Apocalypse Explained # 919
919. Verse 19. And the angel cast his sickle into the earth and gathered the vineyard of the earth, signifies that this was done. This is evident from what has been just said in the preceding article. That a "vineyard" signifies the spiritual church is evident from the passages in the Word where "vineyard" is mentioned (as in Isaiah 1:8, 3:14; 5:1-10; 16:10; 36:17; 37:30; 65:21; Jeremiah 12:10; 32:15; 35:7, 9; 39:10; Ezekiel 28:26; Hosea 2:15; Amos 4:9; 5:11, 17; 9:14; Micah 1:6; Zephaniah 1:13; 1 Samuel 8:14, 15; Psalms 107:37; Matthew 20:1-8; 21:28, 38-41; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 13:6, 7; 20:9-16).
And concerning a "vine" see John 15:1-12; as well as in the historical parts of the Word.
From these passages it is clearly evident that a "vineyard" means the church (See also above, n. 376, 403, 638, 918, where many passages in which "vineyard" occurs are explained). From the signification of "vineyard" it can be seen that "to gather the vintage" signifies to collect for uses those things that will be serviceable to the understanding, and which will give intelligence and wisdom; and in the contrary sense it signifies to lay waste the church as to spiritual good, and thus as to the affection of truth and the understanding of truth. In this contrary sense "vintage" and "to gather the vintage" are used in the sense that there are no longer any clusters or grapes remaining; and this signifies in the spiritual sense that all spiritual good, and thus all truth that is truth in itself, is destroyed; and this is especially effected in the church by falsifications of the Word, likewise when evil of life corrupts all good, and falsity of doctrine perverts all truth; this is described also by "spoilers" and by "thieves."
[2] That "gathering the vintage" signifies, for this reason, laying waste, can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:
A cry over the wine in the streets; every joy shall be mixed; the gladness of the earth shall be banished. The remnant in the city is a waste, and the gate shall be beaten down even to devastation. For so shall it be in the midst of the land as the beating of an olive-tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is finished (Isaiah 24:11-13).
This describes the mourning over the devastation of the church as to celestial good and as to spiritual good, which in its essence is truth from celestial good. This devastation is compared to "the beating of an olive-tree," and to "the gleanings when the vintage is finished." (But this may be seen explained above, n. 313, 638).
[3] In the same:
Ye confident daughters, perceive My word in your ears; year 1 upon year shall ye be troubled, ye confident ones, for the vintage is finished, the ingathering shall not come (Isaiah 32:9, 10).
"Confident daughters" signify those in the church who love falsities more than truths. That with such, truths are gradually diminished in every state, is signified by "year 1 upon year shall ye be troubled." The devastation of all truth until there is nothing left is signified by "the vintage is finished, and the ingathering shall not come."
[4] In Jeremiah:
Upon thy fruits of autumn and upon thy vintage hath the spoiler fallen, therefore gladness and joy are gathered out of Carmel (Jeremiah 48:32, 33).
"Fruits of autumn" signify the goods of the church; "the vintage" signifies its truths; for "bread," which is here meant by the "fruits of autumn," signifies the good of the church, and "wine," which is from the vintage, signifies its truth. "The spoiler" who fell upon them signifies evil and falsity therefrom. That the delight of spiritual and celestial love, which is the very joy of the heart, will perish, is signified by "gladness and joy shall be gathered out of Carmel."
[5] In Micah:
Woe is me, I am become as the gatherings of the summer, as the gleanings of the vintage; there is no cluster to eat; my soul desireth the first ripe fruit (Micah 7:1).
"As the gleanings of the vintage, there is no cluster to eat," signifies such devastation of the church that there is no longer any good or truth. (The rest may be seen explained in the preceding article.) In Jeremiah:
If the grape-gatherers came to thee they would leave no gleanings; if thieves in the night they would destroy sufficiency (Jeremiah 49:9).
In Obadiah:
If thieves came to thee, if destroyers by night, how wouldst thou be cut off? Would they not steal till they had enough? If the grape-gatherers came to thee would they leave any clusters? (Obadiah 1:5).
"Grape-gatherers" signify falsities, and "thieves" evils, which lay waste the truths and goods of the church; but "destroyers" signify both falsities and evils; that "they would leave no clusters" signifies that there are no goods because there are no truths. But "to gather the vintage" signifies to gather for uses such things especially as will be serviceable to the understanding, see in Jeremiah 6:9; Leviticus 19:10, 26:5; Deuteronomy 20:6, 7, 24:21.
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. The Hebrew has "days upon a year," Schmidius has "year upon year."
Amos 5
1
Listen to this word which I take up for a lamentation over you, O house of Israel.
2
"The virgin of Israel has fallen; She shall rise no more. She is cast down on her land; there is no one to raise her up."
3
For thus says the Lord Yahweh: "The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth one hundred shall have ten left to the house of Israel."
4
For thus says Yahweh to the house of Israel: "Seek me, and you will live;
5
but don't seek Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and don't pass to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing.
6
Seek Yahweh, and you will live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, and there be no one to quench it in Bethel.
7
You who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth:
8
seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns the shadow of death into the morning, and makes the day dark with night; who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth, Yahweh is his name,
9
who brings sudden destruction on the strong, so that destruction comes on the fortress.
10
They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks blamelessly.
11
Forasmuch therefore as you trample on the poor, and take taxes from him of wheat: You have built houses of cut stone, but you will not dwell in them. You have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
12
For I know how many your offenses, and how great are your sins-- you who afflict the just, who take a bribe, and who turn aside the needy in the courts.
13
Therefore a prudent person keeps silent in such a time, for it is an evil time.
14
Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so Yahweh, the God of Armies, will be with you, as you say.
15
Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the courts. It may be that Yahweh, the God of Armies, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph."
16
Therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of Armies, the Lord: "Wailing will be in all the broad ways; and they will say in all the streets, 'Alas! Alas!' and they will call the farmer to mourning, and those who are skillful in lamentation to wailing.
17
In all vineyards there will be wailing; for I will pass through the midst of you," says Yahweh.
18
"Woe to you who desire the day of Yahweh! Why do you long for the day of Yahweh? It is darkness, and not light.
19
As if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; Or he went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a snake bit him.
20
Won't the day of Yahweh be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it?
21
I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.
22
Yes, though you offer me your burnt offerings and meal offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat animals.
23
Take away from me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24
But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.
25
"Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, house of Israel?
26
You also carried the tent of your king and the shrine of your images, the star of your god, which you made for yourselves.
27
Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus," says Yahweh, whose name is the God of Armies.
