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Jeremia 51

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1 Tiele diras la Eternulo:Jen Mi vekos pereigan venton kontraux Babelon, kaj kontraux gxiajn logxantojn, kiuj levigxis kontraux Min.

2 Kaj Mi sendos ventumistojn kontraux Babelon, kaj ili gxin disventumos, kaj dezertigos gxian landon; cxar en la tago de la malfelicxo ili estos cxirkaux gxi cxiuflanke.

3 La pafarkisto strecxu sian pafarkon, kaj sin levu en sia kiraso; ne kompatu gxiajn junulojn, ekstermu gxian tutan militistaron.

4 Kaj falu mortigitoj en la lando de la HXaldeoj, kaj trapikitoj sur iliaj stratoj.

5 CXar Izrael kaj Jehuda ne estas vidvigitaj de sia Dio, de la Eternulo Cebaot; cxar ilia lando estas plena de kulpoj kontraux la Sanktulo de Izrael.

6 Forkuru el interne de Babel, kaj savu cxiu sian animon, ke vi ne pereu pro gxiaj malbonagoj; cxar tio estas tempo de vengxo por la Eternulo, Li donas al gxi repagon.

7 En la mano de la Eternulo Babel estis ora kaliko, ebriiganta la tutan teron:el gxi trinkis vinon la nacioj, kaj tial ili frenezigxis.

8 Subite falis Babel kaj frakasigxis; ploru pri gxi, prenu balzamon por gxia vundo; eble gxi sanigxos.

9 Ni kuracis Babelon, sed gxi ne sanigxis; lasu gxin, kaj Ni iru cxiu en sian landon; cxar la jugxo kontraux gxi atingis la cxielon kaj levigxis gxis la nuboj.

10 La Eternulo elaperigis nian pravecon; venu, kaj ni rakontu en Cion la faron de la Eternulo, nia Dio.

11 Akrigu la sagojn, pretigu la sxildojn! la Eternulo vekis la spiriton de la regxoj de Medujo, cxar Lia intenco estas kontraux Babel, por pereigi gxin; cxar tio estas vengxo de la Eternulo, vengxo pro Lia templo.

12 Kontraux la muregojn de Babel levu standardon, plifortigu la gardistaron, starigu observistojn, pretigu embuskon; cxar kiel la Eternulo intencis, tiel Li faris tion, kion Li diris pri la logxantoj de Babel.

13 Ho vi, kiu logxas cxe granda akvo kaj havas grandajn trezorojn! venis via fino, finigxis via avideco.

14 La Eternulo Cebaot jxuris per Sia animo:Mi plenigos vin de homoj kiel de skaraboj, kaj ili eksonigos kontraux vi triumfan kanton.

15 Li kreis la teron per Sia forto, arangxis la mondon per Sia sagxo, kaj per Sia prudento etendis la cxielon.

16 Kiam Li eksonigas Sian vocxon, kolektigxas multego da akvo en la cxielo; Li levas la nubojn de la randoj de la tero, Li aperigas fulmojn inter la pluvo, kaj elirigas la venton el Siaj trezorejoj.

17 Malsagxigxis cxiu homo kun sia sciado, per honto kovrigxis cxiu fandisto kun sia statuo; cxar lia fanditajxo estas malverajxo, gxi ne havas en si spiriton.

18 Tio estas vantajxo, faro de eraro; kiam ili estos vizititaj, ili pereos.

19 Ne simila al ili estas Tiu, kiun havas Jakob; cxar Li estas la kreinto de cxio, kaj Izrael estas la gento de Lia heredo; Eternulo Cebaot estas Lia nomo.

20 Vi estis por Mi martelo, ilo de batalo, kaj per vi Mi frakasis naciojn, kaj per vi Mi ekstermis regnojn;

21 Mi frakasis per vi cxevalon kaj gxian rajdanton, Mi frakasis per vi cxaron kaj gxian veturanton;

22 Mi frakasis per vi viron kaj virinon, Mi frakasis per vi maljunulon kaj junulon, Mi frakasis per vi junulon kaj junulinon;

23 Mi frakasis per vi pasxtiston kaj lian sxafaron, Mi frakasis per vi terlaboriston kaj lian jungajxon, Mi frakasis per vi komandantojn kaj estrojn.

24 Kaj Mi repagos al Babel kaj al cxiuj logxantoj de HXaldeujo pro ilia tuta malbono, kiun ili faris en Cion antaux viaj okuloj, diras la Eternulo.

25 Jen Mi iras kontraux vin, ho pereiga monto, pereiganto de la tuta tero, diras la Eternulo; Mi etendos Mian manon kontraux vin, Mi ruljxetos vin de la rokoj kaj faros vin monto de brulo.

26 Oni ne prenos el vi angulsxtonon, nek sxtonon por fundamento, sed vi estos eterna ruino, diras la Eternulo.

27 Levu standardon en la lando, blovu per trumpeto inter la nacioj, armu kontraux gxin popolojn, kunvoku kontraux gxin la regnojn de Ararat, Mini, kaj Asxkenaz; starigu kontraux gxin militestron, alkonduku cxevalojn kiel pikantajn skarabojn.

28 Armu kontraux gxin popolojn, la regxojn de Medujo, gxiajn komandantojn kaj cxiujn gxiajn estrojn, kaj la tutan landaron, super kiu gxi regas.

29 Kaj la tero skuigxas kaj tremas, cxar plenumigxas super Babel la intencoj de la Eternulo, por fari la landon de Babel dezerto, en kiu neniu logxas.

30 La herooj de Babel cxesis batali, ili restis en la fortikajxoj; malaperis ilia forto, ili farigxis kiel virinoj; gxiaj logxejoj ekbrulis, gxiaj rigliloj estas rompitaj.

31 Kuranto kuras renkonte al kuranto, sciiganto renkonte al sciiganto, por raporti al la regxo de Babel, ke lia urbo estas venkoprenita cxe cxiuj flankoj,

32 ke la transirejoj estas okupitaj, la fortikajxoj brulas per fajro, kaj la militistojn atakis teruro.

33 CXar tiele diras la Eternulo Cebaot, Dio de Izrael:La filino de Babel estas kiel drasxejo dum la drasxado; tre baldaux venos la tempo de gxia rikolto.

34 Mangxis min, frakasis min Nebukadnecar, regxo de Babel, li faris min malplena vazo, glutis min kiel drako, plenigis sian ventron per miaj dolcxajxoj, kaj forpelis min.

35 La maljusteco kontraux mi kaj mia karno estu nun sur Babel, diras la logxantino de Cion; kaj mia sango sur la logxantoj de HXaldeujo, diras Jerusalem.

36 Tial tiele diras la Eternulo:Jen Mi jugxos vian aferon kaj Mi faros vengxon pro vi, Mi sekigos gxian maron kaj Mi senakvigos gxian fonton.

37 Kaj Babel farigxos amaso da sxtonoj, logxejo de sxakaloj, objekto de teruro kaj mokado, kaj neniu en gxi logxos.

38 Ili cxiuj blekegos kiel junaj leonoj, krios kiel leonidoj.

39 Dum ilia varmegigxo Mi faros al ili festenon, kaj Mi ebriigos ilin, por ke ili farigxu gajaj kaj ekdormu per eterna dormo kaj ne vekigxu, diras la Eternulo.

40 Mi kondukos ilin malsupren, kiel sxafidojn al la bucxo, kiel sxafojn kun kaproj.

41 Kiele prenita estas SXesxahx! kaj kaptita la gloro de la tuta mondo! kiele Babel farigxis objekto de teruro inter la popoloj!

42 Levigxis kontraux Babelon la maro kaj kovris gxin per la multego de siaj ondoj.

43 GXiaj urboj farigxis dezerto, tero seka kaj senviva, tero, sur kiu neniu logxas kaj tra kiu neniu homido trairas.

44 Kaj Mi punos Belon en Babel, Mi eltiros el lia busxo tion, kion li englutis, kaj ne plu kolektigxos al li popoloj; ankaux la muregoj de Babel falos.

45 Eliru el gxia interno, Mia popolo, kaj cxiu savu sian animon antaux la flama kolero de la Eternulo,

46 por ke via koro ne senkuragxigxu kaj vi ne ektimu, kiam oni auxdos la famon en la lando; cxar venos famo en unu jaro, kaj post gxi venos famo en la sekvanta jaro, kaj sur la tero estos perforteco, unu reganto kontraux alia reganto.

47 Tial jen venos tempo, kaj Mi vizitos la idolojn en Babel, kaj gxia tuta lando estos hontigita, kaj cxiuj gxiaj mortigitoj falos meze de gxi.

48 Kaj gxojkantos pri Babel la cxielo kaj la tero, kaj cxio, kio estas sur ili; cxar el la nordo venos al gxi ruinigantoj, diras la Eternulo.

49 Kiel Babel faligis la mortigitojn de Izrael, tiel ankaux en Babel falos mortigitoj el la tuta lando.

50 Vi, kiuj forsavigxis de glavo, iru, ne haltu; en malproksimeco rememoru la Eternulon, kaj Jerusalem sin levu en via koro.

51 Ni hontis, kiam ni auxdis la insulton; honto kovris nian vizagxon, kiam fremduloj eniris en la sanktejon de la domo de la Eternulo.

52 Tial jen venos tempo, diras la Eternulo, kiam Mi vizitos gxiajn idolojn, kaj en la tuta lando gxemos morte-vunditoj.

53 Ecx se Babel levigxus al la cxielo kaj se gxi fortikigus alte sian forton, tamen al gxi venus de Mi ruinigantoj, diras la Eternulo.

54 Kriado estas auxdata el Babel, kaj granda lamentado el la lando de la HXaldeoj;

55 cxar la Eternulo ruinigas Babelon kaj pereigas gxin kun gxia granda bruo; iliaj ondoj bruas kiel granda akvo, auxdigxas ilia malkvieta vocxo.

56 CXar venos sur gxin, sur Babelon, ruiniganto, kaj kaptitaj estos gxiaj herooj, rompitaj estos iliaj pafarkoj; cxar la Eternulo, Dio de repagado, nepre repagos.

57 Mi ebriigos gxiajn eminentulojn, sagxulojn, komandantojn, estrojn, kaj heroojn, kaj ili ekdormos per eterna dormo kaj ne vekigxos, diras la Regxo, kies nomo estas Eternulo Cebaot.

58 Tiele diras la Eternulo Cebaot:La largxaj muregoj de Babel estos subfositaj, kaj gxiaj altaj pordegoj estos forbruligitaj per fajro; kaj vana farigxos la penado de la popoloj, kaj gentoj estos lacigintaj sin por fajro.

59 Jen estas la vorto, kiun ordonis la profeto Jeremia al Seraja, filo de Nerija, filo de Mahxseja, kiam tiu iris kun Cidkija, regxo de Judujo, en Babelon, en la kvara jaro de lia regxado; Seraja estis la ripozejestro.

60 Kaj Jeremia enskribis en unu libron la tutan malbonon, kiu venos sur Babelon, cxiujn tiujn vortojn, skribitajn pri Babel.

61 Kaj Jeremia diris al Seraja:Kiam vi venos en Babelon, tiam rigardu kaj tralegu cxiujn tiujn vortojn,

62 kaj diru:Ho Eternulo! Vi diris pri cxi tiu loko, ke Vi ekstermos gxin tiel, ke estos en gxi neniu logxanto, nek homo, nek bruto, sed gxi estos eterna dezerto.

63 Kaj kiam vi finos la legadon de cxi tiu libro, alligu al gxi sxtonon, kaj jxetu gxin en la mezon de Euxfrato;

64 kaj diru:Tiele dronos Babel, kaj gxi ne relevigxos de la malfelicxo, kiun Mi venigos sur gxin, kaj ili pereos. GXis cxi tie estas la vortoj de Jeremia.

   

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Apocalypse Explained #417

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417. Four angels standing on the four corners of the earth. That this signifies the Divine proceeding from the Lord in the whole spiritual world, is plain from the signification of angels, for they denote the Divine which proceeds from the Lord; concerning which see above, n. 130, 200, 302; and from the signification of the four corners of the earth, which denote the whole spiritual world. By four corners is signified the spiritual world, because there are lands there just as on our globe; for in that world, as is the case on our earth, there are mountains, hills, rocks, plains, valleys, and many other things. This has been often stated above. And as the Last Judgment upon all in the spiritual world is treated of in the Apocalypse, and in this place the separation of the good from the evil, therefore that world is meant by the earth. The reason why the earth also signifies the church, as frequently stated before, is, that the appearance of the land (terra) in the spiritual world is exactly in agreement with the state of the church with spirits and angels there. The appearance is the most beautiful where the angels of the superior heavens dwell, and beautiful also where the angels of the lower heavens dwell, but it is totally wanting in beauty where evil spirits dwell. For where the angels dwell, are gardens, fruit gardens, flower-beds, palaces, and everything in heavenly form and harmony, whence pleasantnesses issue forth, imparting inmost delight to the mind; but where evil spirits are, every place is marshy, stony, and barren, and they live in huts of a vile appearance, and also in caverns and dens.

[2] These things are mentioned to show that "the earth," in the proximate sense, means the spiritual world; nor could any other earth (terra) appear to John, for it was seen by him when he was in the spirit. Man also, when in the spirit, cannot see any thing on our Earth (tellus), but only what is in the spiritual world. Therefore John saw four angels, and they were standing on the four corners of that earth. Four angels were seen, because by their standing on four corners is signified the Divine which proceeds from the Lord in the whole spiritual world, for that entire world has four quarters; these are the eastern, western, southern, and northern, that world being thus divided. Those who are in the good of love to the Lord dwell in the eastern quarter, and also in the western, but the former in the clear good of love because they are in the interior [good of love]; the latter, in the obscure good of love, because they are in the exterior [good of love]; in the southern quarter dwell those who are in the clear light of truth, and in the northern those who are in an obscure light of truth. Concerning these quarters see Heaven and Hell 141-153, where they are treated of. And since all things have reference to the good of love, and to the truth from that good, or generally to good and truth, therefore by those four quarters are also meant all things of heaven and the church. Those quarters are also meant in the Word by the four winds, here also by the four corners. It is therefore evident, that the angels were not seen standing on the four corners of the earth, but in the four quarters. They are called the four corners, because corners signify the extremes, and the extremes signify all things, because they include all.

[3] That corners signify quarters is evident from these passages in the Word, where quarters are described by corners, as in the following:

In Moses:

"For the tabernacle thou shalt make twenty boards for the south corner southwards. And for the second side of the tabernacle, towards the north corner, twenty boards," and so forth (Exodus 26:18, 20; 27:9, 11; 36:21, 23, 25).

Here the south corner denotes the southern quarter, and towards the north corner, the northern quarter, for there were twenty boards for each side.

So in Ezekiel:

"By the border of Dan, from the east corner unto the west corner, Asher one. And thence by the border of Asher, from the east corner even unto the corner towards the west," and company (48:1-8).

In the same prophet:

"These the measures; the north corner four thousand and five hundred, and the south corner as many, and the east corner as many, and the west corner as many, by the boundary to the east corner towards the west, and so forth" (48:16, 17, 23-25, 26, 27, 28, 33, 34; also 47:17-20).

Again, in Moses:

"Ye shall measure from without the city the corner towards the east two thousand cubits, and the south corner as many, and the west corner as many, and the north corner as many" (Num. 35:5; also in Joshua 15:5; 18:12, 14, 15, 20).

In these passages, by the east, the south, the west, and the north corners are meant the sides facing the eastern, southern, western, and northern quarters; from which it is evident, that by the four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, is not meant upon its four corners, but in its four quarters. Similarly in another passage in the Apocalypse, it is said:

Satan "shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth" (20:8).

[4] The reason why four corners are mentioned, and not the four quarters, is that corners signify all things, since they are the extremes; for the extremes embrace all things from the centre to the ultimate circumferences; for they are the ultimate boundaries. It was for this reason that horns were placed upon the four corners of the altar, and that blood was poured on them, and thus the whole altar expiated; as is evident from Exodus 27:2; 29:12; 30:2, 3, 10; 38:2; Leviticus 4:7, 18, 25, 30, 34; 16:18, 19; Ezekiel 41:22; 43:20.

[5] That corners signify all things, because they signify the extremes, for the reason stated above, that the extremes include and embrace all things, is clearly evident from certain statutes given to the sons of Israel; as for instance, that they should not round off or shave the corner of their head (Leviticus 19:27). That they should not cut off the corner of their beards (Leviticus 19:27; 21:5).

Again:

And when they reaped the harvest of their land, they should not wholly reap the corner of the field (19:9; 23:22).

Why such statutes were given them cannot be understood, unless it be known what the hair of the head, the beard, a field, and also a corner mean. The hair of the head, and the beard, signify the ultimate of the life of man, which is called the Corporeal Sensual; a field signifies the Church; and reaping, the truth of doctrine. Wherefore, by these [statutes], it was represented that the extremes should be preserved, because they signify all things; for unless there are extremes, intermediates cannot be held together, but are dissipated, just as the interiors of man would be scattered unless they were enclosed by the skin. The same is the case in every thing and therefore also in regard to the signification of the hair of the head, the beard, and the harvest of the field. That the hair of the head signifies the extreme of the life of man, which is called the Corporeal Sensual, may be seen above (n. 66), and that the same is signified by the beard, see the Arcana Coelestia 9660); that extremes or ultimates, signify all things in the aggregate, thus the whole (n. 10044, 10329, 10335). Now since a field signifies the church, and harvest the truths of the church, therefore by their not wholly reaping the corner of the field when they reaped the harvest, is meant the preservation of all those things which are signified by the harvests of the field.

[6] That corners signify all things because they are extremes, is also evident from the following passages in Moses:

"I will cast them into the farthest corners, I will make the remembrance of them cease from among men" (Deuteronomy 32:26).

To cast into the farthest corners signifies to deprive of all good and truth; therefore it is also said, "I will make the remembrance of them to cease from among men," which signifies, that they no longer possess any thing of spiritual life, which comes to pass when man remains only in the ultimates of life, called the Corporeal Sensual; in this condition are very many, who have not attained to anything of spiritual life. Such persons then become not unlike beasts, which have no other life, with this difference, that a man, because he is born a man, can speak and reason, but he does this from the fallacies of the senses, or of the outermost things of nature, the world, and the body. This is what is meant here by being cast into the farthest corners.

[7] In Jeremiah:

"And their camels shall be a prey, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil; and I will scatter them into every wind into the cut off of the corner; and I will bring their destruction from all the passages thereof, saith Jehovah" (49:32).

These things are said concerning the devastation of Arabia and Hazor by the king of Babylon, and by Arabia and Hazor are signified the knowledges of good and truth, and by the king of Babylon evil and falsity vastating. The vastation of all confirmatory scientifics and of the knowledges of good and truth, is signified by their camels being a prey, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil; for camels denote confirmatory scientifics, and cattle the knowledges of good and truth. The vastation of all things pertaining to good and truth, until none remains, is signified by, "I will scatter them into every wind into the cut off of the corner;" the cut off of the corner denoting the extremes where good and truth no longer exist. That evils and falsities will then break in on every side, is signified by, "I will bring their destruction from all the passages thereof." For in the spiritual world, where the evil are, ways from the hells lie open on all sides, and through these, evils and falsities therefrom break in; and all who are in similar evils and falsities pass through the same ways, and associate with them. These things are said in order that it may be known what is meant by "I will bring their destruction from all the passages." By their becoming a prey and a spoil, as well as by being scattered and destroyed, is signified devastation.

[8] In the same prophet:

"Behold, the days come, in which I will punish all them which are circumcised in their uncircumcision; Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the sons of Ammon, and Moab, and all the utmost of the corner, that dwell in the wilderness; for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart" (9:25, 26).

Here, by "all the utmost of the corner," are signified those who are in the ultimates of the church separated from interior things, interior things being spiritual, therefore, those who are in sensual things only, which are the ultimates of the natural man. Concerning the nature and quality of those who are merely sensual, see the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem. (n. 50).

These are signified by the cut off of the corner, because corners signify the quarters of the spiritual world, and those quarters signify all the goods and truths of heaven and the church, as previously stated. The dwellings of spirits and angels in that world, are so arranged, that those who possess the greatest wisdom and intelligence dwell in the midst, and those who are successively in less and less, from the midst even to the outmost boundaries, and this gradation proceeds accurately according to distances from the centre. In the outermost parts are those who have no wisdom and intelligence, and beyond these those who are in evils and the falsities thence. The latter are those denoted by the cut off of the corner; and because there are deserts there they are said to dwell in the wilderness. Concerning these gradations in the spiritual world, see Heaven and Hell 43, 50, 189). The same are signified by the uncircumcised nations, and by the house of Israel uncircumcised in heart; for the uncircumcised signify those who, being without love and charity, and therefore without good, are consequently in the loves of self and of the world; and those who are in these loves are in the ultimates of the natural man, which are altogether separated from spiritual things; they are therefore "the cut off of the corner that dwell in the wilderness." By Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon and Moab, are meant all those who by means of those loves have separated themselves from the goods and truths of the church; therefore they are beyond the influence of these truths, and are thus the cut off of the corner. The same is signified by the cut off of the corner in Jeremiah (25:23).

[9] Again, in Moses:

"There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall break in pieces the corners of Moab" (Num. 24:17).

By the corners of Moab are meant all things signified by Moab. By Moab are signified those who are in the ultimates of the Word, of the church, and of worship; and in the opposite sense, those who adulterate such things by looking to themselves, and regarding their own honour in every one of these things. The corners of Moab, therefore, mean adulterations of the Word, and consequently of the church and worship, as they exist with those who are of such a character. Similar things are signified by the corner of Moab in Jeremiah (48:45).

[10] In Zephaniah:

"A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high corners" (1:16).

Here, "a day of the trumpet and alarm," signifies spiritual combat against evils and falsities. The fenced cities signify confirmatory false doctrinals, and the high corners those things which favour their loves. Hence the signification of "a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high corners" is evident.

Again:

"I will cut off the nations; their corners shall be laid waste; I will make desolate their streets, that none passeth by; and I will lay waste their cities, so that there is no inhabitant" (3:6).

The destruction of all the goods of the church, is signified by "I will cut off the nations" and "their corners shall be laid waste." Nations mean the goods of the church, and corners, being the extremes (as above), all things belonging to it. By "I will make desolate their streets," and by "their cities shall be laid waste," is signified the destruction of the truths of doctrine; streets denoting truths and cities doctrinals; the total destruction, until no good and truth remain, is signified by there being no inhabitant, none to pass by; for to pass by is used in the Word of truths, and to inhabit of goods.

[11] In the book of Judges:

"Then all the sons of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, and the corners of all the people, even all the tribes of Israel, stood together in the assembly of the people of God" (20:1, 2).

That "the corners of all the people stood together in the assembly of the people of God," signifies all from every side, or from every quarter, is evident from its being said, that all the sons and all the tribes of Israel went out, and that the congregation was gathered together from Dan even to Beersheba. But in the spiritual sense, by "the corners of all the people" are meant all the goods and truths of the church; and similarly also by all the tribes of Israel from Dan even to Beersheba, are signified those things from ultimates to primaries (prima), and by the assembly of the people of God, is signified consultation concerning the things of the church. For in the historical parts of the Word, equally as in the prophetical, there is everywhere a spiritual sense. Therefore in the historical sense, by corners are signified quarters, such as are in the spiritual world; but in the spiritual sense, for the reason stated above, they signify all the truths and goods of the church.

[12] From these considerations the signification of corner stone in the following passages is evident:-

In Isaiah:

"He will lay in Zion a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone of sure foundation" (28:16).

In Jeremiah:

"And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone of foundations" (51:26).

In Zechariah:

Out of Judah, "the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow" (10:4).

In David:

"The stone which they rejected is become the head of the corner" (Psalm 118:22). Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10, 11; Luke 20:17, 18.

Corner stone signifies all Divine Truth upon which heaven and the church are founded, thus every foundation; and, because the foundation is the basis upon which a house or temple rests, it therefore signifies all things. Because by corner stone are signified all things upon which the church is founded, it is therefore said, "He will lay in Zion a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone of sure foundation." It is also called a stone for a corner and a stone of foundations; and because corner stone signifies all Divine Truth upon which the church is founded, it therefore also signifies the Lord as to the Divine Human because from That all Divine Truth proceeds. The builders, or architects, who rejected that stone, as we read in the Evangelists, mean those who are of the church, in this case, of the Jewish church, which rejected the Lord, and together with Him all Divine Truth; for there remained with them nothing but vain traditions from the sense of the letter of the Word, in which the very truths of the Word were falsified, and its goods adulterated. That ultimates signify all things, and the reason of this signification, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 634, 5897, 6239, 6451, 6465, 9216, 9824, 9828, 9836, 9905, 10044, 10099, 10329, 10335, 10548).

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