Since the sun represents the Lord, the early morning and sunrise represent a state of enlightenment with a new and clear understanding coming after a time of darkness. There are many ways this representation appears in modern life. For one, it’s long been tradition to orient churches with the sanctuary in the east, toward the rising sun. People grappling with a problem often decide to “sleep on it,” anticipating that answers will be more clear in the morning. And we actually use “dawn” as a verb for sudden enlightenment: “As he stared out the window, it dawned on him that the answer had been in his hands all along.”

4496. “众人正在疼痛的时候” 表恶欲. 这从 “疼痛” 的含义清楚可知, 割礼后的 “疼痛” 是指恶欲. 这疼痛之所以表示恶欲, 是因为 “割礼” 表示从自我之爱和尘世之爱中洁净 (2039, 2044, 2049, 2632, 3412, 3413, 4462节), 肉体的一切情欲皆源于这些爱. 这就是为何 “疼痛” 表示这类欲望. 事实上, 当一个人正从这些爱中洁净时, 如他正经历重生时的情形, 他就会陷入痛苦和和焦虑. 感受到这种痛苦和悲伤的, 就是那些正在被除去的欲望. 当某个奥秘正通过一个宗教仪式来表现时, 该宗教仪式的每个细节, 直到它的完成, 都体现了这个奥秘的某个方面. 割礼时所用的匕首或刀子就是这种情形, 因为它们是用石头制成的 (2039末尾,2046末尾, 2799节); 那时所流的血, 操作的方式, 因而状态也是这种情形. 这从洁净, 承接圣职, 献祭和所有其它仪式的过程进一步看出来. 此处割礼后的 “疼痛” 就表示哈抹, 示剑和他城中之人对雅各后代唯独感兴趣的外在事物 (参看4493节) 的欲望.