Apocalypse Revealed#657
657. Seven angels having the seven last plagues. This symbolizes the evils and falsities that exist in the church in its last state exposed in their entirety by the Lord.
Seven angels symbolize the whole of heaven. However, because heaven is heaven owing not to the angels' own inherent qualities, but to the Lord, therefore the seven angels symbolize the Lord. Moreover, only the Lord can expose the evils and falsities that are present in the church. That angels symbolize heaven, and in the highest sense the Lord, may be seen in nos. 5, 258, 344, 465, 644, 647, 648 above.
Plagues symbolize evils and falsities - evils that are matters of love, and falsities that are matters of faith. For these are what are described in the following chapter, symbolized by the foul and noxious sore; by the blood as though of someone dead, causing every living creature to die; by the blood into which the waters of the rivers and springs were turned; by the heat of the fire that scorched people; by the unclean spirits looking like frogs, which were demons; and by the great hail.
The evils and falsities symbolized by all of these are the plagues here. Last plagues symbolize evils and falsities in the church's last state. Seven means, symbolically, all (nos. 10, 390). However, because the evils symbolized by the plagues in the following chapter are not all evils in particular, but all evils in general, seven here symbolically means all universally; for a universal entity embraces all of its constituents in particular.
It is apparent from this that John's seeing seven angels having the seven last plagues means symbolically that the evils and falsities that exist in the church and their character in its last state were exposed in their entirety by the Lord.
[2] That plagues symbolize spiritual plagues, which afflict people with respect to their souls and destroy them, and that these plagues or afflictions are evils and falsities, can be seen from the following passages:
From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness..., but a fresh wound not lanced; neither has it been bound up or softened... (Isaiah 1:6)
(Jehovah) is striking the peoples wrathfully with an incurable plague... (Isaiah 14:6)
(Jehovah,) remove Your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of Your hand. (Psalms 39:10)
Your fracture is beyond hope...; for I have struck you with the affliction of an enemy... for the multitude of your iniquities; your sins have become many... But I will... heal you of your afflictions... (Jeremiah 30:12, 14, 17)
If you do not carefully keep all the words of (the Law)..., Jehovah will bring upon you... extraordinary plagues - great and prolonged plagues - (and) every plague... which is not written in this book of the Law... until you are destroyed. (Deuteronomy 28:58-59, 61)
No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your tent. (Psalms 91:10)
Edom shall become a desolation. Everyone who goes by... will hiss at all its plagues. (Jeremiah 49:17)
...she shall be a desolation. Everyone who passes by Babylon shall be dumbfounded, and hiss over all her plagues. (Jeremiah 50:13)
...plagues will come (upon Babylon) in one day... (Revelation 18:8)
(The two witnesses will) strike the earth with every plague... (Revelation 11:6)
The plagues in Egypt, which were in part like the plagues described in the following chapter, symbolized nothing else but evils and falsities. You may find the plagues in Egypt enumerated in no. 503 1 above. They are also called plagues in Exodus 9:14; 11:1.
It is apparent from this that plagues and afflictions mean, symbolically, nothing other than spiritual plagues and afflictions, which afflict people with respect to their souls and destroy them. So also in Isaiah 30:26; Zechariah 14:12, 15; Psalms 38:5, 11; Revelation 9:20; 16:21; Exodus 12:13; 30:12; Numbers 11:33; Luke 7:21; and elsewhere.
脚注:
Psalms第38章
1
Yahweh, don't rebuke me in your wrath, neither chasten me in your hot displeasure.
2
For your arrows have pierced me, your hand presses hard on me.
3
There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation, neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.
4
For my iniquities have gone over my head. As a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
5
My wounds are loathsome and corrupt, because of my foolishness.
6
I am pained and bowed down greatly. I go mourning all day long.
7
For my waist is filled with burning. There is no soundness in my flesh.
8
I am faint and severely bruised. I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart.
9
Lord, all my desire is before you. My groaning is not hidden from you.
10
My heart throbs. My strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me.
11
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague. My kinsmen stand far away.
12
They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all day long.
13
But I, as a deaf man, don't hear. I am as a mute man who doesn't open his mouth.
14
Yes, I am as a man who doesn't hear, in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15
For in you, Yahweh, do I hope. You will answer, Lord my God.
16
For I said, "Don't let them gloat over me, or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips."
17
For I am ready to fall. My pain is continually before me.
18
For I will declare my iniquity. I will be sorry for my sin.
19
But my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous.
20
They who also render evil for good are adversaries to me, because I follow what is good.
21
Don't forsake me, Yahweh. My God, don't be far from me.
22
Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation. For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David.
