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Mica 1

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1 Dies ist das Wort des HERRN, welches geschah zu Micha von Maresa zur Zeit Jothams, Ahas, Jehiskias, der Könige Judas, das er gesehen hat über Samaria, und Jerusalem.

2 Höret, alle Völker, merke auf, Land, und alles, was drinnen ist! Denn Gott der HERR hat mit euch zu reden, ja, der HERR aus seinem heiligen Tempel!

3 Denn siehe, der HERR wird ausgehen aus seinem Ort und herabfahren und treten auf die Höhen im Lande,

4 daß die Berge unter ihm schmelzen und die Täler reißen werden, gleichwie Wachs vor dem Feuer verschmilzet, wie die Wasser, so unterwärts fließen.

5 Das alles um der Übertretung willen Jakobs und um der Sünde willen des Hauses Israel. Welches ist aber die Übertretung Jakobs? Ist's nicht Samaria? Welches sind aber die Höhen Judas? Ist's nicht Jerusalem?

6 Und ich will Samaria zum Steinhaufen im Felde machen, die man um die Weinberge legt; und will ihre Steine ins Tal schleifen und zugrunde einbrechen.

7 Alle ihre Götzen sollen zerbrochen und all ihr Hurenlohn soll mit Feuer verbrannt werden, und will alle ihre Bilder verwüsten; denn sie sind von Hurenlohn versammelt und sollen auch wieder Hurenlohn werden.

8 Darüber muß ich klagen und heulen; ich muß beraubt und bloß dahergehen; ich muß klagen wie die Drachen und trauern wie die Straußen.

9 Denn ihrer Plage ist kein Rat, die bis nach Juda kommen und bis an meines Volks Tore gen Jerusalem hinanreichen wird.

10 Verkündiget es ja nicht zu Gath, laßt euch nicht hören weinen, sondern gehet in die Trauerkammer und sitzet in die Asche!

11 Du schöne Stadt mußt dahin mit allen Schanden. Die Einwohnerin Zaenans wird nicht ausziehen um des Leides willen des nächsten Hauses. Er wird's von euch nehmen, wenn er da sich lagern wird.

12 Die betrübte Stadt vermag sich nicht zu trösten; denn es wird das Unglück vom HERRN kommen, auch bis an das Tor Jerusalems.

13 Du Stadt Lachis, spanne Läufer an und fahre davon; denn du bist der Tochter Zion der Anfang zur Sünde, und in dir sind funden die Übertretungen Israels.

14 Du wirst müssen Gefangene geben so wohl als Gath. Der Stadt Achsib wird's mit den Königen Israels fehlen.

15 Ich will dir Maresa, den rechten Erben bringen; und die HERRLIchkeit Israels soll kommen bis gen Adullam.

16 Laß die Haare abscheren und gehe kahl über deine zarten Kinder! Mache dich gar kahl wie ein Adler; denn sie sind von dir gefangen weggeführet.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

De Verbo (The Word) #9

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9. IX. Those whose aim is to possess luxury and honours in the world and also in heaven, as well as those who aim at wealth and profit in the world and those who aim at a reputation for learning, do not see or find any real truth in the Word.

I was allowed to talk with many in the spiritual world, who had thought that they would shine like stars in heaven, because, so they said, they had treated the Word as holy, read it through many times, collected many passages from it and used them to prove the dogmas of their belief. So they had a reputation for learning in the world and they themselves together with others believed that they would be Michaels and Raphaels. But many of them were tested to see what love had made them study the Word, and it was discovered that for some it had been self-love, so that they would appear important in the world and be respected as leaders of the church; for some it was to get a reputation for learning and so be promoted to honours; for some it was to acquire wealth, and for some to become learned preachers. When finally they were examined to see whether they had learned any real truth from the Word, it was found that they knew nothing but what is obvious to anyone from its literal sense, and they knew no genuine truth which might serve inwardly for instruction. The reason for this was that their aims were themselves and the world, not the Lord and heaven. When these are their aims a person and his mind are confined to himself and the world, and he thinks constantly from his self, which is in thick darkness as regards everything in heaven. For a person's self is nothing but evil and the falsity it produces. So someone who in reading the Word regards himself, or honours or reputation or profit, cannot be withdrawn by the Lord from the self, and so be raised into the light of heaven; and consequently he cannot receive any influence from the Lord through heaven.

[2] I saw many such people, and each of them made all possible efforts to reach heaven, and they were admitted there. But on arrival they were examined to see if they knew anything of the truth the angels have, but they knew nothing but the bare words of the literal sense without any inner understanding of them. So in the eyes of the angels they looked stripped of their clothes and as if naked, and so they were sent down below. Some of them were deprived of intellectual sight in the light of heaven, and afterwards of their eyesight. Afterwards they were seized by violent pain in the heart, and were thus taken below. But the proud belief that they had deserved heaven lingered.

This is the fate of those who study the Word with the aim of acquiring honours, reputation and profit. But quite different is the fate of those who are led to study the Word by an affection for truth, or who in reading the Word take pleasure in truth for its own sake. Their aim is the love of God and the love of the neighbour, and they have life as their aim. All of these as lovers of truth receive influence from the Lord, seeing and finding real truths in the Word. For their intellects are enlightened, and this allows them to perceive the truths as if of themselves, though not really from themselves; and after death they are raised to heaven, where truth enjoys its own light, so becoming spiritual and angels.

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