10
Tehkäät vannanne miekoiksi ja viikahteenne keihäiksi. Ja joka heikko on, se sanokaan: minä olen väkevä.
Joel 3:10
SWORD version by Tero Favorin (tero at favorin dot com)
Apocalypse Revealed # 546
546. Then the woman fled into the wilderness. (12:6) This symbolizes the church, namely, the New Jerusalem, being at first among few.
The woman symbolizes the New Church (no. 533), and the wilderness symbolizes a circumstance in which there are no longer any truths. The church is symbolized as being at first among few because the statement follows, "Where she has a place prepared by God, that they may feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days," which symbolizes the state of that church then, that in the meantime provision may be made for it to exist among more people until it grows to its appointed state (no. 547).
A wilderness in the Word symbolizes:
1. A church devastated, or one in which the Word's truths have all been falsified, as was the case with the Jews at the time of the Lord's advent.
2. A church without truths, because it does not have the Word, as was the case with upright gentiles at the time of the Lord's advent.
3. A state of temptation or trial, in which a person is seemingly without truths, being surrounded by evil spirits who induce the temptation or trial and appear to rob him of his truths.
[2] 1. That a wilderness symbolizes a church devastated, or one in which the Word's truths have all been falsified, as was the case with the Jews at the time of the Lord's advent: This is apparent from the following passages:
Is this the man who shook the earth, who made kingdoms tremble, who made the world as a wilderness...? (Isaiah 14:16-17)
This said in reference to Babylon.
On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers...; ...the palace will be deserted... (Isaiah 32:13-14)
I beheld, and lo, Carmel was a wilderness... "The whole land shall be a wasteland." (Jeremiah 4:26-27)
The land is the church (no. 285).
...shepherds have destroyed My vineyard..., they have made the field of My desire a desolate wilderness... The devastators are coming... in the wilderness. (Jeremiah 12:10, 12)
...(the vine) is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land. (Ezekiel 19:13)
...fire has devoured the habitations of the wilderness. (Joel 1:19-20)
...the day of Jehovah is coming... The land is like the Garden of Eden before it, but after it a desolate wilderness. (Joel 2:1, 3)
...see the word of Jehovah! Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of darkness? (Jeremiah 2:31)
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40:3)
And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 33:9; Jeremiah 3:2; 23:10; Lamentations 5:9; Hosea 2:2-3; 13:15; Joel 3:19; Malachi 1:3; Matthew 24:26; Luke 13:35.
That such is the state of the church today may be seen in no. 566 below.
[3] 2. That a wilderness symbolizes a church without truths, because it does not have the Word, as was the case with upright gentiles at the time of the Lord's advent: This is apparent from these passages:
...the Spirit shall be poured upon us from on high, then the wilderness shall become a fertile field...; and judgment will dwell in the wilderness... (Isaiah 32:15-16)
(I will put) fountains in the midst of the valleys, [and turn] the wilderness into a pool of water... I will put in the wilderness the shittim cedar... and the oil tree. (Isaiah 41:18-19)
He will turn a wilderness into a pool of water, and dry land into springs of water. (Psalms 107:35-36)
I will make a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert... to give drink to My people, My chosen. (Isaiah 43:19-20)
...Jehovah... will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah; gladness and joy will be found in her... (Isaiah 51:3)
The habitations of the wilderness drip... (Psalms 65:12-13)
Let the wilderness... lift up (its) voice... Let the inhabitants of the rock sing... (Isaiah 43:10-11)
[4] 3. That a wilderness symbolizes a state of temptation or trial, in which a person is seemingly without truths, being surrounded by evil spirits who induce the temptation or trial and appear to rob him of his truths: This is apparent from Matthew 4:1-3, Mark 1:12-13.
Matthew 5
1
Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
2
He opened his mouth and taught them, saying,
3
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
7
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
10
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
11
"Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12
Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13
"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.
14
You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can't be hidden.
15
Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house.
16
Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
17
"Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill.
18
For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.
19
Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
20
For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
21
"You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, 'You shall not murder;' and 'Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.'
22
But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council; and whoever shall say, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.
23
"If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you,
24
leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25
Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.
26
Most certainly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there, until you have paid the last penny.
27
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery;'
28
but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
29
If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.
30
If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.
31
"It was also said, 'Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,'
32
but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.
33
"Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,'
34
but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;
35
nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
36
Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can't make one hair white or black.
37
But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'No.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.
38
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'
39
But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40
If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also.
41
Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
42
Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you.
43
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.'
44
But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
45
that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
46
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same?
47
If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don't even the tax collectors do the same?
48
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
