Apocalypse Explained # 662
662. Because those two prophets tormented them that dwell upon the earth, signifies anxiety of heart in the devastated church on account of these. This is evident from the signification of "the two witnesses," who are here called "two prophets," as being the goods and truths of doctrine; also from the signification of "tormenting," as being anxiety of heart; also from the signification of "them that dwell upon the earth," as being those who live in the church, here in the devastated church. Therefore these words signify the anxiety of heart from the goods of love and the truths of doctrine with those who are of the devastated church; for here the end of the church is treated of, when the loves of self and of the world, and their lusts and the evils and falsities of those lusts, have rule. Then men are tormented by the goods of love and the truths of doctrine, because inwardly or in their hearts they hate them, howsoever they may profess them with their lips; and when anything that is hated enters there is inward torment; and yet such a man of the church does not know, so long as he lives in the world, that he has so great hate for these two witnesses, and that he is inwardly tormented by them, for the reason that he does not know the state of his interior thought and affection, but only the state of his exterior thought and affection, which falls immediately into speech. But when he comes into the spiritual world his exterior thought and affection are laid asleep, and the interior are opened, and then he feels so great a repugnance from hatred against the goods of love and the truths of doctrine that he cannot endure hearing them. When, therefore, such a man enters any angelic society where spiritual love and faith rule he is grievously tormented, which is a sign of interior repugnance from hatred against love and faith. This makes clear what is signified by "those two prophets tormented them that dwell upon the earth." "Them that dwell upon the earth" mean those in the church who are in good in respect to life, but here those who are in evil, for such are interiorly tormented by the goods of love and the truths of doctrine. That "to dwell" signifies to live, and thus life, can be seen from passages in the Word, where "to dwell" is mentioned (Isaiah 9:2; 13:20; 37:16; Jeremiah 2:6, 15; 51:13; Daniel 2:22; 4:9; Ezekiel 31:6; Hosea 9:2, 3; Psalms 23:6; 27:4; 80:1; 101:7; Zephaniah 3:6; and elsewhere).
Hosea 8
1
"Put the trumpet to your lips! Something like an eagle is over Yahweh's house, because they have broken my covenant, and rebelled against my law.
2
They cry to me, 'My God, we Israel acknowledge you!'
3
Israel has cast off that which is good. The enemy will pursue him.
4
They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, and I didn't approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, that they may be cut off.
5
Let Samaria throw out his calf idol! My anger burns against them! How long will it be until they are capable of purity?
6
For this is even from Israel! The workman made it, and it is no God; indeed, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
7
For they sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The stalk will yield no head. If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.
8
Israel is swallowed up. Now they are among the nations like a worthless thing.
9
For they have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for himself.
10
But although they sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them; and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones.
11
Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they became for him altars for sinning.
12
I wrote for him the many things of my law; but they were regarded as a strange thing.
13
As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it; But Yahweh doesn't accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, and punish their sins. They will return to Egypt.
14
For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire on his cities, and it will devour its fortresses."
