The Bible

 

Ezekiel 23

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1 HE ENs Ord kom til mig således:

2 Meneskesøn! Der var to Kvinder, Døtre af en og samme Moder.

3 De bolede i deres Ungdom i Ægypten: der krammedes deres Bryster, der krænkede man deres Jomfrubarm.

4 Den ældste hed Ohola, hendes Søster Oholiba. Og de blev mine og fødte Sønner og Døtre. Ohola er Samaria, Oholiba Jerusalem.

5 Men i Stedet for at holde sig til mig bolede Ohola og var i Brynde for sine Elskere, Assurs Sønner, der nærmede sig hende

6 klædt i Purpur, Statholdere og Landshøvdinger, alle sammen smukke unge Mænd, yttere højt til Hest;

7 og hun gav dem sin bolerske Elskov, alle Assurs ypperste Sønner, og alle Vegne, hvor hun kom i Brynde, gjorde hun sig uren ved deres Afgudsbilleder.

8 Men sin Bolen med Ægypterne opgav hun ikke, thi de hade ligget hos hende i hendes Ungdom; de havde skændet hendes Jomfrubarm og udøst deres bolerske Attrå over hende.

9 Derfor gav jeg hende i hendes Elskeres, Assurs Sønners, Hånd, for hvem hun var i Brynde;

10 og de blottede hendes Blusel, tog hendes Sønner og Døtre og dræbte hende selv med Sværd, så hun fik Vanry blandt Kvinder; således fuldbyrdede de Dommen over hende.

11 Det så hendes Søster Oholiba, og dog kom hun i endnu værre Brynde og bolede endnu værre end Søsteren.

12 Hun kom i Brynde for Assurs Sønner, Statholdere og Landshøvdinger, der nærmede sig hende herligt klædt, yttere højt til Hest, alle sammen smukke unge Mænd.

13 Og jeg så, at hun blev uren; begge fulgte samme Vej.

14 Men hun drev sin Bolen videre endnu; thi da hun så Mænd afbildede på Muren, Billeder af Kaldæere, malet med rødt,

15 med Bælte om Lænd og nedhængende Hovedbind, alle at se til som Høvedsmænd, en Afbildning af Babels Sønner, hvis Hjemstavn Kaldæa er,

16 så kom hun i Brynde for dem, så snart hun fik Øje på dem, og hun sendte Bud til dem i Kaldæa:

17 Og Babels Sønner gik ind til hende, lå hos hende i Elskov og gjorde hende uren ved deres Bolen; og hun blev uren ved dem, til hun følte Lede ved dem.

18 Da hun havde åbenbaret sin bolerske Attrå og blottet sin Blusel, følte jeg Lede ved hende, som jeg var blevet led ved hendes søster.

19 Men hun drev sin Bolen videre endnu, idet hun kom sin Ungdoms Dage i Hu, da hun havde bolet i Ægypten,

20 og hun kom i Brynde ved dets Bolere, der havde Kød som Æsler og var gejle som Hingste;

21 og hun optog sin Ungdoms Skændsel, dengang Ægypterne krænkede hendes Jomfrubarm og krammede hendes unge Bryster,

22 Derfor, Oholiba, så siger den Herre HE EN: Jeg hidser dine Elskere på dig, dem, du følte Lede ved, og fører dem mod dig fra alle Kanter,

23 Babels Sønner og alle Kaldæerne, Pekod, Sjoa og Koa og med dem alle Assurs Sønner, alle sammen smukke unge Mænd, Statholdere og Landshøvdinger, Høvedsmænd og navnkundige Mænd, alle højt til Hest;

24 og de skal komme imod dig med en Vrimmel af Vogne og Hjul og en Hærskare af Folkeslag; store og små Skjolde og Hjelme skal de rette imod dig fra alle Kanter. Jeg overlader dem Dommen, og de skal dømme dig efter deres et.

25 Jeg retter min Nidkærhed imod dig, og de skal handle med dig i Vrede; din Næse og dine Ører skal de skære af, dit Afkom skal falde for Sværdet; de skal tage dine Sønner og Døtre, og dit Afkom skal fortæres af Ild;

26 de skal rive Klæderne af dig og tage alle dine Smykker;

27 jeg gør Ende på din Skændsel og din Bolen, som du hengav dig til i Ægypten, og du skal ikke mere løfte dit Blik til dem eller komme Ægypten i Hu.

28 Thi så siger den Herre HE EN: Se, jeg giver dig i deres Hånd, som du hader og ledes ved;

29 de skal handle med dig i Had og tage alt dit Gods og efterlade dig nøgen og bar, så din bolerske blussel blottes.

30 Det kan du takke din Skændsel og din Bolen for, thi du bolede med Folkene og gjorde dig uren med deres Afgudsbilleder.

31 Du vandrede i din Søsters Spor; derfor giver jeg dig hendes Bæger i Hånden.

32 siger den Herre HE EN: Du skal drikke af din Søsters Bæger, som er både dybt og bredt; du skal blive til Latter og Spot; Bægeret rummer meget;

33 det er fuldt af Beruselse og Stønnen, et Bæger med Gru og ædsel er din Søster Samarias Bæger.

34 Du skal drikke det ud til sidste Dråbe, gnave dets Skår og sønderrive dine Bryster, så sandt jeg har talet, lyder det fra den Herre HE EN.

35 Derfor, så siger den Herre HE EN: Fordi du glemte mig og kastede mig bag din yg, skal du bære Følgen af din Skændsel og Bolen.

36 Og HE EN sagde til mig: Menneskesøn! Vil du dømme Ohola og Oholiba, så forehold dem deres Vederstyggeligheder,

37 at de horede og har Blod på Hænderne; de horede med deres Afgudsbilleder, og til Føde for dem lod de Børnene, de fødte mig, gå igennem Ilden.

38 Fremdeles har de gjort mig dette: De har gjort min Helligdom uren og vanhelliget mine Sabbater;

39 endog samme Dag de havde slagtet deres Børn til Afgudsbillederne, kom de til min Helligdom og vanhelligede den. Sandelig, således gjorde de i mit Hus.

40 Ja, for Mænd, som kom langvejs fra, straks der var sendt dem Bud, badede du dig, sminkede du dine Øjne og tog dine Smykker på;

41 og du satte dig på et prægtigt Leje, og foran det dækkedes et Bord, på hvilket du satte min øgelse og min Olie.

42 Og det ligefrem larmede hos Søstrene; så mange Mænd kom der fra Ørkenen; og de lagde Spange om deres Arme og satte en herlig Krone på deres Hoved.

43 sagde jeg: Således har de horet, på Skøgevis har de bolet.

44 Man gik ind til dem som til en Skøge; således gik man ind til Ohola og Oholiba og øvede Skændsel.

45 Uvildige Mænd skal dømme dem efter Ægteskabsbryderskers og Morderskers et; thi de horede og har Blod på Hænderne.

46 Thi så siger den Herre HE EN: En Forsamling skal sammenkaldes imod dem, og de skal gives hen til at mishandles og udplyndres;

47 Forsamlingen skal stene dem og hugge dem sønder og sammen med Sværd; deres Sønner og Døtre skal man dræbe, og deres Huse skal man brænde.

48 Jeg gør Ende på Skændselen i Landet, og alle kvinder skal lade sig advare derved og ikke efterligne eders Skændsel.

49 Man skal lade eders Skændsel komme over eder, og I skal bære Følgen af de Synder, I gjorde med eders Afgudsbilleder; og I skal kende, at jeg er den Herre HE EN.

   


The Project Gutenberg Association at Carnegie Mellon University

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #880

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880. Jerusalem in the Word means the church because the Temple and altar were there in the land of Canaan and nowhere else, and sacrifices were made there. Thus it was the focus of Divine worship. The three annual feasts were accordingly also celebrated there, and every male throughout the land was commanded to attend them. For that reason Jerusalem symbolizes the church with respect to worship, and so also the church with respect to doctrine, inasmuch as worship is prescribed by doctrine and is conducted in accordance with it.

Jerusalem means the church, too, because the Lord was there and taught in its temple, and later glorified His humanity there.

That Jerusalem means the church with respect to its doctrine and consequent worship is apparent from many passages in the Word. As for example, from these verses in Isaiah:

For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as a radiance, and her salvation as a burning lamp. Then gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You shall also be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will proclaim. And you shall be a crown of glory in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal jewel 1 in the hand of your God... ...Jehovah will delight in you, and your land shall be married.

Behold, your salvation is coming; behold, His reward is with Him... And they shall call them a holy people, the redeemed of Jehovah; and you shall be called a city sought out, not forsaken. (Isaiah 62:1-4, 11-12)

[2] The subject in that chapter is the Lord's advent and a new church to be established by Him. This new church is the church meant by Jerusalem, which shall be called by a new name that the mouth of Jehovah will proclaim; which will be a crown of glory in the hand of Jehovah and a royal jewel 1 in the hand of God; in which Jehovah will delight; and which shall be called a city sought out and not forsaken. This does not mean the Jerusalem inhabited by Jews when the Lord came into the world, for that Jerusalem was of a totally opposite character. It was rather to be called Sodom, as it also is called in Revelation 11:8, Isaiah 3:9, Jeremiah 23:14, and Ezekiel 16:46, 48.

[3] Elsewhere in Isaiah:

...behold, I am creating a new heaven and a new earth; the former shall not be remembered... Be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating. ...behold, I am creating Jerusalem to be an exultation, and her people a joy, that I may exult over Jerusalem and rejoice over My people... Then the wolf and the lamb shall feed together... They shall not do evil... in all My holy mountain... (Isaiah 65:17-19, 25)

In this chapter, too, the subject is the Lord's advent and a church to be established by Him, one that was not established among the people in Jerusalem but among people elsewhere. Consequently that church is the one meant here by Jerusalem, which will be an exultation to the Lord and whose people will be a joy to Him, where the wolf and lamb will feed together, and the people will not do evil.

As in the book of Revelation, we are told here also that the Lord will create a new heaven and a new earth, and that He will create Jerusalem, which have similar symbolic meanings.

[4] Elsewhere in Isaiah:

Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you. Shake yourself from the dust, arise; sit down, O Jerusalem! ...Therefore My people shall know My name... in that day; for it is I who speaks: behold, it is I. ...Jehovah has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. (Isaiah 52:1-2, 6, 9)

The subject in this chapter is also the Lord's advent and the church to be established by Him. Therefore the Jerusalem into which the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come, and which the Lord will redeem, means the church, and Jerusalem, the holy city, means the church with respect to doctrine from the Lord and concerning the Lord.

[5] In Zephaniah:

Shout, O daughter of Zion! Be glad... with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! ...The King of Israel... is in your midst; fear evil no longer! ...He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will rest in your love, He will exult over you with exultation... ...I will give you a name and praise among all the peoples of the earth... (Zephaniah 3:14-17, 20)

Here likewise the subject is the Lord and a church established by Him, over which the King of Israel, namely the Lord, will rejoice with gladness and exult with exultation, and in whose love He will rest, who will give them a name and praise among all the peoples of the earth.

[6] In Isaiah:

Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer and your Former..., who says to Jerusalem, "You shall be inhabited," and to the cities of Judah, "You shall be rebuilt."... (Isaiah 44:24, 26)

And in Daniel:

Know and perceive: from the going forth of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks... (Daniel 9:25)

It is apparent that Jerusalem here also means the church, since it was the church that the Lord restored and rebuilt, and not Jerusalem, the Jewish capital.

[7] Jerusalem means a church established by the Lord also in the following passages. In Zechariah:

Thus said Jehovah, "I will return to Zion and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth, and the mountain of Jehovah Zebaoth a holy mountain." (Zechariah 8:3, cf. 8:20-23)

In Joel:

Then you shall know that I am Jehovah your God, dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain. Then Jerusalem shall be holy... And it will come to pass in that day that the mountains shall drip with new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk..., and Jerusalem (shall abide) from generation to generation. (Joel 3:17-21)

In Isaiah:

In that day the offshoot of Jehovah shall be beautiful and glorious... And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy - everyone recorded among the living in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 4:2-3)

In Micah:

...in the latter days the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on top of the mountains... For out of Zion doctrine shall go forth, and the Word of Jehovah from Jerusalem... ...to you... the former kingdom shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. (Micah 4:1-2, 8)

In Jeremiah:

At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah, and all the nations shall be gathered..., because of the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem. No more shall they go after the justification of their evil hearts. (Jeremiah 3:17)

In Isaiah:

Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; let your eyes see Jerusalem, a tranquil habitation, a tabernacle that will not vanish; its stakes will never be removed, nor any of its cords be broken. (Isaiah 33:20)

And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 24:23; 37:32; 66:10-14; Zechariah 12:3, 6, 8-10; 14:8, 11-12, 21; Malachi 3:2, 4; Psalms 122:1-7; 137:4-6.

[8] Jerusalem in these places means a church which the Lord would establish, and not Jerusalem in the land of Canaan inhabited by Jews. This can be seen from passages in the Word which say that Jerusalem was completely ruined and would be destroyed, as in Jeremiah 5:1; 6:6-7; 7:17-18; Luke 19:41-44; 21:20-22; 23:28-30; and in many other places.

Footnotes:

1. The word translated as "jewel" here means a diadem or crown in the original Greek and Latin, but the writer's definitions of the term elsewhere make plain that he regularly and consistently interpreted it to mean a jewel or gem.

  
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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.