The Bible

 

Jóel 1

Study

1 Slovo Hospodinovo, kteréž se stalo k Joelovi synu Petuelovu:

2 Slyšte to starší, a pozorujte všickni obyvatelé této země, stalo-li se to za dnů vašich, aneb za dnů otců vašich?

3 Vypravujte o tom synům svým, a synové vaši synům svým, synové pak jejich rodině potomní.

4 Co pozůstalo po housenkách, snědly kobylky, a co pozůstalo po kobylkách, snědli brouci, co pak pozůstalo po broucích, dojedli chroustové.

5 Prociťte opilci, a plačte a kvělte všickni, kteříž píjíte víno, proto že odtržen jest mest od úst vašich.

6 Nebo přitáhl do zeměnárod silný a nesčíslný, jehož zubové zubové lva, a střenovní zubové jeho lvoví.

7 Přivedl vinné kmeny mé v pustinu, a fíkoví mé na zkázu; docela obnažil je a zporážel, zbělely ratolesti jejich.

8 Kvěl jako mladice přepásaná žíní pro muže mladosti své.

9 Odjata jest suchá i mokrá obět z domu Hospodinova, kvílí kněží, služebníci Hospodinovi.

10 Zpustlo pole, kvílí země, proto že pohubeno obilé, vyschl mest, olej zhynul.

11 Stydí se oráči, kvílí vinaři z příčiny pšenice a ječmene; nebo zahynula žeň polní.

12 Vinný kmen usechl, a fík usvadl, strom zrnatých jablek, též i palma i jabloň, všecko dříví polní poschlo, a že odňato potěšení od synů lidských.

13 Přepašte se a kvělte, ó kněží, úpějte přisluhující oltáři, vejděte a léhejte i v noci v žíních, služebníci Boha mého. Nebo nevnáší se do domu Boha vašeho suché ani mokré oběti.

14 Uložte půst, svolejte shromáždění, shromažďte starší i všecky obyvatele země do domu Hospodina Boha vašeho, a volejte k Hospodinu:

15 Ach, nastojte na tento den; nebo blízký jest den Hospodinův, a jako poplénění od Všemohoucího přichází.

16 Ano před očima našima pokrm odjat jest, z domu Boha našeho veselé a plésání.

17 Vyhynulo símě pod hrudami svými, zpustly stodoly, zbořeny jsou obilnice; nebo vyschlo obilé.

18 Aj, jak vzdychá dobytek, svírají se stáda skotů, proto že nemají žádné pastvy, ano i stáda bravů hynou.

19 K toběť, ó Hospodine, volám; nebo oheň sežral pastviska pouště; a plamen popálil všecka dříví polní.

20 Také i zvěř polní všecka lká k tobě, proto že vyschli potokové vod, a oheň sežral pastviska na poušti.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #546

Study this Passage

  
/ 962  
  

546. Then the woman fled into the wilderness. (12:6) This symbolizes the church, namely, the New Jerusalem, being at first among few.

The woman symbolizes the New Church (no. 533), and the wilderness symbolizes a circumstance in which there are no longer any truths. The church is symbolized as being at first among few because the statement follows, "Where she has a place prepared by God, that they may feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days," which symbolizes the state of that church then, that in the meantime provision may be made for it to exist among more people until it grows to its appointed state (no. 547).

A wilderness in the Word symbolizes:

1. A church devastated, or one in which the Word's truths have all been falsified, as was the case with the Jews at the time of the Lord's advent.

2. A church without truths, because it does not have the Word, as was the case with upright gentiles at the time of the Lord's advent.

3. A state of temptation or trial, in which a person is seemingly without truths, being surrounded by evil spirits who induce the temptation or trial and appear to rob him of his truths.

[2] 1. That a wilderness symbolizes a church devastated, or one in which the Word's truths have all been falsified, as was the case with the Jews at the time of the Lord's advent: This is apparent from the following passages:

Is this the man who shook the earth, who made kingdoms tremble, who made the world as a wilderness...? (Isaiah 14:16-17)

This said in reference to Babylon.

On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers...; ...the palace will be deserted... (Isaiah 32:13-14)

I beheld, and lo, Carmel was a wilderness... "The whole land shall be a wasteland." (Jeremiah 4:26-27)

The land is the church (no. 285).

...shepherds have destroyed My vineyard..., they have made the field of My desire a desolate wilderness... The devastators are coming... in the wilderness. (Jeremiah 12:10, 12)

...(the vine) is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land. (Ezekiel 19:13)

...fire has devoured the habitations of the wilderness. (Joel 1:19-20)

...the day of Jehovah is coming... The land is like the Garden of Eden before it, but after it a desolate wilderness. (Joel 2:1, 3)

...see the word of Jehovah! Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of darkness? (Jeremiah 2:31)

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40:3)

And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 33:9; Jeremiah 3:2; 23:10; Lamentations 5:9; Hosea 2:2-3; 13:15; Joel 3:19; Malachi 1:3; Matthew 24:26; Luke 13:35.

That such is the state of the church today may be seen in no. 566 below.

[3] 2. That a wilderness symbolizes a church without truths, because it does not have the Word, as was the case with upright gentiles at the time of the Lord's advent: This is apparent from these passages:

...the Spirit shall be poured upon us from on high, then the wilderness shall become a fertile field...; and judgment will dwell in the wilderness... (Isaiah 32:15-16)

(I will put) fountains in the midst of the valleys, [and turn] the wilderness into a pool of water... I will put in the wilderness the shittim cedar... and the oil tree. (Isaiah 41:18-19)

He will turn a wilderness into a pool of water, and dry land into springs of water. (Psalms 107:35-36)

I will make a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert... to give drink to My people, My chosen. (Isaiah 43:19-20)

...Jehovah... will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah; gladness and joy will be found in her... (Isaiah 51:3)

The habitations of the wilderness drip... (Psalms 65:12-13)

Let the wilderness... lift up (its) voice... Let the inhabitants of the rock sing... (Isaiah 43:10-11)

[4] 3. That a wilderness symbolizes a state of temptation or trial, in which a person is seemingly without truths, being surrounded by evil spirits who induce the temptation or trial and appear to rob him of his truths: This is apparent from Matthew 4:1-3, Mark 1:12-13.

  
/ 962  
  

Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.