The Bible

 

Jezekilj 2

Study

   

1 I reče mi: Sine čovečji, ustani na noge da govorim s tobom.

2 I uđe u me duh kad mi progovori, i postavi me na noge, i slušah Onog koji mi govoraše.

3 I reče mi: Sine čovečji, ja te šaljem k sinovima Izrailjevim, k narodima odmetničkim, koji se odmetnuše mene; oni i oci njihovi biše mi neverni do ovog dana.

4 K sinovima tvrdog obraza i upornog srca šaljem te ja, pa im reci: Tako veli Gospod;

5 I poslušali ili ne poslušali, jer su dom odmetnički, neka znaju da je prorok bio među njima.

6 I ti, sine čovečji, ne boj ih se niti se boj njihovih reči, što su ti uporni i kao trnje i živiš među skorpijama; ne boj se njihovih reči i ne plaši se od njih što su dom odmetnički.

7 Nego im kaži reči moje, poslušali ili ne poslušali, jer su odmetnici.

8 Ali ti, sine čovečji, slušaj šta ću ti kazati, ne budi nepokoran kao taj dom nepokorni; otvori usta, i pojedi šta ću ti dati.

9 I pogledah, a to ruka pružena k meni, i gle, u njoj savijena knjiga.

10 I razvi je preda mnom, i beše ispisana iznutra i spolja, i beše u njoj napisan plač i naricanje i jaoh.

   

Commentary

 

Afraid

  
{{en|Walking on Water}}

Fear of the unknown and fear of change are both common ideas and together cover a broad spectrum of the fears we tend to have in natural life. In a sense, they also lie behind the spiritual meaning when people are described as being "afraid" in the Bible. In Swedenborg's works, people are described as being afraid when a more higher spiritual state comes into communication with a lower, more external state and demonstrates the need for the lower state to be reformed and elevated. That's the case with the shepherds in the Christmas story, reacting first with fear when angels came to tell them of a whole new spiritual era. It's true of Moses at the burning bush, Jacob after the vision of the ladder, even the disciples seeing Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee – all cases in which a higher state was reaching out to them and asking them to embrace a new phase of spiritual life. This also holds in a more negative sense, when states of evil and false thinking come into contact with spiritual things and feel threatened by the revelation of their own wretchedness. The Bible also speaks frequently of people fearing God, a related but different idea which is covered elsewhere.

In Genesis 3:10; 18:15, Exodus 3:6, being afraid signifies apprehension lest one offend or be hurt. (Arcana Coelestia 223-224, Arcana Coelestia 2215, Arcana Coelestia 6849)