The Bible

 

Ezekiel 31

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1 At nangyari nang ikalabing isang taon, nang ikatlong buwan, nang unang araw ng buwan, na ang salita ng Panginoon ay dumating sa akin, na nagsasabi,

2 Anak ng tao, sabihin mo kay Faraon, na hari sa Egipto, at sa kaniyang karamihan: Sino ang iyong kawangis sa iyong kalakhan?

3 Narito, ang taga Asiria ay isang cedro sa Libano, na may magandang mga sanga, at may mayabong na lilim, at may mataas na kataasan; at ang kaniyang dulo ay nasa gitna ng mga mayabong na sanga.

4 Kinakandili siya ng tubig, pinalalaki siya ng kalaliman: ang kaniyang mga ilog ay nagsisiagos sa palibot ng kaniyang kinatatamnan; at kaniyang pinaaagos ang kaniyang mga bangbang ng tubig sa lahat ng punong kahoy sa parang.

5 Kaya't ang kaniyang kataasan ay nataas ng higit kay sa lahat na punong kahoy sa parang; at ang kaniyang mga sanga ay nagsidami, at ang kaniyang mga sanga ay nagsihaba dahil sa karamihan ng tubig, nang kaniyang pabugsuan.

6 Lahat ng ibon sa himpapawid ay nagsigawa ng kanilang mga pugad sa kaniyang mga sanga; at sa ilalim ng kaniyang mga sanga ay nagsipanganak ang lahat ng mga hayop sa parang; at sa kaniyang lilim ay nagsitahan ang lahat na malaking bansa.

7 Ganito siya gumanda sa kaniyang kalakhan, sa kahabaan ng kaniyang mga sanga: sapagka't ang kaniyang ugat ay nasa siping ng maraming tubig.

8 Ang mga cedro sa halamanan ng Dios hindi makapantay sa kaniya; ang mga puno ng abeto ay hindi gaya ng kaniyang mga sanga, at ang mga puno ng kastano ay hindi gaya ng kaniyang mga sanga, o may anomang punong kahoy sa halamanan ng Dios na kagaya niya sa kaniyang kagandahan.

9 Pinaganda ko siya sa karamihan ng kaniyang mga sanga, na anopa't lahat ng punong kahoy sa Eden, na nangasa halamanan ng Dios, nanaghili sa kaniya.

10 Kaya't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios: Sapagka't ikaw ay nataas sa kataasan, at inilagay niya ang kaniyang dulo sa gitna ng mga mayabong na sanga, at ang kaniyang puso ay nagmataas sa kaniyang pagkataas;

11 Aking ibibigay nga siya sa kamay ng makapangyarihan sa mga bansa; walang pagsalang siya'y susugpuin: aking pinalayas siya dahil sa kaniyang kasamaan.

12 At inihiwalay siya at iniwan siya, ng mga taga ibang lupa, ng kakilakilabot sa mga bansa: sa ibabaw ng mga bundok at sa lahat ng mga libis ay nangalaglag ang kaniyang mga sanga, at ang kaniyang mga sanga ay nangabali sa siping ng lahat ng mga ilog ng lupain; at bumaba ang lahat ng tao sa lupa mula sa kaniyang lilim at iniwan siya.

13 Sa kaniyang guho ay magsisitahan ang lahat ng mga ibon sa himpapawid, at lahat ng mga hayop sa parang ay mangapapa sa kaniyang mga sanga;

14 Upang walang magmataas sa kanilang kataasan sa lahat na punong kahoy sa siping ng tubig, o maglagay man ng kanilang dulo sa gitna ng mga mayabong na sanga, o ang kanila mang mga makapangyarihan ay magsitayo sa kanilang pagkataas, sa makatuwid baga'y yaong lahat na nagsisiinom ng tubig: sapagka't silang lahat ay nangabigay sa kamatayan, sa pinakamalalim na bahagi ng lupa, sa gitna ng mga anak ng tao, na kasama ng nagsibaba sa hukay.

15 Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios: Nang araw na siya'y bumaba sa Sheol ay nagpatangis ako: aking tinakpan ang kalaliman dahil sa kaniya, at pinigil ko ang mga ilog niya; at ang mga malaking ilog ay nagsitigil; at aking pinapanangis sa kaniya ang Libano, at ang lahat na punong kahoy sa parang ay nanglupaypay dahil sa kaniya.

16 Aking niyanig ang mga bansa sa hugong ng kaniyang pagkabuwal, nang aking ihagis siya sa Sheol na kasama ng nagsibaba sa hukay; at ang lahat na punong kahoy sa Eden, ang pili at pinakamahusay ng Libano, lahat ng nagsisiinom ng tubig ay nangaaliw sa pinakamalalim na bahagi ng lupa.

17 Sila rin nama'y nagsibaba sa Sheol na kasama niya sa kanila na nangapatay ng tabak; oo, silang pinakakamay niya na nagsisitahan sa kaniyang lilim sa gitna ng mga bansa.

18 Sino ang gaya mong ganito sa kaluwalhatian at sa kalakhan sa gitna ng mga punong kahoy sa Eden? gayon ma'y mabababa ka na kasama ng mga punong kahoy sa Eden, sa pinakamalalim na bahagi ng lupa: ikaw ay malalagay sa gitna ng mga di tuli, na kasama nila na nangapatay ng tabak. Ito'y si Faraon at ang buo niyang karamihan, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #409

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409. And it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. This symbolically means that consequently all the Word's truths had been completely falsified.

Rivers symbolize truths in abundance, because waters symbolize truths (no. 50); and springs of water or fountains symbolize the Word (no. 384). The meaning is that the Word's truths had been completely falsified, because in the next verse we are told that a third of the waters became wormwood, and wormwood symbolizes hellish falsity (no. 410).

[2] That rivers symbolize truths in abundance can be seen from the following passages:

...I am doing a new thing... ...I will give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen. (Isaiah 43:19-20)

...I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and rivers on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants. (Isaiah 44:3)

Then... the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert plain. (Isaiah 35:6)

I will open rivers in the heights, and put fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. (Isaiah 41:18)

(Jehovah) has founded (the world) upon the seas, ...established it upon the rivers. (Psalms 24:2)

I will set His hand over the sea, and His right hand on the rivers. (Psalms 89:25)

Was Jehovah angry with the rivers? Was Your anger against the rivers? Was Your wrath against the sea, that You rode on Your horses...? (Habakkuk 3:8)

There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God... (Psalms 46:4)

He showed me a pure river of water of life..., proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. (Revelation 22:1)

He split the rocks in the wilderness, and made the great abysses drink... ...He struck the rock..., and rivers flowed out... (Psalms 78:15-16, 20, cf. 105:41)

The waters will fail in the sea, and the river will be... dried up. (Isaiah 19:5-7; cf. 42:15; 50:2, Nahum 1:4, Psalms 107:33, Job 14:11)

(Jesus said, "If anyone comes to Me,) as the Scripture has said, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37-38)

And so, too, elsewhere, such as Isaiah 33:21, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Deuteronomy 8:7.

[3] In an opposite sense, however, rivers symbolize falsities in abundance, as can be seen from the following:

(It) will send ambassadors by sea... to a nation... downtrodden, whose land the rivers have despoiled. (Isaiah 18:2)

If not for Jehovah on our side..., ...the waters would have overwhelmed us, (and) the river would have gone over our soul. (Psalms 124:2, 4-5)

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. (Isaiah 43:2)

The cords of death surrounded me, and the rivers of Belial terrified me. (Psalms 18:5)

(The dragon) spewed water out of its mouth like a river after the woman, that it might cause her to be swallowed up by the stream. (Revelation 12:15)

...behold, Jehovah will cause to rise over them the waters of the river, strong and many..., and it will... overflow and pass through, and reach up to the neck. (Isaiah 8:7-8)

...the floods came, and... rushed upon that house; and (yet) it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. (Matthew 7:25; cf. 7:27, Luke 6:48-49)

Rivers here, too, stand for falsities in abundance, because the rock symbolizes the Lord in relation to Divine truth.

Rivers also symbolize temptations or trials, because temptations or trials are inundations of falsities.

  
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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.

The Bible

 

Isaiah 43

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1 But now thus says Yahweh who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel: "Don't be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you.

3 For I am Yahweh your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I have given Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

4 Since you have been precious and honored in my sight, and I have loved you; therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life.

5 Don't be afraid; for I am with you. I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west.

6 I will tell the north, 'Give them up!' and tell the south, 'Don't hold them back! Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth--

7 everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.'"

8 Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears.

9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, "That is true."

10 "You are my witnesses," says Yahweh, "With my servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he. Before me there was no God formed, neither will there be after me.

11 I myself am Yahweh; and besides me there is no savior.

12 I have declared, I have saved, and I have shown; and there was no strange god among you. Therefore you are my witnesses," says Yahweh, "and I am God.

13 Yes, since the day was I am he; and there is no one who can deliver out of my hand. I will work, and who can hinder it?"

14 Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sake, I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring all of them down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing.

15 I am Yahweh, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King."

16 Thus says Yahweh, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

17 who brings forth the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched like a wick):

18 "Don't remember the former things, and don't consider the things of old.

19 Behold, I will do a new thing. It springs forth now. Don't you know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

20 The animals of the field shall honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen,

21 the people which I formed for myself, that they might set forth my praise.

22 Yet you have not called on me, Jacob; but you have been weary of me, Israel.

23 You have not brought me of your sheep for burnt offerings; neither have you honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense.

24 You have bought me no sweet cane with money, nor have you filled me with the fat of your sacrifices; but you have burdened me with your sins. You have wearied me with your iniquities.

25 I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

26 Put me in remembrance. Let us plead together. Set forth your case, that you may be justified.

27 Your first father sinned, and your teachers have transgressed against me.

28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and I will make Jacob a curse, and Israel an insult."