The Bible

 

Joelis 2

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1 Trimituokite Sione, skelbkite pavojų mano šventajame kalne. Tedreba krašto gyventojai, nes ateina Viešpaties diena, nes ji arti.

2 Tamsi, niūri ir debesuota diena. Kaip ryto migla apgaubia kalnų viršūnes, taip galinga ir didelė tauta ateina. Tokios nebuvo iki šiol ir nebebus per kartų kartas.

3 Jų priekyje­visa ryjanti ugnis, užpakalyje­siaučianti liepsna. Kraštas prieš juos kaip Edeno sodas, jiems praėjus­tuščia dykuma; niekas neišsigelbės nuo jų.

4 Jie atrodo kaip žirgai ir puls kaip kariuomenės raiteliai.

5 Jų garsas lyg kovos vežimų, riedančių kalnų viršūnėmis, kaip ūžimas liepsnos, ryjančios ražienas, kaip kariuomenės, kuri išsirikiavusi kovai.

6 Prieš juos drebės tautos, visų veidai pabals.

7 Jie bėgs kaip karžygiai, lips sienomis kaip kariai; kiekvienas eis savo keliu, nesuardydamas gretų.

8 Jie nesistumdys, bet eis kiekvienas savo taku. Jie kris ant kardo, bet nesusižeis.

9 Jie lakstys po miestą, bėgs sienomis, lips į namus, lįs pro langus kaip vagys.

10 Prieš juos drebės žemė ir svyruos dangus, saulė ir mėnulis aptems, žvaigždės nebespindės.

11 Viešpats pakels balsą priešais savo kariuomenę. Jo pulkai yra labai gausūs, ir stiprus tas, kuris vykdo Jo žodį. Viešpaties diena yra didi ir labai baisi, kas galės ją iškęsti?

12 “Todėl dabar,­sako Viešpats,­ gręžkitės į mane visa širdimi, pasninkaudami, verkdami ir dejuodami”.

13 Persiplėškite savo širdis, ne rūbus! Gręžkitės į Viešpatį, savo Dievą, nes Jis yra maloningas ir gailestingas, lėtas pykti ir didžiai geras bei susilaikantis nuo bausmės.

14 Kas žino, gal Jis sugrįš, pasigailės ir paliks palaiminimą­duonos auką ir geriamąją auką Viešpačiui, jūsų Dievui?

15 Trimituokite Sione, paskelbkite pasninką, sušaukite iškilmingą susirinkimą,

16 sukvieskite tautą ir vyresniuosius, atgabenkite vaikus ir žindomus kūdikius. Jaunavedžiai teišeina iš savo kambarių.

17 Tarp prieangio ir aukuro tegul rauda kunigai, Viešpaties tarnai, sakydami: “Viešpatie, pasigailėk savo tautos, neatiduok savo paveldo pagonių paniekai ir pajuokai! Kodėl tautos turėtų sakyti: ‘Kur yra jų Dievas’?”

18 Tada Viešpatį apims pavydas dėl savo krašto ir Jis pasigailės savo tautos.

19 Viešpats atsakys ir tars savo tautai: “Štai Aš duosiu jums javų, vyno ir aliejaus, ir jūs būsite sotūs; Aš nebeleisiu tautoms jūsų niekinti.

20 Atėjusį iš šiaurės pašalinsiu toli nuo jūsų ir nusviesiu jį į tuščią dykumą, jo veidas bus į ytų jūrą ir užpakalinė dalis­į Vakarų jūrą. Nuo jo smarvė pakils ir bjaurus kvapas, nes jis baisių dalykų padarė”.

21 Nebijok, žeme, džiaukis ir džiūgauk, nes Viešpats padarys didelių dalykų.

22 Laukiniai žvėrys, nebijokite! Ganyklos vėl žaliuoja, medžiai neša vaisių, figmedis ir vynmedis duoda derlių.

23 Siono vaikai, džiaukitės Viešpačiu, savo Dievu. Jis ištikimai duodavo jums ankstyvą lietų ir Jis siųs jums lietų, ankstyvąjį ir vėlyvąjį lietų, kaip ir anksčiau.

24 Klojimai bus pilni javų ir statinės sklidinos vyno ir aliejaus.

25 “Aš atlyginsiu jums už metus, kuriuos sunaikino vikšrai, skėriai, vabalai ir amaras­mano didžioji kariuomenė, kurią siunčiau prieš jus.

26 Jūs gausiai valgysite ir būsite sotūs, ir girsite Viešpaties, savo Dievo, vardą, kuris padarė jums nuostabių dalykų. Mano tauta nebus sugėdinta per amžius.

27 Jūs žinosite, kad Aš esu Izraelyje, Aš, Viešpats, jūsų Dievas, ir nėra kito. Mano tauta nebus sugėdinta per amžius.

28 Po to Aš išliesiu savo dvasios ant kiekvieno kūno. Jūsų sūnūs ir dukterys pranašaus, seniai sapnuos sapnus ir jaunuoliai matys regėjimus.

29 Taip pat ant vergų ir vergių tomis dienomis išliesiu savo dvasios.

30 Aš danguje ir žemėje parodysiu stebuklų­kraujo, ugnies bei rūkstančių dūmų.

31 Saulė pavirs tamsa ir mėnulis­ krauju, prieš ateinant didingai ir baisiai Viešpaties dienai.

32 Tada kiekvienas, kuris šauksis Viešpaties vardo, bus išgelbėtas. Siono kalne ir Jeruzalėje bus išgelbėjimas, kaip Viešpats sakė, likučiui, kurį Jis pašauks”.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #494

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494. And the smoke of the incenses with the prayers of the saints ascended out of the angel's hand before God.- That this signifies the conjunction of all with the Lord, is plain from the signification of the smoke of the incenses, as denoting the truths of spiritual good, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of the prayers of the saints, as denoting truths from good with those who are to be separated from the evil, and saved (see above, n. 493); and from the signification of this angel, as denoting heaven, as explained above (n. 490); therefore, out of the angel's hand denotes through the medium of heaven; and from the signification of "before God," as denoting to be conjoined with the Lord (see above, n. 462, 477, 488). By the smoke of the incenses with the prayers of the saints, which ascended out of the angel's hand before God, is therefore signified the conjunction of all with the Lord, effected through the medium of heaven. The smoke of the incenses signifies truths from spiritual good, because the frankincense from which the smoke proceeded signified spiritual good, and the fire with which the frankincense was kindled signified celestial good; therefore the smoke ascending from the incenses signifies truth from good, for all truth proceeds from good. On this account, smoke became representative, and the smoke of incense, which was agreeable from its fragrance and sweet smell, was representative of truth from good; for fragrance and a sweet smell signified that which was agreeable and acceptable, as may be seen above (n. 324). The signification of smoke in Moses is similar:

The sons of Levi "shall put smoke to thy nose, and a burnt-offering upon thine altar" (Deuteronomy 33:10).

The sons of Levi mean those who are in the truths of spiritual good, and those truths are signified by smoke [of incense], and celestial good is signified by the burnt sacrifice. The smoke of the incenses is also called a cloud of incense (Ezekiel 8:11). Hence also smoke, in the opposite sense, signifies falsity from evil; as in Isaiah (chap. 34:10; Joel 2:30; Nahum 2:13; Psalm 18:8, 37:20); because the fire which gives rise to that smoke signifies the evil of love.

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #485

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485. APOCALYPSE. CHAPTER 8.

1. And when he opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven as it were for half an hour.

2. And I saw the seven angels who stood before God; and there were given unto them seven trumpets.

3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there were given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne.

4. And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended out of the angel's hand before God.

5. And the angel took the censer, and filled it from the fire of the altar, and cast it unto the earth; and there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

6. And the seven angels having the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

7. And the first angel sounded, and there was hail and fire mingled with blood; and they were cast unto the earth; and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

8. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood.

9. And there died the third part of the creatures in the sea having souls; and the third part of the ships was destroyed.

10. And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star, burning as a lamp; and it fell upon a third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of the waters.

11. And the name of the star is called Wormwood; and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were bitter.

12. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, that the day shone not for the third part of it, and the night likewise.

13. And I saw, and I heard one angel flying in midheaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe, to those that dwell on the earth, from the remaining voices of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound.

EXPOSITION.

Verses 1-4. And when he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven as it were for half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stood before God; and there were given unto them seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne. And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended out of the angel's hand before God.

1. "And when he opened the seventh seal," signifies prediction respecting the last state of the church n. 486; "there was silence in heaven," signifies astonishment that the church is such and that its end is at hand (n. 487); "as it were for half an hour," signifies a time corresponding to, or the delay before, the preparation of all things for undergoing the changes that follow (n. 488).

2. "And I saw the seven angels who stood before God," signifies all the heavens more interiorly and more closely conjoined to the Lord. n. 489); "and there were given unto them seven trumpets," signifies influx from them, and consequent changes of state and separations (n. 459, 489).

3. "And another angel came and stood at the altar," signifies the conjunction of heaven with the Lord through celestial good n. 490; "having a golden censer," signifies the conjunction of that good with spiritual good, and thus the conjunction of the higher heavens n. 491; "and there was given unto him much incense," signifies truths in abundance (n. 492); "that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne," signifies the conjunction [of the heavens] with those who must be separated from the evil and saved n. 493.

4. "And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended out of the angel's hand before God," signifies the conjunction of all with the Lord. n. 494).

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.