The Bible

 

Jezekilj 4

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1 A ti, sine čovečji, uzmi opeku, i metni je preda se, i izreži na njoj grad Jerusalim.

2 I postavi oko njega opsadu, i načini kule prema njemu, i iskopaj oko njega opkop, i postavi vojsku oko njega, i namesti ubojne sprave oko njega.

3 Po tom uzmi tavicu gvozdenu, i metni je kao gvozden zid između sebe i grada, i okreni lice svoje suprot njemu, i on će se opsesti, i ti ćeš ga opsesti. To će biti znak domu Izrailjevom.

4 Potom lezi na levu stranu svoju, i metni na nju bezakonje doma Izrailjevog; koliko dana uzležiš na njoj toliko ćeš nositi njihovo bezakonje.

5 A ja ti dajem godine bezakonja njihova brojem dana, trista i devedeset dana, i toliko ćeš nositi bezakonje doma Izrailjevog.

6 A kad ih navršiš, onda lezi na desnu stranu svoju, i nosi bezakonje doma Judinog četrdeset dana; po jedan dan dajem ti za godinu.

7 I okreni lice svoje prema opkoljenom Jerusalimu zagalivši mišicu svoju, i prorokuj protiv njega.

8 I evo, vezaću te uzicama da se ne prevrneš s jedne strane na drugu dokle ne navršiš dane opsade tvoje.

9 I uzmi pšenice i ječma i boba i leća i prosa i krupnika, i saspi sve u jedan sud, i načini od toga sebi hleba prema broju dana u koje ćeš ležati na svojoj strani, tri stotine i devedeset dana ješćeš ga.

10 I jela tvog što ćeš jesti neka bude merom dvadeset sikala na dan; na rokove jedi ga.

11 I vodu pij merom, po šestinu ina, pij na rokove.

12 A hleb presan ječmen jedi, ispekavši ga na kalu čovečjem na njihove oči.

13 I reče Gospod: Tako će jesti sinovi Izrailjevi hleb svoj nečist među narodima u koje ću ih razagnati.

14 Tada rekoh: Ah Gospode Gospode, gle, duša se moja nije oskvrnila, jer od detinjstva svog do sada nisam jeo mrcinoga ni šta bi zverka razdrla, niti je ušlo u usta moja meso nečisto.

15 A On mi reče: Vidi, dajem ti goveđu balegu mesto čovečjeg kala, da na njoj ispečeš sebi hleb.

16 Zatim reče mi: Sine čovečji, evo ja ću slomiti potporu u hlebu u Jerusalimu, te će jesti hleb na meru i u brizi, i vodu će piti na meru i u čudu.

17 Jer će im nestati hleba i vode da će se čuditi među sobom i sasušiće se od bezakonja svog.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #610

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610. And its number is 666. This symbolically means, their character being this, that by them all the Word's truth has been falsified.

The number of the beast symbolizes the character of the arguments the clergy use from the Word to defend their doctrine and faith (nos. 608, 609). Six hundred and sixty-six symbolizes every truth having to do with goodness, and because the statement is made in application to the Word, it symbolizes every truth in the Word having to do with goodness, in this case that truth falsified, because the number is the number of the beast.

This is the symbolic meaning because six has the same symbolism as three multiplied by two, and three symbolizes completeness and all and is predicated of truths (no. 505), while two symbolizes the marriage of truth and good. So, because six is composed of these two numbers multiplied together, therefore it symbolizes every truth in the Word having to do with goodness, in this case that truth falsified. That it also was falsified by the clergy may be seen in no. 566 above.

The number is said to be 666, because it contains the number six repeated three times, and tripling it makes it complete. Multiplying six by one hundred to make six hundred, and by ten to make sixty, does not change the number's symbolic meaning, as may be seen in no. 348 above.

[2] That the number six symbolizes completeness and all, and is used when the subject is truths having to do with goodness, may be seen from passages in the Word where that number is mentioned. However, the symbolism of the number appears clearly only to people who see the things contained in the spiritual sense. As for instance, the Lord's saying that the seeds that fell on good ground yielded fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred (Mark 4:8, 20, Matthew 13:8, 23); and that a landowner went out and hired laborers for his vineyard at the third hour and at the sixth hour (Matthew 20:3, 5). Also that the table in the Tabernacle had on it cakes of showbread arranged in two rows, each containing six cakes (Leviticus 24:6). That there were set six waterpots for the purification of the Jews (John 2:6). That there were six cities of refuge or of asylum (Numbers 35:6-7, Deuteronomy 19:1-9). That the measuring reed with which the angel measured all parts of the new temple and new city was six cubits long (Ezekiel 40:5). That the prophet drank water by measure, a sixth of a hin (Ezekiel 4:11). That they took as an offering a sixth of an ephah of a homer of wheat (Ezekiel 45:13).

Since the number six symbolizes completeness, therefore words for separating a sixth part came into use, which in the spiritual sense symbolizes something that is complete and entire, as that they gave a sixth part of an ephah of a homer of barley (Ezekiel 45:13). And regarding Gog, "I will turn you around and leave but a sixth part of you" (Ezekiel 39:2). This last symbolically means that in Gog all truth in the Word having to do with goodness is destroyed. Just who are meant by Gog may be seen in no. 859.

  
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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.