Stones in the Bible in general represent truths, or things we know concerning the Lord and what He wants from us and for us in life. This is why the people of Israel built altars of stone, and is also why stoning was a principal form of capital punishment (using truth to destroy falsity, or in the negative sense using falsity to destroy truth). It is also why precious stones are described in such detail on Aaron's breastplate and ephod, and also in the New Jerusalem in Revelation; precious stones represent true ideas directly from the Lord with the various colors showing various forms of love. Stones are not alone in representing truth, of course -- it sometimes seems that almost everything in the Bible represents either true ideas or desires for good. But that makes sense, since our thoughts and our desires together are everything we are in life, and the interplay between them is what life is all about. The many ways they are represented in the Bible reflect the incredible variety in our feelings and thoughts, though we can only distantly understand how those representations work. In the case of stones, in their weight, strength and permanence they tend to represent true ideas that come from a desire for good, the understanding we can have if we are truly good and loving -- and in the highest sense the exalted ideas that come from the Lord's love. Those ideas are ones that are not easily moved or changed, and make wonderful foundations for the things we want to build in our spiritual lives.

9422. “你们坐在这里等我们” 表他们将留在这层意义中. 这从 “坐在这里” 的含义清楚可知,

“坐在这里”, 即坐在这个地方, 或山下, 是指留在外在意义中.

“坐在一个地方” 表示留在一个状态中,

“在山下” 表示局限于圣言的外在意义. 因为 “坐” 表示留在, 这从下文明显可知.

“地方” 表示状态,

“西乃山” 表示律法, 或从主发出的神性真理, 因而表示圣言 (参看9420节), 耶和华或主所在的山顶 (出埃及记 19:20) 表示律法或圣言的至高或至内层 (参看8827节); 山顶之下的其余部分表示律法或诸如存在于天堂中的圣言的内层; 长老和百姓所在的山下部分表示律法或圣言的外层, 也就是圣言的外在意义. 因此, 在圣言中,

“山” 所表示的事物的至内层, 内层和外层, 此处即律法或圣言的至内层, 内层和外层, 就是如此被代表的, 因为 “西乃山” 表示律法或圣言 (9420节). 由此明显可知,

“你们坐在这里等我们” 表示他们要留在外外在意义中.

经上之所以说 “坐”, 是因为 “坐” 表示留在一种状态中; 因为从一个地方移动到另一个地方表示内层的状态改变, 这从前面所述 (2837, 3356, 3387, 4321, 4882, 5605, 7381节) 可以看出来. 因此, 坐下来表示永久地留在内层的状态中. 由于 “坐” 具有这种含义, 所以每当以色列人代表永久的内层状态时,

“坐” 在他们当中就成了公认的一种宗教习俗; 如士师记:

以色列众人就来到伯特利哀哭; 那里坐在耶和华面前, 当日禁食直到晚上.(士师记 20:26)

别处:

百姓来到伯特利, 在那里坐在神面前直到晚上, 放声大哭.(士师记 21:2)

在这几节经文中,

“坐” 表示长久地停留在悲伤的状态.

由此可见为何经上会用 “坐” 这个词, 以及它在下列经文中含有什么意思:

耶和华啊, 我坐下, 我起来, 你都晓得, 你从远处已明彻我的思考.(诗篇 139:2)

耶利米书:

你不可进入宴乐的家, 与他们同坐.(耶利米书 16:8)

弥迦书:

祂必站立起来, 倚靠耶和华的能力, 并耶和华祂神之名的威严, 牧养祂的羊群. 他们必坐下.(弥迦书 5:4)

以赛亚书:

巴比伦的处女啊, 下来坐在尘埃; 要坐在地上. 迦勒底的闺女啊, 你要默然静坐, 进入暗中. 她心中说, 我必不坐为寡妇.(以赛亚书 47:1, 5, 8)

这个词同样出现在其它经文中, 如 “坐黑暗” (以赛亚书 42:7);

“坐在会中” 和 “独自坐着” (耶利米书 15:17);

“坐在右手边和左手边” (马太福音 20:21), 表示留在控制他人的权力的状态;

“坐在神权能者的右手边” (马太福音 26:63, 64; 马可福音 14:62; 16:19), 这句话论及主, 表示将要永远存留的神性全能.