New Christian Bible Study

From Swedenborg's Works

 

The Inner Meaning of the Prophets and Psalms #0

/ 418  
  

Table of Subjects 1

--------------------

1. The Lord's advent.

2. The successive vastation of the church.

3. The church totally devastated, and its rejection.

4. The rejection of the Lord by the church.

5. Temptations of the Lord in general.

6. Temptation even to despair.

7. The combats of the Lord with the hells.

8. Victory over them, or their subjugation.

9. The passion of the cross.

10. The glorification of the Human of the Lord, or its union with the Divine.

11. A new church in place of the former.

12. A new church together with a new heaven.

13. The state of humiliation before the Father.

14. 2

15. A last judgment by the Lord.

16. Celebration and worship of the Lord.

17. Redemption and salvation by the Lord.

--------------------

Editor's Introduction: In this work, Emanuel Swedenborg outlined the internal meaning of all the Prophetical Books, from Isaiah to Malachi, and the Psalms, and then the first 16 chapters of Genesis. It provides a survey of the inner meaning of a substantial portion of the Old Testament, in one place.

This work was written by Swedenborg in Latin, in 1761. It was translated from Latin into English by Rev. J. E. Schreck, and this translation was published by the Swedenborg Foundation, in New York, in 1900. This modified version of Schreck's 1900 translation does not update the text; instead just modifying numbering and formatting for clarity of use online.

Each chapter of each book of the Prophets has one corresponding numbered section in Swedenborg's explanation of its inner meaning, or internal sense. Swedenborg listed the verses that relate to each outlined point. We have added hyperlinks to the verse references, shown to the left of each outlined point. The Psalms and initial chapters of Genesis are treated in a similar fashion.

This work was not published by Swedenborg, but it is consistent with other more detailed treatments made in his published works. For example, Swedenborg refers to this work in Doctrine of the Lord 37.

Readers may also find these comparisons useful:

- No. 124 of this work, explaining Ezekiel 1, with The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture 97,

- Nos. 161, 162, explaining Ezekiel 38, and 39, with Apocalypse Revealed 859,

- No. 236, explaining Zechariah 4, with Apocalypse Revealed 43, and

- Nos. 244-246 of this work, explaining Zechariah 12, 13, 14, with Apocalypse Revealed 707.

In the manuscript, at the beginning, Swedenborg wrote out a list of works that he intended to write and publish. While it's clearly related to the project of outlining the internal meaning of the Prophets, Psalms, and historical parts of the Word, it seems to be an independent list. We reproduce Rev. Schreck's translation of that list here:

"To Be Published:

1. Concerning the Lord.

2. Concerning the Sacred Scripture or concerning the Word of the Lord.

3. All things of religion and of the worship of God in one complex in the Decalogue.

4. Concerning Faith.

5. Angelic wisdom concerning the Divine Providence.

6. Angelic wisdom concerning the Divine omnipotence and omniscience, and concerning infinity and eternity.

7. Angelic wisdom concerning life.

8. Angelic wisdom concerning the Divine love and Divine wisdom."

Footnotes:

1. In the original Latin manuscript, Swedenborg cross-referred the outlined internal sense to a more general Table of Subjects, shown above. In the following passages, those references are shown in parentheses, e.g. (3) would refer to subject number 3 above. We received the Latin text for this "front matter" from the Heavenly Doctrines Publishing Foundation.

2. Editor's Note (Schreck): No. 14 is crossed out by Swedenborg in his MS., and is never referred to in the text. It reads, "The state of unition with His Divine," which is the same as No. 10.

Doctrine of the Lord 3 for an outline of a similar set of themes that form the internal sense of the prophetical books.

/ 418  
  

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

De Sensu Interno Librorum Propheticorum et Psalmorum Davidis #0

/ 418  
  

In 1761, Emanuel Swedenborg wrote an outline, in Latin, entitled "Librorum Propheticorum et Psalmorum Davidis". In it, he sketched out in brief he inner meaning of the Prophetical Books of the Word, from Isaiah to Malachi, and the Psalmuss, and then the first 16 chapters of Genesis. It provides a survey of the inner meaning of a substantial portion of the Old Testament, in one place. This work was not published by Swedenborg, but it was written after Arcana Coelestia, and it is largely consistent with other more detailed treatments made in his published works. 1

In the original Latin manuscript, Swedenborg cross-referred the outlined internal sense to a more general Table of Subjects 2 , shown just below.

SUMMARIAE EXPOSITIONS SENSUS INTERNI PROPHETARUM ET PSALMORUM

Contenta in angustara coacta sunt sequentia.

1. De Domini adventu.

2. De Ecclesiae vastatione successiva.

3. De Ecclesia devástata totaliter, et de ejus rejectione.

4. De rejectione Domini ab Ecclesia.

5. De tentationibus Domini in genere.

6. De tentationibus usque ad desperationem.

7. De pugnis Domini cum infernis.

8. De victoria super Ulis, seu de subjugatione illorum.

9. De Passione crucis.

10. [De] glorificatione Humani Domini, seu de unitione cum Divino.

11. De nova Ecclesia loco prioris.

12. De nova Ecclesia, et simul de novo Coelo.

13. Status humiliationis coram Patre.

[14. Status unitionis cum Divino suo.] 3 15. De ultimo judicio ab Ipso.

16. Celebratio et cultus Domini.

17. De redemtione et salvatione, à Domino.

17.1. De Ecclesia devastata.

17.2. De pugnis cum infernis seu tentationibus.

17.3. De ultima quae fuit Passio crucis.

17.4. De glorificatione Humani.

17.5. De nova Ecclesia.

17.6. De novo Coelo.

In the following passages, those references are shown in parentheses, e.g. (3) would refer to subject number 3 above.

Each chapter of each book of the Prophets has one corresponding numbered section in Swedenborg's explanation of its inner meaning, or internal sense. Swedenborg listed the verses that relate to each outlined point. We have added hyperlinks to the verse references, shown to the left of each outlined point. The Psalmuss and initial chapters of Genesis are treated in a similar fashion.

---

In the same manuscript, at the beginning, Swedenborg wrote out a list of works that he intended to write and publish. While it's clearly related to the project of outlining the internal meaning of the Prophets, Psalmuss, and historical parts of the Word, it seems to be an independent list. We reproduce that list below, with its prefatory remarks:

NOTAE CRITICAE EDITОRIS.

Operis hujus posthumi Codex, qui est formae maximae oblongae, titulo caret, sed in Bibliotheca Regiae Academiae Holmiensis numero i notatus, et in dorso inserí plus est „Sensus prophetiсus." Primae ejus paginae lineis ad perpendiculum demissis sunt bibartitae, sed vacuae, numeris 532 ad 536, et (omissis 337. 338-) 339 ad 345 signatae, post quas prima auctoris verba sunt p. 346 - in prima columna:

„Quae edenda

1.) De Domino.

2.) De scriptura sacra seu de Verbo Domini

3.) Omnia religionis et cultus Dei in uno complexu in Decalogo.

4.) De fide.

5.) Sapientia Angelica de Divina Providentia.

6.) Sapientia Angelica de Divina Omnipotentia et Omniscientia, deque Infinitate et Aeternitate.

7.) Sapientia Angelica de vita.

8.) Sapientia angelica de Divino Amore et de Divina Sapientia."

---

De statu humiliationis Domini 4 quod oraverit ad Patrem.

Quod oraverit ad Patrem Matth: XIV: 23; Joh: XVII: 9, 15, 20; Luc: V: 15; Luc: XXII: 37 ad 47; Marc: I:35; VI: 46; Marc: XIV: 32 ad 39.

et super crux ne desererit; et alibi

Quod tunc conjungerit Divino suo, ut cum baptisaretur, quod apereretur coelum, Luc: III:21.

cum transformatur, ibi orabat, Luc: IX:28, 29.

et cum orabat de glorificatione, quod dictum quod glorificatus et ulterius glorificabitur Joh: XII:42-43 [Joh. 12:28] 5

Se peterent in nomine Domini, quod Ispe faciet, Joh:XIV, 13.14

---

Ex Davide 6

quod dederint Ispi fel [Ps. 69:21]

quod vestes diviserint [Ps. 22:18]

quod odio habuerint Ipsum sine causa [Ps. 35:19]

Lapis quam rejecerunt architectis, Ps. CXVIII: 21, 22, 22 7

---

[2] 8

1. De Ecclesia devastata

2. De pugnis cum infernis, seu tentationibus

3. De ultima quae fuit Passio crucis

4. De glorificatione Humani

5, De nova Ecclesia

6. De novo Coelo

Footnotes:

1. Swedenborg refers to this work in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Domino 37.

Readers may also find these comparisons to be useful:

- The explanation of Ezechiel 1 (in n. 124 of this work) with Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Scriptura Sacra 97,

- Nos. 161 and 162 of this work, explaining Ezechiel 38, 39, with Apocalypsis Revelata 859,

- No. 236 of this work, explaining Sacharias 4, with Apocalypsis Revelata 43, and

- Nos. 244-246 of this work, explaining Sacharias 12, 13, 14, with Apocalypsis Revelata 707.]

2. In the beginning of this manuscript, Swedenborg listed the topics, or subjects, that he would use to classify his explanations of the chapters and verses of the Prophets, Psalmuss, and the first 16 chapters of Genesis. We have added lookup hyperlinks so that the reader can refer back to this list readily. We received the Latin text for this "front matter" from the Heavenly Doctrines Publishing Foundation.

3. Editor's Note (Schreck): No. 14 is crossed out by Swedenborg in his MS., and is never referred to in the text. It reads, "The state of unition with His Divine," which is the same as item number 10 in the list.

4. In the manuscript, there's also this list of passages from the New Testament that relate to the Lord's states of humiliation and glorification.

5. The transliterated Latin file that we used as a source had "quod glorificatus et alters glorificaberit," which we have changed to "quod glorificatus et rursus glorificaberit," to match Schmidius. The reference to John 12:42-43 should probably be to Joh. 12:28.

6. There are some brief notes about parallels between the Psalmuss of David and of the Lord's life in the world.

7. The transliterated Latin file that we used as a source had Ps. CXIII as a reference, but the correct reference here would be to Psalmus CXVIII, or Psalmus 118.

8. The manuscript also has this brief summary of the series of spiritual events that will happen as the church fails and a new one is begun. See Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Domino 3 for an outline of a similar set of themes that form the internal sense of the prophetical books.

/ 418  
  

This Latin text was written by Swedenborg in 1761. It was first printed 12 years after Swedenborg's death, in 1784. An 1860 printing was edited by Tafel, probably by the Swedenborg Society in London (swedenborg.org.uk). We're not sure of the provenance of this text, and are researching it further. We received most of this text from the NewSearch project of the Academy of the New Church (brynathyn.edu), and the front matter courtesy of the Heavenly Doctrines Publishing Foundation (heavenlydoctrinepublishing.org).

The Bible

 

Ezekiel 38

Study

   

1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:

4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:

5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:

6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.

7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.

10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:

11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,

12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.

13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?

15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:

16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.

17 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?

18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face.

19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;

20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.

22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.

23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.

   

©2024 New Christian Bible Study Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed from newchristianbiblestudy.org