The Bible

 

Jeremias 51

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1 Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon, Narito, ako'y magbabangon laban sa Babilonia, at laban sa nagsisitahan sa Lebcamai, ng manggigibang hangin.

2 At ako'y magsusugo sa Babilonia ng mga taga ibang lupa na papalisin siya; at kanilang wawalaan ang kaniyang lupain: sapagka't sa kaarawan ng kabagabagan ay magiging laban sila sa kaniya sa palibot.

3 Laban sa kaniya na umaakma ay iakma ng mangbubusog ang kaniyang busog, at sa kaniya na nagmamataas sa kaniyang sapyaw: at huwag ninyong patawarin ang kaniyang mga binata; inyong lipuling lubos ang buo niyang hukbo.

4 At sila'y mangabubuwal na patay sa lupain ng mga Caldeo, at napalagpasan sa kaniyang mga lansangan.

5 Sapagka't ang Israel ay hindi pinababayaan, o ang Juda man, ng kaniyang Dios, ng Panginoon ng mga hukbo; bagaman ang kanilang lupain ay puno ng sala laban sa Banal ng Israel.

6 Tumakas ka na mula sa gitna ng Babilonia, at iligtas ng bawa't tao ang kaniyang buhay; huwag kayong mangahiwalay ng dahil sa kaniyang kasamaan: sapagka't panahon ng panghihiganti ng Panginoon; siya'y maglalapat sa kaniya ng kagantihan.

7 Ang Babilonia ay naging gintong tasa sa kamay ng Panginoon, na lumango sa buong lupa: ang mga bansa ay nagsiinom ng kaniyang alak; kaya't ang mga bansa ay nangaulol.

8 Ang Babilonia ay biglang nabuwal at napahamak: inyong tangisan siya, ikuha ninyo ng balsamo ang kaniyang sakit, baka sakaling siya'y mapagaling.

9 Ibig sana nating mapagaling ang Babilonia, nguni't siya'y hindi napagaling: pabayaan siya, at yumaon bawa't isa sa atin sa kanikaniyang sariling lupain; sapagka't ang kaniyang kahatulan ay umaabot hanggang sa langit, at nataas hanggang sa mga alapaap.

10 Inilabas ng Panginoon ang ating katuwiran: magsiparito kayo, at ating ipahayag sa Sion, ang gawa ng Panginoon nating Dios.

11 Inyong patalasin ang mga pana, inyong hawakang mahigpit ang mga kalasag; pinukaw ng Panginoon ang kalooban ng mga hari ng mga Medo; sapagka't ang kaniyang lalang ay laban sa Babilonia, upang sirain: sapagka't siyang panghihiganti ng Panginoon, panghihiganti ng kaniyang templo.

12 Mangagtaas kayo ng watawat laban sa mga kuta ng Babilonia, inyong patibayin ang bantayan, inyong lagyan ng mga bantay, kayo'y mangaghanda ng mga pangbakay: sapagka't ang Panginoon ay nagpanukala at gumawa rin naman ng kaniyang sinalita tungkol sa mga nananahan sa Babilonia.

13 Oh ikaw na tumatahan sa ibabaw ng maraming tubig, sagana sa mga kayamanan, ang iyong wakas ay dumating, ang sukat ng iyong kasakiman.

14 Ang Panginoon ng mga hukbo ay sumumpa sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang sarili, na sinasabi, Tunay na pupunuin kita ng mga tao, na parang balang; at sila'y mangaglalakas ng hiyaw laban sa iyo.

15 Kaniyang ginawa ang lupa sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang kapangyarihan, kaniyang itinatag ang sanglibutan sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang karunungan, at sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang kaalaman ay iniladlad niya ang langit.

16 Paglalakas niya ng kaniyang tinig, nagkaroon ng kagulo ng tubig sa langit, at kaniyang pinailanglang ang mga singaw mula sa mga wakas ng lupa: kaniyang iginawa ng mga kidlat ang ulan, at inilabas ang hangin mula sa kaniyang mga imbakan.

17 Bawa't tao ay naging tampalasan at walang kaalaman; bawa't panday ginto ay nalagay sa kahihiyan dahil sa kaniyang larawang inanyuan; sapagka't ang kaniyang larawang binubo ay kasinungalingan, at walang hinga sa mga yaon.

18 Ang mga yaon ay walang kabuluhan, isang gawa ng karayaan: sa panahon ng pagdalaw sa mga yaon ay mangalilipol.

19 Ang bahagi ng Jacob ay hindi gaya ng mga ito; sapagka't siya ang naganyo sa lahat ng bagay; at ang Israel ay lipi ng kaniyang mana: ang Panginoon ng mga hukbo ay kaniyang pangalan.

20 Ikaw ay aking pangbakang palakol at mga almas na pangdigma: at sa pamamagitan mo ay pagwawaraywarayin ko ang mga bansa; at sa pamamagitan mo ay sisira ako ng mga kaharian;

21 At sa pamamagitan mo ay pagwawaraywarayin ko ang kabayo at ang kaniyang sakay;

22 At sa pamamagitan mo ay pagwawaraywarayin ko ang karo at ang nakasakay roon; at sa pamamagitan mo ay pagwawaraywarayin ko ang lalake at ang babae; at sa pamamagitan mo ay pagwawaraywarayin ko ang matanda at ang bata: at sa pamamagitan mo ay pagwawaraywarayin ko ang binata at ang dalaga;

23 At sa pamamagitan mo ay pagwawaraywarayin ko ang pastor at ang kaniyang kawan; at sa pamamagitan mo ay pagwawaraywarayin ko ang mangbubukid at ang kaniyang tuwang na mga baka; at sa pamamagitan mo ay pagwawaraywarayin ko ang mga tagapamahala at ang mga kinatawan.

24 At aking ilalapat sa Babilonia at sa lahat na nananahan sa Caldea ang buo nilang kasamaan na kanilang ginawa sa Sion sa inyong paningin, sabi ng Panginoon.

25 Narito, ako'y laban sa iyo, Oh mapangpahamak na bundok, sabi ng Panginoon, na gumigiba ng buong lupa; at aking iuunat ang aking kamay sa iyo, at pagugulungin kita mula sa malaking bato, at gagawin kitang bundok na sunog.

26 At hindi ka nila kukunan ng bato na panulok, o ng bato man na mga patibayan; kundi ikaw ay magiging sira magpakailan man, sabi ng Panginoon.

27 Mangagtaas kayo ng watawat sa lupain, inyong hipan ang pakakak sa gitna ng mga bansa, magsihanda ang mga bansa laban sa kaniya, pisanin laban sa kaniya ang mga kaharian ng Ararat, ng Minmi, at ng Aschenaz: mangaghalal ng puno laban sa kaniya; pasampahin ang mga kabayo ng parang mga uod.

28 Magsihanda laban sa kaniya ang mga bansa, ang mga hari ng mga Medo, ang mga gobernador niyaon, at ang lahat na kinatawan niyaon, at ang buong lupain na kaniyang sakop.

29 At ang lupain ay manginginig at nasa paghihirap; sapagka't ang mga pasiya ng Panginoon laban sa Babilonia ay nananayo, upang sirain ang lupain ng Babilonia, na nawalan ng mananahan.

30 Ang mga makapangyarihan ng Babilonia ay nagsisiurong sa pakikipaglaban, sila'y nanatili sa kanilang mga katibayan; ang kanilang kapangyarihan ay nanglulupaypay; sila'y naging parang mga babae: ang kaniyang mga tahanang dako ay sinilaban; ang kaniyang mga halang ay nabali.

31 Ang isang utusan ay tatakbo upang sumalubong sa iba, at isang sugo upang sumalubong sa iba, upang ibalita sa hari sa Babilonia, na ang kaniyang bayan ay nasakop sa lahat ng sulok:

32 At ang mga tawiran ay nangasapol, at ang mga tambo ay nangasunog ng apoy, at ang mga lalaking mangdidigma ay nangatakot.

33 Sapagka't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon ng mga hukbo, ng Dios ng Israel, Ang anak na babae ng Babilonia ay parang giikan ng panahong yaon ng niyayapakan; sangdali na lamang, at ang panahon ng pagaani ay darating sa kaniya.

34 Nilamon ako ni Nabucodonosor na hari sa Babilonia, kaniyang pinisa ako, kaniyang ginawa akong sisidlan na walang laman, ako'y sinakmal niyang parang buwaya, kaniyang binusog ang kaniyang tiyan ng aking mga masarap na pagkain; kaniyang itinakuwil ako.

35 Ang karahasang ginawa sa akin at sa aking laman ay mahulog nawa sa Babilonia, sasabihin ng taga Sion; at, Ang dugo ko ay mahulog nawa sa mga nananahan sa Caldea, sasabihin ng Jerusalem.

36 Kaya't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon, Narito, aking ipakikipaglaban ang iyong usap, at igaganti kita; at aking tutuyuin ang kaniyang dagat, at gagawin ko siyang bukal na tuyo.

37 At ang Babilonia ay magiging mga bunton, tahanang dako sa mga chakal, katigilan, at kasutsutan, na mawawalan ng mananahan.

38 Sila'y magsisiangal na magkakasama na parang mga batang leon; sila'y magsisiangal na parang mga anak ng leon.

39 Pagka sila'y nag-init, aking gagawin ang kanilang kapistahan, at akin silang lalanguhin, upang sila'y mangagalak, at patutulugin ng walang hanggang pagtulog, at huwag mangagising, sabi ng Panginoon.

40 Aking ibababa sila na parang mga kordero sa patayan, mga lalaking tupa na kasama ng mga kambing na lalake.

41 Ano't nasakop ang Sesach! at ang kapurihan ng buong lupa ay nagitla! ano't ang Babilonia ay naging kagibaan sa gitna ng mga bansa!

42 Ang dagat ay umapaw sa Babilonia; siya'y natakpan ng karamihan ng mga alon niyaon.

43 Ang kaniyang mga bayan ay nasira, tuyong lupain at ilang, lupain na walang taong tumatahan, o dinaraanan man ng sinomang anak ng tao.

44 At ako'y maglalapat ng kahatulan kay Bel sa Babilonia, at aking ilalabas sa kaniyang bibig ang kaniyang nasakmal; at ang mga bansa ay hindi na bubugsong magkakasama pa sa kaniya: oo, ang kuta ng Babilonia ay mababagsak.

45 Bayan ko, magsilabas kayo sa kaniya, at lumigtas bawa't isa sa mabangis na galit ng Panginoon.

46 At huwag manganglupaypay ang inyong puso, o mangatakot man kayo sa balita na maririnig sa lupain; sapagka't ang balita ay darating na isang taon, at pagkatapos niyaon ay darating sa ibang taon ang isang balita, at ang pangdadahas sa lupain, pinuno laban sa pinuno.

47 Kaya't narito, ang mga araw ay dumarating, na ako'y maglalapat ng kahatulan sa mga larawang inanyuan sa Babilonia; at ang kaniyang buong lupain ay mapapahiya; at ang lahat ng mapapatay sa kaniya ay mangabubulagta sa gitna niya.

48 Kung magkagayo'y ang langit at ang lupa, at lahat na nandoon, magsisiawit dahil sa Babilonia sa kagalakan; sapagka't ang mga manglilipol ay darating sa kaniya mula sa hilagaan, sabi ng Panginoon.

49 Kung paanong ibinuwal ng Babilonia ang namatay sa Israel, gayon mabubuwal sa Babilonia ang namatay sa buong lupain.

50 Kayong nangakatanan sa tabak, magsiyaon kayo, huwag kayong magsitigil; inyong alalahanin ang Panginoon sa malayo, at pasukin ang inyong pagiisip ng Jerusalem.

51 Kami ay nangapahiya, sapagka't kami ay nangakarinig ng kakutyaan; kalituhan ay tumakip sa aming mga mukha: sapagka't ang mga taga ibang lupa ay pumasok sa mga santuario ng bahay ng Panginoon.

52 Kaya't narito, ang mga kaarawan ay dumarating, sabi ng Panginoon, na ako'y maglalapat ng kahatulan sa kaniyang mga larawang inanyuan; at sa buong lupain niya ay dadaing ang nasugatan.

53 Bagaman ang Babilonia ay umilanglang hanggang sa langit, at bagaman kaniyang patibayin ang kataasan ng kaniyang kalakasan, gayon ma'y darating sa kaniya ang mga manglilipol na mula sa akin, sabi ng Panginoon.

54 Ang ingay ng hiyaw na mula sa Babilonia, at ng malaking paglipol na mula sa lupain ng mga Caldeo!

55 Sapagka't ang Panginoon ay nananamsam sa Babilonia, at nanglilipol doon ang dakilang tinig; at ang mga alon ng mga yaon ay nagsisihugong na parang maraming tubig; ang hugong ng kanilang kaingay ay lumabas:

56 Sapagka't ang manglilipol ay dumating doon, sa Babilonia, at ang mga makapangyarihang lalake niyaon ay nangahuli, ang kanilang mga busog ay nagkaputolputol: sapagka't ang Panginoon ay Dios ng mga kagantihan, siya'y tunay na magbabayad.

57 At aking lalanguhin ang kaniyang mga prinsipe at ang kaniyang mga pantas, ang kaniyang mga gobernador at ang kaniyang mga kinatawan, at ang kaniyang mga makapangyarihan; at siya'y matutulog ng walang hanggang pagtulog, at hindi magigising, sabi ng Hari, na ang pangalan ay ang Panginoon ng mga hukbo.

58 Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon ng mga hukbo, Ang makapal na kuta ng Babilonia ay lubos na magigiba, at ang kaniyang mga mataas na pintuang-bayan ay masusunog ng apoy; at ang mga tao ay magpapagal sa walang kabuluhan, at ang mga bansa sa apoy; at sila'y mangapapagod.

59 Ang salita na iniutos ni Jeremias na propeta kay Seraias na anak ni Nerias, na anak ni Maasias, ng siya'y pumaroon sa Babilonia na kasama ni Sedechias na hari sa Juda, nang ikaapat na taon ng kaniyang paghahari. Si Seraias nga ay punong bating.

60 At sinulat ni Jeremias sa isang aklat ang lahat na kasamaan na darating sa Babilonia, ang lahat na salitang ito na nasusulat tungkol sa Babilonia.

61 At sinabi ni Jeremias kay Seraias, Pagdating mo sa Babilonia, iyo ngang tingnan na iyong basahin ang lahat na mga salitang ito,

62 At iyong sabihin, Oh Panginoon, ikaw ay nagsalita tungkol sa dakong ito, upang iyong ihiwalay, upang walang tumahan doon, maging tao o hayop man, kundi masisira magpakailan man.

63 At mangyayari, pagkatapos mong bumasa ng aklat na ito, na iyong tatalian ng bato, at ihahagis mo sa gitna ng Eufrates:

64 At iyong sasabihin, Ganito lulubog ang Babilonia, at hindi lilitaw uli dahil sa kasamaan na aking dadalhin sa kaniya; at sila'y mapapagod. Hanggang dito ang mga salita ni Jeremias.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #911

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911. Send Thy sickle and reap, for the hour for Thee to reap is come, for the harvest of the earth is dried up, signifies that it is the time for collecting the good and separating them from the evil, because this is the end of the church. This is evident from the signification of "sending the sickle," as being to collect the good and separate them from the evil (of which presently); also from the signification of "the hour to reap is come," as being the time for doing this; also from the signification of "for the harvest of the earth is dried up," as being the last state or the end of the church, for "harvest" signifies the last state or the end, and "the earth" signifies the church. From this it is clear that "Send Thy sickle and reap, for the hour to reap is come, for the harvest of the earth is dried up," signifies that it is the time for collecting the good and separating them from the evil, because this is the end of the church. "To send the sickle and reap" means to collect the good and to separate them from the evil, because "the harvest of the earth" signifies the last state of the church, when the Last Judgment takes place and the evil are cast into hell and the good raised up into heaven, and thus they are separated.

[2] That the collecting, separation, and Last Judgment do not take place before can be seen in the work on The Last Judgment, and will be more fully explained in the appendix to this book. This is briefly set forth in the Lord's words in Matthew:

Jesus spake this parable: The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a man that sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares, and went away. But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. The servants of the father of the family came and said unto him, Lord, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares? And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. But the servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that going we collect them? But he said, Nay, lest haply while ye collect the tares ye root up at the same time the wheat with them. Rather let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Collect first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn. And His disciples came unto Him, saying, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answering said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; and the seed are the sons of the kingdom; but the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy that soweth them is the devil; while the harvest is the consummation of the age; and the reapers are angels. As then the tares are collected and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the consummation of the age. The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall collect out of His kingdom all things that cause stumbling and them that do iniquity, and shall send them into a furnace of fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the just shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of the Father (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43).

The Lord by this parable illustrates all that is said in this chapter of Revelation (in verses 14 to 19) respecting the Son of man having a sickle in His hand and reaping, and that the earth was reaped by Him and the angels. For this parable teaches that the "sower" means the Lord, who is here called "the Son of man;" that the "reapers," or "those that reap," mean the angels; also that "the tares shall be cast into a furnace of fire and the good seed gathered into the barn;" and that this could not be done until "the consummation of the age" (which signifies the last state of the church), "lest the wheat should be rooted up at the same time with the tares."

[3] As this parable of the Lord contains arcana respecting the separation of the evil from the good, and the Last Judgment, it is important that its particulars should be explained. "The kingdom of the heavens" signifies the Lord's church in the heavens and on earth; for the church is in both. "The man who sowed good seed in his field" means the Lord as to the Divine truth, which is the Word, in the church; "the man," who is called in the following verses "the Son of man," is the Lord as to the Word; "good seed" is Divine truth; and "field" the church where the Word is. "While men slept his enemy came and sowed tares, and went away," signifies that while men are living a natural life, or the life of the world, evils from hell secretly, or while they are unconscious of it, introduce and implant falsities, "to sleep" signifying to live a natural life or the life of the world, since such a life is sleep as compared with spiritual life, which is wakefulness. The "enemy" signifies evils from hell, which influence that life when it is separated from spiritual life; "to sow tares" signifies to insinuate and implant falsities; "and went away" signifies that it was done secretly and when they were unconscious of it. "But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also," signifies that when truth increased and brought forth good, falsities from evil were mingled with it; "the blade springing up" signifying truth such as it is when it is first received, "fruit" signifying good, and "tares" falsities from evil, here these mingled with truths.

[4] "The servants of the father of the family came and said unto him, Lord, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares?" signifies those who are in truths from good perceiving that falsities from evil have been mingled with them, and complaining, "the Lord's servants" signifying those who are in truths from good, "the father of the family" signifying the Lord as to truths from good ("father" the Lord as to good, and "family" the Lord as to truths); the "good seed," the "field," and the "tares," having the same signification as above. "And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this," signifies that such falsities were from evil in the natural man. "But the servants said to him, Lord, wilt thou then that going we collect the tares?" signifies the separation and casting out of falsities from evil before truths from good are received and increase. "But he said, Nay, lest haply while ye collect the tares ye root up at the same time the wheat with them," signifies that thus truth from good and its increase would also perish; for truths are mingled with falsities with the men of the church, and these cannot be separated and the falsities cast out until they are reformed.

[5] "Rather let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Collect first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn," signifies that the separation and casting out of falsities from evil cannot be effected until it is the last state of the church; since it is then that the falsities of evil are separated from the truths of good, and the falsities of evil are delivered up to hell, and the truths of good are conjoined with heaven, or what is the same, the men who are in them. This takes place in the spiritual world, where all who are of the church from its beginning to its end are in this way separated and judged. The "harvest" signifies the end or the last state of the church; "to bind into bundles" signifies to conjoin together particular kinds of falsities from evil; "to burn" signifies to deliver up to hell; and "to gather into the barn" signifies to conjoin with heaven.

[6] "He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man" signifies the Divine truth from the Lord. "The field is the world" signifies the church everywhere. "The seed are the sons of the kingdom" signifies that the Divine truth is with those who are of the church. "The tares are the sons of the evil one" signifies falsities with those who are in evil. "The enemy that soweth them is the devil" signifies that their falsities are from evil, which is from hell. "The harvest is the consummation of the age" signifies the last time and state of the church. "The reapers are angels" signifies that the Divine truth from the Lord is what separates. "The Son of man shall send forth angels, and they shall collect out of His kingdom all things that cause stumbling," signifies that the Divine truth from the Lord will remove those things that hinder the separation. "They that work iniquity" signifies those who live wickedly. "And shall send them into a furnace of fire" signifies into the hell where those are who are in love of self and in hatred and revenge. "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" signifies where there is what is direful from evils and falsities. "Then shall the just shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of the Father" signifies that those who have done the Lord's commandments shall live in heaven in heavenly loves and their joys; those are called "just" who acknowledge the Lord and do His commandments. Such was to be the state of the angels after the Last Judgment, because the superior power which had before been on the side of hell was then restored to heaven, which was a source of joy to the angels with unceasing increase.

[7] It remains to give some explanation of the Lord's words respecting the separation of the evil from the good, namely, "Rather let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Collect first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." This signifies the separation of the evil from the good when the Last Judgment is at hand. Why they were not separated before may be seen in the work on The Last Judgment 59, 70), to which I will here add, that it is according to Divine order for things that must in the end be separated to grow in connection; and that when the end is reached separation is easily and as it were spontaneously effected. This might be illustrated by a thousand lessons of experience in both worlds, and also from correspondences in the animal and vegetable kingdom; from which it can be seen as in a general mirror why the evil were not separated from the good until near the time of the Last Judgment; and this is the signification of the things in Revelation here explained, that the angel said to Him that sat upon the cloud, "Reap, for the hour for Thee to reap is come, for the harvest of the earth is dried up."

[8] Also in the following passages the "harvest" signifies the last state of the church, when the old church has been laid waste, that is, when there is no longer any truth or good left in it that has not been falsified or cast aside. In Joel:

At the valley of Jehoshaphat will I sit to judge all the nations round about. Send forth the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, get ye down, for the wine-press is full, the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great (Joel 3:12, 13).

This chapter treats of the falsification of the truth in the Word, and the devastation of the church by it; and this verse treats of the last state of the church, when judgment takes place; and this state is described, as in Revelation, by "sending forth the sickle, for the harvest is ripe," the "harvest" being that last state; also by "the wine-press is full and the vats overflow," as in this chapter of Revelation, Revelation 14:19-20. That judgment then takes place is plainly declared, "the valley of Jehoshaphat," where judgment is executed, signifying the falsification of the Word.

[9] In Jeremiah:

Cut off him that soweth in Babylon and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest (Jeremiah 50:16).

And in the same:

The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing-floor; it is time to thresh her; yet a little while and the time of her harvest shall come (Jeremiah 51:33).

Here, too, "the time of harvest" means the last state of the church, when there is no longer any good or any truth; its devastation is described by "cutting off him that soweth and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest;" also by "threshing as on a threshing-floor," "Babylon" meaning those who seek dominion by means of the holy things of the church.

[10] In Isaiah:

I will bewail for Jazar, the vine of Sibmah; I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh; for upon thy vintage and upon thy harvest the battle shout hath fallen (Isaiah 16:9).

Here again, "harvest" signifies the last state of the church, for "the battle shout" signifies the end, because it was a custom to exult and call out when the vintage was finished and the harvest was gathered in; but here it signifies to lament, because it is said to have fallen. "Jazar, the vine of Sibmah," and "Heshbon and Elealeh," signify men of the external church who explain the Word to favor worldly loves, for these places had been given for an inheritance to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and these, because they dwelt beyond the Jordan, represented the external church. "The vine of Sibmah" signifies the church of such; and their destruction when the Lord should come and accomplish judgment is also described in that chapter.

[11] In Jeremiah:

The harvest is past, the autumn is ended, and we have not been saved; because of the bruising of my daughter I am bruised (Jeremiah 8:20, 21).

Here again the "harvest" signifies the last state of the church. "Because of the bruising I am bruised" signifies grief that there is no longer any good and truth, "daughter" signifying the affection of truth, and thus the church, for that affection is of the church and the church is from it.

[12] In Isaiah:

It shall come to pass when the harvest, the standing corn, is gathered, and his arm reapeth ears, and there shall be left in it gleanings, as in the shaking of an olive tree, three berries in the top of the bough, four or five in the branches of the fruit-bearing one. In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to blossom; the harvest shall be a heap in the day of possession, and desperate sorrow (Isaiah 17:5, 6, 11).

This chapter treats of the knowledges of truth and good belonging to the church, and of their destruction. These are here signified by "Damascus," of which this chapter treats, and by "Aroer." Their destruction is described by "there shall be left in it gleanings, as in the shaking of an olive tree, three berries in the top of the bough, four or five in the head 1 of the fruit bearing one," also by "the harvest shall be a heap in the day of possession," that is, that there shall be no more than a single heap; therefore it is added, "and desperate sorrow." This makes clear that "harvest" signifies here the last state of the church. That state is signified also by "morning," for when the last state of the church is at hand it is morning to those who are to be of the New Church, and evening and night to those who are of the old church. That this is what "morning" here means is evident from the last verse of this chapter, where it is said:

About the time of evening behold terror; before the morning it is not (Isaiah 17:14).

"Terror" signifies destruction.

[13] In Joel:

The husbandmen were ashamed, the vine-dressers howled for the wheat and for the barley, because the harvest of the field hath perished (Joel 1:11).

The devastation of the church as to good and truth is here meant by "the harvest of the field hath perished;" "husbandmen" mean those who are in the good of the church, and "vine-dressers" those who are in its truths; "wheat and barley" mean good itself and truth itself; grief on account of devastation is signified by "they were ashamed and howled."

[14] "Harvest" signifies the last state of the church, because "corn," which is the harvest, signifies the good of the church and truth from good, and "field" the church itself. That all things pertaining to natural nourishment, such as wheat, barley, oil, wine, and the like, signify such things as pertain to spiritual nourishment has been shown above in many places; and the things that pertain to spiritual nourishment have reference in general to good and truth and knowledges of them, thus to doctrine and to a life according to these knowledges. Therefore it is said in Jeremiah:

A nation from afar shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread, it shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters, it shall eat up thy flock and thy herd, it shall eat up thy vine and thy fig-tree; it shall impoverish thy fortified cities, in which thou dost trust, with the sword (Jeremiah 5:17).

"A nation from afar" means the falsity of evil destroying; "from afar" signifying what is far away from good and truth. "Harvest" and "bread" signify nourishing truths and goods of the church; "sons and daughters" goods and truths generating; "flock and herd" goods and truths spiritual and natural, "vine and fig-tree" the internal spiritual church, and the external natural church; the "fortified cities in which they trust" signify doctrinals from self-intelligence; "to be impoverished with the sword" signifies to be destroyed by falsities of evil.

[15] As "harvest" signifies all things that spiritually nourish man, and these have reference to the truths of doctrine and the goods of life, so "harvest" signifies the church in general and in particular; in general, in these words in the Gospels:

Jesus said to His disciples, The harvest is plenteous but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that He send laborers into His harvest (Matthew 9:37, 38; Luke 10:2).

The "harvest" here means all with whom the church was to be established by the Lord, thus also the church in general; and "laborers" mean all who will teach from the Lord.

[16] Likewise in John:

Jesus said to the disciples, Say ye not there are yet four months and then cometh the harvest? Behold I say unto you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields that they are white already for harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth reward and gathereth fruit unto life eternal. For herein is the saying true, that there is one who soweth and another who reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not labored; others have labored, but ye have entered into their labor (John 4:35-38).

This was said by the Lord of a New Church to be established by Him. That the establishment of that church was then at hand is meant by "Lift up your eyes and look on the fields that they are white already for harvest." To teach those who were to be of that church, or as the Lord says elsewhere, "to collect and gather into the barn," is signified by "reaping." That it is the Lord who teaches, thus who collects and gathers, and not themselves (for it was the Lord, by means of the angels, that is, by means of Divine truths from the Word, who prepared for reception those whom the disciples converted to the church), is meant by "there is one who soweth and another who reapeth; I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not labored; others have labored, but ye have entered into their labor."

[17] The increase of the church with man in particular, and with men in general by the Lord, is also described by "harvest" in Mark:

Jesus said, So is the kingdom of God as if a man should cast seed upon the earth, and should then sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow up he knoweth not how. For the earth beareth fruit of herself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit hath come forth straightway he putteth forth the sickle, because the harvest is ready (Mark 4:26-29).

"The kingdom of God" means the church of the Lord in the heavens and on the earth; and the implantation of it with all who receive truths and goods from the Lord, not from self, is described by these words, every particular of which corresponds to spiritual things and signifies them; as that "a man casts seed upon the earth, that he then sleeps, and rises night and day, that the seed springs up and grows up he knows not how;" for "seed" signifies the Divine truth, "to cast seed into the earth" signifies the work of man, "to rise day and night" and finally "to put in the sickle" signifies in every state. The rest signifies the Lord's work; and the "harvest" the implantation of the church in particular and in general. For it is to be known, that, although the Lord works all things, and man nothing from self, yet He wills that man should work as if from self in all that comes to his perception. For without man's cooperation as if from self there can be no reception of truth and good, thus no implantation and regeneration. For to will is the Lord's gift to man; and because the appearance to man is that this is from self, He gives him to will as if from self.

[18] Such being the signification of "harvest" two feasts were instituted with the sons of Israel, one of which was called the feast of seven weeks, which was that of the harvest of firstfruits; and the other the feast of tabernacles, which was the feast of ingathering of the fruits of the earth. Of these the first signified the implantation of truth in good, and the other the bringing forth of good, thus regeneration. But the feast of unleavened bread, or the Passover, which preceded, signified deliverance from the falsities of evil, which is the first thing of regeneration.

Footnotes:

1. The photolithograph has "capite" "head" for "ramis" branches." In the text just above.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.