The Bible

 

Danilo 7

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1 Prve godine Valtasara, cara vavilonskog, usni Danilo san i vide utvaru glave svoje na postelji; tada napisa san i pripovedi ukratko.

2 Danilo progovori i reče: Videh u utvari svojoj noću, a to četiri vetra nebeska udariše se na velikom moru.

3 I četiri velike zveri iziđoše iz mora, svaka drugačija.

4 Prva beše kao lav, i imaše krila orlova; gledah dokle joj se krila poskuboše i podiže se sa zemlje i stade na noge kao čovek, i srce ljudsko dade joj se.

5 Potom, gle, druga zver beše kao medved, i stade s jedne strane, i imaše tri rebra u ustima među zubima svojim, i govoraše joj se: Ustani, jedi mnogo mesa.

6 Potom videh, i gle, druga, kao ris, imaše na leđima četiri krila kao ptica, i četiri glave imaše zver, i dade joj se vlast.

7 Potom videh u utvarama noćnim, i gle, četvrta zver, koje se trebaše bojati, strašna i vrlo jaka, i imaše velike zube gvozdene, jeđaše i satiraše, i gažaše nogama ostatak, i razlikovaše se od svih zveri pređašnjih, i imaše deset rogova.

8 Gledah rogove, i gle, drugi mali rog izraste među onima, a tri prva roga iščupaše se pred njim; i gle, oči kao oči čovečije behu na tom rogu, i usta koja govorahu velike stvari.

9 Gledah dokle se postaviše prestoli, i starac sede, na kome beše odelo belo kao sneg, i kosa na glavi kao čista vuna, presto Mu beše kao plamen ognjeni, točkovi Mu kao oganj razgoreo.

10 Reka ognjena izlažaše i tečaše ispred Njega, hiljada hiljada služaše Mu, i deset hiljada po deset hiljada stajahu pred Njim; sud sede, i knjige se otvoriše.

11 Tada gledah radi glasa velikih reči koje govoraše onaj rog; i gledah dokle ne bi ubijena zver i telo joj se raščini i dade se da izgori ognjem.

12 I ostalim zverima uze se vlast, jer dužina životu beše im određena do vremena i do roka.

13 Videh u utvarama noćnim, i gle, kao Sin čovečiji iđaše sa oblacima nebeskim, i dođe do starca i stade pred Njim.

14 I dade Mu se vlast i slava i carstvo da Mu služe svi narodi i plemena i jezici; vlast je Njegova vlast večna, koja neće proći, i carstvo se Njegovo neće rasuti.

15 Meni Danilu prenemože duh moj u telu mom, i utvare glave moje uznemiriše me.

16 Pristupih k jednom od onih koji stajahu onde, i zamolih ga za istinu od svega toga. I progovori mi i kaza mi šta to znači:

17 Ove četiri velike zveri jesu četiri cara, koji će nastati na zemlji.

18 Ali će sveci Višnjeg preuzeti carstvo, i držaće carstvo na vek i doveka.

19 Tada zaželeh znati istinu o četvrtoj zveri, koja se razlikovaše od svih i beše vrlo strašna, i imaše zube gvozdene i nokte bronzane, i jeđaše i satiraše, a ostatak nogama gažaše,

20 I o deset rogova šta joj behu na glavi, i o drugom koji izraste i tri otpadoše pred njim, o rogu koji imaše oči i usta koja govorahu velike stvari i beše po viđenju veći od drugih.

21 Gledah, i taj rog vojevaše sa svecima i nadvlađivaše ih,

22 Dokle dođe starac, i dade se sud svecima Višnjeg, i prispe vreme da sveci preuzmu carstvo.

23 Ovako reče: Četvrta zver biće četvrto carstvo na zemlji, koje će se razlikovati od svih carstava, i izješće svu zemlju i pogaziti i satrti.

24 I deset rogova jesu deset careva, koji će nastati iz tog carstva, a posle njih nastaće drugi, i on će se razlikovati od pređašnjih, i pokoriće tri cara.

25 I govoriće reči na Višnjeg, i potiraće svece Višnjeg, i pomišljaće da promeni vremena i zakone; i daće mu se u ruke za vreme i za vremena i za po vremena.

26 Potom će sesti sud, i uzeće mu se vlast, te će se istrebiti i zatrti sasvim.

27 A carstvo i vlast i veličanstvo carsko pod svim nebom daće se narodu svetaca Višnjeg; Njegovo će carstvo biti večno carstvo, i sve će vlasti Njemu služiti i slušati Ga.

28 Ovde je kraj ovoj reči. A mene, Danila vrlo uznemiriše misli moje, i lice mi se sve promeni; ali reč sačuvah u srcu svom.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Coronis (An Appendix to True Christian Religion) #3

  
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3. The same four Churches on this earth are described by four beasts rising up out of the sea, in Daniel; of which it is there written:

The first was seen like a lion, but it had eagle's wings. I beheld until the wings thereof were plucked out, and it was lifted up from the earth, and set up upon feet, erect like a man, and a man's heart was given to it. Afterwards, behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side; three ribs were in its mouth between the teeth: moreover, they were saying thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After these things, I beheld, and, lo, another, like a leopard, which had four wings, like birds' wings, upon the back of it; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. After this, I saw in the night visions, and beheld a fourth beast, terrible and dreadful, and strong exceedingly, which had great iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet; but it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I beheld till thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit; and the judgment was set, and the books were opened; and, behold, one like the Son of Man was coming with the clouds of the heavens. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; and all peoples, nations and languages should worship Him: His dominion is a dominion of an age, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not perish (Dan. 7:3-9, [7:10], 7:13-14, etc.).

That by these beasts, in like manner, are meant and described those four Churches, is manifest from all the particulars there (which shall be unfolded in their order in the following pages); more especially from the last expressions there, that after those four beasts there will come "the Son of Man, to whom shall be given dominion, and a kingdom which shall not pass away nor perish"; who, also, is meant by the Stone made into "a great Rock, which shall fill the whole earth," as may be seen above (n. 2, at the end).

[2] That the states of the Church are likewise described by beasts, as well as by metals, in the Word, is evident from numberless passages, some only of which I will adduce here; which are as follows:

Thou causest the rain of benefits to drop; thou wilt confirm thy wearied inheritance; the beast 1 -thy assembly-shall dwell therein (Psalm 68:9-10).

Every wild beast of the forest is Mine, the beasts in the mountains of thousands; I know every bird of the mountains, the beasts of My fields are with Me (Psalm 50:10-11).

Asshur was a cedar in Lebanon, his height was exalted; all the birds of the heavens made their nests in his branches, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth, and in his shadow dwelt all great nations (Ezek. 31:3, 5-6, 13; Dan. 4:7-13).

In that day will I make a covenant for them with the beast of the field, and with the bird of the heavens, and I will betroth Myself unto thee to eternity (Hosea 2:18-19).

Rejoice and be glad; be not afraid, ye beasts of My fields; for the habitations of the desert are become full of grass (Joel 2:21-22).

Thou, son of man, say unto the bird of every wing, and to every beast of the field, Gather yourselves together to My sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel: thus I will set My glory among the nations (Ezek. 39:17, 20-21).

The enemy hath reproached Jehovah; deliver not the soul of the turtle-dove unto the beast 2 (Psalm 74:18-19).

Jehovah gathereth the outcasts of Israel; every beast of My fields, come (Isa. 56:8-9).

The spirit urging, made Jesus to go forth into the wilderness and He was with the beasts; and angels ministered unto Him (Mark 1:12-13).

He was not with beasts, but with devils, with whom He fought and whom He subdued-(not to mention a thousand other passages, which are adduced in part in the APOCALYPSE REVEALED , n. 567). Moreover, it is well known that the Lord Himself, in the Word, is called a "Lamb" and also a "Lion"; likewise, that the Holy Spirit was represented as a "Dove"; that the cherubs, also, by which the Word in the literal sense is signified, appeared like "four beasts," in Ezekiel and in the Apocalypse; and that the man of the Church who acknowledges the Lord as his God and Shepherd, is called a "sheep"; and, on the other hand, he who does not acknowledge Him, is called a "he-goat" and also a "dragon"; and that an assembly of the latter is described, in like manner as in Daniel, by

The beast out of the sea, like a leopard, whose feet were as it were a bear's, and his mouth as it were a lion's (Rev. 13:1-2).

These comparisons originate from the spiritual world, where all the affections and thoughts therefrom, of angels and spirits, are presented at a distance from them as beasts, which also appear in a form in all respects similar to that of the beasts in the natural world; the affections of the love of good as gentle beasts and good uses, but the affections of the love of evil as savage beasts and evil uses. Hence it is that beasts are so often named in the Word; and by them in the spiritual sense are signified affections, inclinations, perceptions and thoughts. From these considerations it is manifest what is meant by creatures in the following passages:

Jesus commanded the disciples to go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).

If any one be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away, and all things are become new (2 Cor. 5:17).

These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creature of God (Rev. 3:14).

By "creatures," here, are meant those who are capable of being created anew, that is, regenerated, and thus becoming of the Lord's Church.

Footnotes:

1. "Thy beast" is the literal rendering of the Hebrew in this passage, which is [Hebrew]; but it is assumed, in the text here, to be used figuratively for "thy congregation." See Fuerst, in loc. [Hebrew].

2. See R.V.; also the previous footnote.

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