25
και χιμαρον εξ αιγων ενα περι αμαρτιας πλην της ολοκαυτωσεως της δια παντος αι θυσιαι αυτων και αι σπονδαι αυτων
Numbers 29:25
Apocalypse Revealed # 316
316. "And do not harm the oil and the wine." This symbolizes the Lord's provision that they not violate and profane the goods and truths concealed inwardly in the Word.
Oil symbolizes the goodness of love, and wine the truth springing from that goodness. Thus the oil here symbolizes sacred goodness, and the wine sacred truth. The Lord's provision that these not be violated and profaned is symbolized by the people's being told not to harm them. For this instruction came from the midst of the four living creatures, thus from the Lord (no. 314). Whatever the Lord says He also provides. That this is something He provides may be seen in nos. 314 and 255 above.
That oil symbolizes the goodness of love - this we will see in nos. 778, 779 below.
That wine symbolizes the truth springing from that goodness is clear from the following passages:
Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes..., buy wine and milk without money... (Isaiah 55:1)
It shall come to pass in that day that the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills flow with milk... (Joel 3:18, cf. Amos 9:13-14)
Joy is taken away... from Carmel, and in the vineyards there will be no singing... No treaders will tread out wine in the presses; I have made their shouting cease. (Isaiah 16:10, cf. Jeremiah 48:32-33)
Carmel symbolizes the spiritual church, because it had vineyards there.
[2] ...wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the new wine, for it has been cut off from your mouth... The vinedressers have wailed... (Joel 1:5, 10-11)
Almost the same images occur in Hosea 9:2-3.
He washes his clothing in wine, and His vesture in the blood of grapes. His eyes are red with wine... (Genesis 49:11-12)
The subject is the Lord, and the wine symbolizes Divine truth. That is why the Lord instituted the Holy Supper, in which the bread symbolizes the Lord in respect to Divine good, and the wine the Lord in respect to Divine truth; and in their recipients the bread symbolizes a sacred goodness, and the wine sacred truth, received from the Lord. Therefore He said,
I say to you, that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you... in My Father's kingdom. (Matthew 26:29, cf. Luke 22:18)
Because bread and wine have these symbolic meanings, so too Melchizedek, going to meet Abram, brought out bread and wine, he being a priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram (Genesis 14:18-19).
[3] The grain offering and drink offering used in sacrifices had similar symbolic meanings, as described in Exodus 29:40, Leviticus 23:12-13, 18-19ff. The grain offering was an offering of wheat flour, thus taking the place of bread, and the drink offering was an offering of wine.
It can be seen from this what these words of the Lord symbolize:
Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins... But they put the... wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved. (Matthew 9:17, cf. Luke 5:37-38)
New wine is the Divine truth in the New Testament, thus in the New Church, and the old wine is the Divine truth in the Old Testament, thus in the old church.
A similar idea is symbolized by these words of the Lord at the wedding in Cana of Galilee:
Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now! (John 2:1-10)
[4] Something similar is symbolized by the wine in the Lord's parable concerning the man wounded by thieves, on whose wound the Samaritan poured oil and wine (Luke 10:33-34); for the man wounded by thieves means people whom the Jews wounded spiritually by evils and falsities, and to whom the Samaritan brought aid by pouring oil and wine on their wounds, that is, by teaching them goodness and truth, and as far as possible, healing them.
Sacred truth is symbolized by wine and new wine also elsewhere in the Word, as in Isaiah 1:21-22; 25:6; 36:17.
[5] Because of this, a vineyard in the Word symbolizes a church that possesses truths from the Lord.
That wine symbolizes sacred truth can be seen also from its opposite meaning, in which it symbolizes truth falsified and profaned, as in the following places:
Harlotry, wine, and new wine have taken hold of the heart... Their wine is gone, they commit harlotry continually. (Hosea 4:11, 18)
Harlotry symbolizes the falsification of truth, and so, too, do the wine and new wine here.
...in the hand of Jehovah a cup, and He mixed it with wine; He filled it with the mixture and poured it out, and its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth, sucking, drink. (Psalms 75:8)
Babylon was a golden cup in Jehovah's hand, that made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore they are deranged. (Jeremiah 51:7)
Babylon has fallen..., because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication... If anyone worships the beast..., he shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed with undiluted wine in the cup of the wrath (of God). (Revelation 14:8-10)
(Babylon has made) all the nations (drink) of the wine... of her fornication. (Revelation 18:3)
...great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath. (Revelation 16:19)
...the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication. (Revelation 17:1-2)
[6] The wine that Belshazzar, the king of Babylon, and his lords and wives and concubines drank from the vessels of the Temple in Jerusalem, while they praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone (Daniel 5:2-4) - that wine symbolized nothing else but the sacred truth of the Word and church profaned, which is why the writing then appeared on the wall, and the king that very night was slain (Daniel 5:25, 30)
Wine symbolizes truth falsified also in Isaiah 5:11-12, 21-22; 28:1, 3, 7; 29:9; 56:11-12.
The drink offering that they poured out as an offering to idols has the same symbolic meaning in Isaiah 65:11; 57:6; Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17-19; Ezekiel 20:28; Deuteronomy 32:38.
It is owing to its correspondence that wine symbolizes sacred truth, and in an opposite sense, truth profaned. For when a person reads "wine" in the Word, angels - who apprehend everything spiritually - have just this interpretation of it. Such is the correspondence between the natural thoughts of people and the spiritual thoughts of angels. The case is the same with the wine in the Holy Supper. That is why the Holy Supper occasions an introduction into heaven (no. 224 at the end).
Luke 6
1
Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the first, that he was going through the grain fields. His disciples plucked the heads of grain, and ate, rubbing them in their hands.
2
But some of the Pharisees said to them, "Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day?"
3
Jesus, answering them, said, "Haven't you read what David did when he was hungry, he, and those who were with him;
4
how he entered into the house of God, and took and ate the show bread, and gave also to those who were with him, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests alone?"
5
He said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
6
It also happened on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered.
7
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him.
8
But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Rise up, and stand in the middle." He arose and stood.
9
Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?"
10
He looked around at them all, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did, and his hand was restored as sound as the other.
11
But they were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Jesus.
12
It happened in these days, that he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.
13
When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles:
14
Simon, whom he also named Peter; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew;
15
Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called the Zealot;
16
Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who also became a traitor.
17
He came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;
18
as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were being healed.
19
All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.
20
He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.
21
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22
Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.
23
Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.
24
"But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation.
25
Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
26
Woe, when men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.
27
"But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28
bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.
29
To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don't withhold your coat also.
30
Give to everyone who asks you, and don't ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again.
31
"As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them.
32
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33
If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34
If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.
35
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.
36
Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.
37
Don't judge, and you won't be judged. Don't condemn, and you won't be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free.
38
"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you."
39
He spoke a parable to them. "Can the blind guide the blind? Won't they both fall into a pit?
40
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
41
Why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye?
42
Or how can you tell your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck of chaff that is in your eye,' when you yourself don't see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck of chaff that is in your brother's eye.
43
For there is no good tree that brings forth rotten fruit; nor again a rotten tree that brings forth good fruit.
44
For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people don't gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
45
The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.
46
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do the things which I say?
47
Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like.
48
He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock.
49
But he who hears, and doesn't do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
