Apocalypse Explained#946
946. Because thy judgments have been made manifest. That this signifies that Divine truths are revealed to them, is evident from the signification of judgments, as denoting Divine truths, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of being manifested, as denoting to be revealed. That Divine truths are revealed at the end of the church, and that they have been revealed, will be shown in what follows in this chapter, because the subject there treated of is concerning them.
The reason why judgments signify Divine truths is, that the laws of government in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are called judgments; but the laws of government in the Lord's celestial kingdom are called justice. For the laws of government in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are laws from Divine truth, whereas the laws of government in the Lord's celestial kingdom are laws from Divine Good. This is why judgment and justice are mentioned in the following passages in the Word.
In Isaiah:
"There shall be no end to peace upon the throne of David, to establish it, and to uphold it in judgment and justice from now and for ever" (9:7).
This speaks of the Lord and His kingdom. His spiritual kingdom is signified by the throne of David; and because this kingdom is in Divine truths from the Divine Good, it is said, in "judgment and justice."
In Jeremiah:
"I will raise up to David a just shoot, and he shall reign a king, and he shall act intelligently, and shall execute judgment and justice" (23:5).
These words also are spoken of the Lord, and of His spiritual kingdom. And since this kingdom is in Divine truths from the Divine Good, it is said that He shall reign a King, and shall act intelligently, and that He shall execute judgment and justice. The Lord is called King from Divine truth. And whereas Divine truth is also Divine intelligence, it is said that He shall act intelligently. And because Divine truth is from the Divine Good, it is said that He shall execute judgment and justice.
[2] In Isaiah:
"Jehovah shall be exalted; for he dwelleth on high; he hath filled Zion with judgment and justice" (33:5).
By Zion is meant heaven and the church, where the Lord reigns by Divine truth. And because all Divine truth is from Divine Good, it is said, "He hath filled Zion with judgment and justice."
In Jeremiah:
"I Jehovah, doing justice and judgment in the earth; for in these I am well pleased" (9:24).
Here also by judgment and justice is signified Divine truth from the Divine Good.
In Isaiah:
"They shall ask of me the judgments of justice; they shall desire to draw near unto God" (58:2).
The judgments of justice are Divine truths from the Divine Good. Similarly judgment and justice; for the spiritual sense conjoins those things the sense of the letter separates.
In Hosea:
"I will betroth thee to me for ever; and I will betroth thee to me in justice and judgment, and in mercy and in truth" (2:19, 20).
The subject there treated of is the celestial kingdom of the Lord, which consists of those who are in love to the Lord. And because the Lord's conjunction with them is comparatively like the conjunction of a husband with a wife - for the good of love so conjoins - therefore it is said, I will betroth thee to me in justice and judgment. And justice is mentioned in the first place, and judgment in the second, because those who are in the good of love to the Lord are also in truths; for they see them from good. Because justice is said of good, and judgment of truth, therefore it is also said, in mercy and in truth; mercy being also said of good, because it is of love.
[3] In David:
"Jehovah is in the heavens; thy justice as the mountains of God, and thy judgments as a great abyss" (Psalm 36:5, 6).
Justice is said of Divine Good, therefore it is compared to the mountains of God; for by mountains of God are signified the goods of love; see above (n. 405, 510, 850). And judgments are said of Divine truths, therefore they are compared to a great abyss; for by a great abyss is signified Divine truth. From these things it is now evident that by judgments are signified Divine truths.
[4] In many passages in the Word, judgments, precepts, and statutes are mentioned. And by judgments are there signified civil laws; by precepts the laws of spiritual life; and by statutes the laws of worship. That by judgments are signified civil laws, is clear from Exodus (Exodus 21, 22, 23), where the things that are there commanded are called judgments; because from them judgments were given by judges in the gates of the city. But still they signify Divine truths, such as are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom in the heavens, for they contain them in the spiritual sense, as is evident from the explanation in Arcana Coelestia (n. 8971-9103, 9124-9231, 9247-9348).
That the laws with the sons of Israel were called judgments, precepts, and statutes, is clear from the following passages:-
In Moses:
"I will speak unto thee all the precepts, the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them" (Deuteronomy 5:31).
In the same:
"These are the precepts, the statutes, and the judgments, which Jehovah your God commanded to teach you" (Deuteronomy 6:1).
In the same:
"Therefore, thou shalt keep the precepts, the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them" (Deuteronomy 7:11).
In David:
"If his sons forsake my law and walk not in my judgments; if they profane my statutes, and keep not my precepts, I will visit their prevarication with a rod" (Psalm 89:30-32),
besides frequently elsewhere:
As Leviticus 18:5; 19:37; 20:22; 25:18; 26:15; Deuteronomy 4:1; 5:1, 6, 7; 17:19; 26:17; Ezekiel 5:6, 7; 11:12, 20; 18:9; 20:11, 13, 25; 37:24.
By precepts in these passages are meant the laws of life, especially those in the Decalogue, which are therefore called the Ten Precepts. But by the statutes are meant the laws of worship, which principally related to sacrifices, and the ministry of holy things. And by judgments are meant civil laws, which, because representative of spiritual laws, were therefore significative of Divine truths, such as those in the Lord's spiritual kingdom in the heavens.
Continuation:-
[5] When, therefore, a man shuns and turns away from evils as sins, and is raised into heaven by the Lord, it follows that he is no longer in his proprium, but in the Lord, and that consequently he thinks and wills goods. Now because a man thinks and wills, so also does he act; for every action of a man proceeds from the thought of his will, therefore again it follows, that when a man shuns and turns away from evils, he does goods, not from himself, but from the Lord. Therefore to shun evils is to do goods. The goods which a man then does are meant by good works; and good works in their whole extent are meant by charity.
Because a man cannot be reformed unless he thinks, wills, and acts as of himself, that which he does as of himself is conjoined to him, and remains with him. Because that which a man does as of himself receives no life, but flows through like ether, therefore the Lord wills that a man should not only shun and turn away from evils as of himself, but should also think, will, and act as of himself, yet still acknowledge in heart, that all these things are from the Lord. This he will acknowledge because it is the truth.
Ezekiel第11章
1
Moreover the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me to the east gate of Yahweh's house, which looks eastward: and see, at the door of the gate twenty-five men; and I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
2
He said to me, Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity, and who give wicked counsel in this city;
3
who say, [The time] is not near to build houses: this [city] is the caldron, and we are the flesh.
4
Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, son of man.
5
The Spirit of Yahweh fell on me, and he said to me, Speak, Thus says Yahweh: Thus you have said, house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind.
6
You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with the slain.
7
Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Your slain whom you have laid in its midst, they are the flesh, and this [city] is the caldron; but you shall be brought forth out of its midst.
8
You have feared the sword; and I will bring the sword on you, says the Lord Yahweh.
9
I will bring you forth out of its midst, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
10
You shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.
11
This [city] shall not be your caldron, neither shall you be the flesh in its midst; I will judge you in the border of Israel;
12
and you shall know that I am Yahweh: for you have not walked in my statutes, neither have you executed my ordinances, but have done after the ordinances of the nations that are around you.
13
It happened, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down on my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord Yahweh! will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
14
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
15
Son of man, your brothers, even your brothers, the men of your relatives, and all the house of Israel, all of them, [are they] to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Go far away from Yahweh. This land has been given to us for a possession.
16
Therefore say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Whereas I have removed them far off among the nations, and whereas I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they are come.
17
Therefore say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.
18
They shall come there, and they shall take away all the detestable things of it and all its abominations from there.
19
I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh;
20
that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
21
But as for them whose heart walks after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their way on their own heads, says the Lord Yahweh.
22
Then did the cherubim lift up their wings, and the wheels were beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
23
The glory of Yahweh went up from the midst of the city, and stood on the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
24
The Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
25
Then I spoke to them of the captivity all the things that Yahweh had shown me.
