The Bible

 

numerot 11:1

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1 Ja tapahtui, koska kansa kärsimättömyydestä napisi, oli se paha Herran korvissa, ja koska Herra sen kuuli, julmistui hänen vihansa, ja Herran tuli syttyi heidän seassansa, joka äärimäiset heidän leirissänsä poltti.


SWORD version by Tero Favorin (tero at favorin dot com)

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Spiritual Experiences #1962

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1962. 1 About a spirit who longed to come into heaven

There was a certain spirit of this earth who came up close to my left ear and said that he was eager to come into heaven, asking how he could come there. I replied first by asking him whether he had spoken to good spirits, and whether he could not first come into their company, and later he might be able to be admitted into heaven. But he answered that they did not want to let him into their society. I then said that it is of the Lord Alone to admit into heaven.

About this spirit I was told by others that there are some like this who, when they die and come into the other life, want nothing else than to come into heaven, no matter how they had lived, or however little faith they have, or deeper knowledge of faith. They only think that because they desire heaven, they should be admitted, supposing this is all that is needed for salvation. Such spirits, however, are almost insane, for they have nothing else in mind but heaven and heavenly joy, having no other thought. During their life they had been inflamed with this desire, not caring whether they had faith or not. And if they had been let in, besides the fact that they could not possibly be in the company of heavenly beings, then they would also want nothing else but joy, and they would never be content, because they could not be touched by any true joy.

Such spirits therefore suffer quite a long time, even until they forget that desire; and when they have forgotten it, then for the first time an idea of what heaven is can be imparted to them, that is, the countless aspects it encompasses - and also what heavenly joy is, namely, mutual love, and from that, joys. 1748, 15 May.

Footnotes:

1. Paragraph 1961 is placed according to the author's instruction after 1959.

  
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Thanks to the Academy of the New Church, and Bryn Athyn College, for the permission to use this translation.