Apocalypse Revealed # 704
704. That perform signs to go away to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. This symbolizes assertions that their falsities are true, and efforts to stir up all those throughout the church who are caught up in the same falsities to attack the truths of the New Church.
To perform signs is to testify and also to assert that something is true, as may be seen in nos. 598, 599 above, here that their falsities are true. Kings of the earth and of the whole world symbolize people who are caught up primarily in falsities springing from evil, here all who are caught up in the same falsities throughout the church. For kings symbolize people impelled by truths that spring from goodness, and in an opposite sense people impelled by falsities springing from evil (no. 483). The earth symbolizes the church (no. 285), and so likewise does the world (no. 551). To go away to gather them to battle means, symbolically, to stir those people to fight or attack; for war symbolizes a spiritual war, which is one of falsity against truth and of truth against falsity (nos. 500, 586). It is to attack the truths of the New Church because it is called the battle of that great day of God Almighty, and that day symbolizes the Lord's advent and a new church then. That this is the symbolic meaning of the great day there will be seen below.
We are told that the spirits of demons would do this, because the spirits of demons symbolize lusts to falsify truths and to reason on the basis of falsities, as just said in no. 703 above.
It is apparent from this that spirits of demons performing signs to go away to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty, symbolize assertions by the people meant by the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, as described in nos. 701, 702 above, that their falsities are true, and efforts to stir up all those throughout the church who are caught up in the same falsities to attack the truths of the New Church.
[2] That the great day of God Almighty symbolizes the Lord's advent and a new church then, is clear from many passages in the Word, as from the following:
Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day. (Isaiah 2:11)
...in that day... Israel... will depend on Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. (Isaiah 10:20)
In that day a Root of Jesse... shall the Gentiles seek, and His resting place shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10-11)
In that day... eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 17:7, 9)
They will say in that day: "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, to set us free." (Isaiah 25:9)
...My people shall know My name...(and) in that day, I am He who speaks: "Behold, it is I." (Isaiah 52:6)
Alas! ...great is (the day of Jehovah, and) there is none like it. (Jeremiah 30:7)
Behold, the days are coming... when I will make a new covenant... and the city shall be built for Jehovah... (Jeremiah 31:27, 31, 38)
In those days... I will cause to grow up to David a righteous Branch... (Jeremiah 33:15)
(They will not) stand in battle on the day of Jehovah. (Ezekiel 13:5)
In that day Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the children of your people... In that day... shall be delivered everyone who is found written in the book. (Daniel 12:1)
...in that day... you will call Me "My Husband."... In that day I will make a covenant for them... ...in that day I will hear... (Hosea 2:16, 18, 21).
Behold, I am sending you Elijah... before the coming of the great... day of Jehovah. (Malachi 4:5)
Jehovah... will save them in that day, as the flock of His people. (Zechariah 9:16)
In that day Jehovah will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Zechariah 12:8)
Behold, the day of Jehovah is coming... It shall be one day which is known to Jehovah... In that day Jehovah shall be one and His name one... In that day there shall be a great tumult... In that day "Holiness to the Lord" shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. (Zechariah 14:1, 4, 6-9, 13, 20-21)
There are many other passages in addition to these in which "the day of Jehovah" means the Lord's advent and a new church from Him then, as in the following: Isaiah 4:2; 19:16, 18, 21, 24; 22:20; 28:5; 29:18; 30:25-26; 31:7; and elsewhere.
Since the end of an age or final period of a former church is the time when the Lord's advent takes place and a new church begins, therefore the day of Jehovah in many places symbolizes the end of a previous church, and we are told that then there will be rumors, tumult, and wars. 1 See the passages collected in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord, nos. 4, 5.
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. E.g., Matthew 24:6
Exodus 22
1
If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
2
If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
3
If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
4
If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.
5
If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.
6
If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.
7
If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
8
If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.
9
For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.
10
If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:
11
Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.
12
And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.
13
If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.
14
And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.
15
But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.
16
And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
17
If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
18
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
19
Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.
20
He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
21
Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
22
Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
23
If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;
24
And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
25
If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.
26
If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:
27
For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.
28
Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
29
Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.
30
Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.
31
And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.
