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Θλίψεις 2

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1 Πως περιεκαλυψεν ο Κυριος με νεφος την θυγατερα Σιων εν τη οργη αυτου, κατερριψεν απο του ουρανου εις την γην την δοξαν του Ισραηλ, και δεν ενεθυμηθη εν τη ημερα της οργης αυτου το υποποδιον των ποδων αυτου

2 Ο Κυριος κατεποντισε πασας τας κατοικιας του Ιακωβ και δεν εφεισθη· κατεστρεψεν εν τω θυμω αυτου τα οχυρωματα της θυγατρος Ιουδα· κατηδαφισεν αυτα· εβεβηλωσε το βασιλειον και τους αρχοντας αυτου.

3 Συνεθλασεν εν τη εξαψει του θυμου αυτου παν το κερας του Ισραηλ· εστρεψεν οπισω την δεξιαν αυτου απ' εμπροσθεν του εχθρου· και εξηφθη κατα του Ιακωβ ως πυρ φλογερον, κατατρωγον τα περιξ.

4 Ενετεινε το τοξον αυτου ως εχθρος, εστησε την δεξιαν αυτου ως υπεναντιος, και εφονευσε παν το αρεστον εις τους οφθαλμους εν τη σκηνη της θυγατρος Σιων· εξεχεεν ως πυρ τον θυμον αυτου.

5 Ο Κυριος εγεινεν ως εχθρος, κατεποντισε τον Ισραηλ· κατεποντισε παντα τα παλατια αυτου· ηφανισε τα οχυρωματα αυτου· και επληθυνεν εις την θυγατερα Ιουδα το πενθος και την θλιψιν.

6 Και εξεσπασε την σκηνην αυτου ως καλυβην κηπου· κατηφανισε τον τοπον των συναξεων αυτου· ο Κυριος εκαμε να λησμονηθη εν Σιων η εορτη και το σαββατον, και εν τη αγανακτησει της οργης αυτου απερριψε βασιλεα και ιερεα.

7 Ο Κυριος απεβαλε το θυσιαστηριον αυτου, εβδελυχθη το αγιαστηριον αυτου· συνεκλεισεν εν τη χειρι των εχθρων τα τειχη των παλατιων αυτης· ηλαλαξαν εν τω οικω του Κυριου ως εν ημερα εορτης.

8 Ο Κυριος εβουλευθη να αφανιση το τειχος της θυγατρος Σιων· εξετεινε την σταθμην, δεν απεστρεψε την χειρα αυτου απο του να καταποντιζη, και εκαμε να πενθηση το περιτειχισμα και το τειχος· τα παντα ητονησαν ομου.

9 Αι πυλαι αυτης ενεπηχθησαν εις την γην· ηφανισε και κατεσυντριψε τους μοχλους αυτης· ο βασιλευς αυτης και οι αρχοντες αυτης ειναι εν τοις εθνεσι· νομος δεν υπαρχει· ουδε οι προφηται αυτης ευρισκουσιν ορασιν παρα Κυριου.

10 Οι πρεσβυτεροι της θυγατρος Σιων, καθηνται κατα γης, σιωπωντες· ανεβιβασαν χωμα επι την κεφαλην αυτων, εζωσθησαν σακκους· αι παρθενοι της Ιερουσαλημ κατεβιβασαν τας κεφαλας αυτων προς την γην.

11 Οι οφθαλμοι μου εμαρανθησαν υπο των δακρυων, τα εντοσθια μου ταραττονται, η χολη μου εξεχυθη εις την γην, δια τον συντριμμον της θυγατρος του λαου μου, επειδη τα νηπια και τα θηλαζοντα ελιποψυχουν εν ταις πλατειαις της πολεως.

12 Ειπον προς τας μητερας αυτων, Που ειναι σιτος και οινος; Οποτε ελιποθυμουν εν ταις πλατειαις της πολεως ως ο τραυματιας, οποτε η ψυχη αυτων εξεχεετο εις τον κολπον των μητερων αυτων.

13 Τινα να λαβω μαρτυρα εις σε; με τι να σε συγκρινω, θυγατηρ της Ιερουσαλημ; Με ποιον να σε εξομοιωσω δια να σε παρηγορησω, παρθενε, θυγατηρ Σιων; Διοτι ο συντριμμος σου ειναι μεγας ως η θαλασσα· τις δυναται να σε ιατρευση;

14 Οι προφηται σου ειδον περι σου ματαια και αφροσυνην, και δεν εφανερωσαν την ανομιαν σου, δια να αποστρεψωσι την αιχμαλωσιαν σου· αλλ' ειδον περι σου φορτια ματαια και προξενα εξωσεως.

15 Παντες οι διαβαινοντες την οδον εκροτησαν επι σε χειρας· εσυριξαν και εσεισαν τας κεφαλας αυτων εις την θυγατερα της Ιερουσαλημ, λεγοντες, Αυτη ειναι η πολις, περι της οποιας ελεγετο, Η εντελεια της ωραιοτητος, η χαρα πασης της γης;

16 Παντες οι εχθροι σου ηνοιξαν επι σε το στομα αυτων· εσυριξαν και ετριξαν τους οδοντας λεγοντες, Κατεπιομεν αυτην· αυτη τωοντι ειναι η ημερα, την οποιαν περιεμενομεν· ευρομεν, ειδομεν.

17 Ο Κυριος εκαμεν ο, τι εβουλευθη· εξεπληρωσε τον λογον αυτου, τον οποιον διωρισεν απο ημερων αρχαιων· Κατεστρεψε και δεν εφεισθη, και ευφρανεν επι σε τον εχθρον· υψωσε το κερας των εναντιων σου.

18 Η καρδια αυτων εβοησε προς τον Κυριον, Τειχος της θυγατρος Σιων, καταβιβαζε ως χειμαρρον δακρυα ημεραν και νυκτα· μη δωσης παυσιν εις σεαυτον· ας μη σιωπηση η κορη των οφθαλμων σου.

19 Σηκωθητι, βοησον την νυκτα, οταν αρχιζωσιν αι φυλακαι· εκχεον την καρδιαν σου ως υδωρ εμπροσθεν του προσωπου του Κυριου· υψωσον προς αυτον τας χειρας σου, δια την ζωην των νηπιων σου, τα οποια λιποθυμουσιν απο της πεινης επι των ακρων πασων των οδων.

20 Ιδε, Κυριε, και επιβλεψον, εις τινα ποτε εκαμες ουτω; Να φαγωσιν αι γυναικες τον καρπον της κοιλιας αυτων, τα νηπια εν τοις σπαργανοις αυτων; Να φονευθωσιν εν τω αγιαστηριω του Κυριου ιερευς και προφητης;

21 Το παιδιον και ο γερων κοιτονται κατα γης εν ταις οδοις· αι παρθενοι μου και οι νεανισκοι μου επεσον εν μαχαιρα· εφονευσας εν τη ημερα της οργης σου, κατεσφαξας, δεν εφεισθης.

22 Προσεκαλεσας πανταχοθεν, ως εν ημερα πανηγυρεως, τους τρομους μου, και ουδεις εσωθη ουδε υπελειφθη εν τη ημερα της οργης του Κυριου· εκεινους, τους οποιους εσπαργανωσα και ηυξησα, ο εχθρος μου συνετελεσεν αυτους.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #350

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350. Of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed. (7:5) This symbolizes celestial love, which is love toward the Lord, and this in all those people who will be in the Lord's New Heaven and New Church.

In the highest sense Judah symbolizes the Lord in relation to celestial love; in the spiritual sense, the Lord's celestial kingdom and the Word; and in the natural sense, the doctrine of a celestial church drawn from the Word. Here, however, Judah symbolizes celestial love, which is love toward the Lord; and because it is named first in the series, it symbolizes that love in all those people who will be in the New Heaven and in the Lord's New Church. For the tribe named first is everything in the rest, being to them as though their head and serving as a universal property entering into all those that follow, tying them together, qualifying them and affecting them. This property is love toward the Lord.

To be shown that twelve thousand symbolizes all who possess that love, see no. 348 above.

[2] People know that after the death of Solomon the twelve tribes of Israel were divided into two kingdoms: the kingdom of Judah and the kingdom of Israel. The kingdom of Judah represented the celestial kingdom or the Lord's priestly kingdom, while the kingdom of Israel represented the spiritual kingdom or the Lord's royal kingdom. But the latter was destroyed when the people had nothing spiritual left in them, whereas the kingdom of Judah was preserved, for the sake of the Word, and because the Lord would be born there. However, when the people adulterated the Word completely, and thus could not recognize the Lord, then their kingdom was destroyed.

It can be seen from this that the tribe of Judah symbolizes celestial love, which is love toward the Lord. But because the people were of the character they were with respect to the Word and with respect to the Lord, the tribe of Judah symbolizes also the opposite love, which is love of self - properly speaking, a love of dominating springing from a love of self - a love which we call diabolical love.

[3] The fact that Judah and his tribe symbolize the celestial kingdom and its love, which is love toward the Lord, follows from these passages:

Judah, your brothers shall praise you... The scepter shall not be taken from Judah... until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people. Binding his donkey's foal to the vine, his donkey's colt to the choice vine, he washes his garment in wine... His eyes are redder than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk. (Genesis 49:8-12)

...David shall be their prince forever, and I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them..., and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. (Ezekiel 37:25-26)

Exult and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! ...Jehovah will make Judah an inheritance for Himself, His portion on the holy land. (Zechariah 2:10-12)

O Judah, celebrate your feasts, perform your vows. For Belial 1 shall no more pass through you; he is utterly cut off. (Nahum 1:15)

The Lord... will suddenly come to His temple... Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be sweet to Jehovah as in the days of old... (Malachi 3:1, 4)

Judah shall abide forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. (Joel 3:20)

Behold, the days are coming..., that I will raise to David a righteous Branch... In His days Judah will be saved... (Jeremiah 23:5-6)

I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah an heir of My mountains, that My elect may possess it... (Isaiah 65:9)

Judah became His sanctuary, and Israel His dominion. (Psalms 114:2)

Behold, the days are coming..., when I will make a new covenant... with the house of Judah... ...this will be the covenant...: I will put My law within them, and write it on their heart... (Jeremiah 31:27, 31, 33-34)

In those days ten men... shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, "We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." (Zechariah 8:23)

...as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me..., so shall your offspring and your name remain.

Kings (of the nations) shall be your foster fathers, their princesses your nursing mothers. They shall bow down to you, their faces to the ground, and lick the dust of your feet. (Isaiah 66:22; 49:23)

[4] From these and many other passages, which we do not have the space to cite because of their number, it can be clearly seen that Judah means not Judah but the church. We are told, for example, that the Lord would make a new and eternal covenant with that nation, that He would make it His heir and His sanctuary forevermore, and that kings of the nations and their princesses would bow down to them, licking the dust of their feet, and so on.

[5] That the tribe of Judah, regarded in itself, means the diabolic kingdom, which is one of a love of dominating springing from a love of self, can be seen from the following passages:

I will hide My face from them, I will see what their posterity will be. ...they are a perverse generation, children in whom is no faith... ...they are a nation void of counsel... ...their vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah; its grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter. Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. Is this not laid up in store with Me, sealed up in My treasuries? (Deuteronomy 32:20-34)

(Know that) it is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart... that Jehovah... is... giving you (the land of Canaan)..., for you are a stiff-necked people. (Deuteronomy 9:5-6)

...according to the number of your cities have been your gods, O Judah... ...according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars... to burn incense to Baal. (Jeremiah 2:28; 11:13)

You are of your father the devil, and you choose to do the desires of your father. (John 8:44)

Jews are said to be full of hypocrisy, iniquity, and uncleanness (Matthew 23:27-28.

Footnotes:

1. In the Old Testament, the personification of wickedness and destruction, originally conceived perhaps as some sort of spirit demon.

  
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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.

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