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και εγενετο λογος κυριου προς με λεγων
Arcana Coelestia # 8875
8875. 'A jealous God' means that as a result there is falsity and evil. This is clear from the consideration that in the genuine sense 'a jealous God' means the Divine Truth of Divine Good, since 'God' has reference to truth, 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921 (end), 4287, 4402, 7010, 7268, 8301, and 'jealous' to good, as will be seen below. But so far as those who do not receive the Divine Truth of the Lord's Divine Good are concerned, 'a jealous God' is falsity and evil. For those who are opposed to Him perceive Divine Truth as falsity, and Divine Good as evil; for the way in which everyone sees that Truth and Good is determined by what he really is in himself. So it is that the Lord's zeal, 1 which in itself is love and compassion, is seen by them as anger; for when the Lord in love and mercy protects His own in heaven those ruled by evil are indignant and angry with the good. They plunge into the sphere where Divine Good and Divine Truth are, endeavouring to destroy those who are there. But then the Divine Truth of Divine Good acts on them and causes them to experience torments like those suffered in hell. As a consequence of this they attribute wrath and anger, and also all evil, to the Divine, when in fact there is no anger whatever in the Divine, nor any evil whatever, only pure forbearance and mercy.
[2] From all this it is evident why 'jealous' means falsity and evil, and why 'zeal' means anger. See what has been shown already about them, that is to say, in the following places,
Wrath and anger are attributed to the Lord, when in fact they exist with those who are ruled by evil or who are full of anger against the Divine, 5798, 6997, 8284, 8483.
Evil things, punishments, and times of vastation are in a similar way attributed to the Lord, when in fact nothing except love and mercy reside with the Lord, 2447, 6071, 6559, 6991, 6997, 7533, 7632, 7643, 7679, 7710, 7877, 7926, 8214, 8223, 8226-8228, 8282, 8632.
Through their endeavour to destroy goodness and truth the evil bring about their own devastation and cast themselves into damnation and hell, 7643, 7679, 7710, 7926, 7989.
The way in which everyone sees the Lord is determined by what he is within himself, 1861 (end), 6832, 8197.
[3] The places in the Word which are quoted below will show that 'the zeal of the Lord' is love and mercy, and that when the Lord protects the good against the evil it seems like hostility, and also like anger.
The zeal of the Lord is love and mercy.
In Isaiah,
Look out from heaven, and see from the dwelling-place of Your holiness and of Your glory. And where are Your zeal and Your might? The yearning of Your loins, 2 and Your compassion, 3 towards me have held themselves back. Isaiah 63:15.
'Zeal' here stands for mercy, which is 'a yearning of the loins' and has reference to good. For where it says 'Your zeal and Your might' the word 'zeal' has reference to good, and the word 'might' to truth; and 'the yearning of the loins' likewise has reference to good, and 'compassion' to truth. In a like manner 'the dwelling-place of holiness' stands for the heaven where members of the celestial kingdom live, and 'the dwelling-place of glory' for the heaven where members of the spiritual kingdom live. From this too it is evident that where good is referred to in the Word, truth is referred to as well, on account of the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of good and truth, in every individual part of the Word. This is so in the case of the Lord's two names Jesus and Christ; they are a sign of the Divine marriage within the Lord. Regarding these matters, see 683, 793, 801, 2516, 4138 (end), 5138, 5502, 6343, 7945, 8339 (end).
[4] In the same prophet,
To us a Boy is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulder; and His name is called' 4 Wonderful, Counsellor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end. The zeal of Jehovah will do this. Isaiah 9:6-7.
This refers to the Lord and His Coming. 'The zeal of Jehovah will do this' stands for His acting from a love that burns to save the human race. In the same prophet,
Out of Jerusalem will go a remnant, and those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of Jehovah will do this. Isaiah 37:32.
'The zeal of Jehovah will do this' stands for His acting out of love and mercy.
[5] In Ezekiel,
Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name. 5 Ezekiel 39:25.
'Being jealous' stands for having mercy. In David, The zeal of Your house has devoured me. Psalms 69:9.
This refers to the Lord. 'The zeal of Jehovah's house' stands for love towards those who receive goodness and truth; for they are Jehovah's house.
[6] The Lord's zeal or mercy when He protects the good seems like hostility.
In Isaiah,
Jehovah will go forth as a mighty man, as a man of war He will arouse zeal; He will shout aloud and cry out, He will prevail over His enemies. Isaiah 42:13.
And in Joel,
Jehovah will be jealous for His land, and spare His people. Joel 2:18.
[7] The Lord's zeal is called anger and wrath because mercy is seen as such by the evil.
In Moses,
You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are round about you (for Jehovah your God in the midst of you is a jealous God), lest perhaps the anger of Jehovah your God flare up against you and destroy you from the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 6:14-15.
In the same author,
They provoked Him to jealousy through foreign [gods]; through abominations they made Him angry. They sacrifice to demons. They have moved Me to jealousy, 6 by what is not god, they have provoked Me to anger with their idols. 7 Deuteronomy 32:16-17, 21.
In Ezekiel,
When My anger is accomplished and I make My wrath rest on them, I will repent, so that they may know that I Jehovah have spoken in My zeal, when I have accomplished My wrath on them. Ezekiel 5:13.
In Zechariah,
The angel of Jehovah [speaking] in me said to me, Cry out, saying, Thus said Jehovah Zebaoth, I have been jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with great zeal. For I have become extremely indignant against the nations that feel secure. Zechariah 1:14-15; 8:2.
In Zephaniah,
I will pour out onto them My indignation, all My fierce anger, 8 for in the fire of My zeal the whole earth will be devoured. Zephaniah 3:8.
In Moses,
Jehovah will not be pleased to pardon him; but then the anger of Jehovah, and His zeal, will smoke against that man, and every curse will rest on him Deuteronomy 29:20.
In David,
How long, O Jehovah; will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn line fire? Pour out Your anger on the nations that do not know You. Psalms 79:5-6.
Jehovah's zeal is in like manner referred to as 'anger' in Psalms 38:1; Ezekiel 16:42; 23:25; 38:19.
All this shows what is meant by 'Jehovah's zeal' or 'a jealous God' - in the genuine sense love and mercy, but in the non-genuine sense, such as that understood by those immersed in evils and falsities, anger and ruination.
[8] It should be recognized that Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is called 'jealous' or 'an avenger' especially when what ought to reign universally with a member of the Church - that is to say, what is Divine and must be either loved, held in mind, or feared above all things - is being corrupted. When it has been corrupted or destroyed complete and utter darkness ensues in place of heavenly light; for that light no longer flows in from the Divine because there is no acceptance of it. This is why the commandment says, 'I am Jehovah your God, a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the sons, on the third and on the fourth [generations] of those who hate Me', which He would do if they worshipped other gods or made either a graven image or likenesses for themselves. For these corrupt what is Divine and ought to reign universally.
[9] Therefore similar declarations occur elsewhere in Moses,
Take care, lest you make for yourselves a graven image of any figure; for Jehovah your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God. Deuteronomy 4:23-24
And in the same author,
You shall not worship any other god; for Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, He is a jealous [God]. Exodus 34:14.
The reason why the Israelite nation was forbidden so strictly to do these things was that any adoration of other gods, graven images, and other images destroyed everything representative of the Church among them. For in heaven Jehovah, that is, the Lord, reigns universally; His Divine [Life] fills all things there and composes the life of all. If anything else had been worshipped instead of the Divine, everything representative, and so contact with heaven, would have perished.
Notas de rodapé:
1. or jealousy. In Latin, as in Hebrew, the same noun may be rendered zeal or jealousy, and the same adjective may be rendered zealous or jealous.
2. literally, The commotion of Your viscera
3. literally, compassions
4. literally, He has called His name
5. literally, the name of My holiness
6. literally, they have moved My jealousy (or zeal)
7. literally, vanities
8. lit all the wrath of My anger
Ezekiel 23
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The word of Yahweh came again to me, saying,
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Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother:
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and they played the prostitute in Egypt; they played the prostitute in their youth; there were their breasts pressed, and there was handled the bosom of their virginity.
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The names of them were Oholah the elder, and Oholibah her sister: and they became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem Oholibah.
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Oholah played the prostitute when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians [her] neighbors,
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who were clothed with blue, governors and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses.
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She bestowed her prostitution on them, the choicest men of Assyria all of them; and on whoever she doted, with all their idols she defiled herself.
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Neither has she left her prostitution since [the days of] Egypt; for in her youth they lay with her, and they handled the bosom of her virginity; and they poured out their prostitution on her.
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Therefore I delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, on whom she doted.
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These uncovered her nakedness; they took her sons and her daughters; and her they killed with the sword: and she became a byword among women; for they executed judgments on her.
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Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet was she more corrupt in her doting than she, and in her prostitution which were more than the prostitution of her sister.
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She doted on the Assyrians, governors and rulers, [her] neighbors, clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men.
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I saw that she was defiled; they both took one way.
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She increased her prostitution; for she saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion,
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dressed with girdles on their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them princes to look on, after the likeness of the Babylonians in Chaldea, the land of their birth.
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As soon as she saw them she doted on them, and sent messengers to them into Chaldea.
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The Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their prostitution, and she was polluted with them, and her soul was alienated from them.
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So she uncovered her prostitution, and uncovered her nakedness: then my soul was alienated from her, like as my soul was alienated from her sister.
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Yet she multiplied her prostitution, remembering the days of her youth, in which she had played the prostitute in the land of Egypt.
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She doted on their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of donkeys, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
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Thus you called to memory the lewdness of your youth, in the handling of your bosom by the Egyptians for the breasts of your youth.
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Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will raise up your lovers against you, from whom your soul is alienated, and I will bring them against you on every side:
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the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod and Shoa and Koa, [and] all the Assyrians with them; desirable young men, governors and rulers all of them, princes and men of renown, all of them riding on horses.
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They shall come against you with weapons, chariots, and wagons, and with a company of peoples; they shall set themselves against you with buckler and shield and helmet all around; and I will commit the judgment to them, and they shall judge you according to their judgments.
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I will set my jealousy against you, and they shall deal with you in fury; they shall take away your nose and your ears; and your residue shall fall by the sword: they shall take your sons and your daughters; and your residue shall be devoured by the fire.
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They shall also strip you of your clothes, and take away your beautiful jewels.
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Thus will I make your lewdness to cease from you, and your prostitution [brought] from the land of Egypt; so that you shall not lift up your eyes to them, nor remember Egypt any more.
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For thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will deliver you into the hand of them whom you hate, into the hand of them from whom your soul is alienated;
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and they shall deal with you in hatred, and shall take away all your labor, and shall leave you naked and bare; and the nakedness of your prostitution shall be uncovered, both your lewdness and your prostitution.
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These things shall be done to you, because you have played the prostitute after the nations, and because you are polluted with their idols.
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You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore will I give her cup into your hand.
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Thus says the Lord Yahweh: You will drink of your sister's cup, which is deep and large; you will be ridiculed and held in derision; it contains much.
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You shall be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of your sister Samaria.
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You shall even drink it and drain it out, and you shall gnaw the broken pieces of it, and shall tear your breasts; for I have spoken it, says the Lord Yahweh.
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Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have forgotten me, and cast me behind your back, therefore you also bear your lewdness and your prostitution.
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Yahweh said moreover to me: Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? then declare to them their abominations.
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For they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands; and with their idols have they committed adultery; and they have also caused their sons, whom they bore to me, to pass through [the fire] to them to be devoured.
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Moreover this they have done to me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my Sabbaths.
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For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and behold, thus have they done in the midst of my house.
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Furthermore you have sent for men who come from far, to whom a messenger was sent, and behold, they came; for whom you did wash yourself, paint your eyes, and decorate yourself with ornaments,
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and sit on a stately bed, with a table prepared before it, whereupon you set my incense and my oil.
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The voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with men of the common sort were brought drunkards from the wilderness; and they put bracelets on the hands of them [twain], and beautiful crowns on their heads.
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Then I said of her who was old in adulteries, Now will they play the prostitute with her, and she [with them].
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They went in to her, as they go in to a prostitute: so went they in to Oholah and to Oholibah, the lewd women.
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Righteous men, they shall judge them with the judgment of adulteresses, and with the judgment of women who shed blood; because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.
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For thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will bring up a company against them, and will give them to be tossed back and forth and robbed.
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The company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall kill their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.
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Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may be taught not to do after your lewdness.
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They shall recompense your lewdness on you, and you shall bear the sins of your idols; and you shall know that I am the Lord Yahweh.
