The Bible

 

Mikas 3

Study

   

1 At aking sinabi, Isinasamo ko sa inyo, na inyong dinggin, ninyong mga pangulo ng Jacob, at mga pinuno ng sangbahayan ni Israel: hindi baga sa inyo ang pagalam ng katuwiran.

2 Kayong napopoot sa mabuti at umiibig sa kasamaan; na siyang umaagaw sa mga dukha ng balat nila, at ng kanilang laman sa kanilang mga buto;

3 Kayo ring kumakain ng laman ng aking bayan, at lumalapnos ng kanilang balat, at bumabali ng kanilang mga buto, at kanilang pinagputolputol yaon, na wari'y para sa palyok, at parang laman sa loob ng caldera.

4 Kung magkagayo'y magsisidaing sila sa Panginoon, nguni't hindi niya sasagutin sila; oo, kaniyang ikukubli ang kaniyang mukha sa kanila sa panahong yaon, ayon sa kanilang ginawang kasamaan sa kanilang mga gawa.

5 Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon tungkol sa mga propeta na nagliligaw sa aking bayan; na nagkakanggigitil ng kanilang mga ngipin at nagsisihiyaw, Kapayapaan; at yaong hindi naglalagay sa kanilang bibig, ay pinaghahandaan siya nila ng digma:

6 Kaya't magiging gabi sa inyo, na hindi kayo magkakaroon ng pangitain; at magkakaroon ng kadiliman, na hindi kayo makapanghuhula; at ang araw ay lulubog sa mga propeta, at ang araw ay mangungulimlim sa kanila.

7 At ang mga tagakita ay mangapapahiya, at ang mga manghuhula ay mangatutulig; oo, silang lahat ay mangagtatakip ng kanilang mga labi; sapagka't walang kasagutan ng Dios.

8 Nguni't sa ganang akin, ako'y puspos ng kapangyarihan sa pamamagitan ng Espiritu ng Panginoon, at ng kahatulan, at ng kapangyarihan, upang ipahayag sa Jacob ang kaniyang pagsalansang, at sa Israel ang kaniyang kasalanan.

9 Dinggin ninyo ito, isinasamo ko sa inyo, ninyong mga pangulo sa sangbahayan ni Jacob, at mga pinuno sa sangbahayan ni Israel, na nangapopoot sa kahatulan, at nangagbabaluktot ng matuwid.

10 Kanilang itinatayo ang Sion sa pamamagitan ng dugo, at ang Jerusalem sa pamamagitan ng kasamaan.

11 Ang mga pangulo niya'y nagsisihatol dahil sa suhol, at ang mga saserdote, niya'y nangagtuturo dahil sa upa, at ang mga propeta niya'y nanganghuhula dahil sa salapi: gayon ma'y sila'y sasandal sa Panginoon, at mangagsasabi, Hindi baga ang Panginoon ay nasa gitna natin? walang kasamaang darating sa akin.

12 Kaya't ang Sion ay bubukirin na parang isang bukid dahil sa inyo, at ang Jerusalem ay magiging mga bunton, at ang mga bundok ng bahay ay parang mga mataas na dako sa isang gubat.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #312

Study this Passage

  
/ 962  
  

312. So I looked, and behold, a black horse. This symbolizes an understanding of the Word among them extinguished as to truth, thus extinguished as regards their doctrine.

We showed above that a horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word. Blackness symbolizes a lack of truth, thus falsity, because blackness is the opposite of whiteness, and whiteness is predicated of truth (nos. 167, 231, 232). Whiteness is also the result of light, while blackness results from darkness, thus from the absence of light, and light means truth.

In the spiritual world, however, blackness has a double origin, one resulting from the absence of a flaming light, the light possessed by inhabitants of the Lord's celestial kingdom, and the other resulting from the absence of a bright white light, the light possessed by inhabitants of the Lord's spiritual kingdom. The first kind of blackness has the same symbolism as a thick darkness, the second the same as a gloomy darkness. The two kinds differ from each other. One is dreadful, the other not so dreadful. It is the same with the falsities that they symbolize. The spirits who appear in a terrible darkness are called devils. They also abhor truth as owls do the light of the sun. In contrast, the spirits who appear in a darkness that is not so dreadful are called satanic spirits. They do not abhor truth, though they are still averse to it, and therefore they may be likened to barn owls, but the first to eagle owls.

The fact that blackness in the Word is predicated of falsity can be seen from the following passages:

Her Nazirites were brighter than snow... Darkened more than blackness is their form. (Lamentations 4:7-8)

...on the prophets... the day shall grow black. (Micah 3:6)

On the day that you go down to hell..., I will make Lebanon dark over you... (Ezekiel 31:15)

...the sun became as black as sackcloth of goat's hair... (Revelation 6:12)

The sun, moon and stars are darkened in Jeremiah 4:27-28, Ezekiel 32:7, Joel 2:10; 3:15, and elsewhere.

It was the third living creature that displayed the black horse because it had a face like a human being, which symbolized the Divine truth of the Word in respect to its wisdom (no. 243). Consequently it was this living creature that displayed the fact that there was no longer any truth of wisdom in the people who were third in order.

  
/ 962  
  

Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #167

Study this Passage

  
/ 962  
  

167. "'And they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.'" This symbolically means that they will live with the Lord in His spiritual kingdom, because they are governed by truths from Him.

This is the meaning of these words because to walk in the Word symbolically means to live, and to walk with God symbolically means to live from Him, and because to be in white means, symbolically, to be guided by truths. For the color white in the Word is predicated of truths, because it takes its origin from the light of the sun, while red is predicated of goods, because it takes its origin from the sun's fire, and blackness is predicated of falsities, because it takes its origin from the darkness of hell.

People who are governed by truths from the Lord, being conjoined with Him, are called worthy, for all worth in the spiritual world comes from conjunction with the Lord.

It is apparent from this that "they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy," means, symbolically, that they will live with the Lord, because they are governed by truths from Him.

We say that they will live with the Lord in His spiritual kingdom because the whole of heaven has been distinguished into two kingdoms - the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom - and in the celestial kingdom live people who are governed by the goodness of love from the Lord, while in the spiritual kingdom live those who are governed by the truths of wisdom from the Lord. The latter are also said to walk with the Lord in white. Moreover, they are dressed in white garments.

[2] That to walk means, symbolically, to live, and to walk with God means to live with Him because it is to live from Him, is clear from the following passages:

He walked with Me in peace and rectitude... (Malachi 2:6)

You have delivered my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living. (Psalms 56:13)

...David... kept My commandments and... walked after Me with all his heart... (1 Kings 14:8)

Remember..., O Jehovah..., how I have walked before You in truth... (Isaiah 38:3)

If you... walk contrary to Me..., and... do not obey (My voice)..., I also will walk contrary to you... (Leviticus 26:23-24, 27-28)

They would not walk in the ways (of Jehovah). (Isaiah 42:24; cf. Deuteronomy 11:22; 19:9; 26:17)

...all people walk... in the name of (their) god, but we will walk in the name of Jehovah... (Micah 4:5)

A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light... ...believe in the light... (John 12:35-36; cf. 8:12)

...the scribes asked..., "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders...?" (Mark 7:5)

Walking is also said of Jehovah, that He walks among people, which is to say that He lives in them and together with them:

I will make My dwelling among you, and... I will walk among you and be your God... (Leviticus 26:11-12)

It is apparent from this what is meant by the statement,

These things says He... who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. (Revelation 2:1)

  
/ 962  
  

Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.