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Jezekilj 44

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1 I odvede me opet k vratima spoljašnjim od svetinje, koja gledaju na istok, a ona behu zatvorena.

2 I reče mi Gospod: Ova vrata neka budu zatvorena i da se ne otvaraju, i niko da ne ulazi na njih, jer je Gospod Bog Izrailjev ušao na njih; zato neka budu zatvorena.

3 Za kneza su; sam knez neka seda na njima da jede hleb pred Gospodom; kroz trem od ovih vrata neka ulazi i istim putem neka izlazi.

4 I odvede me k severnim vratima pred dom; i videh, i gle, dom Gospodnji beše pun slave Gospodnje, i padoh na lice svoje.

5 I reče mi Gospod: Sine čovečji, pazi srcem svojim i vidi očima svojim i slušaj ušima svojim šta ću ti kazati za sve uredbe doma Gospodnjeg i za sve zakone Njegove; pazi srcem svojim na sve ulaze u dom i na sve izlaze iz svetinje.

6 I reci odmetničkom domu Izrailjevom: Ovako veli Gospod Gospod: Dosta je gadova vaših, dome Izrailjev,

7 Što uvodiste tuđince neobrezanog srca i neobrezanog tela da budu u mojoj svetinji da skvrne dom moj, i prinosiste moj hleb, pretilinu i krv, i tamo prestupaše moj zavet osim svih gadova vaših;

8 I ne izvršavaste šta treba za moju svetinju, nego postaviste ljude po svojoj volji da izvršuju šta treba u mojoj svetinji.

9 Ovako veli Gospod Gospod: Ni jedan tuđin neobrezanog srca i neobrezanog tela da ne dolazi u moju svetinju, ni jedan od svih tuđinaca koji su među sinovima Izrailjevim.

10 A Leviti koji odstupaše od mene kad zađe Izrailj, koji zađoše od mene za gadnim bogovima svojim, nosiće bezakonje svoje.

11 I biće sluge u mojoj svetinji u službi na vratima od doma služeći domu; oni će klati žrtve paljenice i druge žrtve narodu, i stajaće pred njima služiće im.

12 Što im služiše pred gadnim bogovima njihovim i biše domu Izrailjevom spoticanje na bezakonje, zato podigoh ruku svoju na njih, govori Gospod Gospod, da će nositi bezakonje svoje,

13 I neće pristupati k meni da mi vrše svešteničku službu, niti kojoj svetinji mojoj, ni svetinji nad svetinjama neće pristupati, nego će nositi sramotu svoju i gadove svoje, koje činiše.

14 Nego ću ih postaviti za čuvare domu na svaku službu njegovu i na sve što biva u njemu.

15 A sveštenici Leviti sinovi Sadokovi, koji izvršavahu šta treba u mojoj svetinji, kad sinovi Izrailjevi zađoše od mene, oni će pristupati k meni da mi služe, i stajaće preda mnom prinoseći mi pretilinu i krv, govori Gospod Gospod.

16 Oni neka ulaze u moju svetinju i oni neka pristupaju k stolu mom da mi služe i neka izvršuju šta sam zapovedio da se izvršuje.

17 I kad ulaze na vrata unutrašnjeg trema, neka obuku lanene haljine, i ništa da ne bude na njima vuneno kad služe na vratima unutrašnjeg trema i u njemu.

18 Na glavama neka im budu kape lanene i gaće lanene po bedrima, i da se ne pašu ničim oda šta bi se znojili.

19 A kad izlaze u trem spoljašnji, u spoljašnji trem k narodu, neka svuku sa sebe haljine u kojima služe, i ostave ih u kletima svetim, pa neka obuku druge haljine, da ne osvećuju narod haljinama svojim.

20 I glave svoje da ne briju, a ni kose da ne ostavljaju, nego neka strižu glave svoje.

21 I vino da ne pije nijedan sveštenik kad hoće da uđe u unutrašnji trem.

22 I udovicom ni puštenicom da se ne žene, nego devojkom od semena doma Izrailjevog ili udovicom svešteničkom neka se žene.

23 I narod moj neka uče šta je sveto šta li nije sveto, i neka ih uče raspoznavati nečisto od čistog.

24 A u raspri neka stanu da sude, po mojim zakonima neka sude, i zakone moje i uredbe moje neka drže o svim praznicima mojim, i subote moje neka svetkuju.

25 I k mrtvacu da ne idu da se ne oskvrne; samo za ocem i za materom i za sinom i za kćerju, za bratom i za sestrom neudatom mogu se oskvrniti.

26 A kad se očisti, neka mu se broji sedam dana.

27 I u koji bi dan ušao u svetinju, u trem unutrašnji, da služi u svetinji, neka prinese žrtvu za greh svoj, govori Gospod Gospod.

28 A nasledstvo što će imati, ja sam njihovo nasledstvo; i vi im ne dajte dostojanja u Izrailju, ja sam njihovo dostojanje.

29 Dar i žrtvu za greh i žrtvu za krivicu oni će jesti; i sve zavetovano u Izrailju njihovo će biti.

30 I prvine od svakog prvog roda i svi prinosi podizani od svega između svih prinosa vaših biće sveštenicima; i prvine od testa svog davaćete svešteniku da bi počivao blagoslov na domovima vašim.

31 Sveštenici da ne jedu mrcino ni šta zverka raskine, bilo ptica ili šta od stoke.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #6119

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6119. 'And why should we die near by you because the silver is lacking?' means that otherwise spiritual death takes place because of the lack of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'dying' as spiritual death, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the silver lacking' as a lack of truth - 'silver' being factual knowledge that holds truth in it and is appropriate, see 6112. What is implied by the notion that spiritual death takes place when there is a lack of truth is that spiritual life consists in deeds carried out in accordance with truths, consequently in useful services. For people endowed with spiritual life possess a yearning and desire for truths with life in view - that is, their end in view is to lead a life according to those truths - thus with useful services in view. Therefore the extent to which they can absorb truths, in accordance with which useful services are to be rendered, determines how much spiritual life they possess, because it determines how much of the light of intelligence and wisdom they possess. When truths are lacking therefore, as happens when a state of shade arrives - a state meant in the Word by 'evening', 6110 - spiritual life languishes. It languishes because things such as belong to the state of shade, that is, to spiritual death, enter in. When this happens people cannot be kept in the light in which they were before but are returned in part to a state of selfhood. As a consequence there emerges from the shade an image of spiritual death, that is, of damnation.

[2] It is clear from very many places in the Word that 'death' means spiritual death, or damnation; but let simply the following be quoted here: In Isaiah,

With righteousness He will judge the poor, and will reprove with uprightness the wretched of the earth. On the other hand He will smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath 1 of His lips He will make the wicked die. Isaiah 11:4.

This refers to the Lord. 'The rod of His mouth' and 'the breath of His lips stand for Divine Truth, the source of judgement. 'Dying' stands for suffering damnation. In the same prophet, He Will swallow up death for ever, and the Lord Jehovih will wipe away tears from upon all faces. Isaiah 15:8.

In the same prophet,

The dead will not live, the Rephaim will not rise. To that end You have visited them, You have wiped them out. Isaiah 16:14.

In the same prophet,

Your dead will live, my corpse will rise again. Isaiah 26:19.

In the same prophet,

You have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell we have shaped a vision. Your covenant with death will be annulled, and your vision with hell will not stand. Isaiah 28:15, 18.

[3] In Jeremiah,

You look for light, but He will turn it into the shadow of death, He will place it in thick darkness. Jeremiah 13:16.

In Ezekiel,

You have desecrated Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for crusts of bread, to slay souls that ought not to die and to bestow life on souls that ought not to live. Ezekiel 13:19, 22.

In Hosea,

Out of the hand of hell I will redeem them, from death I will deliver them. I will be your plagues, O death; I will be your destruction, O hell! Hosea 13:14.

In David,

You lift me up from the gates of death. Psalms 9:13.

In the same author,

Lighten my eyes, lest perhaps I sleep [the sleep of] death. Psalms 13:3.

In the same author,

The cords of death encompassed me, and the cords of hell. Psalms 18:4-5.

In the same author,

Like sheep they will be placed in hell, death will feed them. Psalms 49:14.

In John,

I have the keys of hell and of death. Revelation 1:18.

In the same book,

He who overcomes will not suffer harm in the second death. Revelation 1:11.

[4] In the same book,

I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive; but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen what remains, which is at the point of death. Revelation 3:1-2.

In Matthew,

The people sitting in darkness have seen a great light; and for those sitting in the region and shadow of death, the light has arisen. Matthew 4:16.

In John,

He who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me will have eternal life, and will not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24.

In the same gospel,

I am going away and you will seek Me, but you will die in your sin. I have said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins. If anyone keeps My word he will not ever see death. John 8:21, 14, 51-52.

Because 'death' meant damnation those who belonged to the representative Church were forbidden to touch the dead. If they did touch them they were unclean and had to be cleansed, Ezekiel 44:25; Leviticus 15:31; 21:2-3; 22:8; Numbers 6:6-12; 19:11-end.

Footnotes:

1. or the spirit

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