10540. “现在你们要把妆饰从身上摘下来” 表他们的外在的性质, 即它缺乏神性之物. 这从 “妆饰” 和 “把妆饰从身上摘下来” 的含义清楚可知: 当论述的主题是教会时, “妆饰” 是指神圣真理, 或外在事物中的神性之物, 如前所述 (10536节); “把妆饰从身上摘下来” 是指除去它, 因而是指没有它. “妆饰” 表示外在事物中的神性之物或神圣真理, 这一点从下列经文明显看出来, 以西结书:

我使你身穿绣花衣服, 脚穿獾皮鞋, 并用细麻布给你束腰, 用丝绸给你遮身. 又用妆饰打扮你, 将镯子戴在你手上, 将链子戴在你颈上. 我也将鼻环戴在你鼻子上, 将耳环戴在你耳朵上, 将华冠戴在你头上. 这样, 你就有金银的妆饰; 你的服装是细麻, 丝绸, 刺绣的衣服; 吃的是细面, 蜂蜜并油. 你也极其美貌, 发达到君王的尊荣. 因此你美貌的名声传在列族中; 因我加在你身上的妆饰使你完美. (以西结书 16:10-14)

这论及耶路撒冷, 耶路撒冷表示大洪水之后主所建立的教会, 继这个教会之后就是以色列和犹太教会. 这一章还描述了以色列和犹太教会的品质. 但刚才所引用的这几节经文描述的是这个古教会的品质, 其中提到的妆饰描述了该教会的神圣真理. 谁都能看出, 特别提到的事物表示诸如与教会有关的那类事物, 每一个都表示某种具体事物. 否则, 如此描述耶路撒冷又有什么目的呢?

至于每个具体的东西表示教会的哪个方面, 这只能从内义清楚可知. 因为内义教导, 在灵界, 与所描述的每个具体事物相对应的, 究竟是什么. 凭内义能清楚知道: “刺绣的衣服” 表示记忆真理或真正的记忆知识 (参看9688节); “细麻” 表示来自神性的知识真理 (intellectual truth, 5319, 9469, 9596, 9744节); “手镯” 表示真理的能力 (3103, 3105节); “链子” 表示源于良善的真理的流入, 以及随之而来内层事物与外层事物的结合 (5320节); “鼻环” 表示对真理的感知, “耳环” 是指对真理的顺从 (4551, 10402节); “华冠” 表示属灵良善, 或真理的良善, “冠” 表示良善 (9930节), “华” (华美或荣美) 表示属灵之物 (参看9815节); “金和银” 表示总体上的良善和真理 (参看113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 9874节); “细面, 蜜和油” 表示外在和内在的真理和良善, “细面” 表示源于良善的真理 (9995节); “蜜” 表示外在良善 (10530节), “油” 表示内在良善 (886, 4582, 4638, 9474, 9780, 10254, 10261节); “美貌” 表示源于良善的真理所取的外在形式 (3080, 3821, 4985, 5199节). 这些事物所论及的 “耶路撒冷” 表示教会 (参看402, 2117, 3654节). 由此明显可知 “妆饰” 表示什么, 即整体上的神圣真理.

以赛亚书中所列举的 “锡安女儿的妆饰” 具有同样的含义:

到那日, 主必除掉她们脚钏, 发网, 月牙圈, 香水瓶, 小链子, 金盘, 头饰, 足链, 华带, 香盒, 符囊, 戒指, 鼻环, 吉服, 长袍, 云肩, 荷包, 镜子, 细棉衣, 裹头巾, 亚麻衣的妆饰. 必有臭烂代替馨香, 分裂代替腰带, 光秃代替美发, 麻衣系腰代替长袍, 烙伤代替美容. 你的男丁必倒在剑下; 在战场上没有力量. (以赛亚书 3:18-25)

那些局限于字义的人不可避免地以为, 经上所说的锡安女儿所妆饰的这一切物品必须照字面来理解; 正是由于这些妆饰, 以及随之而来的傲慢自大才造成这个国家的人民将要灭亡, 因为经上说 “你的男丁必倒在剑下; 在战场上没有力量”. 但那些稍微提升心智超越字面的人就能看出不可按字面来理解这类事物.

他们能从圣言的各个地方看出, “锡安的女儿” 不是指锡安的女儿, 而是指诸如属于教会的那类事物; 这类事物也由 “耶路撒冷的女儿”, “以色列的女儿”, “犹大的女儿” 和其他许多女儿来表示. “女儿” 表示教会和属于教会的事物 (参看6729, 9055末尾节). 因此, 由于 “锡安的女儿” 表示教会和属于教会的事物, 故可推知, 如此处所列举的她们的妆饰表示教会的真理和良善, 每种妆饰都表示某种具体的真理和良善; 因为出现在圣言中的任何东西, 甚至一个小小的词语, 都不是没有意义的.

由于这个教会将失去这些妆饰所表示的其真理和良善, 故经上说 “必有臭烂代替馨香, 分裂代替腰带, 光秃代替美发, 麻衣系腰代替长袍, 烙伤代替美容. 你的男丁必倒在剑下; 在战场上没有力量”; 因为 “馨香” 或 “香料” 表示对神性真理的感知 (10199, 10291节); “臭烂” 表示剥夺它; “腰带” 表示将真理和良善彼此联系在一起的纽带 (9341末尾, 9828, 9837节); “取代它的分裂” 表示对它们的瓦解和分散; “美发” 表示记忆真理或真正的记忆知识 (2831节); “光秃” 是指被剥夺对真理的聪明理解和对良善的智慧洞察 (9960节); “烙伤” 表示通过自我之爱的邪恶对它们的毁灭 (1297, 2446, 7852, 9055, 9141节); “美貌” 表示源于良善的真理在教会里面所取的外在形式, 因而它的完美 (3080, 3821, 4985, 5199节); “男丁必倒在” 的 “剑” 表示摧毁真理和良善的虚假 (2799, 4499, 6353, 7102, 8294节); “在战场上没有力量” 表示对邪恶和虚假没有任何抵抗力, 因为 “战场或战争” 是指属灵的争战, 以及试探 (1659, 1664, 2686, 8273, 8295, 10455节). 由此明显可知, “妆饰” 一般表示教会所拥有的神性真理.

下列经文中的 “妆饰” 所表相同:

以色列的女儿啊, 当为扫罗哭号! 他曾使你们穿染过两次的美衣, 给你们衣服佩上黄金的妆饰. (撒母耳记下 1:24)

这些话出现在大卫为扫罗所作的哀歌中, 他将这教导犹大人的歌称为弓歌 (撒母耳记下 1:18). 在本节经文中, “弓” 表示与邪恶的虚假争战的真理的教义 (2686, 2709, 6422节). 因此, “以色列的女儿” 表示教会对真理的情感 (2362, 3963, 6729, 6775, 6788, 8994节); “穿染过两次的美衣” 表示被赋予源于良善的教会的内层真理 (4922, 9468节); “给衣服佩上黄金的妆饰” 表示赋予源于良善的真理以美丽的表象, “黄金” 表示良善 (参看9874节提到的地方), “衣服或服装” 一般表示真理 (参看10536末尾节提到的地方). 大卫为扫罗所作的哀歌之所以论述与邪恶的虚假争战的真理的教义, 这教义由 “弓” 来表示, 是因为 “王” 或属于扫罗的王权表示保护和审判方面的神性真理 (1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148节).

其它地方的 “妆饰” 所表相同, 如诗篇:

要将耶和华之名的荣耀归给祂, 以圣洁的妆饰向耶和华下拜. (诗篇 29:2)

“以圣洁的妆饰” 表示以教会的真正真理. 在以赛亚书也一样:

你的儿子必急速归回. 你举目向四围观看, 他们都聚集起来. 耶和华说, 我是活着的那一位; 你必要将他们都披上如妆饰, 给他们束腰像新妇一样. (以赛亚书 49:17, 18)

这些话论及锡安, 锡安表示属天教会; “必急速归回” 的儿子表示这个教会的真理, “儿子” 表示真理 (参看489, 491, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3373, 3704, 4257, 9807节). 这解释了为何经上说锡安 “必要将他们都披上如妆饰, 给他们束腰像新妇一样”; 这种话能论及教会的真理, 但不能论及锡安的儿子.

由于在圣言中, 几乎每个事物都有一个反面意义, 那些构成妆饰的东西也是如此. 就反面意义而言, 它们表示已经被歪曲的真理, 如下列经文, 耶利米书:

你荒废的时候要怎样行呢? 你虽穿上染过两次的衣服, 佩戴黄金装饰, 用颜料修饰眼目, 这样标致是枉然的! (耶利米书 4:30)

何西阿书:

我必追讨她给诸巴力烧香, 佩带耳环和妆饰, 随从她的爱人, 却忘记我的日子. (何西阿书 2:13)

以及其它地方.

6. To the above let me add here some passages that speak more openly of the Lord’s advent:

...the Lord Himself gives you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name “God-with-us.” (Isaiah 7:14, cf. Matthew 1:22-23)

...unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; the government will be upon His shoulder. And He will call His name Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to...establish it with judgment and righteousness, from now on and even to eternity. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a shoot from his roots shall bear fruit. The spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might.... Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and truth the girdle of His thighs.... It shall come to pass in that day that the gentiles shall seek the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; and His resting place shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:1-2, 5, 10)

Send the lamb to the ruler of the land, from Petra toward the wilderness, to the mountain of the daughter of Zion.... By mercy the throne has been made secure; and One sits upon it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness. (Isaiah 16:1, 5)

It will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him to save us. This is Jehovah, whom we have waited for; we will rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” (Isaiah 25:9)

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of Jehovah; make plain in the solitude a highway for our God.... The glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.... Behold, the Lord Jehovih shall come in strength, and His arm shall rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him.... He will feed His flock like a shepherd. (Isaiah 40:3, 5, 10-11)

My elect one, in whom My soul has good pleasure.... I, Jehovah, have called You in righteousness, and...I will...give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the gentiles, to open blind eyes, to bring out the bound from prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house. I am Jehovah, that is My name; My glory I do not give to another.... (Isaiah 42:1, 6-8)

Who has believed our word? and on whom has the arm of Jehovah been revealed? ...He has no form...; we have seen Him, but there is no beauty.... ...He bore our infirmities and carried our sorrows. (Isaiah 53:1-2, 4-12)

Who is this who comes from Edom, with red dyed garments from Bozrah..., traveling in the greatness of His strength? “I who speak in righteousness, great to save.... For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come....” ...So He became their Savior. (Isaiah 63:1-8)

[2] Behold, the days are coming...when I will raise up to David an offshoot of righteousness, who shall reign as king and prosper, and bring about judgment and righteousness on the earth.... And this is His name that people will call Him, Jehovah Our Righteousness. (Jeremiah 23:5-6, cf. 33:15-16)

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Sound the trumpet, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and saved.... He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:9-10)

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Zion! ...behold, I am coming, to dwell in your midst.... Many nations shall cleave to Jehovah in that day, and they shall become My people. (Zechariah 2:10-11)

You, Bethlehem Ephratah, little it is that you are among the thousands of Judah; out of you shall come forth to Me the One who will be ruler in Israel, and whose goings forth are from of old, from days of eternity.... He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of Jehovah.... (Micah 5:2, 4)

Behold, I am sending My angel, who will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, and the angel of the covenant, whom you have longed for, behold he is coming.... Who can endure the day of His coming? ...Behold, I am sending you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of Jehovah. (Malachi 3:1-2, 4:5)

I was watching...and behold, coming with the clouds of heaven was one like the Son of man.... To Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, and all peoples, nations, and languages will worship Him. His dominion is the dominion of an age, which will not pass away, and His kingdom one that will not perish.... And all dominions will worship Him and obey Him. (Daniel 7:13-14, 27)

Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression..., and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies. Know therefore and perceive, that from the going forth of the word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks.... (Daniel 9:24-25)

[3] I will set His hand upon the sea, and His right hand upon the rivers. He will cry to Me, “You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.” Also I will make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.... His seed I will make to endure to eternity, and his throne as the days of heaven. (Psalms 89:25-27, 29)

Jehovah said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I have made Your enemies Your footstool.” Jehovah shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! ...“You are a priest to eternity, according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalms 110:1-2, 4, cf. Matthew 22:44, Luke 20:41-43)

I have anointed My King on Zion, My holy mountain. I will declare the decree: Jehovah has said to Me, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You. ...I will give You the nations as Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth as Your possession.... Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, lest you perish in the way.... Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. (Psalms 2:6-8, 12)

You have made Him indeed a little less than the angels, but You have crowned Him with glory and honor. You have made Him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under His feet. (Psalms 8:5-6)

Remember, O Jehovah, David..., who swore to Jehovah and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob: “If I enter into the shelter of my house, if I go up to the couch of my pallet, if I give sleep to my eyes...until I find a place for Jehovah, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” Behold, we heard of Him in Ephrathah; we found Him in the fields of the forest. We will enter into His dwelling place, we will bow ourselves at His footstool.... Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your saints rejoice. (Psalms 132:1-9)

The passages cited here are but a few of them.