The Bible

 

Joil 2

Study

   

1 Trubite u trubu na Sionu, i vičite na svetoj gori mojoj, neka drhću svi stanovnici zemaljski, jer ide dan Gospodnji, jer je blizu.

2 Dan, kad je mrak i tama, Dan, kada je oblak i magla; kako se zora razastire povrh gora, tako ide narod velik i silan, kakvog nije bilo otkad je veka niti će ga posle kad biti od kolena do kolena.

3 Pred njim proždire oganj, a za njim pali plamen; zemlja je Pred njim kao vrt edemski, a za njim pustinja pusta, ništa neće uteći od njega.

4 Na očima su kao konji i trčaće kao konjici.

5 Skakaće povrh gora topoćući kao kola, praskajući kao plamen ognjeni koji sažiže strnjiku, kao silan narod spreman za boj.

6 Pred njim će se prepadati narodi, svako će lice pocrneti.

7 Oni će trčati kao junaci, kao vojnici skakaće na zid, i svaki će ići svojim putem, niti će odstupati sa svoje staze.

8 I jedan drugog neće tiskati, svaki će ići svojim putem, i na mačeve navirući neće se raniti.

9 Po gradu će hoditi, po zidovima će trčati, u kuće će se peti, ulaziće kroz prozore kao lupež.

10 Pred njima će se zemlja tresti, nebesa će se pokolebati, sunce će i mesec pomrknuti i zvezde će ustegnuti svetlost svoju.

11 A Gospod će pustiti glas svoj pred vojskom svojom, jer će logor Njegov biti vrlo velik, jer će biti silan onaj koji će izvršiti volju Njegovu; jer će dan Gospodnji biti velik i vrlo strašan, i ko će ga podneti?

12 Zato još govori Gospod: Obratite se k meni svim srcem svojim i posteći i plačući i tužeći.

13 I razderite srca svoja, a ne haljine svoje, i obratite se ka Gospodu Bogu svom, jer je milostiv i žalostiv, spor na gnev i obilan milosrđem i kaje se oda zla.

14 Ko zna, neće li se povratiti i raskajati se, i ostaviti iza toga blagoslov, dar i naliv za Gospoda Boga vašeg.

15 Trubite u trubu na Sionu, naredite post, proglasite svetkovinu.

16 Saberite narod, osveštajte sabor, skupite starce, saberite decu i koja sisaju; ženik neka iziđe iz svoje kleti i nevesta iz ložnice svoje.

17 Između trema i oltara neka plaču sveštenici, sluge Gospodnje, i neka kažu: Prosti, Gospode, narodu svom, i ne daj nasledstvo svoje pod sramotu, da njim ovladaju narodi; zašto da kažu u narodima: Gde im je Bog?

18 I Gospod će revnovati za zemlju svoju i požaliće narod svoj.

19 I Gospod će odgovoriti i reći će svom narodu: Evo, ja ću vam poslati žita i vina i ulja, i bićete ga siti, i neću vas više dati pod sramotu među narodima.

20 Jer ću udaljiti od vas severca, i odagnati ga u zemlju suvu i pustu, prednju četu njegovu u istočno more, a zadnju u more zapadno, i podignuće se smrad njegov i trulež će se njegov podignuti, pošto učini velike stvari.

21 Ne boj se, zemljo, raduj se i veseli se, jer će Gospod učiniti velike stvari.

22 Ne bojte se, zveri poljske; jer će se zeleneti pasišta u pustinji i drveta će nositi rod svoj, smokva će i loza vinova davati silu svoju.

23 I vi, sinovi sionski, radujte se i veselite se u Gospodu Bogu svom, jer će vam dati dažd na vreme, i spustiće vam dažd rani i pozni na vreme.

24 I gumna će se napuniti žita, a kace će se prelivati vinom i uljem.

25 I naknadiću vam godine koje izjede skakavac, hrušt i crv i gusenica, velika vojska moja, koju slah na vas.

26 I ješćete izobila, i bićete siti i hvalićete ime Gospoda Boga svog, koji učini s vama čudesa, i narod moj neće se posramiti doveka.

27 I poznaćete da sam ja usred Izrailja, i da sam ja Gospod Bog vaš, i da nema drugog, i narod moj neće se posramiti doveka.

28 I posle ću izliti duh svoj na svako telo, i proricaće sinovi vaši i kćeri vaše, starci će vaši sanjati sne, mladići će vaši viđati utvare.

29 I na sluge ću i na sluškinje u one dane izliti duh svoj;

30 I učiniću čudesa na nebu i na zemlji, krv i oganj i pušenje dima.

31 Sunce će se pretvoriti u tamu i mesec u krv pre nego dođe veliki i strašni dan Gospodnji.

32 I svaki koji prizove ime Gospodnje spašće se; jer će na gori Sionu i u Jerusalimu biti spasenje, kao što je rekao Gospod, i u ostatku koji pozove Gospod.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #797

Study this Passage

  
/ 962  
  

797. "And the sound of a bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore." This symbolically means that those caught up in the Roman Catholic religion because of its doctrine and a life in accordance with it have no conjunction of goodness and truth, which is what forms the church.

The sound here symbolizes joy, because it is the sound of a bridegroom and bride. In the highest sense a bridegroom means the Lord in respect to Divine good, and a bride means the church in respect to Divine truth from the Lord. For a church is a church by virtue of its reception of the Lord's Divine goodness in the Divine truths that it has from Him.

It is apparent from the Word that the Lord is called a bridegroom and also a husband, and that the church is called a bride and also a wife. That this produces the heavenly marriage that is a marriage of goodness and truth will be seen in a short work, On Marriage. 1

Now because this heavenly marriage is produced in people in the church by their receiving Divine goodness from the Lord in Divine truths drawn from the Word, it is apparent that there is no conjunction of goodness and truth in people caught up in the Roman Catholic religion because of its doctrine and so a life in conformity with it, since they have no conjunction with the Lord, but instead a conjunction with men, living and dead. This conjunction in people caught up in a love of exercising dominion from a love of self over the Divine sanctities belonging to the Lord, and over the Lord Himself, is as though a conjunction with the Devil, who, as we said in the preceding number, is that love. And to turn to the Devil in order to come by him to God is detestable.

[2] That the Lord is called a bridegroom and the church a bride is apparent from the following passages:

He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. (John 3:29)

This John the Baptist said in reference to the Lord.

Jesus said..., "As long as the bridegroom is with them, the wedding guests cannot fast. The day will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast. (Matthew 9:15, cf. Mark 2:19-20)

I... saw the holy city, New Jerusalem..., prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2)

(An angel said,) "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." (Revelation 21:9-10)

...(the time for) the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready... Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:7, 9)

The bridegroom whom the ten virgins went out to meet, also means the Lord (Matthew 25:1-13).

[3] From these passages it is apparent what the sound and joy of a bridegroom and bride symbolize in following places:

As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. (Isaiah 62:5)

My soul shall rejoice over my God..., as a bridegroom puts on the turban, and as a bride adorns herself with her vessels. (Isaiah 61:10)

Again there shall be heard in this place... the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the sound of the bridegroom and the sound of the bride, the sound of those saying, "Confess Jehovah Zebaoth...." (Jeremiah 33:10-11)

Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her room. (Joel 2:16)

I will cause to cease... from the streets of Jerusalem the sound of mirth and the sound of gladness, the sound of the bridegroom and the sound of the bride. (Jeremiah 7:34, cf. 16:9)

I will take from them the sound of mirth and the sound of gladness, the sound of the bridegroom and the sound of the bride, the sound of mills and the light of the lamp. And this whole land shall be a desolation (because of) the king of Babylon... (Jeremiah 25:10-11)

[4] From this one can now see the successive meanings in these two verses, that those caught up in the Roman Catholic religion will not have any affection for spiritual truth and goodness (no. 792); that they are without any understanding of spiritual truth, and so are without any thought of spiritual truth (no. 793), for thought springs from affection and accords with it; that neither do they inquire into, investigate, or confirm spiritual truth (no. 794); that they are also without any enlightenment from the Lord and so without any perception of spiritual truth (no. 796); and finally that they have no conjunction of goodness and truth, which is what forms the church (no. 797).

Thus the literal pronouncements also follow in sequence.

Footnotes:

1. A reference to a work by that title never published by the writer. Extant in manuscript are a brief outline, a relatively short preliminary draft, and two indices for a longer draft on the subject of marriage that has not been found. The content of the existing material makes clear that these manuscripts, including the missing longer draft, were written in preparation for Delights of Wisdom Relating to Married Love (or Conjugial Love), Followed By Pleasures of Insanity Relating to Licentious Love, which the writer published in 1768, two years after publishing the present work on the Apocalypse.

  
/ 962  
  

Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.