Apocalypse Revealed #601
601. Telling those dwelling upon the earth to make an image of the beast that was injured by the sword and lived. This symbolically means that the clergy induce people in the church to accept as doctrine that faith is the only means of salvation, because no one can do good of himself without its being merit-seeking, and because no one can fulfill the law and in that way be saved.
Those dwelling upon the earth mean people in the Protestant Reformed Church, as in no. 600 above. The image symbolizes the doctrine of that church, as explained below. And the image of the beast that was injured by the sword and lived symbolizes this tenet of the doctrine, that faith is the only means of salvation, because no one can do good of himself without its being merit-seeking, and because no one can fulfill the law and in that way be saved (see nos. 576, 577ff. above).
[2] Every church appears to the Lord as a person. If it is governed by truths from the Word, it appears as an attractive person. But if it is caught up in truths falsified, it appears as a hideous person. The church appears as it does in keeping with its doctrine and in keeping with its life in accordance with that doctrine. It follows from this that a church's doctrine presents an image of the church.
This can also be seen from the fact that every person embodies his own goodness and truth or his own evil and falsity. It is this and nothing else that makes a person human. Consequently it is doctrine and a life in accordance with it which produces the image of a person in the church - the image of an attractive person if the doctrine and his life in accordance with it conform with the Word's genuine truths, but the image of a hideous person if they accord with the Word's truths falsified.
[3] In the spiritual world, moreover, a person appears as a kind of animal, but it is his affection that so appears at a distance. People impelled by truths and goods from the Lord look like lambs and doves, while those caught up in falsified truths and adulterated goods look like owls and bats. People possessing a faith divorced from charity look like dragons and goats. Those caught up in falsities springing from evil look like basilisks 1 and crocodiles. And those who are of this character and yet have affirmed the teachings of the church look like fiery flying serpents.
It can be seen from this that the church's doctrine and a life in accordance with it are meant by the image of the beast which the people made for those dwelling upon the earth.
[4] But what eventually became of those who worshiped the image of the beast may be seen in Revelation 14:9-11; 19:20, cf. 20:4.
Images have similar symbolic meanings in the spiritual sense in Exodus 20:4-5, Leviticus 26:1, Deuteronomy 4:16-18, Isaiah 2:16, Ezekiel 7:20; 16:17; 23:14-16.
Among the ancients, idols and carved images were symbols of their religious faith. Consequently they symbolize doctrinal falsities and evils (no. 459).
Бележки под линия:
1. Legendary serpents or dragons, whose breath and glance were said to be lethal. Formerly identified in English translations of the Latin Vulgate with the cockatrice, and retained as such in the King James Bible.
民數記 35
2
你吩咐以色列人,要從所得為業的地中把些城給利未人居住,也要把這城四圍的郊野給利未人。
3
這城邑要歸他們居住,城邑的郊野可以牧養他們的牛羊和各樣的牲畜,又可以安置他們的財物。
5
另外東量二千肘,南量二千肘,西量二千肘,北量二千肘,為邊界,城在當中;這要歸他們作城邑的郊野。
6
你們給利未人的城邑,其中當有六座逃城,使誤殺人的可以逃到那裡。此外還要給他們四十二座城。
7
你們要給利未人的城,共有四十八座,連城帶郊野都要給他們。
8
以色列人所得的地業從中要把些城邑給利未人;人多的就多給,人少的就少給;各支派要按所承受為業之地把城邑給利未人。
11
就要分出幾座城,為你們作逃城,使誤殺人的可以逃到那裡。
12
這些城可以作逃避報仇人的城,使誤殺人的不至於死,等他站在會眾面前聽審判。
14
在約但河東要分出三座城,在迦南地也要分出三座城,都作逃城。
15
這六座城要給以色列人和他們中間的外人,並寄居的,作為逃城,使誤殺人的都可以逃到那裡。
16
倘若人用鐵器打人,以致打死,他就是故殺人的;故殺人的必被治死。
17
若用可以打死人的石頭打死了人,他就是故殺人的;故殺人的必被治死。
18
若用可以打死人的木器打死了人,他就是故殺人的;故殺人的必被治死。
21
或是因仇恨用手打人,以致於死,那打人的必被治死。他是故殺人的;報血仇的一遇見就殺他。
22
倘若人沒有仇恨,忽然將人推倒,或是沒有埋伏把物扔在人身上,
23
或是沒有看見的時候用可以打死人的石頭扔在人身上,以致於死,本來與他無仇,也無意害他。
24
會眾就要照典章,在打死人的和報血仇的中間審判。
25
會眾要救這誤殺人的脫離報血仇人的手,也要使他歸入逃城。他要住在其中,直等到受聖膏的大祭司死了。
26
但誤殺人的,無論甚麼時候,若出了逃城的境外,
27
報血仇的在逃城境外遇見他,將他殺了,報血仇的就沒有流血之罪。
28
因為誤殺人的該住在逃城裡,等到大祭司死了。大祭司死了以後,誤殺人的才可以回到他所得為業之地。
30
無論誰故殺人,要憑幾個見證人的口把那故殺人的殺了,只是不可憑一個見證的口叫人死。
31
故殺人、犯死罪的,你們不可收贖價代替他的命;他必被治死。
32
那逃到逃城的人,你們不可為他收贖價,使他在大祭司未死以先再來住在本地。
33
這樣,你們就不污穢所住之地,因為血是污穢地的;若有在地上流人血的,非流那殺人者的血,那地就不得潔淨(潔淨原文作贖)。