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Hesekiel 9

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1 Siis ta hüüdis mu kuuldes valju häälega, öeldes: 'Tulge siia, linna nuhtlejad, ja igaühel olgu käes hävitusriist!'

2 Ja vaata, kuus meest tuli Ülavärava poolt, mis on põhja poole, ja igaühel oli käes oma purustusriist; aga nende seas oli mees, linased riided seljas ja kirjutustarbed puusal; ja nad tulid ning asusid vaskaltari kõrvale.

3 Ja Iisraeli Jumala auhiilgus tõusis keerubi pealt, mille peal ta oli, koja lävele ja hüüdis linaste riietega meest, kellel olid kirjutustarbed puusal.

4 Ja Issand ütles temale: 'Mine läbi linna, läbi Jeruusalemma, ja tee märk nende laubale, kes ohkavad ja ägavad jäleduste pärast, mida selles linnas tehakse!'

5 Ja neile teistele ütles ta minu kuuldes: 'Minge tema järel läbi linna ja lööge! Teie silm ärgu kurvastagu ja ärge andke armu!

6 Tapke sootuks vanad, noored mehed ja neitsid, lapsed ja naised, aga ärge puudutage ühtegi, kellel on märk küljes! Ja alustage minu pühamust!' Ja nad alustasid meestest, vanemaist, kes olid koja ees.

7 Ja ta ütles neile: 'Rüvetage koda ja täitke õued mahalöödutega! Minge!' Ja nad läksid välja ning alustasid linnas tapatööd.

8 Aga kui nad olid maha löömas ja mina olin üksi jäänud, siis ma langesin silmili maha ja kisendasin ning ütlesin: 'Oh Issand Jumal! Kas sa tahad hävitada kogu Iisraeli jäägi, et sa valad oma tulise viha Jeruusalemma peale?'

9 Siis ta ütles mulle: 'Iisraeli ja Juuda soo süü on väga suur; maa on täis veresüüd ja linn on täis õiguseväänamist, sest nad ütlevad: Issand on maa maha jätnud, Issand ei näe!

10 Sellepärast minugi silm ei kurvasta ja ma ei anna armu. Ma panen nende eluviisid neile pea peale.'

11 Ja vaata, linaste riietega mees, kellel olid kirjutustarbed puusal, tõi sõna, öeldes: 'Ma tegin, nagu sa mind käskisid.'

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #347

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347. "Till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." This symbolically means, before those people were separated who were governed by truths springing from goodness from the Lord, thus who were inwardly good.

Sealing them on the foreheads does not mean to seal them there actually, but to distinguish and separate people who are impelled by the goodness of love from the Lord; for the forehead symbolizes the goodness of love. They are people who are governed by truths springing from goodness from the Lord, because these are the kind of people meant by servants of God (no. 3).

The forehead symbolizes the goodness of love because the face images a person's affections, and the forehead is the highest part of the face. Just underneath the forehead is the brain, from which originates everything connected with the person's life.

Because the forehead symbolizes love - a good love in the case of good people, and an evil love in the case of evil people - therefore to seal them on the foreheads means, symbolically, to distinguish and separate one from the other according to their love.

The like is symbolically meant in Ezekiel:

Go through... the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men who groan... over... the abominations... (Ezekiel 9:4-6)

[2] Since the forehead symbolizes love, therefore regarding the plate on Aaron's turban which had "Holiness to Jehovah" engraved on it, we read that it was on the front of the turban, so as to be on Aaron's forehead, and to be always on Aaron's forehead, that the people might find favor before Jehovah (Exodus 28:36-38). And it was also commanded that the words, "You shall love your God with all your heart and with all your soul," be on the hand and on the forehead (Deuteronomy 6:5, 8; 11:18); that they have the name of the Father written on their foreheads (Revelation 14:1), and the name of God and of the Lamb on their foreheads (Revelation 22:4).

It should be known that the Lord views angels by looking upon their foreheads, and they in turn view the Lord with their eyes. The reason is that the Lord regards all in accordance with the goodness of their love, and wills that they in turn regard Him in accordance with the truths of wisdom, so as to bring about a conjunction.

[3] In an opposite sense the forehead in the following instances symbolizes an evil love: people who have the mark of the beast on their foreheads (Revelation 13:16; 14:9; 20:4); and also people with the name of Babylon on their foreheads (Revelation 17:5). The forehead of a woman who is a harlot (Jeremiah 3:3). People having an obstinate forehead and a hard heart (Ezekiel 3:7-8).

...you were obstinate..., and your forehead was bronze... (Isaiah 48:4)

  
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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.