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 9
1
Don't rejoice, Israel, to jubilation like the nations; for you were unfaithful to your God. You love the wages of a prostitute at every grain threshing floor.
2
The threshing floor and the winepress won't feed them, and the new wine will fail her.
3
They won't dwell in Yahweh's land; but Ephraim will return to Egypt, and they will eat unclean food in Assyria.
4
They won't pour out wine offerings to Yahweh, neither will they be pleasing to him. Their sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat of it will be polluted; for their bread will be for their appetite. It will not come into the house of Yahweh.
5
What will you do in the day of solemn assembly, and in the day of the feast of Yahweh?
6
For, behold, they have gone away from destruction. Egypt will gather them up. Memphis will bury them. Nettles will possess their pleasant things of silver. Thorns will be in their tents.
7
The days of visitation have come. The days of reckoning have come. Israel will consider the prophet to be a fool, and the man who is inspired to be insane, because of the abundance of your sins, and because your hostility is great.
8
A prophet watches over Ephraim with my God. A fowler's snare is on all of his paths, and hostility in the house of his God.
9
They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity. He will punish them for their sins.
10
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree at its first season; but they came to Baal Peor, and consecrated themselves to the shameful thing, and became abominable like that which they loved.
11
As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird. There will be no birth, none with child, and no conception.
12
Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them, so that not a man shall be left. Indeed, woe also to them when I depart from them!
13
I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place; but Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer.
14
Give them--Yahweh what will you Give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
15
"All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I hated them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house! I will love them no more. All their princes are rebels.
16
Ephraim is struck. Their root has dried up. They will bear no fruit. Even though they bring forth, yet I will kill the beloved ones of their womb."
17
My God will cast them away, because they did not listen to him; and they will be wanderers among the nations.
