The Bible

 

Jezekilj 29

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1 Godine desete, desetog meseca, dvanaestog dana, dođe mi reč Gospodnja govoreći:

2 Sine čovečji, okreni lice svoje prema Faraonu caru misirskom, i prorokuj protiv njega i protiv svega Misira.

3 Govori i reci: Ovako veli Gospod Gospod: evo me na te, Faraone care misirski, zmaju veliki što ležiš usred reka svojih, koji reče: Moja je reka; ja sam je načinio sebi.

4 Zato ću ti metnuti u čeljusti udicu, i učiniću da se ribe u rekama tvojim nahvataju na krljušti tvoje; i izvući ću te iz reka tvojih i sve ribe iz reka tvojih nahvatane na krljušti tvoje.

5 I ostaviću u pustinji tebe i sve ribe iz tvojih reka, i pašćeš na zemlju i nećeš se pokupiti ni sabrati, zverima zemaljskim i pticama nebeskim daću te da te jedu.

6 I svi će stanovnici misirski poznati da sam ja Gospod; jer su štap od trske domu Izrailjevom.

7 Kad te uhvatiše u ruku, ti se slomi i raseče im sve rame; a kad se nasloniše na te, ti se prebi i probode im sva bedra.

8 Zato ovako veli Gospod Gospod: Evo, ja ću pustiti na te mač, i istrebiću iz tebe ljude i stoku.

9 I zemlja će se misirska opustošiti i biti pusta, i poznaće se da sam ja Gospod, jer reče: Moja je reka, i ja sam je načinio.

10 Zato evo me na tebe i na reke tvoje, i obratiću zemlju misirsku u pustoš i samu pustinju, od kule sinske do međe etiopske.

11 Neće prelaziti preko nje nogom svojom čovek, niti će živinče nogom svojom prelaziti preko nje, i neće se živeti u njoj četrdeset godina.

12 I učiniću od zemlje misirske pustoš među zemljama opustošenim, i gradovi će njeni među pustim gradovima biti pustoš četrdeset godina, i rasejaću Misirce među narode i razasuću ih po zemljama.

13 Jer ovako veli Gospod Gospod: Posle četrdeset godina skupiću Misirce iz naroda u koje budu rasejani.

14 I povratiću roblje misirsko, i dovešću ih opet u zemlju Patros, na postojbinu njihovu, i onde će biti malo carstvo.

15 Malo će biti mimo ostalih carstava, niti će se više uzdignuti nad narode, jer ću ih smanjiti da ne vladaju narodima.

16 I neće više biti domu Izrailjevom uzdanica da napominje bezakonje kad bi gledali za njima; i poznaće da sam ja Gospod Gospod.

17 A dvadeset sedme godine, prvog meseca, prvog dana, dođe mi reč Gospodnja govoreći:

18 Sine čovečji, Navuhodonosor car vavilonski zadade vojsci svojoj tešku službu protiv Tira; svaka glava oćelavi i svako se rame odre, a plate ne bi ni njemu ni vojsci njegovoj od Tira za službu kojom služiše protiv njega.

19 Zato ovako veli Gospod Gospod: Evo ja dajem Navuhodonosoru caru vavilonskom zemlju misirsku, i on će odvesti narod i odneti plen i pograbiti grabež, i to će biti plata njegovoj vojsci.

20 Za trud kojim se trudio oko toga dadoh mu zemlju misirsku, jer se za me trudiše, govori Gospod Gospod.

21 U onaj ću dan učiniti da naraste rog domu Izrailjevom, i tebi ću otvoriti usta među njima, i znaće da sam ja Gospod.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #704

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704. That perform signs to go away to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. This symbolizes assertions that their falsities are true, and efforts to stir up all those throughout the church who are caught up in the same falsities to attack the truths of the New Church.

To perform signs is to testify and also to assert that something is true, as may be seen in nos. 598, 599 above, here that their falsities are true. Kings of the earth and of the whole world symbolize people who are caught up primarily in falsities springing from evil, here all who are caught up in the same falsities throughout the church. For kings symbolize people impelled by truths that spring from goodness, and in an opposite sense people impelled by falsities springing from evil (no. 483). The earth symbolizes the church (no. 285), and so likewise does the world (no. 551). To go away to gather them to battle means, symbolically, to stir those people to fight or attack; for war symbolizes a spiritual war, which is one of falsity against truth and of truth against falsity (nos. 500, 586). It is to attack the truths of the New Church because it is called the battle of that great day of God Almighty, and that day symbolizes the Lord's advent and a new church then. That this is the symbolic meaning of the great day there will be seen below.

We are told that the spirits of demons would do this, because the spirits of demons symbolize lusts to falsify truths and to reason on the basis of falsities, as just said in no. 703 above.

It is apparent from this that spirits of demons performing signs to go away to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty, symbolize assertions by the people meant by the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, as described in nos. 701, 702 above, that their falsities are true, and efforts to stir up all those throughout the church who are caught up in the same falsities to attack the truths of the New Church.

[2] That the great day of God Almighty symbolizes the Lord's advent and a new church then, is clear from many passages in the Word, as from the following:

Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day. (Isaiah 2:11)

...in that day... Israel... will depend on Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. (Isaiah 10:20)

In that day a Root of Jesse... shall the Gentiles seek, and His resting place shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10-11)

In that day... eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 17:7, 9)

They will say in that day: "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, to set us free." (Isaiah 25:9)

...My people shall know My name...(and) in that day, I am He who speaks: "Behold, it is I." (Isaiah 52:6)

Alas! ...great is (the day of Jehovah, and) there is none like it. (Jeremiah 30:7)

Behold, the days are coming... when I will make a new covenant... and the city shall be built for Jehovah... (Jeremiah 31:27, 31, 38)

In those days... I will cause to grow up to David a righteous Branch... (Jeremiah 33:15)

(They will not) stand in battle on the day of Jehovah. (Ezekiel 13:5)

In that day Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the children of your people... In that day... shall be delivered everyone who is found written in the book. (Daniel 12:1)

...in that day... you will call Me "My Husband."... In that day I will make a covenant for them... ...in that day I will hear... (Hosea 2:16, 18, 21).

Behold, I am sending you Elijah... before the coming of the great... day of Jehovah. (Malachi 4:5)

Jehovah... will save them in that day, as the flock of His people. (Zechariah 9:16)

In that day Jehovah will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Zechariah 12:8)

Behold, the day of Jehovah is coming... It shall be one day which is known to Jehovah... In that day Jehovah shall be one and His name one... In that day there shall be a great tumult... In that day "Holiness to the Lord" shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. (Zechariah 14:1, 4, 6-9, 13, 20-21)

There are many other passages in addition to these in which "the day of Jehovah" means the Lord's advent and a new church from Him then, as in the following: Isaiah 4:2; 19:16, 18, 21, 24; 22:20; 28:5; 29:18; 30:25-26; 31:7; and elsewhere.

Since the end of an age or final period of a former church is the time when the Lord's advent takes place and a new church begins, therefore the day of Jehovah in many places symbolizes the end of a previous church, and we are told that then there will be rumors, tumult, and wars. 1 See the passages collected in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord, nos. 4, 5.

Footnotes:

1. E.g., Matthew 24:6

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.