1857. “因为亚摩利人的罪恶到现在还没有满盈” 表不再有任何良善之时的末期. 这从 “亚摩利人” 和 “满盈” 的含义清楚可知. 在圣言中, “亚摩利人” 表总体上的邪恶, 原因在于, 迦南地被被称为 “亚摩利人之地”, 这清楚可见于以西结书 (16:3, 4) 和阿摩司书 (2:9, 10). 因此, “亚摩利人” 在此表迦南地的所有民族, 就象前面说的, 这些民族尤表恶与假. 所以, “亚摩利人” 表总体上的一切邪恶. “满盈” 表不再有任何良善之时的末期.

不过, “亚摩利人的罪恶到现在还没有满盈” 这句话的内义是一个奥秘. 在来世, 恶者的情况是这样: 在其罪恶尚未达到顶点之前, 他们不会受到惩罚. 这既适用于总体的罪恶, 也适用于具体的罪恶. 因为在来世, 一切事物都处于这样的平衡: 邪恶自我惩罚, 也就是说, 只有当罪恶达到顶点时, 恶者才会面临罪恶的惩罚. 每一种罪恶都有自己的极限, 这极限因人而异, 超过这个极限是不可以的. 恶者一旦越过这个极限, 就会面临惩罚. 具体情况就是如此.

总体上也是这样. 恶者不是立刻, 而是逐渐将自己推入地狱. 这源于主所确立的秩序的普遍法则: 主从不将任何人送入地狱, 而是在罪恶满盈, 没有一丝良善出现时, 罪恶本身, 或这个恶人将自己逐渐扔进地狱. 只要尚有一丝良善, 他就会从地狱被提升上来. 不过, 当只有罪恶时, 他就被自己推入地狱. 善与恶必须首先彼此分离, 因为它们是对立面, 人不可以向这两边倾斜. 这就是 “亚摩利人的罪恶到现在还没有满盈” 的含义. 但善者的情形则不然, 他们不断被主提升向天堂, 而他们的罪恶也会逐渐被抹除.

教会的状态也是这样. 只有等到它的罪恶达到完结, 即仁之善和信之真不复存在之时, 处罚才会到来. 先知书经常提及这种完结 (或结局, 终结, 满了, 满盈等). 如以赛亚书:

我从主万军之耶和华那里听见, 已经决定在全地上施行清算, 终结的事. (以赛亚书 28:22)

耶利米书:

巴比伦啊, 你这住在众水之上多有财宝的, 你的结局到了! 你贪婪之量已满盈! (耶利米书 51:13)

但以理书:

为你本国之民和你圣城, 已经定了七十个七, 要终止罪过, 除净罪恶, 赎尽罪孽, 引进永义, 封住异象和预言, 并膏至圣所. (但以理书 9:24)

最终, 那荒凉必临到可憎的飞鸟身上, 直到所定的结局, 它必倾在那行毁坏的身上. (但以理书 9:27)

主自己也在路加福音中以这些话预言了结局:

他们要倒在刀下, 又被掳到各国去. 耶路撒冷最终要被外邦人践踏, 直到外邦人的日期满了. (路加福音 21:24)

“要倒在刀下” 表虚假, 因为在圣言中, “刀” 是指对虚假的惩罚. “耶路撒冷” 表主的国度和教会 (402节), “外邦人” 表邪恶 (1260节). 因此, 这段经文的意思是, 当教会被恶与假所占据, 从而自行毁灭时, “结局” 就到了.

50. Was in the isle that is called Patmos, signifies revelation to the nations. This is evident from the signification of "Patmos," as being the revelation contained in Revelation; for all places mentioned in the Word signify things, and the things they signify are from the worship there, or from some memorable event that occurred there, or from their location in or near countries whereby the religious principle of the nation is signified. "Patmos" signifies revelation, from the memorable fact that there a revelation was made to John. The revelation was made on an island, because an "island" signifies a nation remote from true worship, but still desiring to be enlightened. That this is signified by "islands" in the Word, will be clear from what follows; in the first place something shall be said about names of places in the Word signifying things.

All persons mentioned in the Word, and all by whom the Word was written, were led to places that were significant, in order that all things might be significative of spiritual things. Even the Lord Himself, for the same reason, went to places thus significative; as into Galilee, to Tyre and Sidon, to Jerusalem, and to the Mount of Olives there, and also, when an infant, He was carried into Egypt. It was similar with the prophets, and with many who are mentioned in the historical Word, as may be abundantly shown. For this reason, John also was commanded to betake himself into the isle of Patmos, that the things that are to be at the end of the church might there be revealed, because "island" signifies a nation about to accept truths of doctrine. This island, moreover, is in the archipelago, where there are numerous other islands; and from this also it is that by "Greece" in the Word such nations are signified. (Thus in Daniel 8:21, 10:20; 11:2; John 12:20-21; Mark 7:26.) (That all names of places mentioned in the Word signify things, see Arcana Coelestia (Arcana Coelestia 1224, 1264, 1876, 1888, 4310, 4442, 10329)

[2] That "islands" signify nations that are about to accede to the true worship of God, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Glorify Jehovah in Urim, the name of the God of Israel in the isles of the sea (Isaiah 24:15).

In the same:

He shall not quench nor break, until He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall hope in His law. Sing unto Jehovah a new song, His praises, ye ends of the earth: ye that go down to the sea, the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let them give glory unto Jehovah, and declare His praise in the islands (Isaiah 42:4, 10, 12).

In the same:

Listen, O isles, unto Me, and hearken, ye peoples from afar (Isaiah 49:1).

In the same:

The isles shall hope in Me, and on My arm shall they trust (Isaiah 51:5).

In the same:

The islands shall trust in Me, and the ships of Tarshish (Isaiah 60:9).

In Jeremiah:

Hear the words of Jehovah, O ye nations, and declare them in the isles afar off (Jeremiah 31:10).

And in Zephaniah:

Jehovah will make lean all the gods of the earth, that they may worship Him, everyone in his place, even all the isles of the nations (Zephaniah 2:11).

(And elsewhere as in Isaiah 23:2, 6 (Isaiah 23:6); Isaiah 41:1, 5; 42:15; 66:19; Jeremiah 2:10; 25:22; Ezekiel 27:3 (Ezekiel 27:3), 7, 15, 35.) From these and other passages it is plain that "isles" signify nations, specifically nations in respect to the doctrine of truth, in other places in respect to the doctrine of falsity; for most things in the Word have also opposite significations.