3858. 由于接下来的几节论述的主题是雅各的十二个儿子, 并且以色列的十二支派以他们的名字命名, 并以他们为祖, 故此处预先说明支派是什么意思, 为何有十二个. 至今无人知道其中所隐藏的奥秘, 因为人们一直以为, 圣言的历史纯粹是历史, 除了讨论神圣事物时能用来当例子外, 再没有更多神性之物在里面. 因此, 他们还以为, 这十二支派无非表示以色列人被划分为众多民族或普通宗族, 而事实上, 这些支派包含神性之物. 也就是说, 这些支派表示信与爱的众多普遍划分, 因而表示构成主在天上和地上国度的事物. 每个支派则具有表示某种普遍划分. 不过, 至于准确来说, 各个支派分别表示什么, 这从接下来的几节明显可知, 这几节论述了雅各的儿子们, 这些支派就是以他儿子们的名字命名的. 总的来说, 这十二支派表示构成真理与良善, 或信与爱的教义的一切事物; 这些 (也就是真理与良善, 或信与爱) 构成主的国度; 因为真理或信的事物本质上就是那里思维的全部, 良善或爱的事物本质上是情感的全部. 并且由于犹太教会的建立是为了它可以代表主的国度, 故那百姓被划分为十二支派就表示主国度的这些事. 这是此前从未披露的一个奥秘.

“十二” 表示总体上的全部事物, 如前所示 (577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272节); 而 “支派” 表示真理与良善, 或信与爱的事物, 因此 “十二支派” 表示这些的全部事物. 在分别描述 “十二支派” 之前, 它们的这层含义在此通过圣言来证明. 启示录:

圣城新耶路撒冷有十二个门, 门上有十二位天使, 门上又写着以色列人十二个支派的名字. 城墙有十二根基, 根基上有羔羊十二使徒的名字. 他用苇子量那城, 共有一万二千斯他丢; 又量了城墙, 按着人的尺寸, 就是天使的尺寸, 共有一百四十四肘. 十二个门是十二颗珍珠. (启示录 21:12, 14, 16-17, 21)

“圣城”, 或新耶路撒冷表示主的新教会, 这一点从这段描述的每个细节明显看出来. 此前几章描述了教会在终结之前会是何状态; 这一章则论述了一个新教会. 因此, “门”, “城墙” 和 “根基” 无非表示构成教会的事物, 就是仁与信的事物, 因为这些构成教会.

谁都能由此看出, 上述经文频繁提到的 “十二”, 以及 “支派”, 还有 “使徒” 并非指十二, 支派或使徒, “十二” 是指在一个整体中的全部事物 (参看577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272节). “一百四十四” 这个数字也一样, 因为这个数字是十二乘十二. 由于 “十二” 表示全部事物, 故显然, “十二支派” 表示构成教会的全部事物; 这些事物就是真理与良善, 或信与爱, 如前所述. “十二使徒” 同样如此, 他们也代表教会的全部事物, 也就是信与爱的全部事物 (参看2129, 3354, 3488, 3857节). 因此, 这个数字被称为 “人的尺寸, 就是天使的尺寸”, 以此表示真理与良善的一个状态. 因为 “尺寸” 表示状态 (参看3104节); “人” 表示构成教会之物, 这一点从有关 “人” 这个含义的论述明显可知 (478, 479, 565, 768, 1871, 1894节), 并且从以下事实也能看出来, 即: 主的国度被称作大人, 它被如此称呼凭的是出自主的良善与真理. 关于这个主题, 可参看各章节的末尾 (3624-3649, 3741-3750节). “天使” 也有同样的含义 (参看1705, 1754, 1925, 2821, 3039节).

和启示录一样, 旧约的先知书所论述的新耶路撒冷同样表示主的新教会, 如以赛亚书 (65:18-19等); 撒迦利亚书 (14章); 尤其以西结书 (40-48章), 在那里, 新耶路撒冷, 新殿和新地在内义上描述了主在天上的国度, 以及主在地上的国度, 也就是教会. 以西结书的这些章节比别处更清楚地表明 “地”, “耶路撒冷” 和 “圣殿”, 以及它们里面的一切事物是什么意思, 还有 “十二支派” 表示什么. 因为这些章节所论述的主题就是那地和那地的居民照着各支派的划分, 以及那城和城墙, 根基, 门和属于那里圣殿的一切事物. 我们在此只能从这些章节引用关于支派的内容:

主耶和华说, 这是你们按以色列十二支派分地为业的地界. 你们要按着以色列的支派分这地. 要拈阄分这地为业, 归与自己和你们中间寄居的外人. 他们在以色列支派中要同你们拈阄分得产业. (以西结书 47:13, 21-23)

至于这地:

这地在以色列中必归王为业; 我所立的王必不再欺压我的民, 他们却要按支派将地分给以色列家. (以西结书 45:8)

关于这产业, 以及它们如何分配给那里也以名字所提及的各个支派, 可参看以西结书 (48:1等). 关于以以色列的支派命名的城门, 可参看同一章 (48:31-34).

很明显, 那里所说的 “支派” 不是指支派, 因为那时, 十个支派早已分散到世界各地, 并且后来也没有回来. 他也不可能回来, 因为他们已然变成外邦人了. 然而, 每个支派都提到了, 以及他们应如何分这地, 各自的地界是哪份, 即: 但支派的地界是哪份 (48:2); 亚设支派的地界是哪份 (48:3); 拿弗他利, 玛拿西, 以法莲, 流便, 犹大的地界又是哪份; 利未人的产业; 便雅悯, 西缅, 以萨迦, 西布伦, 迦得的地界是哪份 (48:4-29). 另外, 该章还声明那城有十二个城门, 按以色列支派的名字命名: 北面有三门, 即流便门, 犹大门, 利未门; 东面有三门, 即约瑟门, 便雅悯门, 但门; 南面有三门, 即西缅门, 以萨迦门, 西布伦门; 西面有三门, 即迦得门, 亚设门, 拿弗他利门 (48:31-34). 由此明显可知, “十二支派” 表示属于主国度的全部事物, 或信与爱的全部事物, 因为如前所述, 这些构成主的国度.

“十二支派” 因表示主国度的一切事物, 故也以其营地和起行而代表该国度. 对此, 我们在摩西五经中读到: 他们要按着各支派对着会幕的四围安营; 在东边, 有犹大, 以萨迦, 西布伦; 在南边, 有流便, 西缅, 迦得; 在西边, 有以法莲, 玛拿西, 便雅悯; 在北边, 有但, 亚设, 拿弗他利; 他们就这样安营起行 (民数记 2章). 他们在这一切事上都代表主的国度, 这一点从巴兰的预言中很明显地看出来:

巴兰举目, 看见以色列人照着支派居住, 神的灵就临到他身上. 他便题起诗歌说, 雅各啊, 你的会幕何等华美! 以色列啊, 你的居所何其华丽! 如接连的山谷, 如河旁的园子, 如耶和华所栽的沉香木, 如水边的香柏树. (民数记 24:2, 3, 5, 6)

巴兰通过耶和华说这些话, 这一事实在民数记 (22:8, 18-19, 35, 38; 23:5, 12, 16, 26; 24:2, 13) 中说得很清楚.

由此明显可知按着各支派所得的迦南地业代表什么, 对此, 我们在摩西五经中读到: 摩西要将以色列人的全会众, 按他们的父家, 凡二十岁以外能加入以色列军队的, 计算总数; 那地要拈阄分; 他们要按着祖宗各支派的名字承受为业 (民数记 26:2, 7-56; 33:54; 34:19-29). 约书亚按着支派拈阄分地 (约书亚记 13, 15-约书亚记19). 从这些具体细节明显可知, 所代表的是主的国度, 如前所述; 因为 “迦南地” 表示该国度 (参看1585, 1607, 3038, 3481, 3705节).

以色列人被称为 “军队”, 经上说他们要按着 “军队” 安营, 并且还要按着 “军队” 起行 (民数记 2:4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 19, 21-23, 26, 28, 30). 这是因为, “军队” 有同样的含义 (和 “支派” 一样), 即表示真理与良善 (参看3448节). 而且, 主就被称为 “万军之耶和华” (Jehovah Zebaoth), 或 “众军之耶和华” (Jehovah of Armies)(3448节). 因此, 他们在出埃及时, 被称为 “耶和华的军队”, 如摩西五经:

正当四百三十年终了的这一天, 耶和华的军队都从埃及地出来了. (出埃及记 12:41)

谁都能意识到, 在埃及和之后的旷野, 这百姓除了以一种代表意义外, 并未称作 “耶和华的军队”, 因为他们没有良善或真理, 反而是所有民族中最坏的.

由此也很清楚地明白被称作乌陵和土明的亚伦胸牌上的 “十二支派的名字” 表示什么. 关于这胸牌, 我们在摩西五经中读到:

要在上面镶上四行, 宝石要有十二块, 这些宝石要按着以色列儿子的名字, 十二块都要按着他们的名字; 各在名字上为十二个支派刻印章. (出埃及记 28:17, 21; 39:14)

因为亚伦代表主的神性祭司职份, 因此他作为大祭司所穿戴的一切都表示神性属天和属灵之物. 至于它们的确切含义, 蒙主的神圣怜悯, 等到论述它们的时候就会清楚明了. 胸牌本身是最神圣的, 所以它的名字代表了对主之爱和信的一切本质特征: 这些就是乌陵和土明. 名字之所以被刻在宝石上, 是因为 “石” 一般表示真理 (1298, 3720节), 而 “宝石” 表示从良善透现出来的真理 (114节). 由于各支派的名字表示某种本质特征, 故每个支派都分配了一种具体的石头 (出埃及记 28:17-20; 39:10-13), 这种石头凭颜色和透明度来表现每个支派所表示的品质. 这就是耶和华或主如何通过乌陵和土明给出答复.

以弗得两条肩带上的 “两块红玛瑙石” 所代表的也一样, 只是比胸牌上的十二样宝石所代表的更低级. 因为 “肩” 表一切能力, 因而表主的全能 (1085节); 而 “胸” 或 “心与肺” 表神性属天和属灵之爱; “心” 表神性属天之爱; “肺” 表神性属灵之爱; 这一切可参看前文 (3635节) 和本章末尾, 那里论述了大人, 以及它与心肺区域的对应关系. 关于 “以弗得肩带上的两块石头”, 我们在摩西五经中读到:

要取两块红玛瑙石, 在上面刻以色列儿子的名字, 六个名字在这块宝石上, 六个名字在那块宝石上, 都照他们出生的次序. 要将这两块石头安在以弗得的肩带上, 为以色列人作纪念石. (出埃及记 28:9-10, 12; 39:6-7)

支派表示属于真理和良善, 或信和爱之物, 并且每个支派都表示其某种共性, 利未支派表示爱 (这从下面34节的解释明显看出来). 故由此可知, 他们各自按着各支派把杖存在会幕内, 并且唯独利未的杖开花结熟杏是什么意思. 对此, 我们在摩西五经中读到:

取十二根杖, 他们父家的族长要各有一根杖, 要把这些杖存在会幕内; 并要将亚伦的名字写在利未的杖上. 亚伦的杖也在这些杖当中. 第二天, 看哪, 利未支派亚伦的杖已经发了芽, 生了花苞, 开了花, 结了熟杏. (民数记 17:2-8)

这些事表示, 爱是主国度中全部事物的本质和首要事物, 爱是一切结实的源头. 之所以将亚伦的名字写在杖上, 是因为亚伦代表主的神性祭司职份. 主的祭司职份表示神性良善, 神性良善本质上就是主的爱与仁慈; 主的王权则表示源自神性良善的神性真理 (参看1728, 2015, 3670节).

从目前所引证的这一切可以看出, 以下经文中的 “支派” 和 “十二支派” 表示什么. 启示录:

我听见受印的数目有十四万四千, 都是以色列人各支派中受印的. 犹大支派中受印的有一万二千; 流便支派中有一万二千; 迦得支派中有一万二千; 亚设支派中有一万二千; 拿弗他利支派中有一万二千; 玛拿西支派中有一万二千; 西缅支派中有一万二千; 利未支派中有一万二千; 以萨迦支派中有一万二千; 西布伦支派中有一万二千; 约瑟支派中有一万二千; 便雅悯支派中受印的有一万二千. (启示录 7:4-8)

摩西五经:

你当追想上古之日, 思念历代之年. 至高者将地业赐给列族, 将世人分开, 就照以色列人的数目, 立定万民的疆界. (申命记 32:7-8)

诗篇:

耶路撒冷被建造, 如同连络整齐的一座城. 众支派, 就是耶和华的支派, 上那里去, 以色列的证据, 称赞耶和华的名. (诗篇 122:3-4)

约书亚记:

看哪! 全地之主的约柜必在你们的前面过去, 到约旦河里. 你们要从以色列支派中拣选十二个人, 每支派一人. 当抬耶和华全地之主约柜的祭司, 脚掌踏入约旦河水里的时候, 约旦河的水, 必然中断, 立起成垒. (约书亚记 3:11-13)

又:

你们从约旦河中间, 祭司脚站定的地方, 取十二块石头带过去, 按着以色列人十二支派的数目, 每人取一块石头扛在肩上; 这可作约旦河的水中断的记号. 约书亚另把十二块石头立在约旦河中间, 在抬约柜的祭司脚站立的地方. (约书亚记 4:3-9)

又:

以利亚照雅各子孙支派的数目, 取了十二块石头, 耶和华的话曾临到雅各说, 你的名要叫以色列; 他就用这些石头奉耶和华的名筑一座坛. (列王纪上 18:31-32)

“支派” 表爱之善和信之真, 这一点也可从主在马太福音中的话明显看出来:

那时, 人子的兆头要显现, 地上的众支派都要哀哭. 他们要看见人子有能力, 有大荣耀, 驾着天上的云降临. (马太福音 24:30)

此处 “地上的众支派都要哀哭” 表示对真理的承认和良善的生命不复存在, 因为所论述的主题是时代的终结. 同样, 在启示录:

看哪! 祂驾云降临, 众目要看见祂, 连刺祂的人也要看见他, 地上的众支派都要因祂哀哭. (启示录 1:7)

“驾着天上的云降临” 表示什么, 这可见于创世记 18章的序言. 另外, 也可参看关于 “十二” 这个数字通过经历向我所作的指示 (2129, 2130节).

信与爱的全部事物被称为 “支派” 的原因在于, 这个词在原文也表示 “权杖” 和 “杖”. “权杖” 和 “杖” 表示权能, 蒙主的神圣怜悯, 这一点将在别处予以说明. 因此, “支派” 这个名词具有这样的观念: 良善与真理拥有来自主的一切权能在里面. 由于这个原因, 天使还被称为 “大能” 和 “王权” (sovereignties或principalities), 因为 “君王” (或族长princes) 表示仁与信的首要事物, 如源于以实玛利的 “十二个族长” (创世记 25:16, 参看2089节), 以及作为支派领袖的族长 (民数记 7章; 13:4-16).

从关于十二支派的所有上述内容可知, 为何后来被称作 “使徒” 的主的门徒共有十二个; 和支派一样, 他们代表主教会的良善与真理 (2129, 3354, 3488, 3857节). “彼得” 代表信, “雅各” 代表仁, “约翰” 代表仁爱的行为 (参看创世纪 18至22章的序言, 以及3750节). 这一点也可从主论到他们并对他们所说的话很清楚地看出来.

3875. 'And she said, Now this time my husband will cling to me' means in the highest sense love and mercy, in the internal sense charity, in the external sense a joining together - spiritual love being meant here. This is clear from the meaning of 'clinging to'. As regards 'clinging' in the external sense, or inner sense nearest to the literal, meaning a joining together, this may be seen without explanation; and as regards 'clinging' in the internal sense meaning charity, this is evident from the consideration that charity, or what amounts to the same, mutual love, is a spiritual joining together. For mutual love is a joining together of affections belonging to the will and a consequent agreement of thoughts belonging to the understanding, and so is a joining of minds as to both parts. That 'clinging' in the highest sense means love and mercy is evident from this, for when the description 'infinite and eternal' is applied to charity or spiritual love the attribute of mercy is meant, mercy being Divine love directed towards the human race engulfed in such great miseries. For man of himself is nothing but evil, and what is within him, insofar as this has its origin in himself, is altogether from hell. Yet the Lord beholds him with Divine Love, and therefore the raising up of him from the hell in which of himself he dwells and his deliverance from it is called mercy. And because that mercy is an attribute of Divine Love, 'clinging' in the highest sense therefore means both love and mercy.

[2] As regards 'clinging' in the internal sense meaning spiritual love, or what amounts to the same, charity towards the neighbour, this may also be seen from other places in the Word, as in Isaiah,

Do not let the son of the foreigner who has clung to Jehovah say, Jehovah surely separates me from being with His people. The sons of the foreigner who cling to Jehovah, to minister to Him and to delight in the name of Jehovah, will be His servants. Isaiah 56:3, 6.

'Clinging to Jehovah' stands for keeping His commandments, which is an act of spiritual love, for no one at heart keeps God's commandments except him in whom good that flows from charity towards the neighbour is present. In Jeremiah,

In those days the children of Israel will come, they and the children of Judah weeping as they come; and they will seek Jehovah their God. They will ask Zion concerning the way, their faces towards it, [saying,] Come and let us cling to Jehovah in an everlasting covenant that is not forgotten. Jeremiah 50:4-5.

'Clinging to Jehovah' in like manner stands for keeping His commandments at heart, that is, doing so from good that flows from charity.

[3] In Zechariah,

Many nations will cling to Jehovah on that day and will be My people. Zechariah 2:11.

Here the meaning is similar. In Isaiah,

Jehovah will have compassion on Jacob, and will again choose Israel, and will set them on their own land. And the sojourner will cling to them, and they will join themselves to the house of Jacob. Isaiah 14:1.

'The sojourner clinging to them' stands for having a similar allegiance to the law. 'Joining themselves to the house of Jacob' stands for the good that flows from charity, which is present in those meant by 'the house of Jacob'. In Matthew,

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other or he will cling to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24.

Here the celestial form of love is meant by 'loving', the spiritual form by 'clinging to'. Both of these expressions are used because those two forms of love are distinct and separate. Otherwise one expression would have been sufficient.

[4] People who are stirred by spiritual love are therefore called 'the sons of Levi', as in Malachi,

Who can endure the day of His coming, and who will stand when He appears? He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and purge them like gold, and like silver. Malachi 3:2-3.

In the highest sense the Lord is meant by 'Levi' by virtue of Divine love and of mercy towards those in whom spiritual love is present. This may be seen in the same prophet,

That you may know that I have sent this command to you, to be My covenant with Levi, said Jehovah Zebaoth. My covenant with him will be [a covenant] of life and peace. You have turned back from the way; you have caused many to stumble at the law, you have corrupted the covenant of Levi; therefore I have made you despised. Malachi 2:4-5, 8-9.

And because in the highest sense the Lord's Divine Love or His Mercy was meant by 'Levi', and in the internal sense spiritual love, the tribe of Levi was therefore established as the priesthood; for in the internal sense of the Word 'the priesthood' is nothing other than the holiness of love and 'kingship' the holiness of faith, 1728, 2015 (end), 3670.

[5] Because the expression 'cringing to' from which Levi received his name means spiritual love, which is the same as mutual love, the same expression in the original language is used to mean lending and borrowing. ¹ And these two - lending and borrowing - in the Jewish Church represented mutual love, a representation which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with elsewhere. Mutual love is different from friendship inasmuch as mutual love has a person's good in view, and in directing itself towards that good is directed towards the person in whom good is present. Friendship however has the person in view, which is also mutual love when it looks at that person from the point of view of, that is, on account of, that good. But when it does not look at him from the point of view of good or on account of that good but on account of self which it calls good, friendship is not in that case mutual love but something close to the love of self. And insofar as it is close to this it is opposed to mutual love. In itself mutual love is nothing else than charity towards the neighbour, for in the internal sense 'the neighbour' means nothing else than good, and in the highest sense the Lord because all good originates in Him and He is Good itself, see 2425, 3419. This mutual love or charity towards the neighbour is what is understood by spiritual love and meant by 'Levi'. What is more, in the Word celestial love, and also conjugial love, is expressed in the sense of the letter as 'clinging to', but this is derived from a different expression in the original language from that from which the name Levi is obtained.

[6] This other expression means an even closer joining together, as in the following places: In Moses,

You shall fear Jehovah your God: you shall serve Him and cling to Him. Deuteronomy 10:20.

You shall go after Jehovah your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and hear His voice, and serve Him, and cling to Him. Deuteronomy 13:4.

To love Jehovah your God, to go in all His ways, and to cling to Him. Deuteronomy 11:22.

To love Jehovah your God, to obey His voice, and to cling to Him, for He is your life. Deuteronomy 30:20.

In Joshua,

Take good care to carry out the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, to love Jehovah your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cling to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Joshua 22:5.

In the second Book of Kings,

King Hezekiah trusted in Jehovah the God of Israel. He clung to Jehovah; he did not turn back from going after Him, and he kept His commandments which

Jehovah had commanded Moses. 2 Kings 18:5-6.

In Jeremiah,

As a waistcloth clings to the loins of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me, to be for Me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory; but they were not obedient. Jeremiah 13:11.

[7] The fact that conjugial love as well is expressed by 'clinging to' is evident from the following,

Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother and will cling to his wife, and they will be one flesh. Genesis 2:24.

On account of your hardness of heart Moses wrote this commandment, but from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man (homo) will leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and the two will be one flesh. What therefore God has joined together man (homo) must not put asunder. Mark 10:5-9; Matthew 19:5.

The soul of Shechem clung to Dinah, Jacob's daughter. He loved the girl, and spoke to the girl's heart. Genesis 34:3.

Solomon loved many foreign women. Solomon clung to these in love. 1 Kings 11:1-2.

These quotations show then that 'clinging to' is an expression descriptive of love which was adopted in ancient times by Churches in which meaningful signs were prominent, and that it means nothing else in the internal sense than a spiritual joining together, which is charity and love.

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