kananejští byli v zemi.

7 I ukázal se Hospodin Abramovi a řekl: Semeni tvému dám zemi tuto. Tedy vzdělal tu oltář Hospodinu, kterýž se byl ukázal jemu.

8 A odtud podal se k hoře, kteráž leží na východ od Bethel, kdežto rozbil stan svůj, tak že mu Bethel byl na západ, Hai pak na východ; i vzdělal tam oltář Hospodinu, a vzýval jméno Hospodinovo.

9 Potom hnul se Abram dále, a odebral se odtud ku poledni.

10 Byl pak hlad v té zemi; protož sstoupil Abram do Egypta, aby tam byl pohostinu; nebo veliký byl hlad v té zemi.

11 I stalo se, že když přicházel blízko k Egyptu, řekl k Sarai manželce své: Aj, nyní znám, že jsi žena krásné tváři.

12 A stane se, že když tě uzří Egyptští, řeknou: To jest manželka jeho; i zabijí mne, tebe pak živé nechají.

13 Prav medle, že jsi sestra má, aby mi dobře bylo příčinou tvou, a živa zůstala duše má pro tebe.

14 I stalo se, když všel Abram do Egypta, viděli Egyptští ženu, že krásná byla náramně.

15 A vidouce ji knížata Faraonova, schválili ji před ním; i vzata jest žena do domu Faraonova.

16 Kterýžto i Abramovi dobře učinil pro ni; a měl ovce a voly a osly, i služebníky a děvky, též oslice a velbloudy.

17 Ale Hospodin trápil Faraona ranami velikými, i dům jeho, pro Sarai manželku Abramovu.

18 Protož povolal Farao Abrama a řekl: Cos mi to učinil? Pročežs mi neoznámil, že ona manželka tvá jest?

19 Proč jsi řekl: Sestra má jest? A vzal jsem ji sobě za ženu. Protož nyní, teď máš manželku svou, vezmi a jdi.

20 I poručil o něm Farao mužům, a propustili ho, i manželku jeho i všecko, což měl.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #502

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502. Which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt. This symbolizes the two hellish loves, namely, a love of ruling springing from a love of self, and a love of holding sway from a conceit in one's own intelligence, loves which are present in the church where there is not one God and where the Lord is not worshiped, and where people do not live in accordance with the Ten Commandments.

Sodom symbolizes, in the spiritual sense, a love of ruling springing from a love of self, as we shall presently see; and Egypt symbolizes, in the spiritual sense, a love of holding sway from a conceit in one's own intelligence, as we shall also presently see. So, because these two loves are symbolized, therefore the city is called, spiritually speaking, Sodom and Egypt.

These two loves are present in the church where there is not one God and where the Lord is not worshiped, and where people do not live in accordance with the Ten Commandments, because people are born with these two loves, and they come into them as they grow up. Nor can these loves be removed except by God the Savior and by a life in accordance with His commandments, and God cannot remove them unless people turn to Him, and neither is a life in accordance with His commandments possible unless a person is led by Him. Actually it is possible, but not a life that contains anything of heaven and so of the church.

A life like that is possible only from Him who is life. That the Lord is that life may be seen in John 1:1, 4; 5:26; 6:33-35ff., 11:25-26; 14:6, 19, and in many other places.

[2] A love of ruling springing from a love of self, and a love of holding sway from a conceit in one's own intelligence, are the principal loves of all the loves in hell, and so are the origin of all the evils and thus of all the falsities in the church. This is something unknown at the present day. The delights of these loves, which surpass the delights of all the heart's pleasures, cause it to be unknown, even though they are, spiritually, Sodom and Egypt.

That Sodom is a love of ruling springing from a love of self can be seen from the description of Sodom in Genesis, where we are told that when angels arrived there, the inhabitants tried to forcibly assault them at the house of Lot, and that fire and brimstone rained down on them from heaven (Genesis 19:1ff.). Fire and brimstone symbolize that love, together with its appetites.

I saw similar sights when cities and societies of people like that were overthrown at the time of the Last Judgment and their inhabitants cast into hell.

These loves and their accompanying evils are symbolized by Sodom and Gomorrah in the following passages: Isaiah 1:10; 3:8-9; 13:19.

[3] That this love is symbolically meant by Sodom is unknown in the world, but remember it and recall it when you come after death into the world of spirits and you will be completely convinced.

It should be known, however, that a love of ruling springing from a love of self and a love of ruling springing from a love of performing useful services are two different things. The latter love is a heavenly love, while the first is a hellish one. Consequently, when one is in first place, the other is in last place; which is to say, when a love of ruling springing from a love of self forms the head, then a love of ruling springing from a love of performing useful services - which is a love of serving the neighbor originating from the Lord - forms first the feet, then the soles of the feet, and finally is trampled underfoot.

On the other hand, when a love of ruling springing from a love of performing useful services - which, as we said, is a heavenly love - forms the head, then a love of ruling springing from a love of self - which, as we said, is a hellish love - forms first the feet, then the soles of the feet, and finally is trampled underfoot.

Still, these two loves can hardly be distinguished by a person in the world. That is because in outward appearance they are similar. But they can be told apart by this, that a heavenly love is present in people who turn to the Lord and live in accordance with the Ten Commandments, while a hellish love is present in people who do not turn to the Lord, and who do not live in accordance with the Ten Commandments.

  
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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.