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Ezekiel 44

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1 και επεστρεψεν με κατα την οδον της πυλης των αγιων της εξωτερας της βλεπουσης κατ' ανατολας και αυτη ην κεκλεισμενη

2 και ειπεν κυριος προς με η πυλη αυτη κεκλεισμενη εσται ουκ ανοιχθησεται και ουδεις μη διελθη δι' αυτης οτι κυριος ο θεος του ισραηλ εισελευσεται δι' αυτης και εσται κεκλεισμενη

3 διοτι ο ηγουμενος ουτος καθησεται εν αυτη του φαγειν αρτον εναντιον κυριου κατα την οδον αιλαμ της πυλης εισελευσεται και κατα την οδον αυτου εξελευσεται

4 και εισηγαγεν με κατα την οδον της πυλης της προς βορραν κατεναντι του οικου και ειδον και ιδου πληρης δοξης ο οικος κυριου και πιπτω επι προσωπον μου

5 και ειπεν κυριος προς με υιε ανθρωπου ταξον εις την καρδιαν σου και ιδε τοις οφθαλμοις σου και τοις ωσιν σου ακουε παντα οσα εγω λαλω μετα σου κατα παντα τα προσταγματα οικου κυριου και κατα παντα τα νομιμα αυτου και ταξεις την καρδιαν σου εις την εισοδον του οικου κατα πασας τας εξοδους αυτου εν πασι τοις αγιοις

6 και ερεις προς τον οικον τον παραπικραινοντα προς τον οικον του ισραηλ ταδε λεγει κυριος ο θεος ικανουσθω υμιν απο πασων των ανομιων υμων οικος ισραηλ

7 του εισαγαγειν υμας υιους αλλογενεις απεριτμητους καρδια και απεριτμητους σαρκι του γινεσθαι εν τοις αγιοις μου και εβεβηλουν αυτα εν τω προσφερειν υμας αρτους στεαρ και αιμα και παρεβαινετε την διαθηκην μου εν πασαις ταις ανομιαις υμων

8 και διεταξατε του φυλασσειν φυλακας εν τοις αγιοις μου

9 δια τουτο ταδε λεγει κυριος ο θεος πας υιος αλλογενης απεριτμητος καρδια και απεριτμητος σαρκι ουκ εισελευσεται εις τα αγια μου εν πασιν υιοις αλλογενων των οντων εν μεσω οικου ισραηλ

10 αλλ' η οι λευιται οιτινες αφηλαντο απ' εμου εν τω πλανασθαι τον ισραηλ απ' εμου κατοπισθεν των ενθυμηματων αυτων και λημψονται αδικιαν αυτων

11 και εσονται εν τοις αγιοις μου λειτουργουντες θυρωροι επι των πυλων του οικου και λειτουργουντες τω οικω ουτοι σφαξουσιν τα ολοκαυτωματα και τας θυσιας τω λαω και ουτοι στησονται εναντιον του λαου του λειτουργειν αυτοις

12 ανθ' ων ελειτουργουν αυτοις προ προσωπου των ειδωλων αυτων και εγενετο τω οικω ισραηλ εις κολασιν αδικιας ενεκα τουτου ηρα την χειρα μου επ' αυτους λεγει κυριος ο θεος

13 και ουκ εγγιουσι προς με του ιερατευειν μοι ουδε του προσαγειν προς τα αγια υιων του ισραηλ ουδε προς τα αγια των αγιων μου και λημψονται ατιμιαν αυτων εν τη πλανησει η επλανηθησαν

14 και καταταξουσιν αυτους φυλασσειν φυλακας του οικου εις παντα τα εργα αυτου και εις παντα οσα αν ποιησωσιν

15 οι ιερεις οι λευιται οι υιοι του σαδδουκ οιτινες εφυλαξαντο τας φυλακας των αγιων μου εν τω πλανασθαι οικον ισραηλ απ' εμου ουτοι προσαξουσιν προς με του λειτουργειν μοι και στησονται προ προσωπου μου του προσφερειν μοι θυσιαν στεαρ και αιμα λεγει κυριος ο θεος

16 ουτοι εισελευσονται εις τα αγια μου και ουτοι προσελευσονται προς την τραπεζαν μου του λειτουργειν μοι και φυλαξουσιν τας φυλακας μου

17 και εσται εν τω εισπορευεσθαι αυτους τας πυλας της αυλης της εσωτερας στολας λινας ενδυσονται και ουκ ενδυσονται ερεα εν τω λειτουργειν αυτους απο της πυλης της εσωτερας αυλης

18 και κιδαρεις λινας εξουσιν επι ταις κεφαλαις αυτων και περισκελη λινα εξουσιν επι τας οσφυας αυτων και ου περιζωσονται βια

19 και εν τω εκπορευεσθαι αυτους εις την αυλην την εξωτεραν προς τον λαον εκδυσονται τας στολας αυτων εν αις αυτοι λειτουργουσιν εν αυταις και θησουσιν αυτας εν ταις εξεδραις των αγιων και ενδυσονται στολας ετερας και ου μη αγιασωσιν τον λαον εν ταις στολαις αυτων

20 και τας κεφαλας αυτων ου ξυρησονται και τας κομας αυτων ου ψιλωσουσιν καλυπτοντες καλυψουσιν τας κεφαλας αυτων

21 και οινον ου μη πιωσιν πας ιερευς εν τω εισπορευεσθαι αυτους εις την αυλην την εσωτεραν

22 και χηραν και εκβεβλημενην ου λημψονται εαυτοις εις γυναικα αλλ' η παρθενον εκ του σπερματος ισραηλ και χηρα εαν γενηται εξ ιερεως λημψονται

23 και τον λαον μου διδαξουσιν ανα μεσον αγιου και βεβηλου και ανα μεσον ακαθαρτου και καθαρου γνωριουσιν αυτοις

24 και επι κρισιν αιματος ουτοι επιστησονται του διακρινειν τα δικαιωματα μου δικαιωσουσιν και τα κριματα μου κρινουσιν και τα νομιμα μου και τα προσταγματα μου εν πασαις ταις εορταις μου φυλαξονται και τα σαββατα μου αγιασουσιν

25 και επι ψυχην ανθρωπου ουκ εισελευσονται του μιανθηναι αλλ' η επι πατρι και επι μητρι και επι υιω και επι θυγατρι και επι αδελφω και επι αδελφη αυτου η ου γεγονεν ανδρι μιανθησεται

26 και μετα το καθαρισθηναι αυτον επτα ημερας εξαριθμησει αυτω

27 και η αν ημερα εισπορευωνται εις την αυλην την εσωτεραν του λειτουργειν εν τω αγιω προσοισουσιν ιλασμον λεγει κυριος ο θεος

28 και εσται αυτοις εις κληρονομιαν εγω κληρονομια αυτοις και κατασχεσις αυτοις ου δοθησεται εν τοις υιοις ισραηλ οτι εγω κατασχεσις αυτων

29 και τας θυσιας και τα υπερ αμαρτιας και τα υπερ αγνοιας ουτοι φαγονται και παν αφορισμα εν τω ισραηλ αυτοις εσται

30 απαρχαι παντων και τα πρωτοτοκα παντων και τα αφαιρεματα παντα εκ παντων των απαρχων υμων τοις ιερευσιν εσται και τα πρωτογενηματα υμων δωσετε τω ιερει του θειναι ευλογιας υμων επι τους οικους υμων

31 και παν θνησιμαιον και θηριαλωτον εκ των πετεινων και εκ των κτηνων ου φαγονται οι ιερεις

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3857

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3857. 'And Rachel was barren' means that interior truths were not received. This is clear from the representation of 'Rachel' as the affection for interior truth, dealt with already, and from the meaning of 'barren' as not giving rise to doctrines, nor thus Churches. This statement expresses the opposite of what is said in reference to Leah, that is, that 'Jehovah opened her womb', meaning that the affection represented by her gave rise to the doctrines taught by the Churches. The reason interior truths were not received is that interior truths are such as go above the range of man's belief, that is to say, they do not fall into ideas he has and are not conditioned by the outward appearances or the illusions of the senses by which everyone allows himself to be led. He does not believe interior truths unless in some way they coincide with those appearances or illusions.

[2] For example, it is an interior truth that intervals of time and of space do not exist in the next life, but states instead. Man who is within time and space while he lives in the world forms all his ideas from these, so much so that he cannot have any thought without them, 3404. Consequently unless the states which exist in the next life were described by means of the intervals of time and space which man experiences, that is, by means of the kind of things that are moulded by time and space, he would perceive nothing and so believe nothing, and as a consequence would receive nothing. Doctrine would in that case be barren and no Church would arise from it.

[3] Take another example. Unless celestial and spiritual affections were described by means of such things as constitute worldly and bodily affections man would not perceive anything, for these are the affections he experiences, and it is from them that he is able to have notions about celestial and spiritual affections. Yet the two types of affections are as different from each other, or as far apart, as heaven from earth. Take for example the glory of heaven, that is, of the angels in heaven, 3839. Unless man modelled his idea of the glory of heaven on the idea of the glory which exists in the world he would not grasp it at all and so would not acknowledge it. The same applies to all other interior or heavenly things.

[4] For this reason the Lord has spoken in the Word in accordance with man's own ability to grasp things and with the appearances that go with that grasp of them. The literal sense of the Word is such, yet at the same time is of such a nature that it holds within it the internal sense which contains interior truths. This then explains why it is said in reference to Leah that 'Jehovah opened her womb', and that 'Rachel was barren'; for as has been stated, 'Leah' represents the affection for exterior truth, 'Rachel' the affection for interior truth. But because exterior truths are the first truths which a person learns, the Lord has provided that by means of them he can be introduced into interior truths. This provision is meant by the statement in Genesis 30:22 that God at last remembered Rachel, hearkened to her, and opened her womb.

[5] The truth of all this may be seen from the Churches which existed in ancient times, and from their doctrinal teachings, namely that their teachings were formed from external truths. With the Ancient Church which existed after the Flood their doctrinal teachings were for the most part external representatives and meaningful signs which had internal truths stored within them. For the majority of its members holy worship consisted in those external representatives and signs. If anyone had told them that the essential ingredients of Divine worship were not those representatives and meaningful signs but the spiritual and celestial realities represented and meant by these, they would have rejected them altogether, and so the Church would have ceased to exist. This applied even more to the Jewish Church. If anyone had told them that their religious observances received their holiness from the Divine things that were the Lord's within them they would not have acknowledged them at all.

[6] Such also was mankind when the Lord came into the world. They had grown even more bodily-minded, especially so those who were members of the Church. This is quite evident even from the disciples who, though with the Lord constantly and hearing so many things about His kingdom, were as yet unable to perceive interior truths. They were still unable to have any other concept of the Lord than such as exists with the Jews at the present day about the Messiah whom they are still awaiting. They imagined that He would promote that people to a position of dominion and glory over all nations throughout the world. And after hearing so many things from the Lord about the heavenly kingdom the disciples were still unable to think anything else than that the heavenly kingdom would be like an earthly kingdom, where God the Father would be supreme, after Him the Son, and then themselves the twelve, and so would reign in this order. For the same reasons also James and John asked to sit one on His right and the other on the left, Mark 10:35-37; and the rest of the disciples were angry at these two wishing to be greater than the rest, Mark 10:41; Matthew 20:24. For the same reason also, after teaching them what it was to be greatest in heaven, Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-45, the Lord still spoke in the way that they themselves thought. That is to say, He spoke of them sitting on twelve thrones and judging the twelve tribes of Israel, Luke 22:24, 30; Matthew 19:28.

[7] If they had been told that the word 'disciples' was not used to mean themselves but all people in whom the good of love and faith dwells, 3354, 3488, and also that in the Lord's kingdom there are no thrones, nor positions of government and dominion, as in the world, and that they would not be able to pass judgement on even the smallest aspect of any one person, 2129, 2553, they would have rejected that saying, and each would have left the Lord and gone back to his own employment. The reason why the Lord spoke in the way He did was so that they would receive those things and through them be introduced into internal truths. For within the external truths which the Lord spoke internal truths lay stored away which in course of time are laid bare. And when these are laid bare those external truths are dispelled and serve solely as the objects or the means for thought about internal ones. From these considerations one may recognize what is meant by the fact that Jehovah opened Leah's womb first and she bore sons to Jacob, and that Rachel did so subsequently.

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

The Bible

 

Zechariah 14

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1 Behold, a day of Yahweh comes, when your spoil will be divided in your midst.

2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city will be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go out into captivity, and the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.

3 Then Yahweh will go out and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

4 His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in two, from east to west, making a very great valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

5 You shall flee by the valley of my mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azel; yes, you shall flee, just like you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Yahweh my God will come, and all the holy ones with you.

6 It will happen in that day, that there will not be light, cold, or frost.

7 It will be a unique day which is known to Yahweh; not day, and not night; but it will come to pass, that at evening time there will be light.

8 It will happen in that day, that living waters will go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea; in summer and in winter will it be.

9 Yahweh will be King over all the earth. In that day Yahweh will be one, and his name one.

10 All the land will be made like the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; and she will be lifted up, and will dwell in her place, from Benjamin's gate to the place of the first gate, to the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananel to the king's winepresses.

11 Men will dwell therein, and there will be no more curse; but Jerusalem will dwell safely.

12 This will be the plague with which Yahweh will strike all the peoples who have warred against Jerusalem: their flesh will consume away while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will consume away in their sockets, and their tongue will consume away in their mouth.

13 It will happen in that day, that a great panic from Yahweh will be among them; and they will lay hold everyone on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand will rise up against the hand of his neighbor.

14 Judah also will fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered together: gold, and silver, and clothing, in great abundance.

15 So will be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the donkey, and of all the animals that will be in those camps, as that plague.

16 It will happen that everyone who is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of Armies, and to keep the feast of tents.

17 It will be, that whoever of all the families of the earth doesn't go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of Armies, on them there will be no rain.

18 If the family of Egypt doesn't go up, and doesn't come, neither will it rain on them. This will be the plague with which Yahweh will strike the nations that don't go up to keep the feast of tents.

19 This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations that don't go up to keep the feast of tents.

20 In that day there will be on the bells of the horses, "HOLY TO YAHWEH;" and the pots in YAHWEH's house will be like the bowls before the altar.

21 Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to Yahweh of Armies; and all those who sacrifice will come and take of them, and cook in them. In that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of Yahweh of Armies.

   

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