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Ezekiel 43

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1 Pagkatapos ay dinala niya ako sa pintuang-daan, sa makatuwid baga'y sa pintuang-daan na nakaharap sa dakong silanganan.

2 At, narito, ang kaluwalhatian ng Dios ng Israel ay nanggagaling sa dakong silanganan: at ang kaniyang tinig ay gaya ng lagaslas ng maraming tubig; at ang lupa ay nagningning sa kaniyang kaluwalhatian.

3 At ayon sa anyo ng pangitain na aking nakita, ayon sa pangitain na nakita ko nang ako'y pumaroon upang gibain ang bayan; at ang mga pangitain ay gaya ng pangitain na aking nakita sa tabi ng ilog Chebar: at ako'y nasubasob.

4 At ang kaluwalhatian ng Panginoon ay pumasok sa bahay sa daan ng pintuang-daan na nakaharap sa dakong silanganan.

5 At itinaas ako ng Espiritu, at dinala ako sa lalong loob na looban; at, narito, napuno ng kaluwalhatian ng Panginoon ang bahay.

6 At aking narinig ang isang nagsasalita sa akin mula sa bahay; at isang lalake ay tumayo sa siping ko.

7 At sinabi niya sa akin, Anak ng tao, ito ang dako ng aking luklukan, at dako ng mga talampakan ng aking mga paa, na aking tatahanan sa gitna ng mga anak ni Israel magpakailan man. At hindi na lalapastanganin pa ng sangbahayan ni Israel ang aking banal na pangalan, nila man, o ng kanilang mga hari man, ng kanilang pagpapatutot, at ng mga bangkay man ng kanilang mga hari sa kanilang mga mataas na dako;

8 Sa kanilang paglalagay ng kanilang pasukan sa tabi ng aking pasukan, at ng kanilang haligi ng pintuan sa tabi ng aking haligi ng pintuan, at wala kundi pader sa pagitan ko at nila; at kanilang nilapastangan ang aking banal na pangalan sa pamamagitan ng kanilang mga kasuklamsuklam na kanilang ginawa: kaya't aking pinugnaw sila sa aking galit.

9 Iwan nga nila ang kanilang pagpapatutot, at ilayo sa akin ang mga bangkay ng kanilang mga hari, at ako'y tatahan sa gitna nila magpakailan man.

10 Ikaw, anak ng tao, ituro mo ang bahay sa sangbahayan ni Israel, upang sila'y mangapahiya sa kanilang mga kasamaan; at sukatin nila ang anyo.

11 At kung sila'y mangapahiya sa lahat nilang ginawa, ipakilala mo sa kanila ang anyo ng bahay, at ang pagka-anyo niyaon, at ang mga labasan niyaon, at ang mga pasukan niyaon, at lahat ng anyo niyaon, at ang lahat ng mga alituntunin niyaon, at lahat ng anyo niyaon, at lahat ng kautusan niyaon; at iyong isulat yaon sa kanilang paningin; upang kanilang maingatan ang buong anyo niyaon, at ang lahat ng mga alituntunin niyaon, at kanilang isagawa.

12 Ito ang kautusan tungkol sa bahay; ang taluktok ng bundok sa buong hangganan niyaon sa palibot ay magiging kabanalbanalan. Narito, ito ang kautusan tungkol sa bahay.

13 At ito ang mga sukat ng dambana ayon sa mga siko (ang siko na pinakasukat ay isang siko at isang lapad ng kamay): ang patungan ay isang siko, at ang luwang ay isang siko, at ang gilid niyaon sa palibot ay isang dangkal; at ito ang magiging patungan ng dambana.

14 At mula sa patungan sa lupa sa lalong mababang grado ay malalagay na dalawang siko, at ang luwang ay isang siko; at mula sa lalong mababang grado hanggang sa lalong mataas na grado ay malalagay na apat na siko, at ang luwang ay isang siko.

15 At ang lalong mataas na dambana ay magiging apat na siko; at mula sa apuyan ng dambana hanggang sa dakong itaas ay magkakaroon ng apat na sungay.

16 At ang apuyan ng dambana ay magkakaroon ng labing dalawang siko ang haba at labing dalawa ang luwang, parisukat sa apat na tagiliran niyaon.

17 At ang patungan niyaon ay magkakaroon ng labing apat na siko ang haba at labing apat na siko ang luwang sa apat na tagiliran niyaon; at ang gilid sa palibot ay magiging kalahating siko; at ang patungan niyaon ay magiging isang siko sa palibot; at ang mga baytang niyaon ay paharap sa dakong silanganan.

18 At sinabi niya sa akin, Anak ng tao, ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios: Ito ang mga alituntunin tungkol sa dambana sa kaarawan na kanilang gagawin, upang paghandugan sa ibabaw ng mga handog na susunugin, at upang pagwisikan ng dugo.

19 Iyong ibibigay sa mga saserdote na mga Levita na sa angkan ni Sadoc na malapit sa akin, upang magsipangasiwa sa akin, sabi ng Panginoong Dios, ang isang guyang baka na pinakahandog dahil sa kasalanan.

20 At kukuha ka ng dugo niyaon, at ilalagay mo sa apat na sungay niyaon, at sa apat na sulok ng patungan, at sa laylayan sa palibot: ganito mo lilinisin yaon at tutubusin ito.

21 Iyo rin namang kukunin ang guyang toro na handog dahil sa kasalanan, at susunugin mo sa takdang dako ng bahay, sa labas ng santuario.

22 At sa ikalawang araw ay maghahandog ka ng kambing na lalake na walang kapintasan na pinakahandog dahil sa kasalanan; at kanilang lilinisin ang dambana gaya ng kanilang pagkalilis sa pamamagitan ng guyang toro.

23 Pagka ikaw ay nakatapos ng paglilinis, maghahandog ka ng isang guyang toro na walang kapintasan, at isang lalaking tupa na mula sa kawan na walang kapintasan.

24 At iyong ilalapit ang mga yaon sa harap ng Panginoon, at hahagisan ng asin ang mga yaon ng mga saserdote, at kanilang ihahandog na pinakahandog na susunugin sa Panginoon.

25 Pitong araw na maghahanda ka sa bawa't araw ng isang kambing na pinakahandog dahil sa kasalanan: maghahanda rin sila ng guyang toro, at isang lalaking tupang mula sa kawan, na walang kapintasan.

26 Pitong araw na kanilang tutubusin ang dambana at lilinisin; gayon nila itatalaga.

27 At pagka kanilang naganap ang mga kaarawan, mangyayari na sa ikawalong araw, at sa haharapin, maghahandog ang mga saserdote ng inyong mga handog na susunugin sa ibabaw ng dambana, at ang inyong mga handog tungkol sa kapayapaan; at aking tatanggapin kayo, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #10129

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10129. 'And the altar shall be the holy of holies' means the celestial kingdom, where the Lord is present in the good of love. This is clear from the meaning of 'the altar' as that which is representative of the Lord in respect of Divine Good, dealt with in 9388, 9389, 9714, 9964, at this point in respect of Divine Good in heaven and in the Church, 10123; and from the meaning of 'the holy of holies' as celestial good or the good of love from the Lord. The reason why it is the celestial kingdom that is meant here by 'the altar' and the good there that is meant by 'the holy of holies' is that the good received in that kingdom is the good of love which comes from and is offered back to the Lord, which is celestial good. For there are two kingdoms into which the heavens are divided, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom. The celestial kingdom receives the good of love coming from and offered back to the Lord, whereas the spiritual kingdom receives from the Lord the good of charity towards the neighbour, see the places referred to in 9277, and what is stated in 9680, 10068.

[2] 'The altar' represents the celestial kingdom, or what amounts to the same thing, it represents the Lord where He is present in the good of love; and 'the tent of meeting outside the veil' represents the spiritual kingdom, or what amounts to the same thing, it represents the Lord where He is present in the good of charity towards the neighbour. The spiritual kingdom's good, or spiritual good, is called the holy place, but the celestial kingdom's good, or celestial good, is called the holy of holies. The reason why celestial good, which is the good of love received from and offered back to the Lord, is referred to as the holy of holies is that this good is a channel through which the Lord flows directly into the heavens; but spiritual good - the good of charity towards the neighbour - is a channel through which He does so indirectly, by way of celestial good, see 9473, 9683, 9873, 9992, 10005. The term 'flow in' is used because the Lord, being the Sun of heaven, is above the heavens and flows in from there, 10106; yet He is still as one present within the heavens.

[3] The fact that celestial good, which is the good of love received from and offered back to the Lord, is meant by 'the holy of holies' is clear from places in the Word where the expression 'the holy of holies' occurs, as in Moses,

The veil shall be for you a divider between the holy place and the holy of holies. And you shall put the mercy-seat onto the ark of the Testimony in the holy of holies. Exodus 26:33-34.

From this it is evident that 'the holy place' refers to that part of the tent which was outside the veil, and 'the holy of holies' to the part within the veil. Regarding the tent or the dwelling-place outside the veil, that it represented the Lord's spiritual kingdom, or the middle heaven, and regarding the tent or dwelling-place within the veil, that it represented the Lord's celestial kingdom, or the inmost heaven, see 9457, 9481, 9485, 10001, 10025. The part of the tent within the veil is also called the holy sanctuary 1 , Leviticus 16:33. Since the ark, which had the Testimony within it and the mercy-seat above it, represented the inmost heaven, where celestial good reigns, the innermost part of the temple, where the ark of the covenant was, is also called the holy of holies, 1 Kings 6:16; 8:6.

[4] Since the bread and the minchah were signs of the good of love received from and offered back to the Lord, which is celestial good, they too are called 'the holy of holies' in Moses,

The bread of faces (or of the presence) shall be eaten by Aaron and his sons in a holy place; for it is the holy of holies of the fire offerings to Jehovah. Leviticus 24:9.

'The bread of faces (or of the presence)' means celestial good, see 9545. In the same book,

That which remains of the minchah shall be for Aaron and his sons, the holy of holies of the fire offerings to Jehovah. Leviticus 2:3, 10.

'The minchah', which consisted of unleavened bread, unleavened cakes, and unleavened wafers mixed with oil, means celestial good or the good of love, see 4581, 9992, 10079; and 'a fire offering to Jehovah' means Divine Love, 10055.

[5] In the same author,

Every minchah - a sacrifice of sin offering and a sacrifice of guilt offering - which is for Aaron and his sons, is the holy of holies to Jehovah. Numbers 18:9-10.

Such minchahs too were called 'the holy of holies' because those sacrifices were signs of purification from evils, and all purification from evils is accomplished in a state of the good of innocence; and this good as well is celestial good. This explains why in sacrifices of sin offering or guilt offering female or male lambs, or rams, or young bulls, or turtle doves were offered, as is clear from Chapters 4, 5 of Leviticus, that good being meant by these creatures. For its being meant by 'lambs', see 3994, 3519, 7840, by 'rams', 10042, by 'young bulls', 9391; and its being meant by 'turtle doves' is evident from the places in the Word where such birds are mentioned. As regards purification from evils and regeneration, that they are accomplished in a state of innocence, see 10021. Therefore those sacrifices are called 'the holy of holies' also in Leviticus 6:25; 7:6; 10:17; 14:13.

[6] In the same author,

The minchah shall be eaten beside the altar; for it is the holy of holies. Leviticus 10:12.

It has been shown above that the altar of burnt offering represented the Lord in respect of the good of love, and reception by angels and men. This accounts for the use of the following words concerning it in Moses,

You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its vessels, its laver, and its pedestal. And you shall sanctify them, that they may be the holy of holies; everyone who touches them will make himself holy. Exodus 30:28-29.

[7] The incense too, some of which was placed before the Testimony in the tent of meeting, is called the holy of holies, Exodus 30:36, because it meant celestial good in last and lowest things, and also meant the things that emanate from that good, 9475. In Ezekiel,

This is the law of the house 2 : On the top of the mountain shall its whole border round about be, the holy of holies. Ezekiel 43:12.

The reason why 'the house' together with the border around it is called 'the holy of holies' is that 'God's house' means the celestial kingdom, and in the highest sense the Lord in respect of the good of love, 3720. This is why the words 'on the top of the mountain' are also used, for 'the top of the mountain' has the same meaning, 6435, 9422, 9434.

[8] In Daniel,

Seventy weeks have been decreed concerning the people and concerning the holy city to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies. Daniel 9:24.

This refers to the Coming of the Lord, who alone is Jehovah's Anointed and who alone is the Holy One, and who also as to His Human is the Divine Good of Divine Love, and so is the holy of holies.

The Lord alone as to His Divine Human is Jehovah's Anointed, see 9954.

He alone is the Holy One, 9229.

He is the Divine Good of Divine Love, see the places referred to in 9199(end).

[9] The reason why celestial good is meant by 'the holy of holies' but spiritual good by 'the holy place' is that celestial good is inmost good, and therefore also is the inmost heaven's good, whereas spiritual good is good emanating from that celestial good and is therefore the middle heaven's good. And this good is good and consequently holy to the extent that it has celestial good within it; for celestial good flows into spiritual, conceives it, and begets it as a father does his child. The words 'celestial good' are used to mean the good of love received from and offered back to the Lord, and 'spiritual good' to mean the good of charity towards the neighbour received from the Lord.

[10] The good of love to the Lord received from the Lord is 'the holy of holies' because the Lord joins Himself directly to others through it. But the good of charity towards the neighbour is 'the holy place' because He joins Himself through it indirectly; and He joins Himself to the extent that it has the good of love from the Lord within it. The good of love to the Lord received from the Lord is present within all genuine good of charity, and also within all genuine good of faith; for such good flows in from the Lord. No one by his own strength, only by the Lord's, can love the neighbour and in love do good to him; and no one by his own strength, only by the Lord's, can believe in God. When therefore the Lord is acknowledged and the neighbour is loved, the Lord is present within the love towards the neighbour, however unaware the person may be of it. This also is what the Lord's words in Matthew serve to mean,

The righteous will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? But the King will say to them, Truly I say to you, Insofar as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers you did it to Me. Matthew 25:37-40.

From these words it is evident that the Lord is within the good of charity, indeed is that good, even though those governed by this good are unaware of it. 'Brothers' is used in the proximate sense 3 to mean those governed by the good of charity; and in the abstract sense, without reference to persons, 'the Lord's brothers' are the good of charity itself, in all its forms, see 5063-5071.

Footnotes:

1. i.e. the internal historical sense. See the final words of 4690.

2. i.e. the new temple

3. literally, the sanctuary of holiness

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.