4197. “拉班说, 今日这石堆作你我中间的证据. 因此给它起名叫迦累得” 表它将永远如此, 因此它的性质又一次被描述. 这从 “堆”, “证据”, “今日” 和 “起名” 的含义清楚可知: “堆” 是指良善 (参看4192节); “证据” 是指通过真理对良善的确认, 如下文述; “今日” 是指永恒 (2838, 3998节); “起名” 是指基本性质 (144, 145, 1754, 2009, 2724, 3421节). 那良善的具体就包含在 “迦累得” 这个名字中; 因为在古时, 当某个事物取名时, 这个名字就包含该事物的基本性质 (340, 1946, 2643, 3422节). 由此可见 “拉班说, 今日这石堆作你我中间的证据. 因此给它起名叫迦累得” 表示什么, 即表示此处 “拉班” 所表良善与主之属世层的神性良善结合, 因而主与外邦人通过良善结合的证据; 因为该良善就是 “拉班” 现在所代表的 (4189节). 属于该良善的真理就是为那结合作见证的; 然而, 只要他们活在世上, 他们的良善就在边上, 因为他们没有神性真理. 尽管那些处于该良善, 也就是过着彼此仁爱生活的人没有直接来自神性源头, 也就是来自圣言的神性真理, 但他们所拥有的良善并没有被关闭, 而是能被打开的那种. 而且在来世, 当他们接受有关信之真理和主的教导时, 它就被打开. 基督徒则不然. 对他们当中那些过着彼此仁爱的生活之人, 尤其那些处于对主之爱的人来说, 甚至在他们活在世上时, 直接来自神性源头的良善就存在, 因为他们拥有神性真理. 因此, 他们无需这类教导就可进入天堂, 只要他们的真理不含必须先被驱散的虚假. 但那些没有过着仁爱生活的基督徒则向自己关闭天堂, 并且他们当中许多人关闭到它无法被打开的地步. 因为他们知道真理, 却否认它们, 即便不在口头上, 也在心里强硬反对它们.

拉班先以自己的语言将这堆称为 “伊迦尔撒哈杜他”, 之后以迦南的语言, 这堆名为 “迦累得”; 而事实上, 这二者意思差不多, 这是为了聚在一起并由此结合的缘故. 以迦南的语言说话, 或说 “迦南的方言” 表示回应神性; 因为 “迦南” 表示主的国度, 在至高意义上表示主 (1607, 3038, 3705节); 这一点明显可见于以赛亚书:

当那日, 埃及地必有五座城说迦南的方言, 又指着万军之耶和华起誓. 当那日, 在埃及地中央必有为耶和华筑的一座坛; 在埃及的边界上必有为耶和华立的一根柱. 这都要在埃及地为万军之耶和华作记号和证据. (以赛亚书 19:18-20)

“见证或证据” 表示通过真理对良善, 以及对源于良善的真理的确认; 因此, “证词或法版” 表示真理植根于其中的良善, 和良善所产生的真理, 这一点从圣言的其它经文可以看出来. “证据” 表示通过真理对良善, 以及对源于良善的真理的确认, 这一点从以下经文明显看出来. 约书亚记:

约书亚对百姓说, 你们选定耶和华, 要事奉祂, 你们自己作见证吧! 他们说, 我们就是见证. 你们现在要除掉你们中间的外邦神, 专心归向耶和华以色列的神. 百姓对约书亚说, 我们必事奉耶和华我们的神, 听从祂的声音. 当日, 约书亚就与百姓立约, 在示剑为他们立定律例典章. 约书亚将这些话都写在神的律法书上, 又将一块大石头立在耶和华圣所旁边的橡树下. 约书亚对众民说, 看哪! 这石头可以向我们作见证, 因为是听见了耶和华所吩咐我们的一切话, 所以要向你们作见证, 免得你们背弃耶和华你们的神. (约书亚记 24:22-27)

“见证” 在此明显表示确认, 就是对约, 因而对他们与耶和华结合的确认; 因为 “约” 表示结合 (665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021节). 由于若非通过良善, 与耶和华或主结合是不可能的; 而良善若不从真理获得其真正性质, 就不可能产生结合, 故可知, “见证” 表示通过真理对良善的确认. 此处所表良善是指与耶和华或主的结合, 这种结合通过他们选定祂, 要事奉祂而实现; 作出确认的真理以 “石头” 来表示; 因为 “石头” 表示真理 (643, 1298, 3720节). 就至高意义而言, “石头” 是指主自己, 因为祂是一切真理的源头, 祂因此被称作 “以色列的磐石” (创世记 49:24); 经上还说 “看哪! 这石头可以向我们作见证, 因为是听见了耶和华所吩咐我们的一切话. ”

启示录:

我要使我那两个见证人, 穿着麻布, 说预言一千二百六十天. 这二人就是那两棵橄榄树, 两个灯台, 立在大地之神面前的. 若有人想要害他们, 就有火从他们口中出来, 烧灭仇敌; 这二人有权柄叫天闭塞. 他们作完见证的时候, 那从无底坑里上来的兽必与他们交战, 并且战胜他们, 把他们杀了. 过了这三天半, 有生命的灵气从神那里进入他们里面, 他们就立足站了起来. (启示录 11:3-7, 11)

此处所提到的 “两个见证人” 是指良善与真理, 也就是有真理在其中的良善和由良善所产生的真理, 这二者在人心里得到确认; 这一点从经上说这两个见证人是两棵橄榄树和两个灯台明显看出来. 因为 “一棵橄榄树” 是指这种良善 (参看886节); “两棵橄榄树” 表示属天良善和属灵良善. 属天良善本质上是对主之爱, 属灵良善本质上是对邻之仁. “灯台” 是指属于这两种良善的真理, 蒙主的神性怜悯, 这一点等到论述灯台时就会清楚可知. 正是这些良善与真理拥有关闭或打开天堂的权柄 (参看22章序言). “从无底坑 (即地狱) 里上来的兽必把他们杀了” 表示教会内良善与真理的荒废; “有生命的灵气从神那里进入他们里面, 他们就立足站了起来” 表示一个新教会.

由于在古时, 堆用作证据, 所以后来的祭坛也用作证据, 这一点明显可见于约书亚记:

流便人, 迦得人说, 你们看我们列祖所筑的耶和华坛的样式, 这并不是为献燔祭, 也不是为献别的祭, 乃是为作你我中间的证据. 流便人, 迦得人给坛起名叫证坛, 在我们中间证明耶和华是神. (约书亚记 22:28, 34)

“坛” 表示爱之良善, 在至高意义上表示主自己 (921, 2777, 2811节). “证明” 表示通过真理对良善的确认.

由于 “见证” (witness, 或译证据, 证明) 表示通过真理对良善, 以及对源于良善的真理的确认, 故就至高意义而言, “见证” (witness, 或译证据, 证明) 表示主, 因为主就是那作出确认的神性真理, 如以赛亚书:

我必与你们立永约, 就是应许大卫那可靠的恩典; 看哪, 我已立祂作万民的见证, 为万民的君王和司令. (以赛亚书 55:3, 4)

启示录:

并那诚实作见证的, 从死里首先复活, 为地上诸王元首的耶稣基督来的. (启示录 1:5)

又:

这些事是那为诚信真实见证的, 神工之初始的说的. (启示录 3:14)

在代表性教会有这样的要求: 真理必须建立在两三个证人, 而不是一个证人的证词上 (民数记 35:30; 申命记 17:6, 7; 19:15; 马太福音 18:16); 这个要求源于以下神性律法: 良善不是由一个真理, 而是由许多真理来确认的. 因为不与其它真理相关联的一个真理不能确认它, 只有许多真理才能, 因为从一个真理可以看到另一个真理. 单独一个不能赋予良善任何形式, 因而不会显明良善所拥有的任何基本品质, 但一系列相关联的真理则能. 因为正如一个音符不能产生任何旋律, 更不用说完全的和谐了, 一个真理同样不能成就任何事. 这就是要求有两三个证人的律法来源之处, 尽管从表面上看, 它似乎来源于世俗的法律. 然而, 一个不会违背另一个, 这一点也是十诫的情形, 如前所述 (2609节).

“证词或法版” 表示真理植根于其中的良善, 和良善所产生的真理, 这一点从刚才所述可推知, 也可从以下事实清楚看出来: 写在两块石版上的十诫是以一个词, 即 “证词” 来称呼的, 如摩西五经:

耶和华在西乃山和摩西说完了话, 就把两块法版 (two tables of the testimony) 交给他, 是神用指头写的石版. (出埃及记 31:18)

又:

摩西下山, 手里拿着两块法版, 这版是两面写的. (出埃及记 32:15)

由于两块法版被放在柜里, 故这柜被称为 “约柜”, 如摩西五经:

耶和华对摩西说, 你必将把我所要赐给你的法版放在柜里. (出埃及记 25:16, 21)

摩西又取了法版放在柜里. (出埃及记 40:20)

又:

我要与你相会, 又要从法柜二基路伯中间的施恩座上, 和你说. (出埃及记 25:22)

利未记:

使香的烟云遮掩法柜上的施恩座. (利未记 16:13).

民数记:

你要把这十二根杖存在会幕内法柜前. (民数记 17:4)

这柜由此也被称作 “法柜” (还可参看出埃及记 25:22; 31:7; 启示录 15:5).

故十诫被称为 “法版”, 因为它们是立约的条件, 因而主与人彼此结合的条件. 这种彼此结合是不可能的, 除非人遵守这些诫命, 不仅外在形式上遵守, 内在也要遵守. 至于这些诫命的内在形式是什么, 可参看前文 (2609节); 所以, 这就是 “法版” (testimony, 或译证词) 所表示的通过真理所确认的良善, 和源于良善的真理. 正因如此, 这两块石版也被称作 “约版”; 柜被称作 “约柜”. 由此可见在圣言中, “法版” 的真正意义是什么 (如申命记 4:45; 6:17, 20; 以赛亚书 8:16; 列王纪下 17:15; 诗篇 19:7; 25:10; 78:5; 93:5; 119:2, 22, 24, 59, 79, 88, 138, 167; 122:3-4; 启示录 6:9; 12:17; 19:10).

4535. The preliminary sections of previous chapters - Chapter 26 onwards - explained what the Lord foretold about His Coming or THE CLOSE OF THE AGE. Frequently in those sections it has been shown that His Coming or the Close of the Age means the last period of the Church, which in the Word is called the Last Judgement. Those who do not look beyond the literal sense cannot know of the Last Judgement as anything else than the destruction of the world, the particular source for such an idea being the Book of Revelation. There it is said that [John] saw 'a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away; and there was no more sea', and in addition that he saw 'the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven', Revelation 21:1-2. Prophetical utterances in Isaiah, where similar predictions occur, are also a source of the same idea,

Behold, I am creating new heavens and a new earth; therefore the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. ¹ Be glad and rejoice for ever in the things I am creating; behold, I will create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. Isaiah 65:17-18; 66:22.

[2] Those who do not look beyond the literal sense cannot conceive of anything else than this - that the whole sky together with this planet will be annihilated, and then the dead - for the first time - will rise again and dwell in the new heaven and on the new earth. But these places in the Word should not be understood in that way, as may be recognized from other places in the Word where the heavens and the earth are referred to. Those who have any belief in an internal sense can see plainly that 'a new heaven' and 'a new earth' are used to mean a new Church which takes over when the previous one passes away, 1733, 1850, 3355 (end), and that 'heaven' is the internal aspect of that new Church and 'earth' the external aspect of it.

[3] This last period of the previous Church and the first of the new one are also called the Close of the Age, about which the Lord has spoken in Matthew 24. They are called also His Coming, for at that time the Lord departs from the previous Church and comes to the new. The description of that period as the Close of the Age may also be seen from other places in the Word, as in Isaiah,

On that day a remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the God of power. For though your people Israel will be as the sand of the sea, a remnant of it will return. The close has been determined, overflowing with righteousness, for the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth is bringing the whole earth to its close and to its determined end. Isaiah 10:20-23.

In the same prophet,

Now do not be derisive, lest your punishments increase, for a close and a cutting off I have heard from the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth over the whole earth. Isaiah 28:22.

In Jeremiah,

Thus said Jehovah, The whole earth will be a waste, yet I will not bring it to a close. Jeremiah 4:27.

In Zephaniah,

I will bring men into distress, and they will go as the blind, because they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. For Jehovah will bring to a close, indeed to a hasty one, all the inhabitants of the earth. Zephaniah 1:17-18.

From each detail stated here it is evident that 'a close' means the last period of the Church and 'the earth' the Church itself.

[4] The reason why 'the earth (or land)' means the Church is that the land of Canaan was the land where the Church had existed since most ancient times, and later on where among the descendants of Jacob a representative of the Church existed. When this land is said to have been 'brought to a close' it is not the nation dwelling there that is meant but the holiness of worship which existed with the nation where the Church was. For the Word is spiritual; but the actual land is not spiritual, nor is the nation dwelling in it, only that which constitutes the Church there. For evidence that the land of Canaan was the land where the Church had existed from most ancient times, see 567, 3686, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517; and this explains why 'the land' or 'the earth' in the Word means the Church, 566, 662, 1066, 1067, 1262, 3355, 4447. From all this one may see what is meant in Isaiah by 'bringing the whole earth to a close', and in Zephaniah by 'bringing all the inhabitants of the earth to a hasty one'. It is well known that the Jewish nation which inhabited that land was not 'brought to a close' but that the holiness of worship among them was.

[5] This meaning of 'the close' is even clearer in Daniel,

Seventy weeks have been decreed concerning your people and your holy city to bring transgression to a close and to seal up sins and to atone for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy Place. In the middle of the week he will cause sacrifice and offering to cease. At length upon the bird of desolations will come desolation; until a close and a cutting off will it drop upon the devastation. Daniel 9:24, 27.

[6] From this one may now see that the close of the age - about which the disciples were asking when they said to the Lord 'What will be the sign of Your coming and of the close of the age?' Matthew 24:3 - does not mean anything else than the final period of the Church. The same is also meant by the Lord's words, which are the very last in the same gospel,

Jesus said to the disciples, Teaching them to observe ² all things whatever I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you at all times ³ even to the close of the age. Matthew 28:20.

The reason why the Lord said that He would be with the disciples even to the close of the age is that the Lord's twelve disciples are similar in meaning to the twelve tribes of Israel. That is to say, they mean all things of love and faith, and therefore all things of the Church, see 3354, 3488, 3858, as do the twelve tribes, 3858, 3926, 3939, 4060. The fact that the Church reaches its close when no charity exists there any longer, nor consequently any faith, has been shown several times already; and that within the Church at the present day, called the Christian Church, scarcely any trace of charity or consequently of faith survives there; and that the close of the age is accordingly now at hand, will in the Lord's Divine mercy be shown further on.

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