4335. 在圣言中, “推磨的” 表示教会中那些出于对良善的情感而处于真理的人, 在反面意义上表示教会中那些出于对邪恶的情感而处于真理的人; 这一点从以下经文可以看出来, 以赛亚书:

巴比伦的处女啊, 下来坐在尘埃; 迦勒底的闺女啊, 没有宝座, 要坐在地上. 因为你不再称为柔弱娇嫩的. 要拿磨磨面, 揭去帕子, 赤脚露腿趟河. (以赛亚书 47:1-2)

“巴比伦的处女” 表示那些其外在看似神圣和良善, 其内在是亵渎和邪恶的人 (1182, 1326节). “迦勒底的闺女” 表示那些其外在看似神圣和真实, 其内在却是亵渎和虚假的人 (1368, 1816节). “拿磨磨面” 表示出于他们所滥用的真理而孵化教义的人; “面” 是大麦或小麦的产物, 故表示作为良善产物的真理, 但在反面意义上表示他们为了迷惑人所滥用的真理. 耶利米书:

我要从他们中间除掉欢喜的声音和快乐的声音, 新郎的声音和新妇的声音, 推磨的声音和灯的亮光. 这全地必然荒凉, 令人惊骇. (耶利米书 25:10-11)

启示录:

各行手艺人在巴比伦中间决不能再遇见, 推磨的声音在巴比伦中间决不能再听见. 灯光在巴比伦中间决不能再照耀; 新郎和新妇的声音, 在巴比伦中间决不能再听见. (启示录 18: 21-23)

“推磨的声音在巴比伦中间决不能再听见” 表示将不再有任何真理. “灯光决不能再照耀” 表示将不再有对真理的任何理解. 耶利米哀歌:

敌人在锡安玷污妇人, 在犹大的城邑玷污处女. 首领的手被吊起, 老人的面不受尊敬. 少年人被迫推磨, 孩童倒在木柴之中. (耶利米哀歌 5:11-14)

“少年人被迫推磨” 表示通过运用真理, 因而说服而孵化虚假.

摩西五经:

凡在埃及地一切头生的, 从坐宝座的法老, 直到磨子后的婢女, 所有的长子都必死. (出埃及记 11:5)

“埃及头生的” 表示脱离仁之良善的信之真理, 这些真理变成了虚假 (3325节). “磨子后婢女的长子” 表示对这种真理的情感, 虚假由此而来. 这些事就由这些历史事件来代表.

申命记:

不可拿人的磨或磨石作当头, 因为这是拿人的性命作当头. (申命记 24:6)

之所以颁布这条律法, 是因为 “磨” 表示教义事物; “磨石” 表示作为它们的主要部分, 被称为 “拿它们作当头之人性命” 的真理. 显而易见, 若非 “磨” 和 “磨石” 具有这样的灵义, 这律法不会给出的, 经上也不会说这是他的 “性命”.

“推磨” 从出现在灵人界的代表而获得其灵义, 这一点已指示给我. 因为我在那里看见那些仿佛毫无目的, 纯粹为了自己高兴推磨的人; 我被告知, 这些灵人是指那些积聚真理, 却不是为了用, 只是为了自己高兴的人. 在这种情况下, 真理缺乏自己源于良善的情感, 所以诚然, 它们在外在形式上看似真理; 但它们里面没有内在实质, 故它们是纯粹的幻想. 不过, 若邪恶存在于它们里面, 那么真理就被用来支持邪恶, 从而通过用到邪恶上而变成虚假.

21. In Asia, signifies those who are in the light of intelligence. This can be seen by a spiritual idea only, such as angels have, concerning the regions of this earth. When Asia is named, angels perceive the south; when Europe is named, the north; and when Africa, the east; and as by the "south" is signified the clear light of intelligence, so that light is signified by "Asia." This perception has been granted also to me, as often as I have been in the spiritual idea and have thought of Asia. Such is the spiritual idea of Asia, because the church was there in ancient times, and then extended over many regions there; therefore, those who are in heaven from that country are in the light of intelligence. For this reason, when Asia is thought of, a light like that which is in the south of heaven flows in. (That in ancient times, and also in the most ancient, the church was in Asia, extending through many kingdoms there, see the quotations from the Arcana Coelestia in the little work on The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 247; and that the "south" signifies the light of intelligence, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 141-153, where the Four Quarters in Heaven are treated of.) By "Asia," however, the inhabitants of Asia are not here meant, but all, wheresoever they are, who are in the spiritual light of intelligence, or, what is the same, who are in truths from good; for those who are in truths from good are in the spiritual light of intelligence; and all such constitute the Lord's church.

(That the Lord's church exists also among the Gentiles, although specifically where the Lord is known and the Word is read, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 318-328; and on The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 244, 246.)