The Bible

 

Jeremija 46

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1 Reč Gospodnja koja dođe Jeremiji proroku za narode:

2 Za Misirce, za vojsku Faraona Nehaona cara misirskog, koja beše na reci Efratu kod Harkemisa, i razbi je Navuhodonosor car vavilonski četvrte godine Joakima sina Josijinog cara Judinog.

3 Pripravite štite i štitiće, i idite u boj;

4 Prežite konje, i pojašite, konjici; postavite se sa šlemovima; utrite koplja, oblačite se u oklope.

5 Zašto ih vidim gde se poplašiše, vraćaju se natrag, junaci njihovi polomiše se i beže bez obzira? Strah je od svuda, govori Gospod.

6 Da ne uteče laki, niti se izbavi jaki; da se na severu na bregu reke Efrata spotaknu i padnu.

7 Ko je to što se diže kao potok, i vode mu se kolebaju kao reke?

8 Misir se diže kao potok i njegove se vode kolebaju kao reke; i veli: Idem, pokriću zemlju, zatrću grad i one koji žive u njemu.

9 Izlazite, konji, besnite, kola; i neka izađu junaci, Husi i Fudi, koji nose štitove, i Ludeji, koji nose i natežu luk.

10 Jer je ovaj dan Gospodu Gospodu nad vojskama dan osvete, da se osveti neprijateljima svojim; mač će ih proždreti i nasitiće se i opiće se krvlju njihovom; jer će biti žrtva Gospoda Gospoda nad vojskama u zemlji severnoj na reci Efratu.

11 Iziđi u Galad i uzmi balsama, devojko kćeri misirska; zaludu su ti mnogi lekovi, nećeš se izlečiti.

12 Narodi čuše sramotu tvoju, i vike tvoje puna je zemlja, jer se spotiču junak o junaka, te obojica padaju.

13 Reč koju reče Gospod Jeremiji proroku o dolasku Navuhodonosora cara vavilonskog da potre zemlju misirsku:

14 Javite u Misiru, i oglasite u Migdolu, oglasite i u Nofu i u Tafnesu, i recite: Stani i pripravi se, jer mač proždre šta je oko tebe.

15 Zašto se povaljaše junaci tvoji? Ne stoje, jer ih Gospod obara.

16 Čini, te se mnogi spotiču i padaju jedan na drugog, i govore: Ustani da se vratimo k narodu svom i na postojbinu svoju ispred mača nasilnikovog.

17 Viču onde: Faraon car misirski propade, prođe mu rok.

18 Tako da sam ja živ, govori car, kome je ime Gospod nad vojskama; kao Tavor među gorama i kao Karmil na moru doći će.

19 Spremi šta ti treba da se seliš, stanovnice, kćeri misirska; jer će Nof opusteti i spaliće se da neće niko živeti u njemu.

20 Misir je lepa junica; ali pogibao ide, ide sa severa.

21 I najamnici su njegovi usred njega kao teoci ugojeni, ali se i oni obrnuše i pobegoše, ne ostaše, jer dođe na njih dan nesreće njihove, vreme pohođenja njihovog.

22 Glas će njihov ići kao Glas zmijinji, jer oni idu s vojskom i doći će sa sekirama na nj kao oni koji seku drva.

23 I oni će poseći šumu njegovu, govori Gospod, ako joj i nema mere, jer ih je više nego skakavaca i nema im broja.

24 Posrami se kći misirska, predana je u ruke narodu severnom.

25 Govori Gospod nad vojskama, Bog Izrailjev: Evo, ja ću pohoditi ljudstvo u Noji, i Faraona i Misir i bogove njegove i careve njegove, Faraona i sve koji se uzdaju u nj.

26 I daću ih u ruke onima koji traže dušu njihovu, u ruke Navuhodonosoru caru vavilonskom i u ruke slugama njegovim; a posle će biti naseljen kao pre, govori Gospod.

27 A ti se ne boj, slugo moj Jakove, i ne plaši se, Izrailju, jer evo ja ću te izbaviti iz daleke zemlje i seme tvoje iz zemlje ropstva njegovog; i Jakov će se vratiti i počivaće, i biće miran i niko ga neće plašiti.

28 Ti se ne boj, slugo moj Jakove, govori Gospod, jer sam ja s tobom; jer ću učiniti kraj svim narodima, u koje te prognah, ali tebi neću učiniti kraja, nego ću te pokarati s merom, a neću te ostaviti sasvim bez kara.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #242

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242. The second living creature like a calf. This symbolizes the Divine truth of the Word in respect to its affection.

Beasts of the earth symbolize various natural affections. They are also embodiments of them. And a calf symbolizes an affection for knowing. This affection is represented by a calf in the spiritual world, and in the Word it is consequently also symbolized by a calf, as in Hosea,

...we repay (to Jehovah) the calves of our lips. (Hosea 14:2)

"Calves of the lips" are confessions from an affection for truth.

In Malachi:

To you who fear My name the sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in its wings... that you may grow fat like fattened calves. (Malachi 4:2)

A comparison is made with fattened calves because they symbolize people who are filled with concepts of truth and goodness owing to an affection for knowing them.

In the book of Psalms:

The voice of Jehovah... makes (the cedars of Lebanon) dance like a calf... (Psalms 29:5, 6)

The cedars of Lebanon symbolize concepts of truth. That is why the passage says that the voice of Jehovah makes them dance like a calf. The voice of Jehovah is Divine truth, in the process here of affecting.

[2] Since the Egyptians loved knowledge, they therefore made themselves calves as a sign of their affection for it. But after they began to worship the calves as deities, then calves in the Word symbolized affections for knowing falsities, as in Jeremiah 46:20-21). Therefore we are told in Hosea:

...they have made for themselves a molten image... of their silver... Sacrificing a human being, they kiss the calves. (Hosea 13:2)

To make for oneself a molten image of silver means, symbolically, to falsify truth. To sacrifice a human being means, symbolically, to destroy wisdom. And to kiss calves means, symbolically, to accept falsities out of an affection for them.

In Isaiah:

There the calf will feed; there it will lie down and consume its branches. (Isaiah 27:10)

The same is symbolically meant by the calf in Jeremiah 34:18-20.

[3] Since all Divine worship springs from affections for truth and goodness and so for concepts of them, therefore the sacrifices in which the worship of the church primarily consisted among the children of Israel used various animals, such as lambs, she-goats, kids, sheep, he-goats, calves, and oxen; and calves were used because they symbolized an affection for knowing truths and goods, which is the first natural affection. This affection was symbolically meant by the sacrifices of calves in Exodus 29:11-12, 1 1 Samuel 1:25; 16:2, 1 Kings 18:23-26, 33.

The second living creature looked like a calf because the Divine truth of the Word, which it symbolizes, affects hearts, and so teaches and instills.

Footnotes:

1. Prima editio: 29.

  
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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.