The Bible

 

Hesekiel 8

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1 Und es geschah im sechsten Jahre, im sechsten Monat, am Fünften des Monats: Ich saß in meinem Hause, und die Ältesten von Juda saßen vor mir, da fiel daselbst die Hand des Herrn, Jehovas, auf mich.

2 Und ich sah: und siehe, eine Gestalt wie das Aussehen von Feuer: Von ihren Lenden abwärts Feuer; und von ihren Lenden aufwärts wie das Aussehen eines Lichtglanzes, wie der Anblick von glänzendem Metall.

3 Und er streckte das Gebilde einer Hand aus und nahm mich beim Haarschopf meines Hauptes; und der Geist hob mich zwischen Erde und Himmel empor und brachte mich in Gesichten Gottes nach Jerusalem, an den Eingang des Tores des inneren Vorhofs, welches gegen Norden sieht, wo der Standort des Bildes der Eifersucht war, welches zum Eifer reizt.

4 Und siehe, daselbst war die Herrlichkeit des Gottes Israels, gleich dem Gesicht, welches ich im Tale gesehen hatte.

5 Und er sprach zu mir: Menschensohn, hebe nun deine Augen auf gegen Norden! Und ich hob meine Augen auf gegen Norden, und siehe, nördlich vom Tore des Altars war dieses Bild der Eifersucht, am Eingang.

6 Und er sprach zu mir: Menschensohn, siehst du, was sie tun, die großen Greuel, welche das Haus Israel hier verübt, damit ich mich von meinem Heiligtum entferne? Und du sollst noch weiter große Greuel sehen. -

7 Und er brachte mich an den Eingang des Vorhofs; und ich sah: Und siehe, ein Loch war in der Mauer.

8 Und er sprach zu mir: Menschensohn, durchbrich doch die Mauer. Und ich durchbrach die Mauer; und siehe, da war eine Tür.

9 Und er sprach zu mir: Geh hinein und sieh die bösen Greuel, die sie hier verüben.

10 Und ich ging hinein und sah: und siehe, da waren allerlei Gebilde von scheußlichem Gewürm und Vieh, und allerlei Götzen des Hauses Israel, ringsumher an die Wand gezeichnet.

11 Und siebzig Männer von den Ältesten des Hauses Israel, und Jaasanja, der Sohn Schaphans, in ihrer Mitte stehend, standen davor, jeder mit seinem Räucherfaß in seiner Hand; und der Duft einer Weihrauchwolke stieg empor.

12 Und er sprach zu mir: Hast du gesehen, Menschensohn, was die Ältesten des Hauses Israel im Finstern tun, ein jeder in seinen Bilderkammern? Denn sie sagen: Jehova sieht uns nicht, Jehova hat das Land verlassen!

13 Und er sprach zu mir: Du sollst noch weiter große Greuel sehen, die sie verüben. -

14 Und er brachte mich an den Eingang des Tores des Hauses Jehovas, das gegen Norden ist; und siehe, dort saßen die Weiber, welche den Tammuz beweinten.

15 Und er sprach zu mir: Hast du gesehen, Menschensohn? Du sollst weiter noch größere Greuel sehen als diese. -

16 Und er brachte mich in den inneren Vorhof des Hauses Jehovas; und siehe, am Eingang des Tempels Jehovas, zwischen der Halle und dem Altar, waren fünfundzwanzig Männer, ihre Rücken gegen den Tempel Jehovas und ihre Angesichter gegen Osten gerichtet; und sie bückten sich gegen Osten hin vor der Sonne.

17 Und er sprach zu mir: Hast du gesehen, Menschensohn? Ist es dem Hause Juda zu gering, die Greuel zu verüben, die sie hier verüben, daß sie auch das Land mit Gewalttat füllen und mich immer wieder reizen? Denn siehe, sie halten das Reis an ihre Nase.

18 So will auch ich handeln im Grimm, mein Auge soll nicht schonen, und ich werde mich nicht erbarmen; und rufen sie auch vor meinen Ohren mit lauter Stimme, so werde ich sie doch nicht hören.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #629

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629. "And give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come." This symbolizes an acknowledgment and confession that all the Word's truth which makes the church a church comes from the Lord, and that everyone will be judged in accordance with it.

To give glory to Him means, symbolically, to acknowledge and confess that every truth comes from the Lord, as may be seen in no. 249 above; and because every truth that makes the church a church is drawn from the Word, it is the Word's truth that is meant. "For the hour of His judgment has come" means symbolically that everyone will be judged in accordance with the Word's truth. This is the symbolic meaning because to give glory to Him means, symbolically, to acknowledge and confess that the Word's truth all comes from the Lord, and we are told next, "for the hour of His judgment has come," the word "for" entailing this as the cause.

That everyone will be judged by the Word's truth may be seen in 233, 273 above. And that the church is founded on the Word, and that its character is such as its understanding of the Word, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture, nos. 76-79.

It is apparent from this that the spiritual meaning of these words is as stated. It is as stated because angels in heaven perceive glory to mean nothing else than Divine truth; and because all Divine truth comes from the Lord, they perceive giving glory to Him to mean an acknowledgment and confession that all truth comes from Him. For all glory in the heavens springs from no other origin, and to the extent that any society in heaven is governed by Divine truth, to the same extent everything in it is radiant, and the angels are surrounded by a commensurate glorious radiance.

[2] That glory means Divine truth can be seen from the following passages:

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of Jehovah... The glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it...." (Isaiah 40:3, 5)

...shine, for your light has come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon you... Jehovah will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1-2 to the end)

I will... give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles..., and My glory I will not give to another... (Isaiah 42:6, 8)

For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it... And I will not give My glory to another. (Isaiah 48:11)

They shall fear... His glory from the rising of the sun... The Redeemer will come to Zion... (Isaiah 59:19-20)

...your light shall break forth like the morning...; the glory of Jehovah shall gather you. (Isaiah 58:8)

...He will come to gather all nations and tongues, that they may... see My glory. (Isaiah 66:18)

(Jehovah said,) "I live, and all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Jehovah." (Numbers 14:21)

The whole earth is full of His glory! (Isaiah 6:1-3)

In the beginning was the Word..., and the Word was God... In Him was life, and the life was the light of men... That was the true Light... And the Word became flesh..., and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father... (John 1:1, 4, 9, 14)

These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory... (John 12:41)

And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with... glory. (Matthew 24:3, 30)

The heavens shall declare the glory of God... (Psalms 19:1)

Then the nations shall fear the name of Jehovah, and all the kings of the earth Your glory, because (He) built up Zion, (and) He appeared in His glory. (Psalms 102:15-16)

...the glory of God (will illuminate the Holy Jerusalem) and the Lamb is its light. And the nations (which) are saved shall walk in its light... (Revelation 21:23-25)

...the Son of Man (will come) in His glory...(to) sit on the throne of His glory. (Matthew 25:31, cf. Mark 8:38)

That the glory of Jehovah filled and covered the Tabernacle: Exodus 40:34-35, Numbers 14:10-12; 16:19; 16:42.

That it filled the house of Jehovah: 1 Kings 8:10-11.

And so on elsewhere as in Isaiah 24:23; Ezekiel 1:28; 8:4; 9:3; 10:4, 18-19; 11:22-23; Luke 2:32; 9:26; John 2:11; 7:18; 17:24.

  
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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.

The Bible

 

Matthew 25

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1 "Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.

2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

3 Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them,

4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

6 But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!'

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'

9 But the wise answered, saying, 'What if there isn't enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'

10 While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.

11 Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.'

12 But he answered, 'Most certainly I tell you, I don't know you.'

13 Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

14 "For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.

15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.

16 Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

17 In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two.

18 But he who received the one went away and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

19 "Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reconciled accounts with them.

20 He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents besides them.'

21 "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

22 "He also who got the two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents besides them.'

23 "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

24 "He also who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter.

25 I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.'

26 "But his lord answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn't sow, and gather where I didn't scatter.

27 You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.

28 Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.

29 For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn't have, even that which he has will be taken away.

30 Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

31 "But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

32 Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

33 He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then the King will tell those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

35 for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in.

36 I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.'

37 "Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink?

38 When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you?

39 When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?'

40 "The King will answer them, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

41 Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;

42 for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;

43 I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'

44 "Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?'

45 "Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.'

46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."