Apocalypse Revealed # 578
578. And all the earth went marveling after the beast. This symbolically means that then that faith was accepted with joy and made the doctrine of the whole church, because people were in that case not servants under the law, but free under faith.
That the earth went marveling symbolizes people's marveling that the "mortal injury" was healed, and their acceptance of that faith therefore with joy. All the earth symbolizes the entire Protestant Reformed Church, inasmuch as the earth is the church (no. 285). Consequently, that all the earth went marveling after the beast means symbolically that that faith was accepted with joy and made the doctrine of the whole church. People received it with joy because in that case they were not servants under the law, but free under faith - not knowing that the case is altogether the reverse, namely, that people who believe themselves to be free under faith, either because of that faith or by means of that faith, are servants to sin, that is to say, to the devil, for sin and the devil are one and the same. Indeed, they believe that in their case the law does not condemn. Thus they believe that to sin without the condemnation of the law is freedom, provided they have faith, even though this is the essence of servitude. On the other hand, when a person refrains from sin, that is, from the devil, he becomes no longer a servant but free.
[2] To this I will add the following account:
I have spoken with several church doctors in the world of spirits, asking what they mean by works of the law, and by the law under whose yoke, servitude and condemnation they say they are not.
They said they were the works of the law in the Decalogue.
At that I then said, "What does the Decalogue command? Is it not the following, 'You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness'? These are the works of the law that you divorce from faith, saying that faith alone apart from works of the law justifies and saves, and that they are works for which Christ made satisfaction."
They replied that they were the works. And they heard then a voice from heaven saying, "Who can be so irrational?" And immediately their faces were turned in the direction of some diabolical spirits, with Machiavelli 1 among them, and many of the Jesuit order, who permitted all of these forbidden practices, provided they took precautions against the world's laws. And the church doctors would have joined their company, except that a society was interposed between them and separated them.
We are told that all the earth went marveling after the beast. That to go after it means to follow it and obey it, is apparent from the following passages:
...David... kept My commandments and... walked after Me with all his heart... (1 Kings 14:8)
The... sons of Jesse went... after Saul into battle. (1 Samuel 17:13)
You shall not go after a multitude to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute... after many to pervert justice. (Exodus 23:2)
...you shall not go after other gods whom you do not know. (Jeremiah 7:9)
They have gone after other gods to serve them. (Jeremiah 11:10, cf. Deuteronomy 8:19)
...Jehovah... will destroy...[every] man... who went after Baal of Peor. (Deuteronomy 4:3)
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), an Italian statesman and writer, whose political theories published in The Prince put expediency above morality, and excused the use of deceit and craft in maintaining the authority of the ruler and the execution of his policies.
Deuteronomy 8
1
You shall observe to do all the commandment which I command you this day, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers.
2
You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not.
3
He humbled you, and allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you didn't know, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh does man live.
4
Your clothing didn't grow old on you, neither did your foot swell, these forty years.
5
You shall consider in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so Yahweh your God chastens you.
6
You shall keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
7
For Yahweh your God brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of springs, and underground water flowing into valleys and hills;
8
a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey;
9
a land in which you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you may dig copper.
10
You shall eat and be full, and you shall bless Yahweh your God for the good land which he has given you.
11
Beware lest you forget Yahweh your God, in not keeping his commandments, and his ordinances, and his statutes, which I command you this day:
12
lest, when you have eaten and are full, and have built goodly houses, and lived therein;
13
and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied;
14
then your heart be lifted up, and you forget Yahweh your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage;
15
who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, [in which were] fiery serpents and scorpions, and thirsty ground where there was no water; who brought you forth water out of the rock of flint;
16
who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers didn't know; that he might humble you, and that he might prove you, to do you good at your latter end:
17
and [lest] you say in your heart, "My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth."
18
But you shall remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth; that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as at this day.
19
It shall be, if you shall forget Yahweh your God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.
20
As the nations that Yahweh makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you wouldn't listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.
