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Ezekiel 3

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1 At sinabi niya sa akin, Anak ng tao, kanin mo ang iyong nasusumpungan; kanin mo ang balumbong ito, at ikaw ay yumaon, magsalita ka sa sangbahayan ni Israel.

2 Sa gayo'y ibinuka ko ang aking bibig, at ipinakain niya sa akin ang balumbon.

3 At sinabi niya sa akin, Anak ng tao, pakanin mo ang iyong tiyan, at busugin mo ang iyong bituka ng balumbong ito na aking ibinibigay sa iyo. Nang magkagayo'y kinain ko, at sa aking bibig ay naging parang pulot sa katamisan.

4 At sinabi niya sa akin, Anak ng tao, yumaon ka, paroon ka sa sangbahayan ni Israel, at magsalita ka ng aking mga salita sa kanila.

5 Sapagka't ikaw ay hindi sinugo sa isang bayan na may ibang wika at may mahirap na salita, kundi sa sangbahayan ni Israel;

6 Hindi sa maraming bayan na may ibang wika at may mahirap na salita, na ang mga salita ay hindi mo nauunawa. Tunay na kung suguin kita sa mga yaon, didinggin ka ng mga yaon.

7 Nguni't hindi ka didinggin ng sangbahayan ni Israel; sapagka't hindi nila ako didinggin: sapagka't ang buong sangbahayan ni Israel ay may matigas na ulo, at may mapagmatigas na loob.

8 Narito, aking pinapagmatigas ang iyong mukha laban sa kanilang mga mukha, at pinatigas ko ang iyong ulo laban sa kanilang mga ulo.

9 Ginawa kong parang isang diamante na lalong matigas kay sa pingkiang bato ang iyong ulo: huwag mo silang katakutan, o manglupaypay man sa kanilang tingin, bagaman sila'y mapanghimagsik na sangbahayan.

10 Bukod dito'y sinabi niya sa akin, Anak ng tao, lahat ng aking mga salita na aking sasalitain sa iyo ay tanggapin mo sa iyong puso, at dinggin mo ng iyong mga pakinig.

11 At yumaon ka, pumaroon ka sa mga bihag, na mga anak ng iyong bayan at magsalita ka sa kanila, at saysayin mo sa kanila, Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios; sa didinggin man nila, o sa itatakuwil man nila.

12 Nang magkagayo'y itinaas ako ng Espiritu, at aking narinig sa likuran ko ang tinig ng malaking hugong, na nagsasabi; Purihin ang kaluwalhatian ng Panginoon mula sa kaniyang dako.

13 At aking narinig ang pagaspas ng mga pakpak ng mga nilalang na may buhay na nagkakadagisdisan, at ang hugong ng mga gulong sa siping nila, sa makatuwid baga'y ang ingay ng malaking hugong.

14 Sa gayo'y itinaas ako ng Espiritu, at ako'y dinala; at ako'y yumaong namamanglaw, sa pagiinit ng aking kalooban; at ang kamay ng Panginoon ay naging malakas sa akin.

15 Nang magkagayo'y naparoon ako sa mga bihag sa Tel-abib, na nagsisitahan sa pangpang ng ilog Chebar, at sa kanikanilang kinatatahanan; at ako'y umupo roong natitigilan sa gitna nila na pitong araw.

16 At nangyari, sa katapusan ng pitong araw, na ang salita ng Panginoon ay dumating sa akin, na nagsasabi,

17 Anak ng tao, ginawa kitang bantay sa sangbahayan ni Israel: kaya't pakinggan mo ang salita sa aking bibig, at ipanguna mo sa kanila sa ganang akin.

18 Pagka aking sinabi sa masama, Ikaw ay walang pagsalang mamamatay; at hindi mo pinagpaunahan siya, o nagsasalita ka man upang hikayatin ang masama mula sa kaniyang masamang lakad, upang iligtas ang kaniyang buhay; ang gayong masamang tao ay mamamatay sa kaniyang kasamaan; nguni't ang kaniyang dugo ay aking sisiyasatin sa iyong kamay.

19 Gayon ma'y kung iyong pagpaunahan ang masama, at siya'y hindi humiwalay sa kaniyang kasamaan, o sa kaniyang masamang lakad man, siya'y mamamatay sa kaniyang kasamaan; nguni't iyong iniligtas ang iyong kaluluwa.

20 Muli, pagka ang isang taong matuwid ay lumilihis sa kaniyang katuwiran, at gumawa ng kasamaan, at ako'y naglalagay ng katitisuran sa harap niya, siya'y mamamatay; sapagka't hindi mo siya pinagpaunahan, siya'y mamamatay sa kaniyang kasalanan, at ang kaniyang mga matuwid na gawa na kaniyang ginawa ay hindi aalalahanin; nguni't ang kaniyang dugo ay aking sisiyasatin sa iyong kamay.

21 Gayon ma'y kung iyong pinagpaunahan ang taong matuwid, upang ang matuwid ay huwag magkasala, at siya'y hindi nagkakasala, siya'y walang pagsalang mabubuhay, sapagka't siya'y nahikayat; at iyong iniligtas ang iyong kaluluwa.

22 At ang kamay ng Panginoon ay sumasa akin, at sinabi niya sa akin, Bumangon ka, lumabas ka sa kapatagan at doo'y makikipagusap ako sa iyo.

23 Nang magkagayo'y bumangon ako, at ako'y lumabas sa kapatagan; at, narito, ang kaluwalhatian ng Panginoon ay dumoon, na gaya ng kaluwalhatian na aking nakita sa pangpang ng ilog Chebar; at ako'y napasubasob.

24 Nang magkagayo'y suma akin ang Espiritu, at itinayo ako sa aking mga paa; at siya'y nakipagsalitaan sa akin, at nagsabi sa akin, Yumaon ka, magsara ka sa loob ng iyong bahay.

25 Nguni't ikaw, anak ng tao, narito, sila'y mangaglalagay ng mga lubid sa iyo, at itatali sa iyo, at ikaw ay hindi lalabas sa gitna nila.

26 At aking paninikitin ang iyong dila sa ngalangala ng iyong bibig, upang ikaw ay mapipi, at huwag maging mananaway sa kanila: sapagka't sila'y mapanghimagsik na sangbahayan.

27 Nguni't pag ako'y makikipagsalitaan sa iyo, aking ibubuka ang iyong bibig, at iyong sasabihin sa kanila, Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios; Siyang nakikinig ay makinig; at ang nagtatakuwil ay magtakuwil: sapagka't sila'y mapanghimagsik na sangbahayan.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Doctrine of the Lord #64

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64. Jerusalem, in the Word, means the church in respect to doctrine, because the Temple, the Altar, the offering of sacrifices, thus Divine worship itself were there, in the land of Canaan, and nowhere else. The three annual feasts were therefore also celebrated there, and every male throughout the land was commanded to go to them. For that reason Jerusalem symbolizes the church in respect to its worship, and so also the church in respect to its doctrine. For worship is prescribed in doctrine, and is conducted in accordance with it. In addition, the Lord was active in Jerusalem and taught in its Temple, and afterward glorified His humanity there.

Furthermore, in the Word in its spiritual sense a city symbolizes doctrine. The Holy City therefore symbolizes a doctrine of Divine truth from the Lord. 1

[2] That Jerusalem means the church in respect to its doctrine is apparent also from other passages in the Word. For example, from the following:

In Isaiah:

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as a radiance, and her salvation as a burning lamp. Then the nations shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah will utter. You shall also be a crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.... ...Jehovah will be well pleased by you, and your land shall be married.... Behold, your salvation is coming; behold, His reward is with Him.... And they shall call them a holy people, the redeemed of Jehovah; and you shall be called a city sought, not forsaken. (Isaiah 62:1-4, 11-12)

This whole chapter deals with the Lord’s advent and a new church to be established by Him. The new church is the one meant by Jerusalem, which will be called “by a new name which the mouth of Jehovah will utter, ” which will be “a crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal diadem in the hand of God, ” by which Jehovah will be “well pleased, ” and which will be called “a city sought, not forsaken.”

This cannot mean the Jerusalem inhabited by Jews when the Lord came into the world, for it was altogether of an opposite character. Rather it deserved to have been called Sodom, as it is in fact called in Revelation 11:8, Isaiah 3:9, Jeremiah 23:14, and Ezekiel 16:46, 48.

[3] Elsewhere in Isaiah:

...behold, I create a new heaven and a new earth; the former shall not be remembered.... ...be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; ...behold, I will create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem, and be glad over My people.... (Then) the wolf and the lamb shall feed together.... They shall not do harm...in all My holy mountain.... (Isaiah 65:17-19, 25)

The subject in this chapter as well is the Lord’s advent and the church that He will establish — a church that was not established among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but among surrounding peoples. Consequently it is this church that is meant by Jerusalem, which will be for the Lord a rejoicing, and whose people will be for Him a joy, and where the wolf and the lamb will feed together and not do harm.

Here, too, we are told, as we are in the book of Revelation, that the Lord will create a new heaven and a new earth, where they have a similar meaning. And we are also told that He will create Jerusalem.

[4] Elsewhere in Isaiah:

Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come into you. Shake yourself from the dust, arise; sit down, O Jerusalem! ...My people shall know My name...in that day, for I am He who speaks. Behold, it is I.... ...Jehovah has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. (Isaiah 52:1-2, 6, 9)

In this chapter also the subject is the Lord’s advent and a church to be established by Him. Consequently the Jerusalem into which the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come, and which the Lord has redeemed, means the church; and Jerusalem, the holy city, means the church in respect to its doctrine received from the Lord.

[5] In Zephaniah:

Sing, O daughter of Zion! ...Be glad...with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! ...The King of Israel...is in your midst; fear evil no more.... He will be glad over you with joy, He will rest in your love, He will rejoice over you with jubilation.... ...I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth.... (Zephaniah 3:14-17, 20)

Here, likewise, the subject is the Lord and the church to be established by Him, over which the King of Israel, namely the Lord, will be glad with joy and rejoice with jubilation, in whose love He will rest, and to whom He will give fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth.

[6] In Isaiah:

Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer, and He who formed you..., who says to Jerusalem, “You shall be inhabited, ” and to the cities of Judah, “You shall be built.” (Isaiah 44:24, 26)

And in Daniel:

Know and understand that from the going forth of the word to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks.... (Daniel 9:25)

Jerusalem here, too, means the church, as is apparent, since the Lord restored and rebuilt the church, but not Jerusalem, the capital city of the Jews.

[7] Jerusalem means a church established by the Lord in the following places as well.

In Zechariah:

Thus said Jehovah: “I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. (Therefore) Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of Jehovah of hosts, the Holy Mountain.” (Zechariah 8:3, cf. 8:20-23)

In Joel:

Then you shall know that I am Jehovah your God, dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy.... And it will come to pass in that day that the mountains shall drip new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk.... And...shall abide...Jerusalem from generation to generation. (Joel 3:17-20)

In Isaiah:

In that day the offshoot of Jehovah shall be beautiful and glorious.... And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy — everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 4:2-3)

In Micah:

...at the end of days the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on top of the mountains.... For out of Zion the doctrine shall go forth, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.... ...to you...the former kingdom shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. (Micah 4:1-2, 8)

In Jeremiah:

At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah, and all the nations shall be gathered..., because of the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the confirmation of their evil heart. (Jeremiah 3:17)

In Isaiah:

Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feast; let your eyes behold Jerusalem, a tranquil home, a tabernacle that will not go away. Its stakes will never be removed, nor will any of its cords be torn away. (Isaiah 33:20)

And so on also elsewhere, as in Isaiah 24:23, 37:32, 66:10-14; Zechariah 12:3, 6, 8-10, 14:8, 11-12, 21; Malachi 3:2, 4; Psalms 122:1-7, 137:4-6.

[8] Jerusalem in these places means a church which the Lord will establish, and also one that He has established, and not the Jerusalem in the land of Canaan inhabited by Jews; and this can be seen as well from places in the Word where we are told that it has been utterly ruined, or that it will be destroyed. As, for example, in Jeremiah 5:1, 6:6-7, 7:17-18ff, 8:6-8ff, 9:11-12, 14ff, 13:9-10, 14, 14:16; Lamentations 1:8-9, 17; Ezekiel 4:1-17, 5:9-17, 12:18-19, 15:6-8, 16:1-63, 23:1-49; Matthew 23:37, 39; Luke 19:41-44, 21:20-22, 23:28-30. And many other places.

Footnotes:

1. [Swedenborg’s Footnote] To be shown that a city in the Word symbolizes the doctrine of a church and its religion, see the Arcana Coelestia (The Secrets of Heaven), nos. 402, 2449, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493. That the gate of a city symbolizes the doctrine by which one enters the church, nos. 2943, 4477, 4478. That the elders therefore sat at the gate of the city in judgment, ibid. That to go out of the gate is to depart from the doctrine, nos. 4492, 4493. That representational cities and palaces in heaven appear when angels are engaged in discussing doctrinal matters, no. 3216 there.

  
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Published by the General Church of the New Jerusalem, 1100 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009, U.S.A. A translation of Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Domino, by Emanuel Swedenborg, 1688-1772. Translated from the Original Latin by N. Bruce Rogers. ISBN 9780945003687, Library of Congress Control Number: 2013954074.

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