10262. “一欣” 表足够结合所需的量. 这从 “一欣” 的含义清楚可知, “一欣”, 也就是液体的度量单位, 此处即油的度量单位, 是指足够结合所需的量. “油” 表示主的属天神性良善, 这良善是将天堂里的一切事物联结在一起的本质能力; 因此, 油的度量单位表示足够结合所需的量, 以它们结合在一起的一切或完全. 主的神性属天良善之所以是将一切事物联结在一起的本质能力, 是因为它是一切事物所拥有的生命的本质存在. 事实上, 神性良善通过从它自己发出的神性真理将生命赋予一切事物; 它照着凡接受它之物的特定品质而将生命赋予它们. 天使是接受者; 世人也是接受者. 他们所拥有的真理和良善形成他们的特定品质, 这取决于发生在他们里面的接受, 因而取决于结合.

在圣言中, 经上提到了两种为了神圣的功用或目的所用到的度量单位; 一种用于液体, 被称为欣, 另一种用于干物质, 被称为伊法. 欣用来量油和酒, 伊法用来量面和细面. 用来量油和酒的欣分为四份, 而伊法分为十份. 欣分成四份, 是为了它可以表示将事物联结在一起的东西, 因为 “四” 表示联结或结合. 而伊法分为十份, 是为了它可以表示接受, 其性质或品质用数字来表明; 因为 “十” 表示大量, 全部或一切, 以及完整或完全之物. “四” 表示联结或结合 (参看8877, 9601, 9674, 10136, 10137节); “十” 表示大量, 全部或一切, 以及完整或完全之物, “一百” 也是 (1988, 3107, 4400, 4638, 8468, 8540, 9745, 10253节).

“欣” 用于献祭用的油和酒, 分为四份; 而 “伊法” 用于制作献祭用的素祭的面和细面, 分为十份, 这一点清楚可见于相关经文 (即出埃及记 29:40; 利未记 5:11; 23:13; 民数记 15:3-10; 28:5, 7, 14). 由此明显可知, “一欣” 表示足够结合所需的量, 而 “一伊法” 表示足够接受所需的量. 此外, 油用来将细面结合在一起, 而细面则接受油; 因为素祭是由油和细面构成的.

除此之外还有其它度量单位, 是干物质和液体所共用的. 干物质的度量单位被称为贺梅珥和俄梅珥, 液体的度量单位被称为柯珥和罢特. 一贺梅珥含十伊法, 一伊法含十俄梅珥; 但一柯珥含十罢特, 一罢特含更小的十份; 关于这一切可参看出埃及记 (16:36) 和以西结书 (45:11, 13, 24).

但在以西结书论述新殿的地方, 却出现了伊法和罢特的不同划分. 在那里, 伊法和罢特不是被分为十份, 而是分为了六份; 那里的欣则与伊法相对应, 这明显可见于以西结书 (45:13, 14, 24; 46:5, 7, 11, 14). 原因在于, 那里论述的主题不是属天良善及其将事物联结在一起的能力, 而是属灵良善及其将事物联结在一起的能力; 在属灵国度. 数字 “十二”, “六” 和 “三” 具有对应关系, 因为这些数字表示一切事物, 当论及真理和良善时, 它们表示整体上真理和良善的一切方面或一切事物. 这些事物由 “十二” 来表示 (参看3272, 3858, 3913, 7973节); 也由 “六” 来表示 (3960末尾, 7973, 8148, 10217节); 同样由 “三” 来表示, “三” 表示从开始到结束, 因而表示完整或完全之物, 就真实事物而言, 表示一切或全部 (2788, 4495, 5159, 7715, 9825, 10127节). 这些数字之所以涉及相同的事物, 是因为更大的数字和通过相乘得到它们的简单数具有相同的含义 (参看5291, 5335, 5708, 7973节).

由于 “欣” 也表示足够与属灵真理结合所需的量, 所以献公绵羊时为素祭取一欣油的三分之一, 为奠祭取酒的三分之一 (民数记 15:6, 7); 因为 “公绵羊” 表示属灵良善 (2830, 9991节). 由此可以再次清楚看出, 圣言中所提到的数字表示真实事物. 否则, 摩西五经, 以西结书和其它地方如此频繁地用数字来具体说明数量和度量又有什么目的或原因呢?

16. For the time is near, signifies such an interior state. This is evident from the signification of "time," as meaning state (See the work on Heaven and Hell 162-169, where Time in Heaven is treated of); and from the signification of "near," as being the internal; thus here, because it refers to state, the interior state such as is described above is meant. By state is meant a state of affection and of thought therefrom. He who reads this, and knows nothing of the internal sense, supposes that by "the time being near" is meant that the time was near when the things contained in Revelation would be fulfilled. But that this is not meant can be seen from the fact that seventeen centuries elapsed before they were fulfilled. But because the Word in the letter is natural and within is spiritual, it is said that "the time is near," in order that in heaven the interior state might be understood; for if the expression "the interior state," which is the spiritual sense, had here been used, it would not have been understood by the angels; for they perceive all things of the Word according to correspondences. "Near" signifies interior, because distances in heaven are entirely in accord with the differences of the good of love; for which reason those who are in kindred good are also near one another; and it is from this that on earth kinships are called near relationships [propinquitates], because they relate to spiritual affinities, which in heaven are really such. In heaven this is so because the good of love conjoins, and the more interior the good, the nearer is the conjunction. From this it is, that heaven is nearer to man, the more interiorly he is in the good of love; and the origin of this is that the Lord is nearer to an angel, to a spirit, and to man, the more interiorly they love Him. To love Him interiorly is to love His precepts interiorly; that is, to perceive, to will, and to do them from the delight of love. It is from this that "nearness," in the Word, signifies presence and conjunction (as may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 5911, 9378, 9997, 10001). This nearness is thus described in John:

Jesus said, He that loveth Me keepeth My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him (John 14:23);

and in the same:

Ye know the Comforter, the Spirit of truth; for He abideth with you, and shall be in you (John 14:17);

"the Comforter, the Spirit of truth" is Divine truth going forth from the Lord; therefore it is said, "He shall be in you."