Apocalypse Explained # 1082
1082. And shall eat her flesh, signifies rejection of its evils, which are adulterated goods, and then the manifestation that they were without any good. This is evident from the signification of "flesh," as being the good of the Word and of the church, and in the contrary sense the evil thereof. Here "flesh" means evils, which are adulterated goods. Also from the signification of "to eat," as being to consume, but here to reject wholly, because this is said of the Reformed, who have rejected the works or goods of Babylon, which consist especially in gifts to the idols of their saints, to their sepulchers, also to monasteries, and to the monks themselves, given as offerings for various expiations. It follows that the same words mean also the manifestation that they were without any good, for when spurious and meritorious goods are rejected, which are signified by the "flesh that they should eat," it is then manifest that they are without any good.
[2] "Flesh" has various significations in the Word. It signifies what is man's own [proprium], thus either his good or evil, and from this it signifies the whole man. But in the highest sense it signifies the Lord's Divine Human, and particularly the Divine good of the Divine love that proceeds from Him. That "flesh" signifies the Divine Human as to the good of love is evident in John:
Jesus said, I am the living bread, which cometh down out of heaven; if anyone eat of this bread he shall live forever; and the bread which I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews, therefore, strove one with another, saying, How can this one give His flesh to eat? Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood ye shall not have life in yourselves. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day; for My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood abideth in Me and I in him. This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven (John 6:51-58).
It is clearly evident that "flesh" here means the own [proprium] of the Lord's Divine Human, which is the Divine good of the Divine love, and is that which is called in the Holy Supper the body. (That the "body" there, that is, the "flesh," is the Divine good, and the "blood" is the Divine truth, may be seen above, n. 329.) And as "bread and wine" have the same signification as "flesh and blood," "bread" meaning the Divine good, and "wine" the Divine truth, therefore these were commanded in place of flesh and blood.
[3] Divine good from the Lord was signified also by the flesh of the sacrifices that Aaron, his sons, and those who sacrificed, and others who were clean, might eat:
And that this was holy (may be seen in Exodus 12:7-9, 29:31-34; Leviticus 7:15-21; 8:31; Deuteronomy 12:27; 16:4);
Consequently if an unclean person ate of that flesh he would be cut off from his people (Leviticus 7:21).
That those sacrifices were called bread (Leviticus 22:6-7).
That that flesh was called the flesh of holiness (Jeremiah 11:15; Haggai 2:12),
And the flesh of the offering, which was to be upon the table in the Lord's kingdom (Ezekiel 40:43).
The Lord's Divine Human is also called "flesh" in John:
The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father (John 1:14).
[4] That "flesh" signified also the good with man can be seen from the following passages. In Ezekiel:
I will give them one heart, and I will give a new spirit in the midst of you, and I will take away the heart of stone out of their flesh, and I will give them a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26).
"Heart of flesh" means the will and love of good. In David:
O God, Thou art my God, in the morning I seek Thee; my soul thirsteth for Thee; my flesh longeth for Thee in a land of drought and weariness without waters (Psalms 63:1).
In the same:
My soul longeth for the courts of Jehovah; my heart and my flesh cry out unto the living God (Psalms 84:2).
The "flesh" that longeth for Jehovah, and that crieth out unto the living God, signifies man as to good of the will, for the "flesh" of man corresponds to the good or evil of his will, and the "blood" to the truth or falsity of his understanding; here "flesh" means the good of the will, because it longeth for Jehovah and crieth out unto God.
[5] In Job:
I have known my Redeemer, He liveth, and at the last He shall rise upon the dust; and afterwards these things shall be encompassed by my skin, and from my flesh I shall see God (Job 19:25-27).
To see God from one's flesh signifies from one's own voluntary made new by the Lord, and thus good. In Ezekiel:
Upon the bones seen in the midst of the valley, I will put sinews, and I will cause flesh to come up upon them, and I will cover them with skin, and I will give spirit unto them that they may live (Ezekiel 37:6, 8).
Here, too, "flesh" signifies what is one's own [proprium] of the will made new by the Lord, and thus good. What "bones" and the rest signify here may be seen above (n. 418, 419, 665). In Revelation:
Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God, that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of commanders of thousands, and the flesh of the mighty, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all, free and bond, small and great (Revelation 19:17-18; Ezekiel 39:17-19).
That "flesh" here does not mean flesh but goods of every kind, is clearly evident.
[6] But on the other hand, that "flesh" signifies man's own voluntary, which regarded in itself is evil, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:
They shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm (Isaiah 9:20).
In the same:
I will feed thine oppressors with their own flesh (Isaiah 49:26).
In Jeremiah:
I will feed you with the flesh of their sons and with the flesh of their daughters; and they shall eat every man the flesh of his companion (Jeremiah 19:9).
In Zechariah:
The rest shall eat everyone the flesh of another (Zechariah 11:9).
In Moses:
I will chastise you sevenfold for your sins, and ye shall eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters (Leviticus 26:28-29).
[7] In Jeremiah:
Cursed is the man who trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm (Jeremiah 17:5).
Here "flesh" signifies what is man's own [proprium] which in itself is evil; to appropriate this to oneself is signified by eating and feeding upon it. Again, "flesh" signifies what is man's own [proprium] in Matthew:
Jesus said, Blessed art thou, Simon, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee (Matthew 16:17).
In John:
As many as received, to them gave He power to become sons of God, who were born, not from bloods nor from the will of the flesh, but from God (John 1:12-13).
In Ezekiel:
Jerusalem committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt her neighbors, great in flesh (Ezekiel 16:26).
In Isaiah:
Egypt is man and not God, and his horses are flesh and not spirit (Isaiah 31:3).
In John:
It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing (John 6:63).
In the same:
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is begotten of the spirit is spirit (John 3:6).
In David:
God remembered that they were flesh, a breath that passeth away and returneth not (Psalms 78:39).
The evil of man's will, which is what is his own [proprium] from birth is what is signified in these passages by "flesh"; also by:
The flesh that the sons of Israel lusted after in the desert, and on account of which they were smitten with a great plague, and from which the place was called graves of lust (Numbers 11:4-34).
Moreover, in the Word the expression "all flesh" is frequently used as meaning every man (as in Genesis 6:12, 13, 17, 19; Isaiah 40:5, 6; 49:26; 66:16, 23, 24; Jeremiah 25:31; 32:27; 45:5; Ezekiel 20:48, 21:4, 5; and elsewhere).
(Continuation respecting the Word)
[8] The spiritual by influx presents what is correspondent to itself in the natural, in order that the end may become a cause, and the cause become an effect, and thus the end through the cause may present itself in the effect as visible and sensible. This trine, namely, end, cause, and effect, is given from creation in every heaven. The end is the good of love, the cause is truth from that good, and the effect is use. That which produces is love, and the product therefrom is of love from good by means of truth. The final products, which are in our world, are various, as numerous as the objects are in its three kingdoms of nature, animal, vegetable, and mineral. All products are correspondences.
[9] As this trine, namely, end, cause, and effect, exists in each heaven, there must be in each heaven products that are correspondences, and which in form and aspect are like the objects in the three kingdoms of our earth; from which it is clear that each heaven is like our earth in external appearance, differing only in excellence and beauty according to degrees. Now in order that the Word may be full, that is, may consist of effects in which are a cause and an end, or may consist of uses, in which truth is the cause and good is the end and love is that which produces, it must needs consist of correspondences; and from this it follows that the Word in each heaven is like the Word in our world, differing only in excellence and beauty according to degrees. What this difference is shall be told elsewhere.
以西結書 20
1
第七年五月初十日,有以色列的幾個長老來求問耶和華,坐在我面前。
3
人子啊,你要告訴以色列的長老說,主耶和華如此說:你們來是求問我麼?主耶和華說:我指著我的永生起誓,我必不被你們求問。
4
人子啊,你要審問審問他們麼?你當使他們知道他們列祖那些可憎的事,
5
對他們說,主耶和華如此說:當日我揀選以色列,向雅各家的後裔起誓,在埃及地將自己向他們顯現,說:我是耶和華─你們的神。
6
那日我向他們起誓,必領他們出埃及地,到我為他們察看的流奶與蜜之地;那地在萬國中是有榮耀的。
7
我對他們說,你們各人要拋棄眼所喜愛那可憎之物,不可因埃及的偶像玷污自己。我是耶和華─你們的神。
8
他們卻悖逆我,不肯聽從我,不拋棄他們眼所喜愛那可憎之物,不離棄埃及的偶像。我就說,我要將我的忿怒傾在他們身上,在埃及地向他們成就我怒中所定的。
9
我卻為我名的緣故沒有這樣行,免得我名在他們所住的列國人眼前被褻瀆;我領他們出埃及地,在這列國人的眼前將自己向他們顯現。
11
將我的律例賜給他們,將我的典章指示他們;人若遵行就必因此活著。
12
又將我的安息日賜給他們,好在我與他們中間為證據,使他們知道我─耶和華是叫他們成為聖的。
13
以色列家卻在曠野悖逆我,不順從我的律例,厭棄我的典章(人若遵行就必因此活著),大大干犯我的安息日。我就說,要在曠野將我的忿怒傾在他們身上,滅絕他們。
14
我卻為我名的緣故,沒有這樣行,免得我的名在我領他們出埃及的列國人眼前被褻瀆。
15
並且我在曠野向他們起誓,必不領他們進入我所賜給他們流奶與蜜之地(那地在萬國中是有榮耀的);
16
因為他們厭棄我的典章,不順從我的律例,干犯我的安息日,他們的心隨從自己的偶像。
17
雖然如此,我眼仍顧惜他們,不毀滅他們,不在曠野將他們滅絕淨盡。
18
我在曠野對他們的兒女說:不要遵行你們父親的律例,不要謹守他們的惡規,也不要因他們的偶像玷污自己。
19
我是耶和華─你們的神,你們要順從我的律例,謹守遵行我的典章,
20
且以我的安息日為聖。這日在我與你們中間為證據,使你們知道我是耶和華─你們的神。
21
只是他們的兒女悖逆我,不順從我的律例,也不謹守遵行我的典章(人若遵行就必因此活著),干犯我的安息日。我就說,要將我的忿怒傾在他們身上,在曠野向他們成就我怒中所定的。
22
雖然如此,我卻為我名的緣故縮手沒有這樣行,免得我的名在我領他們出埃及的列國人眼前被褻瀆。
23
並且我在曠野向他們起誓,必將他們分散在列國,四散在列邦;
24
因為他們不遵行我的典章,竟厭棄我的律例,干犯我的安息日,眼目仰望他們父親的偶像。
25
我也任他們遵行不美的律例,謹守不能使人活著的惡規。
26
因他們將一切頭生的經火,我就任憑他們在這供獻的事上玷污自己,好叫他們淒涼,使他們知道我是耶和華。
27
人子啊,你要告訴以色列家說,主耶和華如此說:你們的列祖在得罪我的事上褻瀆我;
28
因為我領他們到了我起誓應許賜給他們的地,他們看見各高山、各茂密樹,就在那裡獻祭,奉上惹我發怒的供物,也在那裡焚燒馨香的祭牲,並澆上奠祭。
29
我就對他們說:你們所上的那高處叫甚麼呢?(那高處的名字叫巴麻直到今日。)
30
所以你要對以色列家說,主耶和華如此說:你們仍照你們列祖所行的玷污自己麼?仍照他們可憎的事行邪淫麼?
31
你們奉上供物使你們兒子經火的時候,仍將一切偶像玷污自己,直到今日麼?以色列家啊,我豈被你們求問麼?主耶和華說:我指著我的永生起誓,我必不被你們求問。
32
你們說:我們要像外邦人和列國的宗族一樣,去事奉木頭與石頭。你們所起的這心意萬不能成就。
33
主耶和華說:我指著我的永生起誓,我總要作王,用大能的手和伸出來的膀臂,並傾出來的忿怒,治理你們。
34
我必用大能的手和伸出來的膀臂,並傾出來的忿怒,將你們從萬民中領出來,從分散的列國內聚集你們。
36
我怎樣在埃及地的曠野刑罰你們的列祖,也必照樣刑罰你們。這是主耶和華說的。
38
我必從你們中間除淨叛逆和得罪我的人,將他們從所寄居的地方領出來,他們卻不得入以色列地。你們就知道我是耶和華。
39
以色列家啊,至於你們,主耶和華如此說:從此以後若不聽從我,就任憑你們去事奉偶像,只是不可再因你們的供物和偶像褻瀆我的聖名。
40
主耶和華說:在我的聖山,就是以色列高處的山,所有以色列的全家都要事奉我。我要在那裡悅納你們,向你們要供物和初熟的土產,並一切的聖物。
41
我從萬民中領你們出來,從分散的列國內聚集你們,那時我必悅納你們好像馨香之祭,要在外邦人眼前在你們身上顯為聖。
42
我領你們進入以色列地,就是我起誓應許賜給你們列祖之地,那時你們就知道我是耶和華。
43
你們在那裡要追念玷污自己的行動作為,又要因所做的一切惡事厭惡自己。
44
主耶和華說:以色列家啊,我為我名的緣故,不照著你們的惡行和你們的壞事待你們;你們就知道我是耶和華。
46
人子啊,你要面向南方,向南滴下預言攻擊南方田野的樹林。
47
對南方的樹林說,要聽耶和華的話。主耶和華如此說:我必使火在你中間著起,燒滅你中間的一切青樹和枯樹,猛烈的火燄必不熄滅。從南到北,人的臉面都被燒焦。