Apocalypse Revealed # 354
354. Of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed. This symbolizes a perception of useful endeavor, and of what is useful, in those people who will be in the New Heaven and in the Lord's New Church.
In the highest sense Naphtali symbolizes the intrinsic power of the Lord's Divine humanity; in the spiritual sense, temptation or trial, and victory; and in the natural sense, resistance on the part of the natural self. For his name was derived from a word meaning wrestling. Here, however, Naphtali symbolizes a perception of useful endeavor, and of what is useful, because in the series he comes after Asher, who symbolizes a love of useful services. Moreover those people who have overcome in temptations or trials have an interior perception of useful ends; for temptations or trials open the interior constituents of the mind.
The perception that those people have is described in Jeremiah 31:33-34. 1 They sense in themselves what is good, and see in themselves what is true.
That the tribe of Naphtali symbolizes angels and people in respect to that perception can be confirmed from the following verses in the Word:
...Naphtali... on the heights of the field. (Judges 5:18)
The heights of the field are the interior qualities of the Church as regards perception.
O Naphtali, abounding in favor, and full of the blessing of Jehovah, possess the west and the south. (Deuteronomy 33:23)
To possess the west is to possess the goodness of a love that serves, and the south is the light of wisdom which constitutes the aforesaid perception.
Naphtali is a deer let loose, who provides elegant discourses. (Genesis 49:21)
Thus is described the state after temptation or trial as to its free expression from perception.
It is recorded also that a certain man of the tribe of Naphtali, "being filled with wisdom, understanding and knowledge," did all work in bronze for Solomon's temple (1 Kings 7:14).
The narrative portions of the Word as regards names and tribes are just as symbolic as the prophetic portions.
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Jehovah: I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know Jehovah,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says Jehovah. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
Revelation 7
1
After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree.
2
I saw another angel ascend from the sunrise, having the seal of the living God. He cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea,
3
saying, "Don't harm the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads!"
4
I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel:
5
of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,
6
of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,
7
of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,
8
of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
9
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.
10
They cried with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation be to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
11
All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before his throne, and worshiped God,
12
saying, "Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, be to our God forever and ever! Amen."
13
One of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are arrayed in white robes, who are they, and from where did they come?"
14
I told him, "My lord, you know." He said to me, "These are those who came out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb's blood.
15
Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them.
16
They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat on them, nor any heat;
17
for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
