4433. “就拉住她与她同寝, 强行污辱了她” 表这真理绝无可能与她的弟兄们, 就是雅各的儿子们所表对真理的情感结合. 这从 “拉住她与她同寝, 强行污辱了她” 的含义清楚可知, “拉住她与她同寝, 强行污辱了她” 是指结合, 但不是通过订婚以合法方式结合. 若不了解情况, 谁也看不出这些话表示他们绝无可能结合在一起. 由 “希未人, 哈抹的儿子示剑” 所表示的从古人那里所得来的内层真理是指在古人当中一直服务于教会的内在, 因而系他们的条例, 典章和律法 (statutes, judgments, and laws), 简言之, 就是其宗教仪式等等的内在之真理. 这些真理就是他们照之生活的教义, 其实是仁爱的教义; 因为在古时, 属于纯正教会的人没有其它教义. 这些真理就教义而言, 可被称为信之内层真理; 但就生活而言, 可被称为良善. 若要在起源于雅各的民族当中建立一个教会, 他们有必要被引入这些真理与良善. 因为除非内在事物存在于外在事物, 也就是人们在处于外在事物时能思及内在事物, 除非他们同时感受到对内在事物的情感, 或至少由于内在事物的缘故而感受到对外在事物的情感, 否则, 那里不会有丝毫教会之物. 内在事物之所以构成教会, 是因为主存在于这些事物中; 也就是说, 源于祂的属灵和属天事物存在于这些事物中.

但起源于雅各的民族, 也就是以色列和犹太民族, 不能通过订婚以合法方式被引入这些内在事物; 因为他们的外在敬拜并不与任何内在事物相对应. 事实上, 他们从其先祖, 就是亚伯拉罕, 以撒和雅各那里接受了由希伯所设立的敬拜; 该敬拜外在上不同于古教会的敬拜 (1238, 1241, 1343, 2180节). 由于他们的敬拜是不同的, 故存在于古人当中的内层真理无法通过订婚以合法的方式, 而只能以本章所描述的方式与之结合. 由此就能理解 “这真理绝无可能与底拿的弟兄们, 就是雅各的儿子们所表对真理的情感结合” 这句话是什么意思.

尽管按照古人也知道的律法 (参看出埃及记 22:15; 申命记 22:28, 29), 结合是能以这种方式实现的, 但这个民族仍具有这种性格: 他们绝不允许从古那里所得来的内层真理与存在于雅各后代当中敬拜的外在形式有任何联结 (参看4281, 4290, 4293, 4307, 4314, 4316, 4317节). 因此, 在这个民族当中不可能建立起任何教会, 只能建立教会的代表以取代教会 (参看4281, 4288, 4307节). 该民族具有这种性格: 他们不仅不可能接受内层真理, 而且还在他们自己中间完全灭绝它们. 这一点由本章雅各的儿子们用诡诈的话回答示剑和哈抹 (34:13); 然后西缅和利未用剑刃重击这城, 杀了示剑和哈抹 (34:25, 26); 其余的儿子则上来杀戮并掳掠这城, 夺了羊群, 牛群和城里田间并各房中所有的 (34:27-29) 来代表. 由此明显可知, 雅各, 那时叫以色列所发的预言是什么意思:

西缅和利未是弟兄, 他们的刀剑是强暴的器械; 不要让我的灵魂进入他们的隐秘处, 不要让我的荣耀参与他们的集会; 因为他们在怒中杀人, 任意砍断牛的腿筋. 他们的怒气可咒诅, 因为很猛烈; 他们的暴怒可咒诅, 因为很严厉; 我要把他们分散在雅各中, 使他们散居在以色列. (创世记 49:5-7)

103. The sun in the spiritual world appears at a middle height as distant from the angels as the sun in the natural world does from people. Most people coming from the world bring with them an idea of God as being at a height above their head, and of the Lord as being in heaven among the angels.

They bring with them an idea of God as being at a height above their head because God is called in the Word the Most High, and is said to dwell on high. Consequently they raise their eyes and hands upward when they entreat Him and worship Him - not knowing that by "most high" is meant inmost.

They bring with them an idea of the Lord as being in heaven among the angels because they think of Him only as being like any other man, and some as being like an angel - not knowing that the Lord is the one and only absolute God who rules the universe. If He were to be among the angels in heaven, He could not hold the universe under His gaze and under His direction and government. And if He did not shine before the eyes of those who are in the spiritual world as a sun, it would be impossible for angels to have any light. For angels are spiritual beings, and therefore the only light that is suited to their essence is spiritual light. That there is light in heaven, surpassing by far light on earth, will be seen below where we take up degrees.