The Bible

 

Postanak 12

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1 I reče Gospod Avramu: Idi iz zemlje svoje i od roda svog i iz doma oca svog u zemlju koju ću ti ja pokazati.

2 I učiniću od tebe velik narod, i blagosloviću te, i ime tvoje proslaviću, i ti ćeš biti blagoslov.

3 Blagosloviću one koji tebe uzblagosiljaju, i prokleću one koji tebe usproklinju; i u tebi će biti blagoslovena sva plemena na zemlji.

4 Tada pođe Avram, kao što mu kaza Gospod, i s njim pođe Lot. A beše Avramu sedamdeset i pet godina kad pođe iz Harana.

5 I uze Avram Saru ženu svoju i Lota sina brata svog sa svim blagom koje behu stekli i s dušama koje behu dobili u Haranu; i pođoše u zemlju hanansku, i dođoše u nju.

6 I pođe Avram tu zemlju do mesta Sihema i do ravnice moreške; a behu tada Hananeji u toj zemlji.

7 I javi se Gospod Avramu i reče: Tvom semenu daću zemlju ovu. I Avram načini onde žrtvenik Gospodu, koji mu se javio.

8 Posle otide odande na brdo, koje je prema istoku od Vetilja, i onde razape šator svoj, te mu Vetilj beše sa zapada a Gaj s istoka; i onde načini Gospodu žrtvenik, i prizva ime Gospodnje.

9 Odande otide Avram dalje idući na jug.

10 Ali nasta glad u onoj zemlji, te Avram siđe u Misir da se onde skloni; jer glad beše velika u onoj zemlji.

11 A kad se približi da većuđe u Misir, reče Sari ženi svojoj: Gle, znam da si žena lepa u licu.

12 Zato kad te vide Misirci reći će: Ovo mu je žena. Pa će me ubiti, a tebe će ostaviti u životu.

13 Nego hajde kaži da si mi sestra, te će meni biti dobro tebe radi i ostaću u životu uz tebe.

14 I kad dođe Avram u Misir, videše Misirci ženu da je vrlo lepa.

15 I videše je knezovi Faraonovi, i hvališe je pred Faraonom. I uzeše je u dvor Faraonov.

16 I on činjaše dobro Avramu nje radi, te imaše ovaca i goveda i magaraca i sluga i sluškinja i magarica i kamila.

17 Ali Gospod pusti velika zla na Faraona i na dom njegov radi Sare žene Avramove.

18 Tada dozva Faraon Avrama i reče mu: Šta mi to učini? Zašto mi nisi kazao da ti je žena?

19 Zašto si kazao: Sestra mi je? Te je uzeh za ženu. Sad eto ti žene, uzmi je, pa idi.

20 I Faraon zapovedi ljudima za nj, te ga ispratiše i ženu njegovu i šta god imaše.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #502

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502. Which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt. This symbolizes the two hellish loves, namely, a love of ruling springing from a love of self, and a love of holding sway from a conceit in one's own intelligence, loves which are present in the church where there is not one God and where the Lord is not worshiped, and where people do not live in accordance with the Ten Commandments.

Sodom symbolizes, in the spiritual sense, a love of ruling springing from a love of self, as we shall presently see; and Egypt symbolizes, in the spiritual sense, a love of holding sway from a conceit in one's own intelligence, as we shall also presently see. So, because these two loves are symbolized, therefore the city is called, spiritually speaking, Sodom and Egypt.

These two loves are present in the church where there is not one God and where the Lord is not worshiped, and where people do not live in accordance with the Ten Commandments, because people are born with these two loves, and they come into them as they grow up. Nor can these loves be removed except by God the Savior and by a life in accordance with His commandments, and God cannot remove them unless people turn to Him, and neither is a life in accordance with His commandments possible unless a person is led by Him. Actually it is possible, but not a life that contains anything of heaven and so of the church.

A life like that is possible only from Him who is life. That the Lord is that life may be seen in John 1:1, 4; 5:26; 6:33-35ff., 11:25-26; 14:6, 19, and in many other places.

[2] A love of ruling springing from a love of self, and a love of holding sway from a conceit in one's own intelligence, are the principal loves of all the loves in hell, and so are the origin of all the evils and thus of all the falsities in the church. This is something unknown at the present day. The delights of these loves, which surpass the delights of all the heart's pleasures, cause it to be unknown, even though they are, spiritually, Sodom and Egypt.

That Sodom is a love of ruling springing from a love of self can be seen from the description of Sodom in Genesis, where we are told that when angels arrived there, the inhabitants tried to forcibly assault them at the house of Lot, and that fire and brimstone rained down on them from heaven (Genesis 19:1ff.). Fire and brimstone symbolize that love, together with its appetites.

I saw similar sights when cities and societies of people like that were overthrown at the time of the Last Judgment and their inhabitants cast into hell.

These loves and their accompanying evils are symbolized by Sodom and Gomorrah in the following passages: Isaiah 1:10; 3:8-9; 13:19.

[3] That this love is symbolically meant by Sodom is unknown in the world, but remember it and recall it when you come after death into the world of spirits and you will be completely convinced.

It should be known, however, that a love of ruling springing from a love of self and a love of ruling springing from a love of performing useful services are two different things. The latter love is a heavenly love, while the first is a hellish one. Consequently, when one is in first place, the other is in last place; which is to say, when a love of ruling springing from a love of self forms the head, then a love of ruling springing from a love of performing useful services - which is a love of serving the neighbor originating from the Lord - forms first the feet, then the soles of the feet, and finally is trampled underfoot.

On the other hand, when a love of ruling springing from a love of performing useful services - which, as we said, is a heavenly love - forms the head, then a love of ruling springing from a love of self - which, as we said, is a hellish love - forms first the feet, then the soles of the feet, and finally is trampled underfoot.

Still, these two loves can hardly be distinguished by a person in the world. That is because in outward appearance they are similar. But they can be told apart by this, that a heavenly love is present in people who turn to the Lord and live in accordance with the Ten Commandments, while a hellish love is present in people who do not turn to the Lord, and who do not live in accordance with the Ten Commandments.

  
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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.

The Bible

 

Isaiah 19:18-21

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18 In that day, there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to Yahweh of Armies. One will be called "The city of destruction."

19 In that day, there will be an altar to Yahweh in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Yahweh at its border.

20 It will be for a sign and for a witness to Yahweh of Armies in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to Yahweh because of oppressors, and he will send them a savior and a defender, and he will deliver them.

21 Yahweh will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know Yahweh in that day. Yes, they will worship with sacrifice and offering, and will vow a vow to Yahweh, and will perform it.