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
Amos 3
1
Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,
2
You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
3
Can two walk together, except they are agreed?
4
Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he hath taken nothing?
5
Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?
6
Shalt a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
7
Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret to his servants the prophets.
8
The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
9
Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst of it, and the oppressed in the midst of it.
10
For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.
11
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An adversary there shall be even around the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be plundered.
12
Thus saith the LORD: As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch.
13
Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord GOD, the GOD of hosts,
14
That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will also visit the altars of Beth-el: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.
15
And I will smite the winter-house with the summer-house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD.
