2. For here the Gentiles, and the children of Ham at Sodom and Gomorrah; and in the whole region thereabouts, did now begin to exercise their domineering power; among whom Abraham was only a stranger, and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, as in a wilderness, where he kept cattle. But the Gentiles did tear and rend for the kingdom of this world, and for the external might and power, striving how one people might rule over another, whose will and dominion has continued even to this day, and has received its beginning from the heathen, and the children of Ham, viz. From Babel, from the divided tongues.
3. When the powers of the formed word, viz. the properties of nature, did divide themselves, and each introduced itself into a selfishness, then strife and enmity did arise among them. For the centre of the nature of the dark world has obtained his dominion in the fallen property of man; for men were as dead to the kingdom of God, viz. in the love and humility, and lived at present to the outward stars and the four elements.
4. Also the devil had built his stronghold in the Serpent's ens in man; therefore they sought only after that which made them great and potent in the world. And yet we may see how the devil did only fool and ape them, in the wrath of God, so that they slew one another, and esteemed temporal pleasure higher than their life, which is the greatest folly under the sun, that man should bring his life into death's danger, for a poor silly pride's sake, whereas yet he knows not whether he shall hold and possess that for which he murders, kills, and slays.
5. And we see how soon the devil, in his envy and pride, ruled in them; for though they had the whole earth before them to possess, and many countries and islands were uninhabited, yet they undertake war, that so they might but domineer over one another, and rob and plunder one another. Thus the devil, as man's enemy, brought them into his pride, that they might serve him.
6. 'Tis not in vain that Christ calls him a prince of this world: he is a prince according to the property of the wrath of the dark world therein; in and according to the same property he rules man in body and soul, in will, and mind.
7. For all war and contention does arise out of the nature and property of the dark world, viz. From the four elements of the anger of God, which produces in the creature, pride, covetousness, envy, and anger. These are the four elements of the dark world, wherein the devils, and all evil creatures live; and from these four elements arises war.
8. For although God bade the people of Israel to drive out the heathen, and wage war, yet the command was wholly from the angry zealous God, viz. from the fire's property, for the heathen had stirred up the wrath and indignation which would devour them. But God, so far as he is called God, desires no war; yea, he cannot desire anything that is evil or destructive, for he is, according to the second Principle, viz. according to the light, alone good and giving, and gives himself to all things.
9. But according to the dark world's nature he is an angry zealous God, and a consuming fire, if his wrath be awakened. According to this property he desires to consume all that moves and enkindles itself therein; and from this property God bade Israel fight, and smite the heathen. For his anger was set on fire in them; and they were as wood cast into the fire, which the fire desires to consume.
10. Therefore the wrath of God bade one nation slay another, that it might even out of his wrath be taken away. Otherwise the fire of his anger would have enkindled itself as happened to the five kingdoms of Sodom and Gomorrah. Thus the wrath of God did satiate itself in the life of the wicked, which it devoured into itself in that they slew one another.
2. For here the Gentiles, and the children of Ham at Sodom and Gomorrah; and in the whole region thereabouts, did now begin to exercise their domineering power; among whom Abraham was only a stranger, and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, as in a wilderness, where he kept cattle. But the Gentiles did tear and rend for the kingdom of this world, and for the external might and power, striving how one people might rule over another, whose will and dominion has continued even to this day, and has received its beginning from the heathen, and the children of Ham, viz. From Babel, from the divided tongues.
3. When the powers of the formed word, viz. the properties of nature, did divide themselves, and each introduced itself into a selfishness, then strife and enmity did arise among them. For the centre of the nature of the dark world has obtained his dominion in the fallen property of man; for men were as dead to the kingdom of God, viz. in the love and humility, and lived at present to the outward stars and the four elements.
4. Also the devil had built his stronghold in the Serpent's ens in man; therefore they sought only after that which made them great and potent in the world. And yet we may see how the devil did only fool and ape them, in the wrath of God, so that they slew one another, and esteemed temporal pleasure higher than their life, which is the greatest folly under the sun, that man should bring his life into death's danger, for a poor silly pride's sake, whereas yet he knows not whether he shall hold and possess that for which he murders, kills, and slays.
5. And we see how soon the devil, in his envy and pride, ruled in them; for though they had the whole earth before them to possess, and many countries and islands were uninhabited, yet they undertake war, that so they might but domineer over one another, and rob and plunder one another. Thus the devil, as man's enemy, brought them into his pride, that they might serve him.
6. 'Tis not in vain that Christ calls him a prince of this world: he is a prince according to the property of the wrath of the dark world therein; in and according to the same property he rules man in body and soul, in will, and mind.
7. For all war and contention does arise out of the nature and property of the dark world, viz. From the four elements of the anger of God, which produces in the creature, pride, covetousness, envy, and anger. These are the four elements of the dark world, wherein the devils, and all evil creatures live; and from these four elements arises war.
8. For although God bade the people of Israel to drive out the heathen, and wage war, yet the command was wholly from the angry zealous God, viz. from the fire's property, for the heathen had stirred up the wrath and indignation which would devour them. But God, so far as he is called God, desires no war; yea, he cannot desire anything that is evil or destructive, for he is, according to the second Principle, viz. according to the light, alone good and giving, and gives himself to all things.
9. But according to the dark world's nature he is an angry zealous God, and a consuming fire, if his wrath be awakened. According to this property he desires to consume all that moves and enkindles itself therein; and from this property God bade Israel fight, and smite the heathen. For his anger was set on fire in them; and they were as wood cast into the fire, which the fire desires to consume.
10. Therefore the wrath of God bade one nation slay another, that it might even out of his wrath be taken away. Otherwise the fire of his anger would have enkindled itself as happened to the five kingdoms of Sodom and Gomorrah. Thus the wrath of God did satiate itself in the life of the wicked, which it devoured into itself in that they slew one another.
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.