The Bible

 

John 5:25-29 : The End is the New Beginning

Study

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Commentary

 

The End is the New Beginning

By Junchol Lee


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We use a calendar that has 12 months and 365 days in it. As it nears December 31st, we feel as though something is getting close to an end, and yet on January 1st it feels like a new beginning. Our life is composed of many endings and beginnings. We may live one life, but within this one life we have many different journeys.

(References: Habakkuk 3:17)

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2927

Study this Passage

  
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2927. 'Abraham rose up and bowed' means the Lord's joy at being received so kindly. This is clear from the meaning of 'rising up' as implying some kind of raising up, dealt with in 2401, 2785 - gladness and joy raise the mind up, and therefore the phrase 'he rose up' is used here; from the representation of 'Abraham' as the Lord, often dealt with already; and from the meaning of 'bowing' as feeling joy, bowing being a movement of the body expressing both humiliation and joy. The fact that an expression of joy at being received kindly is meant here is evident from what comes before and after the words 'Abraham rose up and bowed down'.

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