Apocalypse Revealed#51
51. Having in His right hand seven stars. (1:16) This symbolizes all concepts of goodness and truth in the Word, which exist therefore in angels in heaven and in people in the church.
When angels are below the heavens, a great number of what look like little stars appear around them, and likewise around spirits who, when they lived in the world, acquired concepts of goodness and truth for themselves from the Word, or truths of life and doctrine. These little stars appear fixed, however, in the case of those who possess genuine truths from the Word, but wandering in the case of those who possess falsified truths.
(Regarding these little stars, and the stars appearing in the sky there, I could relate marvelous things, but that is not the subject of this work.)
It is apparent from this that stars symbolize concepts of goodness and truth from the Word.
The Son of Man's having them in His right hand means, symbolically, that they come from the Lord alone through the Word. Seven symbolically means all, as may be seen in no. 10 above.
[2] That stars symbolize concepts of goodness and truth from the Word may be seen also from the following passages:
(I will) turn the earth into a wasteland... ...the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. (Isaiah 13:9-10)
The earth that will be turned into a wasteland is the church, in which, having been laid waste, concepts of goodness and truth in the Word are not seen.
When I put out your light, I will cover the heavens... All the bright lights of the heavens I will make dark over you, and bring darkness upon your land. (Ezekiel 32:7-8)
Darkness upon the land is the darkness of falsities in the church.
The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. (Joel 2:10; 3:15)
...after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven... (Matthew 24:29, cf. Mark 13:24)
The stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs... (Revelation 6:13)
...a star (fell) from heaven to the earth. (Revelation 9:1)
Stars falling from heaven do not mean stars, but concepts of goodness and truth perishing.
[3] This is still more apparent from the statement that a dragon swept down a third of the stars from heaven, in Revelation 12:4, and the statement that a he-goat cast down some of the stars and trampled them, in Daniel 8:8-11. That is why the next verse in Daniel goes on to say that it cast truth to the ground (Daniel 8:12).
Stars also symbolize concepts of goodness and truth in the following passages:
(Jehovah) counts... the stars; He gives all of them names. (Psalms 147:4)
Praise (Jehovah), all you stars of light! (Psalms 148:3)
The stars from their courses fought... (Judges 5:20)
From this it is apparent what is meant by the following statement in Daniel:
The intelligent shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, ...those turning many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3)
The intelligent are people concerned with truths, and those turning many to righteousness are those concerned with goodness.
耶利米书第3章
1
有话说：人若休妻，妻离他而去，作了别人的妻，前夫岂能再收回他来？若收回他来，那地岂不是大大玷污了麽？但你和许多亲爱的行邪淫，还可以归向我。这是耶和华说的。
2
你向净光的高处举目观看，你在何处没有淫行呢？你坐在道旁等候，好像亚拉伯人在旷野埋伏一样，并且你的淫行邪恶玷污了全地。
3
因此甘霖停止，春（原文是晚）雨不降。你还是有娼妓之脸，不顾羞耻。
5
耶和华岂永远怀怒，存留到底吗？看哪，你又发恶言又行坏事，随自己的私意而行（或译：你虽这样说，还是行恶放纵欲心）。
6
约西亚王在位的时候，耶和华又对我说：「背道的以色列所行的，你看见没有？他上各高山，在各青翠树下行淫。
7
他行这些事以後，我说他必归向我，他却不归向我。他奸诈的妹妹犹大也看见了。
8
背道的以色列行淫，我为这缘故给他休书休他；我看见他奸诈的妹妹犹大，还不惧怕，也去行淫。
10
虽有这一切的事，他奸诈的妹妹犹大还不一心归向我，不过是假意归我。这是耶和华说的。」
12
你去向北方宣告说：耶和华说：背道的以色列啊，回来吧！我必不怒目看你们；因为我是慈爱的，我必不永远存怒。这是耶和华说的。
13
只要承认你的罪孽，就是你违背耶和华─你的神，在各青翠树下向别神东奔西跑，没有听从我的话。这是耶和华说的。
14
耶和华说：背道的儿女啊，回来吧！因为我作你们的丈夫，并且我必将你们从一城取一人，从一族取两人，带到锡安。
15
我也必将合我心的牧者赐给你们。他们必以知识和智慧牧养你们。」
16
耶和华说：「你们在国中生养众多；当那些日子，人必不再提说耶和华的约柜，不追想，不记念，不觉缺少，也不再制造。
17
那时，人必称耶路撒冷为耶和华的宝座；万国必到耶路撒冷，在耶和华立名的地方聚集。他们必不再随从自己顽梗的恶心行事。
18
当那些日子，犹大家要和以色列家同行，从北方之地一同来到我赐给你们列祖为业之地。」
19
我说：我怎样将你安置在儿女之中，赐给你美地，就是万国中肥美的产业。我又说：你们必称我为父，也不再转去不跟从我。
20
以色列家，你们向我行诡诈，真像妻子行诡诈离开他丈夫一样。这是耶和华说的。
21
在净光的高处听见人声，就是以色列人哭泣恳求之声，乃因他们走弯曲之道，忘记耶和华─他们的神。
22
你们这背道的儿女啊，回来吧！我要医治你们背道的病。看哪，我们来到你这里，因你是耶和华─我们的神。
23
仰望从小山或从大山的喧嚷中得帮助，真是枉然的。以色列得救，诚然在乎耶和华─我们的神。
24
从我们幼年以来，那可耻的偶像将我们列祖所劳碌得来的羊群、牛群，和他们的儿女都吞吃了。
25
我们在羞耻中躺卧罢！愿惭愧将我们遮盖；因为从立国（原文是幼年）以来，我们和我们的列祖常常得罪耶和华─我们的神，没有听从耶和华─我们神的话。
