創世記 2
2
到第七日,神造物的工已經完畢,就在第七日歇了他一切的工,安息了。
3
神賜福給第七日,定為聖日;因為在這日,神歇了他一切創造的工,就安息了。
5
野地還沒有草木,田間的菜蔬還沒有長起來;因為耶和華神還沒有降雨在地上,也沒有人耕地,
7
耶和華神用地上的塵土造人,將生氣吹在他鼻孔裡,他就成了有靈的活人,名叫亞當。
8
耶和華神在東方的伊甸立了一個園子,把所造的人安置在那裡。
9
耶和華神使各樣的樹從地裡長出來,可以悅人的眼目,其上的果子好作食物。園子當中又有生命樹和分別善惡的樹。
14
第三道河名叫底格里斯,流在亞述的東邊。第四道河就是伯拉河。
17
只是分別善惡樹上的果子,你不可吃,因為你吃的日子必定死!
19
耶和華神用土所造成的野地各樣走獸和空中各樣飛鳥都帶到那人面前,看他叫甚麼。那人怎樣叫各樣的活物,那就是他的名字。
20
那人便給一切牲畜和空中飛鳥、野地走獸都起了名;只是那人沒有遇見配偶幫助他。
21
耶和華神使他沉睡,他就睡了;於是取下他的一條肋骨,又把肉合起來。
22
耶和華神就用那人身上所取的肋骨造成一個女人,領他到那人跟前。
Arcana Coelestia #59
59. The reason why the “vegetable and the green of the herb” only are here described as food for the natural man, is this. In the course of regeneration, when man is being made spiritual, he is continually engaged in combat, on which account the church of the Lord is called “militant;” for before regeneration cupidities have the dominion, because the whole man is composed of mere cupidities and the falsities thence derived. During regeneration these cupidities and falsities cannot be instantaneously abolished, for this would be to destroy the whole man, such being the only life which he has acquired; and therefore evil spirits are suffered to continue with him for a long time, that they may excite his cupidities, and that these may thus be loosened, in innumerable ways, even to such a degree that they can be inclined by the Lord to good, and the man be thus reformed. In the time of combat, the evil spirits, who bear the utmost hatred against all that is good and true, that is, against whatever is of love and faith toward the Lord-which things alone are good and true, because they have eternal life in them-leave the man nothing else for food but what is compared to the vegetable and the green of the herb; nevertheless the Lord gives him also a food which is compared to the herb bearing seed, and to the tree in which is fruit, which are states of tranquillity and peace, with their joys and delights; and this food the Lord gives the man at intervals.
[2] Unless the Lord defended man every moment, yea, even the smallest part of every moment, he would instantly perish, in consequence of the indescribably intense and mortal hatred which prevails in the world of spirits against the things relating to love and faith toward the Lord. The certainty of this fact I can affirm, having been now for some years (notwithstanding my remaining in the body) associated with spirits in the other life, even with the worst of them, and I have sometimes been surrounded by thousands, to whom it was permitted to spit forth their venom, and infest me by all possible methods, yet without their being able to hurt a single hair of my head, so secure was I under the Lord’s protection. From so many years’ experience I have been thoroughly instructed concerning the world of spirits and its nature, as well as concerning the combat which those being regenerated must needs endure, in order to attain the happiness of eternal life. But as no one can be so well instructed in such subjects by a general description as to believe them with an undoubting faith, the particulars of the Lord’s Divine mercy will be related in the following pages.