The Bible

 

Amos 6

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1 Sa aba nila na nangagwawalang bahala sa Sion, at nila na mga tiwasay sa bundok ng Samaria, na magigiting na lalake sa mga pangulong bansa, ng mga pinagsasadya ng sangbahayan ni Israel!

2 Magsidaan kayo sa Calne, at inyong tingnan; at mula roon ay magsiparoon kayo sa Hamath na malaki; kung magkagayo'y magsibaba kayo sa Gath ng mga Filisteo: magaling baga sila kay sa mga kahariang ito? o malaki baga ang kanilang hangganan kay sa inyong hangganan?

3 Kayong nangaglalayo ng masamang araw at nangagpapalit ng likmuan ng karahasan;

4 Na nangahihiga sa mga higaang garing, at nagsisiunat sa kanilang mga hiligan, at nagsisikain ng mga batang tupa na mula sa kawan, at ng mga guya na mula sa gitna ng kulungan;

5 Na nagsisiawit ng mga pagayongayong awit sa tinig ng biola; na nagsisikatha sa ganang kanilang sarili ng mga panugtog ng tugtugin, na gaya ni David;

6 Na nagsisiinom ng alak sa mga mankok, at nagsisipagpahid ng mga mainam na pabango; nguni't hindi nangahahapis sa pagdadalamhati ng Jose.

7 Sila nga ngayo'y magsisiyaong bihag na kasama ng unang nagsiyaong bihag, at ang kasayahan nila na nagsisihiga ay mapaparam.

8 Ang Panginoong Dios ay sumumpa sa kaniyang sarili, sabi ng Panginoon, ng Dios ng mga hukbo: Aking kinayayamutan ang karilagan ng Jacob, at aking kinapopootan ang kaniyang mga palacio; kaya't aking ibibigay ang bayan sangpu ng lahat na nandoon.

9 At mangyayari, kung may matirang sangpung tao sa isang bahay, na pawang mangamamatay.

10 At pagka itataas siya ng amain, sa makatuwid baga'y ng sumusunog sa kaniya, upang ilabas ang mga buto sa bahay, at sasabihin doon sa nasa pinakaloob ng bahagi ng bahay, May kasama ka pa bagang sinoman? at kaniyang sasabihin: Wala; kung magkagayo'y kaniyang sasabihin: Tumahimik ka; sapagka't hindi natin mababanggit ang pangalan ng Panginoon.

11 Sapagka't narito, naguutos ang Panginoon, at ang malaking bahay ay magkakasira, at ang munting bahay ay magkakabutas.

12 Tatakbo baga ang mga kabayo sa malaking bato? magaararo baga roon ang sino man sa pamamagitan ng mga toro? inyo ngang ginagawang kapaitan ang katarungan, at ajenjo ang bunga ng katuwiran,

13 Kayong nangagagalak sa isang bagay na walang kabuluhan na nangagsasabi; Di baga kami ay nagtaglay para sa amin ng mga sungay sa pamamagitan ng aming sariling kalakasan?

14 Sapagka't, narito, aking ititindig laban sa inyo ang isang bansa, Oh sangbahayan ni Israel, sabi ng Panginoon, ng Dios ng mga hukbo; at kanilang pagdadalamhatiin kayo mula sa pasukan sa Hamath hanggang sa batis ng Araba.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #899

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899. And twelve gates. This symbolizes all the concepts of truth and goodness by which a person is introduced into the church.

Gates symbolize concepts of truth and goodness from the Word, because a person is introduced into the church by them. For the wall that had the gates symbolizes the Word, as explained just above in no. 898. Moreover we are later told that "the twelve gates were twelve pearls: each gate was of one pearl" (verse 21), and pearls symbolize concepts of truth and goodness (no. 727). Clearly it is by these concepts that people are introduced into the church, as through gates into a city.

That the number twelve symbolizes all people may be seen in no. 348 above.

Gates symbolize concepts of truth and goodness also in the following places:

I will... lay your foundations in sapphires; I will make your pinnacles of garnets, and your gates carbuncle-stones. 1 (Isaiah 54:11-12)

Jehovah loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! (Psalms 87:2-3)

Enter through His gates with confession... Confess Him, bless His name. (Psalms 100:4)

Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem is built as a city that holds fast together. (Psalms 122:2-3)

Praise Jehovah, O Jerusalem! ...For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children in your midst. (Psalms 147:12-13)

...that I may recount all Your praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion. (Psalms 9:14)

Open the gates, that a righteous nation which keeps its fealties may enter in. (Isaiah 26:2)

...raise your voice... that they may enter the gate of the princes. (Isaiah 13:2)

Blessed are those who do His commandments... and enter through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14)

Lift up your heads, O you gates... that the King of glory may come in. (Psalms 24:7, 9)

The roads to Zion mourn... All her gates are desolate; her priests groan... (Lamentations 1:4)

Judah mourned, and her gates have been made to languish. (Jeremiah 14:2)

Jehovah has purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion... Her gates have sunk into the ground. (Lamentations 2:8-9)

...who make a man to sin against the Word, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate... (Isaiah 29:21)

They chose new gods; then he began to attack the gates. (Judges 5:8)

And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 3:25-26; 14:31; 22:7; 24:12; 28:6; 62:10; Jeremiah 1:15; 15:7; 31:38, 40; Micah 2:13; Nahum 3:13; Judges 5:11.

Since gates symbolize introductory truths, which are concepts from the Word, therefore the elders of the city used to sit as judges at the gates, as is apparent from Deuteronomy 21:18-21; 22:15; Lamentations 5:14; Amos 5:12, 15; Zechariah 8:16.

Footnotes:

1. A name variously applied in former times to precious stones of a red or fiery color.

  
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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.