1171. “拉玛的儿子” 同样表那些没有内在敬拜, 但有对信的认知之人, 他们的宗教信仰只在于具有这类认知; “示巴, 底但” 是指具有这些认知的民族, 因为在内义上, 这些民族表认知本身. 这从以下先知书的经文, 以及诗篇中有关西巴, 示巴和拉玛的经文明显看出来, 诗篇:

他施和海岛的王要进贡, 示巴和西巴的王要献礼物; 诸王都要叩拜祂. (诗篇 72:10-11)

这论及主, 祂的国和属天的教会. 谁都能看出, “贡” 和 “礼物” 在此表各种敬拜; 但是, 若不明白 “他施和海岛”, “示巴和西巴” 各是什么意思, 就不知道这些敬拜属于哪种类型, 以及它们的性质. 前面已说明 “他施和海岛” 表与内在相应的外在敬拜. 由此可知, “示巴和西巴” 表内在敬拜, 即 “示巴” 表敬拜的属天事物, “西巴” 表敬拜的属灵事物.

以赛亚书:

我已经使埃及作你的赎价, 使古实和西巴代替你. (以赛亚书 43:3)

此处, “古实和西巴” 表信的属灵事物. 同一先知书:

埃及劳碌得来的和古实的货物, 身量高大的西巴人都必过来归你. (以赛亚书 45:14)

“埃及劳碌得来的” 表知识, “古实的货物, 身量高大的西巴人” 表对属灵事物的认知, 这些认知有助于人们信主.

又:

成群的骆驼并米甸和以法的独峰驼必遮满你; 示巴的众人都必来到, 要奉上黄金乳香, 又要传说耶和华的赞美. 基达的羊群都必聚集到你这里. (以赛亚书 60:6, 7)

此处, “示巴” 用来表属天事物和衍生的属灵事物, 它们被描述为 “黄金乳香”; 就象刚才所解释的, 这些是 “耶和华的赞美”, 就是内在敬拜.

以西结书:

示巴和拉玛的商人与你交易, 他们用各类上好的香料, 各类的宝石和黄金兑换你的货物. (以西结书 27:22-23)

这论及推罗. “示巴和拉玛” 的意思从经上所说他们交易的货物清楚可知, 即香料, 宝石和黄金. “香料” 的内义是仁爱, “宝石” 的内义是源于仁之信, “黄金” 的内义是对主的爱, 所有这一切都是 “示巴” 所表示的属天事物. 严格来说, “示巴” 表对这些事物的认知, 这就是为何他们在此被称为 “商人” 的原因, 那些成为教会成员的人就被赋予这些认知, 因为没有认知, 没人能成为教会成员.

同样代表这类事物的还有, 拜访所罗门, 并给他带来香料, 黄金和宝石的示巴女王 (列王纪上10: 1-3), 还有耶稣出生时前来跪拜祂的东方智者, 他们打开财宝, 将黄金, 乳香和没药献为礼物 (马太福音 2:1, 11). 这些礼物表属天, 属灵和属世之善. 耶利米书:

从示巴出的乳香, 从远地出的甘蔗奉来给我有何益呢? 你们的燔祭不蒙悦纳. (耶利米书 6:20)

此处也很明显, “示巴” 表认知和崇拜, 也就是 “乳香和甘蔗” 所指的, 但它们在此是指那些缺乏仁爱的事物, 因而不蒙悦纳.

6385. 'And he will be at the haven of ships' means in which teachings drawn from the Word are present. This is clear from the meaning of 'the haven' as the resting-place, as immediately above in 6384, thus the place where those teachings are present; and from the meaning of 'ships' as teachings drawn from the Word. The reason why they are meant by 'ships' is that ships sail across seas and along rivers, carrying commodities used to support life. For 'seas' and 'rivers' mean different kinds of knowledge; the commodities used to support life which the ships carry are teachings as well as actual truths drawn from the Word. The fact that such teachings and truths are meant by 'ships' is evident from the following places: In Isaiah,

The islands will put their trust in Me, and the ships of Tarshish at their head, to bring your sons from afar, their silver and their gold with them. Isaiah 60:9.

'The ships of Tarshish' stands for teachings and truths drawn from the Word. This is why it says that they would bring their sons, their silver and gold; for 'sons' means those in possession of truths, 'silver' truth itself, and 'gold' good. Anyone can see that the ships of Tarshish are not really meant here, and that sons, silver, and gold are not really meant either.

[2] In Ezekiel,

In the heart of the sea are your borders, your architects have perfected your beauty. Of fir trees from Senir they built for you all the boards; they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you. Of oaks from Bashan they made oars; your plank they made of ivory, a daughter of steps ¹ from the isles of Kittim. Fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt was your sail, that it might be to you an ensign; violet and purple from the islands of Elishah was your covering. The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers; your wise men, O Tyre, who were in you were your pilots. Elders of Gebal and its wisemen were in you, remedying your cracks. All the ships of the sea and their sailors were in you, to conduct your trade. Ezekiel 17:4-9.

This refers to Tyre, which means cognitions of good and truth, 1201. Those cognitions are described by means of the aspects of a ship - its boards, mast, oars, plank, sail, covering, rowers, pilots, and sailors. Who can fail to see that one must not take all these things literally? But when the cognitions of truth and good, which are 'Tyre', together with teachings drawn from the Word, are understood by 'ships', all things go beautifully together.

[3] In David,

How many are your works, O Jehovah! In wisdom You have made them all. This sea, great and wide on both hands ² - there the ships sail, the sea monster whom you have formed to play in it. Psalms 104:24-26.

In the same author,

Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of confession, and declare Jehovah's works in a triumphant shout. Those who go down to the sea with ships, doing work in many waters - these saw the works of Jehovah, and His marvels in the deep. Psalms 107:21-24.

Here also 'ships' stands for cognitions and religious teachings, 'the sea monster' for the general sources of known facts, 42. And since 'ships' are cognitions and those teachings, the words 'those who go down to the sea with ships - these saw the works of Jehovah, and His marvels in the deep' are used; for those who know those cognitions and teachings drawn from the Word see those works and marvels.

[4] In John,

The second angel sounded, and so to speak a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. And a third part of the sea became blood, with the result that a third part of creatures died who had their being ³ in the sea. And a third part of the ships was destroyed. Revelation 8:8-9.

'A great mountain burning with fire' stands for self-love, 1691; 'the sea stands for the natural where factual knowledge resides, 28; 'blood' stands for violence done to charity, 374, 1005; 'the creatures who had their being in the sea' stands for truths contained in factual knowledge, together with forms of good; 'a third part' stands for something not yet complete, 2788 (end). They 'died' stands for the fact that they had no spiritual life, 6119, and therefore 'a third part of the ships was destroyed' stands for the fact that the truths and forms of good presented in teachings drawn from the Word were falsified. From all this one may see what is meant by this prophetic description.

[5] But in the contrary sense 'ships' means cognitions and teachings that present falsity and evil, as in Daniel,

At the time of the end the king of the south will clash with him; therefore the king of the north will rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he will enter into countries, and will overflow and penetrate. Daniel 11:40.

'The king of the south' stands for truths that spring from good, 'the king of the north' for falsities that spring from evil, 'chariots with horsemen and with ships' for teachings that present falsity. 'Countries' stands for Churches, which - it is foretold - falsities springing from evils will overflow and penetrate 'at the time of the end'.

[6] In John,

Every shipmaster, and everyone on board ships, and sailors, and all who trade on the sea, stood at a distance and were crying out as they saw the smoke of Babylon's burning, saying, What [city] is like the great city? Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who have ships on the sea have been made rich by her wealth. ⁴ Revelation 18:17-19.

Here it may be seen that 'ships' are cognitions and teachings that present falsity and evil because 'Babylon' describes worship which to outward appearance is holy but inwardly is profane. Once again no one can fail to see that 'ships' means something other than ships.

The same is so in Isaiah,

Thus says Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, For your sake I have sent to Babel, so that I may break down all the bars, and the Chaldeans in whose ships there is shouting. Isaiah 43:14.

In addition to these places falsities springing from evil are also meant by 'ships' in Isaiah 2:16; 23:1, 14; Psalms 48:7.

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