但以理书预言的这一开篇经文与但以理书前面大部分章节的开篇经文有着惊人的相似之处。像它们一样，它把异象放在一个背景中，我们看到了主引导我们再生的时间点：巴比伦王伯沙撒的第一年。

在内部意义上，时间是状态的指示。这意味着但以理的事件和预言并不是按照严格的时间顺序进行的，而是在同一时间发生在不同的层面。尼布甲尼撒是巴比伦的国王，代表我们内在的自私，而伯沙撒则统治我们的外在。克服自私动机的工作必须与消除我们外在的自私同时进行--否则，这项工作就是纯粹的智力活动。但以理书最后六章的异象，表明了我们在日常生活中意识到自私的影响的过程：当伯沙撒作王时。

在灵性发展中，我们有时会自欺欺人地认为变化会毫不迟疑地跟随努力。没有什么比这更离谱的了。我们的习惯非常强大--通常我们甚至没有意识到我们有这些习惯。然而，"再生 "的字面意思是 "重生"，这就需要在我们灵性发展的道路上驱除每一个障碍。这只能通过检查我们生活中的外部动机，并找到我们行为的最底层或根源来实现。

但以理的异象为我们追踪了这种探索。他所看到的从海中升起的四只野兽，每一只都描绘了我们体内邪恶生活的状态，并在它们与一个人声称持有的宗教原则之间的关系上增加了转折。每一个都必须被审查和拒绝。因此，这个异象的每一个细节都很重要。

与圣经中的所有数字一样，数字 "四 "有一个特殊的含义，对论述非常重要。"四 "代表连接在一起，因此与数字 "二 "具有相同的含义，(天国的秘密1686, 9103, 9601)，这是显而易见的，因为 "四 "是二乘以自身的结果。

在一般意义上，当 "四风 "一词在圣言中被提及时，它指的是 "一切美好和真理的事物，因此是天堂和教会的一切事物"(圣经》9642:10流入一个人，因为 "风 "是指从主那里流入的生命(破解啟示錄343).因此，在伊甸园里，主将生命注入亚当，又将生命注入他的门徒，用圣灵充满他们。在一个理想的情况下，主的存在，在我们的意志和我们的理解中，都是同等程度的，表明了一种重生的状态。在这种状态下，我们就像新耶路撒冷一样 "四平八稳"。

正如但以理书中的许多情况一样，象征意义需要颠倒过来才能看到其全部含义。但以理在巴比伦，是国王的仆人，因此任何通常与主有关的东西都被颠倒过来与巴比伦的国王有关，如自私：与对主的爱相反。

那么，涌入的不是善和真理，而是恶和假，特别是对自我的爱和对他人的控制。这个异象中的 "海 "描绘了控制我们外部存在的自私的巨大不安的潮水。但以理书描绘了一个人，他的良知被限制在思想和感觉上，但他的行为、态度和习惯仍然反映出旧有的自私状态(启示录316).巴比伦统治。在接下来的异象中，这些国家和它们的影响被揭示出来。

四个野兽从海里上来的异象讲述了我们的故事，当我们玩世不恭地滥用真理，过着自私自利的生活，直到邪恶完全占据了我们，并要毁灭我们(启示录556, 破解啟示錄574).除非真理的力量在我们的良知中战胜邪恶，让我们拒绝邪恶，否则邪恶就会成功。

这些野兽中的第一只就像一只长着鹰翅的狮子。狮子在圣经中被多次提及，通常描述真理的力量，以摧毁虚假和邪恶(启示录556).但在这个描述巴比伦的异象中，狮子具有相反的含义：狮子代表爱自己的力量（Arcana Coelestia 6367），以及虚假破坏真理的力量。

代表人类理性的鹰的翅膀被从狮子身上夺走，他被弄得像人一样用双脚站立，人的心也被赋予了他。一个沉迷于自私的人失去了欣赏宗教的能力，被自己相反的想法所拖累，发现自己与真理疏远。

接下来，但以理看到一只熊在一边竖起来。这种姿态表明我们急于曲解圣言，以适应我们自己的手段(天国的秘密781).这是对人类状态的设想，当自爱（尼布甲尼撒）统治着我们的内心，而这种自私的表现（伯沙撒）控制着我们的日常行为。熊是用我们自己 "优越 "的推理为邪恶辩护的乐趣。

我们很容易表现得很善良，同时为了自己的利益操纵其他人。为了欺骗他人，很容易把自己打扮成一个精神上的存在。在这样的生活中，慈善是一种死的形式。因此，这只熊的嘴里挂着三根肋骨。

但以理从来没有说过是谁命令熊'起来，吞吃更多的肉'，但也许这种敦促来自控制我们外部行为的更深层的自私状态。不管它的来源是什么，这些话说出了一个人为了自己的利益而误用圣言的心声。

豹子是 "凶猛的野兽"，喜欢 "杀死无害的动物"。它的外表，白色上的黑斑，说明了虚假对真理的影响(破解啟示錄57).但是但以理书中的豹子也像鸟一样有四个翅膀。就像狮子有鹰的翅膀一样，这里的翅膀也象征着我们的智力破坏了真理。豹子的四个翅膀象征着 "证实虚假的事"（《圣经》）。破解啟示錄574).

豹子不仅有四个翅膀，而且还有四个头。这是对人性堕落的描写，当虚假的东西占主导地位时。这是一种精神错乱的状态，因为当自私的内在与虚假的外在一起行动时，没有什么能阻止一个人从事各种恶行（Arcana Coelestia 1944：3）。在这种状态下，良心被奴役，无力阻止疯狂的行为。

第四只野兽的外形没有描述，它标志着 "真理和善的毁灭"（《圣经》1944年第3章）。破解啟示錄574).一旦一个人达到这种堕落的状态，他们就会不惜一切代价来摧毁任何约束性的影响。虚假被用来通过否认或扭曲真理以满足自己的目的来摧毁真理。这个过程被描述为 "牙齿像铁一样 "吞噬和碎裂（见 ¹ 解释 但以理书2 对 "铁 "的描述）(破解啟示錄556).

角 "通常是权力的象征，在最高的意义上，是真理反对谬误的力量。但在这个故事中，意义又是相反的，这里的力量是指邪恶的虚假（《圣经》）。启示录316).这十只角描绘了虚假对我们行为方式的完全权力。

对四只兽的整个肮脏描述在一个小角上达到了高潮。这是对从圣言中得出的任何美好和真实的东西的完全颠覆，因此代表了最终的亵渎。如果没有平衡的良知，一个人就会不可避免地陷入地狱。

三只角被赶出去，说明邪恶和虚假的力量可以摧毁和消除圣言中的真理。启示录316).数字 "三 "代表充实或完整，因而代表邪恶的力量，当它付诸行动时，就会破坏所有的真理。因此，"当你违背了一条诫命，你就违背了所有的诫命 "这句老话有了更强大的含义。

接下来的图像发生了变化：我们看到宝座 "被打倒"，象征着虚假的东西(天国的秘密8215从野兽中走出来，由形成我们良心的圣言的真理进行判断。所有的判断都从真理开始，因为真理提供了衡量我们生命的天平。

在神的宝座上，象征着审判的形象，重要的是要记住，他的审判总是爱和怜悯的产物。但主的爱不应与许可相混淆：仅仅因为他爱人类，无论是个人还是集体，这并不意味着邪恶是可以允许的。邪恶会干扰一个人对主的接受，在他和我们之间设置障碍。在大多数情况下，主允许邪恶，但不愿意它们，因为它们是有用的，提醒我们远离它们(天命275, 278).然而，有些时候，人类也会越界。

本章中的审判必须放在其背景中来看，也就是在伯沙撒统治时期。这是一个关于野兽的故事，也是伯沙撒被放在天平上称量，发现不合格，被大流士杀死的事实。这实质上是对我们生活中的外在因素，对我们的行为和态度的一种判断，而这些都源于我们内心的尼布甲尼撒状态。

然而，在这里，我们看到真理的起源是 "亘古"，坐在审判的宝座上，预示着一种状态的毁灭和另一种状态的开始(破解啟示錄574).万古长青 "是主的爱的一个形象(天国的秘密9470)，在某种意义上说，它是我们通过真理所引导的爱的神圣对应物。所有真理的目的是引导人们爱上帝，爱邻居，以及表现这两者的生活。我们对上帝的爱是他对我们的爱的反映。

在圣言中，衣服对应的是一个人所知道的真理，它构成一个人心灵的一部分。因此，亘古不变的衣服代表了遮盖在神性之美的真理。这个真理是我们心中的真理，在我们有意识的头脑中(天国的秘密9470, 启示录67).这些衣服洁白如雪，向我们展示了我们能从主那里得到的智慧和质量(启示录的解释 195:18).

头发 "指的是我们生活中最外在的部分--我们所拥有的促使我们采取行动的自然思想和感觉，都是完全有意识的。当我们在这个世界上时，我们的这个非常外在的部分似乎是极其重要的，但事实上它只是由内在的东西所驱动。如果这些是来自主，那么我们的外在也会像处女的羊毛一样出现。

宝座上的火是主的爱的显现。车轮代表我们从主那里得到的智慧和智能，它们充满了爱，所以被描述为 "燃烧"。

所有的审判都是由主完成的。主在伯利恒的诞生是对古代教会进行最后审判的开始，这种来自爱的审判通过智慧的方式，通过耶稣基督的生与死，也就是主的神性之人，得以实现。

在但以理的异象中，坐在宝座上的亘古之神和被赋予所有权力的人子之间存在着类似的关系。太古者代表主，在那个异象中，我们看到神圣的爱和神圣的智慧在他所坐的火热宝座上的统一。

一旦主的存在通过推翻邪恶和虚假在我们身上建立起来，我们将继续在善良和真理中发展。这种属灵的成长在 "人子得了永远的权柄 "这句话中得到了描述，这个主题在第18和27节中得到了重复。人子的国度扩展到 "万民、万国、万语"，代表了人类心灵的不同状态，这些状态将被置于圣言的真理之下。"万民 "是指教义的真理--在这里是指影响我们行为的错误观念，要用良心引入我们头脑的真理来判断。"民族 "是指生活中的罪恶，在审判的过程中被推翻(破解啟示錄483, 启示录175, 455).因此，在审判的过程中，我们的习惯性思维和感受都将被真理所对抗，并被从主的良善和真理中得出的感受所取代。最后，"舌头 "标志着从邪恶的感情和错误的思想中得出的行为--这些也将在我们个人的 "最后审判 "中被打倒。

时间、次数和半时间 "是我们为了重生而需要经历的试探和战斗状态。然而，这种战斗的每一分钟都是一种诱惑，而诱惑只发生在重生的框架内。因此，一个被试探的人，如果抵制邪恶，就会坐在那邪恶的审判席上，并从主的力量中最终战胜它。

这些最后的经文是对尚未到来的事情的展望。这是在我们进入主的国度之前，在虚假的力量被打破之前。我们仍有成长要做。仍然有我们需要面对和克服的状态。即使有这个最终胜利的奇妙应许，但以理发现他的思想仍然困扰着他。

Poznámky pod čarou:

455. And peoples and tongues, signifies all who are in falsities from ignorance and from various religions. This is evident from the signification of "peoples," as being those who are in the truths of doctrine, and in a contrary sense those who are in the falsities of doctrine (of which above, n. 175; but here, those who are in the falsities of doctrine from ignorance; for here are treated of those who are saved, although from the doctrine of their religion they have been in falsities. All those who are in the good of life in accordance with the dogmas of their religion, which they have believed to be true although they are not true, are saved, for falsity is not imputed to anyone who lives well according to the dogmas of his religion, because it is not his fault that he is ignorant of truths. For the good of life in accordance with a religion contains within itself the affection of knowing truths, and these truths are learned and accepted when such persons come into the other life, for every affection remains with man after death, and especially the affection of knowing truths, because this is a spiritual affection; and when man becomes a spirit, he is his affection; consequently the truths that are then desired are imbibed and thus received deeply in the heart. (That when a man lives well falsities of religion are accepted by the Lord as truths, see above, n. 452.) The above is evident from the signification of "tongues," as meaning their confessions from religion, for "tongues" mean speech, and "speech" signifies confession and religion, because the tongue utters and confesses the things that pertain to religion.

[2] There is frequent mention in the Word of the "lip," the "mouth," and the "tongue;" and the "lip" signifies doctrine, the "mouth" thought, and the "tongue" confession. "Lip," "mouth," and "tongue," have this signification because these are the externals of man, by means of which things internal find expression, and it is things internal that are signified in the internal or spiritual sense. For the Word in the letter consists of external things that are manifest before the eyes and are perceived by the senses, therefore the Word in the letter is natural, and this in order that the Divine truth that it contains may be there in what is ultimate and thus in fullness. But these external things, which are natural, include in themselves things internal that are spiritual, and these therefore are the things that are signified.

[3] That "tongues" signify confessions from religion, and according to the dogmas of religion, can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

The time shall come for bringing together all nations and tongues, that they may come and see My glory (Isaiah 66:18).

This is said of the Lord's coming; "nations and tongues" signify all who are in the good of life according to their religions; "tongues" signify religions from confessions; it is therefore said "that they may come and see My glory," "glory" signifying Divine truth, by which the church exists.

[4] In Daniel:

Behold, with the clouds of the heavens one like the Son of man. And there was given Him dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, tongues, and nations might worship Him (Daniel 7:13, 14).

"The Son of man who was to come in the clouds of the heavens," evidently means the Lord, and "the clouds of the heavens" mean the Word in the letter, in which it is said that the Lord is to come, for the Word treats of Him, and in the inmost sense of Him alone. Therefore it is said "Son of man," because the Lord is called "the Son of man" from Divine truth, which is the Word. But respecting this see more above n. 36 where these words are explained:

Behold, He cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see Him (Revelation 1:7).

The Lord's power from Divine good is meant by "dominion," and from Divine truth by "glory," and heaven and the church are meant by "kingdom." "Peoples, tongues, and nations," signify all those who are in doctrine and in a life according to their religions; those who are in doctrine are called "peoples," those who are in life "nations," and "tongues" mean religions.

[5] In Zechariah:

In those days ten men out of all tongues of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a man that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you (Zechariah 8:23).

The spiritual sense of these words may be seen above n. 433; namely, that a "Jew" means those who are in love to the Lord and in the truths of doctrine from Him; and that "all tongues of the nations" mean those who are of various religions.

[6] "Tongues" have a like signification in the following passages.

In Moses:

From these were the islands of the nations separated in their lands, every man according to his tongue, according to their families, in their nations. The habitations of the sons of Shem, according to their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations (Genesis 10:5, 31).

In Revelation:

Thou must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings (Revelation 10:11).

Again:

And they of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations shall see their bodies three days and a half (Revelation 11:9).

Again:

And it was given unto the beast to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and there was given him power over every tribe and tongue and nation (Revelation 13:7).

Again:

I saw an angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to proclaim unto those that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people (Revelation 14:6).

And again:

The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues (Revelation 17:15).

"Waters" here signify the truths of the Word, for "waters" in the Word signify truths, and in the contrary sense falsities; therefore here "peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues," mean those who are in truths falsified, which in themselves are falsities, and are consequently in evils of life.

[7] In Luke:

The rich man said to Abraham, Have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and may cool my tongue, for I am tortured in this flame (Luke 16:24).

In this parable, as in others, the Lord spake by correspondences, as can be seen by this, that the "rich man" does not mean the rich, nor does "Abraham" mean Abraham, nor by "the water with which Lazarus might cool the tongue" are water and tongue meant, nor does the "flame" mean flame, for in hell no one is tortured by flames; but a "rich man" means those who are of the church where the Word is, from which they have spiritual riches, which are truths of doctrine; so the "rich man" here means the Jews, with whom was the Word at that time; "Abraham" means the Lord; the "water into which Lazarus might dip the tip of his finger" signifies truth from the Word; and "tongue" signifies a thirst and eagerness to pervert the truths that are in the Word; and the "flame" the punishment of that eagerness, which is various and manifold. This makes evident what these things signify in the series, and that "to cool the tongue with water" signifies to allay the thirst and the eagerness to pervert truths, and to confirm falsities thereby. Who cannot see that it does not mean that Lazarus should dip the tip of his finger in water to cool the tongue?

[8] In Zechariah:

This shall be the plague wherewith Jehovah will strike all the peoples that shall fight against Jerusalem; his flesh shall waste away as he stands upon his feet, and his eyes shall waste away in their sockets and his tongue shall waste away in his mouth (Zechariah 14:12).

This is said of those who endeavor to destroy the truths of doctrine by means of falsities; and this is signified by "fighting against Jerusalem," "Jerusalem" signifying the church in respect to doctrine, and thence the truths of the doctrine of the church; "the flesh shall waste away" signifies that all good of love and of life will perish, for this is what "flesh" signifies; "standing upon his feet" means upon bones without flesh, which signifies that they will be wholly corporeal-natural, "feet" signifying the things that belong to the natural man, here its lowest things; "his eyes shall waste away in their sockets" signifies that all the understanding of truth will perish, "eyes" signifying the understanding; "his tongue shall waste away in his mouth" signifies that all the perception of truth and all the affection of good will perish; "tongue" signifying also the perception of truth and the affection of good, the perception of truth from its speaking, and the affection of good from its power of tasting, for "taste" signifies appetite, desire, and affection.

[9] In the book of Judges:

Jehovah said unto Gideon, Everyone that lappeth the waters with his tongue as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; and everyone that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped in their hand were three hundred men; and these were led against Midian and smote him (Judges 7:5-7).

"Midian" here means those who do not care for truth, because they are merely natural and external; therefore Midian was smitten by those who "lapped the waters in the hand with the tongue like a dog;" these mean such as have an appetite for truths, thus they who from some natural affection seek to know truths, a "dog" signifying appetite and eagerness, "waters" truths, and "lapping them with the tongue" to have an appetite for and eagerly seek. So it was by these that Midian was smitten. Anyone can see that such things would not have been commanded unless they had been significative.

[10] In David:

Thou hidest them in the hiding place of Thy faces from the pride of man; Thou concealest them in a pavilion from the strife of tongues (Psalms 31:20).

"A hiding place of faces in which Jehovah hides them," signifies the Divine good of the Divine love, for "the face of Jehovah" signifies the good of love, and "the hiding place" signifies inwardly in man; "the pride of man" signifies the pride of self-intelligence; the "pavilion in which He hides them" signifies Divine truth; and "the strife of tongues" signifies the falsity of religion from which they reason against truths. This makes clear what these things signify in series.

[11] In Jeremiah:

Lo, I will bring upon you a nation, a nation whose tongue thou shalt not know nor shall thou understand what they speak. It shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread (Jeremiah 5:15, 17).

This does not mean that a nation of an unknown tongue or of an unintelligible speech should be brought; but an evil nation of an utterly different religion is meant, whose dogmas they shall not know nor understand the reasonings therefrom; and in an abstract sense the falsities of evil which are altogether contrary to the truths of good are signified; for "nation" in an abstract sense means evil, and "tongue" here means the falsity of religion, and "to speak" means to reason therefrom; therefore it is added, "it shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread," for "harvest" signifies truths by which there is good, "bread" the good therefrom, and "to eat up" to consume and deprive.

[12] In Ezekiel:

Thou art not sent to a people of deep lip and heavy of tongue, but to the house of Israel; not to great peoples of deep lip and heavy of tongue, whose words thou shalt not hear. If I should send thee to them, will they not hearken unto thee? (Ezekiel 3:5, 6).

"Peoples of deep lip and heavy of tongue, whose words are not heard," signify those who are in an unintelligible doctrine, and thus in an abstruse religion, whose dogmas cannot be comprehended, "lip" signifying doctrine, "tongue" religion, and "words" its dogmas; therefore these peoples mean the nations that do not have the Word, by which Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is known. That these will receive Divine truths when they are instructed is signified by "these would hearken if he should be sent unto them."

[13] In Isaiah:

Thou wilt not see an obstinate people, a people of depths of lip that thou canst not hear; barbarous in tongue, without intelligence (Isaiah 33:19).

"A people of depths of lip and barbarous in tongue" has a similar signification here as "peoples of deep lip and heavy of tongue" above. Evidently a people with a speech that cannot be understood is not meant; for it is added, "barbarous in tongue, without intelligence," for there may be intelligence in the tongue or speech of such, but not in their religion.

[14] In the same:

I have sworn that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear (Isaiah 45:23).

This is said of the coming of the Lord; and "every knee shall bow" signifies that all who are in natural good from spiritual good will worship Him, the "knee" signifying the conjunction of natural good with spiritual. This shows that bending the knees signifies acknowledgment, thanksgiving, and adoration from spiritual good and delight in the natural; "every tongue shall swear" signifies that all will confess the Lord who are in good from religion, "to swear" signifying to confess, and "tongue" religion according to which one lives.

[15] In David:

And my tongue shall meditate of Thy righteousness and of Thy praise all the day (Psalms 35:28).

Here, too, "tongue" signifies confession from the doctrine of the church, for it is said "to meditate of;" "righteousness" is predicated of the good of the church, and "praise" of its truth, as also elsewhere in the Word. So again in the same:

My tongue shall meditate of Thy righteousness all the day (Psalms 71:24).

[16] In the same:

With gall the wicked compass me, the mischief of their lips doth cover them; burning coals overwhelm them; with fire let them be cast into pits, that they rise not again; a man of tongue shall not be established in the earth (Psalms 140:9-11).

"Gall" signifies truth falsified, which in itself is falsity; "the mischief of their lips" signifies the falsity of doctrine therefrom, for "lips" signify doctrine; "burning coal by which they are overwhelmed," and the "fire with which they are to be cast into pits," signify the pride from self-intelligence and the love of self, through which they fall into mere falsities, "burning coals" signifying the pride of self-intelligence, "fire" the love of self, and "pits" falsities. Moreover all falsities of doctrine in the church and all falsifications of the Word spring from the pride of self-intelligence and from the love of self. This makes evident what is signified by "a man of tongue shall not be established in the earth," namely, a false religion.

[17] In the same:

My soul, I lie in the midst of lions, the sons of man are set on fire, their teeth are spear and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword (Psalms 57:4).

"Lions" signify those who plunder the church of truths, and thus destroy it; the "sons of man who are set on fire," signify those who are in the truths of the church, and in an abstract sense the truths themselves, which are said to be "set on fire" by the pride of self-intelligence, whence come falsities; "their teeth are spear and arrows" signifies reasonings from external sensuals and thus from the fallacies and falsities of religion, by which truths are destroyed, "teeth" signifying the ultimates of man's life, which are external sensual things, and here reasoning from these, and "tongue" signifying the falsities of religion; therefore it is said "their tongue a sharp sword," "sword" signifying the destruction of truth by falsities.

[18] In Job:

Wilt thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook, and overwhelm his tongue with a cord? (Job 41:1)

In this and the preceding chapter the Behemoth and the leviathan are treated of, and both signify the natural man, the "Behemoth" the natural man in respect to goods which are called the delights of natural love, and the "leviathan" the natural man in respect to truths which are called knowledges and cognitions, from which is natural light. These are both described by pure correspondences according to the ancient style. That reasoning from the light of nature by means of knowledges [scientifica] can be restrained by God only, is described in that chapter and the subsequent one by the "leviathan," and also by these words, "Wilt thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook, and overwhelm his tongue with a cord?;" "tongue" signifying reasoning from knowledges [scientifica]. That the "leviathan" signifies the natural man as regards knowledges [scientifica] can be seen from other passages where it is mentioned (as Isaiah 27:1; Psalms 74:14; Psalms 104:26). Also from the fact that the "whale," by which the leviathan is meant, signifies the natural man in regard to knowledges [scientifica].

[19] In Isaiah:

The heart of the hasty shall have intelligence for knowing, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be swift to speak (Isaiah 32:4).

The "hasty" mean those who readily seize upon and believe whatever is said, thus also falsities; of such it is said that "they shall be intelligent and know," that is, receive truths; "stammerers" mean those who are hardly able to apprehend the truths of the church; that they will confess them from affection is meant by "their tongue shall be swift to speak," "swiftness" is predicated of affection.

[20] In the same:

Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing aloud; for waters shall break out in the wilderness, and brooks in the plain of the desert (Isaiah 35:6).

This is said of the coming of the Lord; the "lame" signifies those who are in good but not genuine good, because they are in ignorance of truth through which good comes; "to leap as a hart" signifies to have joy from the perception of truth; the "dumb" signifies those who on account of ignorance of truth are unable to confess the Lord and the genuine truths of the church; "he shall sing" signifies joy from the understanding of truth; "waters shall break out in the wilderness" signifies that truths shall be opened where they were not before; and "brooks in the plain of the desert" signify intelligence there, for "waters" signify truths, and "brooks" intelligence.

[21] This makes clear what is signified in the spiritual sense by "the deaf man that had an impediment in his speech" whom the Lord healed, which is thus described in Mark:

Jesus took aside the deaf man who had an impediment in his speech, and put His fingers into his ears, and spitting, touched his tongue; and looking up into heaven, He said to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened; and straightway his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake aright (Mark 7:32-35).

The Lord's miracles, because they are Divine, all involved and signified such things as pertain to heaven and the church, therefore they were healings of the diseases which signified the various healings of the spiritual life, as may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 7337, 8364, 9031). The "deaf man" signifies those who are without the understanding of truth, and thence in no obedience; "his difficulty in speaking" signifies the difficulty of such in confessing the Lord and the truth of the church; the "ears" opened by the Lord signify the perception of truth and obedience; and the "tongue" whose bond was loosed by the Lord signifies the confession of the Lord and of the truths of the church.

[22] Again, that the apostles and others after the Lord's resurrection spoke with new tongues signifies also the confession of the Lord and of the truths of the new church. This is thus referred to in Mark:

Jesus said, These signs shall follow them that believe; in My name shall they cast out demons, and they shall speak with new tongues (Mark 16:17).

"To cast out demons" signifies to remove and reject the falsities of evil; and "to speak with new tongues" signifies to confess the Lord and the truths of the church from Him. So:

To the apostles there appeared divided tongues like as of fire, which sat on them. And being filled with the Holy Spirit they began to speak with other tongues (Acts of the Apostles 2:3, 4).

The "fire" signified the love of truth, and "filled with the Holy Spirit" signified the reception of Divine truth from the Lord; and "new tongues" signified confessions from the love of truth or zeal; for, as was said above, all Divine miracles, consequently all miracles mentioned in the Word, involved and signified things spiritual and celestial, that is, such things that pertain to heaven and the church: by this Divine miracles are distinguished from miracles not Divine. It is unnecessary to quote more passages from the Word to show that "tongues" do not mean speech in the ordinary sense, but confessions from the truths of the church, and in the contrary sense confessions from the falsities of any religion.