Apocalypse Revealed # 814
814. 19:8 And it was granted her to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright. This symbolically means that those who will belong to the Lord's New Church are being instructed through the Word by the Lord in truths that are genuine and pure.
Being granted to her means to the wife, who symbolizes the Lord's New Church, namely, the New Jerusalem, as in no. 813 just above. To be arrayed means, symbolically, to be instructed in truths, inasmuch as garments symbolize truths (no. 166), and white garments genuine truths (no. 212). Fine linen, clean and bright, symbolically means glistening as a result of goodness, and pure as a result of truths. And because there is no pure truth from any other source than from the Lord through the Word, therefore this, too, is symbolically meant.
The fine linen is said to be clean and bright because cleanliness symbolizes something that is free of evil, thus something that glistens as a result of goodness, and brightness symbolizes something that is free of falsity, thus something pure as a result of truth.
Fine linen, or something made of fine linen, symbolizes genuine truth also in the following passages:
I clothed you (O Jerusalem) in embroidered cloth..., I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk... Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen and silk... (Ezekiel 16:10, 13)
Fine linen with embroidery from Egypt was your sail. (Ezekiel 27:7)
The latter is said of Tyre, which symbolizes the church in respect to concepts of truth and goodness.
The hosts in heaven followed Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (Revelation 19:14)
Pharaoh's clothing Joseph "in garments of fine linen" (Genesis 41:42) has the same symbolic meaning.
Truth from the Word in their possession, though not internalized by them, is symbolized by the fine linen in Babylon in Revelation 18:12, 16, and by that possessed by the rich man in Luke 16:19.
Fine linen is also called cotton, so that this, too, symbolizes genuine truth, in the following:
You shall make (for Aaron) a checkered tunic of cotton, and you shall make the turban of cotton... (Exodus 28:39)
They made tunics of cotton... for Aaron and his sons... (Exodus 39:27)
You shall make the tabernacle... cotton interwoven with blue, purple, and scarlet double-dyed. (Exodus 26:1, cf. 36:8)
You shall make... hangings for the court of woven cotton... (Exodus 27:9, cf. 27:18; 38:9)
Also the screen... of the court...(with) woven cotton. (Exodus 38:18)
士师记 11
1
基列人耶弗他是个大能的勇士,是妓女的儿子。耶弗他是基列所生的。
2
基列的妻也生了几个儿子:他妻所生的儿子长大了,就赶逐耶弗他,说:你不可在我们父家承受产业,因为你是妓女的儿子。
3
耶弗他就逃避他的弟兄,去住在陀伯地,有些匪徒到他那里聚集,与他一同出入。
5
亚扪人攻打以色列的时候,基列的长老到陀伯地去,要叫耶弗他回来;
7
耶弗他回答基列的长老说:从前你们不是恨我、赶逐我出离父家麽?现在你们遭遇急难为何到我这里来呢?
8
基列的长老回答耶弗他说:现在我们到你这里来,是要你同我们去,与亚扪人争战;你可以作基列一切居民的领袖。
9
耶弗他对基列的长老说:你们叫我回去,与亚扪人争战,耶和华把他交给我,我可以作你们的领袖麽?
10
基列的长老回答耶弗他说:有耶和华在你我中间作见证,我们必定照你的话行。
11
於是耶弗他同基列的长老回去,百姓就立耶弗他作领袖、作元帅。耶弗他在米斯巴将自己的一切话陈明在耶和华面前。
12
耶弗他打发使者去见亚扪人的王,说:你与我有甚麽相干,竟来到我国中攻打我呢?
13
亚扪人的王回答耶弗他的使者说:因为以色列从埃及上来的时候占据我的地,从亚嫩河到雅博河,直到约但河。现在你要好好地将这地归还罢!
14
耶弗他又打发使者去见亚扪人的王,
15
对他说:耶弗他如此说,以色列人并没有占据摩押地和亚扪人的地。
17
就打发使者去见以东王,说:求你容我从你的地经过。以东王却不应允。又照样打发使者去见摩押王,他也不允准。以色列人就住在加低斯。
18
他们又经过旷野,绕着以东和摩押地,从摩押地的东边过来,在亚嫩河边安营,并没有入摩押的境内,因为亚嫩河是摩押的边界。
19
以色列人打发使者去见亚摩利王西宏,就是希实本的王,对他说:求你容我们从你的地经过,往我们自己的地方去。
20
西宏却不信服以色列人,不容他们经过他的境界,乃招聚他的众民在雅杂安营,与以色列人争战。
21
耶和华─以色列的神将西宏和他的众民都交在以色列人手中,以色列人就击杀他们,得了亚摩利人的全地:
23
耶和华─以色列的神在他百姓以色列面前赶出亚摩利人,你竟要得他们的地麽?
24
你的神基抹所赐你的地你不是得为业麽?耶和华─我们的神在我们面前所赶出的人,我们就得他的地。
25
难道你比摩押王西拨的儿子巴勒还强麽?他曾与以色列人争竞,或是与他们争战麽?
26
以色列人住希实本和属希实本的乡村,亚罗珥和属亚罗珥的乡村,并沿亚嫩河的一切城邑,已经有三百年了;在这三百年之内,你们为甚麽没有取回这些地方呢?
27
原来我没有得罪你,你却攻打我,恶待我。愿审判人的耶和华今日在以色列人和亚扪人中间判断是非。
29
耶和华的灵降在耶弗他身上,他就经过基列和玛拿西,来到基列的米斯巴,又从米斯巴来到亚扪人那里。
31
我从亚扪人那里平平安安回来的时候,无论甚麽人,先从我家门出来迎接我,就必归你,我也必将他献上为燔祭。
32
於是耶弗他往亚扪人那里去,与他们争战;耶和华将他们交在他手中,
33
他就大大杀败他们,从亚罗珥到米匿,直到亚备勒基拉明,攻取了二十座城。这样亚扪人就被以色列人制伏了。
34
耶弗他回米斯巴到了自己的家,不料,他女儿拿着鼓跳舞出来迎接他,是他独生的,此外无儿无女。
35
耶弗他看见他,就撕裂衣服,说:哀哉!我的女儿啊,你使我甚是愁苦,叫我作难了;因为我已经向耶和华开口许愿,不能挽回。
36
他女儿回答说:父啊,你既向耶和华开口,就当照你口中所说的向我行,因耶和华已经在仇敌亚扪人身上为你报仇;
37
又对父亲说:有一件事求你允准:容我去两个月,与同伴在山上,好哀哭我终为处女。
38
耶弗他说:你去罢!就容他去两个月。他便和同伴去了,在山上为他终为处女哀哭。