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Daniel 7

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1 Nang unang taon ni Belsasar na hari sa Babilonia, ay nagtaglay si Daniel ng isang panaginip at mga pangitain ng kaniyang ulo sa kaniyang higaan: nang magkagayo'y kaniyang isinulat ang panaginip, at isinaysay ang kabuoan ng mga bagay.

2 Si Daniel ay nagsalita, at nagsabi, May nakita ako sa aking pangitain sa kinagabihan, at, narito, ang apat na hangin ng langit ay nagsisihihip sa malaking dagat.

3 At apat na malaking hayop na magkakaiba ay nagsiahon mula sa dagat,

4 Ang una'y gaya ng leon, at may mga pakpak ng aguila: aking minasdan hanggang sa ang mga pakpak niyao'y nahugot, at ito'y nataas mula sa lupa, at pinatayo sa dalawang paa na gaya ng isang tao; at puso ng tao ang nabigay sa kaniya.

5 At, narito, ang ibang hayop, na ikalawa, na gaya ng isang oso; at lumitaw sa isang tagiliran, at tatlong tadyang ang nasa kaniyang bibig sa pagitan ng kaniyang mga ngipin: at sinabi ng mga ito ang ganito sa kaniya, Bumangon ka, manakmal ka ng maraming laman.

6 Pagkatapos nito'y tumingin ako, at narito ang iba, gaya ng isang leopardo, na mayroon sa likod niyaon na apat na pakpak ng ibon; ang hayop ay mayroon din namang apat na ulo; at binigyan siya ng kapangyarihan.

7 Pagkatapos nito'y may nakita ako sa pangitain sa gabi, at, narito, ang ikaapat na hayop, kakilakilabot at makapangyarihan, at totoong malakas; at may malaking mga ngiping bakal; nananakmal at lumuluray, at niyuyurakan ng kaniyang mga paa ang nalabi: at kaiba sa lahat na hayop na una sa kaniya; at siya'y may sangpung sungay.

8 Aking pinagdilidili ang mga sungay, at, narito, sumibol sa gitna ng mga yaon ang ibang sungay, isang munti, na sa harap niyao'y tatlo sa mga unang sungay ay nabunot sa mga ugat: at, narito, sa sungay na ito ay may mga mata na parang mga mata ng tao, at isang bibig na nagsasalita ng mga dakilang bagay.

9 Aking minasdan hanggang sa ang mga luklukan ay nangaglagay, at isa na matanda sa mga araw ay nakaupo: ang kaniyang suot, maputing parang niebe, at ang buhok ng kaniyang ulo ay parang taganas na lana; ang kaniyang luklukan ay mga liab na apoy, at ang mga gulong niyaon ay nagniningas na apoy.

10 Isang mabangis na sigalbo ay lumabas at nagmula sa harap niya: mga libo libo ang naglilingkod sa kaniya, at makasangpung libo na sangpung libo ang nagsitayo sa harap niya: ang kahatulan ay nalagda, at ang mga aklat ay nangabuksan.

11 Ako'y tumingin nang oras na yaon dahil sa tinig ng mga dakilang salita na sinalita ng sungay; ako'y tumingin hanggang sa ang hayop ay napatay, at ang kaniyang katawan ay nagiba, at siya'y nabigay upang sunugin sa apoy.

12 At tungkol sa nalabi sa mga hayop, ang kanilang kapangyarihan ay naalis: gayon ma'y ang kanilang mga buhay ay humaba sa isang kapanahunan at isang panahon.

13 Ako'y nakakita sa pangitain sa gabi, at, narito, lumabas na kasama ng mga alapaap sa langit ang isang gaya ng anak ng tao, at siya'y naparoon sa matanda sa mga araw, at inilapit nila siya sa harap niya.

14 At binigyan siya ng kapangyarihan, at kaluwalhatian, at isang kaharian, upang lahat ng mga bayan, bansa, at mga wika ay mangaglingkod sa kaniya: ang kaniyang kapangyarihan ay walang hanggang kapangyarihan, na hindi lilipas, at ang kaniyang kaharian ay hindi magigiba.

15 Tungkol sa aking si Daniel, ang aking kalooban ay namanglaw sa loob ng aking katawan, at binagabag ako ng mga pangitain ng aking ulo.

16 Ako'y lumapit sa isa sa kanila na nakatayo, at itinanong ko sa kaniya ang katotohanan tungkol sa lahat na ito. Sa gayo'y kaniyang isinaysay sa akin, at ipinaaninaw niya sa akin ang kahulugan ng mga bagay.

17 Ang mga dakilang hayop na ito na apat, ay apat na hari, na magbabangon sa lupa.

18 Nguni't ang mga banal ng Kataastaasan ay magsisitanggap ng kaharian, at aariin ang kaharian magpakailan man, sa makatuwid baga'y magpakakailan-kailan man.

19 Nang magkagayo'y ninasa kong maalaman ang katotohanan tungkol sa ikaapat na hayop, na kaiba sa lahat ng yaon, na totoong kakilakilabot, na ang mga ngipin ay bakal, at ang mga kuko ay tanso; na nananakmal, lumalamuray, at niyuyurakan ng kaniyang mga paa ang nalabi;

20 At tungkol sa sangpung sungay na nangasa kaniyang ulo, at sa isa na sumibol, at sa harap niyao'y nabuwal ang tatlo, sa makatuwid baga'y yaong sungay na may mga mata, at bibig na nagsalita ng dakilang mga bagay, na ang anyo ay lalong dakila kay sa kaniyang mga kasama.

21 Ako'y tumingin, at ang sungay ding yaon ay nakipagdigma sa mga banal, at nanaig laban sa kanila;

22 Hanggang sa ang matanda sa mga araw ay dumating, at ang kahatulan ay ibinigay sa mga banal, ng Kataastaasan; at ang panaho'y dumating na inari ng mga banal ang kaharian.

23 Ganito ang sabi niya, Ang ikaapat na hayop ay magiging ikaapat na kaharian sa ibabaw ng lupa, na magiging kaiba sa lahat ng kaharian, at sasakmalin ang buong lupa, at yuyurakan, at pagluluraylurayin.

24 At tungkol sa sangpung sungay, mula sa kahariang ito ay sangpung hari ang babangon: at ang isa'y babangong kasunod nila; at siya'y magiging kaiba kay sa mga una, at kaniyang ibabagsak ay tatlong hari.

25 At siya'y magbabadya ng mga salita laban sa Kataastaasan, at lilipulin niya ang mga banal ng Kataastaasan; at kaniyang iisiping baguhin ang panahon at ang kautusan; at sila'y mangabibigay sa kaniyang kamay hanggang sa isang panahon, at mga panahon at kalahati ng isang panahon.

26 Nguni't ang kahatulan ay matatatag, at kanilang aalisin ang kaniyang kapangyarihan, upang patayin at ibuwal hanggang sa wakas.

27 At ang kaharian, at ang kapangyarihan, at ang kadakilaan ng mga kaharian sa silong ng buong langit, mabibigay sa bayan ng mga banal ng Kataastaasan: ang kaniyang kaharian ay walang hanggang kaharian, at ang lahat na kapangyarihan ay maglilingkod at tatalima sa kaniya.

28 Narito ang wakas ng bagay. Tungkol sa aking si Daniel, ay binabagabag akong mabuti ng aking mga pagiisip, at ang aking pagmumukha ay nabago: nguni't iningatan ko ang bagay sa aking puso.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #63

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63. (Verse 13) And in the midst of the seven lampstands one like unto the Son of man. That this signifies the Lord, from whom is the all of heaven and of the church, is evident from the signification of "in the midst," as denoting in the inmost (see Arcana Coelestia 1074, 2940, 2973); and, because all things proceed from the inmost as light from the centre into the circumferences, therefore, "in the midst," signifies from whom. This is evident also from the signification of the seven lampstands, as denoting the New Heaven and the New Church (concerning which see above, n. 62); and from the signification of the Son of man, as denoting the Lord as to the Divine Human, and also as to Divine truth, because this proceeds from His Divine Human. From these considerations it is evident that the Lord appeared in the midst of seven lampstands, because from Him proceeds the all of heaven and of the church; for the good of love and the good of faith constitute heaven and the church, and that these are from the Divine is known in the Christian world, and because they are from the Divine, they are from the Lord, because the Lord is the God of heaven, and because the Divine of the Lord makes heaven (see the work, Heaven and Hell 2-6, and n. 7-12; and that this is His Divine Human, n. 78-86).

[2] That by the Son of man is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human, and also as to Divine truth, because Divine truth proceeds from His Divine Human, is evident from those passages in the Word where mention is made of the Son of man. Thus in John:

The multitude said unto Jesus, "How sayest thou that the Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? Jesus answered them, Yet a little while the light is with you; walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you. While ye have the light believe in the light, that ye may be sons of light" (12:34-36).

From these words it is clear that by the Son of man is signified the same as by light; for when they inquired, "Who is this Son of man?" the Lord answered that He was the light in which they should believe. (That light is the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine Human of the Lord, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 126-140; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 49; thus also that the Son of man is the Divine truth.) It is said in Luke:

[3] "Blessed are ye when men shall hate you for the Son of man's sake" (6:22).

For the Son of man's sake is for the sake of the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord. Divine truth is the all of faith and love to the Lord; and because they who are evil deny those things, and they who deny also hate them, and the good acknowledge them, therefore it is said, that these latter are blessed. Again, in the same:

[4] "The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, but ye shall not see it. Then they shall say to you, Behold here, or behold there; go not away, nor follow them" (17:22, 23).

To desire one of the days of the Son of man, is to desire something of genuine Divine truth. The end of the church is there meant, when there will be no longer any faith, because no charity, at which time all Divine truth will perish; and because Divine truth is signified by the Son of man, therefore it is said, "Then shall they say, Behold here, or behold there; follow them not." And in the same:

[5] "When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?" (18:8);

that is, when Divine truth shall be revealed out of heaven, it will not be believed. The Son of man, in this place also, is the Lord as to Divine truth; the coming of the Lord is the revelation of Divine truth at the end of the church. (See Arcana Coelestia 3900, 4060.)

[6] And in Matthew:

"As the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and glory" (24:27, 30).

(That by the coming of the Lord in the clouds of heaven, is there signified the revelation of Divine truth at the end of the church, may be seen above, n. 36.)

[7] And in the same:

"I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" (26:64).

And in Luke:

"Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God" (22:69).

The Son of man is the Lord as to the Divine Human, and as to Divine truth proceeding from It; to sit on the right hand of power, means that He has omnipotence; its being said that they should see this now, means, that Divine truth was in its omnipotence when the Lord in the world had conquered the hells, and reduced to order all things there and in the heavens, and that thus those would be saved who should receive Him in faith and love. (See Arcana Coelestia 9715. That to sit on the right hand denotes omnipotence, may be seen Arcana Coelestia 3387, 4592, 4933, 7518, 8281, 9133; that all the power of good is by truth, n. 6344, 6423, 8304, 9327, 9410, 9639, 9643. That Divine power itself is by Divine truth proceeding from the Divine Human of the Lord, see n. 6948; that the clouds in which the Son of man will come are the Word in the letter, which is Divine truth in the ultimate of order, see the preface to the eighteenth chapter of Genesis, Arcana Coelestia 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752, 8443, 8781; and that glory is the Divine truth itself, such as it is in the internal sense of the Word, see n. 4809, 5922, 8267, 9429.)

[8] From these considerations it is now evident what is signified by these words in the Apocalypse:

"I saw, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown" (14:14).

And in Daniel:

"I saw in the visions of the night, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of the heavens" (7:13).

Because all judgment is executed from truth, therefore it is said, that it is given to the Lord "to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man" (John 5:27); and that "the Son of man shall render to every one according to his deeds" (Matthew 16:27); and that "when the Son of man shall come, he shall sit upon the throne of his glory, and shall judge" (Matthew 25:31).

[9] And again in Matthew, it is said:

"He who soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the evil" (13:37, 38).

The good seed is Divine truth, therefore it is said that the Son of man soweth it; the sons of the kingdom are Divine truths in heaven and the church; for son denotes truth (see Arcana Coelestia 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623), and, in an opposite sense, falsity, which also is the son of evil.

[10] In the same:

"The Son of man hath not where to lay his head" (8:20);

by which is signified, that Divine truth had not a place anywhere, or with any man, at that time. Again it is said, that the Son of man would suffer and be put to death (Matthew 17:12, 22; 26:2, 24, 45; Mark 8:31; 9:12, 31); by which is signified, that thus they would treat Divine truth, consequently the Lord, who was Divine truth itself, as He also teaches in Luke:

"The Son of man must first suffer, and be rejected of this generation" (17:25).

[11] In Jeremiah:

"No man [vir] shall dwell there; neither shall a son of man [hominis] abide there" (49:18, 33).

In the same:

In the cities "no man shall dwell, nor shall a son of man pass through them" (51:43).

He who is not acquainted with the spiritual sense of the Word, believes that by cities here are meant cities, and that by man, and by a son of man, are meant a man and a son; also, that the cities were thus to be desolated, so that no one should be in them; but it is the state of the church as to the doctrine of truth which is described by those words; for cities denote the doctrinals of the church (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 402, 2449, 3216, 4492, 4493); and man is the essential truth thereof, conjoined with good (see n. 3134, 7716, 9007); thus the Son of man is truth. Because the Son of man signified Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, therefore the prophets also, through whom it was revealed, were called "sons of man," as Daniel (8:17); and Ezekiel (2:1, 3, 6, 8; 3:1, 3, 4, 10, 17, 25; 4:1, 16; 8:5, 6, 8, 12, 15; 12:2, 3, 9, 18, 22, 27). As most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so also has the signification of a son of man, which in that sense denotes falsity opposed to truth. Thus in Isaiah:

"What art thou, that thou fearest man? he dies; and a son of man? he is as grass" (51:12).

And in David:

"Place not your trust in princes, in a son of man, with whom there is no salvation" (Psalm 146:3).

Princes denote primary truths (see Arcana Coelestia 2089, 5044); thus, in an opposite sense, primary falsities; and son of man denotes falsity itself.

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.