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以西結書第40章

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1 我們被擄掠第二十五年,耶路撒冷城攻破十四年,正在年初,之初十日,耶和華的靈(原文是)降在我身上,他把我到以色列地。

2 的異象中帶我到以色列,安置在至上;在上的邊有彷彿一座城建立。

3 我到那裡,見有一,顏色(原文是形狀)如銅,拿麻繩和量度的竿,站在門口

4 對我子啊,凡我所指示你的,你都要用眼,用耳,並要放在上。我帶你到這裡,特為要指示你;凡你所見的,你都要告訴以色列家。

5 我見殿四圍有。那量度的竿,長肘,每肘是肘零掌。他用竿量,厚竿,高竿。

6 他到了朝東的,就上的臺階,量的這檻,寬竿;又量的那檻,寬竿。

7 又有衛房,每房長竿,寬竿,相隔五肘。檻,就是挨著向殿的廊檻,寬竿。

8 他又量向殿的廊子,寬竿。

9 又量廊,寬肘,牆柱厚肘;那的廊子向著殿。

10 洞有衛房:這旁間,那旁間,都是樣的尺寸;這邊的柱子和那邊的柱子,也是樣的尺寸。

11 他量門口,寬肘,長十三肘。

12 衛房前展出的境界:這邊肘,那邊肘;衛房這邊肘,那邊肘。

13 又量洞,從這衛房頂的後檐到那衛房頂的後檐,寬二十五肘;衛房相對。

14 又量(原文是造)廊子六十肘(七十士譯本是二十肘),牆柱外是院子,有廊為界,在洞兩邊。

15 從大門口到內廊前,共五十肘。

16 衛房和洞兩旁柱間並廊子,都有嚴緊的窗櫺;裡邊都有窗櫺,柱上有雕刻的棕樹。

17 我到外院,見院的四圍有鋪石地;鋪石地上有屋子三十間。

18 鋪石地,就是矮鋪石地在各洞兩旁,以洞的長短為度。

19 他從下量到內院外,共寬一肘,東面面都是如此。

20 他量外院朝,長寬若干。

21 洞的衛房,這旁間,那旁間。洞的柱子和廊子,與第一的尺寸一樣。洞長五十肘,寬二十五肘。

22 其窗櫺和廊子,並雕刻的棕樹,與朝東的尺寸一樣。登層臺階上到這,前面有廊子。

23 內院有與這相對,面東面都是如此。他從這量到那,共一肘。

24 他帶我往去,見朝,又照先前的尺寸量洞的柱子和廊子。

25 門洞兩旁與廊子的周圍都有窗櫺,和先量的窗櫺一樣。門洞長五十肘,寬二十五肘。

26 層臺階上到這門,前面有廊子;柱上有雕刻的棕樹,這邊棵,那邊棵。

27 內院朝。從這量到朝的那,共一肘。

28 我從到內院,就照先前的尺寸量

29 衛房和柱子,並廊子都照先前的尺寸。門洞兩旁與廊子的周圍都有窗櫺。門洞長五十肘,寬二十五肘。

30 周圍有廊子,長二十五肘,寬五肘。

31 廊子朝著外院,柱上有雕刻的棕樹。登層臺階上到這門。

32 我到內院的東面,就照先前的尺寸量東

33 衛房和柱子,並廊子都照先前的尺寸。門洞兩旁與廊子的周圍都有窗櫺。門洞長五十肘,寬二十五肘。

34 廊子朝著外院。門洞兩旁的柱子都有雕刻的棕樹。登層臺階上到這門。

35 我到,就照先前的尺寸量那

36 就是量衛房和柱子,並廊子。門洞周圍都有窗櫺;門洞長五十肘,寬二十五肘。

37 廊柱朝著外院。門洞兩旁的柱子都有雕刻的棕樹。登層臺階上到這門。

38 洞的柱旁有屋子和;祭司(原文是他們)在那裡洗燔祭牲。

39 廊內,這邊有兩張桌子,那邊有兩張桌子,在其上可以宰殺燔祭牲、贖祭牲,和贖愆祭牲。

40 上到朝門口,這邊有兩張桌子廊那邊也有兩張桌子

41 這邊有桌子,那邊有桌子,共張;在其上祭司宰殺犧牲。

42 為燔祭牲有桌子,是鑿過的石頭做成的,長肘半,寬肘半,肘。祭司將宰殺燔祭牲和平安祭牲所用的器皿放在其上。

43 有鉤子,寬掌,釘在廊內的四圍。桌子上有犧牲的

44 旁,內院裡有屋子,為歌的人而設。這屋子朝:原文是東);在旁,又有間朝

45 他對我:這朝子是為看守殿宇的祭司

46 那朝的屋子是為看守祭壇祭司。這些祭司是利未人中撒督的子孫,近前來事奉耶和華的

47 他又量內院,長一肘,寬一肘,是見方的。祭壇在殿前。

48 於是他我到殿前的廊子,量廊子的牆柱。這面厚五肘,那面厚五肘。兩旁,這邊肘,那邊肘。

49 廊子長二十肘,寬十肘。上廊子有臺階。靠近牆又有子,這邊根,那邊根。

   

来自斯威登堡的著作

 

Apocalypse Explained#951

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951. Because the seven angels that had the seven last plagues signify the manifestation of the evils and falsities that have devastated the church; and as this manifestation is made by means of the Divine truth in the Word, therefore those angels appeared clothed in linen pure and glistening white; for by this is signified genuine truth. All the angels also appear clothed according to their functions; for the garments in which they are clothed correspond to their ministries, and in general to their interiors. Angels who are wise from Divine truth appear in white garments of satin, lawn, or linen, because satin, lawn, and linen correspond to the truths in which they are. It is for this reason, also, that the garments in which Aaron and his sons ministered were linen; concerning this it is thus written in Moses:

"Thou shalt make for Aaron and his sons breeches of linen to cover the flesh of their nakedness, from the loins even to the thighs; they shall be upon them, when they enter into the tent of the assembly, and when they approach to the altar to minister in the holy place, lest they bear iniquity and die" (Exodus 28:42, 43).

And in another passage:

"Aaron, when he shall enter into the holy place, shall put on the linen coat of holiness; shoes of linen shall be upon his flesh; he shall gird himself with a linen belt; and shall put on a mitre of linen" (Leviticus 16:4).

Also:

That he should put on the same garments when he expiated the people (ver. 32).

Also:

When he took the ashes from the altar after the burnt-offering (Leviticus 6:10).

[2] Similarly the priests were to minister in the new temple, in Ezekiel:

When "the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, shall enter at the gates of the inner court, they shall put on linen garments; no woollen shall come upon them; when they shall minister in the gates of the inner court and inward, mitres of linen shall be upon their head, and breeches of linen upon their loins" (44:17, 18).

The reason why they put on linen garments when they ministered holy things was, that all holy administration is effected by means of Divine truth. For the priesthood, to which Aaron and his sons were appointed, represented the Lord as to Divine good; and this ministers all things by means of Divine truth. Divine truth also defends from falsities and evils that are from hell; therefore it is also said, "lest they bear iniquity and die," which signifies, that otherwise falsities from hell would destroy them. These garments were called garments of holiness, because holiness is said of Divine truth.

Because linen garments were the garments of the ministry, therefore the priests wore an ephod of linen when they ministered, as we read concerning Samuel (1 Sam. 2:18); concerning the priests whom Saul slew (1 Sam. 22:18); and also concerning David, when he went before the ark (2 Sam. 6:14).

[3] Also concerning the Lord Himself in John:

Jesus "rose up from supper and laid aside his garments, and took a linen cloth, and girded himself, and put water into a basin, and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the linen cloth with which he was girded" (13:4, 5).

The washing of the disciples' feet represented and thence signified purification from evils and falsities by means of Divine truth from the Lord. For all purification from evils and falsities is effected by means of Divine truth from the Lord; and this is signified by the linen cloth with which He girded Himself, and with which He wiped the disciples' feet.

[4] Besides these seven angels treated of in the Apocalypse, other angels also were seen in linen garments; as

The angel who set a mark on the foreheads of the men who sighed; and went in between the wheels of the cherubs, and took coals of fire and sprinkled upon the city (Ezekiel 9:3, 11; 10:2, 6, 7).

Also:

The angel who was seen by Daniel, clothed in linen, whose loins were girt with gold of Uphaz (Daniel 10:5; 12:6, 7).

They appeared clothed in linen, because girded for the ministry. The angel who measured the new temple, whose appearance was of brass,

Was seen to have a linen thread in his hand, and a measuring reed (Ezekiel 40:3).

By measuring the temple is there described the New Church as to its quality, which is signified by the number of the measure. And all the quality of the church is known by means of Divine truth; this was why a linen thread was in his hand.

[5] Because linen signifies truth, and a girdle everything pertaining to it, for it is that which embraces and includes all things; and since, with the sons of Israel, there was no longer any truth remaining,

Therefore the prophet Jeremiah was commanded to buy himself a girdle of linen, and hide it in the cleft of a rock at the Euphrates; and at the end of many days it was marred, and profitable for nothing (Jeremiah 13:1-7).

By the girdle of linen is signified all the truth of doctrine from the Word. What is signified by its being hid in the cleft of a rock at the Euphrates, and there marred, may be seen above (n. 569).

[6] By linen is signified the truth of the church also in Isaiah:

"A bruised reed will he not break and smoking linen will he not quench, and he will bring forth judgment unto truth" (42:3).

These words are spoken concerning the Lord. By the smoking linen which He will not quench is signified the small amount of truth from good with any one. The rest may be seen explained above (n. 627).

[7] By linen is also signified truth from the Word, properly the truth of the sense of its letter (Hos. 2:5, 9). It was also a statute with the sons of Israel,

"That they should not wear a garment mixed with woollen and linen together" (Deuteronomy 22:11).

The reason of this was, that woollen signifies good and linen truth, and because a man by his garments also has communication with the societies of heaven; and there are societies that are in good, and societies that are in truth. And a man must not have communication with different societies at the same time, for confusion would be the result. That this was the reason of that statute, no one has hitherto known; but it has been granted me to know this from the change of my garments. For on the laying aside of a linen garment, those in the spiritual world who were in truths have complained that they could not be present; and the same, on the garment being put on again, became present.

That there is such correspondence with the very garments of man has been hitherto unknown, but still it is evident from those passages that have been adduced above, namely, from the linen garments of Aaron and his sons; from the linen ephod which the priests and David had; from the linen in which the angels appeared clothed; and from the linen with which the Lord girded Himself and wiped the disciples' feet. So also from the rest of the garments of Aaron and his sons, which were all representative; and from the signification of garments in general, as denoting truths clothing good; concerning which see above (n. 64, 65, 195, 271, 395, 475, 476, 637).

Continuation concerning the First Precept:-

[8] It is not believed in the world that the love of ruling from mere delight in ruling, and the love of possessing goods from the mere delight of possession, and not from delight in uses, conceal in themselves every kind of evil; and also a contempt and rejection of everything pertaining to heaven and the church; and this because a man from the love of self and the love of the world is stimulated to do good to the church, to his country, to society, and to his neighbour, placing honour in acting well, and looking for reward. Hence it is that such love is called by many the fire of life, and the incitement to great things. But it must be observed, that so far as these two loves regard uses in the first place, and self in the second, so far they are good. But so far as they regard self in the first place, and uses in the second, so far they are evil. For then a man does everything for the sake of self, and consequently from self; and then, in everything that he does, himself and his proprium are present; and this is intrinsically nothing but evil. But to regard uses in the first place, and self in the second, is to do good for the sake of the church, one's country, society, and the neighbour. And the goods that a man does to these for their own sake are not from man, but the Lord. The difference between these two loves is like that between heaven and hell. A man does not know that there is such a difference, because from birth and nature he is in them, and because the delight in them continually flatters and favours him. Let him, however, know that the love of ruling from the delight in so doing, and not from delight in uses, is altogether diabolical, and may be called atheistical. For in proportion as a man is in that love, in the same proportion he does not, in his heart, believe in the existence of a God; and in the same proportion he derides, in his heart, everything pertaining to the church; indeed, he hates them; and from hatred persecutes all those who acknowledge God, especially those who acknowledge the Lord. The very delight of their life is to do evil, and do wicked and crimeful deeds of every kind. In a word, they are very devils. A man does not know this while he lives in the world, but he will know that it is so, when he comes into the spiritual world, as is the case immediately after death. Hell is full of such persons; where, instead of exercising dominion, they become slaves. They appear also there, when seen in the light of heaven, to be inverted, with the head downwards and the feet upwards, because they placed rule in the first place, and uses in the second. And that which is in the first place is the head, and that which is in the second constitutes the feet; and that which is the head is loved, but that which constitutes the feet is trodden under foot.

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.