Apocalypse Revealed # 401
401. And all green grass was burned up. This symbolically means, and thus every constituent of faith having life had perished.
To be burned up means, symbolically, to perish, as said just above in no. 400.
Green grass, in the Word, symbolizes the goodness and truth of the church or faith that is born first in the natural self. It has the same symbolic meaning as "the herb of the field." 1 And because faith has life owing to goodness and truth, therefore "all green grass was burned up" means, symbolically, that every constituent of faith having life had perished. Every constituent of faith having life perishes, moreover, when there is no affection for goodness or perception of truth, as said just above.
Grass has this symbolic meaning also because of its correspondence. Consequently, people who separate faith from charity, not only in doctrine by also in life, in the spiritual world live in a desert where there is no grass.
Since a fruit tree symbolizes a person in respect to his affections for goodness and perceptions of truth, so green grass symbolizes a person in respect to that constituent of the church that is first conceived in him and also given birth, while grass that is not green symbolizes that constituent now perished.
In general, everything found in gardens, forests, fields and plains symbolizes a person in respect to some constituent of the church, or to say the same thing, some constituent of the church in him. That is because they correspond. That this is true of grass can be seen from the following passages:
A voice said, "Cry out!" And he said, "What shall I cry?"
"All flesh is grass... The grass withered, and the flower faded, because the wind... blew upon it. Truly the people are grass. The grass withered, and the flower faded, but the Word of our God shall stand forever. (Isaiah 40:6-8)
Their inhabitants... became the herb of the field, tender grass, the grass on the housetops, and a field scorched before the standing grain. (Isaiah 37:27, 2 Kings 19:26)
...I will pour... My blessing on your offspring; they will spring up among the grass... (Isaiah 44:3-4)
Also elsewhere, as Isaiah 51:12, Psalms 37:2; 103:15; 129:6, Deuteronomy 32:2.
That a green plant or something green symbolizes something living or alive is apparent in Jeremiah 17:8; 11:16; Ezekiel 17:24; 20:47; Hosea 14:8; Psalms 37:35; 52:8; 92:10.
The same thing said here in the book of Revelation came to pass in Egypt, namely that by hail and fire mingled, every tree and every herb of the field were burned up (Exodus 9:22-35).
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. Genesis 2:5; 3:18
Psalms 103
1
Praise Yahweh, my soul! All that is within me, Praise his holy name!
2
Praise Yahweh, my soul, and don't forget all his benefits;
3
who forgives all your sins; who heals all your diseases;
4
who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies;
5
who satisfies your desire with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6
Yahweh executes righteous acts, and justice for all who are oppressed.
7
He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the children of Israel.
8
Yahweh is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.
9
He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever.
10
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities.
11
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.
12
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13
Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.
14
For he knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust.
15
As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone. Its place remembers it no more.
17
But Yahweh's loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him, his righteousness to children's children;
18
to those who keep his covenant, to those who remember to obey his precepts.
19
Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all.
20
Praise Yahweh, you angels of his, who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word, obeying the voice of his word.
21
Praise Yahweh, all you armies of his, you servants of his, who do his pleasure.
22
Praise Yahweh, all you works of his, in all places of his dominion. Praise Yahweh, my soul!
