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Hesekiel 1

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1 Und es geschah im dreißigsten Jahre, im vierten Monat, am Fünften des Monats, als ich inmitten der Weggeführten war, am Flusse Kebar, da taten sich die Himmel auf, und ich sah Gesichte Gottes.

2 Am Fünften des Monats, das war das fünfte Jahr der Wegführung des Königs Jojakin (Vergl. 2. Kön. 24,15,)

3 geschah das Wort Jehovas ausdrücklich zu Hesekiel, dem Sohne Busis, dem Priester, im Lande der Chaldäer, am Flusse Kebar; und daselbst kam die Hand Jehovas über ihn.

4 Und ich sah: und siehe, ein Sturmwind kam von Norden her, eine große Wolke und ein Feuer, sich ineinander schlingend (Eig. zusammengeballtes Feuer; nur hier und 2. Mose 9,24,) und ein Glanz rings um dieselbe; und aus seiner Mitte, aus der Mitte des Feuers her, strahlte es wie der Anblick von glänzendem Metall.

5 Und aus seiner Mitte hervor erschien die Gestalt (Eig. eine Ähnlichkeit; so auch nachher) von vier lebendigen Wesen; und dies war ihr Aussehen: Sie hatten die Gestalt eines Menschen.

6 Und jedes hatte vier Angesichter, und jedes von ihnen hatte vier Flügel.

7 Und ihre Füße waren gerade Füße, und ihre Fußsohlen wie die Fußsohle eines Kalbes; und sie funkelten wie der Anblick von leuchtendem (Viell. geglättetem) Erze.

8 Und Menschenhände waren unter ihren Flügeln an ihren vier Seiten; und die vier hatten ihre Angesichter und ihre Flügel.

9 Ihre Flügel waren verbunden (Eig. sich verbindend; d. h. der rechte Flügel des einen Cherubs rührte an den linken Flügel des anderen (vergl. Kap. 3,13 und 1,23), indem die Cherubim paarweise einander gegenüber standen und ein Ganzes bildeten (Vergl. v 22; Kap. 9,3;10,2. 4.15.)) einer mit dem anderen; sie wandten sich nicht, wenn sie gingen: Sie gingen ein jeder stracks vor sich hin.

10 Und die Gestalt ihres Angesichts war eines Menschen Angesicht; und rechts hatten die vier eines Löwen Angesicht, und links hatten die vier eines Stieres Angesicht, und eines Adlers Angesicht (nämlich an ihrer Hinterseite) hatten die vier.

11 Und ihre Angesichter und ihre Flügel waren oben getrennt; jedes hatte zwei Flügel miteinander verbunden (Eig. sich verbindend; d. h. der rechte Flügel des einen Cherubs rührte an den linken Flügel des anderen (vergl. Kap. 3,13 und 1,23), indem die Cherubim paarweise einander gegenüber standen und ein Ganzes bildeten (Vergl. v 22; Kap. 9,3;10,2. 4.15.),) und zwei, welche ihre Leiber bedeckten.

12 Und sie gingen ein jedes stracks vor sich hin; wohin der Geist gehen wollte, gingen sie; sie wandten sich nicht, wenn sie gingen.

13 Und die Gestalt der lebendigen Wesen: ihr Aussehen war wie brennende Feuerkohlen, wie das Aussehen von Fackeln. Das Feuer (Eig. es) fuhr umher zwischen den lebendigen Wesen; und das Feuer hatte einen Glanz, und aus dem Feuer gingen Blitze hervor.

14 Und die lebendigen Wesen liefen hin und her wie das Aussehen von Blitzstrahlen (Eig. von Zickzack des Blitzes.)

15 Und ich sah die lebendigen Wesen, und siehe, da war ein ad auf der Erde neben den lebendigen Wesen, nach ihren vier Vorderseiten (d. h. neben der Vorderseite eines jeden Cherubs.)

16 Das Aussehen der äder und ihre Arbeit war wie der Anblick eines Chrysoliths (O. eines Topases; so auch nachher,) und die vier hatten einerlei Gestalt; und ihr Aussehen und ihre Arbeit war, wie wenn ein ad inmitten eines ades wäre.

17 Wenn sie gingen, so gingen sie nach ihren vier Seiten hin: sie wandten sich nicht, wenn sie gingen.

18 Und ihre Felgen, sie waren hoch und furchtbar; und ihre Felgen waren voll Augen ringsum bei den vieren.

19 Und wenn die lebendigen Wesen gingen, so gingen die äder neben ihnen; und wenn die lebendigen Wesen sich von der Erde erhoben, so erhoben sich die äder.

20 Wohin der Geist gehen wollte, gingen sie, dahin, wohin der Geist gehen wollte; und die äder erhoben sich neben ihnen (Eig. gleichlaufend mit ihnen,) denn der Geist des lebendigen Wesens war in den ädern.

21 Wenn sie gingen, gingen auch sie, und wenn sie stehen blieben, blieben auch sie stehen; und wenn sie sich von der Erde erhoben, so erhoben sich die äder neben ihnen (Eig. gleichlaufend mit ihnen;) denn der Geist des lebendigen Wesens war in den ädern.

22 Und über den Häuptern des lebendigen Wesens war das Gebilde (Eig. eine Ähnlichkeit; so auch nachher) einer Ausdehnung (O. eines Firmaments; d. h. einer dem Himmelsgewölbe ähnlichen Wölbung,) wie der Anblick eines wundervollen (O. erschreckenden) Krystalls, ausgebreitet oben über ihren Häuptern.

23 Und unter der Ausdehnung waren ihre Flügel gerade (d. h. waagerecht) gerichtet, einer gegen den anderen; ein jedes von ihnen hatte zwei Flügel, welche ihre Leiber bedeckten (Eig. ein jedes von ihnen hatte zwei, bedeckend, und ein jedes von ihnen hatte zwei, bedeckend ihre Leiber; hieraus erhellt, daß die Cherubim in zwei Paare geteilt waren.)

24 Und wenn sie gingen, hörte ich das auschen ihrer Flügel wie das auschen großer Wasser, wie die Stimme des Allmächtigen, das auschen eines Getümmels, wie das auschen eines Heerlagers. Wenn sie still standen, ließen sie ihre Flügel sinken.

25 Und es kam eine Stimme (O. ein Donner) von oberhalb der Ausdehnung, die über ihren Häuptern war. Wenn sie still standen, ließen sie ihre Flügel sinken.

26 Und oberhalb der Ausdehnung, die über ihren Häuptern war, war die Gestalt eines Thrones wie das Aussehen eines Saphirsteines; und auf der Gestalt des Thrones eine Gestalt wie das Aussehen eines Menschen oben darauf.

27 Und ich sah wie den Anblick von glänzendem Metall, wie das Aussehen von Feuer innerhalb desselben ringsum; von seinen Lenden (Eig. von dem Aussehen seiner Lenden) aufwärts und von seinen Lenden (Eig. von dem Aussehen seiner Lenden) abwärts sah ich wie das Aussehen von Feuer; und ein Glanz war rings um denselben.

28 Wie das Aussehen des Bogens, der am egentage in der Wolke ist, also war das Aussehen des Glanzes ringsum. Das war das Aussehen des Bildes der Herrlichkeit Jehovas. -Und als ich es sah, fiel ich nieder auf mein Angesicht; und ich hörte die Stimme eines edenden.

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Apocalypse Explained #297

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297. (5:1) And I saw in the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. That this signifies the Lord as to omnipotence and as to omniscience, is evident from the signification of the right hand when said of the Lord, as denoting omnipotence and also omniscience (concerning which we shall speak presently): and from the signification of Him that sat upon the throne, as denoting the Lord as to Divine good in heaven. For throne signifies heaven in general, specifically the spiritual heaven, and, in the abstract, the Divine truth proceeding, from which heaven is, and by which judgment is effected (as may be seen above, n. 253). The reason why the Lord is meant by Him that sat upon the throne, and also by the Lamb which took the book from Him that sat upon the throne, is, because by Him that sat upon the throne is meant the Lord as to Divine good, and by the Lamb the Lord as to Divine truth: for there are two things that proceed from the Lord as the Sun of heaven, namely, Divine good and Divine truth. Divine good from the Lord is called the Father in the heavens, and this is meant by Him that sat upon the throne; and Divine truth from the Lord is called the Son of man, but in this case the Lamb. And because Divine good judges no one, but Divine truth, it is therefore said here, that the Lamb took the book from Him that sat upon the throne. That the Divine good judges no one, but Divine truth, is meant by the Lord's words in John:

"The Father judgeth no one, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son, because he is the Son of man" (5:22, 27).

By the Father is meant the Lord as to Divine good; and by the Son of man, the Lord as to Divine truth. The reason why Divine good judges no one, is, because it explores no one: but Divine truth [judges], for this explores every one. But still it must be known that the Lord Himself does not judge any one from the Divine truth that proceeds from Him, for this is united to the Divine good, so that they are one, but that a man-spirit judges himself: for it is the Divine truth received by him that judges him; and because it appears as if the Lord judges him, it is therefore said in the Word that all are judged by the Lord. This also the Lord teaches in John:

Jesus said, "And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejected me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the Word that I have spoken, it shall judge him in the last day" (12:47, 48).

[2] For with respect to judgment, the case is this: the Lord is present with all, and from Divine love wills to save all and also turns and leads all to Himself. Those who are in good, and thence in truths, follow, for they apply themselves; but those who are in evil, and thence in falsities, do not follow, but turn themselves away from the Lord, and to turn themselves away from the Lord is [to turn] from heaven to hell; for every man spirit is either his own good and the truth thence, or he is his own evil and the falsity thence. He who is in good and the truth therefrom, suffers himself to be led by the Lord; but he who is in evil and the falsity thence, does not suffer himself to be led. The latter resists with all his might and effort; for he wills according to his own love, which inspires and animates him; therefore his desire is to those who are in a similar love of evil. Hence it is evident that the Lord judges no one, but that the Divine truth received judges to heaven those who have received Divine truth in the heart, that is, in the love: and to hell those who have not received Divine truth in the heart, and have denied it. From these considerations it is evident how the Lord's words must be understood. "All judgment is [given] to the Son, because he is the Son of man." And elsewhere, that "he came not to judge the world but to save the world, and that the Word which he has spoken will judge him."

[3] But these things are such as do not fall into man's own intelligence, for they are amongst the arcana of the wisdom of the angels. This subject, however, is in some measure elucidated in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 545-551, where this fact is treated of, that the Lord casts no one into hell, but that the spirit himself [casts] himself thither. That it is the Lord who is meant "by him that sat upon the throne," and not another whom they distinguish from Him, and call God the Father, is evident to every one from this consideration, that there was no other Divine which the Lord called Father, but His own Divine: for this assumed the Human, therefore this was His Father; and that this is infinite, eternal, uncreate, omnipotent, God, Lord, and in nothing differing from the very Divine, which they distinguish from Him and call "the Father," is evident from the received faith, called the Athanasian; where it is also said, That none of them is greatest and least, and none of them first and last, but that they are altogether equal; and that as one is, so is the other, infinite, eternal, uncreate, omnipotent, God, Lord: and yet there are not three infinites, but one: not three eternals, but one: not three uncreate, but one: not three omnipotents, but one: not three Gods and Lords, but one.

These things are mentioned, in order that it may be known that there are not two distinct [beings] meant by "Him that sat upon the throne," and by "the Lamb," nor in what follows "by God" and "the Lamb" but that by the one is meant the Divine good, and by the other the Divine truth in heaven, both proceeding from the Lord. That the Lord is meant by Him that sat upon the throne, also appears from all the particulars of chapter four, where a throne and one sitting thereon is treated of; this may be seen explained, n. 258-295: and, moreover, in Matthew:

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory" (25:31; 19:28, 29).

Again in Ezekiel:

"And above the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man sitting upon it" (1:26; 10:1)

And in Isaiah:

"I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his borders filled the temple" (6:1).

[4] Because by a throne is signified heaven, and by one sitting upon a throne, the Lord as to His Divine in heaven, therefore it is said above (in chap. Revelation 3), "To him that overcometh, I will give to sit with me on my throne," by which is signified that he shall be in heaven where the Lord is (as may be seen above, n. 253); and therefore in what follows in this chapter, it is said,

"I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne a Lamb standing" (5:6).

And in chapter 22,

"He shewed me a river of the water of life, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb" (Revelation 22:1).

By the throne of God and of the Lamb, is meant heaven and the Lord there, as to Divine good, and as to Divine truth; God there denoting the Lord as to Divine good; and the Lamb, as to Divine truth. There is a distinction made here between them, because there are those who receive one more than the other; those who receive the Divine truth in good are saved; but those who receive the Divine truth, which is the Word, not in good, are not saved, because all Divine truth is in good, and nowhere else. Therefore those who do not receive it in good, reject and deny it, if not openly yet tacitly, and if not with the mouth yet with the heart; for the heart of such is evil, and evil rejects. To receive Divine truth in good, is to receive it in the good of charity; for those who are in that good receive.

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

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Arcana Coelestia #5798

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5798. 'And do not let your anger burn against your servant' means lest he turn away. This is clear from the meaning of 'anger' as a turning away or aversion, dealt with in 5034; for one who is angry turns away. He does not think as the other person does; rather, in the state he is in, his thought is contrary to the other's. This meaning of 'anger' as a turning away is evident from many places in the Word, especially from those where anger or wrath, meaning a turning away, is attributed to Jehovah or the Lord. Not that Jehovah or the Lord ever turns away but that man does so; and when man turns away it appears to him as if the Lord does so since he is not heard. The Word speaks in keeping with the appearance. In addition, since 'anger' is a turning away, it is also a hostility towards what is good and true on the part of those who have turned away. On the part however of those who have not turned away 'anger' is not hostility but repugnance, because it is an aversion to what is evil and false.

[2] As regards 'anger' meaning hostility, this has been shown in 3614. It also means a turning away, and punishment too, when people are hostile towards what is good and true, as is evident from the following places: In Isaiah,

Woe to those decreeing decrees of iniquity. They will fall beneath the bound and beneath the slain; but in all this His anger will not be turned back. Woe to Asshur, the rod of My anger. Against a hypocritical nation I will send him, and against the people of [My] wrath I will command him. He does not think what is right and his heart does not consider what is right. Isaiah 10:1, 4-7.

'Anger' and 'wrath' stand for a turning away and hostility on man's side, a condition in which punishment and not being heard seem to him like anger. And as these exist on man's side, the words 'woe to those decreeing decrees of iniquity', 'he does not think what is right and his heart does not consider what is right' are used.

[3] In the same prophet,

Jehovah together with the vessels of His anger [comes] to destroy the whole land. Behold, the day of Jehovah 1 comes - cruel, with indignation, wrath, and anger - to make the earth a ruin, so that He may destroy its sinners from it. I will make heaven quake, and the earth will quake out of its place, at the wrath of Jehovah

Zebaoth and in the day of His fierce anger. Isaiah 13:5, 9, 13.

'Heaven' and 'the earth' here stand for the Church, which had turned away from truth and goodness. Because it had done this a description of the laying waste and destruction of it owing to the indignation, anger, and wrath of Jehovah appears here, though the truth of the matter is the complete opposite. That is to say, the person ruled by evil is the one who is filled with indignation, anger, and wrath, in addition to which he sets himself against what is good and true. The attribution to Jehovah of punishment which comes as a result of evil is due to the appearance. Various places elsewhere in the Word call the final period of the Church and its destruction 'the day of Jehovah's anger'.

[4] In the same prophet,

Jehovah has broken the rod of the wicked, the stick of those who have dominion. He will strike the peoples in a rage, with an incurable stroke, He who with anger rules the nations. Isaiah 14:5-6.

Much the same applies here. It is like a criminal punished by the law; he attributes the evil of a punishment to the king or judge, not to himself. In the same prophet,

Jacob and Israel, because these were unwilling to walk in Jehovah's ways and did not hear His law, He poured out upon him the wrath of His anger, and the violence of battle. Isaiah 42:24-25.

In Jeremiah,

I Myself will fight against you with outstretched hand and strong arm, and in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation. Lest My fury go forth like fire, and burn and fail to be quenched because of the wickedness of your works.

Here 'fury', 'anger', and 'great indignation' are nothing other than the evils of a punishment because of a turning away from and a hostility towards what is good and true.

[5] It is in origin a Divine law that all evil carries punishment with it; and surprising though it may be, in, the next life evil and punishment are inseparable. For as soon as a hellish spirit does anything exceptionally bad other spirits, ones who administer punishments, become present and punish him without their having been alerted by anyone else. The fact that the evil of a punishment is caused by turning away is self-evident, for the expression 'because of the wickedness of your works' is used. In David,

He let loose on them the wrath of His anger, indignation, and rage, and distress, and a mission of evil angels. He opened a way for His anger, He did not spare their soul from death. Psalms 78:49-50.

See also Isaiah 30:27, 30; Isaiah 34:2; 47:3, 6; 54:8; 57:17; 63:6; 66:15; Jeremiah 4:8; 7:20; 15:14; 33:5; Ezekiel 5:13, 17; Deuteronomy 9:11-19; 29:20-24; Revelation 14:9-10; 15:7. In these places too 'wrath', 'anger', 'indignation', and 'rage' stand for a turning away, hostility, and consequent punishment.

[6] The reason why punishment due to a turning away and hostility is attributed to Jehovah or the Lord and is called anger, wrath, and rage residing with Him is that the nation descended from Jacob had to be confined solely to the external representatives of the Church. They could not be confined to these except through fear and dread of Jehovah and unless they had believed that in His anger and wrath He would do evil to them. People who are concerned solely with external things and nothing internal cannot be led in any other way to perform external observances, since no sense of obligation is present with them interiorly. This is also the situation with simple persons in the Church. The only idea they can grasp, based on the appearance, is that God is angry when someone does what is evil. Yet anyone may see, if he stops to reflect, that no anger at all, still less any rage, resides with Jehovah or the Lord, since He is mercy itself, is goodness itself, and is infinitely beyond wishing evil on anyone. Neither does a person possessing charity towards the neighbour do evil to anyone; and as this is true of every angel, how much more must it be true of the Lord Himself? But the situation in the next life is as follows: Because of the newcomers there the Lord is constantly reordering heaven and its communities, imparting bliss and happiness to them.

[7] But when that bliss and happiness passes into the communities opposite (for in the next life all the communities of heaven have communities opposite them in hell, which is what provides equilibrium) and those communities feel a change taking place from heaven's presence, they are filled with anger and wrath. They rush into doing evil and at the same time bring on themselves the evils of their punishment. Furthermore, when evil spirits or genii come near the light of heaven they start to experience pain and torment, 4225, 4226. This they attribute to heaven, and consequently to the Lord; but in actual fact they bring the torment on themselves since evil suffers torment whenever it comes near good. From all this it is evident that the Lord is the source of nothing but good and that all evil originates in those people themselves who turn away, stand in opposition, and attack. This arcanum enables one to see what the situation really is.

Footnotes:

1. The Latin means Jehovah but the Hebrew means the day of Jehovah, which Swedenborg has in other places where he quotes this verse.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.