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.

8819. “西乃山全山冒烟” 表属天良善处于最大模糊之中的表象. 这从 “西乃山” 和 “冒烟” 的含义清楚可知: “西乃山” 是指属天良善 (8818节); “冒烟” 是指处于模糊之中的一种表象. 模糊是指信的模糊, 就是诸如与属于属天教会的人相比之时, 那些属于属灵教会的人所拥有的那种 (2708开头, 2715, 2718, 2831, 2935, 2937, 3241, 3833, 6289节). “西乃山全山冒烟” 表示最大的模糊, 接下来的话, 即 “山的烟气上腾, 如烧窑的烟一般”, 表示以色列民族所处的那种模糊, 这种表象就发生在他们面前. 因为耶和华或主照着各人的品质或本质向各人显现 (参看8788, 8814节), 因此祂向那些处于良善的人显为爱和真理之光, 向那些陷入邪恶的人则显为敌人和复仇者. 祂向以色列人就如此显现的, 这一点从摩西五经中的其它地方也可清楚看出来:

耶和华荣耀的形状在山顶上, 在以色列人眼前, 好像吞噬的火. (出埃及记 24:17)

申命记:

你们近前来, 站在山下, 山上有火燃烧, 直冲焰天心, 并有黑暗, 密云, 幽暗. 耶和华从火中间对你们说话. (申命记 4:11, 12; 5:22)

又:

当你们听见从黑暗中间出来的响声, 山上有火烧着时, 你们都来就近我, 说, 这大火将要烧灭我们, 我们何必冒死呢? 若再听见耶和华我们神的响声, 就必死亡. (申命记 5:23-25)

这是因为, 每个人都只能出于诸如存在于自己里面的那种东西看见神. 例如, 陷入仇恨的人出于仇恨看见祂, 冷酷无情的人在冷酷无情中看见祂. 而另一方面, 处于仁爱和怜悯的人出于并在仁爱和怜悯中看见祂. 此中情形如同光线, 它们照到丑陋的形式上, 就会变成丑陋的颜色; 但照到美丽的形式上, 就会变成美丽的颜色. “烟” 是指真理的模糊, 以及属于虚假的幽暗, 这一点明显可见于相关经文 (以赛亚书 9:18, 19; 34:9, 10; 约珥书 2:30, 31; 何西阿书 13:3; 启示录 9:17, 18; 18:18; 19:3).