The Bible

 

Joil 1

Study

1 Reč Gospodnja koja dođe Joilu sinu Fatuilovom.

2 Čujte, starci; slušajte, svi stanovnici zemaljski; je li ovako šta bilo za vašeg vremena ili za vremena vaših otaca?

3 Pripovedajte to sinovima svojim, i sinovi vaši svojim sinovima, i njihovi sinovi potonjem kolenu.

4 Šta osta iza gusenice izjede skakavac, i šta osta iza skakavca izjede hrušt, i šta osta iza hrušta izjede crv.

5 Otreznite se, pijanice, i plačite; i ridajte svi koji pijete vino, za novim vinom, jer se ote iz usta vaših.

6 Jer dođe na zemlju moju silan narod i nebrojen; zubi su mu kao u lava i kutnjaci kao u lavice.

7 Potre vinovu lozu moju, i smokve moje pokida, sasvim ih oguli i pobaca, te im se grane bele.

8 Ridaj kao mladica opasana kostreću za mužem mladosti svoje.

9 Nesta dara i naliva iz doma Gospodnjeg; tuže sveštenici, sluge Gospodnje.

10 Opuste polje, tuži zemlja; jer je potrveno žito, usahlo vino, nestalo ulja.

11 Stidite se ratari, ridajte vinogradari, pšenice radi i ječma radi, jer propade žetva na njivi;

12 Loza posahnu i smokva uvenu; šipak i palma i jabuka i sva drveta poljska posahnuše, jer nesta radosti između sinova ljudskih.

13 Opašite se i plačite sveštenici; ridajte koji služite oltaru, dođite, noćujte u kostreti, sluge Boga mog; jer se unosi u dom Boga vašeg dar i naliv.

14 Naredite post, oglasite praznik, skupite starešine, sve stanovnike zemaljske, u dom Gospoda Boga svog, i vapite ka Gospodu:

15 Jaoh dana! Jer je blizu dan Gospodnji, i doći će kao pogibao od Svemogućeg.

16 Nije li nestalo hrane ispred očiju naših, radosti i veselja iz doma Boga našeg?

17 Seme istruhnu pod grudama svojim, puste su žitnice, razvaljene spreme, jer posahnu žito.

18 Kako uzdiše stoka! Kako su se smela goveda! Jer nemaju paše; i ovce ginu.

19 K Tebi, Gospode, vičem, jer oganj sažeže paše u pustinji, i plamen popali sva drveta u polju.

20 I zverje poljsko pogleda za tobom, jer usahnuše potoci vodeni i oganj sažeže paše u pustinji.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #334

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334. As a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. This symbolically means, by reasonings of the natural self divorced from the spiritual self.

We say that this is its symbolic meaning even though the characterization is a metaphor, because all metaphors in the Word are at the same time correspondent expressions, and they cohere in the spiritual sense with the subject being addressed.

Such is the case here. For a fig tree by correspondence symbolizes a person's natural goodness conjoined with his spiritual goodness, and here, in an opposite sense, a person's natural goodness divorced from his spiritual goodness, which is not good. Moreover, because the natural self divorced from the spiritual self corrupts by its reasonings any concepts of goodness and truth, symbolized by the stars, it follows that this is what is symbolized by a fig tree shaken by a mighty wind.

That a wind or a storm symbolizes reasoning is apparent from many passages in the Word, but because we are dealing with a metaphor, it is not necessary for us to cite them here.

A fig tree symbolizes a person's natural goodness because every tree symbolizes some element of the church in a person, and so also the person himself in respect to it. By way of confirmation we cite the following:

All the host of heaven... shall fall down, as the leaf falls from the vine, and as it falls from a fig tree. (Isaiah 34:4)

I will surely consume them... No grapes shall be on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall float down. (Jeremiah 8:13)

All your strongholds are as fig trees with their first ripe figs, which, if they are shaken, fall into the mouth of the eater. (Nahum 3:12)

And so also elsewhere, as in Jeremiah 24:2-3, 5, 8; Mark 11:12-14, 20-26; Luke 6:44; 13:6-9. In these places a fig tree has exactly this meaning.

  
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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.