The Bible

 

Ezekiel 1:9

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9 joining one unto another [are] their wings, they turn not round in their going, each straight forward they go.

Commentary

 

#161 Seven More Breaches: Understanding Problems with Scripture

By Jonathan S. Rose

Title: Seven Other Breaches

Topic: Second Coming

Summary: We look at seven more issues that people can perceive as major problems with Scripture; and we look at the Divine remedy that heals all breaches.

Use the reference links below to follow along in the Bible as you watch.

References:
Exodus 17:14-16
Deuteronomy 7:6
1 Samuel 15:2-3
Nehemiah 13:23-25
1 Kings 8:63
1 Chronicles 29:21
Ezekiel 1:4-10
Revelation 4:7-8; 22:1-2
Leviticus 10:1
Numbers 16:29
1 Samuel 14:34
Exodus 32:9-end
Nahum 1:1
Judges 4:21
2 Kings 19:35
Judges 3:21-22
Psalms 137:8; 68:1-2
Deuteronomy 28:53-57
John 19:23
Revelation 19:11

Play Video
Spirit and Life Bible Study broadcast from 11/20/2013. The complete series is available at: www.spiritandlifebiblestudy.com

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #8131

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8131. 'Over against it you are to encamp, close to the sea' means that the influx of temptation comes from there. This is clear from the meaning of 'over against it' as close enough for it to be within view, in the internal sense close enough for the influx to come from there; from the meaning of 'encamping' as the arrangement of truth and good for undergoing temptations, as immediately above in 8130; and from the meaning of 'the Sea Suph' as the hell where falsities arising from evils prevail, dealt with in 8099. How one should understand the explanation that the influx of temptation comes from there must be stated briefly. The temptations a person undergoes are spiritual conflicts between evil spirits and good ones. The conflicts arise from and have to do with the things the person has done or thought, recorded in his memory. The evil spirits incriminate and attack, but the good ones pardon and defend. It appears as though those conflicts are within the person, for what flows into a person from the spiritual world presents itself not as something from there but as something inside him, see 741, 751, 761, 1820, 3927, 4249, 4307, 4572, 5036, 6657, 6666. A similar situation exists with spirits when they undergo temptations. When therefore they are about to undergo temptations interior things residing with them, that is, the truths and forms of good, are rearranged by the Lord into a condition which is such that by means of direct influx from Himself, and indirect influx through heaven, resistance can be offered to the falsities and evils coming from the hells, and in that way the one undergoing temptation can be protected. When a person is tempted he is also close to hell, in particular to this hell that is meant by 'the Sea Suph'; for its inhabitants are people who had a knowledge of truth but led a life of evil, and are consequently ruled by falsities arising from evil. From the hells through evil spirits come those influences which lead to the anxiety experienced by a person in temptations. From all this one may see what one should understand by the influx of temptation from hell, meant by the command the people received to encamp over against it, close to the Sea Suph.

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