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The Bible

 

호세아서 13

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1 에브라임이 말을 발하면 사람이 떨었도다 저가 이스라엘 중에서 자기를 높이더니 바알로 인하여 범죄하므로 망하였거늘

2 이제도 저희가 더욱 범죄하여 그 은으로 자기를 위하여 우상을 부어 만들되 자기의 공교함을 따라 우상을 만들었으며 그것은 다 장색이 만든 것이어늘 저희가 그것에 대하여 말하기를 제사를 드리는 자는 송아지의 입을 맞출 것이라 하도다

3 이러므로 저희는 아침 구름 같으며 쉽게 사라지는 이슬 같으며 타작 마당에서 광풍에 날리우는 쭉정이 같으며 굴뚝에서 나가는 연기 같으리라

4 그러나 네가 애굽 땅에서 나옴으로부터 나는 네 하나님 여호와라 나 밖에 네가 다른 신을 알지 말 것이라 나 외에는 구원자가 없느니라

5 내가 광야 마른 땅에서 너를 권고하였거늘

6 저희가 먹이운 대로 배부르며 배부름으로 마음이 교만하며 이로 인하여 나를 잊었느니라

7 그러므로 내가 저희에게 사자같고 길가에서 기다리는 표범 같으니라

8 내가 새끼 잃은 곰같이 저희를 만나 그 염통 꺼풀을 찢고 거기서 암사자같이 저희를 삼키리라 들짐승이 저희를 찢으리라

9 이스라엘아 네가 패망하였나니 이는 너를 도와주는 나를 대적함이니라

10 전에 네가 이르기를 내게 왕과 방백들을 주소서 하였느니라 네 모든 성읍에서 너를 구원할 자 네 왕이 이제 어디 있으며 네 재판장들이 어디 있느냐 ?

11 내가 분노하므로 네게 왕을 주고 진노하므로 폐하였노라

12 에브라임의 불의가 봉함되었고 그 죄가 저장되었나니

13 해산하는 여인의 어려움이 저에게 임하리라 저는 어리석은 자식이로다 때가 임하였나니 산문에서 지체할 것이 아니니라

14 내가 저희를 음부의 권세에서 속량하며 사망에서 구속하리니 사망아 네 재앙이 어디 있느냐 ? 음부야 네 멸망이 어디 있느냐 ? 뉘우침이 내 목전에 숨으리라

15 저가 비록 형제 중에서 결실하나 동풍이 오리니 곧 광야에서 일어나는 여호와의 바람이라 그 근원이 마르며 그 샘이 마르고 그 적축한바 모든 보배의 그릇이 약탈되리로다

16 사마리아가 그 하나님을 배반하였으므로 형벌을 당하여 칼에 엎드러질 것이요 그 어린 아이는 부숴뜨리우며 그 아이 밴 여인은 배가 갈리우리라

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #507

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507. And all green grass was burnt up.- That this signifies that all scientific truth would perish through the desires of the same loves, is evident from the signification of grass, which denotes what is scientific (scientificum), of which more below; and from the signification of green, which denotes that it is true and living from truth, for as green grass serves as food to animals, so scientific truth (scientificum verum) as spiritual nourishment for men. For whatever is produced in fields, gardens, and plains, and serves for the nourishment either of man or beast, has a correspondence with such things as serve for the nourishment of the external (animus) and internal (mens) minds, which nourishment is called spiritual nourishment. Similar things also appear in the spiritual world, from the correspondence of spiritual things with natural things. And because the Word in the letter is natural, and written by correspondences, therefore it is here said, that the third part of the trees, and all green grass, were burnt up, by which is meant, in the spiritual sense, that all perception and cognition of truth and good, and also all scientific truth, perished through those two corporeal, earthly, and merely natural loves.

[2] By scientific truth is meant every scientific, by which spiritual truth is confirmed, and which has life from spiritual good. For a man may be wise by means of scientifics, or he may be insane. He becomes wise by means of scientifics when by them he confirms the truths and goods of the church, which are spiritual truths and goods; but he becomes insane by scientifics when by means of them he weakens and refutes the truths and goods of the church. When he confirms the truths and goods of the church by them, they are then called scientific truths, and are said to be living; but when by means of them he weakens and refutes the truths and goods of the church, they are called scientific falsities, and are as dead. Knowledges (scientiae) are only means to uses, and their quality is according to the uses which exist from them. They are living when man acquires intelligence and wisdom by means of them. All intelligence and wisdom is from truths that are from heaven, and such intelligence and wisdom being from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord, are living, because they are the very spiritual life of man; but intelligence and wisdom from falsities have no existence, and if they be supposed to exist with any one, they are nevertheless dead, because they are from hell.

[3] These things have been said in order that it may be known that green grass signifies the scientific truth that is living, but grass burnt up, the scientific falsity that is dead. When truth and good, which come from heaven, do not find a receptacle with man in cognitions and scientifics, but when evils and falsities, which come from hell do, then scientifics are not living, but dead, and correspond to grass withered and burnt up. The same is the case with man himself, for the quality of a man is according to the quality of the cognitions and knowledges (scientiae) which he has. For it is from living knowledges (scientiae) that he has intelligence; from knowledges that are not living he derives no intelligence; and if they are dead because of the confirmation of falsities by them, insanity and folly are the result.

[4] A man of such a character is, from correspondence, compared, in the Word, to grass; and he is also called grass in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Their inhabitants became like the grass of the field and as the green herb, as the grass on the house tops, and as a field blasted before the crop" (37:27; 2 Kings 19:26).

In David:

The evil "shall suddenly be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb" (Psalm 37:2).

Again:

"As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth" (Psalm 103:15).

And again:

The haters of Zion "shall be as the grass upon the house tops, which withereth before it is plucked up" (Psalm 129:6, 7).

In Isaiah:

"The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and they shall see. The voice said, Cry, and he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the holiness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower fadeth; because the spirit of Jehovah bloweth upon it; surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand for ever" (40:5-8).

These things are said concerning the coming of the Lord, and the revelation of Divine Truth from Him, meant by "the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and they shall see." That then there would be neither scientific truth nor spiritual truth with man, is signified by "all flesh is grass, and all the holiness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower fadeth." Grass denotes scientific truth, and the flower of the field spiritual truth. That man is of such a nature, is meant by "all flesh is grass," and by "surely the people is grass, the grass withereth;" for all flesh denotes every man, and the people, those who were in truths, but are now in falsities.

[5] In the same:

"I am he that comforteth you; who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man; he shall die, and of the son of man, he shall be as grass?" (51:12).

These words signify, that all things are from the Lord, and nothing from [man's] own intelligence and wisdom. Man signifies man as to wisdom, and the son of man signifies man as to intelligence; that the latter is only knowledge (scientia), is meant by the words, "he shall be made as grass."

[6] Again:

"I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring; and they shall spring up in the midst of the grass" (44:3, 4).

The spirit of Jehovah signifies the Divine Truth, and blessing signifies its multiplication and fructification. Intelligence therefore by means of scientific truths is signified by springing up in the midst of the grass.

[7] In David:

Jehovah who "causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man" (Psalm 104:14).

And again:

Jehovah who "prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains, who giveth to the beast his food" (Psalm 147:8, 9).

In Moses:

"My doctrine shall flow down as the rain, my word shall drop as the dew, as small rain upon the grass, and as the drops upon the herb" (Deuteronomy 32:2).

In these passages, grass signifies scientific truth, and the herb of the field, spiritual truth; for the herb of the field means what first springs up in a field or in newly tilled [land], wherefore it is called herb for the service of man. The reason why it is said, grass for the beast, and for food to the beast, is, that beast, in the Word, signifies the affection of the natural man, and scientific truth is to him for food and nourishment.

[8] In Job:

"Behold, behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox" (40:15).

Behemoth has a similar meaning to beast in the Word, namely, man's natural affections, wherefore it is said, "Behold, now, behemoth, which I have made with thee." His spiritual food is scientific truth; this is meant by his devouring grass as an ox.

[9] That green signifies what is living or alive, is evident without further explication; for a plant when it grows or is alive is green, but when it ceases to grow or dies, then its green colour perishes. Wherefore green signifies what is living or alive; as is also the case in the following passages; Jeremiah 11:16; 17:8; Ezekiel 17:24; 20:7; Hosea 14:8; David, Psalm 37:35; 52:8; 92:10; and elsewhere.

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

The Bible

 

Isaiah 44

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1 Yet listen now, Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen.

2 This is what Yahweh who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you says: "Don't be afraid, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on your seed, and my blessing on your offspring:

4 and they will spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.

5 One will say, 'I am Yahweh's;' and another will be called by the name of Jacob; and another will write with his hand 'to Yahweh,' and honor the name of Israel."

6 This is what Yahweh, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Yahweh of Armies, says: "I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.

7 Who is like me? Who will call, and will declare it, and set it in order for me, since I established the ancient people? Let them declare the things that are coming, and that will happen.

8 Don't fear, neither be afraid. Haven't I declared it to you long ago, and shown it? You are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed, there is not. I don't know any other Rock."

9 Everyone who makes an engraved image is vain. The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don't see, nor know, that they may be disappointed.

10 Who has fashioned a god, or molds an image that is profitable for nothing?

11 Behold, all his fellows will be disappointed; and the workmen are mere men. Let them all be gathered together. Let them stand up. They will fear. They will be put to shame together.

12 The blacksmith takes an axe, works in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water, and is faint.

13 The carpenter stretches out a line. He marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes. He marks it out with compasses, and shapes it like the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to reside in a house.

14 He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and the oak, and strengthens for himself one among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir tree, and the rain nourishes it.

15 Then it will be for a man to burn; and he takes some of it, and warms himself. Yes, he burns it, and bakes bread. Yes, he makes a god, and worships it; he makes it an engraved image, and falls down to it.

16 He burns part of it in the fire. With part of it, he eats meat. He roasts a roast, and is satisfied. Yes, he warms himself, and says, "Aha! I am warm. I have seen the fire."

17 The rest of it he makes into a god, even his engraved image. He bows down to it and worships, and prays to it, and says, "Deliver me; for you are my god!"

18 They don't know, neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can't see; and their hearts, that they can't understand.

19 No one thinks, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, "I have burned part of it in the fire. Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals. I have roasted meat and eaten it. Shall I make the rest of it into an abomination? Shall I bow down to a tree trunk?"

20 He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can't deliver his soul, nor say, "Isn't there a lie in my right hand?"

21 Remember these things, Jacob and Israel; for you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant. Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.

22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.

23 Sing, you heavens, for Yahweh has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees, for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel.

24 Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb: "I am Yahweh, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself;

25 who frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;

26 who confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; who says of Jerusalem, 'She will be inhabited;' and of the cities of Judah, 'They will be built,' and 'I will raise up its waste places;'

27 who says to the deep, 'Be dry,' and 'I will dry up your rivers;'

28 Who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure,' even saying of Jerusalem, 'She will be built;' and of the temple, 'Your foundation will be laid.'"

   

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