7417. “伸出你的杖” 表吩咐他展示神性能力. 这从 “伸出” 和 “杖” 的含义清楚可知: “伸出” 是指行使并展示, 如前所述: “杖” 是指能力 (参看4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026节). 这种能力是神的, 因为亚伦根本没有能力, 杖更不蕴含任何能力. 相反, 是能力通过亚伦和他的杖来行使. 能力通过杖来行使, 是因为在教会中, 神性所吩咐的事通过代表 (这是在主降世之前), 因而通过伸出手和杖来实现; 事实上, 臂和手对应于能力, 杖由此也对应于能力. 在教会中, 在主降世之前, 神性所吩咐的事之所以通过代表来实现, 是因为祂所吩咐的每一件事都代表主, 祂在天上的国度, 以及在地上的国度, 也就是教会. 这一事实从圣言也可以看出来, 圣言中的每一个事物在至高意义上都论述主, 在内义上则论述主的国度和教会.

16. For the time is near, signifies such an interior state. This is evident from the signification of "time," as meaning state (See the work on Heaven and Hell 162-169, where Time in Heaven is treated of); and from the signification of "near," as being the internal; thus here, because it refers to state, the interior state such as is described above is meant. By state is meant a state of affection and of thought therefrom. He who reads this, and knows nothing of the internal sense, supposes that by "the time being near" is meant that the time was near when the things contained in Revelation would be fulfilled. But that this is not meant can be seen from the fact that seventeen centuries elapsed before they were fulfilled. But because the Word in the letter is natural and within is spiritual, it is said that "the time is near," in order that in heaven the interior state might be understood; for if the expression "the interior state," which is the spiritual sense, had here been used, it would not have been understood by the angels; for they perceive all things of the Word according to correspondences. "Near" signifies interior, because distances in heaven are entirely in accord with the differences of the good of love; for which reason those who are in kindred good are also near one another; and it is from this that on earth kinships are called near relationships [propinquitates], because they relate to spiritual affinities, which in heaven are really such. In heaven this is so because the good of love conjoins, and the more interior the good, the nearer is the conjunction. From this it is, that heaven is nearer to man, the more interiorly he is in the good of love; and the origin of this is that the Lord is nearer to an angel, to a spirit, and to man, the more interiorly they love Him. To love Him interiorly is to love His precepts interiorly; that is, to perceive, to will, and to do them from the delight of love. It is from this that "nearness," in the Word, signifies presence and conjunction (as may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 5911, 9378, 9997, 10001). This nearness is thus described in John:

Jesus said, He that loveth Me keepeth My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him (John 14:23);

and in the same:

Ye know the Comforter, the Spirit of truth; for He abideth with you, and shall be in you (John 14:17);

"the Comforter, the Spirit of truth" is Divine truth going forth from the Lord; therefore it is said, "He shall be in you."